Quarterbacks run the NFL, and it’s difficult to find a good team without a good passer leading the way. The best quarterbacks in the NFL today are almost a completely different breed than the best passers from a decade ago.

Because it’s impossible to truly project the leap from college to the pros in Year 1 for a QB, the rookies are relegated to the bottom of the list … for now.

2023 QB Power Rankings Tier 8 | Rookies

32) C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

C.J. Stroud should be relatively NFL-ready. However, despite what looks to be a decently strong offensive line, Bobby Slowik is going to be a first-time play-caller, and the Texans’ receiving corps isn’t exactly filled with superstar separators.

Stroud could certainly hit the ground running, and he’s certainly not the least-attractive QB option in the NFL. But because we haven’t seen these rookies take a snap yet, we have to just sit back, relax, and let Week 1 play out before we jump to conclusions.

31) Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

While Richardson certainly has a long way to go as a passer, his floor should still be relatively high because of his rushing ability. After seeing how much Jalen Hurts has progressed in Shane Steichen’s two seasons as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator, it’s not crazy to assume Steichen could squeeze the most out of Richardson early on as he takes some lumps as a passer.

And while he needs to improve as a passer, his deficiencies are correctable with time and reps. He is simply inexperienced. And while the learning curve will be steeper at the NFL level, he flashed high-end processing ability in his short time as the Gators’ starter.

30) Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

The rookies reside at the bottom of the list, not because of their ability or lack thereof, but because they are complete unknowns, and their development at the NFL level could go anywhere.

Currently, the three QBs are stacked by the situation they’re in. Bryce Young is an outstanding talent, and Frank Reich has proven he can mold an offense around the quarterback at his disposal. He won a Super Bowl with Nick Foles in an RPO-heavy attack, and that is the kind of offense that Young can run in his sleep.

Tier 7 | Liabilities

29) Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield has flashed starting-caliber play at times in his NFL career, but those flashes were always just that. Flashes. His inconsistent mechanics, particularly in his lower half, inhibited his ability to maintain consistency. Then when he injured his non-throwing shoulder and held off surgery for an entire season, his mechanical inconsistencies turned into flat-out deficiencies.

Hopefully a full offseason with health intact will yield positive results for Mayfield and the Buccaneers, but it would be a tall task.

2022 QB Power Rankings | Tier 6: Concerning

28) Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos quickly attempted to correct the mistakes they made an offseason ago. Hiring Sean Payton and allowing him to revamp the offensive line was the most prudent pathway toward creating an environment conducive to success for Russell Wilson at this point in his career.

There might not be a more intriguing storyline in the whole NFL season. Wilson is practically the antithesis of Drew Brees as a quarterback. Payton didn’t spend much time throughout his coaching career without Brees being under center. Can the man regarded as one of the league’s best offensive minds craft an attack that maximizes Wilson’s strengths while sheltering the offense from his current weaknesses?

27) Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

After playing incredibly well for the Los Angeles Rams on their way to an exciting Super Bowl victory on their home turf, the Rams completely imploded in 2022, and Matthew Stafford was not immune.
It began with questions concerning his weaponized right arm, which is the one part of his game that made him special, and ended when concussions became a problem for him on multiple occasions last season. The Rams roster is a shell of its Super Bowl self, and Stafford isn’t getting any younger.

26) Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns

Just a few seasons ago, Deshaun Watson would have been battling for a spot in the elite tier. Unfortunately, quite a bit has changed over the past few years, and the Browns front office has to be nervous about the extortionate $230 million guaranteed price they paid for Watson.

It had been a very long time since Watson had played football when he took the field for Cleveland in Wee 12. Rust was always going to be a factor in his 2022 performance. But he was underwhelming, even relative to the muted expectations. Additionally, it didn’t appear as though the rust was being buffed out toward the end of the season.

But while his performance was concerning, we know the latent ability he possesses could pop back up, and the Browns could be an AFC contender.

Tier 5 | Uknown Commodities

25) Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons

Desmond Ridder is a whip-smart QB that follows his reads and plays a lot like the last franchise quarterback to play in Atlanta, for better or worse. He’s rigid and controlled, but it limits his ability to innovate.

Ridder doesn’t have quite the pre-snap reading talent or accuracy of Matt Ryan. Until he gets there, that style of play won’t win games. He also wasn’t the most precise QB coming from the University of Cincinnati. That said, we haven’t had much time to evaluate his NFL development, so there’s a pretty enormous ceiling to unlock in 2023, particularly with a fully healthy Kyle Pitts in the fold.

24) Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

It’s been a long time since Jordan Love was playing quarterback for Utah State. The Packers’ new quarterback is a complete wild card because, over the past three seasons waiting in the wings underneath Rodgers, Love has only thrown 83 passes.

