The schedule for the 2025 NFL season was recently released, triggering anticipation for the new campaign to kick into overdrive. Fans everywhere are on the edge of their seats, waiting for the action to start.

The reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles will raise the curtain in early September as they welcome the Dallas Cowboys to the Linc on September 4th, and online football betting sites think another stellar year could be in the offing for the Birds. The latest football betting at Bovada odds currently make Philly a short-priced +650 favorite to successfully retain the Lombardi Trophy that they won so dominantly against the Kansas City Chiefs back in February.

Much of that success in New Orleans was built on the back of a rampant defense and an MVP-winning evening from quarterback Jalen Hurts. But while the former Oklahoma Sooner practically has the keys to the City of Brotherly Love, some NFL quarterbacks find themselves at the opposite end of the spectrum.

For some signal-callers, the shine of potential has been replaced by the weight of expectation. Heading into 2025, a few QBs are feeling the heat more than most, and if they don’t deliver next term, their stint as a starter could well be coming to an end.

Caleb Williams

The buzz surrounding Caleb Williams entering 2024 was deafening. Dubbed a generational talent and hailed as the savior for the Chicago Bears, he was tasked with leading a franchise hungry for relevance. But the former USC standout’s rookie campaign fell far short of expectations.

While he flashed moments of brilliance, his inconsistency became the defining theme of his season. Poor decision-making under pressure, combined with turnover woes, limited the Bears’ offensive potential. And to make matters worse, Williams was left trailing in the wake of Washington’s Jayden Daniels, the man who was selected second overall. While he was propelling Washington to the NFC Championship game for the first time since 1991, the Bears missed the playoffs altogether.

Now facing his sophomore season, Williams needs to prove that the flashes of talent weren’t a mirage. Chicago’s front office has revamped the offensive line and added playmakers around him, leaving little room for excuses. He somewhat struck up a partnership with wideout Rome Odunze throughout the latter part of last term, and that needs to be built on in the opening weeks of next season. Anything less than a major step forward in 2025 will amplify concerns that Williams might not be the talent many believed he was.

Brock Purdy

If the first season-and-a-bit of Brock Purdy’s career was a fairytale, then 2024 turned into his worst nightmare. The former Iowa State Cyclone was made Mr. Irrelevant in 2022 when he was selected with the final pick of that year’s draft. However, he was thrust into the limelight when the two Niners quarterbacks ahead of him in the pecking order were downed with injury.

Purdy proceeded to reel off five straight wins in his opening five games, leading San Francisco to the NFC Championship game. In 2023, he went one better, leading them to the Super Bowl, but unfortunately, he came up short against the mercurial Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Las Vegas. But following those two impressive seasons, 2024 was an unmitigated disaster.

Despite heading into the campaign as one of the Lombardi favorites, the Niners stumbled to a paltry 8-9 record, missing the playoffs entirely. A series of unfortunate injuries to key weapons, such as Christian McCaffrey, certainly didn’t help Purdy’s cause, but Purdy couldn’t consistently elevate the team when it mattered the most. He will remain the starter next season and for some time to come, as his recent $265m extension suggests, but the pressure is on for him to resurrect the 49ers after a disastrous campaign last year.

Bryce Young

When the Carolina Panthers selected Bryce Young with the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, they envisioned him as the long-term solution to their quarterback woes. The Charlotte-based outfit was without a face of the franchise since Super Cam Newton’s injuries began to pile up around a decade ago, and it was thought that the former Heisman man would be the one to finally lead the team into the future and up the standings.

But here we are two seasons later, and the team is still waiting for tangible proof that he’s the guy. Young’s rookie struggles were understandable, given Carolina’s lack of a dominant supporting cast. However, his second season did little to suggest he’s truly on the cusp of breaking out. Throughout his two years under center, the former University of Alabama standout has managed to orchestrate just five victories in the 28 games he has started, a record that simply is not good enough.

While the flashes of brilliance for which he was known at Alabama remain, the consistency hasn’t been there. For every impressive performance in 2024, there seemed to be a game where turnovers or missed opportunities derailed his momentum.

Now, entering his third season, Young has to deliver. The Panthers’ front office has shown patience, but the wait-and-see mode can only last for so long. With a bolstered offensive line and a more experienced roster around him, the pieces are in place for Young to step up. Will he finally seize the moment, or is his time in Carolina at risk of being defined by unfulfilled potential?