Rams Viewed Cardinals As Ty Simpson Threat; Lions Offered L.A. First-Round Trade
Coming out of the first round with the most surprising selection, the Rams have established a Packers-like runway for Ty Simpson to develop behind Matthew Stafford. While holding the Falcons’ first-round pick (No. 13 overall) gave the Rams rare draft real estate, most were still borderline shocked to see Simpson go as high as he did.
Los Angeles has been high on the Alabama product since the 2025 season, and GM Les Snead has known Simpson’s father for much longer. Sean McVay‘s attitude in his post-first-rounder presser created buzz the head coach was not on the same page as his GM, but he has gone to great lengths to indicate that is not the case. McVay and Snead were believed to be in lockstep on Simpson, as should be expected given the HC’s accomplishments and influence in the organization.
[RELATED: Grade Rams’ Simpson’ Selection]
The Rams did consider other players at 13, and The Athletic’s Nate Atkins notes the team received a trade offer from the Lions. The return, however, did not excite the Rams, who stayed at 13 and chose Simpson. The Lions held the No. 17 overall pick. We had heard the Rams fielded calls from teams interested in outflanking the Ravens for Vega Ioane, but the Lions had been closely linked to filling their post-Taylor Decker tackle need.
The Lions could have been targeting Ioane as an option to replace Christian Mahogany at left guard, but they ended up with Clemson’s Blake Miller at 17. Detroit had seen three tackles — Spencer Fano, Francis Mauigoa and Kadyn Proctor — go off the board from Nos. 9-12, and we heard shortly before the draft a run on O-linemen was expected midway through the first round. That ended up taking place, as nine blockers went off the board between Nos. 9 and 28.
Detroit could have been eyeing a move up the board to grab Miller, but no tackles were selected from Nos. 13-16. That gave the Lions Miller, whom the team is expected (per ESPN’s Eric Woodyard) to play right tackle opposite Penei Sewell.
As for the Rams, Atkins views the team as deeming the Cardinals a threat for Simpson. The Cardinals were closely tied to Simpson during the pre-draft process and entered Round 1 as the odds-on favorite, per Vegas, to leave Pittsburgh with the QB rostered. The Rams thought the Cardinals had “heavy interest” in Simpson.
While Arizona chose Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 and did not have another pick until No. 34, we heard buzz about the team potentially eyeing him via a trade back into Round 1. We saw the Giants execute that route to nab a quarterback in 2025, taking Abdul Carter at No. 3 and using their No. 34 pick to climb back into the first round for Jaxson Dart.
While the Rams could have potentially traded down and added assets to grab Simpson — who had been part of a clandestine research project, with secret meetings between McVay and the QB commencing — they did not want to take that chance. Thus, Simpson will be tied to a larger-than-expected rookie contract due to going off the board at 13.
Even if the Rams had re-signed two-year backup Jimmy Garoppolo, Atkins adds the team would still have prioritized Simpson as a QB stash in Round 1. The team has still not ruled out Garoppolo backing up Stafford this year, but the 34-year-old passer is considering retirement. Garoppolo engaged in talks with the Cardinals to follow ex-Rams OC Mike LaFleur to Arizona, but the discussions hit a snag and led to the team signing Gardner Minshew. he and Jacoby Brissett — the latter a potential trade candidate — now serve as bridge options in front of third-round pick Carson Beck.
Had the Rams not ended up with Simpson at 13, Atkins pegs the team as choosing a skill player and offers more connections to Makai Lemon and Kenyon Sadiq. The former lasted to No. 20, when the Eagles traded in front of an eager Steelers team, and the latter went 16th overall to the Jets. The Rams made Ohio State tight end Max Klare their second pick in this draft.
Adding Simpson now gives the Rams flexibility with their 2027 picks, with Atkins adding that factored into the decision to take him at 13. The 2027 draft has drawn immense intrigue a year out, with teams holding onto ’27 first-round picks thus far. Two 2027 first-round choices have been traded, but both were unloaded (by the Colts and Cowboys) in 2025. No team parted with a 2027 first-round pick during this draft.
