Top 15 Wildest QB Trade Rumors & Landing Spots for 2026 Offseason
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
Until the clock strikes on the new league year, the NFL QB and free agency rumor mill will continue to churn out plenty of juicy ideas.
With so many teams facing major long-term question marks at the game’s most important position, this promises to be one of the craziest NFL QB offseason carousels in quite some time.
So with that, let’s dive into the 15 wildest NFL offseason quarterback rumors as the new league year quickly approaches.
Can some of these QB trade rumors come into fruition?
Kyler Murray Gets Fresh Start With The Jets
Everybody figures the Arizona Cardinals will move on from Kyler Murray this offseason. The real question is if he’ll get outright released, or if they’ll find a trade partner for the former first-overall pick and embattled QB.
The New York Jets, holders of the No. 2 pick, got screwed when Oregon QB Dante Moore announced he was returning to college. Fernando Mendoza, the only five-star QB prospect in this year’s draft class, is a shoo-in to go first overall to the Las Vegas Raiders.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell suggested the Jets acquire Kyler Murray and a sixth-round pick from Arizona for the bargain price of a 2026 fourth-round pick.
The Justin Fields free agent signing proved to be a disaster, and there’s no way the Jets can run it back with him. So, they can take a flyer on Murray and see if he can fill their QB1 duties. As we saw with Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield, and Daniel Jones, sometimes an underperforming QB just needs some time to find his niche.
Browns Roll The Dice On Tua Tagovailoa
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Miami Dolphins prefer to move on from Tua Tagovailoa and that they’re willing to eat some of the money to make a trade work for their disgruntled QB. Tagovailoa lost his starting job to rookie Quinn Ewers late in the season.
Chris Grier and Mike McDaniel, the regime that defended Tua for all that time, are long gone.
The Cleveland Browns are expected to add a veteran quarterback to compete with Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel for the starting job. With a mountain of cap space, they could take a chance on the former No. 1 pick and see how he performs under new head coach Todd Monken.
Tagovailoa was never “elite” in Miami, but he’d be better than 90-something percent of the QBs the Browns have used in the 21st century. Just saying.
Aaron Rodgers Pulls A Brett Favre, Joins Minnesota
Rodgers showed he still had it at the age of 42 last season. He completed 65.7 percent of pass attempts for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. It was enough to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to a surprise AFC North division crown.
While most expect Rodgers to either return to Pittsburgh or retire, Schefter floated another possibility: What if Rodgers followed old mentor Brett Favre and joined the Minnesota Vikings for his final rodeo?
Schefter noted that Rodgers seemed keen on the Vikings a year ago, but the feeling wasn’t mutual. Schefter wonders if things are different following JJ McCarthy’s ugly season.
Could Rodgers pull the ultimate WWE-style heel turn by joining one of the Green Bay Packers’ archrivals? Stay tuned.
Steelers Could Turn To Mac Jones As Plan “B”
The Steelers’ main priority appears to be to retain Aaron Rodgers. But if he doesn’t return, the front office will be left scrambling for a QB via trade. This year’s draft class is weak, so they’d have to land Rodgers’ replacement via trade or free agency.
San Francisco 49ers backup Mac Jones played the best football of his career in relief of an injured Brock Purdy last season. Jones went 5-3 with 13 touchdowns, six picks, and a career passer rating of 97.4.
Some analysts and fans have floated Jones as an ideal target for Pittsburgh if Rodgers doesn’t return. He’s only 27 and reminded everyone that he’s a Pro Bowl-caliber QB if he’s in the right system.
A Kirk Cousins/Vikings Reunion?
As expected, the Atlanta Falcons confirmed that Kirk Cousins would be released at the start of the new league year. And so, the four-time Pro Bowler is back on the open market for the second time in three years.
Cousins lost his starting job to Michael Penix Jr. in 2024. But when Penix went down with an injury in the second half of 2025, Cousins had to take over as the starter for Atlanta’s final eight games.
Cousins went 5-3 with 10 touchdowns against five interceptions, proving that he’s still got it. As such, there should be considerable interest in him in free agency.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, one league source thinks a Cousins-Minnesota Vikings reunion could be in the works. Cousins played in Minnesota from 2018 to 2023, and everyone knows JJ McCarthy needs some competition after a disastrous 2025 campaign.
Cousins isn’t a long-term starter at this phase of his career, so returning to Minny on a short-term deal to challenge McCarthy would be a win-win for all parties.
Dolphins Swing For The Fences, Land Kyler Murray
Assuming Miami moves on from Tua Tagovailoa? There might not be a better QB available than Kyler Murray.
Like Tua, Murray needs a new home after yet another underwhelming season. The Dolphins have Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane as their primary weapons. And if they can land Murray, you better believe GM Jon-Eric Sullivan will be ultra-motivated to add even more playmakers.
Murray’s dual-threat style would make him dangerous in a Miami offense built around speed. And he wouldn’t be stuck playing the brutal NFC West opponents six times a year.
Browns Targeting Two Big-Name QBs
If the Browns want to avoid high-priced veteran QBs like Tua Tagovailoa, Kirk Cousins, or Kyler Murray via trade? There are two notable names to monitor.
According to Browns reporter Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Cleveland is eyeing Green Bay Packers pending free agent Malik Willis and Alabama signal-caller Ty Simpson as “external options.”
