The 2025 NFL offseason has already brought a tizzy of blockbuster moves. Monday marked the start of the free agent negotiating period, when all 32 teams could begin discussing prospective contracts with impending free agents. And plenty of clubs got busy right out of the gate, with big names like Davante Adams, Chris Godwin, Milton Williams and Jaycee Horn agreeing to lucrative new contracts.
Perhaps the most impactful moves come at the quarterback position, however, and Monday also brought a wave of those, with several veteran starters striking deals with new teams. That rush of action followed a pre-free agency trade involving the Las Vegas Raiders, and the carousel is still spinning, with a handful of clubs — the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers included — still searching for answers under center.
Some of them could wait until April’s draft to properly address the position, but perhaps not.
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In the meantime, here’s a roundup of the most notable moves to occur at quarterback this offseason, including both reported contract agreements and trades as 2025 free agency kicks into high gear:
Starting QB moves
Raiders Acquired Geno Smith: The Raiders agreed to send a 2025 third-round draft pick to the Seattle Seahawks for the former Comeback Player of the Year. It’s a win-now endeavor from new Raiders brass, including coach Pete Carroll and minority owner Tom Brady, complete with an expected pay raise for the 34-year-old Smith, who’s still got a live arm but has been prone to forced throws. Smith’s arrival won’t necessarily preclude Las Vegas from also adding an arm of the future.
Jets Signed Justin Fields: Scarred by their failed Aaron Rodgers experiment, New York pivoted to a much younger option in Fields, who despite starting 44 games over four seasons is still just 26. While the former first-rounder remains something of a projection, flashing both electric and erratic stuff as a No. 1, his reported deal — two years, $40 million — is a step removed from high-end backup money in this era. In other words, it’s a low-risk, high-reward bet for a franchise in transition.
Seahawks Signed Sam Darnold: Rather than commit big bucks to an aging Geno Smith, Seattle committed big bucks — just not nearly as much — to another explosive but mercurial signal-caller. Darnold is a tricky evaluation, thriving in a cozy Minnesota Vikings setup to restore his value in 2024 … until a skittish finale. The nice thing for the Seahawks, who don’t have Vikings-level firepower: Darnold’s still fairly young (27), and Seattle has a third-rounder from the Smith trade to throw additional darts.
Backup QB moves