• Shedeur Sanders to the Browns: New Browns offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has made it clear that his ideal quarterback is a sharp decision-maker. Sanders posted a 61.3% success rate on non-screen throws in under 2.5 seconds — the highest mark in the 2025 draft class — demonstrating his ability to make quick, effective decisions.
• Kirk Cousins heads to Las Vegas: With Pete Carroll returning to the NFL as head coach and Chip Kelly running the offense, the Raiders will want to establish both success and a clear offensive identity as quickly as possible. Carroll’s philosophy has always centered around a strong run game and effective play-action passing, making Kirk Cousins an ideal fit for the system.
• 2025 NFL Draft season is here: Try PFF’s best-in-class Mock Draft Simulator and learn about 2025’s top prospects while trading and drafting for your favorite NFL team.

Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

While this year’s quarterback class — both in free agency and the NFL draft — doesn’t appear as strong as the 2024 class, the demand to upgrade at the game’s most important position remains as high as ever.

Several teams are in desperate need of a solution under center, whether that means drafting a future franchise leader or finding a veteran to step in right away. Let’s break down the quarterback-needy teams and identify the best fit for each.

Cleveland Browns: Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (2025 NFL Draft)

The Browns made a bold move to upgrade at quarterback three years ago with the Deshaun Watson trade and contract, and there’s every reason to believe they’ll be aggressive once again this offseason.

I fully expect Cleveland to sign a quality veteran in free agency while also drafting a quarterback with the No. 2 overall pick. Don’t be surprised if they bring in Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins on a one-year deal to bridge the gap to their rookie selection. And if they aren’t sold on this draft class, a trade for someone like Matthew Stafford or Derek Carr wouldn’t be out of the question.

However, I believe the best fit for the Browns will come via the draft in the form of Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. New offensive coordinator Tommy Rees has made it clear that his ideal quarterback is a sharp decision-maker. In his introductory press conference, he emphasized, “The quarterback’s job is to solve problems. You’re going to be tasked 60, 70, 80 times a game to make a decision in a critical moment. And so I’ve always started with the ability to make quick decisions and make the right decisions.”

That philosophy aligns perfectly with Sanders’ own self-assessment. Just weeks ago, he described his greatest strength, saying, “Decision-making, that’s the biggest and best thing you can do as a quarterback. That’s what my skill set is: decision-making. I don’t let anything alter my mind and let anything get in the way of me not being in my right mind. Decision-making at the quarterback position from my skill set is what I like to do — sit in the pocket and throw it. That’s the best attribute.”

Does the data back that up? Absolutely. Sanders posted a 61.3% success rate on non-screen throws in under 2.5 seconds — the highest mark in the 2025 draft class — demonstrating his ability to make quick, effective decisions.

Las Vegas Raiders: Kirk Cousins (potential trade target)

The Raiders are in an odd spot when it comes to the quarterback position this offseason. They currently hold the sixth in the draft, but the top three teams are all in need of a quarterback. While most draft analysts see three first-round-worthy quarterbacks in this class, it remains uncertain whether they’ll go 1-2-3 at the top. That uncertainty puts Las Vegas in a tough spot — one where they may feel more urgency to address the position in free agency rather than hoping their preferred prospect falls to them at No. 6.

With Pete Carroll returning to the NFL as head coach and Chip Kelly running the offense, the Raiders will want to establish both success and a clear offensive identity as quickly as possible. Carroll’s philosophy has always centered around a strong run game and effective play-action passing, making Kirk Cousins an ideal fit for the system.

The Raiders already have a solid pass-blocking offensive line that ranked 15th in PFF’s pass-blocking grades in 2024, and that is an absolute must for Cousins. Combine that with the second-most cap space in the NFL, and Las Vegas has the resources to add receiving weapons and shore up any remaining weaknesses on the line.

We’re just one year removed from Cousins posting five straight 80.0-plus PFF grades. While he didn’t look like the same quarterback in 2024, much of that can be attributed to his recovery from a torn Achilles. He may not be the long-term answer the franchise is searching for, but he’s more than capable of providing much-needed stability at the position for a team desperate to find a solution under center.

New York Giants: QB Cameron Ward, Miami (FL) (2025 NFL Draft)

After moving on from Daniel Jones in the middle of the 2024 season, the Giants became the favorites to pick first overall in the 2025 NFL draft. However, things didn’t quite unfold that way, so instead of getting their pick of choice at No. 3 overall, they’ll have to settle for whoever falls to them unless they decide to trade up.

