The NFL's initial 53-man roster cuts are officially behind us — and several quarterbacks "in the danger zone" survived, despite rumors to the contrary. Most teams take three quarterbacks into the season. Some are bold enough (or desperate enough) to take four.
But job security in the NFL is hardly worth the (digital) paper it's printed on. Let's dive into seven quarterbacks who are bound to generate trade speculation in the days, weeks or months ahead, despite surviving the first hurdle on the journey that is the 2026 season.
Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers kept all four quarterbacks on their roster: Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, Drew Allar and Mason Rudolph. While Rodgers and probably Allar are the only names exempt from trade speculation, Rudolph feels more vulnerable than Howard at this stage. The latter didn't exactly impress in preseason action, but he's only in his second NFL season, with greater upside than Rudolph and plenty of organizational faith in his abilities.
Pittsburgh should try to go into next season, once Rodgers retires, with Allar and Rudolph still on the roster to compete for the starting job. Odds are Pittsburgh will take another quarterback in the deep 2027 draft class to spice things up, too.
No matter how you slice it, however, Rudolph does not have a place in the Steelers' future plans. He's a seasoned backup and is probably the most qualified option to replace Rodgers in case of emergency, but Allar had some legitimate star-level flashes in preseason and all during camp. If the Steelers lose Rodgers, the odds of winning a Super Bowl go from slim to none. So they might as well trot out Allar to get a head start on mapping out the future. Rudolph, meanwhile, can probably return a solid Day 3 pick from a team in need of more stable depth.
Stetson Bennett IV, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams officially named first-round pick Ty Simpson as their primary backup to Matthew Stafford, which isn't the least bit surprising after Simpson lit up the preseason. Simpson's limited experience made him a controversial pick, especially given L.A.'s win-now mentality, but he's clearly pegged as the successor to Matthew Stafford in a deep, talented Rams offense.
That leaves Stetson Bennett IV hanging just above the cutting room floor. A former two-time national champ at Georgia, Bennett has quite the résumé. He's undersized for an NFL QB, but he's a sharp, heady player who has shown real flashes in the past, even with little exposure against top-level pro competition.
There will be teams interested in Bennett as an upgrade to their current backup options. His winning bonafides could net the Rams more value in a trade than he offers as a bench-warmer.
Anthony Richardson Sr., Indianapolis Colts
The Colts kept Anthony Richardson Sr. as expected, lacking obvious alternatives on the roster. But Riley Leonard has already made a push for QB2, while Daniel Jones is the unchallenged starter nowadays. Richardson has been skating on thin ice for a couple years, seeming to lose all faith from the coaching staff and the front office. He's talented, and the Colts invested a first-round pick in him, so there's internal investment. But Indianapolis would probably love to flip him for assets if the opportunity presents itself.
Richardson presents a fascinating conundrum to potential suitors. The lows are extremely low. He was given every chance to win the Colts' starting job before (and even after) Jones' arrival, but he could never string together the consistent, productive performances necessary. Richardson's processing needs substantial refinement. He has aged beyond the point where youth is a valid excuse for the simple mistakes he makes on a regular basis.
On the other hand, he still might be the single best athlete at the quarterback position, if not in the NFL as a whole. He can launch nukes with a flick of the wrist and extend plays with his legs. It wouldn't be the least bit shocking if an ambitious offensive play-caller wants to get Richardson in the building, just to see what happens with a new approach. There's more upside here than with any other QB on the roster bubble.
Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons refused to name Tua Tagovailoa starter even after Michael Penix Jr. missed the entire preseason slate due to injury, which tells us something about the former's performance — both in camp and in the actual games. This was very much Tagovailoa's job for the taking and he, by all accounts, could not wrap his arms around it, even without much actual competition. The expectation is that Penix will start, while veteran backup Cooper Rush and UDFA signing Jack Strand both made the roster, too.
Atlanta has four quarterbacks on the roster for now, but it almost certainly won't stay that way all season. Penix and Tagovailoa aren't without their share of durability concerns, but the Falcons probably aren't keen on trotting Tagovailoa out there in a pinch. He was sloppy in his preseason starts, putting all the limitations that tanked his Dolphins tenure on full display. Meanwhile, Strand played his way into a roster spot with incredible dual-threat flashes, while Rush has credibly done the job of a pinch starter in the past.
Tagovailoa is a former Pro Bowler who led the most explosive offense in the NFL just a few years ago. Pedigree alone could mean he's attractive to teams with less established depth options. Tagovailoa really struggles to stretch a defense or operate off-script, but he's had success in the past as the quick-hitting, point guard type.
J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Absent trade interest, the Vikings kept J.J. McCarthy on the 53-man roster. He is expected to serve as QB3 behind Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz. The former No. 10 overall pick, entering just his third NFL season, is basically stuck in roster limbo; the Vikings will keep him around, but it's more of a headache than anything else. McCarthy made the QB competition in camp extremely uncomfortable and he has shown precious little on the field. Hopes of him developing into the team's quarterback of the future are on life support.
Minnesota will hope its pivot to Murray works, but if his decline proves too steep to overcome, Wentz is a more established QB with the arm talent — and the knowledge of the playbook — necessary to keep the Vikings competitive week to week. McCarthy isn't without standout traits of his own, but his processing and execution just aren't close to sharp enough. He missed too many wide-open throws in preseason, consistently panicking under the slightest bit of pressure.
McCarthy's youth and stature as a national champ at Michigan probably mean he still has trade value for a team scraping the bottom of the barrel, but if Minnesota wants a fresh-faced successor to Murray, it will probably be a rookie from the touted 2027 draft class, not McCarthy.
Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns
The Browns kept four quarterbacks on the roster, including rookie Taylen Green. Deshaun Watson was named starter despite Shedeur Sanders' best efforts in the preseason, however, while fellow second-year QB Dillon Gabriel appears to be buried deep on the depth chart. The latter will also begin the season on IR.
Watson is basically a lock to lose his grip on the starting job eventually, so the Browns probably won't move both second-year quarterbacks. Still, one or both will almost certainly end up in trade talks to some extent. Sanders has a higher profile and outperformed Gabriel in a limited sample size last season, although neither was especially impressive. On the other hand, Gabriel was selected two rounds earlier and draws less unwanted media attention. He was quietly the most impressive Browns QB in preseason action — a low bar to clear, but a bar cleared nonetheless.
Green could also end up in trade conversations, but honestly, there's more to explore there. The Browns can feel reasonably confident than none of Watson, Sanders or Gabriel will be playing for this team in five years. Green faces long odds as a sixth-round pick, but he's a real athlete with potential to shine if given more of an opportunity.
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