The Rams have both been an active trader of first-round picks (as their Trent McDuffie trade most recently showed) and a team that has found tremendous value via Day 2 and Day 3 selections during the Snead-McVay partnership. It is possible a 2027 first-rounder will carry more value, and the Rams will not need their ’27 first for a QB following their Simpson decision.
Rams Not Closing Door On Jimmy Garoppolo
Free agent quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is weighing retirement at the age of 34. Garoppolo spent the past two seasons with the Rams, who seemingly replaced him this week with the surprising selection of No. 13 overall pick Ty Simpson. However, if Garoppolo decides to play in 2026, head coach Sean McVay is not ruling out re-signing the 12-year veteran.
On whether the Rams have closed the door on Garoppolo, McVay said (via Mike Florio of PFT): “I wouldn’t say that. I don’t want to say completely closed, but I would say this. You guys know how much I appreciate Jimmy and what he could really do. I always viewed him as a starting-caliber quarterback.”
McVay added that Simpson’s presence “probably lessens the level of urgency” to address the position. The Rams have an MVP-winning signal-caller in Matthew Stafford, who is nearing an extension ahead of his age-38 season. Unless the Rams re-sign Garoppolo or add another passer, the untested Stetson Bennett is expected to compete with Simpson for the No. 2 job. Bennett joined the Rams as a fourth-rounder in 2023. Three years later, the former Georgia starter and two-time national champion has yet to take a regular-season snap in the NFL.
It goes without saying that Stafford and Simpson are locks for roster spots. It may be preferable to have Garoppolo or another experienced third option over Bennett, though the Rams have rarely needed a Stafford sub in recent seasons. Concussions and a neck injury limited Stafford to nine games in 2022, but he has missed just three since then.
The 2025 campaign was the second 17-game season of Stafford’s superb five-year Rams tenure. That left just 18 snaps for Garoppolo, who went a year without attempting a pass for the first time. While Garoppolo is now one of the most established QBs left on the open market, whether he will re-sign with the Rams or go to another team is up in the air.
Ty Simpson Fallout: Rams, McVay, Snead, Stafford, Lemon, Sadiq, Garoppolo, Ioane
While loosely connected to Ty Simpson entering the draft, the Rams were viewed as more likely to add a player that helped their strong 2026 roster compete for a Super Bowl title. In a move eerily similar to the Packers’ Jordan Love pick six years ago, the Rams came out of Round 1 with Simpson — who may well sit behind Matthew Stafford for multiple seasons.
Discussions about this pick pivoted from whether Simpson was a reach at No. 13 to whether Sean McVay was enthused about the selection. McVay’s post-draft presser left plenty to be desired on the latter front. For instance, McVay made this comment shortly after the choice:
“There were a lot of players that we liked, but when you do look at it, I think the thing you liked about the body of work is … let’s make one thing clear, this is Matthew’s team,” McVay said. “You get a chance to be able to address the backup quarterback.”
[RELATED: Rams Considered Joe Flacco In Free Agency]
This situation technically makes Simpson the backup quarterback — McVay went as far as to say Simpson will compete with disappointing holdover Stetson Bennett for the gig — but the Rams paid Jimmy Garoppolo barely $3MM to handle that role over the past two years. Dynamics in play here certainly separate this from merely staffing the QB2 job. With the exception of the Packers’ three-year Love developmental plan, QBs chosen in Round 1 play as rookies or, at the latest, by Year 2. Stafford is going into an age-38 season and is expected to sign an extension soon.
The Packers did add Love ahead of a Rodgers MVP season, but Stafford coming off an MVP campaign and seeing his team draft his successor is uncovered ground. No team rostering a reigning MVP quarterback has chosen another passer in the first or second round since the 1970 merger. But that is Stafford’s reality now. While this situation differs from the clunky Kirk Cousins–Michael Penix Jr. setup, as Stafford is unlikely to be benched anytime soon, a clock is almost certainly in place on his Rams tenure — rather than a Super Bowl frontrunner augmenting his current roster.
