Could be a starter in 2027
As the tier would make it sound, a quarterback who resides here could be the next Malik Willis of the NFL. You know, a guy who made a few good starts and relief appearances while the starting quarterback was injured or struggled. It does not have to be the team that the quarterback is currently on, but if anyone had an opening at quarterback and wanted a bridge/competition guy on the roster, he would be well worth a look.
Shedeur Sanders (NEW)
In Week 9 of this season, Shedeur Sanders stepped in at quarterback while starter Deshaun Watson was ruled out with a concussion. Sanders played a good game against the New Orleans Saints and fell just short of leading the Cleveland Browns to a win in overtime. Going for just under 300 yards and a pair of touchdown tosses, Sanders played himself into a competition to become the starter for the Browns, not only for the remainder of this season, if Watson struggles when he returns to the lineup, but heading into 2027 if this is a new norm for the sophomore quarterback.
Michael Penix Jr. ↓ (DROP tier)
Michael Penix Jr. has had some really high highs and some brutal lows since his 2026 campaign began in Week 3. At his best, the third-year starter played mistake-free football and was chucking a trio of passing touchdowns against some of the best teams in the entire NFL. At his worst, the turnovers came in bunches for the Atlanta Falcons signal caller.
While his worst game this season came in a torrential downpour in Tampa Bay, he would have been in a higher tier if he bounced back in Week 9 against the Cincinnati Bengals. However, Penix had a pedestrian outing in that matchup. While he is still in the mix for a starting job in 2027, Penix being the starter is no longer the lock that it seemed earlier in this season.
Drew Lock ↔ (SAME)
Following an impressive outing in the first two weeks, Seattle Seahawks backup Drew Lock took over against the Arizona Cardinals to finish off the season sweep in Week 9. Much like earlier in the year, Lock provided Seattle with good quarterback play and a victory. His position in the tiers remains the same as a result, even though he may miss Week 10 after leaving his most recent appearance early due to an oblique injury.
The guy they always wanted
Formerly the Michael Penix tier before his downward trajectory, this tier is for a player who may or may not have been the first option at quarterback for his team. However, once he had playing time and started, he was everything that the team hoped he would be. One caveat is that a player in this tier had to have some kind of investment attached to him by the team.
J.J. McCarthy (NEW)
Following an early-season trade to the New York Giants, J.J. McCarthy sat behind veteran Jameis Winston until the team believed the younger quarterback was ready to step in as the starter. Once McCarthy became the starter, the Giants are undefeated and have been humming on offense without the inconsistencies associated with Winston. While the play has been more game-manager-esque than anything else, that is all the Giants have needed out of McCarthy up to this point.
So, to address the elephant in the room, why is McCarthy so high if his play resembles that of a game manager? The answer is that it would not come as a surprise if he were at least in a competition to become the starting quarterback in New York during training camp next season. His contract is up after 2027, so it would not be a long-term investment, and Jaxson Dart is more of that long-term guy; however, McCarthy could earn his way into a competition next season if he continues this level of play for the remainder of 2026.
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