During the 2024 NFL Draft cycle, the quarterback class came in with a ton of buzz, and it earned plenty of it. Six quarterbacks were taken in the first 12 picks, and a few of those teams may already have their quarterback of the future in place.
What makes this group even more striking is how quickly the calendar has moved. These passers are already entering their third NFL season, and they’ll all be eligible for major contract extensions after the 2026 NFL season.
As training camps get rolling, here’s a look at how this loaded class stacks up based on the full body of work so far.
- Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
Spencer Rattler appears settled in as the New Orleans Saints’ backup quarterback. He’s 1-13 as a starter, but there was real progress from 2024 to 2025. His completion percentage jumped by more than 10 points, and his touchdown percentage, interception percentage, success rate, quarterback rating, and passer rating all moved in the right direction.
Rattler closed 2025 with an 86.5 passer rating, which is respectable. Still, with Tyler Shough emerging, Rattler looks like the long-term QB2 unless he leaves in free agency at some point.
- JJ McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
JJ McCarthy has only appeared in 10 NFL games, but the Minnesota Vikings have gone 6-4 in those outings, and that matters. Over his last four starts in 2025, Minnesota won all four, while McCarthy threw five touchdowns, added two more on the ground, and posted a 100.4 passer rating.
There’s at least a little optimism here. Even so, with the team having signed Kyler Murray in the offseason, McCarthy could be moving toward a backup role.
- Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
Michael Penix Jr. also looks like a quarterback who may be headed for a backup spot. He’s 4-8 in 12 starts, but the touchdown-to-interception profile is decent, with 12 touchdowns and six picks. Penix also posted the NFL’s best interception rate in 2025 at just 1.1 percent, showing he did a nice job protecting the football.
He made gains in completion percentage, passing yards, passer rating, and QBR as well. The concern is health, though, since his entire body of work covers just 14 games across two seasons.
In Other News...
Vikings Just Added A Former Pro Bowler Nobody Saw Coming
The Vikings are adding another piece to a linebacker room that already has a real competition brewing, and Jamal Adams gives Brian Flores something a little different to work with. Adams spent last season with the Raiders after earlier stops with the Jets and Seahawks, and his move from safety to linebacker has made him a fit for a defense that values versatility and interchangeable pieces.
For Minnesota, the appeal is less about a fixed role and more about what Adams can do across multiple spots if needed. He enters a mix that includes Eric Wilson, Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace Jr. and rookie Jake Golday, and the question now is how much of Adams value comes from linebacker work, how much from safety, and how much from the nickel packages Flores can build around him. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Camp Opens With A Quarterback Crisis Bigger Than One Position
Training camp opens with the Vikings carrying more than the usual quarterback questions, because the entire offense is tied to whether the passing game can finally settle down. Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson remain the headliners in Kevin O'Connells system, but even proven playmakers can only do so much if the ball is not getting where it needs to go. After the front office shakeup that followed the firing of the previous general manager, the organization has spent the offseason trying to reset the direction of the roster and the offense around it.
The pressure now lands squarely on O'Connell and his staff, with improved quarterback play viewed as the clearest path back to the postseason. If the offense stalls again, the scrutiny will not stop at the position group, because the coaching staff is tied to the results just as tightly as the quarterback room is. There is also the broader question of whether the Vikings are building around their veteran stars or trying to protect themselves from another season in which the passing game never quite matches the talent around it. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Just Made A Defensive Move That Raises Bigger Questions
The Vikings opened training camp with key players on hand and the usual optimism that comes with a fresh start, even after a 9-8 finish left plenty of room for improvement. One of the more interesting additions is Jamal Adams, whose arrival gives Minnesota another experienced defender as the staff continues sorting out how best to use its new pieces.
Adams brings a recent year of full-time linebacker work from his last stop, which adds to the intrigue around how the Vikings plan to deploy him in a room that already has its own health concerns. The bigger issue may be what this move says about the rest of the defense, because Minnesota is still trying to answer questions at safety with Harrison Smith's future unresolved and the other options there still needing to prove they can hold up. [Read more 🡒]