There aren’t a lot of heavy hitters in this year’s quarterback market, but there are a lot of starters/high-level backups that are expected to find a new home this offseason. Whether it’s via a trade or free agency, there are a handful of teams that could look to make an upgrade at the most important position in the sport.

From a future Pro Football Hall of Famer to a backup looking to earn a starting role next season, here’s where I think every top available quarterback will play in 2026.

Aaron Rodgers: Pittsburgh Steelers

If Aaron Rodgers plays football in 2026, it’s going to be with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The real question is whether or not he’s going to retire. At 42 years old, he could very well call it quits after a pretty rough season in Pittsburgh that ended with a poor performance in the playoffs, but I think he’s going to want to run it back one more time with his former head coach, Mike McCarthy. The Steelers do need to figure out their long-term plan at quarterback, because this will probably be his final ride.

Daniel Jones: Indianapolis Colts

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I don’t think Daniel Jones is going anywhere, but I’m interested to see what the Indianapolis Colts do. Can they get a long-term deal done with Jones before Tuesday’s franchise tag deadline? If not, do they tag him and try to work out a long-term deal before the season? Or do they tag him and let him play out the year and see how he does coming off his Achilles injury before offering him a big contract? There are a lot of ways this could shake out, but we should begin to get some answers by Tuesday afternoon at 4 pm EST.

Kyler Murray: Miami Dolphins

Kyler Murray’s time in Arizona is definitely coming to a close, but I don’t think the NFL is ready to close the door on the Kyler Murray experiment. Someone’s going to sign him to a prove it deal, and I think it’ll be the Miami Dolphins. I don’t see Tua Tagovailoa sticking around, which means they need a new quarterback. I don’t see them taking one in the draft, so I could see them signing someone like Murray to a one-year deal, and if he works, you keep him around long-term. If he doesn’t, you draft one in 2027.

Derek Carr: New York Jets

Derek Carr has made it clear that he would like to come out of retirement and play football again, but he won’t do it to be a backup. He wants to go somewhere he can be the starter, but the New Orleans Saints still have his rights. Any team that wants him will have to trade for him, and I think the New York Jets could be willing to part with an early day three pick to get him.

I heavily debated between New York and Minnesota here. I think the Vikings would be the ideal landing spot for him, because he could compete for a Super Bowl right away, but there’s always the risk of losing the starting battle to J.J. McCarthy. Plus, I’m not sure Minnesota is willing to trade picks for someone like Carr.

If Carr went to the Jets, he’d be the starter, no questions asked. And another thing you have to factor in is Aaron Glenn. His job is on the line this season, and with Dante Moore returning to school, he doesn’t have any easy way of getting a talented quarterback. I think it’s Carr, Kirk Cousins or bust for the Jets, and in the end, I think it’ll be Carr going to the Big Apple.

Kirk Cousins: Minnesota Vikings

This one was tough. I’m not sure exactly where Cousins and the Vikings stand relationship-wise, but it’s hard to say this wouldn’t be a match made in heaven for both sides.

Cousins wants to be a starter again, and he wants to play for a team that’s ready to make a run at the Super Bowl in the next few years. The Vikings are the only team that really fits that bill (maybe Pittsburgh, but with Rodgers likely returning, that doesn’t seem like a likely landing spot for Cousins).

On the other side, the Vikings are not sold on J.J. McCarthy and should be looking to bring someone else in to challenge McCarthy for the starting job. Why wouldn’t they want to bring someone in who is a veteran and knows Kevin O’Connell’s system?

Minnesota’s going to bring a veteran in, it’s just a matter of who. Do they swing big for Cousins or Carr, or do they go cheaper and try to land someone like Joe Flacco? We’ll see in a little over a week.

Malik Willis: Arizona Cardinals

I believe it will be a two horse race between the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins for Malik Willis, who is reportedly going to demand around $30 million per season, but I think the Cardinals are in a better spot to land the former Packer.

First, the Cardinals have more cap space. Second, they have Mike LaFleur. What quarterback is going to choose the Jeff Hafley-led Dolphins over the LaFleur-led Cardinals? Sure, Miami probably has the better weapons with Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane, but Marvin Harrison, Michael Wilson and Trey McBride is a pretty good group as well.

If the Dolphins are desperate enough to offer him $5+ million more per season than Arizona, then he might end up in South Beach. But I don’t see that happening, and if I were him, the Cardinals would be a much more enticing option than the Dolphins.

Anthony Richardson: Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns are an interesting one. They need a quarterback, but I don’t think any of the big free agents want to go there, so they’re going to have to draft or trade for one if they want someone promising. I think they’ll draft someone like Ty Simpson late in the first or someone like Drew Allar, Garrett Nussmeier, etc. in the middle rounds, but I also think they could be in the trade market.

If you’re Cleveland, why not take a shot on someone like Anthony Richardson? He’s extremely talented, and the Colts have given him permission to seek a trade. Todd Monken is coming off three seasons working with Lamar Jackson, so I would see what he could get out of someone like Richardson.

Tua Tagovailoa: Las Vegas Raiders

I don’t think there’s going to be a massive market for Tua Tagovailoa. He has steadily regressed over the last three seasons, he doesn’t have a great arm and he can’t run. He’s pretty accurate, but outside of that, what does he bring to the table? Not much.

With all the starting spots taken up, I think the Las Vegas Raiders will sign him to backup Fernando Mendoza. Having a veteran guy in the room to help your rookie is never a bad idea, and if something does happen, you have a capable backup that can keep you in some games.

Joe Flacco: Atlanta Falcons

If Joe Flacco wants to play again in 2026, I think the Atlanta Falcons would be the perfect landing spot for him. Nobody knows if Michael Penix will be able to start the season, so he could get a few games as a starter, and if he plays well, there’s no guarantee they go back to Penix. The former Washington standout hasn’t done anything to prove he’s their franchise quarterback, so if they’re winning with Flacco, why go back to him?

Flacco is going to be a very interesting domino. He could land at a lot of different places, but I wonder if anyone will offer him a starting spot, or at least the chance to compete for one.

Marcus Mariota: Kansas City Chiefs

Marcus Mariota will be another intriguing domino. The former Heisman Trophy winner played a lot for Washington this season, and didn’t play horribly, but I don’t see a team investing in him to be their starter. He’s likely going to end up in a backup role somewhere, and Kansas City would be the perfect spot. Patrick Mahomes should be ready for week one, but if he’s not, Mariota can start a game or two until he’s fully healthy, and then he can be a backup on a Super Bowl contender.