5 Teams That Still Need a Quarterback After Day 1 of the NFL Draft

As expected, the Las Vegas Raiders selected quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the first selection in the 2026 NFL Draft. From there, we received a true stunner when the Los Angeles Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13 overall.

With the Raiders and Rams being the lone organizations to address the quarterback position, several franchises head into Rounds 2 and 3 (scheduled for Friday) with quarterback high on their priority list. Several talented and developmental signal callers remain available.

The following teams should draft a quarterback in the second or third rounds.

2026 NFL Draft: Teams That Still Need a Quarterback After the First Round

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins are understandably in full rebuild mode. They ended up selecting offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor and cornerback Chris Johnson with their pair of first-round picks. General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan was smart to not get aggressive and pursue a quarterback this early in the roster reset. The Dolphins must acquire young talent before making a bold move at quarterback. With Proctor and Johnson added to the roster, Sullivan should consider drafting a signal caller like Garrett Nussmeier or Drew Allar on Day 2.

New York Jets

The New York Jets another organization in the earliest stages of their rebuild. They landed EDGE David Bailey and tight end Kenyon Sadiq in the first round. The Jets reunited with Geno Smith to be a temporary solution at quarterback this coming season. With two blue-chip prospects added in Bailey and Sadiq, perhaps they'll consider taking a quarterback at No. 44 overall in the second round.

Arizona Cardinals

Everyone believed the Arizona Cardinals were going to trade back into the first round to select Simpson. Their division rival Rams did not give them that opportunity by selecting Simpson with a top-15 pick. Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort must pivot. North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton or Miami's Carson Beck should be weighed as Day 2 options.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are waiting on an answer from Aaron Rodgers for a second consecutive offseason. The Steelers currently have Mason Rudolph and Will Howard as the quarterbacks on the roster. Naturally, they did not consider a QB in the first round after Simpson came off the board. Instead, they landed an offensive tackle in Max Iheanachor. Insurance is needed in case Rodgers decides to retire this offseason.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars have shown significant interest in late-round quarterbacks. Trevor Lawrence is locked in as the starting quarterback for the foreseeable future, but there appears to be a willingness to add a developmental quarterback to the roster. The Jaguars are sneaky underdogs to draft a signal caller earlier than anyone expects.

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