Ranking the 32 QB situations across the NFL

If Will Levis accumulated enough snaps to qualify as a full-timer, his 33.2 QBR figure would have outranked only Zach Wilson last season. The Titans are nevertheless committed to the 2023 second-round pick, who will have Calvin Ridley to target alongside DeAndre Hopkins this season. The Kentucky product still has much to prove, but center Lloyd Cushenberry and first-round tackle JC Latham should also help. The team added Steelers third-stringer-turned-playoff starter Mason Rudolph as well, and Jon Robinson-era third-rounder Malik Willis remains -- though, perhaps not for long -- as the Brian Callahan era begins.

The team left without a chair when the music stopped during Round 1's first half, the Raiders have a clear team-in-transition vibe. They have Gardner Minshew tied to a two-year, $25 million deal that gives the capable but unremarkable starter the edge on 2023 fourth-rounder Aidan O'Connell -- Antonio Pierce's choice to take over upon being promoted -- for 2024. The Raiders will be linked to the 2025 rookie class for months, and it will be interesting to see how Davante Adams -- now on his third QB1 regular in three years after soaring to the All-Pro tier with Aaron Rodgers -- responds to the Raiders' plan.

A divisive prospect for myriad reasons, Bo Nix is now the centerpiece of Sean Payton's Broncos operation. The No. 12 overall pick has a clear path to starting early, as only Jarrett Stidham and trade flier Zach Wilson are in place. Denver's depth chart gave teams a clear indication it had to leave Round 1 with a quarterback, creating the perception the team reached for Nix. But Division I-FBS's record holder for QB starts (61) profiles as a better fit for Payton's offense than Russell Wilson. Nix has some skeptics to silence, but after a dominant 2023 season, he is stepping into a QB-friendly offense that did coax a Russell Wilson bounce-back effort.

Drake Maye joined Nix in generating extensive pre-draft scrutiny, as his 2023 season did not match a breakthrough 2022. The Patriots may be planning to park the toolsy No. 3 overall pick -- a player who brings more upside compared to some of this draft's 23- or 24-year-old QBs -- but teams are regularly unable to resist the temptation to see first-round investments on the field quickly. It would surprise if Jacoby Brissett -- back in New England nearly seven years after being traded to Indianapolis and starting a nomadic career -- held off Maye for too long. But this setup provides far more intrigue than Mac Jones offered over the past two years.

Not many recent examples exist of a player with Daniel Jones' resume being given a sixth season to work as a starting QB, but after the Giants passed on arms (for WR Malik Nabers) in a fork-in-the-road draft, the 2019 first-round pick survived. This remains a Jones-centric operation, though the team may soon regret not using a No. 6 overall pick to bring in a better option. Jones has one season with more than 15 TD passes (2019) and one with a top-half QBR finish (2022). Nabers does look like the best weapon Jones has enjoyed, and Drew Lock should not be a threat -- if he is, the Giants have a major problem -- once the starter completes ACL rehab. 

Anthony Richardson presented early-season promise, and the Colts were among the teams unable to resist the temptation to plug in a raw first-round pick immediately. Richardson also ran into injury trouble frequently, seeing his season end by early October due to a shoulder malady. The dual-threat talent's absence probably helped the Colts' receiving corps, as Gardner Minshew was a readier passer. But this is now Richardson's team. The Colts have a 39-year-old Joe Flacco as an emergency option. That should supply insurance, but a player no one wanted at this time last year -- ahead of a shocking Browns re-emergence -- is nearing the end. 

QBR placed Bryce Young 29th last season, and the 5-foot-10 prospect looked overmatched. But the 2021 Heisman winner found himself in terrible circumstances. A disjointed setup that featured several coaches in Young's ear and multiple schemes being merged also included perhaps the NFL's worst skill-position group. Both Carolina guards were also out of picture for much of the season. The Panthers now have Diontae Johnson and first-rounder Xavier Legette, along with two high-priced guards, to fortify the diminutive passer's pockets. Andy Dalton still presents a quality QB2 option for Dave Canales, who has elevated Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield over the past two years.

Kevin O'Connell elevated Kirk Cousins' play, and J.J. McCarthy should benefit from the Sean McVay disciple. A strong skill-position group also awaits the recent national championship-winning QB. While this does set up as a good situation for McCarthy, the Michigan product's numbers do not align with his draft slot. That prospect profile generated considerable backlash, but the 21-year-old passer wowed on the pre-draft circuit. This is not the first time a major postseason move up the board took place in recent years. The Vikes could do much worse than Sam Darnold as the bridge, and it will be interesting to see if the former No. 3 overall pick holds off the rookie for a bit.

