| The AP tells us that the NFL’s salary cap will soar again in 2025: The NFL’s salary cap will be a record-high $279.2 million in 2025, an increase of $23.8 million. The league informed teams of the new cap figure on Thursday during the NFL Scouting Combine. The salary cap was set at $255.4 million in 2024, up more than $30 million from the previous year. The NFL’s salary cap will have more than doubled since being $123 million in 2009. It was $188.2 million in 2019. It was $34.608 million in 1994, the first year the NFL had a salary cap. Total projected player costs, including benefits, are slotted at $362.48 million. The bump is great news for Cincinnati, which is hoping to sign receiver Tee Higgins to a long-term contract. It also means more money for Minnesota to re-sign quarterback Sam Darnold or Kansas City to bring back guard Trey Smith or Super Bowl champion Philadelphia to keep linebacker Zack Baun. It’s also significant for teams projected to be over the cap when the new league year begins in March: Atlanta, Seattle, Buffalo and Cleveland. It might not be enough to save New Orleans, which is more than $50 million over the projected cap and by far in the worst shape heading into 2025. Teams must be under the cap by 4 p.m. ET on March 12. |
| NFC NORTH |
| MINNESOTAAlec Lewis of The Athletic answers questions about QB SAM DARNOLD: Robert: How do we think the Sam Darnold situation unfolds over the next 20 days? Alec: The Vikings have a ton of needs and they know that paying a quarterback a lot of money eliminates answering a lot of those needs. Especially when you only have four draft picks, which is where they’re at because they’ve traded a lot of draft picks away over time. It’s really hard for me to see a path where they either franchise tag Darnold and keep him on that number, or where they extend him at a pretty high price tag because they have to fix the interior, the offensive line and the defensive line is a focus. Running back is a question. Cornerback is a question. Potentially safety, depending on what happens with Harrison Smith and Camryn Bynum, is a question. With that amount of needs, the lack of draft hits over the last few years and then the lack of draft picks this year, it just leaves them with very little wiggle room in terms of what they pay the quarterback because they’re going to need the cap space everywhere else. Robert: The entire point of letting Kirk Cousins go and maneuvering for J.J. McCarthy was to avoid this exact situation. When people were talking about the Darnold stuff during the season, I entertained the idea because I thought it was a fun conversation. He was playing so well that at a certain point, I was like, ‘Well if they go to the NFC Championship game or the Super Bowl, what are you going to do?’ I do think the way it ended made things a little bit easier, but as a theoretical exercise, I was always in the boat where you stay the course and you keep doing what you were originally planning on doing. And you bet on your infrastructure to make the next version of what Sam Darnold was in 2024. Alec: No question, and that’s where they all were. But just like you externally, and me watching it, I do think the people inside the building were being swayed as Week 12 passed, and Week 13 and 14 passed with Sam Darnold putting up great numbers. There was a stretch of games where his touchdown to interception was 18-to-1, and you’re just watching him chuck the ball downfield, layer anticipatory throws to the sideline and make explosive plays after explosive plays. It was hard even for people inside the building not to start to think about what this could look like for the future. But there’s no question that when they made the decision they did last year with Kirk Cousins — to move on from him — draft J.J. McCarthy and prioritize that draftable class of quarterbacks; it was because they believed very strongly that to win in the NFL, it’s either you have the superhero, or you have the rookie quarterback contract where you can build everywhere else. And I still think they are in that boat. But had the last two games not been what they were, who knows what the conversation would be? It’s crazy how narrative-shifting and league-altering just that sample size can be. Robert: What is preventing them from tagging him and trading him, and not just letting him walk for nothing? I’m going to say nothing because fans will probably say, ‘Well, we can get a compensatory pick for him.’ The whole point of letting him walk is you have $60 million in cap space. There’s a very good chance you’re cancelling out whatever that’s going to be with how you spend in free agency. So the only way to get guaranteed draft capital for him is to tag him and trade him. What is preventing them from doing that? Alec: It would probably be another team’s unwillingness to trade for him. Robert: Calling their bluff… Alec: Right and being like, ‘We know he wants to come to us and he’s going to hit free agency regardless. So why would we part with a fourth-round pick or what have you?’ I’ve also had conversations with people internally where they’re like, ‘Alec, how often are premium players being traded for premium draft capital in this day and age of the NFL?’ You would be able to go through history; I’m thinking Bradley Chubb, maybe Jalen Ramsey and Tyreek Hill. It’s interesting to think about how much of a return these players are generating via draft picks because I don’t think it happens that often in these times in the NFL. |
