There is no more important position in football than quarterback, and unfortunately for teams in need of a new signal-caller, there aren’t many great options available this year in free agency.
This year’s class of free agents features a number of older veterans and backups, as well as a few promising younger quarterbacks. In addition to the free agents listed below, there could be more quarterbacks available through other avenues. Kirk Cousins and Tua Tagovailoa are candidates to be released, Kyler Murray and Anthony Richardson could get traded, and Derek Carr is open to coming out of retirement, opening up more options for teams in need of a signal-caller.
More: 2026 NFL Quarterback Carousel Preview: 24 Players Worth Monitoring
As the latest quarterback carousel gets underway, here are the top five free agents at the position.
5. Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco can provide a solid option for teams in need of a backup. Since coming off the couch and winning Comeback Player of the Year two years ago, Flacco has re-emerged as a quality backup option. Even in his 40s, Flacco can still sling it, throwing for 2,479 yards, 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with the Browns and Bengals in 2025.
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4. Marcus Mariota
Marcus Mariota has proven to be a solid backup option for the Commanders over the last two years. Though Washington went just 2-6 with Mariota as a starter, his abilities as a dual-threat quarterback makes him a good replacement if Jayden Daniels goes down. The Commanders would be wise to bring him back next season.
3. Malik Willis
Malik Willis could very well be the prize of the free agency quarterback class this offseason. Though Willis has just six career starts to his name, his potential has shone through in the brief opportunities he’s seen on the field. With few promising quarterbacks expected to hit the market and a weak quarterback draft class, Willis certainly should attract interest from a number of teams.
2. Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers is a free agent after his one-year deal with the Steelers expired. The four-time NFL MVP is of course far from the player he was in his prime, but he still helped the Steelers reach the postseason this past year. If Rodgers doesn’t opt to retire, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him return to Pittsburgh. Both new head coach Mike McCarthy and the players have expressed they would be happy to have him come back.
1. Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones experienced a resurgent season with the Colts before tearing his Achilles. The 28-year-old quarterback led Indianapolis to a historic start offensively as he threw for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions across 13 starts. Jones’s performance in 2025 led to him emerging as the top quarterback this free agency, but it would be surprising to see him end up elsewhere than Indy. Both sides have expressed interest in him returning, which would make sense given his success there in 2025.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2026 NFL Free Agency: Five Best Quarterbacks Available.
