{"id":257489,"date":"2026-08-13T01:52:38","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T01:52:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/13\/the-ideal-outcome-for-each-of-the-nfls-remaining-qb-competitions\/"},"modified":"2026-08-13T01:52:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T01:52:38","slug":"the-ideal-outcome-for-each-of-the-nfls-remaining-qb-competitions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/13\/the-ideal-outcome-for-each-of-the-nfls-remaining-qb-competitions\/","title":{"rendered":"The ideal outcome for each of the NFL’s remaining QB competitions"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Now that the\u00a0Minnesota Vikings<\/a> have settled their quarterback situation<\/a> by naming Kyler Murray their starter, there are still four starting quarterback spots that are up for grabs.<\/p>\n

Let’s take a look at them and what would be the ideal outcome for each team this season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The competition: Jacoby Brissett vs. Carson Beck (vs. Gardner Minshew?)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Cardinals have not officially named Brissett their starter yet, so this is still technically up for grabs even though he is clearly No. 1 on the depth chart.<\/p>\n

He is the experienced veteran, they just gave him a bump in pay<\/a> to more accurately reflect his role as a potential starter, and he has had some success in the NFL.\u00a0<\/p>\n

All signs point to him starting in Week 1.<\/p>\n

But the Cardinals selected Beck in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft in the hopes that he might develop into a long-term answer at the position. His preseason debut in the Hall of Fame Game was stellar and made a strong first impression.<\/a><\/p>\n

The ideal outcome:\u00a0<\/strong>Beck has talent and the potential to be a starter, but he is far from a finished product and it would be asking way too much to throw him into a starting situation on what might be the worst team in the NFL.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They should let Brissett start the season and allow Beck to get a feel for the NFL as a backup. Perhaps even a third-stringer behind another veteran Gardner Minshew.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Beck doesn’t need to play right away, and nothing he does against backups in the preseason is going to change that. Let him learn, and let Brissett get you through most of this season that is almost certainly going to be a long 17 games.<\/p>\n

The competition: Tua Tagovailoa vs. Michael Penix Jr.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Michael Penix Jr. is not only coming off a season-ending ACL injury, but he is also a holdover from the previous coaching staff. There is no guarantee that Kevin Stefanski and his staff are going to have faith in him to be the team’s starter.<\/p>\n

There is also no guarantee that he is going to be ready for Week 1 from a health perspective.<\/p>\n

All of that resulted in Tagovailoa coming in from the Miami Dolphins<\/a> on a one-year, $1.3 million contract. It’s a low-risk move, but the reward probably isn’t high as you might think.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The ideal outcome:\u00a0<\/strong>Penix not only shows he is healthy, but plays well enough to wow the new coaching staff to win the job. He showed some flashes over his first two years in the league and was outstanding when it came to protecting the football prior to his injury in 2025.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While he is far from a finished product, and his upside might be in question, everybody already knows what Tagovailoa is at this point, and it’s probably not good enough. He doesn’t have elite (or even particularly good) arm strength, has a concerning injury track record and has issues protecting the football.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Penix Jr. might at least still have some untapped potential with a chance to hold the job for a while.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The competition: Deshaun Watson vs. Shedeur Sanders<\/strong><\/p>\n

Both quarterbacks are set to get a start over the next two weeks in the preseason<\/a>, but it’s hard to see anybody here actually being a winner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Watson is closing out an awful contract and has barely played football over the past five years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sanders was a fifth-round pick a year ago and experienced more bad than good as a rookie.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The long-term starter isn’t on this roster.<\/p>\n

The ideal outcome:\u00a0<\/strong>Acknowledge the investment in Watson is a sunk cost, do not waste anymore time with it and see what Sanders can do. When you see he is not the answer, you are at least in a position to draft the potential answer next year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The competition: Kirk Cousins vs. Fernando Mendoza<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Raiders have every reason to believe they have their long-term answer in Mendoza, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and it is only a matter of time before he is No. 1 on the depth chart.<\/p>\n

It might even happen before the regular season begins.<\/p>\n

The ideal outcome:\u00a0<\/strong>Cousins is, at most, a short-term stop-gap until Mendoza gets the feel of the NFL. This is probably going to play out like most No. 1 pick situations do: The veteran starts for a week or two and then the rookie takes over.<\/p>\n

The only question is how long that takes, and whether or not the Raiders have enough talent around Mendoza to not ruin his confidence or development.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n