Five quarterbacks with the most at stake in the 2026 NFL season

There is no position in sports that faces more scrutiny than the quarterback. When a team wins, the quarterback typically gets the most glory, but when it loses, no one is to blame more than the man under center.

As a result, quarterbacks are typically under immense pressure with every game and season. Even so, there are some quarterbacks that enter a season with more on the line than others, be it the pressure to live up to their potential, earn a new contract or lead their team to the playoffs or a Super Bowl. 

As a new season approaches, here are five quarterbacks with the most at stake in 2026. 

Bryce Young

2025 stats: 16 games, 63.6% completion rate, 3,011 yards, 23 touchdowns, 11 interceptions 

The No. 1 pick in 2023, Bryce Young’s NFL career got off to a disastrous start. Young was under fire as a rookie, taking 62 sacks (second-most in the league) as he played with a weak supporting cast. Three years later, none of his receivers from that season are still with the Panthers. 

After his rookie season, the Panthers hired Dave Canales, who had previously seen success turning around Geno Smith’s and Baker Mayfield’s careers, to do the same with Young. When Young greatly struggled during the first two games of the season, Canales benched him for Andy Dalton.

Young made his way back into the starting role after Dalton suffered an injury, and he played well enough late in the season to solidify himself as the starter going into 2025. He put together his best season in 2025, and is heading into ’26 with the right momentum after securing Carolina’s first postseason berth since 2017, but there is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding his long-term future in Carolina.

What’s at stake:

• Proving he’s the Panthers’ quarterback of the future
• Earning a long-term contract extension
• Ensuring a talented Panthers roster returns to the playoffs
• Preventing the Panthers from getting tempted by the 2027 quarterback class

Why there are still questions surrounding Young: 

Even after Young’s best moments, he has struggled to find consistency. After his best game as a rookie, a 312-yard effort in a 33–30 loss to the Packers, a performance that could have offered a glimmer of hope for his future, he turned in two shutout losses to close the season. This past season, he led the Panthers to a pivotal win over the Buccaneers to take the lead in the division race in Week 16 and gain control over their own playoff fate. But, they responded with two losses and had to rely on an upset from the Falcons to overtake the Buccaneers for the NFC South crown.

Young has improved, but statistically, he ranks near the bottom of starting quarterbacks in the NFL, ranking 30th in EPA per play and 31st in success rate in 2025. Young played in 16 games and his 3,011 passing yards ranked 21st in the league. He threw for under 200 yards in 12 games, and while counting stats are far from everything—high passing yardage totals are also often the result of garbage time numbers as well—these numbers do indicate that the Panthers haven’t relied much on Young to lead them to victory. He did throw for a career-high 448 yards against the Falcons, but thus far, that performance has been the outlier, far from the norm.

In a league where patience wears thin quickly and sometimes even first-round quarterbacks only have a year or two to prove themselves before they are shelved—i.e., Anthony Richardson, Josh Rosen—the Panthers have invested in Young. But if Young doesn’t take enough steps forward in Year 4 with an ascending team, will they be willing to stay patient or decide to look at other options? 

Reasons for optimism:

The 2026 Panthers will be the most talented team Young has played on in the NFL, by far. Before Carolina drafted Tetairoa McMillan at No. 8 last season, Young had not played with a No. 1 receiver in the pros. The Panthers have continued to build the roster around Young, bolstering the offensive line, adding to the receiver room and improving the defense as well. He most certainly has the talent around him to succeed, or at least prove what he’s capable of. 

Young has his limitations as a player, such as his height (5'10") and arm strength, but he also has a number of strengths that made him the No. 1 pick in the first place, such as his ability to extend plays and hit receivers after scrambling. He’s also been clutch, leading six game-winning drives in 2025. 

What the coaches are saying: 

Both coach Dave Canales and general manager Dan Morgan have offered praise for Young this offseason, and perhaps a greater commitment to building their future around the fourth-year quarterback.

“I think you see him just getting better and better every single year,” general manager Dan Morgan told Adam Schein earlier this offseason. “Understanding the offense, he’s such a good processor, and just a guy that’s a pleasure to have around the building every day. As you see him mature, you see him become a better leader every single year.”

