2 Seasons QB Rating: 113 Yds: 4,280
Brock Purdy has ascended to the head of the class among NFL quarterbacks. In only his second season at the helm of the NFC's top team, San Fransisco, Purdy looks like a strong candidate for league MVP.
His statistics are eye-popping—31 touchdown passes, a 69.4 pass completion percentage, and 9.6 yards per pass. His decision-making skills are like a seasoned veteran and his leadership has the 49ers as a strong bet to make a run to the Super Bowl. That is where 49ers fans expect to be. We just have to hope the top-ranked QB stays healthy on this run.
6 Seasons QB Rating: 102.7 Yds: 3,678
Lamar Jackson continues his run of excellence as a top NFL quarterback. He's positioned his team at the top with the league's best record. He's matured, and as a result, he makes very few mistakes in any game.
He gives his team the best opportunity to win each game. This is especially apparent when looking at a stat line that includes only seven interceptions in 457 pass attempts and completing over two-thirds of his passes. He'll be in the running for league MVP, and his team looks to have the best odds of making the Super Bowl.
8 Seasons QB Rating: 105.9 Yds: 4,516
Dak Prescott has completely returned from a severe leg injury to lead the Cowboys to the best record in the NFC. He is top three in the league in yards, touchdowns, and rating. He also led the Cowboys to the division title.
Cowboys fans have one goal in mind: Super Bowl. To move up this list, Prescott will have to prove himself in post-season play. He has been a dominant passer and leader in the regular season for most of his career but has yet to have a breakout performance during his postseason play. Cowboys fans hope this is the first of many for Prescott.
7 Seasons QB Rating: 92.6 Yds: 4,183
Patrick Mahomes has become a household name due to his leadership in postseason play and Super Bowl runs. This includes winning two of the three in the past four seasons!
Even though he has had a less-than-normal statistical year compared to his past seasons, he is a star among stars and has the Chiefs in contention yet again. He threw 27 touchdown passes, completed 67.2 percent of his passes, and threw for 4,183 yards. Don't sleep on Mahomes' ability to get the Chiefs on another run.
4 Seasons QB Rating: 101.1 Yds: 4,624
Tua Tagovailloa keeps rising on the charts. He led the league in yards this season and finished in the top ten in rating. He actually ranked fourth among starting quarterbacks who played at least half the season.
He led Miami to a tie at the division's top, and his 29 touchdown passes were tops in the AFC. His 8.3 yards per attempt and 69.3 completion percentage were excellent as well. In just his 4th season, Tua has Dolphin fans excited for a return to their glory days.
1 Season QB Rating: 100.8 Yds: 4,108
In a word: Wow! In his rookie season, C.J. Stroud led his team to a winning record and finished in the top ten in quarterback rating. His 23 touchdowns to only five interceptions was the best ratio among NFL starters. He completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 8.2 yards an attempt.
His youthful exuberance caused excitement in Houston and propelled this team to the playoffs. His stock is high and rising.
8 Seasons QB Rating: 97.9 Yds: 4,575
Jared Goff has accomplished something very rare in the annals of Lions history: win! Goff not only led the Lions to a winning record but to the 2nd best record in the NFL. He also finished 2nd in the league in passing yardage with 4,575 yards.
The QB completed 67.3 percent of his passes and threw 30 touchdown passes, showing that Detroit can move the ball up and down the field well. Things have been thin for Lions fans for decades. It will be a treat for Lions fans to get to host a playoff game! Goff has a chance to cement his legacy in Detroit.
12 Seasons QB Rating 98.0 Yds: 3,070
Russell Wilson is like the Energizer Bunny. He keeps going and going and going. But it has been a while since he's gotten to a Super Bowl. Wilson is the veteran among our Best list in his 12th season. He proves that you can be great at quarterback even when the team is below average.
He threw for 26 touchdowns and finished in the top 12 in quarterback rating, throwing for 3,070 yards on a 66.4 percent completion rate. It was a good season for the elder statesman but winning must become the priority. Broncos fans still see John Elway on a regular basis, so Wilson has to perform well if he wants to keep fans on his side.