When Washington last picked second overall, it was hamstrung by the 2019 decision to draft Dwayne Haskins in Round 1. The team was effectively forced to pass on Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert. This year, Washington cleared the decks and went with Jayden Daniels, who delivered the best 2023 season of the QBs chosen. Of course, Daniels morphing from midlevel prospect to the No. 2 overall pick provides caution -- as does his slender frame -- but Joe Burrow made a similar leap. Washington, which missed on a dual threat (Robert Griffin III) 12 years ago, will try again. Marcus Mariota managed to land another backup gig, but Daniels likely starts immediately. 

The Browns fielding a roster capable of venturing to the playoffs after the injuries they suffered on offense reflects well on the Andrew Berry GM regime. Not as well: Deshaun Watson's first two Cleveland seasons. Rarely resembling the player that flashed superstar potential in Houston, Watson is tied to the NFL's worst contract and has largely been unavailable since being the first veteran QB to cost three first-rounders in a trade since Jim Plunkett in 1976. The Browns are attempting to build a scheme around Watson now, and their Joe Flacco-for-Jameis Winston swap is curious, given the former's performance. The Browns remain trapped here, desperate for Watson to rebound.

As some predicted, Derek Carr did not move the needle much from the Saints' 2022 Andy Dalton season. Carr suffered two concussions and battled through injuries, submitting one of the quieter 25-touchdown pass seasons in NFL history. QBR slotted Carr 16th, which marked a step forward from his Raiders finale. The Saints still fired their OC, hiring Klint Kubiak. With Spencer Rattler will replace Jameis Winston, and the unrelenting Taysom Hill -- still boosting the Saints' cause and impeding fantasy GMs -- is going into his age-34 season. Carr remains locked in for two more years, and the Saints have some issues up front ahead of his age-33 season. 

A "You get what you pay for" season looms for a Steelers team that has acquired the NFL's two most sack-prone starters. On a cap sheet, the Russell Wilson and Justin Fields additions look good. Wilson's peripheral numbers (26 TD passes, eight INTs) were fine last season, but we may be at the cliff for a declining QB. Sean Payton placed the handcuffs on Wilson last season, even as he bounced back -- to a degree -- from the Nathaniel Hackett disaster. Fields' alarmingly low trade value provided an indication the league does not view the 2021 first-rounder as a viable passer. Still, he is a quality backup who likely will be starting games in 2024.

One of the great contract-year stories of this NFL period, Baker Mayfield received 10 times the guarantee the Buccaneers gave him in 2023. Collecting $40 million at signing, Mayfield cemented his resurgence and did so as the Browns try to stay afloat with his suddenly mediocre replacement. Forming a quick connection with Mike Evans, Mayfield tossed 28 TD passes and completed a career-high 64.3% of his throws. Losing OC Dave Canales could hurt the former No. 1 pick, though his short history with ex-Rams OC Liam Coen may be critical. The Bucs are, however, betting on one of this era's more inconsistent QBs. A buyer-beware warning must be applied.

Equipping Geno Smith with a first-round wide receiver (Jaxon Smith-Njigba) to go with the long-running Tyler Lockett-D.K. Metcalf duo did not produce an improvement from his Comeback Player of the Year showing. Although Smith was effective in spurts last year, the Seahawks might be stuck as the bounce-back passer goes into his age-33 season. Dave Canales' 2022 project slots in just above his 2023 effort due to Sam Howell's presence. The Seahawks did well to snag last year's Commanders starter as a developmental arm, as the 17-game starter needs more time but should bring more upside at this point compared to Drew Lock.

This might be low for Chicago's Caleb Williams-fronted QB group, though the Bears currently have Tyson Bagent and Brett Rypien as backups. In a draft that generated a flood of QB rumors for weeks, few involved Williams, who could have begun searching for Chicago real estate following the mid-March Fields trade. Drawing comparisons between Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers, Williams displayed the full toolbox in 2022 and did not lose much ground after a slight step back last season. The Bears have given Williams a better arsenal compared to the Panthers' Bryce Young setup, obtaining Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze to go with D.J. Moore, who produces regardless of QB skill.

Kyler Murray staying healthy in 2023 represented a more important takeaway than performance, as the Cardinals gave the Pro Bowler one of the league's worst supporting casts. Still in the process of building a capable group, Arizona at least handed Murray super-prospect Marvin Harrison Jr. At his best, Murray drove the Cardinals to the 2021 playoffs and rightfully beat out Tom Brady for a Pro Bowl spot in 2020. This does profile as an important year for the former MLB top-10 draftee, as he is more than a year removed from his ACL tear and is coming off two forgettable seasons. Desmond Ridder also gives the Cards a QB2 upgrade on Clayton Tune.

