Ranking NFL free agent quarterbacks: Kyler Murray, Malik Willis among top names as Geno Smith looms

With the NFL free agency contract negotiation window opening Monday at noon ET, CBS Sports is providing a position-by-position look at the free agent landscape. 

Leading the way, as is the case on the field, are the quarterbacks. Recent successes of veteran free agents such as Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield have rejuvenated the idea that taking this route -- former starter turned journeyman -- could prove beneficial from a short- and long-term perspective. I

f the player plays well immediately, the team is getting a major bargain and can then aim to keep him in the future. If he doesn't produce as desired, teams are under no obligation to be stuck at the game's most important position.

Top five free-agent quarterbacks

1. Kyler Murray

2025 team: Cardinals
2025 stats: 962 pass yds, 68% comp pct, 6 pass TD, 3 int, 6.0 YPA (5 starts)
Age: 28

The case for Murray is a straightforward one. He's a two-time Pro Bowler and a former No. 1 pick. He has tremendous talent, he's generally an accurate passer, and he can scramble and improvise at an elite level. The case against him is more convoluted. He's had several injuries, he doesn't like to throw over the middle -- one of several challenges at least somewhat linked to his small stature -- and he operates solely from the shotgun. Still, it's hard to make a case for any quarterback over Murray. Even in a difficult 2025, in which he played in a system he clearly wasn't suited for, he had 0.06 expected points added per dropback, 15th in the NFL, similar to Joe Burrow and better than Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert. The Cardinals will release Murray soon.

2. Malik Willis

2025 team: Packers
2025 stats: 422 pass yds, 86% comp pct, 3 pass TD, 0 int, 8.6 YPA (4 games, 1 start)
Age: 26

A Titans third-round pick in 2022, Malik Willis got traded to Green Bay for a seventh-round pick in 2024, a trade that mostly flew under the radar. In two years since, though, Willis has played efficient, effective football in short spurts, relieving Jordan Love. Willis didn't throw an interception in the last two seasons, and he has shown legitimate dual-threat ability with 174 rushing yards in three starts with the Packers. He has a strong arm and a willingness and ability to push the ball downfield. Add in his age, and he is arguably the most intriguing free agent at his position. Are a few glimpses here or there enough for him to earn a starting job? And if so, what sort of contract could he land? Willis will have a plethora of landing spots, from high-end backup to competitor in a quarterback battle to starting opportunities, but likely on a relatively short leash. His range of outcomes is a major storyline.

3. Aaron Rodgers

2025 team: Steelers
2025 stats: 3,322 pass yds, 66% comp pct, 24 pass TD, 7 int, 6.7 YPA (16 starts)
Age: 42

Aaron Rodgers' 2025 season showed he still has some of his strengths -- namely taking care of the ball -- but he is also a significantly diminished version of his previous MVP self. Out of 33 qualifying quarterbacks, Rodgers was 27th in yards per attempt, 33rd in air yards per attempt, and 23rd in expected points added per dropback. He averaged the second-fastest time to throw. Basically, he wants to get the ball out quickly, often to running backs and tight ends. He doesn't want to take hits, and he doesn't do much play extension as his pocket mobility has declined following his Achilles tear. Age, of course, is a factor, too. Whether and where Rodgers plays in 2026 remain mysteries, though it's worth noting his former Packers coach, Mike McCarthy, took the Pittsburgh job and said he'd welcome Rodgers back.

4. Geno Smith

2025 team: Raiders
2025 stats: 3,025 pass yds, 67% comp pct, 19 pass TD,  17 int, 6.8 YPA (15 starts)
Age: 35

Was the 2025 season an awful one for Geno Smith? Yes. Was it even worse for the Raiders? Also yes. Las Vegas was a disjointed mess. The offensive line was awful. The offensive game plan and play calling were disjointed. The pass catchers were underwhelming as Brock Bowers struggled with injuries all season. Long story short, Smith wasn't close to good enough, but it's hard to believe he has fallen off to the point where he's incapable of starting anywhere. He's an aggressive downfield thrower -- which can come back to bite him -- but he could be a low-level starter with the ability to produce some chunk plays in the right setting. The Raiders will release him soon.