He began his NFL career in the perfect spot. He was a blank canvas for coaches to tinker with. He had a ton of upside with a big arm and great athleticism, but we have no way of knowing how much he’s been able to improve the mental aspects of his game while in the shadows.

23) Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

Brock Purdy looked like he was going to continue not having any issues being efficient and explosive in the 49ers’ offense before his elbow injury. It will be fascinating to see if what seemed to be improved arm strength from college to the pros will be back to 100% after the injury.

Purdy isn’t as quick-witted as Garoppolo, but he doesn’t have years of experience in Kyle Shanahan’s offense to pull from. What he does have is the ability to make plays when things break down that Garoppolo could only dream of, despite not having the same natural arm talent from the pocket as his predecessor.

That said, the only reason Purdy sits here in the unknown tier is that long-term elbow issues could be catastrophic for his already underwhelming velocity.

Tier 4 | Useful, But Limited

22) Mac Jones, New England Patriots

Limited by his offensive coordinator and receiving corps, we’ve begun to see what happens when a quarterback that needs support doesn’t get it. Even so, we’ve seen Mac Jones make quick, correct decisions and spray the football with accuracy to his receivers.

He’s not always as aggressive as he needs to be, but Jones generally knows what works for him. The problem is that the team needs to know that, too. We’ll get to test that with Bill O’Brien calling plays next year.

21) Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh Steelers

Kenny Pickett might end up being sneaky good in the long run. The Pittsburgh Steelers simply have the culture to avoid mediocrity at all costs, evidenced by their 16 consecutive seasons without having a losing record.

Pickett must improve as a consistent in-structure processor, but despite having an underwhelming arm he has the ability to consistently make plays on the hoof. He plays with all the grit and determination congruent with the city of Pittsburgh. So while his outlook is leaning a bit on “vibes,” the Steelers organization simply doesn’t seem to miss very often.

20) Jacoby Brissett, Washington Commanders

Jacoby Brissett may make the Commanders a playoff team if he plays similarly to how he did for the Cleveland Browns a season ago, and the Commanders’ defense provides relatively similar results.

The Browns would have been a playoff team had their defense held up their end of the bargain. Brissett has a big arm, but he was more consistent as a processor in Cleveland than we’d seen him be previously. If he can do that with Terry McLaurin, Curtis Samuel, and Jahan Dotson on the outside, he might even be able to ascend on this list heading into 2024.

The problem is Sam Howell could have something to say about all of this.

19) Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

It would be fun to see who would win in a competition created to test a QB’s ability outside of structure between Jared Goff and Garoppolo. Goff’s arm is better than Garoppolo’s, but he is worse at the integral traits that are consistent with being an efficient pocket passer. There is a very good reason why we’ve seen such ebbs and flows in Goff’s game and why Sean McVay decided to move on.

18) Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans

Tannehill is very much in the same ballpark as Garoppolo. They are both quarterbacks that a team can win with, but they won’t necessarily be the reason why you’re winning games. Tannehill’s down year and injuries in 2022 weren’t his fault. The Titans have mismanaged the roster, giving him little to work with on the offensive side of the ball.

The OL disintegrated, and Tannehill’s dependency on using play action to attack defenses was at the forefront. He’s an accurate passer inside of structure, and he’s athletic enough to make plays here and there, but he’s not necessarily a playmaker, which, along with his advancing age, is why the Titans selected Will Levis in the 2023 NFL Draft.

17) Justin Fields, Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears took two seasons to do what the Jaguars did for Lawrence in one, but they could reap the same rewards with Justin Fields as the Jaguars did with Lawrence. Fields is an outstanding passer to the intermediate areas of the field, particularly toward the sidelines. He has a big arm, and he might be the most dangerous running QB in the NFL.

But to take the next step, the former Buckeyes passer must become a machine in the quick game, which is something he has struggled with in his time as a pro. The Bears’ offensive line troubles, issues with the receiver’s ability to separate, and Fields’ inconsistent quick-game processing made for an ugly product.

But Fields has the potential to be one of, if not the most dangerous QB in the NFL if he finally puts it together.

16) Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

Kyler Murray has about as much potential as any quarterback in the NFL. He is lightning-quick on the field, and his arm is in a tier just below the Allens and Herberts of the league. Murray’s problems are somewhat unique to the player. He needs to learn to work more consistently inside of the offensive structure, and all indications point to him needing to become a better leader for the franchise.

If Murray had more spatial awareness and the ability to attack every part of the field, he’d be a franchise-quality quarterback. But for now, his limitations make for concerning — if exciting — play. With good arm strength and dynamic athleticism, there’s plenty of potential to unpack.

