After a chaotic offseason with many moves, there are nine teams with new starting QBs heading into the 2025 season. From rookies who were just drafted to veterans changing locations, there is a lot of intrigue for these 9 QBs in 2025. Let’s rank them from worst to first and see who has the best odds of succeeding.
9. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
2024 NCAA Stats w/ Louisville: 12 G, 62.7% CMP%, 3195 YDS, 23 TDS, 6 INT, 8.7 AY/A
After Derek Carr’s sudden retirement, 25-year-old rookie Tyler Shough is now slated as the Saints’ QB1 for 2025. The second round pick flashed an impressive arm with 3 different college programs, throwing 59 TDS to 23 INTS in his college career. However, Shough’s durability concerns (he only played more than 7 games once) and lack of feel for pressure are concerns at the NFL level. An offensive head coach in Kellen Moore and some OK weapons with Alvin Kamara and Chris Olave should help, but I’m not optimistic about Shough’s prospects in year one.
8. Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
2024 Stats w/ IND: 8 G (6 Starts), 65.3 CMP%, 1761 YDS, 12 TDS, 7 INT, 6.80 AY/A
After a brief vacation in Indy, Joe Flacco is back in Cleveland, this time as the presumed starter. This time however, things are different. For one, Cleveland has potentially 4 starting options currently competing to be the Week 1 starter in Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Shadeur Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel. Secondly, Cleveland is nowhere close to being a playoff team like they were in 2023. Flacco showed that he can provide good enough QB play on a good team in 2023 with Kevin Stefanski, but I don’t think he will be able to elevate a roster as bereft of talent as Cleveland’s is right now. This is looking like the last stop on the Flacco World Tour before retirement.
7. Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers
2024 Stats w/ TEN: 8 G, 5 GS, 64.0 CMP%, 1530 YDS, 9 TDS, 9 INT , 5.72 AY/A
Mason Rudolph returns to Pittsburgh for his second stint with the team, where he will throw to DK Metcalf and the ever consistent Pat Freiermuth. Rudolph is a limited game manager who has shown the ability to make winning plays in clutch situations, but struggles with accuracy and turnovers. Rudolph’s familiarity with the Steeler’s culture should give him a bonus, but he doesn’t look to be more than a below-average starter.
6. Russell Wilson, New York Giants
2024 Stats w/ PIT: 11 G, 11 GS, 63.7 CMP%, 2482 YDS, 16 TDS, 5 INT, 7.67 AY/A
They’re starting to feel dangerRUSS in New York. The 10-time Pro Bowler helped lead the Steelers to the playoffs in 2024, but struggled down the stretch with age and ineffectiveness. Now, Wilson projects to be the starter for 2025 while the Giants groom rookie Jaxson Dart as the successor. Therefore, much of Wilson’s value isn’t tied to what he does on the field, but rather what the vet can teach the rookie off of it.
5. Justin Fields, New York Jets
2024 Stats w/ PIT : 10 G, 6 GS, 65.8 CMP%, 1106 YDS, 5 TDS, 1 INT, 7.21 AY/A
The Jets took a flier on Fields with a two year deal after he showed improvement in Pittsburgh. Fields has always had the ability to make plays with his arms and his legs, but struggled with consistency and turnovers in his time with the Chicago Bears. If Fields can maintain that same playmaking from Chicago with his newfound reliability from Pittsburgh, the Jets will have their starting quarterback for the future. If not, he’s a low cost option that at least gives them a bridge QB while they look for their future solution.
4. J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
2023 NCAA Stats w/ Michigan: 15G, 72.3 CMP%, 2991 YDS, 22 TDS, 4 INT, 9.79 AY/A
After a torn meniscus prematurely ended his rookie season before it started, McCarthy has his first chance to take snaps at the NFL level this season. He showed the ability to operate a pro-level offense and make tough throws under duress. McCarthy was mostly limited to game management when he played at Michigan, but that was mostly due to scheme more than talent. Now, McCarthy will throw to one of the greatest receivers of his generation in Justin Jefferson, and will play for a coach in Kevin O’Connell who knows how to get the best out of his quarterbacks.
3. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
2024 NCAA Stats w/ Miami (FL): 13 G, 67.2 CMP%, 4313 YDS, 39 TDS, 7 INT, 10.52 AY/A
The Tennessee Titans officially entered the Cam Ward era when they took him 1st overall in the 2025 NFL Draft. Ward is a creative playmaker who attacks the middle of the field with confidence. He’s not the most proficient scrambler, but he has enough speed to convert 3rd downs in scramble drills. Ward also has a strong arm and is very confident with it, which can lead to the occasional poor decision ala Jordan Love. Under second year coach Brian Callahan, who coached Joe Burrow in Cincinnati, Ward has a chance to be a very good quarterback at the NFL level.
2. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
2024 Stats w/ MIN: 17 G, 17 GS, 66.2 CMP%, 4319 YDS, 35 TD, 12 INT, 8.22 AY/A
After years of struggles and bouncing around the league, Sam Darnold broke out in a big way last year with the Minnesota Vikings. Darnold posted career high marks across the board on the way to a 14-3 record, a playoff appearance, and a Pro Bowl appearance. Despite a poor end to his season, he signed with the Seahawks on a 3 year deal to replace Geno Smith. Darnold will have to prove that his success was not due to Kevin O’Connell, but rather from improvements to his game. Otherwise, Darnold has a rookie QB in Jalen Milroe who is waiting in the wings to take over and win football games for the Seattle Seahawks.
1. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
2024 Stats w/SEA: 17 G, 17 GS, 70.4 CMP%, 4320 YDS, 21 TD, 15 INT, 7.03 AY/A
After running it in 2024 with Gardner Minshew and Aiden O’Connell, the Raiders took a big swing at upgrading their QB position by sending a 3rd round pick to Seattle for Geno Smith. Smith is 34 years old, but only has 5 full seasons under his belt as a starter. His (sometimes irrational) confidence and arm led Seattle to 3 winning seasons in his time as a starter. Now in Oakland, Geno will play behind an improved offensive line and with new star RB Ashton Jeanty in an attempt to make some noise in a loaded AFC West.
If you liked the article, please share! Let me know who’s too high and who’s too low on the list. Have a great day!