Showing substantial improvement during the season's second half, Jordan Love carved up the Cowboys and gave the 49ers a scare to heat up the NFL's highest-volume playoff series. Love is on the verge of rewarding the Packers for their controversial investment, though the team still cut into prime Aaron Rodgers Super Bowl opportunities. Love, however, could prove worth it. Barely one year older than three of this year's first-round QBs, Love -- at 25 -- will face heightened expectations. Ahead of a pivotal season that should feature Love on a big-ticket contract, the Packers have 2023 fifth-round pick Sean Clifford in place as the backup.

Higher-profile storylines overshadowed the Jaguars' collapse, but it is worth wondering why exactly Doug Pederson gave play-calling duties -- after holding them throughout his Eagles tenure -- to unseasoned OC Press Taylor. Trevor Lawrence took a step back from the promising version that closed the 2022 season. Suddenly, questions about the former top pick's potential are valid. The once-prized prospect did suffer three separate injuries, ending a durable start to his career, but he and the Pederson-Taylor duo have plenty to prove. The Jags are deeper at QB this year, having added Mac Jones to go with C.J. Beathard behind Lawrence.

The Falcons have awkwardly pieced together one of the most interesting quarterback rooms in NFL history. No team has followed the Packers' blueprint -- partially because it removes the rookie-contract advantage from the QB equation -- but the Falcons almost have no choice thanks to Kirk Cousins' $100 million in practical guarantees. Cutting into their roster-building effort (and probably alienating their free-agent prize), the Falcons have Michael Penix Jr. set to develop behind the proven starter. Penix being a six-year college player does create an interesting developmental mission, as he could be 28 when it is time to start. Taylor Heinicke remains rostered as well as a temporary backup. Atlanta's QB talent level is far ahead of the past two years.

As coordinators in charge of worse units landed HC jobs over the past two years, Ben Johnson stayed put. As the Lions play-caller recognizes his value should allow him to have his pick of jobs down the line, Jared Goff benefits in the meantime. The Lions have given Goff an ascending coordinator and one of the NFL's best offensive lines. Goff has responded with No. 5 and No. 11 QBR finishes under Johnson while elevating the Lions to their first two playoff wins in 32 years. The Lions need to keep their pocket passer clean, based on his Rams undoing and 2021 Detroit offering, but they have seen tremendous returns when they do.

Tua Tagovailoa coming back from his concerning, concussion-marred 2022 proved important for the Dolphins, who saw the league's only southpaw QB1 produce some fireworks with his gaggle of speed merchants. But the Dolphins' sobering finish makes the "frontrunner" label appropriate until further notice. Tagovailoa's past two years double as the most encouraging stretch by a Dolphins QB since mid-1990s Dan Marino, but the 2020 first-rounder resides rather clearly on the second tier at his position. Upside should still exist in Mike McDaniel's offense, especially with a healthier year up front. Mike White remains a capable backup.

Joining Cousins on the Achilles rehab journey, Aaron Rodgers made a somewhat concerning effort to stay in the spotlight during his road back. QBs have surmounted Achilles tears post-30 in the past -- Dan Marino (1994) being among them -- but at 40, Rodgers is in uncharted waters. The Jets also still have Nathaniel Hackett in place as their play-caller and a receiving corps that will rely partially on one of the NFL's more injury-prone wideouts (Mike Williams) completing ACL rehab. Rodgers is among the best ever, but it is asking a lot of the four-time MVP to recapture top form given the circumstances. Tyrod Taylor, at least, provides the Jets a much better backup option post-Zach Wilson.

Quickly replacing Trevor Lawrence as the highest-ceiling AFC South QB, C.J. Stroud ignited a Texans franchise that had played out the string for two seasons amid the Deshaun Watson separation. The Offensive Rookie of the Year shined despite a middling-at-best skill-position corps, leading the NFL in INT rate and guiding the Texans to a playoff upset. It may be too early to anoint last year's No. 2 pick, but we are not far off that point. Houston now has two seasons to build around Stroud's rookie deal, a precious roster-building luxury. Houston's backup situation remains crowded, with Case Keenum and Davis Mills still rostered.

Not blameless as the Eagles' 2023 season veered well off course and into a ditch in Tampa, Jalen Hurts both saw his interception count balloon (from six to 15) and his rushing yardage drop from his MVP-level 2022. Hurts was battling some injury trouble and did show better form as the Eagles soared to their 10-1 perch, but this is a franchise that bailed on Carson Wentz less than two years after his extension. Hurts' performance led Brian Johnson, whom the QB has known since childhood, out the door. Kellen Moore will be tasked with restoring Hurts' MVP form, and the Eagles' skill crew -- now featuring Saquon Barkley -- is loaded. Few excuses will be available. 

