Ranking Titans, NFL's Worst QB Rooms After Will Levis Injury

Quarterback is clearly the most important position in the modern NFL, making it almost shocking how few teams boast a truly elite passer and how many are desperate to find one each offseason.

A slew of squads lacked even a mildly competent passer in 2024 and entered the 2025 offseason determined to make an upgrade under center.

Some of these downtrodden organizations rolled the dice on QB prospects during the 2025 draft. Others dipped into the free-agent pile to come away with a veteran stopgap. A few were even desperate enough to employ both strategies in an effort to fill these glaring holes.

While every franchise is now heading into training camp believing it can win with its current crop of quarterbacks, it won’t be long before the cream rises to the top. There may be a rookie or two who elevates their respective club into contention—as up-and-coming stars such as Bo Nix and C.J. Stroud have done in recent seasons—but the teams with top-tier QBs are sure to make up a majority of those left standing come late January.

With that in mind, let’s rank—based on past performances, projected production and depth—the weakest quarterback rooms in the league right now and highlight why their teams are heading into 2025 with more questions than answers under center.

Honorable Mentions

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Jameis Winston, left, and Russell Wilson

New York Giants

Quarterbacks: Russell Wilson (starter), Jameis Winston, Jaxson Dart, Tommy DeVito

The G-Men could be staring down the final season of the Brian Daboll-Joe Schoen regime.

It wasn't too long ago that this appeared to be one of the more promising up-and-coming clubs in the NFL, but the failure to develop Daniel Jones into a consistent passer (despite giving him a whopping four-year, $160 million extension following a run to the divisional round in 2022) led to consecutive lost seasons and the veteran's release midway through the 2024 campaign.

While Dart could be the answer eventually, the Giants' success in 2025 is riding on Wilson returning to form after he lost each of his last five starts with the Pittsburgh Steelers and looked like a shell of the player who led the Seattle Seahawks on back-to-back Super Bowl trips a decade ago.

Big Blue's brass was clearly desperate when assembling this QB room and the gamble isn't likely to pay out.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers (starter), Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, Skylar Thompson

The Steelers have completely turned over their quarterback room in each of the last two seasons, showcasing a stunning lack of stability for an organization that had a long tradition of consistency.

While Pittsburgh did fill the void created by the departure of both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields by signing Aaron Rodgers and bringing longtime backup Mason Rudolph back into the fold, the team doesn't appear to be a legitimate contender with the aging star coming off one of his worst seasons as a pro.

The future remains bleak as well after Pittsburgh's lone draft-day pickup was a sixth-round project in Will Howard.

Without a true heir to Ben Roethlisberger in place, expect the Steelers to continue hovering near .500, with the best-case scenario for 2025 being sneaking into the playoffs only to suffer yet another Wild Card Round defeat.

Minnesota Vikings

Quarterbacks: J.J. McCarthy (starter), Sam Howell, Brett Rypien, Max Brosmer

The Vikings finished 2024 with an impressive 14-3 record, but rather than running it back with Sam Darnold or another veteran signal-caller, Minnesota is instead opting to forge ahead with J.J. McCarthy under center.

While McCarthy clearly has plenty of potential after being selected No. 10 overall in the 2024 draft, he missed a massive amount of crucial rookie reps following an ACL tear suffered in last year’s preseason opener.  

If McCarthy is limited by the injury or simply doesn't live up to the lofty expectations of his draft slot, the Vikings do not have a viable second option.

Sam Howell is likely to beat out the modest competition for the QB2 role, but the former Washington Commanders starter has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns during his three years in the league and fared extremely poorly (5-of-14 passing for 24 yards and one interception) during his limited run as Geno Smith's understudy with the Seattle Seahawks last year.

No. 5: New York Jets

AP Photo/Noah K. Murray

From left: Brady Cook, Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor

Quarterbacks: Justin Fields (starter), Tyrod Taylor, Adrian Martinez, Brady Cook

The New York Jets are pinning their success in 2025 on the development of Justin Fields into a franchise-caliber quarterback.

It’s an extremely risky move for Gang Green—who issued a two-year, $40 million contract to Fields in free agency—despite the young signal-caller displaying glimpses of the talent that made him a first-round pick in 2021 during his short stint as the Steelers' starter.

