Top 10 2025 NFL free-agent quarterbacks: Where does Sam Darnold rank after 'MNF' clunker?

Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold lost money on Monday night. With an ugly performance against the Rams, Darnold's stock entering free agency took a hit.

Darnold should still be a top option for quarterback-needy teams, but is he No. 1 among this year's free-agent crop? Let's find out.

10. Joshua Dobbs | 2024 season: 49ers

The rocket scientist became a folk hero with the Vikings in 2023. Dobbs' ceiling is as a backup, but he's shown he can keep a team afloat if needed in small doses.

9. Trey Lance | 2024 season: Cowboys

Lance, the No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, has only started five games in four seasons. We wouldn't be shocked for some quarterback guru to look at Lance and think he can fix him. And if things don't work out, Lance should be cheap enough that it probably won't matter.

8. Zach Wilson | 2024 season: Broncos

Selected one spot ahead of Lance, Wilson spent 2024 learning under head coach Sean Payton, which might lead to a surprising second act. Darnold, Baker Mayfield and Geno Smith are among the supposed NFL draft busts who found success away from their initial NFL homes. Could Wilson be next? Weirder things have happened.

7. Daniel Jones | 2024 season: Giants/Vikings

Teams could do much worse than taking a flier on Jones. Despite going 3-13 in his last 16 starts, it's fair to question whether the Giants were the best environment for Jones to succeed.

6. Jimmy Garoppolo | 2024 season: Rams

During the final week of the 2024 regular season, Garoppolo started for the first time since Week 8 of the 2023 season and put up solid numbers for the Rams (27-of-41 for 334 yards, two touchdowns and one interception). He may still have something to offer.

5. Jameis Winston | 2024 season: Browns

Winston hasn't been able to shake his reputation as the league's greatest chaos agent. In arguably the year's wildest performance, Winston had 497 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions — including two pick-sixes — against the Broncos on "Monday Night Football" in Week 13.

He threw eight interceptions in his last three starts, proving to be the same high-risk, high-reward player who threw 33 touchdowns and 30 interceptions in 2019.

4. Cooper Rush | 2024 season: Cowboys

Rush might be the best backup available on the market, making him an intriguing option somewhere (Miami? Indianapolis?). In eight starts, Rush was 187-of-308 (60.7 percent) for 1,844 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions.

3. Russell Wilson | 2024 season: Steelers

During Pittsburgh's 0-5 stretch (including the playoffs) to end the season, Wilson was 96-of-152 (63.2 percent) for 968 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. He was also sacked 18 times, losing 131 yards, and gained 117 yards on 20 carries. 

Wilson, 36, was still much better this season than in Denver, giving him value as a potential stopgap option with the Giants or a bridge quarterback for a team like the Titans, who are expected to select a quarterback with the No. 1 pick in April's NFL Draft.

2. Sam Darnold | 2024 season: Vikings

Two weeks ago, there were questions about whether the Vikings would allow Darnold to leave in free agency. The journeyman quarterback likely sealed his fate with an awful end to the season.

During Minnesota's last two games — on the road against the Lions (15-2) and Rams (10-7) — Darnold produced 334 yards on 99 dropbacks (3.37 yards per dropback).

He'll likely be on his fifth team in six seasons in 2025, but we can't ignore all the good things he showed while leading the Vikings to a 14-2 record in their first 16 games.

Darnold might be Case Keenum 2.0, but even he parlayed his one good season in the pros — with the Vikings in 2017 — into a multi-year contract with the Broncos in 2018. Darnold's suitors saved money with his disappointing end to the season, but he's still one of the most valuable quarterbacks on the market.

1. Justin Fields | 2024 season: Steelers

Perhaps Fields' absence made our hearts grow fonder, but he has a solid case as the most attractive 2025 free-agent quarterback. He started the Steelers' first six games, going 4-2 while completing a career-high 65.8 percent of his pass attempts and posting his highest passer rating (93.3).

Fields grew as a passer, and he's still a mismatch for defenses as a runner. In 2024, he gained 289 rushing yards and had a success rate of 54.8 percent on 62 carries; since 2021, his 2,509 rushing yards are the fourth-most by a quarterback, trailing Lamar Jackson (3,267), Jalen Hurts (2,779), and Josh Allen (2,580).

Spending the season's second half backing up Wilson, Fields might also come at a discount compared to other options. With no safe bet in this year's free-agency quarterback class, Fields represents the highest reward.