The NFL’s 53-man roster deadline always redraws the map, and this year it shifted the outlook for a handful of quarterbacks in a big way. Some walked away from cut-down day with clearer paths and better jobs. Others saw their grip on a roster spot loosen fast.
Ty Simpson was one of the biggest winners. The Los Angeles Rams made a notable bet on him in the 2026 NFL Draft, taking the former Alabama quarterback in the first round even though their focus is very much on winning now.
What he showed in the preseason made that investment look even sharper. Simpson was arguably the top rookie quarterback in the exhibition slate, finishing 47 of 60 for 382 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
That 78.3 completion percentage stood out even with much of the production coming against backup defenders.
Jalen Milroe also helped himself at the right time. His place on the Seattle Seahawks roster wasn’t fully secure heading into the final week of the preseason, especially after a rough outing against the Tennessee Titans.
But he bounced back against the Kansas City Chiefs, and that performance changed the tone before decisions were locked in. Head coach Mike Macdonald singled him out for taking care of the football, making decisive plays and hitting several strong downfield throws.
Seattle drafted Milroe for his athletic tools and upside, not because he was a finished product as a passer, and with Drew Lock entering a contract year, Milroe could be in position to become Darnold’s primary backup as soon as 2027.
Jalon Daniels came out on the right side of cut-down day too. The undrafted quarterback from Kansas put up more than 10,000 yards of total offense in college, but his pro future was still very much in question entering the summer.
He answered with a strong camp and preseason, completing 27 of 44 passes for 239 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers kept him on the 53-man roster and moved on from Jake Browning, which left Daniels as QB2 behind Baker Mayfield.
For an undrafted quarterback, that’s a major step.
On the other side of the ledger, Tua Tagovailoa saw his chance in Atlanta slip away. He came into camp with a real shot to seize the starting job for the Falcons, especially with Michael Penix Jr. limited or sidelined for much of the preseason.
That setup initially pointed toward Tagovailoa opening the season under center while Penix kept working back. Instead, his own play gave Penix a path to reclaim the job.
Ian Rapoport reported that Tagovailoa’s work in games and practices made it hard for Atlanta to stay with the original plan of starting him and easing Penix in slowly.
J.J. McCarthy’s preseason was even rougher.
The Minnesota Vikings entered the summer with quarterback uncertainty, and McCarthy ended up losing the starting job to Kyler Murray before getting beaten out by veteran Carson Wentz for the backup role. Then he missed the Vikings’ preseason finale with an ankle injury, which only added to an already frustrating stretch.
Minnesota selected him 10th overall in 2024 with long-term plans in mind, but instead of settling in as the quarterback of the future in Year 3, McCarthy now has to work his way back into the conversation.
Will Levis suffered the harshest outcome of all. His time with the Tennessee Titans is over after an offseason in which he was competing for a roster spot behind rookie starter Cam Ward and veteran Mitchell Trubisky.
An underwhelming camp and preseason left Tennessee with no reason to keep him on the 53-man roster. It’s a steep fall for a quarterback who started 12 games for the Titans just two seasons ago.
His issues with decision-making under pressure remain a problem, and he also missed the entire 2025 season after shoulder surgery. He is still young enough for another team to take a shot, but after Tennessee’s final roster moves, his NFL future is a lot less certain than it was when he entered the league.
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