The NFL has put a bow on the 2026 preseason, and this year's rookie class of signal-callers has put the finishing touches on their first summer in the league. Now, the guillotine that is cut-down day looms. While the status of players like Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson is rock solid, a large contingent of these young quarterbacks hopes to make their current team's 53-man roster or turn what they put on tape into a shot with another team (whether it be the active roster or practice squad) once the dust settles.
And this weekend was the final opportunity for that group of players to make their mark. Let's collect up all 17 rookie quarterbacks that suited up over the final week of the preseason and hand out our grades. Draft status: 5th round, No. 178 overall (North Dakota State) Payton saw the field on the final offensive possession of the night for Philadelphia in its preseason defeat by Cincinnati.
The Payton-led offense went three-and-out and went backward by three yards. He missed both of his pass attempts and took a sack that lost three yards. Draft status: 7th round, No. 249 overall (LSU) Nussmeier got the nod in Kansas City's preseason finale against Seattle and played the entire game.
He completed 22 of 34 passes for 198 yards, no touchdowns and an interception. The turnover on his second drive of the game proved costly as the Seahawks turned it into a field goal in a game that proved to be a 9-9 tie. Nussmeier settled down, however, and led scoring drives (all field goals) on his next two possessions.
He hopes to make it onto the final 53-man roster and deepen a quarterback room that's headlined by Patrick Mahomes and top backup Justin Fields. It was a lackluster showing for the Kansas product as he got the start in Tampa Bay's preseason finale against Jacksonville. He completed 8-of-15 for 57 yards and was sacked three times, while adding nine yards on the ground on four carries.
Daniels played into the third quarter, and the Bucs punted on six of his seven drives. The lone possession where they didn't boot the ball back to the opposition: Daniels fumbled, and the Jaguars recovered. Aguilar took over in the fourth quarter of Jacksonville's exhibition with Tampa Bay, but didn't make many waves over his three drives.
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