| NFC SOUTH |
| NEW ORLEANSActually, it wouldn’t be all bad for QB CAM WARD and the Saints if they were to team up. Cody Benjamin of CBSSports.com on their meeting at the Combine: The New Orleans Saints said this week they believe they can win with Derek Carr, which puts the veteran quarterback on track to return for 2025. That doesn’t mean the team won’t try to add another signal-caller in the near future. Kicking off the scouting combine Thursday, the Saints dedicated one of their prospect meetings to Miami quarterback Cam Ward, according to NewOrleans.Football. Speaking with a top prospect isn’t unusual for any team, but Ward is widely expected to come off the board early in the first round of April’s draft. The Saints, meanwhile, aren’t scheduled to pick until No. 9 overall. But they could be in the market for a long-term Carr successor. In fact, prior to endorsing the veteran this week, Carr himself was widely speculated as a cut or trade candidate, as he’s due more than $50 million in 2025. Ward is currently ranked as CBS Sports’ top quarterback prospect in the 2025 class, and No. 8 among all positions. Many have linked the Miami product to quarterback-needy teams picking in the top five, including the Tennessee Titans (No. 1), Cleveland Browns (No. 2) and New York Giants (No. 3). The Las Vegas Raiders are also strong candidates to consider an early quarterback selection, picking No. 6 overall. |
TAMPA BAYWe heard this was coming – and now it’s official – Jon Gruden has been reinstated to the Buccaneers Krewe of Honor Ring of Honor. Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times credits Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin for his role in the reconciliation, although we suspect others laid the groundwork prior to last summer. — Jon Gruden was vacationing in the Great Smoky Mountains on Thursday when he learned that his name was going to be elevated to rare but familiar heights at Raymond James Stadium. The Bucs announced that Gruden, their Super Bowl 37-winning head coach, was returning to the team’s Ring of Honor four years after his name was removed by the club. “I got a chance to get reconnected this (past) season at a game with the Buccaneers,” Gruden told the Tampa Bay Times on Thursday. “Some of my best memories in life were at Raymond James Stadium with the Bucs, and it’s a great feeling and a great honor.” The Bucs released a statement Thursday announcing the decision. “Jon Gruden was initially inducted into the Bucs Ring of Honor based on his many accomplishments during his seven seasons as our head coach and he remains a significant figure in the history of our franchise,” the team said in a statement. ”Upon further reflection, we have decided to reinstate him into the Buccaneers Ring of Honor.” In 2021, the Bucs announced they were removing Gruden from the Ring a day after he resigned as Raiders coach following the release of emails that used racist, homophobic and misogynistic terms. “While we acknowledge Jon Gruden’s contributions on the field, his actions go against our core values as an organization,” a team statement read at the time. “Therefore, he will no longer continue to be a member of the Buccaneers Ring of Honor.” But Gruden and members of the Glazer family were reunited at a celebration of life on July 20 for former Bucs defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin, who died at age 84. At the memorial, Kiffin’s son — Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin — spoke about his father’s ability to forgive and award players and coaches second chances. Apparently that struck a chord with the Glazer family, which invited Gruden and his wife, Cindy, to the Bucs game against San Francisco Nov. 10. The Bucs lost 23-20, but Gruden watched the game from the Glazers’ suite. “My wife is a big Baker Mayfield fan,” Gruden said. “(Bucs general manager) Jason Licht has done a great job putting that team together. Hopefully, they have a chance to win it all one day.” Since leaving the Raiders, Gruden has continued to study the game with his vast library of video in his Fired Football Coaches Association office in