The 2025 NFL Draft is in the books, and the biggest wave of free agency is over. That makes it a perfect time to take stock of NFL rosters as we head toward the 2025 season. Over the next few weeks, I’ll look at the quarterbacks, running backs, and pass catchers for all 32 NFL Teams. I’ll be ranking each unit 1-16 in their conference. When taking stock of the whole unit, it’s not just about star power but depth. Today, it’s the first group of quarterback teams in the AFC. Teams appear in ascending order.
#16 Cleveland Browns
On the Roster: Deshaun Watson, Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders
About: No team has more quarterbacks rostered than the Browns. And no team has a less clear vision for who will lead the room than the Browns. Watson, recovering from a second torn Achilles, is not likely to be healthy in 2025. They also don’t want to have him play, but he can’t be released or traded thanks to his contract. So, I suspect he’ll go on PUP fairly soon.
Meanwhile, the Browns traded for Pickett, a former first-round pick for the Steelers who spent last year as a backup for the Eagles, and they re-signed the veteran Flacco, who was a star for them in late 2023. Then, the Browns drafted two quarterbacks—Gabriel in the third round and Sanders in the fifth round. All of that leaves them with a lot of bodies but not a lot of good options. That mess is what lands them at the bottom of the list in the AFC.
#15 Pittsburgh Steelers
On the Roster: Mason Rudolph, Skylar Thompson, and Will Howard
About: Are the Steelers’ options better than the options in Cleveland? That might be a matter of opinion, and I acknowledge that. I can see your point if you have the Steelers’ room as the worst in the AFC. I give them a slight nod because Rudolph is familiar with the Steelers. He actually went 3-0 down the stretch in 2023, helping guide the Steelers to the playoffs. He’s 8-4-1 for the Steelers in his career. They are allegedly comfortable with him starting; at this point, he will.
Thompson has some starting experience from his time in Miami, and Howard is an interesting late-round rookie pick who is off a National Championship at Ohio State. This is without considering the Steelers are still playing footsie with Aaron Rodgers. If he signs, this group could be too low. As it is, I like them better than the Browns.
#14 Indianapolis Colts
On the Roster: Anthony Richardson, Daniel Jones, and Riley Leonard
About: The Colts could be too low. We thought that Richardson had potential. And Jones had a pretty strong 2022 season under Brian Daboll. But neither has been good recently, and both were bad in 2024. Now, they’re competing to lead the Colts. Leonard was a late-round selection who’s a development prospect.
This is about Richardson and Jones. Both struggled with accuracy and turnovers, which has left Colts fans a bit downtrodden. This team has a good set of receivers, a great rookie tight end, and one of the best running backs in the AFC. But it’s hard for me to have confidence in either quarterback, so they’re near the bottom of the heap.
#13 Jacksonville Jaguars
On the Roster: Trevor Lawrence, Nick Mullens, John Wolford, and Seth Henigan
About: The Jaguars are a tough team to evaluate. Mullens and Wolford are longtime backups with some experience. But neither has looked great when called upon. In fact, Mullens struggled mightily in his last starting stint with the Minnesota Vikings in 2023. And yet, they feel like real factors here.
Lawrence was once the first overall pick, but his career has been uneven. He’s also coming off an injury-plagued year in 2024 and learning a new system with new coaches. If Lawrence is back healthy and this new scheme helps him achieve his potential, the Jaguars could be OK. But it’s hard to be confident if Lawrence misses time and Mullens takes over. So, they land in the bottom quarter of the AFC for me.
#12 Tennessee Titans
On the Roster: Cam Ward, Will Levis, Brandon Allen, and Tim Boyle
About: The Titans are another tricky team to evaluate. Levis has plenty of starting experience, though it’s not inspiring. That’s why he got benched to end 2024 and will be the backup now. Allen and Boyle are veterans who’ve been kicking around the league for a while. In fact, if Ward was lost, it’s fair to wonder if Allen would get the call. That gives them some options at backup. But I gave them the nod over the Jaguars and Colts because I like Ward, the first overall pick in the draft. Yes, he lacks experience. But he was the best quarterback in this class and has the tools to do well in the position. It’s close, but they get a slight edge for me.
#11 New York Jets
On the Roster: Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Adrian Martinez
About: The Jets have some promise on paper. In fact, this could end up being too low. It could also end up being too high. It all comes down to Fields. The Jets are taking a bet on him, and many are doing the same in fantasy. We saw flashes during his time in Chicago and during the first few games of 2024, when he started for the Steelers. If this is a good fit and he has matured, he could do good things with the Jets. If not, it could be a disaster.
Either way, Taylor is a solid if unspectacular QB2. That was good enough for me to place them higher than the teams below them, but not to push them up the list.
#10 Miami Dolphins
On the Roster: Tua Tagovailoa, Zach Wilson, and Quinn Ewers
About: This is another tough group to rank. We’ve seen Tua be among the best in the league. In 2023, he finished as QB9 and led the Dolphins to the playoffs. In 2024, he suffered more concussions and didn’t finish the season. He feels like he’s one hit away from being gone for good. That’s a scary proposition for him and for fans and fantasy players.
Behind Tua, the Dolphins have Wilson. He has experience from New York, but it wasn’t always great. He spent 2024 as the QB3 for Sean Payton in Denver. Has he grown and improved? It’s certainly possible, but it’s a tough bet to make. At QB3, we have Ewers. I like his potential as a prospect, but he’s raw and has his own injury history. All that leaves the Dolphins as a team with potential but a lot of volatility.
#9 New England Patriots
On the Roster: Drake Maye, Joshua Dobbs, and Ben Woolridge
About: The Patriots could have been higher. Some might have put them higher. I’d certainly understand if you have them higher. Maye looked great in his starts with the Patriots in 2024. He finished with 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in 12 starts. He’s got plenty of potential, but he’s still learning and growing.
Behind him, the team has Dobbs, a solid if unspectacular backup. He’s done nice things for Mike Vrabel before, so it’s a solid QB2 option. But it’s a thin room. Woolridge is a deep development prospect. I like the room, but I don’t love the room. So, I have them at the top of the first half of the draw in the AFC.
Matthew Fox is a die-hard NFL fan and Broncos’ homer. He’s a member of the FSWA. You can find more from him on Twitter @knighthawk7734 or as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast, a part of the Campus2Canton Network.