Willis has played well in relief of Jordan Love and will likely get a starter’s contract somewhere. Simpson is the consensus No. 2 QB in this year’s draft behind Fernando Mendoza. The Browns have two first-round picks, so if they want Simpson, GM Andrew Berry has the assets to make it happen.
A Geno Smith-Jets Reunion?
Smith was the Jets’ primary starter for two seasons before losing the job to Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2015. His 2025 season with the Las Vegas Raiders was a disaster, yes. But aside from Derek Carr, the Raiders have been a QB graveyard for all quarterbacks who’ve entered since 2003.
The Jets could eye Smith as a “bridge” QB option for 2026. He’s a better passer than Justin Fields and would have a nice set of playmakers led by Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall. And if Smith flops? Well, he at least will have helped the Jets’ chances of tanking for a top QB in 2027.
Anthony Richardson Starts Afresh In Pittsburgh
If not Aaron Rodgers…and if not Mac Jones…could A-Rich be the guy in Pittsburgh next season? Hmm…
Everyone expects the Indianapolis Colts to trade or release Richardson this offseason. The No. 4 pick of 2023 lost the QB1 competition to Daniel Jones last year. Jones locked down the starting job for 2026 and beyond, so it’s time for Richardson to find a new home.
Internet sleuths frequently link Richardson to the Steelers. And why not? Mike McCarthy is one of the best QB guru coaches of his era. And Richardson could actually flourish in a rush-heavy offense under the tutelage of a Super Bowl-winning head coach.
The Colts’ QB, of course, would cost no more than a mid or late-round pick in a trade, either.
Cardinals Win Malik Willis Sweepstakes
The Cardinals hold the No. 3 pick, but that’s way too early to target Ty Simpson. If Kyler Murray’s time is up, they’ll have to find his replacement via trade or free agency.
If new Arizona head coach Mike LaFleur needs a suggestion, he just has to ask his older brother, Matt LaFleur. The latter helped unlock Malik Willis’ potential when the Packers had to call upon him to replace Jordan Love. And Mike runs an offense awfully similar to Matt’s.
So, it could be a smooth transition here for Willis. And he’d be joining an offense with Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, and Marvin Harrison Jr. This just feels like the perfect match if Murray gets a fresh start.
Steelers Settle On Kirk Cousins
If it’s not Aaron Rodgers, then maybe Cousins is the best QB option for the Steelers via trade or free agency.
We know, Steelers fans. We know your team is tired of bringing in fading veteran QBs to run the offense. But Cousins can still play. He’s five years younger than Rodgers. If he pans out, he could be their starting QB well beyond 2026.
Pittsburgh keeps getting mentioned as a possible landing spot for Cousins. It makes sense if they aren’t able to bring back Rodgers. And you better believe GM Omar Khan would make the win-now moves to improve the supporting cast if he brought in a seasoned veteran like Cousins to run the offense.
Dolphins Are Targeting Malik Willis As New QB1
The Las Vegas Raiders will be using the No. 1 pick on Fernando Mendoza, which will mercilessly end the disastrous Geno Smith experiment after one year.
Miami will be busy exploring the QB trade and free agent markets this offseason. If they’re looking for a younger QB with enough upside to potentially solve the dilemma, Malik Willis is their guy.
Willis will have the chance to succeed in an offense with Jaylen Waddle and De’Von Achane as his primary weapons.
Derek Carr Finally Becomes A Jet?
During Super Bowl week, NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo reported that former Raiders and Saints QB Derek Carr could come out of retirement if “the right situation” came along.
It’s hard to think teams in win-now mode like Minny or Pittsburgh would roll the dice on an injury-prone QB who hasn’t played in two years. So, Carr’s best bet may be a QB-needy team as desperate as the Jets.
Carr signed with New Orleans in 2023 free agency, but he later admitted that he was super-close to joining the Jets. Maybe New York takes a chance on the four-time Pro Bowler here? At the very least, he’s a fine bridge option for 2026.
Kyler Murray Lands In Cleveland
You can argue that the Browns need to stay patient with their rebuild. I mean, that 2025 draft class was ridiculous.
But the AFC North hasn’t been this wide-open since it was created in 2002. You can make the case that the Browns would be wise to bring in an experienced veteran and “go for it” in 2026. They have arguably a top-five defense and a nice set of skill position guys, after all.
It’s no wonder that internet sleuths and analysts keep mentioning Murray and the Browns as a match. His dual-threat style of play would work perfectly in Todd Monken’s offense. And really, Cleveland is just an above-average QB away via trade from re-emerging as a playoff contender.
The former first-overall pick may have overstayed his welcome in Arizona, but the Browns haven’t had a QB with his sky-high ceiling before. Bring the former No. 1 pick to The Land, and maybe, just maybe, a feel-good career revival story comes together.
Tua Time In Minny?
John Breech of CBS Sports is one of several notable analysts to propose the idea of Tua Tagovailoa going to the Vikings. Say what you want about his performance last season, but any Minnesota fan would have taken 2025 Tua over 2025 JJ McCarthy.
It’s easy to scoff at Tua being the savior in Minnesota. But nobody thought Sam Darnold would have an MVP-caliber season when he joined the Vikings in 2024. Side note: How much do the Vikings miss Sam right now? Does anyone know how he’s doing these days?
IF you’re Tagovailoa, it’s hard to think of a better landing spot than Minny. Working with a top-tier head coach in Kevin O’Connell, with Justin Jefferson, TJ Hockenson, and Jordan Addison as your primary weapons? If you’re Tua, you oughta be begging that this rumor comes true.
