The first month of the 2025 NFL season is in the books, with all 32 teams each having played four games. While it’s still a relatively small sample size in a 17-game season, it does provides a month’s worth of NFL stats to evaluate how teams and starters are performing this year.
As the October portion of the NFL schedule kicks off this week, we’re highlighting the worst NFL starter on each of the 32 NFL teams right now. he NFL stats are as of Tuesday, September 30.
Los Angeles Rams: Emmanuel Forbes, CB
Worst NFL Starter, Los Angeles Rams
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NFL teams love a good reclamation project and the Los Angeles Rams are the latest example. Emmanuel Forbes, the former 16th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by Washington, was released less than two years after being drafted. Los Angeles added him in December, hoping a change of scenery could potentially turn his career around. It has not. With Ahkello Witherspoon on injured reserve, Forbes has been forced into the starting lineup. Despite having the benefit of a great pass rush to support him, Forbes has been one of the worst NFL cornerbacks in 2025. According to Pro Football Focus, Forbes finished September allowing a perfect 158.3 QB rating, with 3 touchdowns, 181 receiving yards, and an 84.6 percent reception rate on just 13 targets in his direction this season.
Read More: 2026 NFL Mock Draft entering October
San Francisco 49ers: Connor Colby, OG
Worst NFL starter
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San Francisco 49ers fans have been frustrated in recent years in the team’s issues investing in and improving the offensive line. The 2025 NFL Draft didn’t erase those criticisms, with the front office spending just a seventh-round pick on guard Connor Colby. Unsurprisingly, the 249th overall pick is not faring well as a starter at left guard. Through his first four games this season, per PFF, Colby has allowed 10 pressures, 7 quarterback hurries, and 1 sack. Among interior linemen with 100-plus pass-blocking snaps, Colby has allowed the fifth-most pressures and he’s rated as one of the worst interior linemen in pass protection this season.
Related: Worst NFL Offensive Lines 2025
Arizona Cardinals: Darius Robinson, DL
Worst NFL starters
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A first-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2024 NFL Draft, defensive lineman Darius Robinson has made a minimal impact this season. He finished September with the fewest pressures (3) among defensive linemen with at least 100 pass-rushing snaps, and his 1.1 percent PFF pass-rush win rate is the lowest in the NFL. Robinson is also a poor run defender, recording just 2 stops in 52 defensive snaps against the run.
Seattle Seahawks: Riq Woolen, CB
Worst NFL starter
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There’s a reason the Seattle Seahawks have made cornerback Riq Woolen potentially available for trade if the rest of their secondary can get healthy. After a standout rookie season, where he earned a Pro Bowl selection after tying for the league lead in interceptions, Woolen’s play has fallen off since the hiring of Mike Macdonald. This season, through four games, the 6-foot-4 corner has allowed a 106.7 QB rating when targeted in coverage, surrendering 152 receiving yards and 11 receptions on 18 targets. Coverage skills are the one thing that allowed Seattle to overlook Woolen’s alarming tackling issues (12.5 percent missed tackle rate). Woolen is also tied for the most penalties (six) among corners.
Carolina Panthers: Christian Rozeboom, LB
Worst NFL starters
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Christian Rozeboom is the worst linebacker in the NFL. Through four games, the Carolina Panthers‘ off-ball linebacker has the sixth-highest Missed Tackle rate (28.2 percent) among NFL starters at every position, and he’s allowed the second-most receiving yards (197) among all linebackers. He’s also rated by Pro Football Focus as both a bottom-five linebacker dropping back in coverage and defending against the run.
New Orleans Saints: Pete Werner, LB
Worst NFL Starter
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There are plenty of issues that need to be addressed on the New Orleans Saints defense, with linebacker Pete Werner shaping up to join the growing list of misses by general manager Mickey Loomis. A second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Werner has one of the highest missed tackle rates (13.5 percent) among qualified linebackers, and he’s one of the league’s worst in coverage (12.2 yards per reception and a 100.4 QB rating allowed on 11 receptions).