5. Tua Tagovailoa

2025 season: Dolphins
2025 stats: 2,660 pass yds, 68% comp pct, 20 pass TD, 15 int, 6.9 YPA (14 games)
Age: 28

What a long, strange trip it's been for Tua Tagovailoa. When Mike McDaniel first arrived in Miami, it looked like Tua was the perfect fit for his motion-heavy, quick-hitting offense. But Tagovailoa suffered several concussions, and he exclusively a pocket passer who relies on his first read being there. If it's not there, he's into an immediate checkdown. He does not improvise within the pocket or as a scrambler. While he shows some high-level accuracy, there are simply too many weaknesses in his game. The Dolphins have not officially released him, but it's trending that way.

Two more to keep an eye on

Joe Flacco

2025 team: Browns, Bengals
2025 stats: 2,479 pass yds, 60% comp pct, 15 pass TD, 10 int, 6.0 YPA (13 games, 10 starts)
Age: 41

Joe Flacco has played for four different organizations since 2022, and everywhere he goes, he seems to strike momentary hope. In 2025, that meant throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns in a 33-31 win over the Steelers in Week 7, just his second start for Cincinnati. Flacco still has his cannon arm, a willingness to throw it deep and the understanding of basically every offense there is. He's generally quite good at not taking sacks, even though he's very much a pocket passer. Whether it's back in Cincinnati, a reunion with a former coach or something completely new, Flacco will have a team in 2026.

Kirk Cousins

2025 team: Falcons
2025 stats: 1,721 pass yds, 62% comp pct, 10 pass TD, 5 int, 6.4 YPA (10 games, 8 starts)
Age: 37

The Falcons have all but officially moved on from Kirk Cousins, who finished 2025 as a starter after Michael Penix Jr.'s season-ending injury. Cousins, like Rodgers and Tagovailoa, is an immobile pocket passer. Unlike those players, Cousins isn't a quick-throwing quarterback; he'll stand in the pocket and take hits in order to deliver throws. His turnover numbers came back down after a poor 2024, but his physical limitations post-Achilles tear are significant. Still, Cousins can be an effective play-action passer, and he could end up in a quarterback battle, perhaps in his former home of Minnesota.

Five teams to watch

• What do the Vikings do with J.J. McCarthy? The former first-round pick missed all of his first year and much of his second year, and when he did play, he was inaccurate and ineffective. With plenty of win-now pieces on offense, Minnesota absolutely needs better quarterback play, whether that's via McCarthy's improvement or a veteran addition.
• The Cardinals' Kyler Murray situation remains a sticky one -- more on that in a bit -- and they figure to be in the market if/when they move on from the former No. 1 pick.
• Could the Jets be a landing spot for Murray? If not, New York is very much looking for an answer after a brutal 2025; New York's 5.6 yards per attempt was worst in the NFL as the team cycled through Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor and Brady Cook.
• Should Rodgers not be in a Steelers uniform next season, Pittsburgh will have to find a suitable replacement; Art Rooney doesn't believe in reset years.
• With Tagovailoa out of the picture, the Dolphins have a big call to make at quarterback as well. Unlike Pittsburgh, though, Miami needs to embrace a rebuild.

One big question

What do the Vikings do with J.J. McCarthy?

Oh, there's that question again. The entire quarterback market could very much revolve around Minnesota. A veteran competitor for McCarthy is seemingly a foregone conclusion at this point. Maybe that's Murray, especially considering he will come cheap with Arizona still paying him a ton of money. It's an imperfect fit, but O'Connell has made far lesser quarterbacks look decent.

What if it's not Murray, though? Would it be a more traditional player like Smith or Cousins? What about Rodgers? Would he favor Minnesota -- a place he was interested in last offseason -- over a return to Pittsburgh? Would Minnesota have interest again?