Makai Lemon was “definitely” in the mix to go to L.A. at 13, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler, but this does not appear to have been a McVay-Les Snead power struggle. A personnel source informed Fowler that Simpson being there at 13 meant the Rams were taking him, going so far as to say the Alabama prospect compared favorably to No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza by some in the team’s building.
McVay “absolutely” was onboard with the pick, another source told Fowler, with a separate team source indicating the duo was in lockstep by “all indications.”
“I think Sean had a chat with Matthew before last night. And that’s one thing that Matthew’s definitely earned,” Snead said, via The Sedano and Cap Morning Show (h/t Pro Football Talk’s Myles Simmons) “It’s one of the things that we’re working together to go through it. Matthew is on his way to, I would say this, a Hall of Fame career, right? And he still has gas left in the tank. And big picture, our vision’s always been, ‘Hey, let’s make the most of this time with Matthew and his teammates — let’s chase special together, however long that may [last].’ There’s no timeline on this. The longer, the better. Matthew just came off an MVP season, so if he continues playing, it’s like, this is better for everyone involved.
“And I think at the end of the day, Sean and I are going to always work together in these types of decisions. … But there was a lot that was going on into maneuvering that draft. So, we’re in lockstep. We work together. We’re collaborative. It’s him and I partnering to try to do the best for the Rams.”
Snead played in the SEC (at Auburn) around the same time Simpson’s father (Jason) was at Mississippi State. Jason Simpson, the longtime HC at Tennessee-Martin, consulted with Snead on whether Ty should declare for the draft or stay in college. Snead said Ty was a first-round-level talent, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero notes. Simpson received $5MM and then $6.5MM offers from Miami to transfer there for the ’26 season, according to Pelissero. Snead had his eye on Simpson dating back to the fall, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes.
These discussions commenced before Alabama’s Rose Bowl game. Miami’s second offer would have compared to a second-round guarantee, but Simpson’s No. 13 overall pact will be worth $25.77MM fully guaranteed (per OverTheCap). When Ty’s parents discussed the QB’s future with Snead before his draft declaration, Pelissero indicates the longtime Rams GM conveyed a real possibility the Rams would draft him in the first round. (While the Rams’ draft slot was not known at that point, L.A. knew where its Atlanta-obtained pick would land since the Falcons’ season had ended.)
Simpson declared for the draft Jan. 7 — three days after the Falcons’ season wrapped — and the Rams carried a rare opportunity to find a Stafford heir apparent. The team’s draft slot regularly comes outside the top 20; it landed at No. 29 this year. The Rams traded their own pick to the Chiefs for Trent McDuffie, and the draft community had viewed that swap as a decision that would likely send Simpson elsewhere. The Rams were viewed as high on Simpson but were considered more likely to draft him at 29 than at 13 (or via a trade-down from 13).
Even if this was a Snead-based pick, McVay has held tremendous input since arriving in L.A. nine years ago. A source familiar with the organization’s inner workings told FanSided’s Jason La Canfora that McVay “pulls all the triggers, and especially on a quarterback.” It would be highly unlikely a coach with McVay’s track record would be overruled by his GM, leading some in the league to view McVay’s lack of post-draft enthrallment for the pick as performative for Stafford’s benefit.
McVay indeed called Stafford on Thursday, per Jones. This differed from the Falcons’ approach, as they famously did not call Cousins before the Penix pick. Stafford is on a different QB tier than Cousins, and while it will be interesting to hear the veteran passer’s thoughts on the move, Simpson will be expected to sit for a while. The move also came partially due to Garoppolo uncertainty, per Fowler, though that assuredly played a small part in this. Garoppolo, whom the Rams had wanted back, is considering retirement.
McVay said (via Jones) he does not believe this pick will affect Stafford extension talks. The Rams have reached revised deals with their five-year starter in each of the past two offseasons, but with the QB unsigned for 2027, a true extension is on the docket this year.
