As the 2024 season enters the stretch run, some teams will confront the reality that they might not have a solution at the sport’s most important position: quarterback. It’s not unusual for a handful of teams to make a change behind center during the offseason, but what’s a little different about this upcoming offseason is that the options are not great. There are few viable options set to hit free agency in March, and there is no sure thing in the 2025 draft class.
With that in mind, The Athletic’s beat writers for 12 teams potentially contemplating a QB change weighed in on why it might — or might not — happen, and who could be taking the first snaps of the 2025 regular season.
Current starting quarterback: Kirk Cousins
Potential 2025 starting quarterback: Kirk Cousins
Cousins has been everything Atlanta had hoped for when it signed him to a four-year deal worth up to $180 million in the offseason. He’s ninth in EPA per dropback, and the Falcons are top-10 in the league in both EPA (ninth) and offensive DVOA (eighth). The only reason there’s any question about next year’s starter is because Atlanta selected Michael Penix Jr. with the No. 8 pick in the 2024 draft, calling their long-term commitment to Cousins into question — under these circumstances, quarterback is going to be an offseason topic every year in Atlanta. This is not the time to make a change, though. It makes no sense on the field or for the finances, because cutting Cousins after this year would result in a $65 million dead-money hit. — Josh Kendall
Current starting quarterback: Bryce Young
Potential 2025 starting quarterback: Bryce Young? Andy Dalton? Someone with ties to Dave Canales (i.e. Russell Wilson, Geno Smith)?
Considering the Panthers gave up the farm for the No. 1 pick in 2023, you’d think they’d want Young to have every opportunity to prove he can be a franchise QB. But Dave Canales wasn’t in Charlotte when the Panthers drafted Young, and there are signs he’s not sold on him. Canales has already benched Young once and came back to him only after Dalton sprained his thumb in a fender bender. When Young led back-to-back wins over New Orleans and the Giants — matching his win total from his rookie season — Canales declined to immediately name him the starter for the following game. So it wouldn’t be surprising if Dalton is behind center again, with Canales and the other decision-makers gauging whether the 37-year-old could be a bridge in 2025. Canales also has ties to Smith and Wilson if either becomes available. The Panthers could draft Cam Ward, who’s starring for GM Dan Morgan’s alma mater, Miami, and bring in someone like Justin Fields as a bridge. — Joseph Person
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Current starting quarterback: Deshaun Watson, with Jameis Winston currently filling in
Potential 2025 starting quarterback: Geno Smith?
There are as many as 15 candidates who could start for the Browns next season. It won’t be Watson, but that’s only part of the story. Watson is under contract for two more seasons with salary-cap hits of $72.9 million each year that are fully guaranteed. There’s dead money beyond that, too, that could only be erased if the Browns cut Watson and accelerate the 2025 and ’26 cap hits. Seattle would save $25 million by cutting Smith in early 2025, so maybe the Browns take on Smith as a bridge quarterback and potential lottery ticket. Winston doesn’t have a contract for next year, and second-year backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson is just a backup. If the Browns can’t draft a blue-chip prospect, look for a veteran bridge quarterback to lead the room. Cleveland is likely shopping in the Smith / Daniel Jones / Winston / Drew Lock aisle. — Zac Jackson
Current starting quarterback: Anthony Richardson
Potential 2025 starting quarterback: Anthony Richardson
The Colts aren’t quitting on Richardson. After benching the 22-year-old six starts into this season and turning to 39-year-old Joe Flacco, Indianapolis has once again restored Richardson as their QB1. Colts head coach Shane Steichen said Richardson used his two-week benching to become a better pro and will start the rest of the season. Richardson’s development path hasn’t followed the trajectory the Colts were hoping for through his first 10 starts, but remember, he’s still very young. Steichen said this week that the Colts believe Richardson is “going to be our franchise quarterback.” And even if Steichen and the front office wanted to pivot this upcoming offseason, consider this: The No. 1 QB on Dane Brugler’s latest Big Board is Miami’s Cam Ward, who is three days younger than Richardson. — James Boyd
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Current starting quarterback: Gardner Minshew II
Potential 2025 starting quarterback: Shedeur Sanders
The Raiders signed Minshew this offseason to compete with incumbent starter Aidan O’Connell. While Minshew won the job after a training-camp battle, the results have been disastrous. He’s made seven starts and has been benched in three of them — twice for O’Connell and once for Desmond Ridder. The Raiders were prepared to go back to O’Connell for good in Week 7, but he suffered a broken thumb that has him on injured reserve. It’s highly unlikely that any of Minshew, O’Connell and Ridder emerge as the long-term answer. The Raiders need to find their quarterback of the future next offseason, and the best way to do that is through the draft. — Tashan Reed
Current starting quarterback: Matthew Stafford
Potential 2025 starting quarterback: Matthew Stafford (if not, it’s really anyone’s guess)
Before Rams fans come after me for the suggestion — Stafford did lead the team to a Super Bowl and a better-than-expected 2023 campaign and when he’s on, he’s on — it bears reminding that he will be 37 in February and essentially restructured his contract this summer to reflect a one-year deal with the opportunity to renegotiate after this season. The big question is, will either he or the Rams want to do that? Stafford seems to be aging in reverse, so it’s fair to think he’d still want to play football. But in any financial commitment moving forward — to any veteran player currently on their roster — the Rams also will have one eye fixed on upcoming contracts for homegrown ascending stars in the coming years. Puka Nacua, Steve Avila, Kobie Turner and Byron Young are all potential candidates for early contract extensions (after the 2025 season). Could the Rams operate year-to-year with Stafford understanding the potential of a healthy roster with him at quarterback, and think cheaper after 2025? Possibly. It will be an interesting spring. — Jourdan Rodrigue
