About USA TODAY Sports’ 30 Days to the NFL draft series, which started March 25: Every five days, we will focus on a unique aspect of the 2025 draft, which occurs April 24-26.
Quarterbacks, given the inherent nature of their highest-of-profiles position, inevitably dominate the lead-up ahead of any given NFL draft. This year has been no different, Cam Ward – most recently of the University of Miami – almost universally expected to be taken first overall by the Titans in two weeks. But he’ll hardly dominate the headlines.
Wherever the University of Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, son of Hall of Famer and Buffs coach Deion Sanders, goes – and that could basically be anywhere in Round 1 – may wind up being the 2025 draft’s preeminent storyline. Yet plenty of other passers will be plucked – and not only by teams in search of a franchise face.
“I think it’s so important that you win for today and develop for tomorrow,” former NFL general manager Mike Tannenbaum told USA TODAY Sports.
“(G)o back and do an autopsy of what they did in Green Bay,” he added, citing Hall of Fame GM Ron Wolf, who famously traded for Brett Favre in 1992 yet constantly brought other promising passers through Titletown. “Every year they were adding guys behind Favre and then, ultimately, Aaron Rodgers.
“It’s so important to try and have cost certainty at the position.”
Clubs that have young stars in the QB1 role have that, if only temporarily – and so do those with established stars, even if such cost certainty means something else entirely. Yet the common denominator is that coaches and GMs always desire more than one passer – at least – whom they can count on, regardless of age, salary and experience.
How badly does each organization require help behind center? Here’s a ranking of NFL teams’ needs at QB, ranked least to most – and within tiers – ahead of the 2025 NFL draft:
Very low priority
32. Washington Commanders
They’ve essentially got the ideal quarterback room. Is reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels, 24, the best one in the league? Maybe not … quite yet. But you’re certainly not going to find a better one going into the second year of his contract. Fellow former Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, 31, returns as the backup, and his skill set wouldn’t force Washington to drastically alter its offense if Daniels is forced from the lineup. Finally, after an accomplished college career of his own, Sam Hartman, 25, can continue to develop on the practice squad and could eventually become, at least, a high-end QB2.
31. Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes will turn 30 in September, but he’s hardly slipping … even if his dynastic organization fell and couldn’t quite get up during its most recent Super Bowl appearance. Still, with Gardner Minshew II the latest veteran to rotate into the understudy role – with fellow twentysomethings Bailey Zappe and Chris Oladokun behind him – little reason for a franchise with several other gaps to plug to invest further behind center in 2025.
30. Chicago Bears
They’re very much counting on Caleb Williams, 23, the top pick of last year’s draft, to come much closer to maximizing his estimable ability in Year 2 after continuing to improve the coaching staff and roster around him during the offseason. One way GM Ryan Poles has done that is by signing longtime NFL backup Case Keenum, 37, to be the old head in the QB room. Last year, Williams too often didn’t have that kind of a grizzled resource, backed up by fellow youngsters Tyson Bagent, 24 – he also seems to have a promising future – and Austin Reed, 25. This now projects as a complete set.
29. Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud’s sophomore campaign wasn’t nearly as good as his NFL debut in 2023, when he was the Offensive Rookie of the Year himself. Still, this franchise is in a plum position from ability and contractual perspectives, Stroud, 23, leading it to consecutive AFC South crowns and still a year away from even discussing the possibility of an extension. Solid Davis Mills, 26, is back for at least one more year as the backup, while Kedon Slovis currently holds the QB3 spot.
28. Denver Broncos
Bo Nix, 25, finished third in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting (behind Daniels and Raiders TE Brock Bowers) in a very competitive year and emerged as the passer HC Sean Payton had hoped to marry to his playbook. Jarrett Stidham, 28, remains behind Nix and has produced some decent film in recent years after mopping up behind Derek Carr and Russell Wilson in Las Vegas and Denver, respectively. The same can’t be said of Sam Ehlinger, who doesn’t have nearly the upside – or NFL experience – of departed QB3 Zach Wilson.
