2025 NFL Quarterback Free-Agent Preview

Several NFL teams will be in the hunt for a starting quarterback this offseason. Most of those teams will be looking at the free-agent market to try and upgrade their quarterback room for the 2025 season.

Although this free-agent class isn't the strongest, plenty of quarterbacks will change teams this offseason. Some of those quarterbacks will sign as starters, while others will sign as backups.

So, which quarterbacks are free agents this offseason? Which teams need a quarterback? Let's dive in and find out.

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Sam Darnold

Sam Darnold will likely be the most sought-after quarterback in this year's free-agent class. He is coming off the best season of his NFL career and will turn only 28 years old in June.

Darnold threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions while leading the Minnesota Vikings to a 14-3 record in the regular season. Therefore, he should get a multiyear deal from a quarterback-needy team this offseason. 

Justin Jefferson 97 YARD TUDDY!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/0PJs9mheCK

— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024

Justin Fields

Justin Fields should draw a ton of interest on the free-agent market this offseason. He is just 26 years old and showed some encouraging things in six games as the Pittsburgh Steelers starter last year.

Fields threw for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception in those six games and also ran for 231 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. So, expect teams to give him a chance to start in 2025. 

Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson signed a one-year deal with the Steelers last offseason and did a solid job leading that quarterback room in 2024. He threw for 2,482 yards and 16 touchdowns across 11 starts. Now, Wilson will become one of the top quarterbacks available on the free-agent market this offseason. As a result, the veteran should remain a starting quarterback next season. 

Aaron Rodgers

The New York Jets plan to release Aaron Rodgers when the new league year begins on March 12. That means the veteran will be playing for a new team in 2025. Although Rodgers is coming off a subpar year with the Jets, one team will take a chance on him in free agency. He threw for 3,897 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions in 17 games last season. 

Zach Wilson

Zach Wilson spent his first three years with the Jets before being traded to the Denver Broncos last offseason. Wilson has certainly struggled in the NFL since being drafted second overall in the 2021 NFL Draft. He has thrown just 23 touchdowns to 25 interceptions over his career and did not receive any snaps in Denver this past year. So, he'll likely sign as a backup in free agency. 

Trey Lance

Trey Lance has had a very interesting career so far. Despite being drafted third overall in the 2021 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, Lance has only made five starts across his four NFL seasons.

As a result, we don't know what type of quarterback Lance can be in the NFL. He just hasn't gotten many opportunities to show his upside. Still, he won't be given a starting job in this free-agent cycle. 

Jacoby Brissett

Jacoby Brissett has jumped around the NFL in recent years. He played with the Miami Dolphins in 2021, the Cleveland Browns in 2022, the Washington Commanders in 2023, and the New England Patriots in 2024. Given that Brissett has been around the game for a while, expect the 32-year-old to join a team that could use his experience to help develop a young quarterback. 

Marcus Mariota

Marcus Mariota will likely not be a starting quarterback next year, but he can be a high-level backup for several teams. He appeared in three games this past season for the Commanders and threw for 364 yards and four touchdowns. With how he looked in that Washington offense in 2024, there's likely mutual interest in a reunion.

🔙 on 🔝

📺 #WASvsDAL FOX pic.twitter.com/4YFE8c4Blm

— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) January 5, 2025

Jameis Winston

Jameis Winston has always been a gunslinger in the NFL. In his 12 games (seven starts) for the Browns this past season, he threw for 2,121 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. So, it's more than likely that Winston will be a backup once again in 2025. However, he could land in a spot where he battles for a starting job in training camp.

Daniel Jones

Daniel Jones struggled as the New York Giants starting quarterback in 2024 and was eventually released by the team in the middle of the season. He then signed with the Vikings to be their backup quarterback for the remainder of the year. Therefore, Jones will likely be a backup for the 2025-26 campaign.  

Other free-agent quarterbacks: Drew Lock, Taylor Heinicke, Joe Flacco, Jarrett Stidham, Mac Jones, Jimmy Garoppolo

Which Teams Need a Quarterback This Offseason?

There are plenty of teams that will need to address their quarterback situation heading into next year. The Titans and Giants are at the top of that list. Tennessee can not roll with Will Levis for another season, and New York has zero quarterbacks signed under contract for the 2025-26 season. Both of these teams, though, are in a great spot to select a quarterback early in the 2025 NFL Draft. 

The #Giants took their big swing on Matt Stafford. That failed. Now multiple sources expect them to concentrate their efforts on getting the No. 1 pick from Tennessee, and pairing the QB they select with a veteran.

That could be Aaron Rodgers, but I'm told the former… pic.twitter.com/7fTYjp9HKn

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) March 2, 2025

The rest of the teams that need a quarterback will probably look to free agency. Teams like the Jets, Raiders, and Steelers should all be in on the top quarterbacks in this free-agent class. Tyrod Taylor is currently New York's QB1, Las Vegas will likely want to upgrade from its current options (Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew II), and Pittsburgh has zero quarterbacks currently under contract. 

Then, there's the Browns. Deshaun Watson had a setback in his Achilles injury a couple of months ago, and he has looked awful under center in his three years with the team. So, the team will almost certainly add a quarterback in the draft or through free agency. The Indianapolis Colts will also probably grab a quarterback in free agency, given the team's desire to bring in some competition against Anthony Richardson. 

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