Forget the Hype: Two Top-10 Quarterbacks Are Already On the Bench for 2026

Man, I'm telling you, it's wild out there in the NFL! While we're still deep in the grind of this season, talking about our Hawks on the field at Lumen, some teams are already making moves and sending signals for 2026. And what's emerging is a shocking trend: for some franchises, the "quarterback competition" is already over before it even really started, especially for a couple of high-drafted guys who might be warming the bench sooner than anyone expected. It feels like the league is hitting the fast-forward button on some of these decisions, and we're seeing some absolutely wild shifts in QB rooms across the country.

The Vikings Aren't Waiting Around

Can you believe the buzz coming out of Minnesota? It looks like Kyler Murray, who signed with the Vikings in free agency, is practically guaranteed to be their guy. That means J.J. McCarthy, the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, is already looking like an afterthought. Talk about a gut punch! McCarthy apparently underwhelmed big time in his first season as a starter, throwing more interceptions than touchdown passes. Seriously? You draft a guy No. 10 overall, and a season later, the whispers are that Minnesota should just give up on him. The Vikings have Justin Jefferson, the best receiver in the NFL, so they're hoping Murray can get him the ball and turn his career around, much like Sam Darnold did a few seasons ago. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

Veterans Taking Over, No Matter What

It's not just the Vikings, either. Across the league, teams are betting big on established veterans, even when they've got high draft picks on the roster. Up in Atlanta, Kevin Stefanski can't seem to avoid quarterback controversies. He's coaching the Falcons now, and despite Michael Penix Jr. being a No. 8 overall selection in 2024 and on his rookie deal, injuries have messed with Penix's outlook. Stefanski, a two-time Coach of the Year who got a huge contract to turn the Falcons around, is expected to trust Tua Tagovailoa over Penix to start the season. Then there's Daniel Jones in Indy. The Colts even gave Anthony Richardson's reps permission to seek a trade at the NFL Combine. Richardson might not even get moved before Week 1, but Jones is practically a no-brainer QB1 for 2026, assuming he's fully recovered from the Achilles tendon rupture that ended his season last year when the Colts were looking like a top AFC seed. And don't even get me started on the Raiders. Kirk Cousins signed a five-year, $172 million contract, but get this, it's basically a one-year, $20 million fully guaranteed deal split between them and the Falcons. Twenty million bucks for what could be an expensive backup! The Raiders might start him for a few games, but then the keys could be handed to No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Seriously, $20 million for a few games? That's wild.

Cleveland's Youth Movement Just Got Real

And finally, we gotta talk about Cleveland. All the reports were saying Deshaun Watson was ahead of Shedeur Sanders in the quarterback competition, but then the Myles Garrett trade to the Los Angeles Rams happened. That move changes everything. It's clear the Browns are all-in on a youth movement, moving on from Garrett for 25-year-old EDGE Jared Verse. That definitely benefits Sanders, who is six years younger than Watson. Watson hasn't played good football since 2020, and after three big injuries and two full seasons on the sideline, it feels impossible to expect the 30-year-old to return to form in the final year of that disastrous contract. It looks like Sanders is the future there. So, while we're hyped for the next game and what our boys are doing on the field, these early indicators for 2026 are already shaping up to be absolutely wild for the rest of the league. What a crazy business the NFL is, right?

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.