2025 NFL Draft - Pro Football Rumors

Penn State’s Abdul Carter Will Enter Draft

January 10th, 2025 at 8:58am CST by Adam La Rose

Penn State’s run toward the national championship came to an end Thursday night. As a result, the team’s underclassmen are now able to turn their attention to the draft; as expected, one of the top prospects in the 2025 class will turn pro.

Edge rusher Abdul Carter has decided to enter April’s draft, as noted by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The junior has long been expected to take that route once his season ended, and he is now on track to be one of the first players selected on either side of the ball. Carter enjoyed a stellar 2024 campaign, the first in which he transitioned from inside linebacker to defensive end.

The 6-3, 260-pounder racked up 11 sacks across his first two seasons but he surpassed that total this year. His sack during last light’s CFP semifinal loss to Notre Dame was his 12th of the campaign; Carter also registered 24 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles during the season. Those totals helped him win the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award in addition to consensus All-American honors. He is the first Nittany Lion to earn the latter honor since Saquon Barkley in 2017.

Several edge rushers are considered locks to go in the first round but Carter has long been considered the best option at the position. He sits at the top of ESPN’s Scouts Inc. board, while Mel Kiper slots him second overall behind only two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter. No shortage of teams will show interest over the coming months as they evaluate this year’s top prospects.

With the Titans, Browns and Giants occupying the top three spots in the 2025 draft order, quarterback figures to be a position of interest at the top of the board. Both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders may hear their names called before Carter does, but once teams without an immediate QB need are on the clock – the Patriots and Jaguars respectively own the fourth and fifth selections – he will certainly be a name to watch.

Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty Declares For Draft

January 7th, 2025 at 6:02pm CST by Ben Levine

The nation’s top running back prospect has officially declared for the NFL Draft. Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty announced on X that he’s heading to the NFL for the 2025 season.

“I’m excited to announce I am declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft,” Jeanty said in part of his statement. “The opportunity to play in the NFL is a dream of mine, and I’m proud to represent Boise State and all of those who have helped me along the way at the next level.”

Following two productive seasons with the Broncos, Jeanty took his performance to another level in 2024. The running back ended up leading the FBS in rushing yards (2,601) and touchdowns (29), leading to him being runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.

That performance also firmly put Jeanty on the NFL map. Jeanty wasn’t very involved in Boise State’s passing attack, but many pundits have labeled the prospect as a three-down back in the NFL. The prospect is all but certain to be the first RB off the board, and there’s also a good chance he hears his name called in the first round of the draft.

Teams have generally been wary of using first-round picks at the position in recent years, with only five RBs being selected in the first round since 2020 (Clyde Edwards-Helaire in 2020, Najee Harris and Travis Etienne in 2021, Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs in 2023). Jeanty should be the latest inclusion to that exclusive list, and there shouldn’t be any shortage of suitors for the dynamic offensive player. The Cowboys have often been mentioned as a landing spot, especially since the player is a native of Frisco, Texas.

John Mara: Giants Open To Resolving QB Issue With Draft Pick, Veteran

January 6th, 2025 at 5:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Giants saw their Daniel Jones plan implode this year, and after giving the Eli Manning successor six seasons, the team has no long-term option on its roster. As a result, John Mara stated the obvious by indicating quarterback is the Giants’ “No. 1 issue.”

Although the team’s Week 17 win bumped it out of the No. 1 overall draft slot, the Patriots’ Week 18 victory gave the Giants the No. 3 position. It figures to be much easier to acquire one of the preferred options in this draft compared to last year, when Joe Schoen‘s Drake Maye-based trade-up effort failed. Schoen and Brian Daboll are coming back, despite the steep decline that commenced this season, and Mara noted the Giants are open to upgrading at QB through the draft or via a veteran option.

“That’s obviously the No. 1 issue for us going into this offseason — to find our quarterback of the future,” Mara said, via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. “Whether that be draft or acquiring a veteran will be up to them to decide.”

