The first week of the 2026 NFL season already has some fan bases looking past the present and straight toward 2027, when a potentially loaded quarterback class could reshape the league.
That’s the backdrop for a handful of teams whose early results - or, in some cases, their current direction - make a future swing at a quarterback feel more and more plausible. Nothing is locked in yet, and a few clubs that won in Week 1 could easily slide into this conversation if their fortunes turn. But right now, these are the teams that stand out as possible 2027 QB shoppers.
The Cleveland Browns may be the clearest example. They were flat-out bad on Sunday, with Deshaun Watson struggling to keep pace against a scorching Jacksonville Jaguars team.
Cleveland looked like a franchise simply waiting for 2027, when it might get another chance to roll the dice on a young quarterback and hand that player the keys to the Dawg Pound. At the moment, the Browns look like the NFL’s worst team, and that could end up being exactly what puts them in position to land a top passer in a class that’s supposed to be strong.
Miami is another team that could be staring at the same possibility. If the Dolphins keep playing like they did against the Las Vegas Raiders, that Malik Willis contract is going to age like spoiled milk... and at no fault of Willis, unless he plays poorly.
Miami handed out a major quarterback deal in free agency this spring, which is rarely the cleanest way to build for the long haul. Even so, the Dolphins could still end up taking a quarterback next spring and stashing him for 2027 if their draft slot stays where it appears to be now.
The wrinkle is obvious: if Miami does bring in a rookie, he may be sitting behind Willis for a year, with $39.3 million in dead cap tied to 2027.
Atlanta belongs in the mix too, though this one comes with a bigger asterisk. The defense showed plenty of speed, aggression and opportunism against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the offense was a mess with third-string quarterback Cooper Rush running the show.
It was the kind of performance that makes a team look like a prime candidate for the top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. Still, the Falcons are expected to eventually hand the offense to Michael Penix Jr., and that could happen as soon as Week 2 or not until early October.
Until Penix gets on the field, Atlanta is tough to judge. Once he does, the team can finally get a real answer on whether he’s the long-term solution.
If he doesn’t show enough, the Falcons could be right back in the quarterback market by spring.
Then there’s Tennessee, where the idea of moving on from Cam Ward in 2027 would sound extreme at first glance. Ward was the top overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, and he still has the full season ahead of him to prove himself.
But if the Titans crater and Ward doesn’t take the necessary steps, Tennessee could make a bold decision and start over. That would be an aggressive move for a player only in his second season, but NFL patience at quarterback keeps shrinking.
If Ward isn’t clearly establishing himself, the Titans could decide to pivot.
And if these teams do end up hunting for quarterbacks, the 2027 class could give them plenty to think about. The names already being floated include Texas QB Arch Manning, Oregon QB Dante Moore, Notre Dame QB C.J. Carr, Miami QB Darian Mensah, South Carolina QB LaNorris Sellers, Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss, Ohio State QB Julian Sayin, LSU QB Sam Leavitt, Oklahoma State QB Drew Mestemaker, former Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby, Indiana QB Josh Hoover and USC QB Jayden Maiava.
In Other News...
Falcons Suddenly Have A Backfield Depth Problem They Created
The Falcons running back room took an unexpected hit this week when the Cowboys signed Tyler Goodson off Atlantas practice squad and onto their active 53-man roster after losing Malik Davis to injury. Goodson had been waived by Atlanta after a strong preseason, a move that left the team thin behind its top backs and opened the door for another club to swoop in.
Now Atlanta is left with rookie Cash Jones as its only running back on the practice squad, and the front office may need to move quickly to restore some depth. Goodson had been in position to compete for a role behind Javonte Williams and Emari Demercado in Dallas, but the more immediate concern for the Falcons is the self-inflicted vacancy they now have to patch before it becomes a bigger issue. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Pitts Is Already Putting Falcons Quarterback Problem Under Pressure
Kyle Pitts new deal made it clear the Falcons still view him as one of the central pieces of the offense, but the season opener offered a reminder that his production is still tied closely to who is throwing him the ball. In the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pitts was targeted only once and did not record a reception while Cooper Rush handled the start at quarterback, a quiet night for a player Atlanta is counting on much more heavily.
The larger issue for the Falcons is less about Pitts himself than the uncertainty around the quarterback room. Michael Penix Jr. and Tua Tagovailoa are both dealing with injuries and are expected back soon, and Pitts early line only underscores how much the offense needs stability under center. Until that settles, the Falcons may keep feeling the strain of trying to make a top weapon work through an unsettled passing game. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Week 1 Usage Sent A Clear Message About This Rotation
After the Falcons opened with a loss to Pittsburgh, the snap counts offered a pretty clear window into how the coaching staff is sorting out its early-season rotation. On defense, Brandon Dorlus and Gervon Dexter were leaned on heavily and played more than half the snaps, while Za'Darius Smith had a smaller role but still made it count when he was on the field.
Offensively, the pecking order was even easier to read. Drake London was out there almost every snap, a sign of just how central he remains to the passing game, while rookies Zachariah Branch and Harold Perkins Jr. were used in more limited doses as the staff works them into the mix. The usage suggests Atlanta is still in the process of defining who its steady contributors will be, and which newcomers will have to earn a bigger piece of the weekly plan. [Read more 🡒]