Predicting all 32 NFL starting quarterbacks for 2026 season - ESPN

The 2026 NFL quarterback market is about to open up, and the future at the game's most important position hangs in the balance for several teams. And with only one surefire first-rounder in the 2026 NFL draft, plenty of teams will have to seek a new QB via free agency or a trade — or stick with the guy they have right now.

The Vikings must decide if they want a quarterback to come in to replace, compete with or back up J.J. McCarthy. The Cardinals must determine whether Kyler Murray has played his last snap with the team. Do the Colts want to combine an injured Daniel Jones with a short-term solution? And to whom might the Dolphins and the Jets turn for hope?

So, who will be the quarterback for each team? I tried to read the tea leaves and predict how it will all shake out. In this case, I am specifically predicting who will be the Week 1 starter for next season. That means even the Chiefs — with Patrick Mahomes coming off an injury — are very much a question mark here. Let's dive into the 32 potential Week 1 starters for 2026.

Jump to:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

Predicted 2026 starter: Kyler Murray

I wonder if the Seahawks winning the Super Bowl with Sam Darnold at quarterback will be good for the reclamation quarterback market. And frankly, Murray is a much less daunting proposition now than Darnold was when he signed with the Vikings two years ago.

Though Murray's play dropped off last season, he's only one year removed from a 63.4 QBR in 2024, the ninth best that season. That was his second top-10 QBR campaign; he ranked seventh in 2021.

Cleveland's eternal search for a