The phrase “quarterback of the future” certainly points to the draft being the Giants’ preferred avenue, even with Mara adding (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) he is “just about out of patience” with his current setup. Like 2019, however, the Giants have a need in a draft that has long been viewed as rather shaky at the QB spot. Passing on Sam Darnold and Josh Allen to draft Saquon Barkley in 2018, the Giants could not realistically draft Tua Tagovailoa or Justin Herbert in 2020 thanks to having chosen Jones sixth overall in ’19. The team passed on Michael Penix Jr., J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix last year, creating one of the NFL’s most glaring needs going into this offseason.

New York will bring back Tommy DeVito, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan. DeVito can be retained via an ERFA tender, but Drew Lock is set for free agency. The Giants still rostered Manning going into 2019, when Jones arrived. That separates the ’19 offseason from what lies ahead for Mara’s team, which went 1-for-6 in playoff berths during the Jones era.

Circling back to Darnold would be an interesting effort for Schoen, who is assuredly on a scorching-hot seat after being retained today, after predecessor Dave Gettleman passed. But the Vikings may well use the franchise tag following this Pro Bowl season. Russell Wilson would profile as a stopgap at best, while Justin Fields may be more appealing due to his age (25) — even though he has yet to prove a consistent passer. Beyond this crop, a host of backup-level options are on their way to free agency. It would stand to reason, given the Giants’ draft position, they would be more interested in a college arm.

Some members of the Giants’ personnel staff are intrigued by Miami’s Cam Ward, who is viewed — along with Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders — as one of this year’s top two QB prospects, Yahoo.com’s Charles Robinson notes. Considering the Giants are not making major staff changes, it would stand to reason they will carry their Ward interest toward the Combine. The Giants sent Schoen and player personnel director Tim McDonnell to the Pop-Tarts Bowl to watch Ward, who transferred from Incarnate Word and Washington State to close his career with the Hurricanes. The Giants also sent staffers to Boulder, Colo., to watch Sanders practices.

ESPN’s Scouts Inc. slots Sanders ninth and Ward 18th among 2025 prospects; it will be interesting to see how the pre-draft process ends up sorting them and then the rest of the QB crop. With a gap existing — as of now, at least — between the Ward-Sanders tier and the field, the Giants would have a good shot at one of them.

The team was closely tied to McCarthy and Maye last year and hosted Penix and Nix on “30” visits. It should be expected a thorough round of meetings are coming again regarding this position, only the Giants are now in a more desperate spot due to Schoen and Daboll’s statuses and the gaping hole atop the depth chart.

In other Giants news, both Jon Runyan Jr. and Tyler Nubin underwent tightrope surgeries to address high ankle sprains. Runyan also underwent a shoulder procedure, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan tweets. Bobby Okereke is rehabbing a herniated disk in his back, the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard adds. Okereke should be recovered in time for OTAs. Two years remain on both Okereke and Runyan’s free agency deals.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

January 5th, 2025 at 10:58pm CST by Adam La Rose

Once again, we saw plenty of change occur in the projected draft order after Sunday’s games. Most notably, the Patriots took themselves out of the top overall draft slot with a win over the resting Bills. While this change likely won’t hurt their ability to select one of the players that interested them most, as they likely weren’t looking to select a quarterback with rookie Drake Maye in place, New England likely could’ve benefitted from collecting some serious draft capital trading out of the top spot to any of the teams seeking quarterback help next season.

One of those quarterback-needy teams, the Titans have officially secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, tying for the worst overall record in the league with the Browns and Giants but holding tiebreakers over both franchises. The Browns and Giants, who both secured the second and third overall picks, respectively, today, are also considered top candidates to draft a passer.

With all three teams at the top of the draft interested in adding help at quarterback, the draft’s top two prospects at the position, Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders, saw their chances at getting selected No. 1 overall rise dramatically. Plenty could still occur to change this situation; trades could alter the draft order, and further pre-draft evaluations could change opinions on top prospects.

