QB uncertainty for half the NFL next offseason? 16 situations to watch and possible outcomes
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- The article profiles 16 NFL teams with QB uncertainty looking toward the 2027 offseason, intentionally excluding players like Dak Prescott, whose contract through 2028 with $45 million fully guaranteed in 2027 makes him virtually uncuttable or untradeable.
- Lamar Jackson has two years left on his Ravens deal with none of the 2027 money guaranteed; Baltimore tried and failed to extend him this offseason, leaving his 2027 cap hit projected at $84.3 million, and his contract includes both a no-trade clause and a prohibition on the franchise tag — meaning he could hit free agency in March 2028 if no extension is reached.
- The Arizona Cardinals resolved a contract standoff with Jacoby Brissett by giving him a roughly $10 million raise over the approximately $5 million he had been scheduled to earn; the team also signed Gardner Minshew II and drafted Carson Beck with the first pick of the third round, with Beck the only one of the three under contract beyond 2026.
- The Atlanta Falcons are nominally holding a QB competition between Tua Tagovailoa — signed for one year at the veteran's minimum while the Dolphins remain on the hook for nearly $55 million in guaranteed salary — and Michael Penix Jr., who is recovering from a torn ACL and has not been cleared for 11-on-11 team drills.
- The Carolina Panthers picked up Bryce Young's 2027 fifth-year option for $25.9 million but declined to offer an extension, with the team indicating it wants to see continued development in 2026 before committing long-term to the No. 1 overall pick from 2023.
- Tagovailoa's short-term deal contains no clause prohibiting Atlanta from using the franchise tag — unlike Kyler Murray's contract after Arizona cut him — so the Falcons could theoretically retain him after 2026 but are not committed to doing so.
Why it matters: Across the league, front offices face QB decisions with enormous financial stakes — Jackson's projected $84.3 million 2027 cap hit, Brissett's roughly $10 million raise, and the Dolphins' remaining $55 million obligation to Tagovailoa all illustrate how quarterback uncertainty translates directly into cap-strategy pressure and roster-building constraints that will shape competitive balance for years.
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