Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold accomplished two impressive feats this past season. The first was obvious: providing his team with leadership as Seattle won the second Super Bowl in franchise history. The second involved the way Darnold changed the notion about what it takes for a talented quarterback to succeed in the NFL. All the talk about his failings as a former first-round pick of the New York Jets vanished the moment he matured into a true franchise signal-caller.
Darnold's success was another reminder that promising quarterbacks sometimes need to move elsewhere to thrive. Most players at that position aren't going to be Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson. However, many can be just like Darnold, who bottomed out with the Jets, bounced to Carolina and San Francisco, then broke out in Minnesota in 2024, leading to Seattle signing him as a free agent last season. It all depends on timing, perseverance and how much faith the right team is willing to invest in a reclamation project.
Darnold's recent success was so inspirational that it's worth wondering which quarterback could follow in his footsteps in the coming years. After all, this league is filled with signal-callers who are eager to show what they can do with a second or even a third chance at leading a team. They don't have to win a championship to prove their value, as Darnold just did. But this edition of The First Read does want to focus on which quarterbacks are likeliest to prove their futures might be brighter than what we have seen thus far.
So, these are the five players who could be the next Sam Darnold ...
Daniel Jones
Indianapolis Colts · Age: 28 · Year 8
It might seem like cheating to have Jones leading this list, because he was already one of the best stories of last season. He's here, though, because that story didn't end well, with a torn Achilles tendon taking him out of commission in a Week 14 loss to Jacksonville. The Colts were a real playoff contender at that point, and Jones was playing the best football of his career (he finished the year with 3,101 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions). Now he's the undisputed leader of a team looking to recapture the magic that produced an 8-2 record through the first 10 games of 2025.
Jones received a two-year, $88 million deal earlier this month, after the team felt comfortable with his recovery process. It's similar to the three-year, $100 million pact Darnold received from Seattle last offseason -- enough money to convey faith, but not enough to ensure true love. There is plenty for Jones to still prove, which is why there's every reason to believe he'll be motivated to continue on the right track. There is talent around him, including running back Jonathan Taylor" data-link="/players/jonathan-taylor/" data-slug="jonathan-taylor"> Jonathan Taylor, wide receiver Alec Pierce" data-link="/players/alec-pierce/" data-slug="alec-pierce"> Alec Pierce and second-year tight end Tyler Warren" data-link="/players/tyler-warren/" data-slug="tyler-warren"> Tyler Warren. Head coach Shane Steichen, meanwhile, is the same guy who turned Jalen Hurts" data-link="/players/jalen-hurts/" data-slug="jalen-hurts"> Jalen Hurts into an MVP candidate while serving as offensive coordinator in Philadelphia.
Jones also went through the type of humbling experience that kept Darnold pushing forward. The 2019 first-round pick knows what it's like to have an entire city give up on him, as was the case when his career with the New York Giants was flatlining. Jones also was savvy enough to spend the final weeks of the 2024 season on the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad after the Giants granted him his release. The lessons he learned by watching Darnold work with Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell certainly paid off once he signed a one-year deal in Indianapolis last year and beat out Anthony Richardson" data-link="/players/anthony-richardson/" data-slug="anthony-richardson"> Anthony Richardson for the job. Like Darnold in Minneapolis, Jones didn't end his first season as a starter wearing a new uniform the way he wanted. Season 2 in Indianapolis should offer more opportunities to prove his newfound success wasn't a fluke.
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Kyler Murray
Minnesota Vikings · Age: 28 · Year 8
Daniel Jones benefitted from being around Darnold and O'Connell in 2024. Murray -- who signed a one-year pact with O'Connell's Vikings after the Arizona Cardinals released him -- gets an even better deal, as he'll have the chance to capitalize on his new head coach's offensive system and fully loaded roster. Yes, we know. The Vikings signed Murray to compete with third-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy" data-link="/players/j-j-mccarthy/" data-slug="j-j-mccarthy"> J.J. McCarthy for the starting job. That's the kind of thing teams are supposed to say, even if they already sense a former first-round pick is heading in the wrong direction. The struggles of McCarthy, drafted 10th overall in 2024, with inconsistency and injuries are well-documented. And so was their interest in adding veteran quarterbacks. There's simply been too much smoke around that position within that franchise to think Murray isn't walking into a situation where he is not expected to deliver big.
The weaponry won't be a problem, as the Vikings have talented pass-catchers (Justin Jefferson" data-link="/players/justin-jefferson/" data-slug="justin-jefferson"> Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison" data-link="/players/jordan-addison/" data-slug="jordan-addison"> Jordan Addison and tight end T.J. Hockenson" data-link="/players/t-j-hockenson/" data-slug="t-j-hockenson"> T.J. Hockenson). O'Connell's reputation as a quarterback whisperer also extends beyond Darnold and Daniel Jones, as the Vikings have found ways to win with a variety of backups in recent years. The real question is whether Murray can stay healthy and showcase the electric ability that was his trademark early in his career with the Cardinals. He missed 12 games in 2025 with a foot injury, and he also sustained a torn ACL toward the end of the 2022 season. There also has been plenty of public discourse about his focus and work ethic. Murray might have been able to dismiss his critics when he was Arizona's unquestioned franchise quarterback. It's a lot different now that he's playing on a one-year, prove-it contract. The Vikings need somebody to lead their team in the NFC North, which is filled with serious playoff contenders. Darnold proved he could do that two years ago. Murray has enough ability to do the same things this fall.