27. Los Angeles Chargers
Aside from the fact that Justin Herbert, 27, is on his second contract – nothing wrong with having your guy, and his $52.5 million per year deal is already trending into bargain territory – this is a pretty enviable set-up … assuming Herbert develops into a consistent playoff winner under HC Jim Harbaugh’s tutelage. Behind Herbert, veteran Taylor Heinicke, 32, has 29 fairly solid NFL starts. And while recently signed Trey Lance, 24, the No. 3 overall pick in 2021, didn’t stick in San Francisco or Dallas, it could be interesting to see how his stock evolves under the watch of Harbaugh, a Pro Bowl passer himself during his playing days.
26. Dallas Cowboys
After he missed half of last season with a major hamstring injury, they’re banking on Dak Prescott, 31, to return to his MVP-caliber form from 2023 after making him the highest-paid passer in the league last year at $60 million annually. But the depth chart behind him gets interesting. After allowing reliable understudy Cooper Rush to go to Baltimore, the Cowboys swung a trade with New England for Joe Milton III, a sixth-round pick a year ago whose substantial physical gifts were on full display in a Week 18 win over Buffalo, when he passed for 241 yards and a TD while running for another score. Despite spending six years in college, Milton, 25, isn’t going to challenge Prescott any time soon even if he gets onto the field in specific situations. It would likely be a win for the Cowboys if he proves ready to take the primary backup job from Will Grier, 30, who hasn’t taken a regular-season snap since 2019.
25. Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen, 28, is the reigning league MVP and just signed a six-year extension that averages $55 million per season – which already looks like something of a bargain and should only provide Buffalo better roster flexibility in the future. Say what you will about QB2 Mitch Trubisky, 30, but he is seasoned and a former Pro Bowler. He’s also got one year left on his deal, so the Bills may have to decide if Mike White, Shane Buechele or someone else is a longer-term insurance plan behind Allen.
24. San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy, 25, “Mr. Irrelevant,” circa 2022, is about to enjoy a very relevant payday – whether in the coming days, weeks or months. He’ll be backed up this season (and maybe next) by recently signed 2021 first-rounder Mac Jones, 26, who will be hoping to fully rehab his career with HC Kyle Shanahan in Silicon Valley the way Sam Darnold did in 2023. Jones was passable while starting seven times for the Jags in 2024. Tanner Mordecai, who spent last season on the practice squad, is also in the mix. But the Bay could be a soft landing for someone like Texas’ Quinn Ewers or Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard.
23. Philadelphia Eagles
Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts will turn 27 before Week 1. Perhaps he’s not the perfect pro quarterback, but he may be the perfect one for the defending champions. Recently acquired Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s skill set is loosely similar to Hurts, meaning DTR, 25, might enable better offensive continuity if he must play. However, he wasn’t great during five spot starts with Cleveland since 2023. Meanwhile, Tanner McKee, 24, was absolutely great in his starting debut last season … albeit against the lowly Giants in Week 18.
22. Detroit Lions
Jared Goff, 30, enters his four-year contract extension this season coming off his best NFL campaign (37 TD passes, 111.8 QB rating). Kyle Allen, 29, takes over for Teddy Bridgewater as the vet backup, which makes it worth wondering how ready Hendon Hooker is to solidify his roster spot. Now 27, Hooker has taken just 33 regular-season snaps (9 pass attempts) since being drafted in 2023. Jake Fromm rounds out the group.
Depth deliberation?
21. Atlanta Falcons
This team obviously hopes Michael Penix Jr., 24, whom it surprisingly selected eighth overall a year ago, continues to settle into the QB1 role he wasn’t expected to assume this quickly. Kirk Cousins, 36, who banked $90 million when he signed here in 2024 hopes to settle into a QB1 role … elsewhere after losing the spot in Week 16 last season. However, the Falcons are perfectly content to keep him as the league’s highest-paid – and maybe best – backup if they and Cousins don’t wind up finding a trade that makes sense for all parties. Even if he’s moved, seems more likely that GM Terry Fontenot would sign another veteran than draft a potential replacement for Cousins. Regardless of what happens, Atlanta might need a better third option than Emory Jones, who split last year between the Falcons and Ravens.
20. Baltimore Ravens
Perhaps the most impressive thing about two-time (and should be three-time) league MVP Lamar Jackson, 28, is that he consistently continues to improve, no ceiling in sight. The odd thing about Baltimore’s contingency plan is that Rush, 31 – good as he’s been as an NFL reliever – and Devin Leary, 25, are such drastically dissimilar players to Jackson.
19. Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray, 27, is three years removed from his most recent Pro Bowl nod, but he and his team could be on the verge of blossoming anew in 2025. Clayton Tune, 26, could one day be the trusted backup that 32-year-old Jacoby Brissett currently is, but Tune has yet to prove as much in his brief NFL auditions.
18. New England Patriots
After drafting promising Drake Maye, 22, third overall last year and signing nomadic QB2 Joshua Dobbs, 30, to a two-year deal last month, they seemed to have a combo close to the Chargers’ … until they traded Milton to Dallas – at the behest of first-year HC Mike Vrabel, per MassLive.com. The Patriots are going to need another arm, but if Milton was a risk to poison the well, offloading him for a fifth-rounder now – despite his obvious potential – was the right call.
17. Minnesota Vikings
After allowing Darnold to depart on the heels of a Pro Bowl breakout – then spending aggressively on other positions during free agency – they’ve effectively turned the operation over to 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy, 22, who missed his rookie season after suffering a preseason knee injury. HC Kevin O’Connell and GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah are obviously high on McCarthy but will need to enlist another signal-caller – whether in the draft or off the street – given journeyman Brett Rypien, 28, is presently the only other passer under contract.
16. Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young, 23, the No. 1 overall pick two years ago, seemed to finally turn the corner midway through last season – after making the most of a five-week benching, which gave him the opportunity to step back and watch three-time Pro Bowler Andy Dalton, 37, preparing to play before making those starts. Dalton has comfortably transitioned into the wizened graybeard phase of his career and is signed for the next two seasons. Undrafted Jack Plummer spent most of last season on the practice squad.
15. Green Bay Packers
They seem to be in very good hands with Jordan Love, 26, who’s posted two solid seasons as the leader of the Pack – even if they were a more formidable playoff threat in 2023. Behind him, Malik Willis, 25, did more in one season with Green Bay than he did in two with the Titans – winning both of his starts while Love was injured. Problem is, neither he nor unproven QB3 Sean Clifford is under contract for 2026.
14. Jacksonville Jaguars
For better or worse – sometimes both – Trevor Lawrence, 25, is locked up for the next six seasons. For better or worse – sometimes both – Nick Mullens, 30, is the new backup. Journeyman John Wolford may or may not make the opening day roster.
13. Miami Dolphins
This offense can operate at a fairly scary level … when Tua Tagovailoa, 27, is available to run it. Naturally, that’s the rub, Tagovailoa playing a full season only once since entering the NFL in 2020. As he recovered from his latest concussion in 2024, the Dolphins went 2-4 without him – a stretch that scuttled their playoff ambitions. The Fins are banking on Zach Wilson, the No. 2 pick (by the Jets) of the 2021 draft, as their primary insurance policy in 2025 but don’t yet have another arm on the roster. Seems like quite the hedge for HC Mike McDaniel in a year where he probably won’t have nearly as much margin for errors – which Wilson is infamous for.
12. Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow, 28, seems like a future MVP – and may have to be the 2025 MVP if this team is to excel as currently constructed. Jake Browning, who’s eight months older than Burrow, was spectacular in 2023 while starting seven times after Burrow went down with a season-ending wrist injury. But Browning, the only other quarterback on Cincy’s roster, isn’t signed beyond 2025 and could seek an opportunity to play more extensively somewhere else in the future.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Despite the Bucs’ steady churn of offensive coordinators, Baker Mayfield, who will be 30 going into the 2025 season, has been one of the league’s most productive passers the past two seasons – though it’s worth noting he’s got just two years left on his team-friendly contract, which averages $33 million annually. There isn’t a proven backstop behind him, though, Kyle Trask, 27, a second-round pick in 2021, and Michael Pratt, 23, with no meaningful regular-season experience.
10. Indianapolis Colts
With Anthony Richardson, 22, the fourth overall pick two years ago, and Daniel Jones, 27, the No. 6 pick (by the Giants) six years ago, set to duke it out for the starting job, adding someone else to an already volatile mix probably doesn’t make sense … unless there’s a compelling reason at spot 14 or 45. But given Jason Bean is the only other quarterback on the roster – and he’s cross-listed at receiver – GM Chris Ballard could more logically take a swing in the later rounds.
