C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans: Adapting to a league that may have figured him out
Stroud has simply been a liability ever since his magical 2023 rookie season. Reversing that trend won’t be easy in 2026, especially as he adjusts once again to a significantly retooled offensive line while battling a difficult schedule.
Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts: Negative momentum
Even before he tore his Achilles in the latter part of the 2025 campaign, the 29-year-old Jones had cooled off and returned to what we often saw during his time with the Giants. Jones put up an 84.2 passer rating as the Colts went 1-4 in his final five starts. Now, with Anthony Richardson still on the roster, Jones is tasked with proving that his hot start last year wasn’t a fluke while continuing to recover from major surgery. Good luck, bro!
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars: Question marks along the line and in the backfield
Lawrence finally put together a dominant stretch worthy of a former No. 1 overall pick in the second half of the 2025 season, but his line still ranked in the bottom 10 at Pro Football Focus, and now he’s lost top back Travis Etienne Jr.
Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans: A lack of support
Drafting Carnell Tate and signing Wan’Dale Robinson doesn’t fix it entirely. A line that has not lived up to expectations remains a major question mark, and Ward will also be navigating big changes to that unit (in other words, a lack of continuity for a young quarterback) as he gets acclimated to a new offensive system in 2026.