What happened: ESPN's Jeremy Fowler ran through the latest quarterback competitions to track across the league entering the 2026 season. The rundown pairs Kyler Murray with J.J. McCarthy, Deshaun Watson with Shedeur Sanders, Michael Penix Jr. with Tua Tagovailoa, and Kirk Cousins with Fernando Mendoza.
Why it matters: Unsettled quarterback rooms define several rosters as camps approach, and how each job shakes out will shape win expectations and playoff outlooks for 2026. The Watson-Sanders battle has been building since the spring and is expected to stretch deep into the summer.
What to watch: Training camps open in late July, when on-field reps, preseason snaps and depth-chart shuffling should begin separating starters from backups in each room.