Most NFL teams know who their QB will be once training camp starts; for others, this is one of the primary focuses of camp. For the Cleveland Browns and the Atlanta Falcons? It's the latter.
The Browns are the strongest on the list of teams needing to figure out who the day-one signal caller will be. High-paid QB Deshaun Watson hasn't played since 2024, and all Shedeur Sanders did was finish with the worst PFF passing grade (42.3) among the 38 quarterbacks with at least 200 dropbacks as a rookie. It looks like the Browns will most likely go through the season with multiple quarterbacks at the position once again. Tank for Arch Manning? Or is that the future of the team below?
Another first-year head coach in Atlanta [Kevin Stefanski] will need to determine a QB soon as well. Michael Penix Jr. has not been cleared for contact, and during the Falcons' first preseason game against the Broncos. Tua Tagovailoa looked like he had lost all arm strength. Although that may be a bit of an exaggeration, Falcons fans booed the team during a preseason game- a preseason game! Their patience is already wearing thin, and that is never a good sign in Atlanta.
At some point, one would have to think that all four QBs mentioned will play, whether the Browns or Falcons are struggling or not.
The Las Vegas Raiders and the Arizona Cardinals may also be on the list this season, although they have named starters. Jacoby Brissett is the man in Arizona, but after Carson Beck had a strong showing this preseason, he will get snaps somewhere down the stretch, if not earlier. Kirk Cousins has been named the starter for the Raiders, but with Fernando Mendoza being the first overall NFL Draft pick? The backup QB is always the most popular guy in the room. Cousins is capable, but he does struggle with turnovers, so it'll be interesting to see how short the leash is in Vegas.
This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Two NFL teams have major QB decisions that they can't avoid