6 Seasons QB Rating: 92.2 Yds: 4,304
Josh Allen continues to impress with his ability to will teams to wins. They tied the Dolphins for the division lead and look forward to the playoffs. But then he will have an unexplainable and uncharacteristically poor game every once in a while.
He led the AFC in touchdown passes and finished 4th overall in the league in yards passing with 4,306 yards at 7.4 yards per pass and a 66.5 percent pass completion rate. Buffalo will definitely be a playoff threat with Allen leading the way. Which Allen will show up for this postseason: Jekyll or Hyde?
12 Seasons QB Rating: 103.8 Yds: 2,331
Kirk Cousins played extremely well in games he was able to play. The problem was he only played eight games. He put up great numbers in those eight games, but he injured his foot and only put up about half a season's numbers.
So he falls down the list a bit. He finished the season with the 3rd best quarterback rating in the league and only threw five interceptions compared to 18 touchdowns. He also completed 69.5 percent of his passes at 7.5 yards per attempt. Nice numbers, indeed, for the veteran. Let's hope he can make a full recovery.
2 Seasons QB Rating: 68.8 Yds: 2,757
In only his second season (but first as a starting quarterback for any real length of time), Bailey Zappe reminded nobody of future Hall of Famer Tom Brady. Zappe doesn't even compare to Steve Grogan or Drew Bledsoe for you oldtimers out there.
But he is one of two quarterbacks in development. But it had better happen quickly. Patriots fans are used to Super Bowls and winning. 4-11 will not cut it, and quarterbacks tend to get the glory or the blame. In this case, blame. When you only throw six touchdown passes in ten games, it's easy to see why.
13 Seasons QB Rating: 89.1 Yds: 1,341
Tyrod Taylor has been around for a looong time; 13 years, to be exact. Thrust into a poor situation, he responded poorly with only five touchdown passes in 11 games. He only threw for 1,341 yards. That may have more to do with his line and receivers, plus fewer snaps this season, but a quarterback must accept the blame when teams lose.
Giants fans have been around forever, but that doesn't mean that they are patient. Taylor's lackluster leadership of this less-than-potent offense spelled doom for the Giants. Will they move forward with the old veteran or is a youth movement on the way? Will they make moves at the quarterback position or provide better weapons to help their quarterback?
1 Season QB Rating: 73.7 Yds: 2,877
Bryce Young is a rookie. But do we give him a pass for only throwing 11 touchdown passes yet ten interceptions in 16 games? What about his paltry 5.5 yards per pass and the below-average 59.8 completion percentage?
That will be left up to management and the fans, but he will have to improve rapidly to keep his position. His passing percentage and yards per pass were about as bad as it gets for an NFL quarterback and Carolina only winning two games is unacceptable. Look for changes if next season gets off to a slow start. Young needs to step up his game. One year of experience can help a lot for this young man.
3 Seasons QB Rating: 77.0 Yds: 2,120
Mac Jones gives New England two quarterbacks in the bottom ten. He has been in the league three seasons and has seemed to drop off a little each year. Any continued decline could remove any quarterback controversy.
But with any improvement, Jones could win the position again. New England just wants to return to their winning ways. It is very difficult to win when Jones only throws ten touchdown passes yet throws 12 interceptions. He also only averaged 6.1 yards per pass. Not much farther he can decline. The only way to go is up. Such a bitter pill to swallow when Tom Brady was here just a few years ago.
3 Seasons QB Rating: 77.2 Yds: 2,271
Zach Wilson didn't have a terrible year; he didn't have a good year. But he only threw eight touchdown passes in 12 games. That goes a long way into explaining the Jets' losing season. A quarterback is expected to find a way to get the ball into the endzone.
He completed 60.1 percent of his passes at 6.2 yards per attempt. Not high-end numbers. On a positive note, Wilson has improved in each season. New York fans might agree to keep him around if he continues this trend. But that depends on how much he improves.
2 Seasons QB Rating: 78.9 Yds: 3,946
Sam Howell is only in his second season for the Commanders, but the ceiling seems high. The problem this year was his turnovers: 21 interceptions! He did throw for 21 touchdowns and 3,946 yards, so there's that. But the turnovers, along with a 4-13 record, don't bode well for fan appreciation.