Stafford pursued a $50MM-plus-AAV deal last year, being allowed to explore a trade, but backed down — after aggressive Raiders and Giants pushes — and signed a reworked Rams pact that brought a $40MM early guarantee. Simpson’s status aside, Stafford will still carry considerable leverage in Rams talks. Though, it is worth wondering if Simpson’s arrival will affect how much in future guarantees the Rams will want to offer.
Tied closely to the Rams coming into the draft, Lemon fell to 20th (via an Eagles trade-up in front of the Steelers). The Rams also considered tight end Kenyon Sadiq, per Fowler, who adds Caleb Downs — had he fallen to 13 — was on the team’s radar. Dallas traded up one spot to ensure it landed Downs at No. 11. The Rams have pursued a young weapon in each of the previous two first rounds. They sought Brock Bowers in 2024 and made an offer for No. 8 overall — believed to be a Tetairoa McMillan aim — in 2025. They also were linked to Emeka Egbuka in last year’s first round.
That makes the Simpson-over-Lemon call interesting, but if the Rams are right on the passer (and they certainly have an optimal setup to develop one given McVay’s success), that will end up being the right play long term.
The Rams also received calls from teams eager to move ahead of the Ravens (at No. 14) for guard Vega Ioane, and while it would have made sense to explore sliding down and picking up assets, the team stood pat. That certainly furthers the belief McVay was firmly in Camp Simpson, despite the Crimson Tide signal-caller being a one-year college starter. Simpson, who was linked to the Cardinals and Jets (among other teams) in this draft, preferred to end up in L.A., Fowler adds.
Green Bay has seen its Love investment pay dividends, though its 2020 squad — despite a Rodgers MVP effort — fell just short of Super Bowl LV. The Packers have not been that close since, with a non-QB first-round pick potentially enough to make the difference in that Buccaneers matchup five Januarys ago. But the Packers have since extended Love, who has become an upper-crust QB. The Rams had not brought in a starter-level draft prospect under McVay, though the HC developed Snead draftee Jared Goff upon arrival.
The Simpson project will be scrutinized, but this will remain Stafford’s show for a while. The extension talks will be the next chapter to follow here, and it will be fascinating how long the Rams truly commit to their likely Hall of Fame-bound starter — and, perhaps, how long he now wants to commit to the team — now that they have his likely replacement rostered.
Jimmy Garoppolo Considering Retirement; Rams’ Ty Simpson Connections Slowed After Trent McDuffie Trade
The Rams are interested in re-signing Jimmy Garoppolo to be their backup quarterback for a third straight season, and NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicates he is the team’s top choice to serve as QB2. But Garoppolo has not committed to playing a 13th NFL season.
Beginning his career as a backup before spending a chunk of seasons on the starter tier, Garoppolo has backed up Matthew Stafford in Los Angeles for the past two seasons. Garoppolo is considering retirement, per Rapoport. This is notable through a Cardinals lens as well, with the team being closely linked to having Garoppolo follow Mike LaFleur to Arizona. Talks hit a snag, leading the Cards to pivot to Gardner Minshew.
[RELATED: Rams, Stafford Progressing On Extension]
It is worth wondering if Garoppolo’s retirement consideration was a factor in the Arizona talks, though it is certainly possible the former Super Bowl starter’s asking price was out of step with where the Cardinals valued him. Arizona ended up with Minshew on a one-year, $5.75MM pact. A report earlier this month indicated Garoppolo was weighing multiple FA options; the Rams represent one of them.
Sean McVay said he is interested in assembling a third Stafford-Garoppolo QB room. The Rams have not needed to turn to Garoppolo in a meaningful game yet. This is somewhat surprising given Stafford’s health struggles in 2022; the L.A. starter’s back injury had Garoppolo spending training camp running with the first team. But Stafford returned and played 17 games before three playoff tilts. Garoppolo, 34, did not attempt a pass last season.