Tampa. He started the Gruden Loves Football podcast, which analyzes NFL games and players. He also signed a multi-year deal with Barstool Sports, where he shares his football knowledge and strategies with employees. He also appeared in Barstool’s Rundown segment. “I’m happy for Coach Gru,” said Hall of Famer Ronde Barber, who played for Gruden on the Bucs’ first Super Bowl-winning team. “I’ve been around a lot of great coaches and Jon’s accomplishments speak for themselves on the football field and more importantly in the locker room. “Above all, he is a true Tampa champion. I believe he has the love of the people and we should all be excited about this decision to welcome him back to his place in the ROH.” Once the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl, Gruden is now 61 and has frequently discussed his desire to coach a football team again. He served as a consultant with the Saints in 2023, working with former Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. Gruden said Thursday that he is a big fan of the Bucs offense, which was among the best in the NFL under offensive coordinator Liam Coen last season, averaging 29.5 points per game. ”I wish I could be the offensive coordinator of a team like that,” Gruden said. “I would just hand it to (running back) Bucky Irving. What a great player. I didn’t realize how powerful he is. He’s a little like Napoleon Kaufman, Charlie Gardner and Warrick Dunn all rolled into one. I love the offensive line that they’ve got, and I’ve got a lot of respect for the job they’ve done.” A return to the Ring seemed inevitable after Gruden’s reunion with the Glazers and the team in November. Work crews will be returning his name to RayJay soon. There will be no new ceremony. Gruden said he still is humbled by the honor. “All I can say is that it’s a great honor,” Gruden said. “And I’m very appreciative.” |
| NFC WEST |
| LOS ANGELES RAMSDavid Helman of Fox Sports.com is among those puzzled by how and why the Rams and QB MATTHEW STAFFORD are on the precipice of a divorce: Let’s talk about the strangest standoff I can remember in quite some time covering the league. NFL Scouting Combine week is winding down from a media perspective, which is always an ironic transition. The reporters that flock here to network and glean information typically begin bailing out of town on Thursday and Friday, which is the exact time the on-field workouts that are the reason for the event — on paper, anyway — get started at Lucas Oil Stadium. There’ll be time to worry about the incoming draft class later. Because in the conference rooms, coffee shops and bars of Indianapolis, there’s interest in only one name: Matthew Stafford. The veteran quarterback has become the biggest figure in the NFL this week, as the Rams have granted him permission to speak with other teams about his market and what his services might be worth. That, in turn, has set off a storm of speculation about who might be willing to not just pay Stafford a hefty new contract, but trade serious capital to acquire him from Los Angeles. It’s all very intriguing, as trade speculation tends to be. It’s also downright confusing, because for the life of me I can’t figure out how it makes sense. Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised Stafford has become the first and most impactful domino waiting to fall in this 2025 offseason. He told me himself during Super Bowl week that he had decided to play this upcoming season, and he even acknowledged that he wasn’t certain where he’d suit up. Those are the realities of turning 37 earlier this month and having a 2025 salary cap hit of roughly $49.7 million on the books. Still, as recently as last week, it felt impossible that something wouldn’t get done to keep Stafford in L.A. Starting quarterbacks typically change teams only when their salaries outpace their performance, or when the path toward contention appears bleak. Neither of those describe Stafford, who battled through injury to post his best passer rating in three years and guide a young Rams squad to the playoffs. And, as we all remember, Stafford had the Rams 13 yards from potentially hosting the NFC Championship Game before Jalen Carter delivered the most clutch play of the postseason to keep the eventual champion Eagles’ season alive. So, if the Rams were a play or two away from another legit run at the Super Bowl, is money a good enough reason to chase off their quarterback? Monday, I didn’t think so. Today, I’m not so sure. That’s what happens when you let quarterback-needy teams into the mix, as the Rams have done by opening the door for those conversations. At the time, it felt like sound business strategy to come up with an acceptable number for a new contract. The Ravens did something similar a couple of years ago by tagging Lamar Jackson, allowing