Three NFL QB battles that could end with both players losing

Several NFL quarterback battles will produce a Week 1 starter. That does not mean they will produce a long-term answer.

Picking a winner is usually the easy part of an NFL quarterback competition. Finding out whether the winner can keep the job once the real games begin is where things tend to get ugly.

Deshaun Watson vs. Shedeur Sanders

Cleveland’s competition may be the clearest example of a team choosing between two quarterbacks without knowing whether either belongs in its future.

Deshaun Watson has played only 19 games since the Browns acquired him in 2022. He has battled injuries, inconsistency, and the understandable question of whether the player Cleveland traded for still exists. Training camp has not erased those doubts. Watson has thrown nine interceptions through his first 12 practices, although he has also produced some encouraging downfield completions.

Shedeur Sanders offers more intrigue, but intrigue does not win many games by itself. He showed flashes as a rookie, yet Cleveland still entered camp unwilling to hand him the offense. The Browns listed Watson and Sanders as co-starters on their first unofficial depth chart, and coach Todd Monken has continued rotating them with the first team. 

Watson could win the job without proving he is back. Sanders could lose it without proving he is incapable. By January, Cleveland may decide its next starting quarterback is not currently on the roster. There is a comforting thought for Browns fans, who have certainly never endured quarterback instability before.

Tua Tagovailoa vs. Michael Penix Jr.

Tua Tagovailoa will start Atlanta’s preseason opener, but Kevin Stefanski has stopped short of naming him the regular-season starter. Penix remains limited while recovering from a torn ACL, leaving Atlanta with a competition that has never operated under normal conditions.

The Falcons signed Tagovailoa to a one-year, veteran-minimum contract after Miami released him. That makes him a sensible bridge and a relatively inexpensive gamble. It does not make him Atlanta’s next franchise quarterback.

Penix has more at stake. The former first-round selection has completed 59.6% of his passes through 14 NFL appearances, throwing 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. Atlanta’s new coaching staff also inherited him instead of drafting him.

Tagovailoa could win because he is healthy enough to play now. Penix could reclaim the job later because Atlanta needs a final answer on its investment. If neither establishes himself, the Falcons will enter another offseason hunting for the quarterback they thought they had already found.

Kyler Murray vs. J.J. McCarthy

Minnesota has named Kyler Murray its starter, technically ending this competition. The larger verdict, however, is nowhere close to settled.

McCarthy went 6-4 in his 10 starts last season but finished with 11 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 72.6 passer rating. The Vikings responded by signing Murray, which said plenty about their confidence in the former first-round pick.

Murray won the summer battle after outperforming McCarthy and receiving more work with the starting offense. Still, he has missed 30 games over the past five seasons and is joining his second organization after Arizona decided to move forward without him. 

If Murray stays healthy and thrives under Kevin O’Connell, Minnesota will look smart. If he struggles or gets hurt while McCarthy continues to stall, the Vikings will have two former top-10 picks and no dependable starter.

Winning an NFL quarterback battle earns someone the first snap. Sometimes, that is the only thing anybody wins.