Mac Jones
San Francisco 49ers · Age: 27 · Year 6
It might be surprising to see Jones so high on a list like this, but this exercise also isn't limited to this coming season. Jones will spend this year as Brock Purdy" data-link="/players/brock-purdy/" data-slug="brock-purdy"> Brock Purdy's backup once again. His contract expires after that, and there will be a real market for his services, given what he's already shown in San Francisco. He started eight games in 2025 when a toe injury sidelined Purdy. The 49ers went 5-3 in those contests, with Jones completing 69.6 percent of his passes for 2,151 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. Jones was most impressive in a 26-23 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams, when he threw for 342 yards and two touchdowns.
As much as we rave about the job head coach Kyle Shanahan did to lead the injury-plagued Niners to the playoffs, we shouldn't understate how much Jones contributed to that success when Purdy went down. The 2021 first-round pick looks much different than he did when he was playing his way out of New England. He's proving what he can do with better coaching and a better system. He's also following the same blueprint that helped Darnold, who spent a season in San Francisco as a backup in 2023 before moving onto Minnesota and later Seattle. Shanahan has a strong track record for bringing out the best in his quarterbacks. Jones should be the next journeyman to benefit from all that high-level mentoring.
Tua Tagovailoa
Atlanta Falcons · Age: 27 · Year 7
Tagovailoa's career in Miami was so up and down and filled with health problems that it's easy to forget how good he looked when he was on. His best season came in 2023, when he threw for a league-high 4,624 yards while setting a career best in touchdown passes (29). That also was the only time Tagovailoa has ever played an entire NFL season. The Falcons are hoping that is the guy who spends the next few months competing with third-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr." data-link="/players/michael-penix-jr/" data-slug="michael-penix-jr"> Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job in Atlanta. They can see how close they are to becoming a playoff team again. The Carolina Panthers captured the NFC South with eight wins, which happened to be the same number of victories that Atlanta mustered in 2025. Penix hasn't shown enough consistency to cement himself as the starter, and he's also recovering from a torn ACL. That gives Tagovailoa a great opportunity to resurrect his career after last season ended with former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel benching him for the final three weeks.
Like most of the quarterbacks on this list, Tagovailoa's chances of turning his career around should be helped by his supporting cast, which in this case includes All-Pro running back Bijan Robinson" data-link="/players/bijan-robinson/" data-slug="bijan-robinson"> Bijan Robinson, wide receiver Drake London" data-link="/players/drake-london/" data-slug="drake-london"> Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts" data-link="/players/kyle-pitts/" data-slug="kyle-pitts"> Kyle Pitts). Tagovailoa's experience level should be attractive to new Falcons general manager Ian Cunningham and head coach Kevin Stefanksi, especially since neither man was involved in selecting Penix in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Of course, the major questions here are: 1) Tagovailoa's ability to stay healthy and 2) his ability to move beyond his issues in Miami. He has a long history of injuries (concussions plagued him in 2022, leading him to contemplate retirement, and again in 2024), and he didn't come close to making good on the four-year, $212.4 million contract extension Miami gave him two years ago (the Dolphins swallowed a record $99.2 million in dead money to release him). On the other hand, Tagovailoa accomplished far more at his first career stop than Darnold ever did. That matters in an exercise like this. It tells you that Tagovailoa has more than enough talent to turn things around.
Malik Willis
Miami Dolphins · Age: 26 · Year 5
Willis is clearly the major longshot on this list, because of the small sample size of his NFL track record, plus the depleted roster and organizational rebuild he's taking on in Miami. That doesn't mean Willisisn't on his way to resurrecting his own career. The Dolphins bet on familiarity and potential by giving Willis a three-year, $67.5 million deal at the start of free agency, especially since new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley know Willis well from the trio's time together in Green Bay. Willis spent the last two years serving as a backup to Jordan Love" data-link="/players/jordan-love/" data-slug="jordan-love"> Jordan Love and learning about quarterback play from Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. Willis also performed well in limited opportunities, which counts for a lot. He started three games in Green Bay (going 2-1) and completed 78.7 percent of his passes for 972 yards and six touchdowns. Just as importantly, Willis ran for 174 yards and three touchdowns in those starts. The tools are there for him to be a serious dual-threat quarterback.
What we don't know is how that will translate with a franchise that is going through as extreme a makeover as we've seen in recent years. The Dolphins have traded or released several key veterans over the last six months. The good news is that Sullivan will be able to craft a more cost-effective supporting cast to grow with Willis. The bad news is Willis won't have anywhere near the offensive help he had in Green Bay, or that any other quarterback on this list can claim. The expectations here should be tempered for that reason, but Willis has plenty of motivation to make this work. He came into the league as a third-round pick in Tennessee in 2022, lasted all of two seasons there, then rebuilt himself in Green Bay. Willis didn't have the first-round pressure that everyone else on this last faced. However, he does understand what it's like to be written off. We'll see where he's at by the end of 2027.