Atlanta Falcons: Michael Penix, QB
Worst NFL Starter
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The Atlanta Falcons finally have a playoff-caliber defense and Bijan Robinson looks like the best running back in the NFL. Unfortunately for Atlanta, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. hasn’t exactly looked like a dependable starter in 2025. In his first four games, Penix led the NFL in Bad Throw rate (24 percent), has the third-lowest completion rate versus pressure (14.3 percent), and ranks 31st in QB rating on deep passes (52.7). This is all with Robinson, Drake London, Kyle Pitts and a Falcons offensive line that entered October ranked ninth in ESPN pass-rush win rate (65 percent).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Charlie Heck, OT
Worst NFL starter
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Losing right tackle Luke Goedeke to a foot injury forced the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to start Charlie Heck. Baker Mayfield is quickly finding out why Heck has bounced around the league in the last three seasons. Heck has allowed the second-most pressures (18) and hurries (17) among all offensive tackles. Furthermore, he’s rated by PFF as the second-worst tackle in run blocking this season.
Philadelphia Eagles: Jalyx Hunt, EDGE
Worst NFL starters
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Edge rusher was one of the one concerns with this Philadephia Eagles roster coming into the season. Through four games, edge and CB2 are the primary weaknesses. With a rotation at cornerback, edge rusher Jalyx Hunt is the pick here. He’s been a respectable run defender, but Hunt is bringing very little as a pass-rushing threat this season.
Washington Commanders: Marshon Lattimore, CB
Worst NFL starter
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Less than a year after trading a third-round pick for Marshon Lattimore, the Washington Commanders are likely having regrets. He surrendered a 105.4 QB rating and 13.6 yards per completion in two regular-season games following the trade in 2024. This season, Washington’s No. 1 cornerback has allowed 170 receiving yards (14.2 yards per completion), a 104.2 QB rating, and a 60 percent completion rate in coverage. He’s on track to be a cap casualty next offseason.
Dallas Cowboys: Kenneth Murray, LB
Worst NFL Starters
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Plenty of skeptics were the Dallas Cowboys this offseason when they signed Kenneth Murray Jr. to be their “fix” at inside linebacker. The skeptics have been proven right. That’s because Murray has allowed the fourth-most receiving yards (194) among linebackers, with an 81 percent completion rate and a 121.0 QB rating on 17 completions from 21 targets. On top of that, he has an 11.8 percent missed tackle rate and the lowest stop rate (0.1 percent) as a run defender among all starting linebackers.
New York Giants: Paulson Adebo, CB
Worst NFL starters
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It’s only four games into the $54 million contract Paulson Adebo signed with the New York Giants this offseason, but the early returns have been awful. Despite being aided by a strong pass rush, Adebo has allowed the seventh-most receiving yards (238) in the NFL this season. On the bright side, Adebo’s track record suggests he’ll rebound, and that could do wonders for this Giants defense.
Detroit Lions: Terrion Arnold, CB
Worst NFL starters
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The Detroit Lions’ hope was that Terrion Arnold, their 2024 first-round pick, would become more disciplined after drawing 10 penalties in his rookie season. That hasn’t happened. Arnold is tied for the fifth-most penalties (four) at his position at the end of September. Even worse, he’s allowed the second-most receiving yards (263) and the fifth highest QB rating allowed (138) among qualified cornerbacks this season. There’s a reason he is now in danger of losing snaps.
Green Bay Packers: Sean Rhyan, OG
Worst NFL Starters
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The Green Bay Packers have experienced a lot of injuries on the offensive line this season, but guard Sean Rhyan has been a constant in the lineup. Unfortunately for Matt LaFleur and Jordan Love, that’s not necessarily a great thing. Heading into October, Rhyan had the second-most penalties (three) on the Packers’ offensive line, and he’s surrendered the second-most pressures (10). At least Jordan Morgan (four penalties) has the excuse of getting constantly moved around the line, while left tackle Rasheed Walker (13 pressures allowed) is prone to giving up more pressures because of the position he plays.
Minnesota Vikings: Carson Wentz/JJ McCarthy, QB
Worst NFL starters
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Perhaps the Minnesota Vikings have a bit of regret for not making a more serious pursuit of Aaron Rodgers during the offseason. Before being pulled due to his injury, J.J. McCarthy had an On-Target rate of 63.4 percent and a Bad Throw rate of 24.4 percent, making him the least accurate quarterback in the NFL. McCarthy’s replacement, Carson Wentz, has the second-highest sack rate (12 percent) and the sixth-highest interception rate (3 percent) in the NFL.