other teams to set the parameters for a long-term deal that he ultimately signed in Baltimore. Better to let someone else strike up an offer you can match than bid against yourself. Unless that external offer blows away the expectations, which could very well happen here. The league revealed Thursday that the salary cap has jumped another $24 million (to a record $279.2 million) for the coming season. We’ve written countless words already about how disappointing this draft class of incoming quarterbacks is compared to recent years. In a world where nine quarterbacks are making north of $50 million per year, it makes sense if a desperate team throws the bank at a veteran quarterback capable of leading a Super Bowl run — which is exactly what’s happening, as teams like the Giants and Raiders have expressed “significant interest” in Stafford. If either team is willing to pay a salary that would blow past his current average of $40 million, the Rams might have no choice but to trade him. With all that context in mind, I’m just not sure how we got here. Stafford has delivered everything the Rams could have possibly dreamed of when they acquired him in a blockbuster quarterback swap four years ago. He has won 34 games, thrown 95 touchdowns, reached the playoffs three times and hung a Super Bowl banner for a franchise that desperately needed to find a foothold in a crowded L.A. market. He’s also in the twilight of his career and not in much of a position to start over. Don’t get me wrong, Stafford would make a difference in New York or Las Vegas. It’s very fun to imagine him throwing to Malik Nabers or Brock Bowers, and both teams have a top-10 draft pick they’d (presumably) refuse to part with in any trade. The Raiders and Giants could make themselves competitive with Stafford in a hurry. Is it enough, though? Can the Giants truly remake themselves from the worst team in the NFC to a contender before Stafford’s career winds down? Is Stafford really going to be the reason the Raiders survive the quarterback arms race that is the AFC? Are either of those situations an improvement on Stafford’s current situation, with an ascending Rams team that could be a piece or two away from another championship run? It feels unlikely, especially with the clock ticking on Stafford’s career. And as long as we’re doing a deep dive on this, it’s worth mentioning the legacy aspect of it. Plenty of people think Stafford already has a case for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He doesn’t have the All-Pro or even Pro Bowl nods you’d expect from an enshrinee, but he’s 10th all time in both passing yards and passing touchdowns, and he does have one all-important Super Bowl win. Another strong season or two could see him climb as high as fifth in yards and sixth in touchdowns. Another championship would make him just the 14th quarterback to win multiple Super Bowls. That, combined with his individual numbers, feels like enough to reach the Hall. Making the wrong choice here would have ramifications that last a lot longer than how many yards Stafford throws for in 2025. That applies just as much to the Rams, of course. Not that general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay have ever allowed perception to drive their decision-making, but I just don’t see the path to improvement in the short term without Stafford. The draft is a non-starter this year, between the Rams picking No. 26 overall and the lack of top-end quarterback talent. Free agency isn’t inspiring. It’s hard to imagine the Rams ponying up to pay Sam Darnold if they’re unwilling to do the same for Stafford. After Darnold, the best options available in March are either polarizing (Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, maybe Kirk Cousins) or uninspiring (Justin Fields, Jameis Winston, Mac Jones, Daniel Jones). With choices like that at the top of the board, it makes sense that people are floating 33-year-old Jimmy Garoppolo, Stafford’s backup last year, as a possible bridge quarterback to a new future. My question is, who the hell wants to build a bridge to the future when the current team could be one of the league’s best in 2025? This would all make a lot more sense if the Rams were still paying the price for their aggressive approach toward that Super Bowl LVI championship, but they’re not. They’ve drafted like maniacs the past three years, and their finances are in fine shape. Nobody’s saying the Rams need to push their chips in the way they did several years ago, but this is a team that’s ready to win right now. Stafford’s age is a concern, and he’s battled injuries often during his time in L.A., but he makes the Rams a contender in 2025. That doesn’t feel as true if it’s Garoppolo — or any of the other realistic alternatives — under center instead. Money, as usual, is the main