Fields led Pittsburgh to a 4-2 record and showed growth as a passer, a welcome sight after accuracy issues and turnovers submarined his chances of success with the Chicago Bears.

It's telling, though, that despite completing a career-best 65.8 percent of throws for 1,106 yards and five touchdowns with just one interception, Fields eventually ceded his starting role to Russell Wilson upon the veteran's return from injury and couldn't regain the job despite his replacement's ineffectiveness late in the season.

Now with his third team in as many years, Fields is running out of time to avoid the bust label and develop into a serviceable NFL starter. The Jets have ample weapons around their 26-year-old QB, including a top-end running back in Breece Hall and an up-and-coming star receiver in Garrett Wilson, but they need Fields to keep defenses honest with his arm if they are going to snap the league's longest active postseason drought.

If Fields reverts to his inaccurate and interception-prone ways, New York won't have the firepower to stay afloat in a tough AFC East division. Tyrod Taylor could help the Jets get by for a game or two, but at the age of 35 with no consistent starting experience since the 2017 season, it would be unwise to expect much more from the longtime backup.

Adrian Martinez and Brady Cook will battle it out for a third-string role in training camp, but neither profiles as a starter in the NFL. Martinez was on New York's practice squad last year and won the United Football League MVP award in the spring while Cook joined the organization after going undrafted following three seasons as Missouri's starter.

No. 4: Tennessee Titans

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Cam Ward

Quarterbacks: Cam Ward (starter), Brandon Allen, Tim Boyle

The Tennessee Titans may have hit rock bottom last year, but the organization has a chance to use that abysmal 3-14 season as a jumping-off point for a rapid rebuild.

They addressed their biggest need with the No. 1 overall pick, drafting Cam Ward in wake of a sensational senior season at Miami.

Ward was already on the first-round radar following his two-year run as Washington State's QB1, but he became a Heisman finalist and top draft pick by completing 67.2 percent of his passes for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns and adding another 204 yards and four scores on 60 totes during his lone campaign with the Hurricanes.

The 23-year-old will have his work cut out for him as he attempts to repeat those successes at the professional level. The Titans have a below-average offensive line and an aging receiving corps set to feature Calvin Ridley, Tyler Lockett and Van Jefferson in key roles this season.

While Tennessee's ground game is strong—both Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are capable running backs—the team could struggle as Ward works to adjust to the speed of the NFL.

Unfortunately for the Titans, there is no insurance option in place if he gets injured. The team already lacked competent depth behind Ward, but now with Will Levis—the projected backup who started 21 games over the last two seasons—done for the year after undergoing shoulder surgery, the situation looks especially bleak.

Tennessee will have to lean on Brandon Allen, a career depth QB who has appeared in a meager 18 games since he entered the NFL in 2016, or fellow journeyman Tim Boyle—now with his eighth team in eight seasons—to run the show should Ward be sidelined.

No. 3: Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

Quarterbacks: Joe Flacco (starter), Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders

The Cleveland Browns' quarterback room went from a concern to a sideshow in the span of mere months.

While they entered the offseason in clear need of signal-callers due to Deshaun Watson's injuries and ineffectiveness, Cleveland's brass went overboard by adding both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders after the club had already traded for Kenny Pickett and signed Joe Flacco prior to the draft.

With four quarterbacks now competing for a spot in the pecking order, head coach Kevin Stefanski has the unenviable task of allocating reps and sorting the depth chart during training camp and the preseason.

Although Sanders was expected by many to be an early first-round pick, he fell to the fifth round and is unlikely to see the field as a rookie. While the prospect displayed strong accuracy and poise in the pocket during his tenure at Colorado, his lack of arm strength and mobility will keep him on the pine.

Gabriel isn't a serious contender to open 2025 as Cleveland's QB1, either. Although he thrived for three different programs across his seemingly endless collegiate career—one that finished with a whopping 18,722 passing yards and a record 155 touchdowns across 64 games—the 24-year-old isn't ready to beat out two experienced NFL passers at this juncture.

Pickett was the first QB Cleveland added this offseason and seemed to be trending towards earning his first starting role since the Pittsburgh Steelers parted ways with the 2022 first-rounder after a mere two seasons, but he's now facing stiff competition from a 40-year-old Flacco.

The latest odds suggest this will be a relatively tight race, but the Super Bowl XLVII MVP has the inside track even after a trying season with the Indianapolis Colts last year.

