QB Index, Week 17: Six teams whose 2025 starting quarterback isn't on the 2024 roster

We didn't need seven starts from Deshaun Watson this season (in which he put up 5.3 yards per attempt, 164 yards per game and a passer rating of 79) to figure out he was cooked. By the time he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 7, it seemed like all that was left was to figure out how these two parties might eventually separate. It remains far from certain that this will happen soon; in fact, in light of Watson's fully guaranteed (and twice restructured) $230 million albatross of a contract, it appears as if the Browns are planning on keeping Watson, reportedly planning to include him in a quarterback competition. But we all know that barring a miraculous turnaround for 29-year-old, who's logged just two games of 240-plus passing yards in a Cleveland uniform, the Watson trade will go down as the worst in NFL history. Cleveland gave Jameis Winston a spin for a briefly exciting period in 2024, but he turned the ball over 14 times (12 picks, two fumbles lost) in seven starts and was benched for Dorian Thompson-Robinson; those ball-control issues will likely prevent Cleveland from trying to retain the veteran, who is on a one-year deal. Thompson-Robinson, a fifth-round pick in 2023, hasn't done anything to convince the Browns he's a viable option next year, either, meaning they're going to be in the market for a cheap veteran.

If Kirk Cousins becomes available, that seems like a natural fit for Kevin Stefanski, who earned a head coaching job with the Browns because of the success he enjoyed directing a Cousins-led attack as the offensive coordinator for the Vikings. Daniel Jones could also be in play; if anything, he feels like a younger, less consistent Joe Flacco, who had a lot of success in his short stint with the Browns last season. Former Brown Jacoby Brissett is headed toward free agency, so he can be included in consideration. Throw Derek Carr's name in the hat, too, because why not? Some Browns fans will pull up their roster (which includes high performers like Myles Garrett and Jerry Jeudy) and claim they're just a quarterback away. Their 2023 results would justify this belief. Cleveland should keep an open mind, but the team should learn one essential lesson from the Watson experience: Don't try to fit a square peg into a round hole.

The Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell experiment never quite got the chance to play itself out. Minshew began the season as the starter, then was replaced by O'Connell, who was sidelined by a fractured thumb in Week 7. Minshew stepped back in but crumbled amid the pressure of an undermanned offense. A broken collarbone ended Minshew's season in November, but he'd likely have lost the job to O'Connell if he'd stuck around; the Minshew test had already repeatedly failed for the Raiders, who benched him multiple times, including for Desmond Ridder. Now the Raiders must determine whether they believe O'Connell is viable going forward. He's had moments of excitement, throwing for 340 yards and two touchdowns while nearly leading the Raiders to an upset win over the Chiefs on Black Friday. But the second-year pro's performance has still left plenty of room for growth. After Las Vegas missed out on Michael Penix Jr. in last year's draft, it sure feels all but guaranteed that the team will spend its first-rounder on a QB, and O'Connell has two weeks to make an argument for himself heading into 2025.

Is Aaron Rodgers going to come back in 2025? Is he worth keeping? Will the Jets' yet-to-be-hired regime even be interested in retaining the 41-year-old future Pro Football Hall of Famer? All of these questions need to be answered before the Jets can decide on their course of action under center. Rodgers has expressed interest in sticking around but knows the power is no longer in his hands. He's even suggested he would mentor their chosen successor, a significant change in tune for a quarterback who admitted he "wasn't thrilled" when the Packers drafted Jordan Love to develop behind him in 2020. Yes, Rodgers has played better recently, but if this franchise truly wants to move forward with a clean slate, it likely won't be with Rodgers in any role other than bridge quarterback. That means the Jets will certainly attempt to identify a legitimate replacement, which should come via the draft. They'll be in a good enough position to at least enter the range to select a quarterback in April, but it isn't a class that's very strong at the position -- improving the chances Rodgers returns for one more year, even if his job is ease the transition from a disappointing past to a hopeful future.

The Giants discarded 2019 first-round pick Daniel Jones in somewhat dramatic fashion, granting the QB's request to be released in November after he issued a heartfelt written farewell statement. Since then, they've cycled through Tommy DeVito, Drew Lock and even Tim Boyle, who collectively confirmed that yes, it can get worse than Jones. The good news is they won't have to answer questions regarding Jones in 2025, because he's already off the roster. The bad news is, they're still going to carry $22.21 million in dead money in 2025 as a result of cutting Jones, presumably lowering their potential spending power in the quarterback market. They're in line for the No. 1 pick in April's draft, meaning they'll have their choice of quarterback. But who fits what Brian Daboll seeks in a signal-caller? Will Daboll even be around to impact the decision, or is this a Joe Schoen call? Plenty remains to be determined, but this certainly feels like a situation in which the Giants will seek a veteran bridge quarterback -- Jacoby Brissett, anyone? -- while adding a rookie. It won't be a quick turnaround, barring a sensational rookie season produced by whomever they picked, and we can all acknowledge players like Jayden Daniels don't grow on trees. The Giants have their work cut out for them.

Will Levis seemed to build a considerable amount of public goodwill in the back half of the regular season -- and then it all fell apart on one disastrous December day, when he accounted for four turnovers and was benched for Mason Rudolph in a 37-27 loss to Cincinnati. Brian Callahan is in his first season as coach of the Titans and understandably isn't showing the patience to continue to let Levis learn from his mistakes on the field. He said Levis' nightmarish outing against Cincinnati didn't affect his long-term view of him, but we should know better. Levis might get a chance to compete for the job in 2025, but the Titans will surely add another candidate in the offseason. The question then becomes: who? Are they really interested in Daniel Jones? Could Derek Carr fit Callahan's vision? Kirk Cousins? Gardner Minshew? Is the future in the draft? The answer lies in the archetype sought by Callahan, who rose to prominence as Cincinnati's offensive coordinator in 2019-2023; that said, there isn't a Joe Burrow in this class. And Bengals backup Jake Browning isn't a free agent until 2026, eliminating that past connection. Everything is on the table in Tennessee, but we can be sure of one thing: Levis won't run this race without a challenger.

I'll just come out and say it: The Saints are headed toward an offseason of renovation. They're currently projected to be $63.8 million over the cap in 2025, per Over The Cap, and are guaranteed to finish no better than 7-10 in 2024. It's time to seriously consider gutting this operation, and releasing Derek Carr might be the sledgehammer move they need. Designating Carr as a post-June 1 cut can save them $30 million against cap, nearly halving their total overage in one move, while a post-June 1 trade could save them $40 million. I don't think it's guaranteed, because I've been down this road before, only for Mickey Loomis make me look like a fool. The Saints bottomed out in 2024 and don't have a clear long-term plan in place. The Carr addition didn't produce the results they anticipated. Spencer Rattler has been promising in small spurts but hasn't done enough to prove he's a legitimate starting option entering 2025, and we're well beyond the days of considering Taysom Hill a full-time starter under center. With the team in such a bad salary-cap situation, everything should be on the table -- including parting with the quarterback they thought might finally rescue them from the post-Drew Brees abyss. I'd toss Jones' name in here as a candidate for replacement, but the Saints could truly go in any direction in 2025.