With Jones, the Giants had a quarterback who rarely generated big plays—especially big-time throws. Over the past four seasons, Jones totaled just 26 big-time throws, the lowest mark among the 31 quarterbacks who attempted at least 1,000 passes in that span. His 1.8% big-time throw rate also ranked dead last, leaving Giants fans with little excitement about the position.

Enter Cam Ward, a dynamic playmaker with a cannon for an arm. Ward produced 31 big-time throws in 2024 alone, surpassing Jones’ four-year total in a single season. His 31.5% positive throw rate ranked second in the nation, showcasing his ability to push the ball downfield. While he still needs refinement, Ward brings the spark and explosiveness the Giants have been missing at quarterback.

New York Jets: Jaxson Dart (2025 NFL Draft)

Like the Raiders, the Jets aren’t in an ideal position to land one of the top quarterbacks in the draft. While it’s unlikely that the first three picks will all be quarterbacks, they should prepare by signing a veteran in free agency while hoping one of the top prospects falls to them at No. 7.

If a quarterback does slide to them, Jaxson Dart is the most likely option — and he’d be a great fit for new head coach Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand. Engstrand, who spent the last three years as the Lions’ passing game coordinator, helped design one of the league’s most effective play-action offenses—an approach that would complement Dart’s skill set perfectly.

Over the past two seasons, Dart has been the most effective play-action passer in the draft class, leading the group with a 93.8 play-action passing grade and an impressive 0.431 expected points added (EPA) per play-action pass. His 460 play-action dropbacks rank second behind Quinn Ewers, but his 35 big-time throws in those situations nearly triple Ewers’ total of 12.

Beyond his playmaking ability, Dart also takes care of the football. His 1.7% turnover-worthy play rate is tied for the third-best in the class, making him an ideal fit for an offensive system like the one Engstrand helped design in Detroit over the past two seasons.

Pittsburgh Steelers: Sam Darnold (Free Agent)

For the first time in his career, we saw Sam Darnold thrive in 2024. The big question heading into free agency is whether he has truly turned a corner at the NFL level or if his impressive 16-game stretch was just an outlier before reverting to his career norm.

Any team looking to sign Darnold this offseason will be betting on the former. The key to maintaining his 2024 success will be providing him with stability—an elite play-caller, strong receiving weapons, and a reliable offensive line. If placed in the right situation, Darnold could finally live up to the potential that made him a top-three draft pick.

Among the quarterback-needy teams this offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers stand out as one of the NFL’s most stable organizations. Mike Tomlin, the league’s longest-tenured head coach, has never had a losing season. While the offense has had its share of struggles in recent years, Tomlin and the Steelers consistently find ways to win—a major confidence boost for any quarterback stepping into the role.

If Darnold were to land in Pittsburgh, he’d have Arthur Smith calling plays in a run-heavy system—an ideal setup for a quarterback who thrived using play action in 2024. The Steelers still need to add weapons and improve pass protection, but for Darnold, organizational stability is key. No team provides that better than the Steelers.

Aaron Rodgers: PFF grades by season

Tennessee Titans: Aaron Rodgers (potential free agent)

The Titans are widely expected to draft a quarterback at the top of the 2025 NFL Draft, so why would Aaron Rodgers be a good fit? At 41 years old and likely in his final season, Rodgers will want to join a contender—and Tennessee isn’t close to Super Bowl contention. So, on the surface, this idea seems far-fetched. But hear me out.

The Titans need a spark, both on offense and as a franchise. No available quarterback carries more name recognition than Rodgers. Beyond that, he still played solid football in 2024. While his 76.3 passing grade was a step down from his prime years in Green Bay and his 4.2% big-time throw rate was the lowest of his career, he remained elite at protecting the football, posting a 1.8% turnover-worthy play rate.

What Rodgers would bring to the Titans is stability at the game’s most important position, along with a legitimate chance to compete in a relatively weak AFC South. Tennessee could opt to start a rookie from Day 1 and let him take his lumps, but for a coaching staff looking for immediate success, relying entirely on a developmental quarterback might not be the preferred route.

Again, the chances of this actually happening are close to zero — Rodgers will likely want to finish his career with a true contender. But from the Titans’ perspective, they need a veteran quarterback who can win immediately, and Rodgers would provide exactly that.