# Tyler Sullivan: A CBS Sports piece predicts the winners of the four ongoing quarterback battles — Kyler Murray in Minnesota, Tua Tagovailoa in Atlanta, Deshaun Watson in Cleveland and Kirk Cousins in Las Vegas — and names several veterans (Brissett, Geno Smith, Malik Willis) as their teams' Week 1 starters, with rookie Fernando Mendoza opening as Cousins' backup.

**Claimed:** Aug 3, 2026
**Pundit:** Tyler Sullivan — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/tyler-sullivan
**Outlet:** CBS Sports — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/cbs-sports
**How it reached us:** published in writing
**Original:** https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-training-camp-quarterback-battles-2026-season/

9 checkable claims — 9 depth chart calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.

It names 16 players and teams, each linked to their own record.

4 of 9 have settled so far, averaging 75 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess at the same calls.

Of the 5 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the room on 1 and below it on 4.

> Prediction : Kyler Murray wins the Week 1 job.

*(their words, quoted for attribution)*

## The claims

- **Deshaun Watson to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Kirk Cousins to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Kyler Murray to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
  - Verdict: scored 100 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Tua Tagovailoa to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons
  - Verdict: scored 0 out of 100, against 0 for a naive guess
- **Geno Smith to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Geno Smith, New York Jets
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Malik Willis to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **J.J. McCarthy to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Fernando Mendoza to be 2nd on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders
  - Verdict: not settled yet
- **Jacoby Brissett to be 1st on the depth chart**
  - Kind: Depth Chart Calls · About: Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
  - Verdict: not settled yet

## Who this take is about

- Deshaun Watson — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/deshaun-watson
- Cleveland Browns — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/browns
- Kirk Cousins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kirk-cousins
- Las Vegas Raiders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/raiders
- Kyler Murray — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/kyler-murray
- Minnesota Vikings — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/vikings
- Tua Tagovailoa — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/tua-tagovailoa
- Atlanta Falcons — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/falcons
- Geno Smith — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/geno-smith
- New York Jets — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/jets
- Malik Willis — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/malik-willis
- Miami Dolphins — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/dolphins
- J.J. McCarthy — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/j-j-mccarthy
- Fernando Mendoza — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/fernando-mendoza
- Jacoby Brissett — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/jacoby-brissett
- Arizona Cardinals — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/cardinals

## What others said about the same people

- Jason Harmon on Max Brosmer: Harmon expects the Vikings' quarterback room to stay intact while Kyler Murray is hurt, and predicts Max Brosmer will be released and re-signed to the practice squad since Minnesota won't carry four QBs. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fa393501-3f38-481e-8e75-48125587e911 (scored 0)
- Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Ahead of the trade deadline, they float three Raiders moves: shipping Kirk Cousins to Minnesota if the Vikings offer a second-round pick, selling Maxx Crosby to Dallas for a first-rounder plus, and acquiring Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for a second- or third-round pick. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d0fd408a-7dcd-4e50-ac62-6b4510a8a800 (scored 100)
- Logan Lazarczyk on Kirk Cousins: Lazarczyk expects the Raiders to be sellers before the trade deadline, suggesting Kirk Cousins could be dealt back to the Vikings and that benched interior lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson is a prime candidate to be traded somewhere. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/fda03952-2ea6-4919-8114-0ebb127478d1 (scored 100)
- Patricia Traina on J.J. McCarthy: Traina expects defensive tackle to be a top need for the Giants in next year's draft, and suggests the Giants could trade J.J. McCarthy next offseason — or keep both them and Jaxson Dart if the return isn't good enough. They also expect Dart to make a full recovery. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/b638ed13-01ca-4ea6-9384-ec7130f912c1 (scored 100)
- Charean Williams on Odell Beckham Jr.: Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/d4fd8cfb-3c75-4209-9e1a-d60e821f315b (scored 0)
- Tom Pelissero on Kirk Cousins: Pelissero laid out the Giants' quarterback situation with Jameis Winston starting, said Jayden Daniels likely won't be back when Washington plays the Giants and that Caleb Williams is unlikely to play Monday night, and floated Joey Porter Jr. landing in Dallas and Kirk Cousins being traded in-season. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/f26c21be-0655-4d27-81b3-86e4c8db564f (scored 100)

## More depth chart calls

The same kind of call, about other players and teams.

- Jeremy Brener on Drew Lock: Brener picked the Seahawks to beat the Cardinals in Week 9 by a multi-score margin, giving a final score of 27-13, and expressed confidence Seattle would be fine with Drew Lock starting at quarterback. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/7eb2d245-63d0-4be0-80ba-3f60197e2b16 (scored 100)
- Jeremy Brener on Jalen Milroe: Brener suggests Seattle may turn to rookie-contract quarterback Jalen Milroe for their first career start in Week 9 against the Cardinals, with Sam Darnold ruled out and Drew Lock dealing with an elbow injury. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/42d1bd81-5e19-456e-9f68-b3b135170ec0 (scored 0)
- Nic Bodiford on Joe Fagnano: Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a13b9f29-bb76-4c56-b226-aca74b21f5b7 (scored 100)
- Jordan Dajani on Drew Kendall: Dajani expects Cam Jurgens to move back to center as the Ravens' starter after the trade, and projects a rebuilt Eagles offensive line for Week 5 with Jordan Mailata, Willie Lampkin, Drew Kendall, Tyler Steen and Markel Bell starting from left tackle to right tackle. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/cad37b83-7924-4f90-9898-82a22fa12331 (scored 0)
- Mike Moraitis on Tyson Bagent: Previewing the Bears-Packers Week 5 matchup, they state Tyson Bagent will again start at quarterback for Chicago, while framing Green Bay's receivers, pass defense and return game as threats. The rest of the piece is descriptive analysis of season-to-date statistics rather than forecasts of outcomes. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/93e64ea9-eeca-49fa-a8d7-9fadf5a9b982 (scored 0)
- Josh Alper on Olaivavega Ioane: Alper writes that Cam Jurgens, acquired by trade and in the concussion protocol, won't debut for Baltimore until the following week, leaving Vega Ioane as the likeliest starter at center against the Falcons before sliding back to right guard once Jurgens is available. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/275cec01-644f-4b6e-b878-55a46d1a1b51 (scored 100)

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Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages.

Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology

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