Famously part of the Bill Belichick-Robert Kraft relationship’s dissolution, Garoppolo was abruptly traded to the 49ers at the 2017 deadline. he spent the next five-plus seasons as San Francisco’s starter. This included a host of injury issues, however. ACL, ankle and foot injuries represented the headline health concerns for Garoppolo, who also missed two starts during his brief Raiders tenure. The Raiders gave Garoppolo a three-year, $72.75MM contract but ultimately benched him following Josh McDaniels‘ firing. Garoppolo played for barely $3MM on both his Rams contracts.
It would stand to reason the former Patriots, 49ers and Raiders passer would be amenable to a similar contract to return to the Rams, but he has earned nearly $158MM over the course of his career. The former Tom Brady backup has made 64 regular-season starts and six more in the playoffs. The Rams still have Stetson Bennett rostered, but the two-time national champion has not progressed to the QB2 level. If Garoppolo retires, the Rams will need a new backup.
Ty Simpson would have been in play for L.A. had the team not traded its No. 29 overall pick to the Chiefs for Trent McDuffie. The Rams were indeed eyeing the one-year Alabama starter when they still held No. 29, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes. While the Rams still hold No. 13 overall, that is seen as too rich for Simpson, who is not viewed as a lock to go in Round 1. Though, the Cardinals have been closely tied to this draft’s consensus No. 2 QB prospect — with trade-up buzz circulating.
I discussed a Rams-Simpson fit in a recent Trade Rumors Front Office post, as McVay’s team is a perennial contender unlikely to land a high draft pick as long as Stafford stays healthy. Taking Simpson 13th overall (or trading down and selecting him) would represent a way for the Rams to find an heir apparent, but with the team gunning for a Super Bowl title, using such a valuable asset on a player unlikely to help that cause is risky. It appears the Rams concur. Simpson is highly unlikely to be available when the Rams’ No. 61 pick goes on the clock, per Schefter.
QB Jimmy Garoppolo Weighing Multiple Free Agent Options
Kirk Cousins elected to join the Raiders yesterday. That took one of the top remaining veteran quarterbacks off the free agent market, leaving Jimmy Garoppolo among those yet to line up a deal.
Garoppolo has spent the past two seasons with the Rams, giving them an experienced backup to Matthew Stafford. A third Los Angeles contract is something the team is interested in, and that will no doubt be the case to an even larger extent with Cousins no longer available. Garoppolo appears to have other suitors as well, however.
The 12-year veteran is “weighing a few options” at this time, Nate Atkins of The Athletic notes. Garoppolo spoke with the Cardinals about a free agent deal, but talks did not yield an agreement. Arizona has since added Gardner Minshew to a depth chart already including Jacoby Brissett. The Cards will not be among the possibilities Garoppolo faces at this point, but another Rams accord could be one.
Atkins confirms Los Angeles would prefer a QB2 with starting experience as Stafford prepares to play at least one more season. The 2025 MVP enjoyed an encouraging run of durability this past season, but at this point Stetson Bennett is second on the quarterback depth chart. He has yet to make a regular season appearance despite being drafted in 2023. Another Garoppolo deal would certainly offer a greater degree of stability under center than relying on Bennett during a season in which the Rams will be eyeing another deep playoff run.
In 2024, Garoppolo took a contract worth $3.18MM. The 34-year-old played for a similar figure this past season. Another one-year contract can be expected, and it will be interesting to see if a Rams return is finalized in the near future. If not, other teams which were named as Cousins suitors could be in the mix as well. All parties may wait until after the upcoming draft before a deal winds up being worked out.
A full-time QB1 gig is not available at this point for Garoppolo, who most recently logged double-digit starts in a season in 2022. He represents one of the most experienced passers still on the market, though, and a number of teams could stand to benefit from adding him for the 2026 season.
Rams Interested In Kirk Cousins; Team Open To Re-Signing Jimmy Garoppolo
Jimmy Garoppolo appeared to be in position to join the Cardinals early in free agency. Talks between team and player did not result in an agreement, however, and the veteran quarterback remains unsigned at this point.
