NFL QB stock report after 2025 preseason: Buy, sell or hold Caleb Williams, Shedeur Sanders, other big names
Assessing some of the most notable signal-callers after August
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5 min read
Preseason football is in the books, which means the real 2025 NFL season is finally upon us. All 32 teams taught us a few things during three full weeks of exhibition action, and no position drew more attention than quarterback, where a few clubs enjoyed stellar debuts from rookie signal-callers and a few others endured more mixed results from summer competitions.
So how did each of the big names under center help -- or hurt -- their stock after suiting up in the preseason? We know full well that preseason reps must be taken relatively lightly. Exhibition matchups are essentially glorified scrimmages for primarily hopeful backups. So they often aren't directly indicative of what's to come when the real games begin.
Still, some quarterbacks are now held in higher regard thanks to their on-field work this August. Others may have merely convinced the rest of the NFL they're a ways from making a real impact. Let's recap some of the most notable names to take the field this preseason, identifying whether we'd buy, sell or hold heading into the 2025 campaign:
Caleb Williams (Bears): Hold
Now entrusted to run Ben Johnson's offense in Chicago, the former No. 1 overall draft pick was up and down in two starts, closing his preseason with some pre- and early-post-snap miscues. He's got all the physical talent in the world. The question has always been -- and remains -- whether he can satisfy Johnson as the orchestrator of a structured attack.
Dillon Gabriel (Browns): Buy
A hamstring injury kept him in the shadows of Cleveland's crowded quarterback room to start the preseason. By the end, he was arguably the most promising long-term option on the depth chart. While Joe Flacco is entrenched as the early-season starter, Gabriel displayed legitimate decisiveness and accuracy as a traditional pocket passer in his second and final outing.
Shedeur Sanders (Browns): Hold
Sanders was the inverse of Gabriel this preseason: After starting hot with a composed two-touchdown debut, he sunk to a more discombobulated state in his second go-round, absorbing five sacks while pressing to extend plays. We won't write off his moxie for down the road, but right now, it's clear he fits best as a true developmental reserve in Cleveland.
Shedeur Sanders is exactly who the Browns thought he was ... and that's not a bad thing
Ryan Wilson
Kyler Murray (Cardinals): Sell
Perhaps we're reading too much into a single misfire from his opening preseason game, but it's concerning that a pick-≠six was the most notable thing about his exhibition work. It just underscores how much quiet pressure there is on Murray to finally meet expectations as the club's former No. 1 overall pick. He's talented, but steadiness has always been an "if."
Anthony Richardson (Colts): Sell
Indianapolis all but declared the end of the Richardson development project when it named Daniel Jones the indefinite starter for 2025. Might the former first-rounder return to the lineup in relief of Jones this year? Oh, of that, we're quite sure, actually. But the Colts have said time and again with their actions they do not trust Richardson to master the fundamentals.
Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs): Buy
Yes, we know: No one was really doubting Mahomes in the first place. But let's not forget how poorly his 2024 season ended, with the Philadelphia Eagles rendering him a non-factor in the Super Bowl. No. 15 looked positively charged up in his preseason work, making good on promises to restore the big play in Kansas City. He's primed to air it out this year.
Jaxson Dart (Giants): Buy
Of all the young quarterbacks to join the fold this year, Dart was quite clearly the best of the bunch this preseason, not only because of his volume of opportunity but his generally positive trajectory. From a perfect bomb in his debut to an efficient stretch in his finale, he already feels primed to make a play for starting reps if Russell Wilson struggles out of the gate.
Patriots-Giants preseason takeaways: Rookie Jaxson Dart ends strong preseason on sour note
Tyler Sullivan
Justin Fields (Jets): Hold
Most have accepted Fields for who he's been up to this point: an erratic passer and electric runner. And that trend may well continue in New York, where the former first-rounder flashed his elusiveness but struggled to light up the stat sheet through the air this preseason. The trouble is figuring out whether that might still be enough to improve the Jets' offense.
Jimmy Garoppolo (Rams): Buy
Garoppolo didn't take a single snap this preseason, but that's precisely why his stock is up; the Rams were dead set on ensuring he stayed healthy before September. Why? Because Matthew Stafford isn't just 37 years old under center. He's also just now gearing up for the season with an aggravated disc. In other words, Garoppolo could be set for a real role with an NFC contender.
Tyler Shough (Saints): Sell
We're not naive enough to think a single preseason is enough to warrant writing off a second-round rookie. Shough certainly brought a touch more zest to New Orleans' attack than his chief competition, Spencer Rattler. But volatility doesn't always equate to reliability, especially on a franchise in transition. Shough may have grit, but he could be in for a bumpy ride.
Sam Darnold (Seahawks): Buy
Remember him? The guy the Minnesota Vikings let walk after a deflating two-week finish all but undid the promise of a 30-touchdown breakout? Yes, we're still skeptical he can translate his live arm to late-year dominance. But Darnold slung it with authority in his limited Seattle debut. If the Seahawks' offensive line is truly improved, he could be in for another big year.
Cameron Ward (Titans): Buy
Like Darnold, we're primarily just intrigued by the arm talent here. Ward wasn't perfect in his first preseason, but he showcased the passing zip that made him a fairly easy choice for Tennessee at the No. 1 pick in the draft. It was especially apparent early against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, when he fed Calvin Ridley. Titans fans can at least anticipate some excitement here.
J.J. McCarthy (Vikings): Hold
Minnesota spent the early portion of the offseason letting McCarthy ease into the top gig. The Vikings took a similarly conservative approach this preseason, giving the 2024 first-rounder just a single series of live game-day work before Week 1. It's a smart bid to preserve his freshness. But that also puts a bit more pressure on his already-anticipated debut.