Still, for the first time since the league expanded to 32 teams in 2002, there is a chance that every team drafts in the first round, as no first-round picks have yet been traded. It’s extremely unlikely that this will remain the case, as draft-day trades are a very common occurrence, but it’s still an interesting concept to note this close to the draft.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks at the regular season’s conclusion:

Tennessee Titans (3-14)
Cleveland Browns (3-14)
New York Giants (3-14)
New England Patriots (4-13)
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-13)
Las Vegas Raiders (4-13)
New York Jets (5-12)
Carolina Panthers (5-12)
New Orleans Saints (5-12)
Chicago Bears (5-12)
San Francisco (6-11)
Dallas Cowboys (7-10)
Miami Dolphins (8-9)
Indianapolis Colts (8-9)
Atlanta Falcons (8-9)
Arizona Cardinals (8-9)
Cincinnati Bengals (9-8)
Seattle Seahawks (10-7)
Houston Texans (10-7)
Denver Broncos (10-7)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7)
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
Los Angeles Rams (10-7)
Green Bay Packers (11-6)
Los Angeles Chargers (11-6)
Washington Commanders (12-5)
Baltimore Ravens (12-5)
Minnesota Vikings (14-3)
Buffalo Bills (13-4)
Philadelphia Eagles (14-3)
Kansas City Chiefs (15-2)
Detroit Lions (15-2)

Ely Allen contributed to this post.

Titans Secure No. 1 Pick In 2025 NFL Draft

January 5th, 2025 at 6:18pm CST by Adam La Rose

The early window of NFL action on Sunday decided the order at the top of the draft board for 2025. Week 18’s results have left the Titans in place to select first overall.

Tennessee lost in Houston, leaving the team with a 3-14 record. That mark was matched by the Browns with their loss yesterday as well as the Giants since they lost on Sunday afternoon as well. New York was in the lead for the top spot heading into last week’s action, but a win over the Colts moved the Patriots into pole position entering the final week of the campaign.

Relying mainly on rookie quarterback Joe Milton III, New England won out against a Bills team which rested Josh Allen amongst others since they were locked into the AFC’s No. 2 seed. With that win, the Patriots dropped from first to fourth in the projected order (pending other results from Sunday’s games). As a result, it will be the Titans kicking off the draft in April.

Tennessee made a number of changes this offseason, the most notable of which being the decision to hire Brian Callahan as a first-time head coach. The former Bengals offensive coordinator was tasked with guiding quarterback Will Levis into a long-term solution at the position. Selected 33rd overall in 2023, Levis entered this season as the team’s undisputed starter, but injuries and poor play (especially regarding turnovers) resulted in Mason Rudolph briefly seeing time atop the depth chart. Levis still considers himself a starter with the Titans or another team, but his future is in the air at this point.

Two more year remain on the 25-year-old’s rookie pact, but even if Tennessee elects to keep him in place competition should be expected. That is especially true since Rudolph is on an expiring deal. Free agency will offer plenty of options for a quarterback addition, but holding the No. 1 selection will obviously give the Titans the opportunity to again take the draft route to find a franchise passer. Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward are the highest-ranked QBs in a 2025 class which is not held in high regard.

Well before a decision on the top pick is made, of course, the futures of Callahan and general manager Ran Carthon will need to be sorted out. The latter’s job security could be in question after two years at the helm, but if he is retained by owner Amy Adams Strunk the way he proceeds with the No. 1 pick will be critical. Using it on a quarterback (or another prospect like two-way Colorado star Travis Hunter) would add to the team’s core, but as usual the number of teams looking for a franchise passer will outweigh the availability of qualified QBs. As such, trading down could become feasible based on the trade market which emerges.

A rebound from this season’s showing will be expected for Tennessee in 2025. Today’s outcomes will prove to play a large role in that effort, though, given the team’s prime draft position.

Alabama QB Jalen Milroe Declares For Draft

January 2nd, 2025 at 8:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 2025 quarterback prospect pool has received steady criticism, but teams will have an additional dual-threat option to evaluate. Alabama’s Jalen Milroe will be part of this year’s class.

