These Teams Got it Wrong at QB for 2025
Top 3 NFL Quarterback Missteps Heading into the 2025 Season
The final whistle blew on another NFL season, but for many teams, the real work starts after Week 18.
While head coaches thank players and lay out offseason plans, front offices are already grinding—evaluating the roster, scouting college prospects, and diving into free agency. Teams are on the hunt to patch holes and upgrade talent. But one position can make—or break—a season: quarterback.
For three franchises heading into 2025, their QB moves were… questionable at best. Let’s break down the biggest missteps.
1. New Orleans Saints: QB Carousel or Clown Show?
After an injury-riddled 2023 that saw Derek Carr fight through an AC joint sprain and concussions, 2024 didn’t treat him any better. Oblique and hand injuries once again kept him off the field—and in May 2025, Carr called it a career.
The Saints' response? Assemble a quarterback room that feels more like a reality show than an NFL depth chart: rookie Tyler Shough, Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener, and Hunter Dekkers.
That’s four guys… and zero proven NFL starters.
Enter new head coach Kellen Moore, tasked with turning this circus into a coherent offense. Without a veteran presence or a clear starter, this QB room is a gamble. If Moore can’t steady the ship fast, the Saints' season could spiral before it begins.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers: Rolling the Dice with Rodgers
The 2023 Steelers QB rotation of Pickett-Rudolph-Trubisky left much to be desired. So, in 2024, Pittsburgh brought in Russell Wilson and Justin Fields. The result? A respectable 10–7 record and Mike Tomlin’s non-losing streak intact.
Then—boom. Both QBs left in 2025: Wilson to the Giants, Fields to the Jets.
Now what?
Pittsburgh is back to Mason Rudolph, added rookie Will Howard (6th-round pick out of Ohio State), and just signed… Aaron Rodgers.
Yes, that Aaron Rodgers. Age 41. Coming off a major injury. And he hasn’t played meaningful football in almost two years.
Rodgers brings name recognition and leadership, but does he really push the needle in 2025? Are the Steelers chasing one last shot at glory, or just stuck in quarterback limbo—again?
3. Cleveland Browns: QB Depth or Complete Dysfunction?
This one’s wild.
The Browns re-signed 40-year-old Joe Flacco, added Kenny Pickett (fresh off a Super Bowl ring as a backup), and still spent two draft picks on quarterbacks: Dillon Gabriel (3rd round) and Shedeur Sanders (5th).
All while Deshaun Watson, their $230 million QB, is recovering from a ruptured Achilles and hasn’t played since October 2024.
That’s five quarterbacks in one room. With no clear Week 1 starter.
Cleveland didn’t just build depth—they built chaos. It’s hard to tell if they’re hedging their bets or just hedging their sanity. Either way, they may have turned the league’s most volatile quarterback situation into a full-on QB experiment gone off the rails.
Final Take: Boom or Bust?
Finding a true franchise quarterback is never easy. Just ask the Saints, Steelers, and Browns. Each made offseason moves that could pay off—or blow up in their faces.
Rookies Tyler Shough, Will Howard, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders all have intriguing upside. But will any of them flash the poise and production we saw from Jayden Daniels or Bo Nix last season? Or are they destined for clipboard duty while the veterans take center stage?
Either way, buckle up. These QB battles are going to be messy—and must-watch TV.
