Projecting when Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, other rookie quarterbacks will make their NFL debuts

Over the past 10 years, 66 quarterbacks, including six last season, have started at least one game during their respective rookie campaign. Although the 2025 NFL Draft may have only produced two first-round picks at the position, there are a few others expected to see the field during the upcoming season. 

CBSSports.com takes a look at each team’s schedule in an effort to project when rookie quarterbacks will make their professional debuts. For the sake of this exercise, Seattle’s Jalen Milroe was excluded because the franchise’s plan likely entails riding with veteran Sam Darnold for the duration of the season. 

Most teams probably do not look at its schedule with the expectation that a rookie quarterback will be inserted for a particular game. In Dart’s case, attempting to do just that may prove to be an exercise in futility. Aside from the Week 14 bye, there is no obvious point in the schedule for Dart to make his debut; but that feels too late in the schedule. 

Veteran Russell Wilson has collected enough goodwill in his playing career to occupy the starting job temporarily, but eventually he will give way to Dart. The coaching staff was evidently very high on the prospect and the idea of not giving that player ample time to fulfill that vision in what could be leadership’s final season would be misguided. 

Allowing Dart to sit and learn for eight weeks before taking over the starting role denotes patience, but also allows him to make his debut at home against a traditionally good 49ers defense. Five games is a good sample size for the two parties to assess what worked and where improvement could be made during the bye week before closing out his rookie campaign with a four-game stretch that includes two division rivals. 

Anyone’s guess is as good as mine when it comes to the Browns quarterback situation. The other dynamic at play in regards to Sanders is the presence of fellow rookie Gabriel, who was actually the first of the two rookies drafted. It would not be a surprise if either started Week 1 over veterans Kenny Pickett, Joe Flacco, but it would also not be a surprise if three quarterbacks or more started for Cleveland this season. 

If forced to make a decision, Week 10 against the Jets, coming off the bye, is the play. Coach Kevin Stefanski and the front office will have nine games afterward to assess a potential future with their rookie quarterbacks. They are positioned well with two first-round picks as part of the 2026 NFL Draft and need answers on what is already in the building.

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New Orleans has Spencer Rattler, Jake Haener and Shough competing for the starting spot in the wake of Derek Carr’s retirement. Shough is the most talented of the trio and the team has invested a second-round pick in the player, but the franchise wants to avoid a tennis match where it is going back and forth among its quarterbacks. There needs to be little doubt Shough is going to be the quarterback of the foreseeable future, which means being patient through the ups and downs. If Rattler starts the first few weeks before head coach Kellen Moore arrives at the decision to start Shough, then that is probably the latest the rookie out of Louisville takes the field with the starters. 

Coach Brian Callahan has publicly declared an open competition between former second-round pick Will Levis and Ward, but the image of the player deemed unworthy of starting (Levis) being the Week 1 starter over the No. 1 overall selection is not a good one. In an ideal world, Ward will make the most of training camp and preseason repetitions and be the clear-cut winner of said open competition, but he is going to start Week 1 regardless. The most likely outcome involves Levis being traded prior to the season’s commencement. 

When Jacksonville drafted Trevor Lawrence No. 1 overall, Urban Meyer declared an open competition between Gardner Minshew and the rookie. The statement was public posturing to prop up Minshew’s trade value; the player was eventually dealt to Philadelphia in exchange for a sixth-round pick.