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...
Jaylen Waddle's Broncos Debut Just Fueled A Dolphins Trade Debate
Jaylen Waddles first game in a Broncos uniform came on Monday Night Football, and for Dolphins fans still tracking the move, it was impossible not to notice how quiet it was. Denver acquired Waddle from Miami for a first-round pick, then watched him finish with one catch for two yards on three targets while the Chiefs kept him largely under wraps.
For Miami, the deal only sharpens the debate because the Dolphins used that pick on Chris Johnson, giving the trade a very immediate point of comparison. Waddles limited involvement in his Denver debut does not settle the argument, but it does give both sides fresh ammunition as the early returns on the swap start to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Owner Just Landed In Rare Company Among NFL Billionaires
The latest Forbes 400 list offered a fresh reminder of just how much financial firepower sits behind some NFL franchises, and Stephen Ross remains one of the leagues most prominent owners in that company. The Dolphins owner checked in at 56th with a net worth of $21.5 billion, while Miami itself was valued at $7.5 billion, underscoring how far the franchise has climbed in league business circles.
Ross is hardly alone among NFL owners on the annual ranking, with familiar heavyweights like Rob Walton, David Tepper, Stanley Kroenke, Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft also making the cut. For Miami, the bigger takeaway is less about the leaderboard itself and more about what that kind of ownership profile can mean in a league where resources, ambition and expectations are often linked long before the first snap is taken. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins Rookie Corner Already Faces Pressure After Rough First Impression
Chris Johnsons first NFL outing was the kind rookies remember for all the wrong reasons, and the Dolphins are already living with the early lesson. The first-year corner was targeted often and had a rough debut, allowing two touchdowns and six catches on 11 targets, a reminder of how quickly the league can expose hesitation in the secondary. Miami has asked him to handle more than one spot back there, which only adds to the challenge as he tries to settle in.
Coach Jeff Hafley said Johnson needs to clean up the details, but he also praised the way the rookie has approached the setback. Teammate Dante Trader has tried to keep the message simple: take the game, learn from it and move on. The next stretch will show how quickly Johnson can respond, with more tests coming against a run of opponents that will keep him under the microscope. [Read more 🡒]