Darnold, Smith, Fields start quarterback carousel in NFL free agency
Sam Darnold, Geno Smith and Justin Fields among the early quarterback moves in NFL free agency. Tyler Dragon breaks down which team stands to gain the most.
Teams across the NFL wasted no time in making moves for quarterbacks early in the offseason.
As of the time of writing — two days after the new league year began — 16 free agent quarterbacks have agreed to terms on a new contract. There have also been three quarterbacks involved in trades in the last week as the quarterback carousel keeps moving.
Absent from the plethora of moves — at least so far — are two of the top veteran free agent quarterbacks that hit the market: Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers. Wilson has met with both the Browns and Giants as of Friday, according to reports, while Rodgers is reportedly mulling over his options.
Here’s how the quarterback carousel has shaken out so far:
NFL free agency: How the QB carousel has moved in 2025
Raiders trade for Geno Smith
In one of the biggest surprise moves so far this offseason, Las Vegas got its new starting quarterback by sending Seattle a 2025 third-round pick. Smith is due to enter the final year of the three-year contract extension he signed with the Seahawks in 2023, but reports indicate he and the Raiders are looking to get another extension done before the season.
The Jets’ 2013 second-round pick spent five years with the Seahawks in total. The first two were as Russell Wilson’s backup before Smith took over the starting quarterback mantle in 2022 and went on to lead the league in completion rate (69.8%). Smith started each of the 52 games he played in for Seattle over the last three seasons, tallying 12,226 yards, 71 touchdowns and 35 interceptions on a 68.5% completion rate in that span.
Seahawks sign Sam Darnold
In a near-immediate follow-up to the team trading away Smith, Seattle agreed to terms with Darnold to be its new starter at the start of the legal tampering period. Fresh off of a career year, the former Viking signed a three-year, $100.5 million deal with $55 million guaranteed.
Darnold finished the 2024 season with 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 17 starts — the first time in his seven-year career to play every game as a starter. His yard and touchdown totals were both career highs, and his interception mark was just one higher than his career low (11 in 12 games in 2020).
Jets release Aaron Rodgers, sign Justin Fields to be new starter
In February, the Jets notified Rodgers they planned to move on without him in 2025.
About one month later, Gang Green signed the 26-year-old Fields to a two-year, $40 million contract, including $30 million guaranteed. Fields served as the Steelers’ backup to veteran Russell Wilson in 2024, but he started the first six games of the season as Wilson recovered from a calf injury.
Fields threw for 1,106 yards, five touchdowns and an interception with a 66.3% completion rate in his six starts for Pittsburgh. He also rushed 55 times for 231 yards (4.2 yards per attempt) and five touchdowns.
Two days after Fields and the Jets agreed to terms on their deal, the team officially released Rodgers after the start of the new league year. Rodgers, 41, has yet to sign with a new team as of the time of writing.
Colts sign Daniel Jones to compete for starting job
Indianapolis general manager Chris Ballard told reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine that the team planned to bring in a veteran quarterback to compete with young gunslinger Anthony Richardson for the starting job. On Thursday, they did just that, signing the former Giants starter to a one-year, $14 million deal.
New York cut Jones halfway through last season after a shaky, 2-8 start that saw the sixth-year veteran throw eight touchdowns and seven interceptions in 10 games. Shortly after his release, he signed on with the Vikings’ practice squad and joined the team’s active roster before the playoffs.
In 2025, Jones will compete with Richardson for the starting gig in Indianapolis. Richardson finished the 2024 season with 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions on 126-of-264 passing (47.7% completion rate). He was benched partway through the season after a confession that he took himself out of a Week 8 game for one play because he “needed a breather.” He returned to the starting role a few weeks later. The Colts went 6-5 in Richardson’s 11 starts.
Backup quarterback changes
- Browns trade backup quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, 2025 fifth-round pick for Eagles backup quarterback Kenny Pickett
- Cardinals sign veteran Jacoby Brissett to two-year, $12.5 million deal
- Patriots sign Joshua Dobbs to two-year, $8 million deal
- Steelers bring back Mason Rudolph with two-year, $8 million contract
- Marcus Mariota returns to Commanders on one-year, $8 million deal
- 49ers agree to terms on two-year, $7 million contract with Mac Jones
- Chargers retain Taylor Heinicke on one-year, $6.2 million contract
- Dolphins sign Zach Wilson to one-year, $6 million deal
- Nick Mullens signs with Jaguars for two years, $4.5 million
- Buccaneers re-sign Kyle Trask with one-year, $2.79 million deal
- Brandon Allen joins Titans on one-year, $1.42 million contract
- Chiefs re-sign Bailey Zappe with one-year deal, bring in Gardner Minshew on one-year contract
- Lions sign Kyle Allen to one-year contract
