NFL QB 'Transfer Portal' Rankings: Daniel Jones, Sam Darnold and others highlight historic year for QB reboots

Last Sunday's duel between Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold was a thing of beauty for anyone who appreciates second (or third or fourth or fifth) chances. 

This was the first game in NFL history where opposing quarterbacks each passed for 325 yards while completing 80% of their attempts. They nearly combined for as many touchdowns (six) as incompletions (10) and looked every bit like the franchise quarterbacks they were drafted to be.  

It was a game that nobody would have ever thought was possible back in 2022 when both careers were on the verge of destruction as they competed for the Panthers' quarterback job. 

Baker Mayfield gives funny response when asked if he, Sam Darnold reminisce about 'good old' Panthers days

Shanna McCarriston

This miracle game should be a giant billboard to the rest of the league that says, "Take a flier on failed first-round quarterbacks." It's working for several teams right now, as half of the NFL's winning teams in 2025 have a former first-round pick at quarterback who is not with their original team. The group of Mayfield, Darnold, Jared Goff, Daniel Jones and Mac Jones is proving that there's an alternative way to winning if you're unable to find the NFL's holy grail by drafting a franchise cornerstone like Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson or Jayden Daniels. 

Taking a chance on "failed" blue-chip quarterbacks is proving to be low risk with potentially high reward in recent seasons. Mac Jones cost the 49ers $7 million over two years. The Colts got Daniel Jones on a one-year deal worth $14 million. The Buccaneers originally gave Mayfield a one-year, prove-it deal with $4 million in 2023. The Vikings gave Darnold a one-year deal worth $10 million to back up J.J. McCarthy last year (before he landed a big deal with Seattle). And while the Lions inherited Goff's big contract in 2021, they also acquired two first-round picks that helped turn Detroit into the juggernaut it is today. 

This might be the best season for quarterback reboots ever. While first-round quarterbacks have performed OK for their draft teams this year (let's call them homegrown), it's the former first-rounders who have moved on from their draft teams (non-homegrown QBs) who are thriving for the most part. That group has a 28-17 record this year. Collectively, they have a better win percentage, completion rate, yards per attempt and touchdown-to-interception ratio than homegrown first-round quarterbacks. The last time that happened was 2015. 

First-round quarterbacks this season

The 2025 group of non-homegrown first-round passers ranks in the top five in all those categories when comparing all other seasons since 1970. In fact, the first-round QB retreads have never had a better season in terms of completion rate (68%) and TD-to-INT ratio (3.3) than they're having right now.

In other words, the NFL's quarterback "transfer portal" is so hot right now. 

It's absolutely a product of today's NFL economy where the quarterback churn is all too real. Impatient franchises are chewing up and spitting out blue-chip prospects with regularity. Roughly 40% of first-round quarterbacks drafted in the 2010s got a second contract with their draft team. A criminally low rate. Those quarterbacks averaged 55 starts with their draft teams (down from 81 by first-rounders drafted in the 2000s). 

It's more sink-or-swim than it's ever been for quarterbacks, which also creates a new edge for NFL teams to look into. The best time to win a Super Bowl may be with a quarterback on a cheap rookie deal, but winning a gamble on a low-risk, failed first-round quarterback also has its team-building advantages. The NFL is a copycat league, so I'm interested to see who the next quarterback rebound is (maybe Bryce Young or Anthony Richardson if they fizzle out with their current franchises).

Until then, let's rank the current starting quarterbacks part of the NFL's historic "second chance U". I'm talking about highly drafted quarterbacks who hit the "Transfer Portal" and not by choice. Sorry, Matthew Stafford, but you're out of this exercise. After all, the Rams paid a lot to get you. 

The criteria were pretty simple. I'm looking at quarterbacks with big expectations who were canned by their original teams. Among those guys, who have exceeded expectations the most with their second (or third, or fourth) chance?