motivator here. Stafford has outplayed his current deal, and his cap numbers are untenable. It makes sense if the Rams don’t want him to reset the quarterback market, but surely there’s a number the two sides can agree on. Stafford knows from experience how it feels to have gaudy career earnings with none of the success to show for it. Snead and McVay know how it feels to desperately need a QB who comes through in the postseason. Both sides had better think long and hard about all that before a trade is made that doesn’t really work for either of them. Meanwhile, Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com is peeved that the NFL has given Tom Brady and others permission to woo Stafford directly – and not just through his agent: Embedded in the question of whether Raiders minority owner Tom Brady hosted Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is the more important question of whether the permission that the Rams gave to Stafford’s agent to speak with other teams included blanket permission for Stafford to meet with other teams. The NFL says it did. “Not getting into when/where/how/if there was a meeting,” chief NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told PFT via email on Thursday morning. “But there’s no issue here as the club gave permission.” The answer from the league on the ultimate issue of tampering has arrived before the Rams responded to the question of whether the team actually gave Stafford permission to be actively recruited via meetings with coaches, executives, or owners of other teams. The message, then, is clear. If you want Stafford, bring him to town. Or go see him. Make your pitch in person. Per the league, it’s fair game. The NFL’s position on the matter still doesn’t answer whether it was a chance encounter or a full-blown sit-down. If it was the latter, there was no problem with it, in the eyes of the league. |
| AFC WEST |
| KANSAS CITYThe Chiefs are franchising one of the five offensive linemen who tried to block the Eagles in the Super Bowl. Jordan Schultz of FoxSports.com: @Schultz_ReportBREAKING: The #Chiefs will be placing the franchise tag on Pro Bowl G Trey Smith, sources tell @NFLonFOX . The goal is still to work out a long-term deal, but for now, the tag ensures he stays in Kansas City. Negotiations will continue. – – -Pat McAfee got a text from TE TRAVIS KELCE: Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce doesn’t seem to be finished yet. On Thursday’s episode of “The Pat McAfee Show,” McAfee read a text regarding Kelce’s status for the 2025 season, which ESPN later confirmed came directly from the future Hall of Famer. “I’m coming back for sure,” Kelce said in the text, according to McAfee. “Going to try to get to the best shape I’ve been this offseason and get back to the mountaintop. Got a real bad taste in my mouth with how I played in that last game and how I got the guys ready for battle. “I can’t go out like that!!!!” |
| AFC NORTH |
| CINCINNATIA red-hot goaltender could force JJ Watt out of retirement. Sean Leahy of YahooSports.com: J.J. Watt thought his response to a request from James Trafford on Dec. 28 was an unrealistic one. The Burnley goalkeeper reached out to the former NFL pass rusher, who is also a minority owner in the club, with a simple ask: Would you come out of retirement to play for my beloved Cincinnati Bengals? Watt, 35, retired in 2023 after a 12-year NFL career with the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals that saw him win NFL Defensive Player of the Year three times. Not thinking about playing again, Watt told Trafford he would do it only if the goalkeeper did not allow a goal for the rest of the season. The next day, Trafford stopped three shots during a 0-0 draw with Middlesbrough. The clean sheets kept coming, but the promise nearly fell apart during a goalless draw with Sunderland in January when Trafford stopped two penalty kicks. That performance not only kept Burnley from dropping a point, but also kept the promise alive, which Watt acknowledged on social media by posting Trafford’s request from December. Following Burnley’s 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday last Friday, Trafford has now posted 12 consecutive league clean sheets — 11 since his conversation with Watt, who spent time last week looking at Cincinnati real estate. The last time Trafford allowed a goal was Dec. 21 during a 2-1 win over Watford. “I’ll do it,” Watt told Dan Patrick this week. “If he does it, it’s insane enough that I will absolutely follow through. I’ll go out there. Who knows if [the Bengals] will even want me. I don’t even know, I haven’t talked to them. But I’m in shape. I’ll go play.” Watt added that he never filed retirement paper with the NFL, so he’s unsure about the coming-out-of-retirement process should Trafford continue his shutout streak. (Watt did say in May that he told Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans if he ever needed help, to call him.) Let the record show that Trafford’s love of the Bengals came while growing up on a farm in Greysouthen in the rural northwest of England, well north of Liverpool in Cumbria. Burnley has allowed only 9 goals all year (most other teams are in the 40s), but only sit 3rd in hoping to be promoted out of the English League Championship. |