Chicago Bears: D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears
Worst NFL Starters
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The Chicago Bears’ ground game has been atrocious this season, and running back D’Andre Swift is a huge part of that. Through four games, Swift ranks 33rd in yards before contact per attempt (1.8), has the third-fewest attempts per broken tackle (56), and ranks 51st in true yards per carry (3.3). He also has the seventh-most stuffed runs (14) despite running up against stacked fronts just 1.8 percent of the time.
Los Angeles Chargers: Bradley Bozeman, C
Worst NFL Starters
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The Los Angeles Chargers’ offensive line came into the season without Rashawn Slater and then Joe Alt went down with a high-ankle sprain in Week 4. While the depth at tackle is bad, it’s the issue in the middle that raises even more concern about this Chargers offensive line. Entering October, center Bradley Bozeman has allowed the most pressures (10) at his position. The veteran is also rated as the second-worst run blocker among all centers this season. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, the lack of options behind him means Bozeman will keep his starting job.
Kansas City Chiefs: Isiah Pacheco, RB
Worst NFL starters
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It certainly appears as if the version of Isiah Pacheco who averaged 4.6 yards per carry and averaged a broken tackle on every 13.7 attempts is gone. Pacheco isn’t breaking as many tackles as he used to, and he just finished a month ranked 34th in Explosive Rating (91.4), 53rd in evaded tackles (four), and 35th in true yards per carry (3.9). That’s despite facing a light box on 81.3 percent of his runs, which is the ninth-most in the NFL. Kansas City needs to find a better running back.
Denver Broncos: Bo Nix, QB
Worst NFL starters
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It certainly appears as if the version of Isiah Pacheco who averaged 4.6 yards per carry and averaged a broken tackle on every 13.7 attempts is gone. Pacheco isn’t breaking as many tackles as he used to, and he just finished a month ranked 34th in Explosive Rating (91.4), 53rd in evaded tackles (four), and 35th in true yards per carry (3.9). That’s despite facing a light box on 81.3 percent of his runs, which is the ninth-most in the NFL. Kansas City needs to find a better running back.
Las Vegas Raiders: Geno Smith, QB
Worst NFL Starters
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The early returns on the Geno Smith trade and contract extension have to be raising some concerns for the Las Vegas Raiders. Smith’s interception rate (5.5 percent) is worse than it was during his New York Jets career (4.2 percent), and he holds the third-lowest On-Target Rate (68.3 percent) in football. While Smith had a bit of a penchant for risky plays in Seattle, the bad has far outweighed the good this year in Las Vegas.
Indianapolis Colts: Zaire Franklin, LB
Worst NFL Starters
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The Indianapolis Colts defense has made real strides in 2025, thanks to the hiring of defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo and the free-agent signings of Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum. However, linebacker Zaire Franklin remains an Achilles’ heel of this unit. Franklin holds one of the highest missed tackle rates (15.4 percent) among all starting linebackers, and he has the fourth-fewest run stops (1). He’s a big part of the reason why Indianapolis is allowing 4.5 yards per carry.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Brian Thomas Jr, WR
Worst NFL Starters
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Unfortunately for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the concerning reports on second-year wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. started in training camp. Focus, drops and effort all seemed to be issues for the former first-round pick, who lit up the league last season. In September, Thomas Jr. had the third-highest drop rate (15.6 percent) among starting wide receivers and he has the third-lowest average QB rating when targeted (41.7) in four games.
Houston Texans: Calen Bullock, S
Worst NFL Starters
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There are very few weaknesses on the Houston Texans defense, but safety Calen Bullock certainly stands out. The second-year defensive back impressed as a rookie in 2024, recording 11 passes defended and 5 interceptions. In 2025, however, Bullock has surrendered 2 touchdowns, a 122.3 QB rating, and 111 receiving yards when targeted in coverage, with zero interceptions.
