5 NFL Quarterbacks Who Could Be Benched in 2025

Stability at the quarterback position is one of the most critical factors in the success of a modern NFL team.

Clubs that have it tend to do whatever they can to hang onto it—evidenced by the blockbuster contracts that have been handed out to upper-echelon starters in recent years—while those that lack it tend to make finding some a top priority in the offseason.

While most coaching staffs will try everything to avoid benching entrenched QB starters, changes are still inevitable every season.

Whether a draftee such as Bryce Young isn't living up the hype, a splashy free-agent pickup doesn't pan out as expected—such as Kirk Cousins last year—or a veteran like Daniel Jones can't perform up to par, desperate teams will make make swaps under center to try to find an offensive spark.

Discounting the slew of quarterbacks who still need to win a training camp battle to earn a QB1 role, here are five signal-callers currently penciled in as starters who have a realistic chance to be benched during the 2025 NFL season.

Salary-cap data courtesy of OverTheCap.

Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks made perhaps the biggest splash of any team in free agency when they signed Sam Darnold to a three-year deal worth just north of $100 million.

Despite this hefty commitment to the journeyman-turned-star quarterback, his tenure in the Pacific Northwest could be a brief one.

While Darnold had a largely fantastic one-year run with the Minnesota Vikings—he threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns while taking the team to the playoffs on the back of 14 wins—he didn't play anywhere near that level with the New York Jets or Carolina Panthers. His time in the Twin Cities ended poorly as well.

The USC product's two worst performances of the 2024 campaign came at the most inopportune times. These included a Week 18 stinker versus the rival Detroit Lions that cost the Vikings a chance to earn a first-round bye, and a subsequent no-show in a 27-9 blowout Wild Card Round defeat to the Los Angeles Rams.

It doesn’t help that Darnold has some viable competition for his starting job in Seattle. If he doesn’t quickly pick up his fourth system in as many years and struggles to gel with his new teammates, it won’t be long before the clamoring for Jalen Milroe begins.

The No. 92 overall pick was the fourth QB off the board during the 2025 NFL draft and is one of the more uniquely talented prospects to enter the league in years.

The dual-threat weapon is considered a developmental project due to his lackluster arm, but Milroe could provide an instant edge to Seattle’s offense if it is struggling under Darnold.

Due to the way Darnold’s contract is structured, the team has a reasonable out as early as next offseason. Cutting him after the 2025 campaign would incur $25.6 million in dead money and only end up costing the club $37.5 million for a single season.

With the finances of moving on from him workable and Milroe waiting in the wings, it wouldn't be a shock if Darnold winds up riding the pine should his tenure with the Seahawks get off on the wrong foot.

Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

AP Photo/Jerome Miron

Dak Prescott might be on the hot seat if his partnership with new head coach Brian Schottenheimer doesn't improve in short order.

While the Dallas Cowboys quarterback did find success under Schottenheimer in 2023—the then-offensive coordinator's first year on the job under former HC Mike McCarthy—the signal-caller hasn't been able replicate the feats that made him a legitimate MVP candidate just two years ago.

The 31-year-old regressed significantly after completing 69.5 percent of his throws and averaging 265.6 yards per game through the air with 36 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 17 games during that impressive 2023 campaign.

In 2024, Prescott only posted a completion rate of 64.7 percent, averaged 247.3 passing yards per game and tallied a meager 11 scores with a concerning eight picks in the eight starts he made prior to injuring his hamstring.

Although the three-time Pro Bowler confirmed last month that he’s almost fully recovered from the injury and healthy enough to play in a meaningful NFL game, it remains to be seen if the ailment will impact a skill set that displayed a significant decline last year.

The biggest reason Dallas may put Prescott on the bench is the presence of Joe Milton III, who the Cowboys traded for earlier this offseason.

The 25-year-old is one of the more intriguing young backups in the league and impressed heavily during his rookie training camp with the New England Patriots. While his presence could light a fire under Prescott, it could also spell the end of his longstanding tenure as the Dallas starter.

Prescott has held the Cowboys' starting job since his rookie year in 2016, but he's now entering an age-32 season and due to make over $50 million in 2025 as part of a record four-year, $240 million extension he signed last September.

Dallas put some financially prudent outs in that deal—including after the 2027 season—but could also take the same road the Denver Broncos did with Russell Wilson and simply eat plenty of dead money to part ways early if necessary.

Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

The Pittsburgh Steelers may not have officially come to terms on a contract with Aaron Rodgers just yet, but most signs point to the future Hall of Famer opening the 2025 season under center for the club.

