January 5, 2026
Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup quarterback
Teddy Bridgewater, who will be a free agent in March, said he wants to continue playing but hasn't talked to the team about a potential return, according to Greg Auman of FOX Sports. Bridgewater only appeared in four games (zero starts) in his first year with Tampa in 2025, going 8-for-15 passing for 62 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. The 33-year-old veteran would be backing up
Baker Mayfield again if he re-signs with the team for the 2026 season. Bridgewater isn't a terrible backup option for teams looking for QB depth this offseason, but he probably isn't going to get any realistic looks to compete for a starting gig. The 11-year pro will be a long shot for any fantasy value if he comes back next season. Bridgewater hasn't started a game in the NFL since 2022 with the Miami Dolphins.
--Keith HernandezSource: FOX Sports - Greg Auman
January 5, 2026
The Miami Dolphins are expecting some competition for the starting quarterback position next season, according to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN. When asked about the team's QB situation going into the offseason, head coach Mike McDaniel said, "In 2026, I think there will be competition for our starting quarterback. Who that is and what that looks like remains to be seen." McDaniel also added that the Dolphins will be "diligent" in finding their next QB. The Dolphins haven't had discussions yet with
Tua Tagovailoa, who was benched in the final two weeks of the season for rookie
Quinn Ewers. Tagovailoa said on Monday that he'd be open to a "fresh start," but it's unclear if Miami will actually move on from the former first-rounder this offseason. In his sixth NFL season, Tagovailoa produced only 2,660 passing yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions in 14 starts. He managed to stay healthy and avoid concussions, but it was a disappointing year for the entire Dolphins offense.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Marcel Louis-Jacques
January 5, 2026
San Francisco 49ers quarterback
Brock Purdy (neck) "checked out good" after suffering a stinger on the final play of the game on Saturday night in the Week 18 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and should be full-go for Wild-Card weekend on Sunday versus the Philadelphia Eagles, according to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he expects Purdy to practice in full this week and play on Sunday in Philly. The 26-year-old finished the year strong for his fantasy managers with 11 touchdown passes and just two interceptions in Weeks 15-18, but he was shut down by Seattle last weekend and threw for just 127 yards with no touchdowns and one interception. Purdy played in only nine games in 2025 due to a turf-toe injury, but he was incredibly efficient when on the field. He'll have another tough challenge on his hands in the first round of the playoffs against an Eagles defense that allowed the second-fewest fantasy points per game to QBs over the final five weeks.
--Keith HernandezSource: The San Francisco Standard - David Lombardi
January 5, 2026
When asked if he was hoping for a "fresh start," Miami Dolphins quarterback
Tua Tagovailoa said on Monday, "That would be dope. I would be good with it." Although Tagovailoa avoided another concussion this year, the 27-year-old former fifth overall pick struggled to take the next step for the Dolphins' offense in his sixth year in the NFL. Tagovailoa completed 67.7% of his 384 pass attempts for 2,660 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions in his 14 starts, a year after leading the league with a 72.9 completion percentage. After the Dolphins were eliminated from playoff contention, the team benched Tagovailoa in favor of rookie
Quinn Ewers for the final two weeks of the season. As of right now, head coach Mike McDaniel has not been fired, and if he returns for next season, it's unlikely that Tagovailoa will join him in South Beach. Tagovailoa is owed $54 million guaranteed next year, but he could be released with a post-June 1 designation to split his $99.2 million salary cap charge over two seasons.