| THIS AND THAT |
| QB DRAFT MARKETErik Edholm of NFL.com ranks the six teams most likely to draft a QB early this year: The free-agent quarterback class features Sam Darnold and few other starting options. Some bigger-name veterans could come available, but they have their own question marks. And this year’s prospect crop at the position isn’t nearly as revered as last year’s group, which ultimately produced six of the first 12 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. But teams that don’t have quarterbacks must find them — and it’s a safe bet that some will look to do so early in the 2025 draft. Over the past 10 drafts, 35 quarterbacks have gone in the first round, an average of 3.5 per year. This year’s event could fall shy of that mark, with two quarterbacks — Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders — seemingly separating themselves from the rest of the pack. But there’s also the chance that a talented prospect, such as Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart, rises late in the process and sneaks into the back end of Round 1. At this moment, plenty of teams are at least candidates to draft a quarterback in the first 32 picks. Some of these squads will drop off the list with veteran-QB acquisitions in the coming months, but it’s a game of musical chairs, and a few of them will be left without proper seating prior to April 24, when the first round kicks off in Green Bay, Wisconsin. With that in mind, here are the franchises most likely to take a quarterback in Round 1. 1 Cleveland BrownsFirst-round pick: No. 2 overallEven with a team selecting above them and no guarantee their top choice will be there at No. 2, the Browns seem like the organization with the best chance right now to draft a quarterback in Round 1. Their financial situation is such that trying to secure a veteran QB with a starter-level salary feels difficult without major reconstruction. Remember: Deshaun Watson, who could miss the entire 2025 season following a major setback in his Achilles rehab, carries a $72 million cap hit. One way or another, Cleveland’s going to add at least two new QBs — and the draft can help. Last year’s No. 2 overall pick, Jayden Daniels, signed a four-year deal worth $37.75 million fully guaranteed, with a Year 1 salary-cap hit of just under $6.9 million. So, you figure this year’s No. 2 overall pick will hit the cap at a little more than $7 million in 2025, which might be about all the Browns could realistically afford for a starting-caliber QB. If either Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward slides a bit and the Browns can land one of them lower than the second pick, all the better. They have the draft capital to pull off something like that, and that’s before any final decisions have been made on the fate of Myles Garrett. Should the point arrive where the Browns decide they have to auction off Garrett to the highest bidder, such a move will net more picks and likely signal a rebuild. And that would, presumably, make a rookie QB even more likely. 2 Las Vegas RaidersFirst-round pick: No. 6 overallArmed with nearly $100 million in cap space, the Raiders could look vastly different come draft time. Only the Patriots have more money to spend this offseason, per Over The Cap. It will be surprising if new GM John Spytek doesn’t take aggressive measures to upgrade the roster in free agency. Las Vegas also has all of its original draft picks, including No. 6 overall, plus a third-round pick acquired from the Jets in the Davante Adams deal. The team is projected to receive two compensatory picks, as well. There are roster holes in the trenches and in the secondary, and the Raiders must add more offensive firepower. But the need at quarterback looms largest. Including restricted free agent Desmond Ridder, Las Vegas currently has three QBs with 17-plus NFL starts, but do Pete Carroll and the new staff love any of them? It’s not hard to connect the quarterback dots through the draft here. The Raiders have the means to move up from No. 6 if the opportunity presents itself. They could even take a non-QB up high and then swing into the back end of Round 1 if they deem a remaining quarterback is worth selecting there. (Maybe a sliding Shedeur Sanders? Jaxson Dart?) Some have made the connection between new Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and his quarterback at Ohio State last season, Will Howard, but Howard doesn’t appear to be a Round 1 candidate yet. So, it’s entirely possible Las Vegas uses non-first-round means to address the position. After all, didn’t Carroll hand the keys over to third-round rookie Russell Wilson once? That decision turned out pretty well. But I view this situation a little differently, as Carroll was in Year 3 of the Seattle rebuild when Russ came aboard. Unless Vegas makes a major veteran-QB acquisition this offseason, using a first-round pick on a passer feels like it’s absolutely in play. 3 Tennessee TitansFirst-round pick: No. 1 overallThe team holding the top pick always has to be viewed as a serious contender to draft a quarterback. Eight of the past 10 No. 1 overall selections have been QBs, and the Titans labored through 28 turnovers from Will Levis and Mason Rudolph last season. At the very least, they must provide some serious competition for Levis in 2025. Few view this team as a one-year turnaround right now, although the Commanders provided a blueprint of how to remake a roster and thrive immediately behind the brilliance of Jayden Daniels and a cast of hungry role players. The Titans have the requisite salary-cap space to attack a lot of needs prior to the draft. But do they have to take a QB at No. 1? Absolutely not. And is there one who can have a Daniels-like impact in Year 1? There’s a high, high level of doubt about that. If new GM Mike Borgonzi isn’t convinced that Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders is worth the top pick, there’s no reason to force it. First-time general managers will always be remembered for their first pick, and Tennessee would hate to have to consider replacing a QB in two or three years if it’s not working out. Two blue-chip prospects — edge Abdul Carter and WR/CB Travis Hunter — could fill needs in Nashville beyond the QB position. 4 New York GiantsFirst-round pick: No. 3 overallThere’s a sense of urgency for head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen after another rough season for this proud organization. The Giants have gone 9-25 over the last two years, watching the Commanders completely change the trajectory of their franchise and the Eagles hoist the Lombardi Trophy — with Saquon Barkley — this past season. This Big Blue regime needs to win more games in 2025, or else … Sitting at No. 3 overall in the draft, the Giants seemingly are in the catbird seat to take a quarterback if Ward and Sanders don’t go 1-2. But it won’t shock me if the G-Men figure out their starting signal-caller before April. It would be a different story if this were last year’s draft (when the Giants inquired about moving up for Drake Maye), as that was a much deeper, richer well of QB talent. Ward and Sanders might end up as fine NFL quarterbacks one day, and I hope they do, but NFL talent evaluators roundly believe last year’s QB crop was much stronger than what the 2025 draft offers. These Giants scream “veteran quarterback” to me — even if they end up drafting one this year at some point — and there already has been chatter about the Rams’ Matthew Stafford potentially being in play. The veteran options are limited, and there are potential drawbacks with all of them. But entrusting a rookie passer with leading the Giants back to competitiveness in Year 1 feels like a stretch to me. If the Giants strike out on landing an unquestioned veteran starter, their likelihood of drafting a quarterback in Round 1 will rise significantly. But I think going the free-agent/trade route is Plan A right now. 5 New York JetsFirst-round pick: No. 7 overallNo one knows quite what to expect from newlyweds Aaron Glenn and Darren Mougey, but the Jets have a lot of work to do. Aaron Rodgers is expected to be released soon, and many of his consorts likely will follow. This will leave the Jets with only Tyrod Taylor and 2024 fifth-rounder Jordan Travis under contract at quarterback. In spite of New York’s willingness to run it back with Rodgers last year, it became obvious early on that the roster was not playoff-caliber — and it likely will be even less so if the Jets trim even more fat than just Rodgers and his buds. There are some building blocks in house, no doubt, but they need a lot more to fill in the foundation. Drafting a quarterback is entirely possible, but at the same time, this isn’t a team that’s a quarterback away from hitting the Super Bowl next season. Mougey also came from Denver, where the Broncos were able to land Bo Nix at No. 12 in spite of five teams drafting quarterbacks ahead of them. This year’s QB crop isn’t as gilded as last year’s, but there’s a similar draft-order setup, with multiple QB-needy teams picking before the Jets. If one of the top two QB prospects slips to No. 7, the