The 2025 NFL Draft is still about 10 months away, but that is not going to stop us from looking at four teams that may need a first-round quarterback. Teams aren’t going to win much without a viable franchise quarterback, and it’s clear that some teams just do not understand that at the moment.
There were some baffling QB decisions made, and not made, this offseason, so that has paved the way for these four teams to be firmly in the QB market next offseason, perhaps even targeting one in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Las Vegas Raiders seemed to want to take a first-round quarterback, but they missed out on all six of them. Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix Jr seemed to be their QBs of choice, but both went well inside the top-10. Heading into the 2024 NFL Season, Vegas is going to choose between Gardner Minshew or Aidan O’Connell, which is hilarious.
The Raiders are going to continue to be a horrible football team until they take a chance on a first-round quarterback, so that could be a huge need for them heading into 2025, unless O’Connell were to make a huge jump, which is possible.
About as bad as you can handle a QB room, the New York Giants will roll with Daniel Jones and Drew Lock for 2024, unless something crazy happens. The Giants were picking sixth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, and could have chosen JJ McCarthy, Michael Penix Jr, or Bo Nix, but for some reason, decided that WR Malik Nabers was the right pick.
It’s just a masterclass on how to not build a professional football team, so I would personally expect the Giants to firmly be in the quarterback market when the 2025 NFL Draft rolls around, unless they are somehow able to sign a free agent QB like Dak Prescott, given he hits the FA market.
The Tennessee Titans took rookie QB Will Levis in the 2023 NFL Draft, and it’s clear that the Titans are giving Levis the 2024 NFL Season to prove he can be the franchise QB. However, Levis didn’t exactly show a ton besides an insane debut.
The Titans invested heavily into their offense this offseason, signing RB Tony Pollard, OC Lloyd Cushenberry, WR Calvin Ridley, and WR Tyler Boyd. Titans GM Ran Carthon is giving Levis a fair shot, but with adequate offensive personnel, Carthon may not want to waste any time if Will Levis can’t develop.
The Tennessee Titans could be right back in the mix for a rookie quarterback when the 2025 NFL Draft rolls around.
Geno Smith’s 2022 season was clearly an outlier, and there is no chance he’s the team’s long-term option at QB. He’s good enough to at least keep Seattle around .500, but the Seahawks must look elsewhere for their future at quarterback. They did trade for former Washington Commanders QB Sam Howell, but Howell has been a disaster thus far.
With no franchise QB on the roster or no one that can develop into that role, the Seattle Seahawks may be prepared to go all-in on a certain QB in the 2025 NFL Draft, if someone they love is there. The Seahawks are now entering year three after the Russell Wilson era, and will need to bring someone in who could perhaps take that role over for the long-term.