Sometimes it feels like NFL quarterback play is at its lowest point in years. A huge chunk of the league doesn't have a long-term starter. Heck, even the teams that do might feel stuck with a starter who isn’t good enough but can’t be easily upgraded. Yes, I'm talking about Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars.
No team can overhaul its quarterback room overnight, but there are steps they can take to put their franchises in better positions moving forward. And we've got some thoughts. We're assuming these moves all happen in the same universe, so once a player has been drafted or traded, no one else can go out and get him. Here's how we'd fix those teams stuck in QB purgatory.
Cleveland Browns: Draft Fernando Mendoza
The Tennessee Titans and New York Giants currently hold the first and second picks in the draft. Both teams drafted a quarterback in 2025, so they likely won't do so in 2026. That leaves the Browns at No. 3 in the current draft order as the first team in need of a QB.
That could change, but if it doesn't, Cleveland has to take this opportunity to draft Fernando Mendoza. He's the best quarterback prospect in this class and a no-brainer decision for Cleveland, because the rookie duo of Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders is very much not the answer.
New Orleans Saints: Draft Ty Simpson
Mendoza is the best quarterback prospect in 2026, but I don't think Ty Simpson is that far behind. I don't trust his arm quite as much as I trust Mendoza's, but he's a smart quarterback who should thrive in a good situation.
Is New Orleans a good situation? That depends. Chris Olave is a very talented receiver as long as he can stay healthy, but there's not a lot going on beyond that. Alvin Kamara appears to have hit the wall. The offensive line is a disaster, though Kelvin Banks Jr. appears to have been the right pick. Can GM Mickey Loomis put the right talent around Simpson for him to win games? That's the question.
New York Jets: Draft Dante Moore
I think Mendoza and Simpson are as close to sure things as you can get in this draft. Neither is a lock to be a top 10 quarterback, but the worst-case scenario is, like, a Trevor Lawrence-type career. You might not win because of those guys, but you can win with them.
Dante Moore is a much bigger mystery. A one-year starter at Oregon, Moore has looked like an elite dual-threat quarterback at times, but has also looked like he has too many rough edges at other times. He's not as polished as the past two Oregon quarterbacks, but he has the physical skills to be better than Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel. It's just that to surpass Nix, a lot is going to have to go right. The Jets aren't in the best place to nurture Moore, but they can't afford to pass on him after how bad their quarterback play has been in 2025.
Las Vegas Raiders: Kick the can down the road
If the Raiders keep losing games, they might find themselves in a position to draft one of the top three quarterbacks. If I'm Dante Moore, I'm crossing my fingers and hoping to somehow land in Vegas instead of New York.
But what if all three guys are gone? Well, that's where it gets complicated. LaNorris Sellers is intriguing, but he's not a top 10 pick, as there are just too many reasons to think his arm won't be effective in the NFL. So, what is there to do, then?
It might be as simple as grabbing a quarterback on Day 2 and then starting 2026 with Geno Smith under center. With all of Smith's turnover issues, it's hard to see another team wanting to trade for him, and releasing him would force the Raiders to eat $18.5 million against the 2026 cap. So, stick with him to start the year and see if he can turn things around. If he can't, throw whomever your second or third-round quarterback is out there. Maybe Garrett Nussmeier? Maybe John Mateer? Or wait until the third round and take a swing at Jayden Maiava. None of those are likely the right long-term starter, but it's possible Vegas gets lucky. If not, they'll be in position to draft a quarterback in 2027.
Arizona Cardinals: Keep Jacoby Brissett and worry about 2027
This is very similar to the Raiders situation, minus one important thing: the Cardinals might actually have trade suitors for Kyler Murray.
Once you trade him, use 2026 as a reset season. Jacoby Brissett has been a lot of fun to watch since he took over as the starter, so bring him back for one more season and be a "fun bad" team. Then draft a quarterback in 2027. You could also grab a mid-round guy and hope he pans out. Either way, 2026 probably isn't the year that the Cardinals fix the quarterback position, but the team can set itself up to do so soon after.
Miami Dolphins: Trade a mid-round pick for Mac Jones
We're assuming in this scenario that the Dolphins opt to retain head coach Mike McDaniel. Considering his ties to the 49ers, why not bring in Mac Jones, a quarterback who just had a career renaissance playing in San Francisco?
This would also reunite Jones with college teammate Jaylen Waddle. Heck, bring in Brian Robinson Jr. as a free agent and just rebuild that 2020 Alabama team! It might not work, but it's better than sticking with Tua Tagovailoa, mostly because Jones will (probably) stay healthy.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Trade for Kyler Murray
The Steelers continue to be in the ultimate quarterback purgatory — too good to ever draft an elite prospect but too bad to ever seriously contend for a Super Bowl with whomever they have under center.
But Kyler Murray's impending divorce with the Cardinals offers Pittsburgh by far its best shot at getting a young quarterback who can help the team make the next leap. Sure, he's undersized and takes too many sacks, but he's also an accurate passer who has the wheels to make things happen on the ground. That's a much better foundation for success than the ghost of Aaron Rodgers or the shell of Russell Wilson.