If the right circumstances arise
9. Seattle Seahawks
Yes, they just signed Darnold, 27, to a three-year pact worth more than $100 million. And yet, from a fiscal standpoint, the ‘Hawks could easily dump him next year if he regresses to the disappointing form he exhibited earlier in his itinerant career. And a player like Sanders, if he slides on Day 1 of the draft, could be enticing given GM John Schneider now owns five of the first 92 selections following the trades of QB Geno Smith and WR DK Metcalf. Backups Sam Howell and Jaren Hall aren’t signed beyond this season.
8. Las Vegas Raiders
They just extended newly acquired Smith through the 2027 season. Still, he will turn 35 during the upcoming campaign. His arrival also seems to signal that the new regime views Aidan O’Connell more as a reliable backup than future starter. Carter Bradley spent most of his rookie season on the practice squad. Taking a young quarterback at No. 6 seems fairly out of the question, but the Silver and Black might have to consider players like Tyler Shough or Kyle McCord on Day 2 of the draft.
7. New York Jets
No telling what a franchise with another new regime might do, especially if a compelling prospect is sitting there at No. 7 or 42. But the logical move – not always what happens in Florham Park, N.J. – would be to allow newly signed Justin Fields, 26, to sink or swim in 2025 while the roster around him is rebuilt or reloaded, depending on one’s perspective. And given capable backup Tyrod Taylor, 35, remains on board – ahead of intriguing youngsters Jordan Travis and Adrian Martinez (the UFL MVP in 2024) – little reason for this team to reach further right now.
6. Los Angeles Rams
They have an old starter in Matthew Stafford (37), who’s basically in the year-to-year phase of his sterling career, and an old backup in Jimmy Garoppolo (33), who has limitations on his best days. Former University of Georgia star Stetson Bennett, 27, missed most of his 2023 rookie season while dealing with his mental health and has yet to play a down in the regular season. It would be something of a surprise if HC Sean McVay and GM Les Snead traded up in Round 1, yet they could also be tempted if a player like Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart was in the neighborhood of No. 26.
5. New Orleans Saints
With no guaranteed money in 2026, when his base salary explodes to $40 million, Carr, 34, might have already seen his final Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Drafting a successor at No. 9 would probably be rich – Sanders notwithstanding – but picking one at No. 40 (or moving up from there) could make a lot more sense if Dart or Shough or Jalen Milroe is in more appetizing striking range for rookie HC Kellen Moore, whose offense has operated with passers of varying skill sets. Yet that’s also a reason he might not need to take a year to assess the fellas currently behind Carr (Ben DiNucci, Jake Haener and Spencer Rattler, a rookie in 2024).
High priority
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. New York Giants
They possess the third and 34th overall picks, and it’s difficult to imagine one of them wouldn’t be devoted to a young passer who might also buy embattled GM Joe Schoen and HC Brian Daboll more time. Yet stuck to their very warm professional seats, it will be fascinating to see if this duo opts for a prospect like Sanders at No. 3 – assuming he’s there – or goes for a premium player who can help this squad win now while hoping Dart or someone else can be snared with a subsequent maneuver. Veterans Russell Wilson, 36, and Jameis Winston, 31, seem like stopgaps at best with Tommy DeVito, 26, remaining in the bullpen heading into his third season.
2. Tennessee Titans
Do they have to pick a passer two years after opting for talented but enigmatic Will Levis, 25, atop the second round? No. Will they given their possession of the draft’s top pick and the roster’s current fallbacks being vagabonds Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle, who are both north of 30 and have only earned a combined 15 NFL starts (13 of those losses)? Tough to imagine a reasonable scenario where Ward doesn’t head from Coral Gables to Nashville.
1. Cleveland Browns
Simply fascinating. Recently obtained Kenny Pickett, 26, is the only passer on the depth chart who currently has a football heartbeat – and the 2022 first-rounder is already on his third NFL roster after underwhelming to this point of his career. And if Deshaun Watson’s multiple Achilles injuries in recent months practically ended his career with this team – and maybe permanently – then owner Jimmy Haslam’s recent comments about him effectively did. Yet GM Andrew Berry, who holds the second pick of the first round and the first selection of Round 2, has an even more pronounced dilemma than the Giants given the entire board – with the presumed exception of Ward – will be open to Cleveland. Even if they swing a trade for Cousins, the Browns are virtually obligated to pick a passer early – it’s just a matter of when and whom.
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