Canales told The Athletic at the NFL league meetings, “We’re changing things in our offense to fit Bryce, and we’re trying to bring players that will complement what Bryce does. It was something that Dan and I had talked about throughout really the last two years—Bryce’s ability to perform in critical situations and in high-stakes situations. And feeling our responsibility to build a team that puts itself in those high-stakes moments where he can perform and come through. … There’s not a question of if, but how—how are we gonna build this forward knowing that Bryce is our quarterback?”

Malik Willis 

2025 stats: Four games (one start), 85.7% completion rate, 422 yards, three touchdowns, zero interceptions, plus 123 rushing yards and two touchdowns 

In 2026, a more seasoned Malik Willis will take the field in a similar situation to the one he debuted in during his rookie campaign in Tennessee. Willis started three games in 2022 as a rookie for a Titans team with a star running back but lacking in receiving talent. 

Willis was a raw prospect coming out of Liberty, and he looked the part as a rookie. While there were a few flashes of his potential in those starts, for the most part, he lacked poise in the pocket and accuracy. With cameos in five other games, he completed just 50.8% of his passes for 276 yards, no touchdowns and three picks while averaging 4.5 yards per attempt for the season. 

By the time Willis returned as a starter, he was a pillar of accuracy as he came in for an injured Jordan Love on the Packers in 2024. Sure, the Packers heavily relied on the run game for that two-game stretch, and coach Matt LaFleur set up Willis for success with the game plan, but Willis executed and simply appeared much more comfortable running the offense that time around. 

The Packers followed a similar plan when Willis was thrust into the lineup again in 2025, running the ball 44 times against the Bears in an overtime game Willis entered midway through the second quarter. They opened up the passing attack from the get-go the following week against the Ravens. Willis went 27-for-32 for 409 yards and four total touchdowns with no picks over two games, and ultimately played well enough for the Dolphins to take a chance on him as their starter. 

Stakes: 

• Prove he’s the Dolphins’ long-term quarterback of the future
• Earn another contract extension
• Become the next successful reclamation project
• Keep the Dolphins from going after a quarterback in next year’s draft

Why there are still questions surrounding Willis: 

Willis looked good during his time in Green Bay, but he will have to prove he can play at that level over the course of an entire season.

Outside of sample size and how he will perform with a weak supporting cast, the other main question is will he be able to have similar success without Matt LaFleur calling plays. LaFleur has been a great play-caller throughout his head coaching tenure, and Willis will now be playing under Bobby Slowik, who produced mixed results while calling plays for C.J. Stroud and the Texans for two seasons. 

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Willis’s games with the Dolphins look like his performance against the Ravens last season. In that contest, Willis led the Packers in passing and rushing, and combined for three touchdowns before exiting the game with an injury, yet Green Bay still lost by 17 points. On a rebuilding Dolphins team, Willis could similarly have good performances, even if it doesn’t always show up in the final score (or the defense allows Derrick Henry to rush for over 200 yards and four touchdowns). 

Reasons for optimism

There was an ease with which Willis played over his two appearances this past season, whether it was connecting with Bo Melton on a deep pass or running in for a touchdown after a fake handoff. Even when he was under pressure he didn’t appear to get frantic the way his rookie self did. Perhaps it was easy to play calmly with LaFleur scheming up plays well-suited to his skill set or when their running game dominated the Bears, but regardless, he fit in well.

What suits Willis well for today’s NFL is his explosive play ability. He finished fourth among quarterbacks with at least 50 snaps in average depth of target and connected on seven of eight pass attempts that traveled 20 or more yards downfield. He was part of an offense that regularly pushed the ball deep whether he or Love were in the game, but his accuracy while throwing deep passes helped make this possible. 

What coaches are saying: 

The Dolphins have primarily been focused on Willis learning Slowik’s scheme. They are certainly not looking to put too much on Willis's plate, with Slowik preferring a balanced attack and running the ball around half the time on first and second down. 

"We’re in the early stages of the scheme stuff, that takes a back seat right now,” Slowik told reporters in May. “... It’s very similar to what he did in Green Bay and we’re just having a lot of fun right now."