Milroe announced his intention to leave Alabama on Thursday. Although Milroe has been in Tuscaloosa for four seasons, he only used three years of eligibility. He will pass on coming back for a redshirt-senior season, being set to join the likes of Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders as part of the 2025 QB class.

Unlike Ward and Sanders (and Jayden Daniels, Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix), Milroe only played at one college program. He took the reins at Alabama in 2023 and displayed tremendous athleticism, combining for 32 rushing touchdowns during his time as the SEC power’s starter. This past season featured 20 Milroe rushing TDs and 726 yards, though it will undoubtedly be his passing ability that shifts under the microscope during the pre-draft process.

ESPN’s Scouts Inc. is not bullish on Milroe’s draft stock, slotting the Nick Saban recruit 64th overall currently. He sits behind Sanders (ninth), Ward (18th), Quinn Ewers (60th) and Carson Beck (62nd) at QB presently, though we are not yet in the pre-draft process. Still competing in the College Football Playoff, Ewers has also not made it known if he will enter the draft or remain at the college level. Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest ESPN.com big board slots Milroe third at QB — behind Sanders and Ward.

After averaging 10 yards per attempt in 2023, Milroe checked in at 8.9 this season. The four-star recruit from Katy, Texas, only finished with a 16-11 TD-INT ratio, completing 64.3% of his passes. The Crimson Tide certainly took advantage of Milroe’s rushing talents, as he logged 161 carries in 2023 and 168 this season. Deep-ball accuracy has been one of Milroe’s strengths, and he finished the regular season ranking eighth in QBR. A dominant performance against Georgia (374 passing yards, 117 rushing yards, four total TDs) keyed Alabama’s biggest win this season.

As of now, however, the 6-foot-2 prospect is not a surefire first-round pick. Though, the NFL has produced many recent examples of pre-draft rises based on the Combine, visits and workouts vaulting second-round types into Round 1 picks. And this year’s draft will feature a handful of teams with long-term QB needs. Milroe, then, will become one of the most interesting names in this class.

2025 QB Class Generating More Skepticism

December 31st, 2024 at 9:58pm CST by Ely Allen

As the NFL regular season comes to a close and college prospects are making their final amateur appearances, focus for many NFL teams is shifting to the 2025 NFL Draft. While many sources seem to have narrowed the field of potential first-round quarterbacks to two players, there are reportedly some scouts who believe taking any quarterback on Day 1 “would be a mistake,” per Dane Brugler of The Athletic.

According to a post from Brugler, an AFC scout commented on the matter, saying, “Man, I feel bad for the teams trying to find one (quarterback) in this group.”

There are two obvious options for teams currently looking at a first-round quarterback: Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. After Ward and Sanders, there’s a big perceived dropoff in quarterback talent in this year’s draft class with other prospects like Alabama’s Jalen Milroe, Texas’ Quinn Ewers, and Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart all being projected as Day 2 or 3 picks. Georgia passer Carson Beck, who recently declared for the draft, forgoing one final year of eligibility (granted because of COVID-19), was at one point viewed as a first-round option, but after a disappointing redshirt season and UCL surgery, his draft stock took a considerable hit.

As for Ward and Sanders, it’s hard to imagine a world in which neither prospect hears their name called on the first night of the draft. The Giants sent general manager Joe Schoen and director of player personnel Tim McDonnell to the Pop-Tarts Bowl to watch Ward play in the first half this past weekend. According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Raiders assistant general manager Champ Kelly was in attendance, as well. Schoen, along with scouts from his Giants and the Falcons, was also in attendance to watch Sanders take on the Utes about a month and a half ago.

The Giants (currently set to pick fourth overall) are one of six teams inside the projected top-10 picks of the draft with an interest in adding a quarterback. The Titans (No. 2), Browns (No. 3), Panthers (No. 6), Jets (No. 7), and Raiders (No. 8) have all been viewed as possibilities to go after a first-round passer, as well.

