The NFL is a quarterback-driven league. If you don’t have an elite passer, you’ll do anything you can to get one. If you do have one, you’ll do anything you can to keep him. But what about the guys in the middle? What about the good quarterbacks that maybe haven’t reached the heights their teams need them to reach in order to take the next step in their pursuit of a championship?

many times, even those quarterbacks get signed to big contracts with the hopes that they will eventually reach that level. In other cases, a guy just has too much talent for teams to give up on easily, despite that player failing to put it all together so far in their career.

The following quarterbacks are no longer on their Rookie deals and have all been paid as starters to one degree or another heading into 2025. Let’s dive into these QBs and why the 2025 season feels like a make-or-break year for each one.

DAK PRESCOTT | DALLAS COWBOYS

Age: 31 | AAV: $60M | Contract End: 2028

Dak just signed the most lucrative deal by AAV in NFL history last offseason, but his injury history and the constant pressure of playing the QB position in Dallas could be too much for him to overcome if he can’t put together a special season in 2025. Expectations are high, like Super-Bowl-contender high, so Dak will have his work cut out for him to earn the trust of the Front Office and fanbase again.

TREVOR LAWRENCE | JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Age: 24 | AAV: $55M | Contract End: 2030

I still believe in Lawrence, despite an underwhelming overall start to his career. He also got paid big money last offseason, and now with new HC Liam Coen, one of the league’s best up and coming playcallers, is leading the offense, it’s reasonable to expect a true leap from Lawrence into the Top 10 of NFL QBs. If he struggles again, the new regime in JAX could look to bring in their own guy. Lawrence would have a lot of suitors at only 25 years old next offseason.

TUA TAGOVAILOA | MIAMI DOLPHINS

Age: 26 | AAV: $53.1M | Contract End: 2028

I was not a fan of giving Tua $50M+/year based on his injury history and very scheme-dependent play-style. This is likely the embattled QB’s last chance to prove he can be a consistent and, maybe more importantly, available Top 10 passer in order to keep his job in Miami. His HC Mike McDaniel better hope so as well, or he could also be looking for work.

KYLER MURRAY | ARIZONA CARDINALS

Age: 24 | AAV: $46.1M | Contract End: 2028

Kyler Murray isn’t quite making $50M/year but he’s still a highly-paid QB that hasn’t quite lived up to the type of production he’s being paid to put on the field. The Cards can get out of his deal pretty easily after this season if they want, so it’ll be up to Kyler to get his team back into some kind of contention if he wants to remain in AZ.

SAM DARNOLD | SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Age: 27 | AAV: $33.5M | Contract End: 2027

I know Darnold is entering his 1st season in Seattle after landing there as a Free Agent this offseason, but his deal is basically a 1-year contract with 2 additional years tagged on if he plays well. If he doesn’t, the ‘Hawks could look to transition to 3rd Rd pick Jalen Milroe or pursue another QB option in 2026. In a soft reset year for Seattle, Darnold will have to show his success in MIN last year was more than just Kevin O’Connell making things easy for him schematically if he wants to be part of Seattle’s plans moving forward.

JUSTIN FIELDS | NEW YORK JETS

Age: 26 | AAV: $20M | Contract End: 2026

This is likely Justin Fields’ last chance to show he can be longterm starter in the NFL. The good news for Fields is that the Jets should be able to maximize his skillset in a run heavy offense where he can utilize his legs and get the ball out quickly to his former college teammate, Garrett Wilson, and company. If it’s a struggle for Fields in 2025, nothing is preventing the Jets from jumping ship for a Rookie in the 2026 NFL Draft. They may do so no matter what.

OTHER QUARTERBACKS TO WATCH:

Jared Goff | Age: 29 | AAV: $53M

What does he look like without Ben Johnson leading the offense? If it’s a struggle, the Lions could look to chase youth and upside at QB sooner rather than later.

Justin Herbert | Age: 26 | AAV: $52.5M

Should have more of a leash on a well-coached perennial contender, but will need to re-establish himself in the upper echelon of QBs in 2025 to stay off this list.

Baker Mayfield | Age: 28 | AAV: $33.3M

Mayfield has been better than TB could have possibly imagined these last 2 seasons, but with one year left on his deal after 2025, the Bucs could have they’re eye on getting on the Rookie QB contract timeline while building out the rest of the roster for a future Super Bowl run.