Slowik also said of the quarterback, “Really talented individual. Can spin the ball all over the field, can throw the ball everywhere, can run, obviously, can use his legs. He’s tough, but honestly, what I’ve enjoyed the most so far is getting to know him. The person is really fun to be around. He’s really energetic. He infuses everybody with a lot of energy.” 

C.J. Stroud

2025 stats: 14 games, 64.5% completion rate, 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns, eight interceptions 

The No. 2 pick in 2023, Stroud ushered himself into the spotlight when midway through the season he put together a 470-yard, five-touchdown game against the Buccaneers and followed it up with a clutch victory over the Bengals. The NFL quickly labeled him as the next great young quarterback as he took home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

After his fabulous rookie season, Stroud endured somewhat of a sophomore slump. The Texans still made the playoffs, but Stroud did not build off his rookie performance as he took 52 sacks behind a hampered offensive line. 

Despite starting the 2025 season 0–3, Stroud bounced back closer to his rookie performance during his third year. The Texans rebounded from their rough start and Stroud looked good during a four-touchdown performance against the Ravens and a 300-yard game against the 49ers. He missed three games due to a concussion, but came back and helped the Texans finish the season 6–0, securing their third consecutive trip to the playoffs under his lead. 

Then, the playoffs came. 

No quarterback hurt his stock more in the postseason than Stroud, who went from potentially playing his way into the league’s next big extension to playing so badly many questioned whether he is the Texans’ quarterback of the future. 

Stakes:

• Capitalize on the Texans’ Super Bowl hopes and potential
• Earn a massive contract extension
• Solidify himself as the Texans’ long-term quarterback

Why there are still questions about Stroud:

Stroud’s playoff meltdown was worse than the worst-case scenario imaginable going into the postseason. He committed three turnovers in a win over the Steelers (in addition to three other fumbles the Texans’ offense recovered), and then completed only 42.6% of his passes while throwing four interceptions in a loss to the Patriots the following week. 

In particular, Stroud struggled to handle the pressure during the postseason—albeit, against two imposing pass rushes. He completed just 23.1% of his passes and registered a minus-0.98 EPA per dropback when under pressure, both marks that ranked in the bottom four of quarterbacks that played in the postseason.

Stroud also hasn’t been as effective as a deep ball thrower since his rookie season. After leading the NFL in EPA and finishing second in EPA per dropback on throws 20 or more yards in the air as a rookie, his numbers and efficiency on deep throws have dropped significantly. Some of this is simply defenses adjusting and an overall trend of defenses looking to limit explosive plays, but it has certainly hurt Stroud and the Texans.

Now, it’s on Stroud to prove he’s the Texans’ long-term quarterback. They picked up his fifth-year option, but it seems unlikely they’ll extend him this offseason. The Texans still believe in Stroud—and have plenty of reason to—but if he struggles in 2026 or in the postseason again, they could look into other options at quarterback and bring in competition for Stroud. After all, this defense is in its championship window now.

Reasons for optimism: 

At his best, Stroud has proved he is more than capable of being a top-10 quarterback in the NFL, a luxury many other teams don’t have. He is still only 24, and it’s more than reasonable for a young quarterback to take time to develop and become more consistent. While his deep-ball passing has not been as strong as it was when he was a rookie, he still is good at throwing downfield and there’s reason to believe it could bounce back with an improved offensive line and more time with his receivers.

What coaches are saying: 

The Texans have consistently backed Stroud since the playoffs, starting with coach DeMeco Ryans, who said he told Stroud after that game in January, “Keep your head up, I love you. I have your back, this whole team has your back.” 

Since that stormy January day, Ryans has noted that Stroud has been “grinding” this offseason and in a good space both physically and mentally. He’s also growing closer to Caley. 

“With C.J. and [offensive coordinator] Nick [Caley], I’ve seen both guys communicating much better. It’s Year 2 of a system. When it’s Year 2, you understand we’re not going through the install for the first time. So, there is some recall from what we’ve done in the past that allows us to speed up what we’re doing in Year 2. The way they’re communicating, C.J. has ideas and thoughts on different plays and formations, different things that he likes.”

