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Updated Expectations for Carson Beck, Rookie QBs With NFL Preseason Underway
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck changed perspectives on his rookie-year outlook with a noteworthy performance against the Carolina Panthers in the NFL's Hall of Fame Game. With a strong first impression, his stock is on the rise.
Yes, Beck played well in an exhibition contest with and against backups, but it's a good time to revisit expectations for rookie quarterbacks as the preseason is underway.
This year, 10 quarterbacks heard their names called in the draft. We'll project roles for each, with projections for where their respective teams may place them on the depth chart for the regular season.
This isn't an overreaction to Beck's outing in the Hall of Fame Game but rather an update on what we expect from first-year quarterbacks.
Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders
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The Las Vegas Raiders have taken on a methodical approach in Fernando Mendoza's development.
According to The Athletic's Sam Warren, 14-year veteran Kirk Cousins took all the first-team reps in organized team activities and mandatory minicamp during the spring.
At training camp, Cousins remains the clear-cut lead signal-caller, though Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer believes that Mendoza could earn first-team reps by the end of the summer.
"Now, he's still a rookie and he's learning, and Kirk Cousins is still clearly the best guy at running Klint Kubiak's offense," Breer wrote. "Mendoza still has work to do in that department, along with learning to play from under center and with his back to the ball."
Breer pointed out that the team's readiness to support Mendoza is just as important as the rookie's ability to handle the nuances of the position on the pro level.
Cousins will likely start Week 1, though if the Raiders' losses pile up in the first half of the season, Mendoza could take over around the team's Week 13 bye.
2026 outlook: Late-season starter
Ty Simpson, Los Angeles Rams
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Midway through the first round, the Los Angeles Rams selected Ty Simpson, who may be their quarterback of the future. For now, he's in a battle with fourth-year pro Stetson Bennett IV for the primary backup job.
Although Bennett has yet to take a snap in the regular season, he should have an early edge over Simpson with years of experience in head coach Sean McVay's system.
That being said, Simpson has shown early flashes in padded practices, which is a good sign for his progress.
Last year, Bennett shined in the preseason, throwing for 512 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions with a 68.8 percent completion rate in two games. So, he should win the No. 2 spot, unless the Rams sign Jimmy Garoppolo, who had that role throughout the 2025 campaign.
Keep in mind that Simpson only started for one collegiate year at Alabama. The Rams will prepare him for the future, but there's no rush to elevate the rookie. If Matthew Stafford goes down with an injury, we're more likely to see Bennett than Simpson take over the huddle.
2026 outlook: No. 3 quarterback
Carson Beck, Arizona Cardinals
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Carson Beck impressed spectators who waited nearly six months for NFL action. He completed 15 out of 19 pass attempts for 188 yards and a touchdown, leading three consecutive scoring drives in the second quarter.
Of course, we have to put Beck's performance into perspective. At 24, he came out of Miami as an older prospect with big-game experience, just seven months from a loss in the College Football Playoff National Championship. Beck also started through two full terms at Georgia. So, it's not a surprise that he showed poise in his NFL debut.
Yet it's fair to acknowledge that Beck looked the part of a capable starter. Moreover, he's in a situation that will allow him to see the field in the upcoming season.
Arizona tabbed Jacoby Brissett as its starting quarterback and reworked his contract, but the team may want to take a peek at Beck during the regular season if its record is well below .500 in November and December.
Entering his age-34 term, Brissett, a journeyman signal-caller, isn't the future at the position, and his contract will void at the end of the 2026 campaign.
Assuming the Cardinals already have their sights on 2027 quarterback prospects, they should find out what Beck can do under center, especially after his showing in the Hall of Fame Game.
2026 outlook: Midseason starter
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Drew Allar, Pittsburgh Steelers
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Aaron Rodgers is the Pittsburgh Steelers' starting quarterback, and that won't change unless he suffers an injury.
Nonetheless, the Steelers must sort out the No. 2 spot, which could turn into a three-man battle. As a ninth-year veteran, Mason Rudolph is the front-runner for the position, but he may draw trade interest before final roster cuts because of his experience.
So, if second-year pro Will Howard or Drew Allar string together solid performances in the preseason, Pittsburgh may be comfortable trading Rudolph or even shopping him on the trade block late in the summer.
However, the Steelers are built to win now, with several veterans older than 30 on both sides of the ball, which is why Rudolph may hang around as insurance for the team's 42-year-old starter.
Remember, ESPN's Brooke Pryor reported that the Steelers "uninstalled everything" that Allar learned at Penn State. They know he's a rookie project, but as a third-round pick, he's basically a lock to make the roster.
Allar will hold the clipboard as the No. 3 signal-caller behind Rodgers and Rudolph.
2026 outlook: No. 3 quarterback
Cade Klubnik, New York Jets
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Geno Smith had an abysmal season with the Las Vegas Raiders last year, throwing for 3,025 yards, 19 touchdowns and a league-high 17 interceptions with a 67.4 percent completion rate. In fairness to him, he played on a team in disarray.
Former Raiders head coach Pete Carroll fired his offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly, in November. This offseason, Las Vegas cleared out its entire offensive coaching staff and traded Smith along with a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Jets in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick.
However, Smith's decline started in the 2024 term with the Seattle Seahawks. Over the last two years, he's thrown for 40 touchdowns and 32 interceptions. Because of his high turnover rate, he could lose his job in New York.
Jets fans sense Cade Klubnik has leadership qualities, a key intangible for a starting quarterback. He's a three-year starter out of Clemson with extensive playing experience. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich praised the rookie fourth-rounder for his ability to handle the mental workload of the position.
