Quarterback Battles are fun. The NFL season’s course is always frequently determined by the Quarterback at the helm. Some teams start training camp with an obvious franchise signal-caller, while others have genuine doubt at the center position.
When Week 1 rolls around, these four quarterback battles are worth keeping an eye on to see who is most likely to start at quarterback.
Some will have big implication of making their teams contenders while others will be searching a high floor to ensure they are building their team the right way.
Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Battle: Kyler Murray vs. JJ McCarthy
After finishing a underwhelming season on offense while still finishing with a 9-8 records, The Minnesota Vikings bring in former #1 overall pick Kyler Murray to compete with 2024 first round quarterback JJ McCarthy.
McCarthy would finish the year with 10 games, McCarthy completed just 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, finishing with a 72.6 passer rating.
He also ranked near the bottom of the league in several efficiency metrics, including completion percentage and QBR.
Displaying these numbers while having Justin Jefferson , Jordan Addison , Aaron Jones and TJ Hockensen and top 5 defense under Brian Flores is unacceptable under Kevin O’Connell.
O’Connell and his offense seems to be a place of reclamation projects such as Sam Darnold, who left a year after posting career high numbers in wins, yards, touchdowns and efficiency.
The quarterback position was the literal factors in wins and losses of the team last season. Look for Kyler Murray to be the next part of the “reclamation” projects for O’Connell.
Winner: Kyler Murray
Arizona Cardinals Quarterback Battle: Jacoby Brissett vs Carson Beck
Although Carson Beck may eventually become the Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback of the future, Arizona doesn’t need to rush his development.
Head coach Mike LaFleur and his coaching staff can benefit from allowing Beck to learn behind one of the NFL’s most solid veteran quarterbacks before throwing him into meaningful regular-season action.
Brissett has started more than 50 NFL games throughout his career and has built a reputation for protecting the football, making sound decisions, and keeping offenses on schedule.
His experience reading NFL defenses and managing games gives the Cardinals a much higher floor entering the season than a rookie still adjusting to the speed of the professional game.
Starting Brissett also allows Beck to continue refining his mechanics, processing, and command of the offense without the pressure of immediately carrying the franchise.
If Arizona exceeds expectations or finds itself in playoff contention, Brissett gives the Cardinals their best chance to remain competitive while Beck develops at the proper pace.
Beck’s time will come, but unless he clearly outperforms Brissett throughout training camp and the preseason, the veteran’s experience, leadership, and reliability should earn him the Week 1 starting job.
Winner : Jacoby Brissett
Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Battles: Michael Penix Jr vs Tua Tagovailoa
The Falcons enter training camp with one of the NFL’s most fascinating quarterback competitions.
Michael Penix Jr. was once viewed as the organization’s long-term answer, but an up-and-down 2025 campaign combined with lingering durability concerns has opened the door for veteran Tua Tagovailoa to challenge for the starting job.
While Penix flashed the arm talent that made him a first-round selection, consistency remained a major issue throughout his first full season as a starter.
There were stretches where he looked like a franchise quarterback, attacking defenses vertically and making high-level throws, but those moments were often followed by questionable decisions, missed opportunities, and injuries that once again prevented him from building momentum.
Availability has been one of the biggest questions surrounding Penix dating back to his college career, and those concerns have continued into the NFL.
That’s where Tua Tagovailoa changes the equation.
When healthy, Tagovailoa has proven he can efficiently operate an NFL offense at a high level. His quick processing, accuracy, anticipation, and ability to distribute the football give Atlanta a much higher floor offensively.
With playmakers surrounding him, Tua doesn’t need to carry the offense but he simply needs to get the ball to his weapons on time and allow them to create after the catch.
For a Falcons team looking to compete immediately, reliability matters just as much as upside.
Tua’s experience in big games, command of the huddle, and ability to execute the offense consistently make him the safer option entering Week 1.
Penix may still develop into the quarterback Atlanta envisioned when they drafted him, but another year learning behind an accomplished veteran could ultimately be what’s best for both his growth and the franchise’s future.
Winner: Tua Tagovailoa
Cleveland Browns Quarterback Battle- Sheduer Sanders vs Deshaun Watson vs Dillion Gabriel
The Browns are heading into the 2026 season with a quarterback situation that’s really up in the air.
They’ve got Deshaun Watson, a former Pro Bowler, trying to come back from a serious injury – a torn Achilles. Then there are the younger guys, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, who are both in their second year and looking to show they can be the team’s quarterback of the future.
It’s a fresh start for everyone under new head coach Tom Monken, and this competition could go back and forth several times before they figure out who’s going to be the starter.
The main story going into training camp is how Watson is doing after his injury. It’s tough for any player to come back from an Achilles injury, and Watson has the most experience, but there are real questions about if he can get back to being as mobile and making plays like he used to.
He used to be one of the best quarterbacks in the league. The Browns might want to bring him back slowly instead of giving him the whole offense right away for the whole season.
They need to think about how to help him get back to his old self. Watson’s recovery is the biggest thing to watch in training camp. The team has to figure out how to make sure he’s ready to play.
This creates an opportunity for a couple of promising young quarterbacks who are entering their second year.
Shedeur Sanders is heading into his second year and he’s got a head start after an ok rookie season. He showed some great qualities like being accurate, staying calm in the pocket, and leading his team.
Even though he was still getting used to how fast the NFL game is, he did some impressive things. Now that he’s had another offseason to learn and practice Monken’s system, Sanders should be able to play even faster, make better decisions, and really take his game to the next level.
With more experience under his belt, he’s likely to be more confident and comfortable on the field, which could make a big difference in his performance.
Dont leave Dillion Gabriel out the Quarterback Battle either. The 2025 second round pick still has some his athleticism, quick release, and experience operating multiple offensive systems make him a legitimate competitor.
Gabriel’s mobility could give Cleveland another dimension offensively, and he has shown enough development to push Sanders throughout training camp and the regular season.
This season is going to be all about consistency. The biggest question mark is Watson’s health, and that’s still up in the air.
But Sanders and Gabriel are getting better and better, and they could be great NFL starters. The Browns might start the season with one quarterback, but things could change as the year goes on. You might see some changes in the depth chart, and that’s just the way it goes.
It’s going to be an interesting season, that’s for sure. Out of the three, it seems like Sanders has the most potential and the best shot at becoming the quarterback that Cleveland can build their team around. If he can keep improving from where he left off in his first year, he’ll likely take the starting job and keep it for the rest of the season.
Winner: Sheduer Sanders
