On March 11, the free agency period for the National Football League (NFL) opened up, as players without teams became free to sign contracts with other, rival teams.
In the quarterback market, a few major deals were made. Namely, the Minnesota Vikings signed former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray to a one year contract. Murray will now compete with JJ McCarthy, who is headed into his second season as a pro. McCarthy struggled mightily last season, which is why the Vikings sought competition.
The Dolphins also made moves when it signed Green Bay backup quarterback Malik Willis to a three year deal. The Dolphins are expected to start Willis, now on his third team, after they released previous starter Tua Tagavailoa, who had struggled mightily with accuracy and injuries.
Tagovailoa has made new beginnings in Atlanta, where the lefty signed a one year deal to compete with Michael Penix, Jr., who suffered an ACL tear towards the end of last season. Tagavailoa can provide ample veteran mentorship to a young Penix.
The Indianapolis Colts kept some continuity when the franchise re-signed Daniel Jones. Jones, who had led the Colts to an 8-1 start in 2025 before tearing his Achilles, gets the opportunity to make a return without any competition for his role.
The Raiders traded quarterback Geno Smith away to the New York Jets, as the Raiders hoped to draft a new quarterback in the draft. In the meanwhile, the quarterback-needy Jets aim to start Smith, who struggled last year. The signing is a homecoming for Smith, who was originally drafted in 2013 by the Jets.
The Jets, as a result, traded Justin Fields, their 2025 starter, to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs, in the wake of a late season injury to Patrick Mahomes wanted a backup who could possibly start a few games in the beginning of the season so that Mahomes could recover.
After the release of Murray, the Cardinals signed journeyman Gardner Minshew, who had previously played for the Chiefs. Minshew is expected to compete with previous Cardinals backup and fellow league journeyman Jacoby Brissett for the top spot, however, the Cardinals still could draft a quarterback.
With a weak expected draft class, a majority of these teams have set in stone what is expected under center for the upcoming season.