Hopefully, Howell will take the next step next year. It should be easy to improve his 63.4 completion percentage and 6.4 yards per attempt. The Commanders have been bad for a while, so they might have some patience to allow time for him to mature and improve.
4 Seasons QB Rating: 79.5 Yds: 2,464
Joshua Dobbs entered for Minnesota like gangbusters, then fizzled. His interception numbers parallel his touchdown numbers, and he didn't seem to be able to lead Minnesota to victories in key games. He is only in his fourth season, so the Vikings still have time to develop him.
Dobbs has to find a way to score. 13 touchdowns in 13 games won't win many games and won't win many fans over. His 5.9 yards per attempt was among the worst in the NFL, and his 62.8 completion percentage wasn't much better. Vikings fans are hungry for a winner, so they will be keeping a close eye on Dobbs' performance each game.
2 Seasons QB Rating: 83.4 Yds: 2,836
Desmond Ridder did some things well. Desmond Ridder did some things poorly. He makes this list because his interceptions equaled his touchdown. Also, because he only threw 12 touchdown passes in 15 games. That's pretty thin for any quarterback.
His 64.2 completion percentage and 7.3 yards per attempt were a bit better. It was only his second season and first full season, so he has time and potential. All fans want a winner, but Falcon fans might have more patience with such a young quarterback, even if he had a below-average season. Ridder has to get it in the endzone more often.
1 Season QB Rating: 83.9 Yds: 2,218
Aiden O'Connell was a rookie. Let's get that out of the way. He has plenty of room for improvement, but will he be given the time? If he is afforded the opportunity to improve, he will need to average more than his 6.5 yards per attempt and throw more than 12 touchdown passes in 11 games.
He also needs to improve on his 62.1 completion percentage. The biggest thing for him will be to win more than eight games. Only time will tell with this youngster. The Raiders are hoping for major improvement in their young quarterback.
5 Seasons QB Rating: 84.6 Yds: 3,305
Gardner Minshew is really young. But young doesn't necessarily mean inexperienced. Minshew played two seasons in Jacksonville, where he started 20 games with good stats but a poor winning percentage. Then, he had two seasons in Philadelphia, where he started four games, also with mixed results. Indianapolis hoped to ride his youthful excellence to a playoff run. That didn't happen.
He did finish one game over .500. However, Minshew only threw 15 touchdown passes in 490 pass attempts! He also experienced a career low in yards per pass while throwing nine interceptions. Minshew had an acceptable season, but the jury is still out on whether his shoulders are big enough to carry the heavy load of returning the Colts to the old glory days of Unitas, Morril, Jones, and Manning.
Seasons 3 QB Rating 96.1 Yards 4,159
Green Bay has a history of great quarterbacks. Arnie Herber, Bart Starr, Brett Favre, and Aaron Rodgers have each had Hall of Fame careers and have led the Packers to championships. Jordan Love hopes to join those greats by leading Green Bay to the Super Bowl.
He got off to a great start by leading the Packers into the post-season this year. He completed 372 of his 579 passes for a 64.4 percent completion rate. He also tossed 32 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions. There are always great expectations in Wisconsin. In only his third season, Jordan Love just elevated them.
Seasons 15 QB Rating 92.5 Yards 3,965
The Los Angeles Rams acquired wiley veteran Matthew Stafford three years ago in hopes that he could bring his twelve incredible seasons of skill and expertise in Detroit to southern California. An injury prevented much from happening for nearly half of the 2022 season. He came back strong in 2023.
He threw 521 passes while completing 326 for a nice 62.6 completion rate. He anchored the Rams to a winning season with 24 touchdown passes and only 11 interceptions. The Rams came in second place in their division and made a trip to the playoffs. Stafford’s team won’t be happy with anything less than a Super Bowl appearance.
Seasons 6 QB Rating 94.6 Yards 4,044
Baker Mayfield has the unenviable task of following in the footsteps of a legend: Tom Brady. Just a few years ago, Brady led Tampa Bay to two Super Bowls, including one win. Now, Mayfield tries to fill those shoes. He is off to a good start.