Garoppolo has spent the past two years with the Rams, serving as Matthew Stafford‘s backup. That tenure continuing into 2026 is something the team would welcome. Head coach Sean McVay has identified Los Angeles’ preferred option in the event Garoppolo does not return.
[RELATED: Packers Interested In Kirk Cousins]
During an appearance on PFT Live (video link), McVay named Kirk Cousins as a free agent also on the team’s radar. Cousins overlapped with McVay during their time together in Washington, and a reunion would give the Rams a high-profile QB2 option for next season. As things stand, only Stetson Bennett is on the roster aside from Stafford. At least one addition will be made.
“People make some of the connections with Kirk,” McVay said. “If it doesn’t work out with Jimmy, that’s definitely something that — Kirk is as influential as anybody in helping me get to L.A. in the first place. I know he’s got some other options and some other suitors, but Jimmy and Kirk are guys that I’d love to have back with us.”
Kirk’s Falcons tenure came to an expected end when he was released at the start of the new league year. The 37-year-old is one of the top passers still on the market, but he is expected to remain patient while weighing his options. Cousins may very well wait until after the draft before making a decision. Especially if the Rams do not add a rookie, they will no doubt be linked to him as a potential landing spot.
Cousins made 22 starts across his two Atlanta campaigns, while Garoppolo has attempted just 41 passes in the regular season since arriving in Los Angeles. The latter is younger and would presumably be less expensive to sign, a factor which will no doubt weigh heavily in considerations on Los Angeles’ part. Garoppolo has played on a pair of one-year contracts worth just over $3MM as a member of the Rams.
That could continue for a third year, depending on how his market takes shape during the secondary waves of free agency. If not, Cousins will be a Rams target to watch closely as the offseason QB market unfolds.
Talks Between Cardinals, Jimmy Garoppolo ‘Hit A Snag’
Then preparing to end the Kyler Murray era, the Cardinals reportedly entered free agency eyeing veteran quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The sides did engage in discussions, but their talks “hit a snag,” according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
Garoppolo remains unsigned late in the first week of free agency, but the Cardinals moved on to another on-again, off-again starting option. After their pursuit of Garoppolo did not go as planned, the Cardinals picked up journeyman Gardner Minshew on a one-year, $8.25MM deal on Monday. Between Minshew and Jacoby Brissett, the Cardinals have two experienced candidates to win their starting job. They officially released Murray on Wednesday, leading him to Minnesota.
Had the 34-year-old Garoppolo gone to Arizona, he would have reunited with general manager Monti Ossenfort and rookie head coach Mike LaFleur. When the Patriots spent a second-round pick on Garoppolo in 2014, Ossenfort was their director of college scouting. The two overlapped in New England until the team traded Garoppolo to the 49ers for a second-rounder in 2017.
Garoppolo spent six seasons in San Francisco, and LaFleur was its passing-game coordinator for four of those years. The pair worked together again with the Rams over the past two seasons. Garoppolo was the Rams’ backup to Matthew Stafford, while LaFleur served as a non-play-calling offensive coordinator.
Twelve years into his career, it is fair to say Garoppolo enjoyed his greatest success teaming with LaFleur and head coach Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco. Over 55 regular-season starts with the 49ers, Garoppolo helped the team to a 38-17 mark while registering a 99.2 passer rating. In his best season, 2019, Garoppolo completed 69.1% of passes and threw for 3,978 yards, 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. The 49ers went 13-3 in the regular season and won the NFC, but the Chiefs upended them, 31-20, in Super Bowl LIV.
Garoppolo remained the 49ers’ starter until he broke his foot in December 2022, paving the way for Brock Purdy to usurp the job. Between the end of his 49ers stint and his time with the Rams, Garoppolo endured a bitterly disappointing year with the Raiders. After signing a three-year, $67.5MM contract with Las Vegas in 2023, Garoppolo made just seven mostly lackluster starts with the team. The Raiders benched Garoppolo, who later incurred a PED suspension, and released him a few months later.