--Keith HernandezSource: Palm Beach Post - Joe Schad
January 5, 2026
Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen said on Monday that he thinks quarterback
Daniel Jones (Achilles) will want to run it back with the team in 2026, and that the team would like to have him back, according to James Boyd of The Athletic. The Colts were well on their way to a playoff spot and were battling for the top seed in the AFC until Jones suffered a torn right Achilles tendon in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 28-year-old did more than enough for the Colts to want him back next year as their starting QB after he completed a career-best 68% of his 384 pass attempts for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions in 13 starts. Jones added 164 rushing yards and five TDs on the ground. Barring a setback with his rehab from an Achilles tear, Jones figures to be ready right around the start of training camp in late July.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - James Boyd
January 5, 2026
Arizona Cardinals quarterback
Kyler Murray has multiple years remaining on the contract extension he signed in 2022, as pointed out by general manager Monti Ossenfort when asked about the future of his one-time franchise player. The Cardinals fired head coach Jonathan Gannon on Monday, and when asked how Murray might fit in with a new coach, Ossenfort said, "All options are on the table," and that those discussions would come at a later time. Both
Jacoby Brissett and
Kedon Slovis are also under contract heading into 2026, and the Cardinals have the third overall pick in April's Rookie Draft, so the team is not without options at the position. Figuring out the most important spot on the roster will be priority number one for whoever is hired as the next head coach, following another disappointing season in which Murray started only five games.
--Patrick McGrathSource: Dani Sureck
January 5, 2026
The New York Giants are retaining general manager Joe Schoen, sources told Jordan Raanan of ESPN. The Giants fired head coach Brian Daboll in the middle of the season, but they'll keep Schoen around after the Giants went 4-13. The team has gone 22-551 with a playoff appearance in four seasons with Schoen at the helm in the front office. The Giants will have the fifth pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after winning their final two games. Schoen may have been saved by having strong drafts each of the last two years, which produced players such as quarterback
Jaxson Dart, wide receiver
Malik Nabers, edge rusher Abdul Carter, and running backs
Cam Skattebo and
Tyrone Tracy Jr. "We believe in our young core of talent, which we can build around for future success," co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch said in their statement Monday.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN New York - Jordan Raanan
January 5, 2026
The Cleveland Browns liked what they saw from rookie quarterback
Shedeur Sanders in his first year in the NFL, but they also acknowledged that he has plenty to work on going into 2026, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. "He's still very much a work in progress, like many people," general manager Andrew Berry said. The 23-year-old fifth-rounder didn't make his NFL debut until Week 11 after fellow rookie
Dillon Gabriel suffered a concussion. Sanders took over as the starter, though, and started the final seven games for Cleveland. He had his ups and downs, completing 59.2% of his passes for 1,353 yards, seven touchdowns, and nine interceptions while running for 153 yards and another score. Sanders showed enough athleticism and arm strength to at least put himself in the competition for the starting gig going into next season, where he's expected to compete with
Deshaun Watson (Achilles) and Gabriel.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
January 5, 2026
The Cleveland Browns currently expect quarterback
Deshaun Watson (Achilles) to be on the team next year, according to Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN. "I can never predict the future, but right now we do anticipate him being on the 2026 team," general manager Andrew Berry said about Watson's status. Watson tore his right Achilles tendon in October of 2024 and re-ruptured the tendon and required a second surgery on Jan. 9 of 2025. The 30-year-old veteran stayed on the Physically Unable to Perform list all season, but if he can return to full health this year, he's expected to compete for the starting QB job this summer with
Shedeur Sanders and
Dillon Gabriel. Watson will be entering the final year of his five-year, $230 million deal in 2026. He'll be a huge question mark going into next season, but despite the investment the Browns still have in him, he's not guaranteed to win the starting job.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN.com - Daniel Oyefusi
January 5, 2026
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback
Joe Flacco isn't considering retirement, but he hopes to be "selective" in what comes next in his career, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. It's clear that Flacco wants to continue playing, and he's even open to coming back to Cincinnati, even if that would mean serving as
Joe Burrow's backup. He's also open to fielding calls from a team that needs a signal-caller for next season. The 40-year-old began the 2025 season as the Cleveland Browns' starting QB before a midseason trade to the Bengals to help out while Burrow recovered from turf-toe surgery. The former Super Bowl champion proved that he still has something left in the tank, although he went just 2-8 in his 10 starts with the Browns and Bengals. Flacco completed 60.3% of his passes for 2,479 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 picks. At best, Flacco will be in play as a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues if he ends up playing a 19th NFL season and making more starts in 2026.
--Keith HernandezSource: The Athletic - Paul Dehner Jr.
