Shedeur Sanders vs Deshaun Watson and four other QB battles with everything on line in preseason

Jul 22, 2026 - 17:45

It’s the most important position in sports and there are nowhere near enough franchise-caliber quarterbacks for 32 NFL teams.

Around a third of the available jobs have a question mark hanging over them heading into preseason and many will already be looking at the Class of ’27 for answers.

Kyler Murray is being given a second chance in Arizona

There is a lot of football to be played before then and plenty of jerseys up for grabs.

talkSPORT looks at five QB rooms with the most on the line as players return to the practice field over the coming days.

Kyler Murray vs J.J. McCarthy

Minnesota Vikings veterans are due to report on July 28 and all eyes will be on the quarterback room.

Justin Jefferson barely made it past 1,000 yards last season and if he is going to bounce backs he will need more from whoever lines up under center.

After missing his rookie season through injury, J.J. McCarthy was handed the reins in 2025 and completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 10 outings.

With trouble getting on the field due to his health and poor stats when he does play, the 23-year-old is on borrowed time.

Kyler Murray may have flamed out with the Arizona Cardinals, but he has enough on tape to comfortably win out if he can learn Kevin O’Connell’s offense.

The dual-threat weapon is the presumed starter but will need reps to master his new role, if he gets off to a slow start and the battle drags on, McCarthy may spring a surprise.

“Everybody expects Kyler to win that job. He probably will,” NFL Insider Adam Schefter said on ESPN’s Get Up. “But at some point, I think we’re going to hear something from J.J. McCarthy again. That’s just me.”

Tua Tagovailoa vs Michael Penix Jr.

Michael Penix Jr.’s NFL career got off to a controversial start when the Atlanta Falcons selected him eighth overall in 2024 despite bringing Kirk Cousins in on a massive $180 million contract that offseason.

So far, the returns have not been there and he will have a fight on his hands come July 28.

The Falcons have struggled on offense despite boasting talents at running back, wide receiver and tight end with Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts.

Penix Jr. managed just three touchdowns and three picks in five games in 2024 and while he looked after the ball better in 2025, just 10 combined scores in nine outings last season is not enough.

Penix Jr. was a controversial pick and his selection is looking worse by the game

Tua Tagovailoa once ran the most explosive offense in the NFL in Miami and while the Dolphins moved on to Mailk Willis, the leftie was brought in for a reason and is the presumed favorite.

“Usually in a situation like this, when you’ve devoted a top-10 draft pick to a quarterback, there’s going to be an institutional political push to prove that you got it right,” Mike Florio said on Pro Football Talk.

“And that’s going to cause the team to favor the eighth overall pick from the 2024 draft, not that long ago, grand scheme of things.

“Snap of the fingers, grand scheme of things. But everybody who was involved in the drafting of Michael Penix Jr. is gone.

“But so far, you know, when they finally started Penix, I think it was a Sunday night game against Washington.

“He looked pretty good. He’s had some moments, but they didn’t bring Tua Tagovailoa in to clearly be the backup, even though they’re paying him as little as they can given his number of years in the NFL.

“But Tua is the guy that the new regime brought in — Matt Ryan, Ian Cunningham, and Kevin Stefanski.

“So if there’s any preference, if it’s close, the preference very well may be to go with Tua unless ownership gets involved.”

Kirk Cousins vs Fernando Mendoza

The Las Vegas Raiders rolled the dice on Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in April, but fans may have to wait a while to see if the gamble paid off.

Minority owner Tom Brady‘s wisdom has been leaned on as the Raiders try to rebuild, and the seven-time Super Bowl champion knows from experience the benefits of learning behind a seasoned vet.

Cousins was brought in as Las Vegas’ version of Drew Bledsoe, who passed the torch in Brady’s sophomore season after going down injured.

Mendoza won the Heisman trophy and must now try to learn the ropes as a pro

If all goes well in Sin City, the plan could well be for Mendoza not to play at all this season and the GOAT has already suggested he needs to earn his spot. Mendoza will have his chance from July 23, with vets reporting five days later.

Despite a shoddy record in 2025 — the Raiders were first on the clock for a reason — there are reasons for optimism after a massive offseason spend boosted a dire offensive line and Maxx Crosby‘s failed Ravens trade bolstered what should be an improved defense.

Patience is in short supply in the social media era, however, and we are one viral Mendoza preseason highlight away from the hype train leaving the station.

Many feel a slow start could see Mendoza thrown in early, although Brady & Co might be inclined to protect the future of the franchise over trying to salvage an already doomed season.

The Raiders’ bye in Week 13, which may be an unlucky number for Cousins.

Shedeur Sanders vs Deshaun Watson

The Cleveland Browns have started 42 quarterbacks since rising from the ashes in 1999.

That is not a recipe for success and explains why there have only been three trips to the playoffs and one postseason run in that time.

Shedeur Sanders is no stranger to a quarterback battle after fighting his way up from fourth on the depth chart.

This year he is in a better position when camp begins for vets on July 28, with Deion’s son and Deshaun Watson presumed to be the main contenders ahead of Dillon Gabriel and sixth-round rookie Taylen Green, who might need time to develop.

Sanders’ slide to the fifth round gave him a huge chip on his shoulder

Sanders has plenty of fans — and detractors — and if we’re honest, his play in 2025 was not good enough to earn a role as a long-term starter.

ESPN handed him a QBR of 19, which is the worst of any Browns rookie except for Johnny Manziel (7.8 in 2014). The next worst was Gabriel with 31.0.

Sanders has reportedly come on leaps and bounds since then, it might still not be enough to hold off Deshaun Watson, who for all his flaws — and there are many — led the NFL in passing yards in 2020.

With a few young talents on offense and an elite defense, Watson may even be good enough to get the Browns into the playoffs.

After trading Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland has 11 picks in 2027 including two first-rounders. That is more than enough capital to take a shot at a loaded class.

Jacoby Brissett vs Gardner Minshew vs Carson Beck

This one could turn into a true three-headed monster and it begins Wednesday as the Arizona Cardinals play in the Hall of Fame Game.

The Cards brass have all-but named Jacoby Brissett as starter, but don’t want to pay him like one.

He is set to earn $4.9 million in 2026 with just $1.5 million guaranteed.

At 33, this could be his last chance for a big contract and Brissett made his point by sitting out of voluntary workouts and not taking part in mandatory minicamp.

That has opened the door to his rivals.

Beck may have a shot to prove his quality later in the season

Gardner Minshew went 6-6 as Jacksonville Jaguars‘ starter in 2019 and 7-6 as an Indianapolis Colt in 2023.

If Brissett does miss camp or starts badly, we could be in line for some Minshew Mania in the desert.

Carson Beck is considered a developmental prospect and may be given time, but the third-rounder went 49-6 in college and will probably see the field at some point.