The need to fill such a crucial role as quarterback has a tendency to inflate some prospects’ draft stocks. In the 2024 NFL Draft, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and according to some sources, Drake Maye were all viewed as the likely first-round passers for most of the draft process. As the draft drew nearer and it became more obvious that some teams would need additional help at quarterback, prospects like Michael Penix, J.J. McCarthy, and Bo Nix all found their draft stock being bumped from Day 2 or 3 to Day 1.

Because this phenomenon is likely to take effect once again this year, even if Ward and Sanders were not considered first-round options — which, to be clear, many scouts do view them to be — they would still likely find themselves on stage at Lambeau Field on April 24. In order to simulate this effect, some have claimed that this year’s versions of Ward and Sanders would’ve ranked as QB4 and QB5, in any order, in last year’s quarterback crop, placing them firmly in the top ten draft picks for that class, as well. In fact, the often-desperate need for young quarterback talent may even bring players like Beck, Milroe, or Dart back into first-round consideration with Ward and Sanders.

There’s still plenty of time until we arrive at Day 1 of the draft. Between now and then, we will see College Football Playoff performances, the NFL Scouting Combine, and pro days around the country. Many quarterbacks and other prospects will see their draft stock rise and fall throughout the next few months. At this point, though, Ward and Sanders seem to have cemented themselves as top five picks, regardless of what some scouts believe their value to be.

Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order

December 30th, 2024 at 10:39am CST by Adam La Rose

Plenty of changes took place regarding the projected draft order on Sunday. Most notably, the Giants’ first home win of the year took them out of the top spot and greatly lowered their chances of securing the No. 1 pick.

Instead, the Patriots are now in pole position to select first in April. New England already has Drake Maye in place, so adding another Day 1 passer would be out of the picture. With Travis Hunter being seen as the top overall prospect in the class, the Heisman winner could be a suitable target as a key figure in New England’s rebuilding process.

Meanwhile, a number of teams which could be in the market for a first-round passer are near the top of the order. That includes the Browns and Raiders, teams which each face uncertainty under center for 2025 despite already having a number of quarterbacks under contract beyond this season. Bringing in Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders would provide another short-term option for next year along with a potential long-term answer at the position. Plenty could still change in the order over Week 18, though, and the evaluation process of both of the top signal-callers in the class obviously has a long way to go.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2024 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is an updated look at the current draft order:

New England Patriots (3-13)
Tennessee Titans (3-13)
Cleveland Browns (3-13)
New York Giants (3-13)
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-12)
Carolina Panthers (4-12)
New York Jets (4-12)
Las Vegas Raiders (4-12)
Chicago Bears (4-12)
New Orleans Saints (5-11)
San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
Indianapolis Colts (7-9)
Dallas Cowboys (7-9)
Arizona Cardinals (7-9)
Miami Dolphins (8-8)
Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
Atlanta Falcons (8-8)
Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
Houston Texans (9-7)
Denver Broncos (9-7)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-7)
Los Angeles Chargers (10-6)
Los Angeles Rams (10-6)
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6)
Green Bay Packers (11-5)
Washington Commanders (11-5)
Baltimore Ravens (11-5)
Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
Buffalo Bills (13-3)
Detroit Lions (13-2)
Minnesota Vikings (14-2)
Kansas City Chiefs (15-1)

Patriots Move Into Top 2025 Draft Slot

December 29th, 2024 at 10:15pm CST by Ely Allen

With surprising wins today by the Giants and Raiders, the top of the draft order was shaken up once more. The Raiders, now on a two-game winning streak, have plummeted from a top-two pick to No. 8 overall, and a win by the Giants knocked the Colts out of playoff contention and knocked New York down three draft slots to No. 4 overall. Here’s a quick look at some other consequences of today’s games.

Today’s wins and losses have now placed New England in the driver’s seat for the No. 1 overall spot. If the Patriots lose in their season finale to the Bills, they will secure the rights to the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. This opens up a number of possibilities for New England. The Patriots have holes on the offensive line, receiving corps, pass rush, and cornerbacks group.

