NFL Analysis
3/13/25
9 min read
2025 NFL Free Agency: Ranking the Most Impactful QB Moves So Far
The quarterback movement around the NFL is always of peak interest for the game’s most important position. In early free agency, there have been many quarterback signings, with a few more major dominoes to fall soon.
It’s not necessarily a stellar free agent class of quarterbacks, but with a 2025 draft class that falls short of last year's, many teams are looking to free agency and the trade market to fill quarterback needs or seek to lock up their established starters for the long term.
Stay tuned as there are more major moves to come involving veteran quarterbacks, including Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, and quite possibly Kirk Cousins. In the meantime, here’s my ranking of the most impactful recent quarterback moves.
Ranking Free Agency Quarterback Moves
6. Justin Fields signed by New York Jets
The Jets are moving on from Aaron Rodgers with a relatively low-cost signing of Justin Fields for two years and $40 million with $30 million guaranteed. New Jets coach Aaron Glenn knows Fields' capabilities as a dual-threat QB (including 1,143 rushing yards in 2022) from facing him often as Detroit Lions defensive coordinator when Fields was the Chicago Bears starting QB after being drafted 11th overall in 2021.
The 26-year-old Fields went 4-2 as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ starter last season and had a respectable 93.3 passer rating with only one interception and 289 rushing yards (five touchdowns) before Russell Wilson returned from his calf injury.
Fields is reuniting with his Ohio State teammate Garrett Wilson, the Jets’ top receiver. He also has a fine running back in Breece Hall, but as was the case for Fields in Chicago, the offensive line is a question mark after the quick-release Rodgers was sacked 40 times last season.
The Jets have the seventh pick in the first round and the 10th pick in the second round of the upcoming draft, so considering their limited commitment to Fields, they could take a quarterback with one of those picks to compete for Fields.
5. MVP Josh Allen extended by Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen just produced an MVP season in which he led Buffalo to a fifth straight AFC East title and the AFC Championship game (which ended in a fourth postseason loss for Allen to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs).
The Bills have now extended the 28-year-old Allen—their first-round pick in 2018 and a three-time Pro Bowler-- for six more years and $330 million with $250 million guaranteed, the most ever for an NFL player. He was previously under contract through 2028 for $43 million per year under his deal signed in 2021.
His new deal with the $55 million per year average ties him for the league’s second-highest average quarterback salary behind only Dak Prescott’s $60 million per year.
Allen will continue the quest to reach his first Super Bowl and says he didn’t want to significantly impact the Bills salary cap in the process of signing this extension.
4. Daniel Jones signed By Indianapolis Colts
Daniel Jones parlayed a fine 2022 season that included 22 combined touchdowns, a 92.5 passer rating, 708 rushing yards, and a road playoff win in Minnesota into a $40 million per year contract with the New York Giants, who had drafted him sixth overall in 2019.
Jones’ 2023 and 2024 seasons were injury-filled and lacking in production as he played behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines. He was released by the Giants last year in mid-season and spent time on the Vikings practice squad before being the No. 3 quarterback in the playoff loss to the Rams.
When Sam Darnold left Minnesota for Seattle in free agency, the Vikings wanted to re-sign Jones on a short-term bridge deal—similar to Darnold last season—as they have 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy returning from a season on injured reserve (meniscus surgery).
The Indianapolis Colts offered Jones an opportunity to compete for the starting job with 2023 first-rounder Anthony Richardson, who has dealt with injuries and inconsistency in his first two seasons.
Sensing the Vikings were firmly committed to McCarthy and likely with a stronger offer in Indy, Jones chose to take the Colts one-year, $14 million deal ($13.15 million guaranteed) with incentives that can bring his pay to $17.7 million and potentially set him up for a big payday in 2026 as was the case for Darnold with his Seattle deal this year.
3. Geno Smith traded to Las Vegas Raiders
In a mildly surprising move, the Seahawks traded their two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, Geno Smith, to the Raiders for a third-round pick. The team had been negotiating an extension of Smith’s three-year, $75 million contract signed in 2023 but couldn’t reach an agreement. Seattle opted to make the trade when the Raiders expressed interest. Seattle has since signed Darnold to a three-year, $100.5 million deal.
