Last week, I tackled some of the quarterbacks teams cannot (or shouldn't) let reach free agency in 2025.
This week, I'm reversing the task. Though not many, a handful of quarterbacks remain under contract and are very much in need of a change of scenery, either due to performance, opportunity or a blend of both.
The first two selections below are obvious choices, but I've included a few lesser-known names to get the gears turning.
We all know what happened to Cousins' once-lofty dreams of success in Atlanta. His time with the Falcons came to an abrupt end when his performance no longer met the minimum standard for a starting quarterback on a team making a late-season playoff push. Rookie Michael Penix Jr. played well enough in his place to make it clear to every onlooker that it is time to proceed with the youngster and find a way out of Cousins' deal. Sure, the Falcons have said they'd be fine with keeping Cousins as a backup, but his $40 million cap number for 2025 (per Over the Cap) sure is a hefty cost for a veteran insurance option. Atlanta can save $27.5 million against the cap by trading Cousins in a post-June 1 move, which seems to be the only path to recouping some of their investment, at least in terms of cap space. A few other QB-needy teams might be interested, starting with the club coached by his former offensive coordinator in Minnesota, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski. I'd be shocked if they didn't at least discuss a deal.
I've spent plenty of digital space documenting Rodgers' consideration of his uncertain future, including Rodgers offering to mentor the Jets' next quarterback while also admitting that would rely almost solely on whether the Jets still want him. I'll make the decision for New York's new regime of GM Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn: Rip the bandage off now and move forward without Rodgers. It was a nice try, but their partnership ultimately didn't work out, which is fine. A fresh start is necessary for everyone, and if Rodgers still wants to play, he'll likely find at least some interest from a few teams who could use a short-term bridge.
Steelers owner Art Rooney II said Monday he expects his team to sign one of their two starters from 2024. If we're relying on on-field production from this season, Pittsburgh is likely leaning toward Russell Wilson. That means Fields will be seeking employment elsewhere, and frankly, he deserves a chance to battle for a starting job. Yes, the Steelers had a lower ceiling with him in the lineup, but he won four of his six starts and did an excellent job of keeping them afloat. He has a skill set that just might be good enough to work somewhere, but it has to be the right fit, requiring an experienced and versatile coordinator, a reliable offensive line and a willingness to cater to his strengths. That should narrow his options, but he's simply too gifted to overlook.
Minshew earned his opportunity in Las Vegas by proving he could keep a team afloat when he was forced to replace Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis in 2023. His inability to avoid crushing mistakes ultimately cost him his job in Las Vegas, though, and he'd likely have played even less had Aidan O'Connell not been injured. The Raiders are moving forward under a new regime with no ties to Minshew or O'Connell, and if they have to keep one while seeking another option via the draft (or free agency), it's likely to be O'Connell, who's still on a rookie contract. Las Vegas can save most of its cap space by parting with Minshew as a post-June 1 move (either cut or trade), but the total dead cap won't dissuade the team from parting ways before then, either. Minshew is still worthy of a backup job somewhere and will likely get one, but if his multiple benchings in Las Vegas didn't make it clear enough, his time with the Raiders is likely finished.
The Browns maintained a peculiar fascination with the UCLA product in his first two years, handing him starts in both seasons (out of necessity) and seemingly preparing him to replace Deshaun Watson in right before Watson suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. What we learned from DTR's 2024 experience, though, was that he needs much, MUCH more time in order to handle the speed of the NFL game. Perhaps Cleveland isn't the best place for him to do that. I liken DTR's potential to that of Malik Willis, who was so lost in Tennessee in the 2024 preseason that he failed to win the QB2 competition to Mason Rudolph and ended up getting shipped to Green Bay. Wisconsin proved to be the perfect place for Willis, who improved under the direction of Matt LaFleur and the scheme LaFleur crafted around Willis' strengths. I'd like to see the same happen for Thompson-Robinson at some point before his time in the NFL runs out, and it just feels as if it isn't going to happen in Cleveland.
