What each 2024 first-round QB needs to do to be successful in Year 2

Ben Arthur

NFL Reporter

While the attention of the NFL at this time of year is on the quarterbacks who will be entering the league this spring, the passers entering their second season could be the ones who most greatly impact the outlook of 2025.

Members of the 2024 rookie quarterback class made history before even taking a professional snap: Six were selected in the first round, tying the record set in 1983. And it’s a group that has already flashed long-term promise.

J.J. McCarthy (No. 10 overall pick) didn’t play due to a knee injury, but Jayden Daniels (No. 2) and Bo Nix (No. 12) quarterbacked playoff teams. Three of the six — Daniels, Nix, and Caleb Williams (No. 1) — started all 17 games. Drake Maye (No. 3) and Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8) showed their potential in limited sample sizes, too.

They all enter 2025 in different situations, though. So how should we measure success for each of them?

Here’s a breakdown of the goal that each 2024 first-round quarterback should be seeking in the upcoming season.

Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
2024 stats (17 games): 62.5% completion rate for 3,541 yards and 20 TDs, 6 INTs

Goal: alignment with new coach Ben Johnson

On paper, there are many reasons to expect a Year 2 jump from Williams. The Bears hired an offensive guru in Ben Johnson and poured substantial resources into the offensive line (signed center Drew Dalman in free agency; traded for guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson), which should put last year’s No. 1 pick at ease operating within the pocket. But Chicago’s efforts to boost its offensive supporting cast will be moot if Williams doesn’t get on the same page as Johnson.

Johnson helped rejuvenate Jared Goff’s career and coordinated one of the NFL’s most creative and dynamic offenses with the Detroit Lions. He’ll have a plan to get the most out of Williams, who shares a big responsibility in making the partnership work for the long haul.

Marcedes Lewis on how Ben Johnson will help Caleb Williams grow in Year 2

Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
2024 stats (17 games): 69% completion rate for 3,568 yards and 25 TDs, 9 INTs

Goal: staying within the game

After a historic rookie season, arguably the best for a first-year passer in NFL history, Daniels should naturally be entering 2025 with supreme confidence. Additions like wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. and left tackle Laremy Tunsil only raise expectations for the former Heisman Trophy winner.

But with those expectations comes pressure, which can lead to pressing and forcing plays to happen. It’s paramount that Daniels stays within himself (e.g., checking the ball down or throwing the ball away when nothing is open downfield). It’s easier said than done, but decision-making played a key role in Daniels’ success as a rookie. Balancing that with his growing confidence will be his challenge in Year 2, when defenses will have a better understanding of his game and how to test him.

Drake Maye, New England Patriots
2024 stats (13 games): 66.6% completion rate for 2,276 yards and 15 TDs, 10 INTs

Goal: reduce turnovers

For as much promise as Maye showed last season, he still committed 16 turnovers (10 interceptions, six lost fumbles), tied for fourth-most in the NFL. And they came in just 13 games. Of the six quarterbacks who had at least 16 giveaways, only the Tennessee Titans’ Will Levis made fewer appearances (12).

In New England, the hope is that continued growth and a stronger supporting cast in 2025 will pay dividends for Maye. He already has a new top receiver in veteran Stefon Diggs and offensive-line reinforcements ahead of the draft, where the Patriots are expected to lean heavily on offense.

Josh McDaniels, who returns to New England for his third stint as offensive coordinator, has proven success with Patriots QBs, including his work with Tom Brady and a rookie Mac Jones, who made the Pro Bowl as an alternate.

Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
2024 stats (5 games): 58.1% completion rate for 775 yards and 3 TDs, 3 INTs

Goal: solidify standing as franchise QB

After starting just three games as a rookie, Penix needs to extend the promise he flashed in a small sample size over a full season as QB1. With a strong supporting cast around him offensively in a winnable NFC South, last year’s No. 8 pick should have what he needs to do so — at least on paper.

No one wants Penix to succeed more than Atlanta general manager Terry Fontenot, whose free-agent signing of quarterback Kirk Cousins last offseason has turned into a flop. The Falcons may still trade the veteran passer ahead of the 2025 season, despite already triggering his $10 million roster bonus for 2026.

J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
2024 stats: DNP

Goal: play a full season

McCarthy became the first quarterback selected in the first round of the modern-era draft to miss his entire rookie season due to injury. That uncertainty about his health entering 2025, let alone his on-field capabilities, has brought us to this fascinating Vikings’ offseason, which has included a flirtation with Aaron Rodgers. So a clean bill of health in the upcoming season — once he’s fully recovered from his torn meniscus — is critical for McCarthy, allowing Minnesota to get a proper evaluation of its hopeful quarterback of the future.

Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
2024 stats (17 games): 66.3% completion rate for 3,775 yards and 29 TDs, 12 INTs

Goal: full-season consistency

Nix burst into the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation by mid-2024 and was the best-performing first-year passer not named Jayden Daniels by the end of the season. But the start of his rookie campaign was rocky, including a few historically poor passing performances (3.3 yards per attempt and two interceptions on 42 passes in his NFL debut; 2.4 yards per attempt on 25 throws in Week 4).

Nix’s task is not only to be a more steady quarterback in Year 2, but also to make noticeable strides while accounting for the fact that teams now have a full season’s worth of film on him.

Ben Arthur is an NFL reporter for FOX Sports. He previously worked for The Tennessean/USA TODAY Network, where he was the Titans beat writer for a year and a half. He covered the Seattle Seahawks for SeattlePI.com for three seasons (2018-20) prior to moving to Tennessee. You can follow Ben on Twitter at @benyarthur.

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