Jets might have to jump on him. This isn’t a great year to be picking in the top 10, with very few true blue-chip prospects at any position. New York also could investigate moving up into the back end of the first round for a QB. The Jets aren’t exactly teeming with 2025 draft capital but could attempt to jump up from their second-round slot. 6 New Orleans SaintsFirst-round pick: No. 9 overallKellen Moore had nice things to say about Derek Carr in his introductory press conference, but the Saints’ new head coach stopped shy of stamping the incumbent quarterback as the team’s Week 1 starter. This week, however, GM Mickey Loomis said he’s excited about Carr returning to the team for 2025. Carr missed seven games due to injuries last season, but he still has starting ability heading into his age-34 season. The problem is the Saints’ accounting. They’re currently more than $40 million in the red for 2025, according to Over The Cap, and will need to clear major cap space to be in compliance by the start of the league year. Carr has cap hits of $51 million and $61 million, respectively, over the next two years — by far the biggest numbers on New Orleans’ books. That said, Carr has no interest in taking a pay cut. But with the Saints likely to retain him – with Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener behind him on the QB depth chart — restructuring Carr might be the most likely scenario, lowering his base salary and converting the difference into a signing bonus, which could be spread out over five years. That might create a problem for another day, but the Saints don’t have many great options. If they do surprise and draft a first-round quarterback, it will be the first time the franchise goes that route (outside the supplemental draft) since Archie Manning went second overall in 1971. Possible, but unlikely Pittsburgh SteelersFirst-round pick: No. 21 overallPittsburgh’s on the list because it’s unclear how the team will find a starting quarterback for 2025. Running it back with Russell Wilson or Justin Fields is possible, but the Steelers appear to be considering all of their options thoroughly before the league year starts. The failed Kenny Pickett experiment might give general manager Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin some trepidation when it comes to the possibility of handing the team over to a rookie quarterback again — and it might take one of the top two prospects tumbling within range of the Steelers’ 21st overall pick to even consider such a move. Even with Pittsburgh using a lot of recent draft picks to bolster the offensive line, there’s a dearth of weapons for a rookie QB to throw to. I could see the Steelers drafting a quarterback this year — at some point — or moving closer to the top of the 2026 rendition of this story. But by the time the 2025 draft rolls around, I believe they will have secured a veteran capable of starting in Week 1. That would lower the chances, in my opinion, of them taking a QB in Round 1 this year. Seattle SeahawksFirst-round pick: No. 18 overallAll signs currently point to Geno Smith remaining the Seahawks’ QB1, even though his 15 interceptions were an issue last season. Seattle’s change at offensive coordinator (Smith’s third in three years) suggests the blame is not all on the quarterback. Regardless of who’s under center, the ‘Hawks need to continue adding talent to the offensive line. Geno turns 35 in October, however, and he’s entering the final year of his deal. Sam Howell can’t yet be considered his sure-fire replacement, so the long-term need is there. But when the question turns to how likely a first-round QB might be, the chances feel low. Since the Seahawks took Russell Wilson in 2012, GM John Schneider has drafted only one quarterback: 2018 seventh-rounder Alex McGough. It would make sense to add another young talent to the QB mix, but doing so with the 18th overall pick doesn’t quite jibe with me right now. Los Angeles RamsFirst-round pick: No. 26 overallIf the Rams ultimately move Matthew Stafford, it’s a different situation. Los Angeles recently granted the veteran quarterback’s camp permission to talk to other teams about his market value, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s done with the franchise, as Sean McVay has expressed his desire for Stafford to return for 2025. In a year where few starting-grade veteran quarterbacks appear available, though, Stafford could be at the top of some teams’ wish lists, potentially fueling a solid return for the Rams. But even as unpredictable as GM Les Snead can be, it’s hard to imagine the Rams pulling the trigger on a quarterback at No. 26 — or moving up for one. If Stafford ends up elsewhere, I could see the Rams bringing back Jimmy Garoppolo and letting him battle with Stetson Bennett and a non-Round 1 rookie. |
