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Six MVPs and a Super Bowl between them: Five QBs who could be on the move in 2026
Quarterback movement is the NFL’s great accelerant. When even a hint of instability appears at the most important position in sports, front offices recalibrate timelines and fan bases brace for upheaval.
As the league wraps up the 2025 NFL season and looks ahead to 2026, several high-profile quarterbacks find themselves at crossroads shaped by injury, age, contract realities and strained relationships.
Some moves would be truly shocking. None can be entirely ruled out. Let's dive in.
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Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals entered 2025 hoping for clarity on whether Kyler Murray could still be the long-term answer. Instead, they ended the year with more questions than answers.
Murray missed significant time through injury, and when he was sidelined, veteran Jacoby Brissett steadied the offense to a degree that raised uncomfortable comparisons inside the building. Brissett’s command of the scheme and willingness to play within structure contrasted sharply with an offense that often felt volatile around Murray.
Arizona have invested heavily in Murray, financially and philosophically, but the 2025 season reopened internal debate about durability and fit under the current coaching staff.
Trading Murray would be painful and complex, yet if the Cardinals believe they saw a more sustainable model during his absence, the temptation to reset could grow quickly.
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Carmen Mandato/Getty Images
Few situations feel more delicate than Tua Tagovailoa’s in Miami. After being benched during the 2025 season, his standing with the Dolphins appeared to erode rapidly.
While Tagovailoa’s accuracy and timing-based game once made him an ideal match for Mike McDaniel’s system, Miami’s patience seemed to wane as inconsistency crept in.
The contract looms over everything. Tagovailoa’s deal would make a trade difficult to execute cleanly, particularly for teams wary of long-term financial commitment. That leaves Miami with a stark choice if they decide there is no path forward: attempt a creative trade or absorb the pain of a release.
Either way, the Dolphins’ quarterback room could look very different by the time 2026 kicks off.
Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers’ late-career arc took another unexpected turn in 2025, as he helped guide the Steelers to the playoffs at age 42. For a franchise that values stability and experience, Rodgers delivered both, along with flashes of the old brilliance that once defined the position. But the partnership was always designed as a short-term experiment.
Rodgers signed only a one-year deal, leaving his future entirely open. Retirement remains an ever-present possibility, but so does another run elsewhere if the right situation materialises.
Pittsburgh may want continuity, yet Rodgers has earned the right to survey the landscape, and there will be no shortage of teams intrigued by what he showed last season.
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
On paper, Joe Burrow moving on from Cincinnati feels almost unthinkable. He remains one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks, and the Bengals’ identity has been built around him.
Yet as the 2025 season wound down, Burrow’s public comments carried an edge that was hard to ignore. Repeated expressions of dissatisfaction, particularly regarding the team’s direction, set off quiet alarms.
Cincinnati would insist Burrow is untouchable, and in most scenarios, he is. Still, franchise-altering trades begin with discomfort, not certainty. If tensions continue to simmer, the Bengals could find themselves fending off a flood of inquiries from teams ready to offer historic packages for a quarterback in his prime.
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
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Lamar Jackson’s 2025 season never found a rhythm. Injuries limited his availability, and when he returned, he looked removed from the explosive force that once redefined Baltimore’s offense.
Compounding matters were reports of a breakdown in his relationship with head coach John Harbaugh and the wider staff, a saga that culminated in Harbaugh’s dismissal.
The Ravens now face a philosophical reckoning. Jackson remains a former MVP and a singular talent, making a trade unlikely in conventional terms. But a new head coach often seeks a clean slate. If Baltimore decides to fully reset, cashing in on Jackson could accelerate a broader rebuild, even if it means parting with one of the most dynamic quarterbacks of his era.