If the 41-year-old does elect to stave off retirement for at least one more year in a quest to make one more Super Bowl run, it's likely going to be an ill-fated decision.

Rodgers is coming off a massively disappointing two-year tenure with the New York Jets. Originally expected to be the savior of a franchise mired in the longest playoff drought in major American professional sports, he suffered a season-ending Achilles tear just a few snaps into Week 1 of the 2023 campaign and couldn't get back into MVP form upon his 2024 return.

While Rodgers did manage to stay healthy and start all 17 games for Gang Green, his numbers left quite a bit to be desired and were a far cry from the superstar marks he was putting up for the Green Bay Packers as recently as the 2021 season—the last of his four total and two consecutive MVP campaigns.

Considering New York struggled to consistently win games with Rodgers at the helm—he went just 5-12 last year, a lower winning percentage than previous starter Zach Wilson posted—it's difficult to envision him turning around a Steelers squad arguably in worse shape offensively than the 2024 Jets.

Although Pittsburgh did acquire DK Metcalf in a trade earlier this offseason, the club also parted ways with George Pickens and has been left with underwhelming pass-catchers such as Robert Woods and Calvin Austin III in his stead.

The Steelers' offensive line left a lot to be desired last year as well and didn't make any significant upgrades in the offseason.

If Rodgers cannot summon the magic of his early career, they could opt to give Will Howard a fair shake in the latter stages of the campaign.

There’s almost no chance Rodgers would remain with the club beyond 2025 following a failed season, and the rookie sixth-rounder could get a legit shot to show he’s the future.

Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Maria Lysaker

Tua Tagovailoa missed extensive time last season after suffering another brutal concussion that some initially speculated could lead to an early retirement.

While the 27-year-old returned to the field after missing just four games, he struggled to rekindle his 2023 Pro Bowl form and could be on the hot seat for 2025.

In 11 starts last year—Tagovailoa also missed the final two games with a fractured hip—the signal-caller posted a pedestrian 6-5 record and threw for 2,867 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Those types of performances won't cut it if the Dolphins are going to get back into the playoffs for the third time in four years with Tagovailoa at the helm.

The Alabama product has to get back to playing at a high level and stay on the field for a vast majority of the campaign if Miami wants to contend, although there are options if he can't accomplish that.

While Tagovailoa is under contract through the 2028 season, there are ways for the Dolphins to get out from under the deal. Trading him this season would only result in an $8.4 million dead-cap hit while freeing up nearly $31 million in cap room.

If the Dolphins do decide to move on from the 2020 No. 5 overall pick, they have two intriguing backups on the roster.

Zach Wilson joined the organization this offseason after a year working behind Bo Nix with the Denver Broncos in 2024. Head coach Mike McDaniel has praised the 2021 No. 2 overall pick in interviews and called him a "direct, calculated target" in free agency.

Miami could also turn to Quinn Ewers, a prospect who surprisingly fell to the team in the seventh round of the 2025 draft.

Despite being the No. 106-rated prospect on the B/R Scouting Department’s big board with a third-round grade, the Texas product wasn’t taken until No. 231 overall.

Ewers could follow in Brock Purdy's footsteps by taking over for an injury-prone and underwhelming veteran after being a late-Day 3 pick.

Russell Wilson, New York Giants

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

The New York Giants seemed to be heading for a battle between Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Jaxson Dart for their starting quarterback role, but the chances of that all but ended when head coach Brian Daboll verbally committed to Wilson last month.

Although the 36-year-old will open the year as Big Blue's QB1, there's a strong chance he doesn't finish the season with that same distinction.

Wilson has clearly lost a step after 13 years in the league, a large reason why he's now suiting up for his third team in as many seasons. While he did earn a Pro Bowl nod as an alternate in a weak AFC field last year, his short tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers was unremarkable and ended on a low note.

After winning six of his first seven starts upon taking over for Justin Fields, the 10-time Pro Bowler went on to lose four consecutive games to end the season and never threw for more than 217 yards in any of those contests.

He did account for a semi-respectable 270 passing yards and two touchdowns in his lone playoff appearance for the Steelers, but the team was blown out by the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card Round.

Signing Wilson in wake of that backslide was a questionable choice by New York's brass. Expecting Wilson to turn back the clock to his perennial Pro Bowl days with the Seattle Seahawks is foolishly optimistic at best and could cost Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen their jobs at worst.

If the quarterback picks up where he left off in the back half of last season, the coaching staff shouldn’t wait long to yank him and find out what Winston still has left in the tank.

If the infamously turnover-prone veteran can't right the ship, Dart should get a fair shake and opportunities to earn reps that could help the G-Men turn things around in 2026 and beyond.