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5 NFL quarterbacks who could be the next Sam Darnold in 2026

NFL Spin Zone · Jul 20, 2026 18:12 · 4 min read

5 NFL quarterbacks who could be the next Sam Darnold in 2026 — Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

After Sam Darnold's huge breakout year for the Seahawks in 2025, who are some other reclamation project quarterbacks in the NFL who might follow his path?

Everybody loves a good comeback story, and the NFL is loaded with them every single year.

We just witnessed one of the great reclamation project seasons in recent NFL history as Sam Darnold went from being a discarded former top-3 draft pick of the New York Jets to hoisting the Lombardi trophy as the starting quarterback of the Seattle Seahawks.

And the NFL has always been a copycat league, so teams are already on the hunt for the "next" Sam Darnold. But who will those players potentially be? We're going to look at five names to watch as the next reclamation project quarterbacks with a chance to have the same type of rebound success that we saw for Darnold in his time with both the Vikings and Seahawks.

Top 5 reclamation project quarterbacks for the 2026 NFL season

1. Kyler Murray, Vikings

Ironically, the Minnesota Vikings were the team that first effectively brought Sam Darnold out of the "NFL Draft bust" category. Back in the 2024 season, they signed Darnold after his short stint as a backup with the San Francisco 49ers, and he had a huge year for them, propelling them to a 14-win season.

Now, the Vikings are back in the mix for help at the quarterback position, and a pretty good one landed in their laps during NFL Free Agency.

Former #1 overall pick Kyler Murray is competing this offseason with JJ McCarthy for the starting job in Minnesota, but that competition feels more like a foregone conclusion than anything. Murray has not been the same player that we saw early on in his NFL career, so he definitely fits the "reclamation project" criteria.

If he can return to the form we saw from him during his first three NFL seasons (2019-2021), the Vikings could be NFC contenders once again.

2. Tua Tagovailoa, Falcons

It's going to be fascinating to see what comes of the offseason battle in Atlanta between a pair of former top-10 draft picks at the quarterback position: Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix Jr.

Tagovailoa was unceremoniously cut by the Dolphins in a move that resulted in a record-breaking dead cap hit for a single player, and the Falcons scooped him up quickly.

Tagovailoa has finished in the top 10 of MVP voting in his NFL career and has also thrown for over 4,600 yards in a season. His biggest issues lately have been staying healthy and generally being sloppy with the ball.

But he is getting a second chance in Atlanta, and he might prove to be the one that got away from the Dolphins. Nobody in the NFL world seems to be holding their breath on that one, but they weren't with Sam Darnold, either.

3. Mac Jones, 49ers

If Mac Jones is going to be the next version of Sam Darnold, it's not likely going to happen with the 49ers. We did get a glimpse of what Jones can do as the starting quarterback on a good team just last season, and he really has thrived under Kyle Shanahan.

The 49ers have understandably set a high asking price in a potential trade for Jones, who isn't in a rush to get out of San Francisco at this point. But if the right offer and situation come along, Jones looks like he's ready to capitalize on his next starting opportunity.

The New England Patriots were a disaster in the short time Jones was there. He might need the right "system" and surroundings to thrive, but what quarterback doesn't? If Jones is traded before the start of the season, he could be an impact addition somewhere.

4. Malik Willis, Dolphins

Malik Willis is a borderline qualifier for this, because he's not exactly a reclamation project as a former high draft selection.

But the Dolphins are taking a fun risk on Willis's talent, anyway, and he could end up making them look like geniuses just like Darnold did for both the Vikings and Seahawks.

Willis has been the backup for Jordan Love over the past two seasons, and he's been outstanding when his number has been called. Not only has he made great decisions with the ball, but Willis was dynamic coming off the bench for the Packers.

He's got the talent to be a successful starter in the NFL, but we'll have to see if the Dolphins can get the best out of him.

5. Will Levis, Titans

This is a deep cut, bold prediction -- whatever you want to call it. But Will Levis is officially in the "Remember that guy?" category.

Levis got an opportunity to start for the Titans in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons, and while he contributed to it, it's not like he got his opportunity during the most prosperous years for the organization.

Levis spent all of last year recovering from AC joint surgery, and he's going to be ready for another opportunity in a new NFL city in the near future.

It's become clear that Levis has no more future with the Titans, so what team might take a risk on his talent? The former 2nd-round pick out of Kentucky has a big arm and athletic traits, so teams won't soon give up on that.