Flacco memorably led the Browns to a playoff berth after being signed off the street two years ago, but he’s regressed significantly since then. It's telling that he's still the odds-on favorite to come away with the starting job over three players far younger than him, making this one of the NFL's worst quarterback rooms.

No. 2: Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/Michael Conroy

Quarterbacks: Daniel Jones (starter), Anthony Richardson, Riley Leonard, Jason Bean

The Indianapolis Colts will soon have to face the music and acknowledge their pricy investment into Anthony Richardson isn't going to pan out.

It's hard to blame the Colts for being smitten with the uber-athletic quarterback during the leadup to the 2023 draft. He stunned evaluators with a historic performance at the combine and it probably wasn’t too difficult for Indy's brass to envision him dominating at that same Lucas Oil Stadium on Sundays.  

That decision has haunted the Colts for the last two seasons as it's become painfully clear Richardson just isn't an NFL-caliber passer. The signs were there ahead of the draft—he started only one full season at Florida, a campaign in which he completed a paltry 53.8 percent of throws—but the hope was he would be able to develop that part of his game enough to complement his incredible athleticism and rushing abilities.

While Richardson did show some promise as a rookie, injuries limited him to four starts. He regressed significantly in Year 2, connecting on an unsightly 47.7 percent of passes and throwing more interceptions (12) than touchdowns (8).

He will likely open 2025 as a backup to Daniel Jones, another quarterback who has largely disappointed after being taken early on Day 1.

Jones' up-and-down tenure with the New York Giants came to an acrimonious end last season. While he caught on with the Minnesota Vikings following his release, the 2019 first-rounder didn't see the field in the Twin Cities. Jones is now set to play for Indy on a one-year, $14 million "prove-it" deal, a rather generous contract given his recent production and injuries.

That agreement proves just how desperate the Colts were for quarterback help. The team knows it can't win with Richardson at the helm and is now pinning its hopes on Jones, a head-scratching move given he's gone 3-13 across his last 16 starts and has more interceptions than touchdowns in that span.

Riley Leonard is possibly the best quarterback on Indianapolis' roster as it stands. The Notre Dame product didn't come off the board until the sixth round, but his production last season, coupled with his upside, could see him climb the depth chart and emerge as a starter later this year.

No. 1: New Orleans Saints

AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

From left: Tyler Shough, Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler

Quarterbacks: Tyler Shough (starter), Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, Hunter Dekkers

The New Orleans Saints had one of the league's weaker quarterback rooms at the onset of the offseason, but this group suffered a crippling blow when incumbent starter Derek Carr blindsided the club with a retirement announcement in early May.

Carr wasn't a star QB in the final years of his career by any means, but he was a serviceable veteran who finished a 27-game stint in the Big Easy with a winning record and tallied far more passing touchdowns (40) than interceptions (13) despite working with a limited supporting cast.

With the four-time Pro Bowler out of the picture, the Saints are facing an uphill battle to contend in their first season under new head coach Kellen Moore.

Fortunately for New Orleans, it did land Tyler Shough on Day 2 of 2025 draft. He is an older prospect with limited upside—he started his collegiate career at Oregon back in 2018—but he is coming off an impressive final season in which he posted a career-best 3,195 passing yards and 23 touchdowns against nine interceptions.

Initially projected to work behind Carr for at least one season, Shough is now likely to be thrust directly into the starting lineup to sink or swim. It's going to be difficult for the rookie to keep his head above water, especially behind a shaky offensive line that ProFootballNetwork.com ranked No. 24 in the league going into the upcoming campaign.

There's little in the way of worthwhile depth behind Shough, so he will likely get plenty of opportunities to go through growing pains and adjust to life in the NFL.

Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener are the depth options, but neither profiles as a serviceable quarterback after they each received opportunities in wake of what became a career-ending shoulder injury for Carr last year.

Rattler failed to win a single one of his six starts and posted a concerning 57.0 completion percentage, while Haener fared even worse in his lone appearance—connecting on just four of his 10 throws and tossing an interception before being yanked for Rattler in Week 15.

While Shough could surprise by having a standout rookie campaign, it’s more likely he’ll struggle in Year 1. Lacking any signal-callers who have proved even a base level of competency at any point in their NFL careers, New Orleans has far and away the worst quarterback room in the league right now.