Three veteran NFL quarterbacks still searching for a team in 2026

Quarterback desperation arrives in the NFL faster than teams ever want to admit publicly. Every offseason, organizations convince themselves they are set at the position until injuries pile up, rookie quarterbacks struggle or a backup is not pulling his weight.

That is what makes it surprising that several recognizable veteran quarterbacks remain unsigned heading deeper into the 2026 offseason. Some may simply be waiting for the right fit. Others may be learning the hard way that the league moves on quickly once teams believe your best football is sitting in the rearview mirror.

Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson's short stint with the New York Giants was not a career resurrection for him if you look at his numbers. He threw for 831 yards in 2025 with three touchdowns and three interceptions, completing 58 percent of his passes over six games. He was inevitably benched after a 0-3 start, and played in three additional games after his replacement, Jaxson Dart, suffered injuries and concussion scares.

The New York Jets reportedly met with Wilson early in May, but nothing has come of that. He may not be a Week 1 starter for any team at this point, but there is always room on the bench for an experienced veteran with injuries beginning to mount over the course of a season. 

Joe Flacco was the player people pointed to just a few years ago as someone past his prime who surprisingly finished with a few good years. If that path is open to him, Wilson can potentially go down a similar route.

Cooper Rush

The reason Cooper Rush is still sticking around in the NFL is that coaches know a seasoned veteran quarterback can step into an offense and not run it completely into the ground. His statistics for the Baltimore Ravens were low in 2025 due to limited playing time. He only appeared in four games with two starts in the absence of Lamar Jackson due to injury.

Teams know what Rush's abilities are based on his numbers with the Dallas Cowboys. He went 4-1 with five touchdowns and three picks as a starter in 2022. Then, as a starter again in 2024, he was still managing games and threw for 12 touchdowns with a 4-4 record. Rush is not a highlight-reel passer, but he is a backup who can manage the game, and there's always a place on some roster for a backup like that.

Jimmy Garoppolo

When healthy, Jimmy Garoppolo has shown he can operate winning offenses and help teams make deep playoff runs. 

His latest stop with the Los Angeles Rams mostly reinforced the idea that he is now viewed as insurance rather than a long-term answer. While he did not take any snaps in 2025, in his only appearance during the 2024 season, Garoppolo threw for 334 yards and two touchdowns while completing nearly 66 percent of his passes. The performance was solid enough to remind teams that he can still function in the right offense when healthy.

Even so, there are worse backup plans for a playoff contender than a quarterback who has actually played in a Super Bowl.

It only takes one injury or bad performance

Quarterback injuries are how the NFL season can be reshaped overnight. Veteran QBs never seem to stay jobless for long. Regardless if it is Wilson, Rush or Garoppolo, odds are one of the aforementioned names receives a phone call once training-camp injuries and struggling quarterback play begin creating panic around the league.