Jalen Hurts

2025 stats: 16 games, 64.8% completion rate, 3,224 yards, 25 touchdowns, six interceptions, plus 421 rushing yards and eight touchdowns 

A second-round pick by the Eagles in 2020, Hurts emerged as the Eagles’ starter late in his rookie season, and helped lead them to a wild-card berth in 2021. Hurts built off that first full season as the starter with his best year as a pro in 2022, throwing for 3,701 yards, 22 touchdowns and six interceptions,  earning second-team All-Pro honors and leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl, where they fell to the Chiefs 38–35. Afterward, the Eagles rewarded him with a five-year, $255 million contract.

That season seemed to solidify Hurts as an ascending young quarterback, but he hasn’t really built off that performance. He and the Eagles got off to a strong start in 2023, beginning the year 10–1 before collapsing through a 1–5 finish and falling to the Buccaneers 32–9 in the wild-card round.  

The Eagles rebounded the following season by winning the Super Bowl—with Hurts capturing the game’s MVP award—but even then, the offense largely flowed through its rushing attack behind Saquon Barkley. By December, then Eagles receiver A.J. Brown was calling out “passing” as the issue with the Eagles’ offense—a theme that would resurface throughout the 2025 season.

The 2025 season proved to be a disappointment and the porous campaign resulted in offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo’s firing. In the months since the year ended, reports have come out spotlighting Hurts’s role in the offense’s struggles. ESPN reported during the spring that Hurts pushed back on schematic changes to make the offense more creative, frequently changed the play calls and has fought against playing from under center.

Now, the Eagles are bringing in an offensive coordinator in Sean Mannion who will install a style of offense that Hurts has reportedly been resistant to for much of that career—and it’s on him to adapt. With no more guaranteed money in Hurts’s contract after the 2026 season, the stakes are the highest they’ve been since his last Super Bowl appearance. 

Stakes: 

• Securing a new contract extension
• Silencing the noise surrounding him as a player
• Proving he’s adaptable and can succeed in the new scheme
• Ensuring a talented Eagles squad doesn’t endure another one-and-done playoff disappointment. 

Why there are still questions about Hurts: 

While Hurts and the Eagles have been successful in the win column, they have not been a competent passing offense for much of the past two years. Questions remain about Hurts’s ability and willingness to throw over the middle of the field and against man coverage, but even if these are weaker areas of his game, he simply has not been a great or efficient passer as of late. The Eagles ranked 29th in passing yards in 2024 and 23rd in ’25. The Eagles were able to get away with this the past two seasons, but can they still do so going forward? 

By far the biggest question in Philadelphia is how Hurts will fare in Mannion’s offense. Mannion, who was a backup quarterback under Sean McVay and Kevin O’Connell before becoming an assistant coach under Matt LaFleur, will run a McVay–Kyle Shanahan style offense—the type of offense that the Eagles have not run with Hurts. Mannion is expected to use more motions, plays from under center, and play-action, which Hurts has reportedly avoided and fought against through his first six NFL seasons. Along with Mannion’s offense, Hurts will have some new weapons with Brown leaving and Makai Lemon, Eli Stowers and Dontayvion Wicks joining the team. 

Reasons for optimism

Hurts is a quarterback the Eagles can consistently make the playoffs with and one even capable of winning the Super Bowl. Hurts remains a strong deep ball thrower, ranking third in passing yards (857), fourth in passer rating and sixth in passing EPA per dropback on throws 20 or more yards in the air, per Next Gen Stats. He’s at his best when he’s targeting his receivers downfield in one-on-one coverage, hitting them after they beat their defender or giving them an opportunity to win the contested catch. While Mannion has yet to call plays, Hurts’s deep ball throwing should pair well with his new OC, who comes from a Packers offense that liked throwing the ball downfield. A similar emphasis makes sense for Hurts.

What coaches are saying: 

While there have been questions about Hurts’s coachability, Mannion has been complimentary of him, calling the veteran quarterback a “pleasure to work with” and a “really capable learner.” 

“Jalen’s been awesome,” Mannion said in May. “I really think he can do anything we ask of him. He’s accurate. He’s a great athlete. He really attacks the fundamentals. That’s what’s been really fun to watch these last two weeks of phase two. He’s always wanting more things to work on, wanting more things regarding fundamentals, timing, understanding the scheme. He’s hungry for more. … In terms of skill set though, he has great arm strength, great accuracy, obviously a tremendous athlete and he really attacks the game.”

