Full Breakdown
NFL Training Camp Kicks Off Amid Rankings of the League’s Worst Quarterback Rooms
7/20/2026, 10:10:14 PM
Training Camp Kickoff Dates
The NFL’s 32 teams begin full-scale training camps this week. Six teams will have their complete rosters in camp by the end of the week: the Arizona Cardinals (July 22), Panthers (July 22), Patriots (July 24), Seahawks (July 24), 49ers (July 25) and Rams (July 25). The remaining 26 clubs report on July 28, setting the stage for a chaotic preseason.
Ranking the Five Worst Quarterback Rooms
CBS Sports columnist Jordan Dajani evaluated every quarterback on each roster and identified the five most problematic “QB rooms.” The top three, as listed in the article, are:
1. Cleveland Browns – Deshaun Watson, Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, Taylen Green. Watson remains under a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract signed in 2022, despite the league-worst completion percentage, yards-per-attempt and TD-INT ratio over the past five seasons and an Achilles injury that kept him out after October 2024.
2. New York Jets – Geno Smith, Cade Klubnik, Bailey Zappe, Brady Cook. Smith returned to his original draft team via trade, a rarity not seen since Fran Tarkenton in 1972, but his performance declined sharply last season. Cook posted a 0-4 record as a starter with two touchdowns and seven interceptions.
3. Arizona Cardinals – Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew II, Carson Beck, Kedon Slovis. The Cardinals entered the offseason without adding a proven starter and appear to be committing to Brissett as the lead.
Player Situations Highlighted
Each of these rooms combines a veteran starter with multiple backups who have limited success or experience. The Browns’ roster includes a high-cost veteran whose recent injuries raise durability concerns. The Jets’ mix pairs a once-underrated starter with a rookie (Klubnik) and a former starter (Cook) who struggled heavily. The Cardinals rely on a veteran with modest production and a quartet of backups lacking recent starting experience.
Impact on Team Prospects
Because the NFL is a quarterback-driven league, analysts argue that teams with the poorest quarterback depth are unlikely to contend for the Super Bowl. The identified rooms suggest that the Browns, Jets and Cardinals face significant challenges in achieving offensive consistency, which could shape their season trajectories as training camp progresses.