January 5, 2026
Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback
Cameron Ward (shoulder) suffered an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder in Sunday's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Week 18 regular-season finale, but he will not require surgery, sources told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. It's the best-case scenario for the young QB heading into the offseason. Ward suffered the injury while diving for a touchdown in the first quarter of Sunday's game, and he never returned. The 23-year-old former first overall pick will be rehabbing for a few months, but barring a setback, he should be recovered well before the start of training camp and the preseason. The Miami product started for the Titans all season in his first year in the NFL and predictably struggled, completing 59.8% of his pass attempts for 3,169 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He added 39 rushing attempts for 159 yards and two TDs. Ward could be up and down again in Year 2 as he continues to develop, especially since he'll be learning a new offense under a new head coach.
--Keith HernandezSource: NFL Network - Ian Rapoport
January 5, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals fired head coach Jonathan Gannon on Monday, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Cardinals had an extremely disappointing 2025 campaign that closed out with nine straight losses, which ultimately cost Gannon his job. General manager Monti Ossenfort will lead the search for a new head coach in the desert. Gannon was in his third year with Arizona. He'll finish up his time with the Cardinals with a 15-36 record in three seasons as the head coach. Gannon never reached the playoffs while never finishing higher than third in the NFC West. Arizona went 4-13 in 2023 and 8-9 last year before finishing 3-14 in 2025. He went 3-15 combined against the NFC West. The Cardinals were decimated by injuries this year, with 42 different players missing a combined 309 games due to injury. The offense struggled all season, and quarterback
Kyler Murray (foot) didn't play after getting injured in Week 5.
--Keith HernandezSource: ESPN - Adam Schefter
January 5, 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders fired head coach Pete Carroll on Monday, according to Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. Carroll, 74, went just 3-14 in his lone season with the Raiders. Despite beating the Kansas City Chiefs in the Week 18 regular-season finale, the Raiders secured the No. 1 overall pick for the 2026 NFL draft. Going into the season finale, the Raiders had lost 10 straight games under Carroll. Owner Mark Davis said in a statement that general manager John Spytek and minority owner
Tom Brady will lead football operations going forward, including the search for the next head coach. It's the first time Carroll has been fired in his first season since 1994, when the New York Jets fired him after the team went 6-10. Vegas ranked near the bottom in every major offensive category under Carroll in 2025, including rushing yards per game (77.5). On defense, they ranked 25th in points allowed (25.4).
--Keith HernandezSource: The 33rd Team - Ari Meirov
January 5, 2026
Veteran quarterback
Russell Wilson said there is "no situation where he can't see himself playing football next year," per Connor Hughes of SNY. Wilson, who will turn 38 in November, is entering free agency after playing the 2025 season on a one-year contract with the New York Giants. He opened the season as the starter in New York but was benched for rookie quarterback
Jaxson Dart after three weeks of action. Across six games (three starts) overall in 2025, Wilson completed 58.0% of his pass attempts for 831 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. By the end of the year, Wilson was behind both Dart and
Jameis Winston on the Giants' quarterback depth chart. Wilson may have a market as a veteran stopgap quarterback or a high-end backup, but it's difficult to envision him carrying fantasy value heading into 2026.
--Will BradySource: SNY - Connor Hughes
January 5, 2026
Mike Chappell, a long-time sports journalist who covers the Indianapolis Colts, reported that head coach Shane Steichen said there is a "mutual desire" for
Daniel Jones (Achilles) to return to Indianapolis as the starting quarterback for the Colts once healthy. Jones had himself a phenomenal 2025 season before injuring his Achilles in Week 14 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He led the Colts to an 8-2 record before the team lost its last seven games, finishing the season with an 8-9 record. The Colts brought Jones in over the off-season on a one-year, $14M contract, and with him expected to be an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, there appears to be interest in having him return to quarterback the Colts in 2026. Latest reports suggest Jones will be ready for training camp in 2026. The 28-year-old threw for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, while rushing for 164 yards on 45 rushing attempts and five scores over 13 games in 2025.
--Nicho RoesslerSource: Mike Chappell
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