Brock Purdy probably lacks the talent of some previous starters on this list, but he has been a revelation since debuting. And this placement also reflects how QBs are positioned to succeed. Purdy working under Kyle Shanahan -- featuring an intergalactic skill-position arsenal , one that now includes first-round pick Ricky Pearsall -- has proven wildly efficient. Purdy averaged 9.6 yards per attempt last season; no passer has topped that over a full season since the 1950s. Purdy holding his own against a stout Chiefs defense in Super Bowl LVIII highlights the bright future in San Francisco, though it helps having him on a league-minimum contract.

Mike McCarthy deserves due credit for reigniting Dak Prescott, who delivered his best season as a passer. Leading the NFL with 36 TD passes, Prescott thrived with McCarthy calling the shots. Of course, Jerry Jones' team endured one of its most memorable playoff meltdowns to overshadow much of the success the McCarthy-Prescott pair achieved. The Cowboys also lost multiple starters up front. At 30, Prescott remains one of the best. Notions the Cowboys will move on are not rooted in reality. Their Trey Lance development project hovered off the radar last year; it will be interesting to see if the team's Lance plan matters in 2024.

Matthew Stafford responded to a multi-injury 2022 with one of his best seasons, elevating a retooling Rams team at 35. Ranking sixth in QBR, the rocket-armed QB helped Puka Nacua deliver one of the great rookie-year seasons in wide receiver history. This produced the elusive Pro Bowl. While Stafford's 1-for-15 Pro Bowl rate (as a non-alternate) should put to bed any Hall of Fame notions, the veteran remains one of the game's best pure throwers. Sean McVay also appears to be on a career-revival kick at QB2, with Jimmy Garoppolo coming in after Baker Mayfield and Carson Wentz. Given Stafford's recent injuries, the ex-49ers mainstay will likely be needed.

Last season brought a setback for Justin Herbert truthers, but this space remains in that camp. In terms of arm talent, the Chargers centerpiece is about as good as it gets. The fifth-year veteran is now tied to Jim Harbaugh, who seems to have little interest in unleashing his quarterback the way Kellen Moore and Joe Lombardi -- to a degree -- did. The former Pro Bowl starter does not appear to have sufficient muscle around him at present, but the 2020 first-rounder has shown enough to outflank most of his peers. Where Herbert's career goes from here will be fascinating, as Harbaugh does have a history -- with less talented QBs -- of elevating his passers.

Lamar Jackson rewarded the Ravens for signing off on an extension that held the NFL AAV record for a few months, submitting a second MVP campaign. Jackson showed improvement as a passer, though 24 TD passes represents the fewest by an MVP since Steve McNair in 2003. Jackson obviously threatens defenses in myriad ways, and Todd Monken did well to unleash the electric runner -- with one notable exception -- last season. That said, Jackson's run of playoff letdowns deserves close attention at this point. His three-INT offering against the Chiefs -- carrying out a bizarre pass-heavy game plan -- cost a dominant Ravens team, and the spotlight will be brighter as a result.

Joe Burrow lacks Jackson's hardware, and the Bengals ace's two-injury 2023  harpooned the team at a crucial point on its timeline. But Burrow transformed a downtrodden franchise and has shown a consistent ability to beat teams through the air. That is the Super Bowl blueprint, as it stands now. The Bengals gave Burrow a better right tackle plan this year and smartly franchise-tagged Tee Higgins -- to pair with Ja'Marr Chase's rookie deal and the last year before Burrow's extension involves monster cap hits -- for a "one last ride" effort. The Bengals also received surprisingly effective work from Jake Browning, who had not thrown a pass in a game in five years.

The gap between the NFL's best quarterback and his top rivals is not too wide, as the Chiefs have surrounded their megastar with a vastly improved defense and a future Hall of Fame coach. The Bills lack these amenities, shuffling through coordinators and losing defensive standouts regularly. Allen props up a flawed contender, dragging last year's injury-riddled Bills team to the AFC's No. 2 seed. The Bills will now ask their force multiplier to keep the ride going without Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, though neither was too helpful down the stretch. Allen has not missed a game since 2018, but Mitch Trubisky is back for a second tour of duty as his backup.

The gap between Patrick Mahomes' trophy case and his rivals', however, is widening. The all-time great did not do well to elevate a shaky receiving group at points during an uneven regular season, but last year's cast certainly deserved the bulk of the blame pie. Once the Chiefs stopped trying to make two unready wideouts happen, Mahomes stabilized. Yes, Andy Reid and a suddenly great defense gave Mahomes the kind of safety net Tom Brady used to have in New England, but like Brady, the current NFL alpha did not waste a championship window. While Burrow and Allen rival the Kansas City phenom for pure QB play, the advantage the Reid-Mahomes combo gives the Chiefs has created a dynasty.