For some time, the top picks have been projected to be Miami quarterback Cam Ward or Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders, but with no need to draft a quarterback with a top pick for the second year in a row, the Patriots are poised to shake things up. With no elite options at offensive line in this year’s draft class, they could go for Heisman-winning athlete Travis Hunter from Colorado, who could fill holes at both cornerback and receiver. Arizona receiver Tetairoa McMillan is another top receiver option who projects as a stronger receiving prospect than Hunter. They could also go for Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter, though that would seem like a bit of a reach in the top spot.

The other option available to New England opens the door for any of the quarterback-needy teams to trade up into the No. 1 overall pick. The Titans (No. 2), Browns (No. 3), and Giants all have interest in adding a top quarterback to the roster. One of these teams may pursue that quarterback through free agency with Sam Darnold, Russell Wilson, and Kirk Cousins all currently on their way to free agency. If not, they can take a chance and hope to land Ward or Sanders in their current slots.

They may also want to keep an eye on teams like the Panthers (No. 6), Jets (No. 7), and Raiders, though, as all of those teams may have interest in trading into the top draft slot. All three of those teams have quarterback situations that could greatly benefit from the addition of Ward or Sanders, and the Patriots could likely still fill a major need — even offensive line — after moving back later in the top-10 picks. It would also make selections like Carter or Michigan cornerback Will Johnson seem like less of a reach.

There are way too many possibilities to speculate on from this situation at this point in time, but New England’s prospective hold on the No. 1 overall pick introduces a litany of fun potential outcomes. They will need to close it out with a home defeat at the hands of the Bills next week, but the chaos from today’s games has provided plenty for draft nerds to drool over in the days to come.

Browns Could Target First-Round QB

December 29th, 2024 at 10:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

Deshaun Watson will remain with the Browns for (at least) one more season, with his latest restructure now on the books. Cleveland will look to add competition at the quarterback spot this offseason, though, and the draft is an avenue which could be used in that effort.

The Browns enter Sunday’s action with a record of 3-12, making them a candidate for a top-five pick in April’s draft. Holding such a premier selection could open the door to adding one of the top passers in the 2025 class, depending on how the rest of the order at the top of the board shakes out. Provided the team is in position to do so, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com writes the Browns will be a candidate to select a Day 1 quarterback.

Trading for Watson and committing to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230MM contract was of course meant to provide the Browns with a long-term solution under center. The former Texan has dealt with an 11-game suspension followed by major injuries in consecutive seasons during his Cleveland tenure, however, and there is a chance he could miss time at the start of the 2025 campaign while recovering from his Achilles tear. At least one outside passer will likely be brought in to compete with Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who unlike veteran Jameis Winston is under contract for next year.

The 2024 draft produced six quarterbacks in the first 12 picks, but a repeat of that showing is not expected this time around. Only two passers are currently slated to receive consideration at the top of the board in 2025 – Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Cleveland could land within range of one or both, and in that event the team would no doubt spend considerable time evaluating each QB. Not long after paying three first-round picks as part of the price to acquire Watson, using a Day 1 selection on his successor would obviously not represent a wanted move on the part of general manager Andrew Berry, but Watson’s play when healthy would justify bringing in a replacement starting option.

Of course, the Browns could do so well before April. Several quarterbacks are set to hit the market, with Sam Darnold beingthe top option in free agency provided he does not re-sign with the Vikings. Minnesota wants to keep him in place (on a deal which will entail a considerable raise compared to his current pact), but failing that there will be several outside suitors. Cleveland could be one of them, and adding Darnold would provide the team with a multi-year starting option while riding out the remainder of Watson’s cumbersome contract and its salary cap implications.

Outside of Darnold, a mix of journeymen veterans and younger passers like Justin Fields and Mac Jones are on track to be available. Short-term commitments to quarterbacks in that tier could help the Browns meet their stated goal of returning to the playoffs in 2025, and success could pave the way to a new direction under center beyond that. If Cleveland elects to steer clear of a lucrative QB deal this spring, though, adding a rookie passer would increasingly become a possibility to watch for.

2025 NFL Draft News & Rumors