While Garoppolo has attempted just 41 passes since the Raiders cut him, the Rams are interested in re-signing him. For now, the untested Stetson Bennett is the only signal-caller on their roster behind Stafford.
Kyler Murray Eyeing Vikings; Jets Showing Interest
The Cardinals are moving on from Kyler Murray. A last-ditch trade effort is still taking place, but absent that, Arizona is prepared to release its longtime starter. Two usual suspects are on the radar here.
Vikings interest in Murray has come out at multiple points this offseason, but Sportsboom.com’s Jason La Canfora indicates the soon-to-be unattached quarterback would prefer a Minnesota deal. Though, the Jets will present a clearer path to a starting job.
New York has been connected to some lower-profile names, from Tanner McKee to Jarrett Stidham to Tyson Bagent; a recent report has now tied the team to a Frank Reich–Carson Wentz reunion. That would certainly be an uninspired path for the Jets, who would seemingly be prepared to chase a 2027 first-round QB if Wentz truly became the stopgap option. But La Canfora indicates the Jets appear to be the team “most desperate” for Murray.
Murray, 28, will be looking for a place to bounce back, and ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini views the quarterback as unlikely to share the Jets’ level of interest here. The Vikings have elevated a few veteran quarterbacks’ stocks — from Kirk Cousins to Sam Darnold to Daniel Jones — under Kevin O’Connell, but they are still developing J.J. McCarthy.
Adam La Rose’s most recent PFR mailbag addressed the line the Vikings are attempting to walk in trying to upgrade at QB while still having hopes for McCarthy, and Murray throwing himself into that mix would be interesting. Jones passed on this last year, choosing a Colts starter path despite the Vikings offering more money. Murray, however, is a different type of free agent. The Cardinals are on the hook for his 2026 salary, making fit the priority as opposed to an offer. This is similar to Russell Wilson‘s 2024 market, when he signed with the Steelers for the veteran minimum (as the Broncos paid the bulk of his tab).
New Jets OC Frank Reich is also believed to be high on Jacoby Brissett from their time together in Indianapolis, Cimini adds, and La Canfora notes the Cardinals have received trade offers on Brissett — whom last year’s staff appeared to prefer guiding the offense compared to Murray.
The Jets have been previously connected to Brissett, who is tied to a two-year, $12.5MM Cardinals deal. Reich coached Brissett from 2018-20 in Indy. Brissett looms as a Cardinals stopgap option, and GM Monti Ossenfort signed him last year. But with Malik Willis and Jimmy Garoppolo connections forming, will Arizona be too attached to its primary 2025 starter? La Canfora also ties Garoppolo to the Cards, which will make a Brissett trade — as several teams are looking for starters ahead of a thin QB draft — something to monitor.
With Murray needing to show he remains capable of above-average play, his upcoming choice will be critical. At 5-foot-10, the former No. 1 overall pick will not be a fit for every offense. He certainly ran into obstacles during the back half of his Cardinals career. If he is not traded, enough Minnesota smoke has emerged to indicate there will be some mutual interest here.
As for the Jets, they have also been doing some homework on Tua Tagovailoa. The longtime Dolphins starter also has his 2026 salary guaranteed; both he and Murray are likely to be vet-minimum options in bounce-back scenarios. As of now, though, Murray is believed to be driving more interest than Tagovailoa.
Jets Could Add 2 Veteran QBs; Carson Wentz At Top Of List
The Jets need a quarterback. More specifically, they need a young, long-term face of the franchise, the likes of which they have lacked since Joe Namath.
But the 2026 draft class only has one high-end quarterback prospect: Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, who is widely expected to be drafted by the Raiders with the first overall pick. A number of college passers decided to return to school for the 2026 season, leaving New York high and dry with the No. 2 selection.
The Jets would be best served by waiting until the quarterback-rich 2027 draft, in which the No. 1 pick will not be required to land an exciting young passer. In the meantime, though, they will need someone to pass the ball to Garrett Wilson, Mason Taylor, and Adonai Mitchell.
