How many teams will be looking for a QB in the first round of 2027 NFL Draft? There might not be enough QBs to go around
It’s possible, if everything goes right, there will be seven quarterbacks taken in the first round of the NFL Draft next year. That would be a record.
That’s great. Here’s the problem: There might be more than seven teams looking for a quarterback in the first round.
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While not every team on this list will experience a worst-case scenario over the next few months, we identify 11 teams that could be looking to draft a quarterback in the first round next year. And it’s the NFL; you can’t count out a major injury or unexpected retirement or decline that forces a team into the quarterback market much sooner than they planned on.
Here are the tiers of teams that could find themselves hoping to take a quarterback in the first round of the 2027 NFL Draft:
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Vikings
Even if Kyler Murray plays well, he’s on a one-year deal. The Vikings could use the franchise tag if Murray doesn’t sign an extension, but that isn’t cheap. Also, Murray might also might show he’s not the answer. Even if Murray plays well, he’ll be 30 years old next season. At some point the Vikings need a quarterback of the future after they seemingly missed badly on J.J. McCarthy.
Buccaneers
It seems probable that at some point Baker Mayfield and the Bucs come together on an extension. But Mayfield wasn’t happy it didn’t happen as he enters the final year of his deal, and the fact that it didn’t happen shows the Bucs have some trepidation about Mayfield over the long term. Maybe by the end of the season we’ll find that the Buccaneers are ready to move on from Mayfield, who will be 32 next season, and ready to enter the quarterback draft derby.
Colts
In a perfect world, Daniel Jones looks healthy and plays as well as he did before tearing his Achilles last season. But remember where we were with Jones at this time last year. He was a player who washed out with the Giants and got cut during the 2024 season. Now add an Achilles injury onto that. He did play very well in the first half last season, but there is a scenario in which it goes sour again. Jones is signed through the 2027 season. It’s not a pleasant thought for Indianapolis but there is a scenario in which the Colts have to reevaluate their quarterback situation after the season.
Texans
C.J. Stroud waits for his extension, and he’s entering a crucial year for his career. Another middling season would put his great rookie season far in the rear-view mirror. The Texans have a defense that’s clearly good enough to win a Super Bowl. If Houston gets to the end of the season and decides Stroud isn’t the guy to lead them to a championship, they’ll be in the hunt for a quarterback. They could go the veteran route with a Super Bowl window open, but they’ll also need to think about the future at the position.
Panthers
At this point, the Panthers can’t be sure what they have with Young. That’s a reason he hasn’t signed a second contract with the team. He has some good games but others in which he looks nothing like a franchise quarterback. If Young and the Panthers have a poor season, Carolina might have to make the difficult decision to start over and draft a new QB.
Likely, unless they find something this season
Cardinals
Maybe, just maybe, 2026 third-round pick Carson Beck can convince the Cardinals to not draft a quarterback. But hit rates on quarterbacks taken beyond the first round are very low. The Cardinals have a brutally tough schedule and are likely to be in a position to draft one of the top quarterbacks in the 2027 class. Beck would have to be pretty good for Arizona to pass on that opportunity.
Falcons
Michael Penix Jr. could emerge as the player the Falcons thought they were getting when they drafted him eighth overall two years ago, as long as he stays healthy. But there are a lot of questions about Penix and it’s hard to believe Tua Tagovailoa is the answer either. Maybe the Falcons feel good about their quarterback situation after this season, but it’s way more likely they’re looking at drafting someone.
Steelers
Aaron Rodgers has said this is his last season. Even if he goes back on that, at some point the Steelers need to stop building their plans around a quarterback in his 40s. They did draft Drew Allar in the third round, and we can’t rule out the team wanting to give him a shot. He had some good moments in the preseason. But Steelers fans have been clamoring for the team to find a permanent solution at quarterback, and it would be a surprise if the Steelers passed on a top prospect in the 2027 draft if they have a shot at one.
Dolphins
The Dolphins’ deal with Malik Willis is for three years and $67.5 million, but that wouldn’t necessarily knock them out of the 2027 QB derby. It wouldn’t be too difficult for the Dolphins to get out of Willis’ deal after two years. They want him to be the answer, but that’s a gamble. Willis has just six NFL starts. The Dolphins have what looks like the NFL’s worst roster this season and should have a very good pick. The big question will be is if Willis does enough to convince the team that it can pass on a quarterback for another big prospect like Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith or make a trade down with a QB-desperate team on this list for a bounty of picks.
No question
Jets
Geno Smith is a stopgap. Fourth-round pick Cade Klubnik could technically establish himself as a viable quarterback of the future by the end of the season, though that seems unlikely. The Jets probably won’t be very good and will have a valuable pick. It’s hard to envision a scenario in which the Jets aren’t drafting a quarterback in the first round next season, one year after having the No. 2 overall pick and finding no great option at quarterback for that selection. The Jets will be getting their quarterback next April. It’s just a question of how high they’ll be drafting and which prospects will be available to them.
Browns
The Browns desperately need to a quarterback. That has been the case since they came back to the NFL in 1999. Voluntarily beginning the season with Deshaun Watson as QB1 is a cry for help. The problem might be that the rest of the roster is pretty good and they’ll win too many games, knocking them out of a top 10 pick. It would be a nightmare to be just good enough to be shut out of the top quarterback prospects on the board. They do have the Rams’ 2027 first-round pick from the Myles Garrett deal that they could try to use to move up, but they’d need a partner who wants to make a deal down. But make no mistake, the Browns will be looking to take a quarterback in the first round next year. There’s not a franchise that needs to hit on a quarterback more than this one does.
