NFC North
Green Bay Packers - Jordan Love
Jordan Love and the Packers took a brutal loss in Week 15, but Love is playing excellent football, and the Packers are going to be in good shape for the next seven year with him as their starting QB.
Chicago Bears - Caleb Williams
The 10-4 Chicago Bears are getting decent QB play from Caleb Williams. You would ideally love to see his completion percentage increase, but he's still only in his second season and in a position to lead his team to a division title.
Minnesota Vikings - JJ McCarthy
I would be shocked if the Minnesota Vikings did not bring in some level of competition for JJ McCarthy this coming offseason. He has shown some nice things these past two weeks, but we are far from an 'official' verdict. Ideally, McCarthy enters the 2026 season as the unquestioned starter for the Vikes.
Detroit Lions - Jared Goff
Jared Goff is a great quarterback. He's not going anywhere. There aren't many passers who can play as efficiently from the pocket as he can.
NFC South
New Orleans Saints - Tyler Shough
Tyler Shough is a second-round rookie who has really played well given the situation, and it's important to note that in many instances, the stats on paper don't always tell the full story. Shough should be back as the Saints' starter in 2026.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield has had a down year, but he's far from the main issue in Tampa Bay. Mayfield is going to be back as their starter in 2026, and I would not be shocked if a new coaching staff was in place.
Atlanta Falcons - Michael Penix Jr
Michael Penix Jr was effectively still a rookie this year, but he's been out with a knee injury. I do believe he'll be back as the starter in 2026, as the Falcons did use a top-10 pick on him, so they should want him to emerge as a franchise quarterback.
Carolina Panthers - Tua Tagovailoa
With the Miami Dolphins benching Tua Tagovailoa, I could see them begging a team to acquire him in a trade. With the Carolina Panthers being in an easy division, having a solid roster with a strong offensive line, and having a high-end offensive mind in Dave Canales, I could see the Panthers making the move. Bryce Young just is not cutting it right now.