The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt noted that Klubnik struggled through Friday's practice, throwing a red-zone interception, but as Reich said, that's part of the growth process.
As a fill-in starter last season, Brady Cook threw for two touchdowns and seven interceptions. Bailey Zappe is the only other quarterback on the depth chart. He hasn't taken a regular-season snap since 2024.
Klubnik can win the primary backup spot, and if the Jets' season goes completely sour before December, he could make a few spot starts like Cook did last year. Smith has been mostly healthy for his career. So, Gang Green would likely have to pull him for poor performances in order for Clubnik to see the field.
2026 outlook: No. 2 quarterback
Cole Payton, Philadelphia Eagles
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This offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles bolstered their quarterback room with the addition of Andy Dalton, whom they acquired from the Carolina Panthers.
At 38, with 15 years of pro experience, Dalton should be favored to win the primary backup role, which leaves Tanner McKee and Cole Payton in competition for the No. 3 spot.
According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, the Eagles wanted a second-round pick for McKee back in March, a steep price for a player who's started in two regular-season games through three seasons.
Philadelphia values McKee as a backup, and he'll likely hold on to a roster spot unless the team gets a strong offer for him. Moreover, SI.com's Jeff Kerr noted that Payton looked like a late-round draft pick early in training camp.
"Payton has been a Jekyll-and-Hyde through three practices," Kerr wrote. "He had some highlight throws on Day 1, only to turn around and throw three interceptions on Day 2."
If McKee remains on the roster, Payton lands on the practice squad.
2026 outlook: Practice squad
Taylen Green, Cleveland Browns
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The Cleveland Browns' quarterback depth chart is in flux. Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders are in competition for the starting job. Dillon Gabriel and Taylen Green will battle to claim a roster spot.
Watson and Sanders will enter the season in the top two slots, with the backup likely to play if the Browns struggle through the upcoming term. Though Gabriel had brief stretches of solid play in his rookie season, throwing for 937 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions, he may be the odd man out.
The Browns hired a new coaching staff, led by lead skipper Todd Monken, who coached Lamar Jackson for three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.
Monken may want to retain a quarterback who has athletic abilities similar to Jackson. Gabriel doesn't fit that profile—Green does.
In college, Green threw for 9,662 yards, 59 touchdowns and 35 interceptions and rushed for 2,405 yards and 35 scores. Aware of his unique skill set at his size, he couldn't come up with a close comparison to himself on the pro level (h/t Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot).
"I would say of course Lamar, but he ain't 6′6″. Josh Allen is close, but I'm 230. He's like 260. My dad says Randall Cunningham-ish. I really don't think there's anybody like me. Not in a like cocky (way) or anything, just some confidence. There's nobody that moves like me, that's as tall as me."
Green may not start a single game this year, but the Browns could be intrigued enough by his traits to keep him over Gabriel.
2026 outlook: No. 3 quarterback
Athan Kaliakmanis, Washington Commanders
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Athan Kaliakmanis is the first of three quarterbacks selected in the seventh round of the draft. He started at Minnesota and Rutgers, throwing for 8,604 yards, 55 touchdowns and 27 interceptions over four collegiate seasons.
However, Kaliakmanis had glaring inconsistencies with his ball placement and accuracy, completing just 56.3 percent of his passes. He's also limited athletically. So, it wasn't a surprise to see him come off the board late in the draft.
The Washington Commanders have a clear pecking order on their quarterback depth chart with Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota in the top two spots. Kaliakmanis will battle with Sam Hartman for the third slot to replace Josh Johnson, who started in two games last season.
Under new offensive coordinator David Blough, Kaliakmanis gets the nod over Hartman, though he's unlikely to be on the active roster unless Daniels or Mariota suffer an injury.
2026 outlook: No. 3 quarterback/practice squad
Behren Morton, New England Patriots
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At the bottom of the New England Patriots' quarterback totem pole, Behren Morton knows his role as one of Drake Maye's backups (h/t MassLive's Chris Mason).
"I'm really looking forward to picking his brain about what he's done in the league so far. He's been very successful this last year. So I'm going to do whatever it takes. If he needs a coffee from Starbucks, I'm there for Drake. Whatever he needs throughout this process, I'm here for him."
Last August, the Patriots claimed Tommy DeVito off waivers. He served as the third-stringer behind Joshua Dobbs, who's now a free agent.
With eight career starts, DeVito moves into the No. 2 role. Last year, Morton led the Big 12 in completion rate (66 percent). He could be a solid addition to the team's practice squad.
2026 outlook: Practice squad
Garrett Nussmeier, Kansas City Chiefs
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In 2024, Garrett Nussmeier generated buzz as a potential early-round prospect, throwing for 4,052 yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. However, because of an abdominal injury, he missed several games last season and finished with 1,927 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions.
Listed at 6'2", 205 pounds on the Kansas City Chiefs' official website, Nussmeier is a bit undersized relative to pro-level signal-callers. Yet if he's healthy after the preseason, the Chiefs may want to lock him into a roster spot rather than expose him to waivers.
Patrick Mahomes and Justin Fields, whom the team acquired from the New York Jets in exchange for a 2027 sixth-round pick, should be the top two signal-callers.
For most of his four-year career, Chris Oladokun has been on Kansas City's practice squad and will likely remain there this year.
Nussmeier earns the No. 3 spot as a developmental signal-caller with upside.
2026 outlook: No. 3 quarterback
College football statistics are provided by cfbstats.com.
Maurice Moton covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @MoeMoton.
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