The 34-year-old Smith revived his career in Seattle under new Raiders coach Pete Carroll after a lackluster first four years as a second-round Jets pick, followed by backup stints with the Giants, Chargers, and Seahawks before taking over for Russell Wilson. He was selected NFL Comeback Player of the Year when he surprisingly led the Seahawks to the playoffs in 2022 as he had a league-best 70 percent completion rate and threw a career-high 30 TD passes.
Smith led the Seahawks to a 10-7 record last season, but the team missed the playoffs. He passed for a team record of 4,320 yards with 21 touchdowns last season, but he threw 15 interceptions and was sacked 50 times, which are both third-most in the league.
The Raiders are taking on Smith’s $31 million salary in his final season under contract while Smith is still seeking an extension exceeding $40 million per year. The Raiders have the sixth overall pick in the upcoming draft and could pick a quarterback while not committing long-term to Smith, who would then be viewed as a bridge quarterback.
2. Sam Darnold signs with Seahawks
Sam Darnold was one of the NFL’s biggest bargains last season on his one-year, $10 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings after being a bust with the New York Jets as the third overall pick in 2018 before playing with limited success in Carolina and San Francisco.
Under the guidance of coach Kevin O’Connell and with one of the league’s best skill position supporting casts led by all-pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Darnold produced a Pro Bowl season with a career-best 14 wins, 4,319 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and a 102.5 rating (sixth-ranked).
It ended poorly for Darnold in season-ending losses at Detroit with the top NFC seed on the line in a game where Darnold looked rattled and missed numerous open receivers, followed by the playoff loss to the Rams when he was sacked nine times and turned it over twice, including a strip sack TD.
Once the Vikings predictably did not place the $40 million franchise tag on Darnold (with 2024 first-rounder J.J. McCarthy ready to take the reins), it was apparent Darnold would get a better offer than another one-year bridge deal the Vikings were likely seeking with him. That turned into reality with Seattle signing him for three years and $100.5 million including $55 million guaranteed.
The Seahawks take on the risk of Darnold not playing at his Minnesota level when he reached 14-2 prior to the last two games. He’ll have a lesser supporting cast on offense, especially after trading Pro Bowl WR DK Metcalf and releasing long-time starting WR Tyler Lockett, along with Seattle having a shaky offensive line last season (54 sacks allowed, third-most), which was a problem late last season for Darnold in Minnesota.
Darnold is on about the same level as Geno Smith, and Seattle gains the benefit of the third-round pick obtained from the Raiders in the Smith trade. Seattle can draft a quarterback for the future, with Darnold signed for only three years. Darnold also has the familiarity of being the backup quarterback in San Francisco in 2023 when new Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak was the 49ers OC.
1. Matthew Stafford stays with Rams on restructured deal
Matthew Stafford entered 2025 with only $4 million guaranteed on his remaining two seasons with the Rams. He was scheduled to earn $27 million in base salary and roster bonus this year on his four-year, $160 million contract signed in 2022.
The market has changed dramatically recently for a QB of Stafford’s pedigree (three playoff seasons in his four years in Los Angeles, including a 2021 Super Bowl victory after his trade from the Detroit Lions that year). He comes off a 2024 season with 3,762 passing yards, a 93.7 passer rating (15th-ranked), 11 wins, the NFC West title, and a playoff victory over the Vikings before nearly leading a divisional-round upset of the Eagles (324 passing yards and two touchdowns in the game).
Prior to agreeing on a restructured deal with a significant raise likely in the $40-50 million range but no additional years, the Rams allowed Stafford and his agent to talk with other interested teams including the Raiders and Giants.
The 37-year-old Stafford reportedly took less money to stay with the Rams, where he’s had success working with coach Sean McVay. The fact that he doesn’t have to move his family, which includes four children, surely played into his decision.
Stafford staying in L.A. is the biggest quarterback development thus far in 2025, as his departure would’ve thrown the free-agent market into greater chaos.
