5 QB-needy teams that should sign Sam Darnold in 2025 free agency feat. Las Vegas Raiders

Sam Darnold's storybook season has ended. Not many are surprised to see the quarterback out of the picture by the start of the divisional round, but he got much closer than most would have predicted early in the year. It is now time for Darnold to cash in on his breakout 14-3 year. Here's a look at five teams that would benefit from having him in 2025.

QB-needy teams that should sign Sam Darnold

#1 - Tennessee Titans

Will Levis at Houston Texans v Tennessee Titans - Source: Getty

The Tennessee Titans have all but turned the page on the Will Levis experiment. Mike Vrabel couldn't get much out of the rookie and Brian Callahan was displeased with the QB following his choice to bench him. The Titans are effectively heading into the 2025 NFL draft back to square one.

Adding Sam Darnold would allow the team to potentially be competitive in the somewhat level playing field in the AFC South, and if they draft a QB behind Darnold, they'd have a chance at a successful future.

#2 - Las Vegas Raiders

Gardner Minshew II at Denver Broncos v Las Vegas Raiders - Source: Getty

The Las Vegas Raiders are likely headed for a complete rebuild. Antonio Pierce is gone and there is no roadmap at QB. Adding Darnold as a bridge QB seems like a must if the team wants to get through the 2025 season with any chance at keeping things close with the three other AFC West teams that made the playoffs this campaign.

#3 - New York Giants

Daniel Jones at New York Giants v Pittsburgh Steelers - Source: Getty

The New York Giants are starting from scratch and don't have Daniel Jones to lean on anymore. Drew Lock's late-season flash aside, adding Darnold to pair with Malik Nabers appears like a decent option if the Giants draft a QB to learn behind him.

Darnold also has plenty of experience playing in Metlife Stadium as a member of the New York Jets who share the venue.

#4 - Cleveland Browns

Deshaun Watson at Cincinnati Bengals v Cleveland Browns - Source: Getty

The Browns need to start looking at 2025 as if they don't have Deshaun Watson on the team. Watson's Achilles setback is on pace to knock him out of the picture for much, if not all, of the 2025 season, so the Browns need to get hunting.

Signing Darnold would give them a plan to get through the remaining years on Watson's deal and at least some semblance of a chance next season.

There's the question of money with the two salaries, but overall, depending on what the market is for Darnold, the Browns might have the itch after letting Amari Cooper out the door but would need to likely move some other older pieces on offense and defense to make room. It isn't pretty, but it's where the Browns are.

#5 - New York Jets

Aaron Rodgers at Miami Dolphins v New York Jets - Source: Getty

Darnold's addition would be a source of headlines, but far from unprecedented. (Brock Osweiler had two separate stints for the Denver Broncos in the 2010s, per Pro Football Reference).

The Jets would need to move on from Aaron Rodgers and view Darnold as a bridge QB this time around.