As for the reports on Hurts during the spring, general manager Howie Roseman called them “unfortunate” and “unfair,” noting that they communicate with players honestly and directly if there is an issue.

Kyler Murray

2025 stats: Five games, 68.3% completion rate, 962 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions, plus 173 rushing yards and one touchdown

The No. 1 pick in 2019, Murray spent the past seven seasons with the Cardinals before the franchise decided it was time for both sides to move on and released him. Murray has since signed a one-year veteran minimum contract with the Vikings, where he’ll look to be Kevin O’Connell’s next success story. 

Murray quickly experienced success as a Cardinal, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2019 before making the Pro Bowl in both 2020 and 2021 and leading them to the playoffs in ’21. His time in Arizona has since been marred by injuries, including a torn ACL in 2022 and a foot injury in ’25.

While Murray experienced some highs early in his tenure with the Cardinals and remains talented, he has yet to live up to the expectations for a No. 1 pick. It’s important to note as well that he was part of a Cardinals franchise that holds a 79-year championship drought, has long struggled to remain relevant throughout its history and an organization that has regularly ranked near the bottom of the NFLPA grades.

He will instead look to become a winner again with a Vikings franchise that is similarly championship-starved, but has been a playoff contender in recent years. 

Stakes: 

• Winning the Vikings’ starting quarterback job
• Becoming the next successful quarterback turnaround
• Earning another big contract with the Vikings or in free agency next year

Why there are still questions surrounding Murray: 

Health has been a key concern. Murray played all 17 games in 2024, but missed significant time in ’22, ’23 and ’25. For Murray to become a long-term option, he has to stay healthy.

The primary question in Minnesota is whether Murray will win the quarterback competition over J.J. McCarthy, the No. 10 pick in 2024 who missed his entire rookie season and started 10 games last year. Murray seemed to have the edge when he signed and after McCarthy came off a very inconsistent 2025 campaign, but the Vikings are holding a true competition.

Otherwise, the question will be how quickly Murray learns the offense and how well he is able to adapt to a different style of scheme. Murray was candid during mandatory minicamp that the toughest part of the quarterback competition has been splitting reps as he tries to adjust to the Vikings’ offensive system. 

As for the scheme, Murray will be joining a Vikings team that plays from under center much more frequently than he did in Arizona, where he primarily played from the shotgun. Murray is also by far the most mobile quarterback O’Connell has worked with, and is known for scrambling around in the backfield and either extending plays or turning upfield to pick up more yards.

Reasons for optimism

Murray’s talent is enticing; just listen to Justin Jefferson.

“I’m definitely looking for those big, exciting plays. I’m definitely looking forward to his speed, his quickness, his arm strength that he’s shown countless times over the years,” Jefferson said of Murray in April. “And then for J.J. [McCarthy], for somebody to enter the room with that ability, with that type of talent, he’s gotta step it up a little bit.” 

Murray is talented, and perhaps the most talented passer O’Connell has worked with in Minnesota. He hasn’t had a ton of success as of late, in part because of injuries, but he is more accomplished than a number of other reclamation projects heading into their second stops.

Outside of Murray, the Vikings have a strong supporting cast. As Sam Darnold showed in 2024, the Vikings do not need A-plus or MVP-level quarterback play to win and make the playoffs. They simply need competent play at the position. Murray is not only capable of this, but bringing more to the table. 

What coaches are saying: 

While Murray is a different style of quarterback than many O’Connell has worked with, O’Connell believes his skill set can actually work with what they do.

“When you actually dive in and really study Kyler’s experience at the position, you do see a lot of really great qualities that fit into some of the things we ask our quarterbacks to do,” O’Connell said after the Vikings signed Murray in March. “I think Kyler’s an accurate player, I think he’s learned to play with really solid fundamentals in the pass game. He can make all the throws.”

O’Connell later said during the NFL league meetings, via Alec Lewis of The Athletic: “I don’t think he’s gotten enough credit for playing in rhythm. We all recognize some of the highlight-reel ability that he has. … But I think sometimes what we don’t recognize is the third-and-7 right before the huge scramble play.”

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five Quarterbacks With the Most at Stake in the 2026 NFL Season.