NFL QB 'transfer portal' rankings

1	Baker Mayfield Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB
For me, Baker Mayfield takes the cake. We shouldn't be surprised after he became the first walk-on to win a Heisman Trophy back in college. But, it's still shocking to see him defy the odds like he has in recent years. He was better than any other QB the Browns have had since 1999, but they still didn't extend him with a second contract. He didn't work out in a short stint with the Panthers in 2022, but saved his career with a miraculous 98-yard game-winning drive with the Rams just two days after they acquired him. All he's done since is play top-10 quarterback ball with the Buccaneers and now he's an MVP candidate. The Buccaneers are 4-1 this season while navigating injuries to Bucky Irving , Mike Evans , Chris Godwin and three-fifths of their offensive line. Fun fact, only two players have ever won MVP on their fourth (or more) team like Mayfield can do. Earl Morrall (1968 Colts) and Rich Gannon (2002 Raiders ). I should also mention that with one touchdown pass on Sunday, he'll become the third quarterback since 1970 with 80+ touchdown passes in their first 40 starts after changing teams. The others were Tom Brady (Buccaneers) and Peyton Manning ( Broncos ). Maybe he'll eventually pull a Jim Plunkett, who is the OG of QB reboots. Plunkett was drafted first overall in 1971 but did nothing for the Patriots and 49ers before winning two Super Bowls in the 1980s with the Raiders.
2	Sam Darnold Seattle Seahawks QB
You don't see comeback stories like Baker Mayfield (on his fourth team) and Sam Darnold (on his fifth team). They are the only former first-round pick quarterbacks since 1970 to make their first Pro Bowl on their fourth (or more team). Mayfield made his first in 2023 and Darnold made one last year. Darnold is the only quarterback in NFL history to start for five different teams before turning 29. He's too young to be a journeyman but this is the NFL in 2025. Darnold's career is officially back from the dead after it looked like "seeing ghosts" was going to be his NFL legacy. He was a top 10 quarterback last year before crumbling in the final two games. But he's put that behind him with a solid start in Seattle. He's averaging 9.3 yards per attempt this season, the most by a quarterback in his first five games with a team since Kurt Warner's start with the Rams from 1998-99.
3	Jared Goff Detroit Lions QB
Goff would be higher on this list, but let's not forget he made a Super Bowl with the Rams. He still qualifies for the list because the Rams paid two first-round picks to both offload his contract on Detroit and acquire Matthew Stafford. They essentially said, "We've gone as far as we can with you and we're rolling with Stafford's upside." Turned out to be a genius play for the Rams, even if it was a mutually beneficial move. Give Goff credit for what he's accomplished in Detroit. He was thought of as a bridge quarterback when they got him, but four years later, and we still haven't crossed that bridge yet. He's tied with Mayfield for the most touchdown passes by any player in the last three seasons (79). There are still doubts about whether he can win a Super Bowl, especially after last year's playoff exit, but his career arc is still one heckuva story.
4	Daniel Jones Indianapolis Colts QB
There's probably more shock value to Jones' success than anyone else on this list, but it's also only been five games. Still, what a five games it's been! He's kicked the door open after Anthony Richardson's poor play and preseason injury. The Colts have scored on 65% of their drives this year, the highest rate by any team through five games since 2000. They are coming off a game with six straight touchdown drives and they also started the year with back-to-back games with no turnovers and no punts. It's been a crazy start, which is a reflection of Jones' dual-threat ability and fit with Shane Steichen. Jones ranks second in the NFL in EPA per dropback this season between two quarterbacks already named on this list, Jared Goff (first) and Sam Darnold (third).
5	Mac Jones San Francisco 49ers QB
Kyle Shanahan finally got his guy. Mac Jones is thriving with the 49ers four years after Shanahan reportedly wanted Jones in the draft (49ers' scouts wanted Trey Lance ). He's been like a carbon copy of Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy , anticipating throws and getting rid of the ball quickly over the middle of the field to San Francisco's playmakers. The impressive part about Jones' start, though, is his supporting cast. He gutted out a win last Thursday at the Rams when the 49ers were down George Kittle , Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings . The big knock on Purdy has been his ability to elevate when the deck is stacked against him. Jones actually did that in Week 5. He's the fourth quarterback since 1950 to start 3-0 with 800+ passing yards and at least six touchdown passes with a new team. The others were Patrick Mahomes ( Chiefs ), Kurt Warner (Rams) and Matthew Stafford (Rams). Just Mac Jones and a trio of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks. Who knows how long it will last, but at least it gives the 49ers the luxury of resting Brock Purdy longer.
6	Justin Fields New York Jets QB
Ignore the Jets' 0-5 record here for a second. Their defense has been terrible and they don't even have a takeaway yet. Fields has actually been OK this season, at least better than Aaron Rodgers , who is next on the list. He's 16th in EPA per dropback this season (Rodgers is 23rd) and that rank holds even in one-score games (sharing because the Jets have put up a lot of offense in garbage time). He's added value with his legs and has at least attempted to drive the ball downfield, unlike Rodgers (more on that momentarily).
7	Aaron Rodgers Pittsburgh Steelers QB
You know you've hit rock bottom when even the Jets don't want you back. We were curious to see if Rodgers would be a disaster in Pittsburgh after what happened in New York, but to his credit, there's been no meltdown yet. He's been serviceable and the Steelers are in first place because the rest of the division is a dumpster fire. I would still expect Pittsburgh to fall apart like they did with Russell Wilson last year, but you never know. Here's one alarming figure, though. There have been 665 qualified quarterbacks through five games over the last 20 seasons. Rodgers' 2025 season ranks 665th out of those 665 in average pass length. His pass is traveling just 4.8 yards downfield from the line of scrimmage this year. That's as conservative as you can possibly get.
8	Carson Wentz Minnesota Vikings QB
Wentz is still the Vikings' starting quarterback as of writing this, so let's give him some love. He needs some after going from MVP favorite in 2017 before tearing his ACL to the prototypical journeyman. He's the only quarterback in NFL history to start for a different team in six straight seasons. The Vikings signed him two weeks before the season and he's filled in OK, even if his two wins are against the Browns and Bengals . He's 13th in EPA per dropback this year and just gave us a game-winning drive capped with a touchdown pass to Jordan Addison last week.
9	Joe Flacco Cincinnati Bengals QB
Flacco is a Super Bowl MVP, but he is an easy selection for this list after his travels in seven seasons since leaving the Ravens . He couldn't work the same magic he had with Cleveland in 2023, but he was still intriguing enough for the Bengals to make a desperation trade for him this week. He's starting this weekend against the Packers and maybe he'll hit some home runs with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins , but I'm not counting on it.
10	Geno Smith Las Vegas Raiders QB
Geno Smith is the most disappointing quarterback in the NFL this season. I had high hopes for him in Las Vegas with Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers , plus Pete Carroll and Chip Kelly on the coaching staff. It's been a disaster, though, as he leads the NFL in interceptions (nine).