The NFL free agent carousel was seemingly at a standstill as multiple teams wait for the decision of four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers on where he'll sign next. Never in anyone's wildest dreams did we think Jameis Winston would be the next domino to fall.
Well, he was and he's going to the Big Apple. Winston signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the New York Giants on Friday (worth up to $16 million with incentives). New York was one team patiently waiting for Rodgers to decide whether to accept their reported offer.
Winston's probably not going to be the Week 1 starter at MetLife Stadium, so a Rodgers deal could still happen. But with general manager Joe Schoen calling his bluff - and seemingly everyone else waiting's bluff (ahem, Pittsburgh Steelers) - everyone else playing musical chairs with QB vacancies is going to have to sit down sooner rather than later.
Where should the top remaining free agent QBs sign after Jameis Winston's Giants deal?
Aaron Rodgers | Pittsburgh Steelers
Come on, Aaron. You're not holding all the cards here and the Giants just proved it. The Minnesota Vikings aren't walking through that door. Rodgers' visit with the Steelers reportedly went well on Friday but apparently not well enough to sign on the dotted line. New York is still interested but after signing Winston, will Schoen begin prioritizing the upcoming draft to pick a rookie who can develop?
Rodgers' only option to compete for a Super Bowl in the twilight of his career is Pittsburgh. The only other team he could look at is the Cleveland Browns but that would just be a laughable end to his NFL lore. At this point, it's just a matter of time before we see Rodgers in the black and gold.
Russell Wilson | New York Giants
As much as New York's preferred option is still Rodgers, Wilson as plan B is still just as much a possibility as anything else. Nothing is stopping Schoen from bringing in the Super Bowl XLVIII champion to start in 2025 and also draft a rookie in on day two or three of the draft. Emergency QB Tommy DeVito will fit right in with the practice squad if that ends up happening.
Wilson is also reportedly an option for the Cleveland Browns but by owning the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, they have an opportunity to land a top rookie QB like Colorado's Shedeur Sanders instead of paying top dollar for yet another veteran. If Wilson's career as a starter is going to continue, it's going to be in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Joe Flacco | Denver Broncos
If he's not going to hang up his cleats, Flacco will wind up as a backup again in 2025. He's proven over the last two seasons that he can still sling it and win games. Across the last two seasons, Flacco has thrown for at least 1,500 yards and double-digit touchdowns. That's with playing in just five games in 2023 and eight in 2024.
Currently, the Denver Broncos only have starter Bo Nix and backup Jarrett Stidham on their roster. We've all seen how inconsistent the latter is so Sean Payton should be giving Flacco a call to provide Nix with some veteran mentorship and steady relief.
Ryan Tannehill | Minnesota Vikings
J.J. McCarthy will be the starter for the Minnesota Vikings in 2025 (if healthy). The 22-year-old is recovering from a meniscus tear but is expected to be ready by training camp. That being said, he's going to need a veteran backup just in case.
The team already rebuffed Rodgers in recent days but aren't done shopping in the QB market. Minnesota is reportedly "in discussions" with free agent Ryan Tannehill but no deal is imminent. We last saw the 36-year-old signal caller in a Tennessee Titans jersey in 2023 but he's trying to make a comeback after Will Levis stole his job in Nashville (ouch). McCarthy is the future but Tannehill could be a candidate for the fictional Comeback(up) Player of the Year Award.
Carson Wentz | Cleveland Browns
We've already established Cleveland wants Wilson but that scenario is looking less and less likely by the day. In that case, reports have emerged that general manager Andrew Berry and free agent Carson Wentz have "mutual interest" in striking a deal.
Nothing is imminent but with 2024 starter Deshaun Watson still recovering from a ruptured Achilles and the team trading for Kenny Pickett from Philadelphia, Wentz could be apart of one of the strangest QB rooms in the league.