2024 NFL QB battle: Steelers name starter, a look at the state of the Patriots and other competition

There are active quarterback competitions underway among several NFL teams ahead of the 2024 regular season. And there’s perhaps nothing that influences the outcome of these battles like the preseason, in which signal-callers split live reps to make their case for the top positions. Now that two weeks of exhibition games are over, where do the legitimate competitions stand? Which quarterbacks are the favorites to claim No. 1 duties?

Here are our latest reports on the four open competitions:

Competition: Bo Nix vs. Jarrett Stidham vs. Jack Wilson

Stidham knows the system, Wilson has the most notable draft pedigree, and yet Nix has been the clear favorite to open his NFL career as coach Sean Payton’s offensive figurehead. Acclaimed internally as more NFL-ready than most rookies since arriving as the No. 12 overall pick, the Oregon product has also exceeded Payton’s hype in live preseason action, combining sharp, incisive decision-making with lightning-fast mobility. Perhaps he should have gotten more looks from other clubs as a top-10 draft target? We’ll find out soon, as Nix’s efficient performance has ensured he’ll be under center for Week 1.

Winner: Bo Nix

Competition: Aidan O’Connell vs. Gardner Minshew

Coach Antonio Pierce spoke openly for weeks about the (frustrating?) closeness of this contest before (reluctantly?) announcing the decision after the team’s second preseason game. O’Connell is the more methodical of the two — a more traditional big-bodied pocket passer — while Minshew offers more juice as a big-game hunter. Truthfully, we expected the former to get the nod, if only because Minshew’s clear edge in NFL experience didn’t definitively differentiate him from the incumbent this summer. However, it’s clear Las Vegas values ​​short-term pizza for a 2024 starter, even if it’s inevitable that Pierce would prefer a quarterback who can protect the ball better.

Winner: Gardner Minshew

Competition: Sam Darnold vs. JJ McCarthy

Ah, what could have been. McCarthy showed enough pro-level touch on downfield shots in his preseason debut to earn further consideration at QB1, but his season-ending knee injury effectively sealed that contest. Darnold was always the favorite to start the year under center; the difference now is that Minnesota needs him to hold down the fort for 2024. Fortunately, despite his poor NFL track record, the former New York Jets prospect appears comfortable and confident in Kevin O’Connell’s system, and teammates aren’t shy about that either. supporting their seamless integration as “that guy”.

Winner: Sam Darnold

Competition: Jacoby Brissett vs. Drake May

New coach Jerod Mayo has gone back and forth about Maye, the No. 3 overall pick this year. As soon as the athletic North Carolina product arrived, Mayo declared he would Define the legacy of the current regime. Then Brissett’s savvy NFL experience was evident as he consumed first-team reps … until Maye’s natural gifts once again stole the spotlight in the preseason. Even though he’s still developing as a passer, Maye’s game-extending movement skills will continue to demand the staff’s attention. The safe bet is he’ll be added after Brissett’s placeholder gig in September.

Leading: Jacoby Brissett

Competition: Russell Wilson vs. Justin Fields

Wilson became the official starter from the “pole position.” Head coach Mike Tomlin made the announcement about a week before the regular season began and called it a “tough decision.” The veteran was the front-runner ahead of Fields because of his experience. The nine-time Pro Bowler was ahead of Fields this offseason and despite Fields getting more time due to Wilson’s calf injury at the start of training camp, he hasn’t done much during that time to prove he’s ahead.

Neither quarterback “shone” in the preseason, but Wilson had a stellar performance in the second game, showing he can put the struggles of the past behind him. Both Wilson and Fields are entering their first year in Pittsburgh, with quarterback 1 coming from the Broncos and Fields from the Bears.

Winner: Russell Wilson