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Current starting quarterback: Sam Darnold
Potential 2025 starting quarterback: J.J. McCarthy
The Vikings signed Darnold to a one-year, $10 million contract for a reason — they viewed him as a quarterback with upside, capable of bridging the transition from Cousins to the rookie McCarthy. McCarthy’s torn meniscus provided Darnold with a full season to prove his worth as a starter. Nine games in, the results are about what you’d expect. Darnold’s arm talent and athleticism have led to highs, but his turnover tendency has brought lows, too. The Vikings would not be 7-2 without him, but their ceiling might be higher with a quicker processor and better decision-maker. Another team’s willingness to take a flier on Darnold in 2025 as a starter, plus the Vikings’ desire to see McCarthy in action, makes a change here probable. — Alec Lewis
Current starting quarterback: Daniel Jones
Potential 2025 starting quarterback: Cam Ward
It’s over for Jones in New York. The Giants will bench him soon and then cut ties with him at the end of the season. The Giants tried to draft his replacement this past offseason but couldn’t move up and decided against selecting the likes of Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy or Bo Nix, all of whom were still on the board when New York picked wide receiver Malik Nabers at No. 6. Right or wrong, the Giants now have no choice but to draft a quarterback, and at the moment, they are in prime position to do it. At 2-8, New York has a great chance of landing a top-three pick in the 2025 draft. —Dan Duggan
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Current starting quarterback: Aaron Rodgers
Potential 2025 starting quarterback: Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers returning is far from a lock — I’m not even sure I would put it at 50 percent at the moment. But there are a few unknown factors at play here: Who the Jets’ GM will be, who the head coach will be, and whether owner Woody Johnson takes a role in the Trump administration again, leaving his brother Christopher Johnson to run the show. About that last part, If Christopher Johnson is running things it increases the odds that Rodgers would be willing to return since they are very close. Though that will also depend on what the likely new GM wants to do; running it back with a 41–year-old in decline, and the circus that comes with Rodgers, isn’t very appealing for many. Earlier this week Rodgers alluded to wanting to play in 2025, though it was more of a tepid statement than a full-on guarantee. If not Rodgers, my prediction would be Tyrod Taylor or a 2025 rookie. — Zack Rosenblatt
Current starting quarterback: Russell Wilson
Potential 2025 starting quarterback: Russell Wilson
The Steelers created one of the most unique quarterback rooms in the league last offseason when they signed Wilson, traded Kenny Pickett and acquired Justin Fields. What comes next may be even more significant. Getting Wilson for just $1.2 million and Fields for only a conditional sixth-round pick made both additions low-risk, low-cost investments. However, both quarterbacks will be free agents at season’s end. The Steelers will need to decide, long-term, which quarterback they believe in and how far they’re willing to go to make him the future of the franchise. While Wilson is playing on the veteran minimum in Pittsburgh, he’s still making $39 million this year due to contract guarantees from the Denver Broncos. Wilson, who turns 36 later this month, has also said he wants to play another five or six seasons. Will he be willing to accept far less than the $40 million he made in 2024? Will he take a short-term deal or look for one last big contract? And ultimately, what will his market be? From the team’s perspective, it is possible the Steelers saw enough from Fields during his 4-2 start to the season to think they can be the team to unlock the potential of the 2021 first-round pick, who will be 26 next season. — Mike DeFabo
Current starting quarterback: Geno Smith
Potential 2025 starting quarterback: Geno Smith
Smith’s agent tried to engage the Seahawks in extension talks this offseason, with no success. Smith’s deal expires after 2025 and his cap hit in what will be his age-35 season is scheduled to be $38.5 million. Quarterback play is low on the list of reasons the Seahawks are not projected to make the playoffs, but if they fall short, general manager John Schneider and coach Mike Macdonald will put all options on the table, including a signal caller change. But the reason Smith projects as the 2025 starter is due to an underwhelming free agent class, Sam Howell (Smith’s current backup) not being very good, and the Seahawks likely falling outside the top 10 of the draft’s first round (our model predicts a 7-10 record). It’s unclear whether Seattle would extend Smith in the offseason, but as this exercise illustrates, there will likely be a lot of QB-needy teams ahead of Seattle in the draft, which limits the team’s options. — Michael-Shawn Dugar
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Current starting quarterback: Will Levis
Potential 2025 starting quarterback: Cam Ward
Levis shouldn’t be ruled out as some kind of factor in 2025, perhaps as part of a competition with a rookie, but this season of discovery hasn’t gone well for him. Levis doesn’t protect the ball (or himself) well enough, he sees too many things late and misses too many that he does see on time. Barring a late-season surge — which Levis will get every opportunity to manufacture — the Titans need to pivot. Does GM Ran Carthon feel urgency to land a veteran after taking Levis in 2023, and after heavy losing in his first two seasons on the job? The Titans have to get it right, they’re going to pick very high and the veteran pool is underwhelming. The guess here is a dip into a QB draft class that, as The Athletic analyst Dane Brugler has noted, is less than stellar. — Joe Rexrode
(Top photo: Illustration by Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic, photos by Doug Murray / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, Chris Unger / Getty Images, Mitchell Leff / Getty Images)
