Previewing the 2025 NFL QB Carousel as 2024 Season Hits the Home Stretch

These days, the NFL quarterback carousel spins furiously on an annual basis.

And 2025 should be no different.

With the 2024 campaign reaching the home stretch, let's take an early look at the potential major wheelers, dealers and players who could dominate said carousel come the new year.

The Potential Participants

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Russell Wilson

New York Giants: The Daniel Jones era is over, and it's highly unlikely Tommy DeVito or Drew Lock is the answer for Big Blue.

Las Vegas Raiders: It's become pretty clear that neither Gardner Minshew II nor Aidan O'Connell is the long-term answer under center for a team that will feel the need to improve at the position considering the talent it has elsewhere on offense.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Russell Wilson and Justin Fields have both exceeded most expectations with a combined 12 touchdown passes to three interceptions, but both possess contracts that expire following the 2024 campaign.

Cleveland Browns: Deshaun Watson is locked up long-term with no wiggle room, but he's been such a disappointment in three years as a Brown that the team could opt to cut bait and go with Jameis Winston or start afresh entirely. Winston's contract expires in March.

New York Jets: The Aaron Rodgers experiment has failed miserably, A new regime might prefer to start from scratch, and it's also possible the veteran will opt to walk away at age 41.

Carolina Panthers: Top 2023 draft pick Bryce Young may well be fighting for his job in Carolina as we speak.

Tennessee Titans: Sophomore Will Levis has not inspired a ton of confidence. The Titans have a big call to make on his future come March/April.

New Orleans Saints: Per Spotrac, the Saints can save $30 million against the 2025 salary cap by parting with Derek Carr as a post-June 1 release, which is entirely possible if they decide it's finally time to initiate a bold rebuild.

Los Angeles Rams: Per Spotrac, the Rams can save $27 million against the 2025 salary cap by parting with Matthew Stafford as a post-June 1 release, which is entirely possible if they determine the veteran is no longer a worthy asset at age 37.

Seattle Seahawks: Geno Smith might not be the entire problem in Seattle, but he's thrown as many interceptions as touchdown passes (12 apiece) and the Seahawks can save $25 million by moving on this offseason.

The Key Potential Acquisitions/Signees

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Matthew Stafford

Russell Wilson: As mentioned, the 35-year-old has revived his career to an extent with the Steelers. If that holds up, you'd think he'd prefer to keep it rolling in Pittsburgh, but money talks. Sometimes quite loudly.

Deshaun Watson: The Browns could do to him what the Broncos did to Wilson in 2024, enabling the formerly awesome 29-year-old to potentially hit the open market with plenty of cash already in hand. Will anyone want to touch him at this point, though?

Jameis Winston: The 30-year-old 2015 No. 1 overall pick has experienced somewhat of a rejuvenation in place of the injured Watson in Cleveland. It he keeps it up, it might be enough to dethrone Watson for good or land a chance at a starting spot elsewhere.

Justin Fields: It's not ideal that he was benched in his prove-it season with the Steelers, but the 25-year-old did have some moments. There's no denying his unique talent, which could persuade someone to take a flier.

Aaron Rodgers: The four-time MVP turns 41 this weekend and hasn't been a star since 2021, but his legacy alone could convince a desperate team to take the plunge if the Jets decide to set him free and he isn't ready to retire.

Sam Darnold: The 2018 top-three pick is the league's eighth-highest-rated passer with a tremendous 8.3 yards-per-attempt average for a team that is highly competitive. But the Vikings drafted J.J. McCarthy 10th overall in April and he is on a one-year deal in Minnesota.

Daniel Jones: Could somebody convince themselves that a new setting will be just what the 27-year-old 2019 No. 6 overall pick needs to finally put it together?

Bryce Young: His rookie campaign was abysmal, and it went from that to horrendous when Young was benched early in 2024. That said, he's still just 23 and has bounced back of late. We'll see if he does enough to stick around for 2025.

Derek Carr: Somewhat quietly, he's the league's fourth-highest-rated passer. If the Saints decide to part ways, the 33-year-old will almost certainly attract some interest.

Matthew Stafford: It's not as though he's fallen off a productivity cliff at 36, and he led this team to the Super Bowl a few years ago. But he would be positioned similar to Carr as a free agent or trade candidate.

Geno Smith: It's been an up-and-down run in Seattle, and it's anyone's guess if that will continue beyond this season for a 34-year-old who is probably a bridge option at best.

The Key Potential Draftees

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Shedeur Sanders

Shedeur Sanders: The polished passer out of Colorado is widely considered to be a first-round prospect and could wind up going off the board in the top three.

Cam Ward: The B/R Scouting Department's highest-rated QB prospect has 34 touchdown passes in 11 games this season for Miami.

Jalen Milroe: The surging dual-threat out of Alabama is intriguing in terms of his physical abilities, and he could have the momentum to land in the top half of Round 1.

Carson Beck: Despite a disappointing senior season, the Georgia product just might have the football IQ and efficient habits required to become a solid NFL starter. We'll see if that gets him into the first round.

Predictions

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Sam Darnold

Shedeur Sanders to the Giants: The highest ceiling belongs to Sanders, and the Giants must know it's time to take a big swing.

Cam Ward to the Raiders: This could just as easily be Sanders in Las Vegas and Ward with the Giants. Regardless, both teams are positioned to control the early quarterback board with their current 2-9 records, and I don't believe either will pass on a signal-caller.

Aaron Rodgers retires: The Jets can't possibly keep putting themselves through this, and I just don't think there will be enough interest from other teams, or from Rodgers himself.

Sam Darnold to the Jets, who also sign Geno Smith: That's right, I've got Gang Green bringing back two former starters who have since excelled in new settings and pitting them against each other on prove-it contracts. It seems wacky but it's very Jets, and it's not a terrible strategy when you might not have great options in the draft and want to bolster your odds of hitting the jackpot.

Russell Wilson re-signs with the Steelers: As long as this continues, it seems unlikely the Steelers will let him get away. They're also positioned to be in decent cap shape come the new year.

Jameis Winston and Deshaun Watson both return to the Browns: I'm sure they'll do their best to trade Watson, but the guy has just become toxic in every way. They're stuck paying him, so they might as well let him fight with Winston. That said, I'd expect Winston to enter camp as the clear-cut No. 1.

Bryce Young returns to the Panthers, who also sign Justin Fields: Might as well put some relatively cheap pressure on the third-year quarterback, and Fields could be utilized in a variety of ways beyond that.

Carson Beck to the Rams: It's time for this team to get out of purgatory and sell off all remaining expensive, aged parts. And with that, a first-round pick on a quarterback. Beck makes sense in the middle of Round 1.

Matthew Stafford to the Seahawks: The Giants, Raiders and Titans might take interest if the Rams part ways, but Stafford might prefer to join a more competitive Seattle team to wind down his career. The Jets may not want to go down the Rodgers path, and Seattle could see this as a great opportunity to upgrade with the window open.

Derek Carr re-signs with the Saints: This team will never learn, and Carr still has a big dead-cap number. The Saints will keep riding this out, especially if they fare just well enough to be kept from drafting a primo quarterback in the top five.

Jalen Milroe to the Titans: At the very least, they will have competition between him and Levis. Can they land him early in Round 2?

Daniel Jones to the Dolphins: There's your high-end backup for Tua Tagovailoa.