That ‘someone’ could very well be two players. The Jets could take a similar approach to their quarterback room as their stadium-mates did last year. The Giants signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston in free agency – which did not stop them from trading up into the first-round to draft Jaxson Dart – with the intention of letting the starting competition play out without too much pressure on any one player.
Of the available free agents, new Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich prefers a familiar face, per SNY’s Connor Hughes: Carson Wentz. The two worked together in Indianapolis in 2021 when Reich was the Colts’ head coach. He traded for Wentz despite his sharp regression in Philadelphia the year before, and the former No. 1 pick posted a resurgent season. The Colts moved on from Wentz the following offseason, though the split was driven more by the front office and ownership than by Reich and his coaching staff.
Geno Smith, who was released on Friday, is another option named by Hughes. So, too, is Jacoby Brissett, though he is still under contract with the Cardinals and they do not intend to move him. However, if Jimmy Garoppolo follows Mike LaFleur from Los Angeles to Arizona, Brissett could become available for the Jets.
The Jets have also been connected with veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone, but they are expected to have competition for his signature. They could then pivot to Micah McFadden, a 2022 fifth-rounder who started 35 games for the Giants in his first three NFL seasons but missed virtually all of 2025 due to a foot injury. The Jets have interest in McFadden, but so do the Giants, via both Hughes and ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. Depending on the state of his foot, the 26-year-old may need to consider a one-year, ‘prove-it’ deal, but interest from multiple teams could give him enough leverage for a better deal.
Rams Want To Re-Sign Jimmy Garoppolo; Cardinals Still On Radar
After two years as Matthew Stafford‘s backup, Jimmy Garoppolo may be in store for a raise — as a potential return to the starter level awaits. But his current team is interested in another deal.
The Rams have had Garoppolo on $3.18MM and $3.1MM contracts over the past two years. This came after the Raiders ditched the veteran’s three-year, $72.75MM deal after one season. If a starting job could be open elsewhere, it would stand to reason Garoppolo would be leaving L.A. But the Rams want to keep him.
[RELATED: Rams To Acquire CB Trent McDuffie From Chiefs]
“I love Jimmy; I would absolutely want him back,” Sean McVay said. “I did see those reports too on Mike [LaFleur] trying to steal our guy, but no, Jimmy’s a really good player and so we would love him back.
“I’m sure he’ll have multiple opportunities and then we’ll see where we’re at. You guys know how I feel about him when we’ve spoken about him and we would love him back. I’m also not naive to the fact that he’ll probably have a lot of opportunities and if those are things that he wants to pursue that give him a chance to play, I would understand that.”
A Garoppolo-Cardinals connection emerged recently, and CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones adds Arizona is still believed to be interested. In that scenario, Garoppolo would be following LaFleur to Arizona. LaFleur spent the past two seasons coaching Garoppolo with the Rams. The Dolphins have also emerged as a potential suitor, as their upcoming Tua Tagovailoa release — which will bring a record-smashing $99.2MM in dead money spread over two years (in the expected post-June 1 scenario) — will hamstring the AFC East club.
Garoppolo, 34, was tied to a five-year, $137.5MM 49ers contract — a record at the time of signing (February 2018) — and he reunited with Josh McDaniels in Vegas. Garoppolo’s rough 2023 Raiders stay banished him to the QB2 level, but with a number of vacancies opening up this offseason, there appears to be an appetite for another opportunity — most likely as a bridge option.
The Rams are unlikely to pay Garoppolo too much more than they gave him in 2024 or ’25; in the event multiple other teams get involved, L.A. would presumably need a new backup. McVay helped Baker Mayfield rehab his career during a 2022 partnership, and the Rams moved to Carson Wentz in ’23. Stafford stayed healthy throughout this season, but the reigning MVP has played through injuries during much of his career. Garoppolo represents a much bigger risk, as the Cardinals or Dolphins would need to have a capable backup due to the former 49ers and Raiders starter’s 32 missed games due to injury from 2018-22. But he may have another shot to start somewhere again soon.