Tennessee Titans: L’Jarius Sneed, CB and Calvin Ridley, WR
Worst NFL Starters
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The choice comes down to Calvin Ridley and L’Jarius Sneed for the Tennessee Titans. Why not both? Sneed has allowed the highest yards per reception (25) among cornerbacks this season, ceding 150 yards on just six receptions and drawing five penalties. Meanwhile, Ridley leads all starting wide receivers in drop rate (16.7 percent), and he ranks 65th in yards per route run (1.25). Tennessee’s worst starters are among their highest-paid players.
Related: Worst NFL Contracts 2025
Pittsburgh Steelers: Broderick Jones, LT
Worst NFL starters
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It’s likely time to just admit the Pittsburgh Steelers whiffed on Broderick Jones. A former first-round pick, he failed at right tackle, but the team held out hope that a move to the left side this season might work out. Through four games, Jones is tied for the most sacks allowed (four) among all offensive tackles, and he’s bottom-10 as a run blocker this year.
Cincinnati Bengals: Jake Browning, QB
Worst NFL starters
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The nice run that Jake Browning had as a fill-in starter for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2023 seems to have been a fluke. Filling in for the injured Joe Burrow this season, Browning leads the NFL in interception rate (6 percent) and has the second-lowest adjusted net yards per attempt (3.4). Browning has also significantly reduced the production of Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase.
Baltimore Ravens: Marlon Humphrey, CB
Worst NFL starters
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Cornerback is a volatile position, and Marlon Humphrey’s 2025 season is a perfect representation of that. After earning first-team All-Pro honors this past year, the Ravens’ top corner is allowing nearly twice as many yards per target (10.4) as he did in 2024 (5.8). Furthermore, his yards per game allowed has climbed from 34.75 to 60 this season in four games.
Cleveland Browns: Cornelius Lucas, OT
Worst NFL Starters
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With Joe Flacco benched, Cornelius Lucas becomes the Cleveland Browns’ worst starter in 2025. Playing right tackle this season, Lucas exited September having allowed the most pressures (28) in the NFL. Putting that into context, no other offensive lineman in the NFL has allowed 20 pressures this season. Unsurprisingly, Lucas has also surrendered the most quarterback hits (eight) in the league.
Buffalo Bills: Matt Milano/Dorian Williams, LB
Worst NFL Starters
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The Buffalo Bills will be looking for a new off-ball linebacker this offseason. Dorian Williams—who has a 15 percent missed tackle rate and a 114.5 QB rating allowed in coverage—has been one of the worst NFL linebackers in 2025 since filling in for the injured Matt Milano. Unfortunately for Buffalo, Milano hasn’t been any better when healthy since the 2024 season. For the time being, Sean McDermott will just have to hope that Milano eventually recaptures his form or that he can hide him on this defense.
New England Patriots: Christian Elliss, LB
Worst NFL Starters
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The New England Patriots defense is starting to improve now that Christian Gonzalez is healthy, but linebacker Christian Elliss really needs to start turning his play around. Heading into October, the Patriots’ linebacker has allowed a 111.6 QB rating in coverage (9 targets), and he has a 13.3 percent missed tackle rate as a run defender. Given Elliss’ play before this year, his performance should improve.
Miami Dolphins: Bradley Chubb, EDGE
Worst NFL Starters
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The Miami Dolphins defense has been an utter trainwreck in 2025, and its pass rush is the biggest disappointment. Chop Robinson is in the midst of a second-year dip, but Bradley Chubb is the more concerning edge defender. He’s generated only three pressures on 79 pass-rushing snaps this year, he’s a poor run defender, and one of the worst tacklers in the NFL this season.
New York Jets: Brandon Stephens, CB
Worst NFL Starters
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We’re still not sure what the New York Jets saw in Brandon Stephens last offseason to believe he was worth a three-year, $36 million contract. In 2024, with a lot more help around him in Baltimore, Stephens allowed 906 receiving yards (53.3 per game) and a 106.1 QB rating in coverage. Now in New York, the veteran is responsible for 171 receiving yards allowed in four games with a 138.4 QB rating when targeted. Opponents were already going to stay away from Sauce Gardner, and that’s even easier when you have someone like Stephens who quarterbacks can constantly attack.
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Matt Johnson is Senior Editor of NFL and College Football for Sportsnaut. His work, including weekly NFL and college ... More about Matt Johnson