He led the Buccaneers to a winning record, a first-place finish, and a playoff appearance. He accomplished this in his first season in Tampa Bay with 28 touchdown passes and only ten interceptions in a career-high 566 pass attempts. This comes on the heels of three consecutive lackluster seasons for three different teams.
Seasons 3 QB Rating 88.5 Yards 4,016
The 6’6” 210-pound starting quarterback of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Trevor Lawrence, sees a lot of good things for the future. In only his third season, this young athlete led the Jaguars to a winning record and only one game out of first place.
For Lawrence, as well as Jacksonville’s fans, this isn’t enough. They are hungry for the postseason. Lawrence shows a lot of upside with 21 touchdown passes while completing 370 of 564 pass attempts. The sky seems to be the limit for this young man. Jaguar fans look forward to watching Lawrence and the team make progress.
Seasons 4 QB Rating 93.2 Yards 3,134
Justin Herbert is on a mission. The former Oregon Duck is in his 4th season at the helm of the Los Angeles Chargers and has put up outstanding numbers. But Herbert wants to win. The 5-12 record just won’t cut it. He is the leader and knows they must improve.
It will be hard to improve upon Herbert’s 2023 numbers individually. He passed for 20 touchdowns and only seven interceptions as he completed 297 of his 456 passes. In his four seasons with the Chargers, he has thrown 114 touchdown passes. The rest of the team will have to rise to his level for them to attain ultimate success.
Seasons 2 QB Rating 81.4 Yards 2070
Though he has only played two seasons, Kenny Pickett was part of a 10-7 season for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023. That is the good news. Pickett only threw for six touchdowns in 324 pass attempts. He almost threw as many interceptions (4). He did make slight improvements over his rookie season.
But this is Steelers Nation. Championships are expected, and playoff appearances are a given. Pickett accomplished neither this past season. If he wants to hang around the Steel City, he will have to hope the team improves, and that starts with the quarterback.
Seasons 12 QB Rating 78.5 Yards 1616
Ryan Tannehill is a veteran NFL quarterback. To have lasted 12 years shows that he has skill and talent. But that didn’t show much this past season as he threw for career lows in touchdowns (a miserably low of 4) in a career-low 230 attempts. In the NFL, history shows that you must score well to be successful. Tannehill didn’t.
He did keep his interceptions down to only seven, but that was almost one per game. He led his team to a last-place finish five games under .500 play. Tannehill will be expected to win or to move on.
Seasons 1 QB Rating 84.2 Yards 1,808
Yes. You read that right. Tennessee Titans for two quarterbacks in the “worst” column. Tannehill was bad. When Will Levis started, they weren’t much better. Levis went 2-3 in his final five games. This rookie was given an opportunity and didn’t seem to make the most of it.
He threw eight touchdown passes and four interceptions in his 255 pass attempts. He completed 149 of them for an uninspiring 58.4 completion percentage. The Titans haven’t had a lot of success in franchise history. With Levis under center, they will have to improve a lot to move forward.
Season 10 QB Rating 77.7 Yards 1,205
Jimmy Garoppolo has been a quarterback in the NFL for ten seasons. He has played for great teams in New England and San Francisco. Wherever he has landed, there have been great expectations. This past season for the Raiders may have been the worst season of his career as a starter.
The Raiders posted a losing season. The Silver and Black want so much more. Garoppolo had his worst quarterback rating in any season in which he was a starter. His 77.7 rating was well below his career career rating of 97.6. He threw more interceptions (9) than touchdowns (7).
Seasons 3 QB Rating 86.3 Yards 2,562
Justin Fields is the “best” of the “worst” in this listing. But that isn’t giving too much credit. His team finished with a losing record and came in last place in the division. He showed some improvement in his three seasons, especially in lowering his interception rate.
But on the Midway, he will have to make major adjustments. He only threw for 16 touchdowns in 370 pass attempts. He is responsible for the Bears' offense; those numbers are too thin to win. Fields will have to up his game if the Bears are to sniff the playoffs in 2024.
