The 2025 NFL offseason has already brought a tizzy of blockbuster moves. The NFL is only a week into its version of March Madness, and the first first week of free agency has indeed been madness. There have been a number of big-money deals involving big name free agents like Davante Adams, Chris Godwin, and Milton Williams. There’s also been monster extensions handed out, most notably to Derek Stingley Jr., Jaycee Horn, and the Bengals receiver duo of Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
Perhaps the most impactful moves come at the quarterback position, however, with several veteran starters striking deals with new teams. The Las Vegas Raiders traded for Geno Smith, while his former team, the Seattle Seahawks, landed Sam Darnold in free agency. Even with those moves, the carousel is still spinning, with a handful of clubs — the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers included — still searching for answers under center.
Some of them could wait until April’s draft to properly address the position, but perhaps not.
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Cody Benjamin
2025 NFL free agency tracker: Updates on top 100 free agents; Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs among best available
In the meantime, here’s a roundup of the most notable moves to occur at quarterback this offseason, including both reported contract agreements and trades as 2025 free agency kicks into high gear:
Starting QB moves
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Raiders
Acquired Geno Smith via trade: The Raiders agreed to send a 2025 third-round draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks for the former Comeback Player of the Year. It’s a win-now endeavor from new Raiders brass, including coach Pete Carroll and minority owner Tom Brady, complete with an expected pay raise for the 34-year-old Smith, who’s still got a live arm but has been prone to forced throws. Smith’s arrival won’t necessarily preclude Las Vegas from also adding an arm of the future.
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Jets
Signing Justin Fields: Scarred by their failed Aaron Rodgers experiment, New York pivoted to a much younger option in Fields, who despite starting 44 games over four seasons is still just 26. While the former first-rounder remains something of a projection, flashing both electric and erratic stuff as a No. 1, his reported deal — two years, $40 million — is a step removed from high-end backup money in this era. In other words, it’s a low-risk, high-reward bet for a franchise in transition.
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Seahawks
Signing Sam Darnold: Rather than commit big bucks to an aging Geno Smith, Seattle is committing big bucks — just not nearly as much — to another explosive but mercurial signal-caller. Darnold is a tricky evaluation, thriving in a cozy Minnesota Vikings setup to restore his value in 2024 … until a skittish finale. The nice thing for the Seahawks, who don’t have Vikings-level firepower: Darnold’s still fairly young (27), and Seattle has a third-rounder from the Smith trade to throw additional darts.
QB competition moves
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Browns
Acquired Kenny Pickett via trade: Desperate for help under center with Deshaun Watson sidelined indefinitely, the Browns sent a 2025 fifth-round pick, plus struggling reserve Dorian Thompson-Robinson, to the Philadelphia Eagles for Pickett, their former AFC North rival. Mostly confined to the bench behind Jalen Hurts in Philly, Pickett was gritty, if streaky, as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ one-time starter. He figures to get a crack at the Week 1 gig, depending on other competition.
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Colts
Signing Daniel Jones: Pledging to add veteran competition for erratic former first-rounder Anthony Richardson, the Colts did just that by reaching a deal with Jones, the former New York Giants starter, as a one-year, $14 million lottery ticket. Fresh off a bench stint with the Minnesota Vikings, Jones is mobile with plenty of experience (69 career starts), but outside of a single playoff upset, he’s struggled to push the ball downfield. He and Richardson may well trade starts throughout the 2025 campaign.
Backup QB moves
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Cardinals
Signing Jacoby Brissett: Needing some proven insurance behind Kyler Murray , the Cardinals are turning to a prototypical journeyman in Brissett, who’s now on his sixth team in as many seasons. Coach Jonathan Gannon was with the Indianapolis Colts when Brissett briefly held a starting gig.
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Falcons
Retaining Kirk Cousins: Atlanta did not release Cousins before its roster deadline, meaning the veteran QB will receive a $10 million roster bonus in 2026. Moreover, this keeps Cousins with the Falcons , at least for now. While the team could opt to trade him at some point, the Falcons brass has been on record saying they are comfortable with him as their backup to Michael Penix Jr. , so this saga may still have another chapter or two.
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Ravens
Signing Cooper Rush: Lamar Jackson has a new backup as the Ravens agreed to terms on a two-year deal worth up to $12 million with Cooper Rush. The 31-year-old started eight games for the Dallas Cowboys last season, owning a 4-4 record with 1,844 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions.
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Jaguars
Signing Nick Mullens: Basically, this means bye-bye to Mac Jones , the former New England Patriots first-rounder who spent 2024 as Trevor Lawrence’s No. 2. Mullens is coming off three years as the top backup in Kevin O’Connell’s system with the Minnesota Vikings.
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Chiefs
Signing Gardner Minshew : After being released by the Las Vegas Raiders a year removed from signing a two-year deal with the organization, Minshew sticks in the AFC West by signing with Kansas City. The one-year pack positions Minshew — who has 46 career stats — to be the top backup to Patrick Mahomes .
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Chiefs
Signing Bailey Zappe : This will be Zappe’s second stint with the Chiefs . He initially signed with the team’s practice squad at the beginning of the 2024 regular season after being cut by the New England Patriots. However, Zappe then signed on with the Cleveland Browns active roster in late October. Zappe returns to K.C. to serve as a depth piece in the QB room and compete with Gardner Minshew for the backup job to Mahomes.
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Rams
Re-signing Jimmy Garoppolo: The Rams didn’t just give Matthew Stafford a raise to stick around. They are also paying a premium to retain his 2024 backup, the former San Francisco 49ers starter. Garoppolo barely suited up in his L.A. debut, but he’s on track to be the NFL’s highest-paid No. 2 on an extension worth up to $11 million. It’s not too illogical, considering his experience and the fact Stafford will be 37 this year.
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Dolphins
Signing Zach Wilson: One year after the rival New York Jets shipped Wilson to the Denver Broncos , the Dolphins are adding him as Tua Tagovailoa insurance on a one-year deal. Much-maligned during his inefficient reign as a Jets starter, both before and after Aaron Rodgers’ takeover, Wilson is still just 25, but he didn’t take a single snap as the Broncos’ third-stringer in 2024.
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Patriots
Signing Josh Dobbs: With Jacoby Brissett out as Drake Maye’s veteran backup, in comes “The Passtronaut,” who will now be on his eighth team of the last five years. Dobbs is mobile as an emergency reserve, but his value comes primarily as a resource in the quarterback room.
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Steelers
Signing Mason Rudolph: Pittsburgh brought back a very familiar face in Rudolph, who has spent the majority of his career with the Steelers though played for the Titans last year. He probably was not the veteran quarterback Steelers fans wanted to see them add early in free agency, but Aaron Rodgers could still happen in the coming days or weeks.
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49ers
Signing Mac Jones: Brock Purdy gets a new, experienced backup. Jones is capable of filling in when needed, but will now be playing for his third team in three years. His most interesting connection to San Francisco? 49ers brass was reportedly enamored by the former Alabama product before picking Trey Lance near the top of the 2021 draft instead.
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Buccaneers
Re-signing Kyle Trask: Trask has been Tampa’s backup for a while now, first behind Tom Brady and more recently behind Baker Mayfield . He’s rarely been pressed into action, but the Bucs seem to like him.
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Titans
Signing Brandon Allen : Allen should be looked at as a depth piece in the Titans QB room. Tennessee could take a quarterback with the No. 1 overall pick at the 2025 NFL Draft , so Allen and Will Levis are likely going to fight for the backup job.