After winning the Super Bowl with Seattle, Sam Darnold has completely rewritten his career after being a former disappointment as a top-five pick. With quarterbacks getting second and third chances to re-shape their careers, here are five quarterbacks who could become the next Sam Darnold in 2026.
Five Quarterbacks That Can Become the Next Sam Darnold in 2026
Daniel Jones
Jones was a former first-round pick for the New York Giants in 2019. His time in New York was primarily filled with more downs than ups, which eventually led to his release in his sixth season there. Ironically, after being released, Jones would go on to sign with the Minnesota Vikings and serve as a backup starter to Sam Darnold in 2024. In 2025, Jones signed with the Indianapolis Colts and was playing some of the best football of his career before tearing his Achilles tendon.
Jones is a free agent, and the Colts would like to re-sign him. With Jones back in the fold, they will be playoff contenders in the AFC and could ultimately make a run to the Super Bowl like Darnold was able to do with Seattle.
Mac Jones
Bill Belichick drafted Mac Jones in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft to be somewhat of a successor to Tom Brady in New England. After a strong rookie season, Jones couldn’t find his footing with the Patriots, leading to his trade to the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played one season there as a backup before signing with the 49ers last offseason. Due to injuries to starter Brock Purdy, Jones would get his chance to run the show for eight games as a starter.
Jones finished his season as a starter with 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns, and six interceptions. He is under contract for another season, but teams will come calling, looking to see if Jones could do for them what Darnold has done for the Seahawks.
Malik Willis
Malik Willis was drafted in the third round by the Tennessee Titans in 2022 and only lasted two seasons with the Titans before the team decided it was time to move on. Willis would find himself in Green Bay the last two seasons, where he was able to refine his game sitting behind Jordan Love and being coached up by Matt LaFleur. Willis has stepped in for spot duty due to Love’s injuries the last two seasons, and Willis has taken advantage of his opportunities.
Willis is a free agent this offseason, and a quarterback-needy team will sign him to a strong deal to give him another chance to start in the NFL again. Still only 26 years old, Willis’ best football is ahead of him.
Kyler Murray
Reports immediately after the end of the 2025 NFL regular season were that the Arizona Cardinals and Murray would be looking to go their separate ways. Murray was the top pick in the 2019 draft, and with a change of scenery, seemingly imminent, Murray could fix another team’s quarterback problem and vault them into contention.
Tua Tagovailoa
The Tua experiment in Miami is all but coming to an end. With a new regime in the front office and at head coach, Miami will likely look to cut ties with Tua after drafting him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
If a team with solid offensive pieces in the set is looking for a quarterback to just run the show, Tagovailoa will be at the top of many teams’ lists. A team like the Vikings could take a look at Tagovailoa to come in and not do too much, and in turn, it could make the Vikings contenders.
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