15) Jimmy Garoppolo, Las Vegas Raiders

Jimmy Garoppolo is a good but incredibly limited quarterback. In a league that practically requires the ability to create outside of structure at least a little bit, Garoppolo does not oblige. His consistent and oftentimes serious injury issues have hampered incredibly productive seasons in San Francisco.

And that’s the rub. Garoppolo can be efficient in an offense that allows him to facilitate. If the offensive line can protect and there are a few receivers who can get open over the middle, Garoppolo can win. The problem is that the former 49er doesn’t necessarily attack the whole field. And if the Raiders’ offensive line struggles again in 2023, Garoppolo may not finish another season.

14) Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints

Derek Carr has spent time throughout his career see-sawing between these two tiers. The Saints’ offensive line isn’t as talented as it was just a few years ago, but they have far greater weapons on the outside than they have in the past, also.

Carr’s issues have been consistency and aggressiveness, or lack thereof. If he can trust the weapons at his disposal in New Orleans, the Saints should stride into the playoffs as NFC South champions in 2023.

13) Daniel Jones, New York Giants

Although each QB is ranked numerically, what’s more important are the tiers they’re in. The gap between Tier 3 and Tier 4 is massive. However, Daniel Jones and a few others in Tier 4 could eventually find themselves elevating their level of play enough to make the leap.

Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka got off to a great start with Daniel Jones in New York, despite a complete lack of firepower on the outside. Jones began using his leg in a similar fashion to how we saw Allen operate in Buffalo while Daboll called plays. Added weapons and continuity in coaching could propel Jones forward.

2023 QB Power Rankings | Tier 3: Above Average

12) Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings are fascinating because of Kirk Cousins. He’s been more than efficient enough to be recognized as one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL, yet he’s consistently been unable to elevate the Vikings to the next level. In a season in which they finished 13-4, it was interesting to see his efficiency drop. The team got on not quite in spite of him, but not necessarily because of him, either.

The Vikings’ offense seemingly decided they’d score on their first offensive possession and then forget how to play football for the next 40 minutes or so until they absolutely had to have it. Having T.J. Hockenson and now Jordan Addison takes away any excuse the offense may have for not executing consistently.

11) Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets

The arm of Aaron Rodgers is still alive and very well. The effortless velocity he creates and the consistent placement he displays is what made him one of the most talented quarterbacks we’ve ever seen play the game. But the sore spot in the veteran’s game was exacerbated by the loss of his No. 1 target, Davante Adams.

Nothing is as simple as “he needs weapons around him to be successful.” Every quarterback needs to have a comfortable environment surrounding them to bring out their best. It’s foolish to believe differently.

But Rodgers is so incredibly turnover averse that he can leave a lot of plays on the field, particularly when he doesn’t have that elevated level of trust with who he’s throwing to. He has a hairpin throwaway trigger to preserve the precious TD:INT ratio record he possesses.

10) Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks

No NFL QB was more accurate relative to expectation than Geno Smith was in 2022. His deep ball took the form of prime Russell Wilson, and now he has a legitimate slot assassin in rookie receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Smith leveled off a bit as the season progressed. However, if the savvy veteran is able to learn and adapt to how defenses started adapting to him, that Seahawks offense could reach an impressive level of efficiency in the passing attack this season.

Tier 2 | Franchise Signal-Callers

9) Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins offense was looking like the second coming of the Greatest Show on Turf before Tua Tagovailoa’s unfortunate rash of injuries. Tua’s accuracy has always been his calling card, and it was on full display in the intermediate middle of the field in 2022. Having Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle attacking that area created some outstanding windows to attack, but Tagovailoa was not just a bus driver in that offense.

He still doesn’t have a big arm, but his deep-ball accuracy has improved, and while he still has a tendency to put the ball in harm’s way, he does so in an effort to be a playmaker and not simply because he’s making poor decisions or bad reads.

8) Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

It was only a matter of scenery. Once Jacksonville cut the head of the snake it had trying to run the show when Trevor Lawrence was a rookie, it was only a matter of time before Lawrence started showing who he really is. The Jaguars QB has always been a wizard in the pocket. He makes incredible micro-adjustments to create throwing windows in a collapsing pocket.

Adding Calvin Ridley to an offense already not lacking for efficiency in the passing attack is going to be a cheat code for Doug Pederson. There’s no reason to believe that the 2023 NFL season won’t be the year that Lawrence ascends squarely into the top-five QB conversation. It’s not the end of the world if he doesn’t, but it would still be disappointing.

7) Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

There would be no fault whatsoever in having Lamar Jackson at the bottom of this tier. There’d also be no fault in having him at the top. The Ravens QB is the most unfair entity in the sport. Nobody in the game is harder to tackle than this QUARTERBACK. And while Mark Andrews is a talented tight end, Baltimore hasn’t necessarily been able to surround Jackson with talent.

Injuries are a problem for the entire roster in Baltimore, but Jackson’s inability to be on the field late in the last two seasons has been a problem for the team. But with added weapons, a new OC who has a knack for using tight ends to the fullest extent of their pass-catching ability, and a motivated stable of running backs, this Ravens offense could mimic its efficiency from 2019, when Jackson won MVP.

6) Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Prescott is the litmus test for who is a true ball knower and who might be a casual fan listening and watching debate shows at four-letter networks making surface-level arguments about a game as intricate as football.

And that’s why Prescott is such a polarizing figure. Aside from having the star on his helmet, which already makes him a target, Prescott is good in ways that casual football fans don’t really get to see. Sure, he has been known to guide passes through impossibly small windows, but his superiority comes from how he sees the field both before and after the snap.

He’s lost a few steps since snapping his ankle. He has a decent arm, but he’s not pushing triple digits on the radar gun like Allen or Herbert. Prescott wins as a more traditional pocket passer in a league where that archetype is practically extinct. The addition of Brandin Cooks could be exactly what the doctor ordered to fix the spacing issues the Dallas offense suffered from last season.

5) Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Hurts is special. Very few players are able to do what he has seemingly done since the first day he stepped on the field for Alabama: get better every … single … year. That type of linear progression doesn’t exist in reality. But somehow, Hurts has secured the time stone and can only progress forward without taking steps back.

His legs are often used as a weapon against his case as a QB, but his rushing ability only enhances the danger he presents to defensive coordinators. Is he the best passer in the NFL today? No. Does he have a particularly stellar arm? No. But his deep ball has improved drastically, and his weariness about attacking the middle of the field subsided in 2022. He’s become a well-rounded passer on top of being one of the most dangerous runners in the league.

4) Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

Sometimes talent is so conspicuous that you have to give a player the benefit of the doubt until you no longer can. Justin Herbert has already seen some high-level production in his NFL career. However, there is a chance that the explosiveness of the Chargers’ offense could explode after the change from Joe Lombardi to Kellen Moore.

Herbert’s arm talent might even exceed Josh Allen’s, particularly when we get into the discussion about natural ball placement to match his velocity and touch. Some of the most exhilarating throws he made at Oregon were lasers over the middle of the field. Anybody that has watched Dak Prescott since Moore began calling plays in 2019 knows Moore’s offense loves to attack in the intermediate middle of the field.

The pre- and post-snap prowess Herbert possesses is perfect for Moore’s offense. And if he starts being just a bit more aggressive with his legs, he could really unlock the offense.

Tier 1: Elite

3) Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen’s reign as the most physically imposing QB in the NFL may be over with Anthony Richardson’s introduction, but that doesn’t make Allen any less unfair to gameplan against. Allen is the more physically gifted player between Burrow and himself. There is no denying that his rushing ability and physicality strike a fear in the hearts of defensive coordinators that doesn’t exist with Burrow.

However, Allen has been prone to spurts of play that are rather underwhelming, and he’s already been on record about playing the game in a safer manner to protect his body from injuries. Allen needs to heed his own warning, or he will likely see the same fate as Cam Newton — a talented player whose career was cut short by mounting injuries.

2) Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Early in 2022, the Cincinnati Bengals offense had problems that needed to be solved. They couldn’t run from under center, and it was likely because if they were under center, they absolutely were running. Joe Burrow is much more comfortable without turning his back to the defense on play action, and the run game improved drastically when they ditched under-center formations almost entirely.

Burrow’s ability to operate behind a compromised pass-blocking unit has been incredible to watch. While there are certainly times when pressure and sacks fall on his shoulders as a playmaker, more often than not, at this point in the Bengals’ spread-out offense, it’s solid coverage and weak protection that causes Burrow to receive an invitation from the ground.

But his mental trigger has continued to improve. That improvement in the quick game helped the Bengals’ offense toward more consistent efficiency, which is why he’s at No. 2 on the list.

1) Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

It’s easy to sit here and say that Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL because he is. That is not something that we can legitimately argue. His off-script ability has made him the archetype coaches search for. They want someone who can make plays when things break down in front of them but make the correct throw in rhythm in 2.5 seconds as well.

Mahomes does both.

But while his flair for the dramatic often gets the first seat when discussing what makes him special, it’s actually not a physical ability that sets him apart. No, the way he sees the field is special. The way that he understands and evaluates space and time while the world is crumbling around him is what sets him apart. His ability to see and attack windows that other quarterbacks don’t know exist is what sets him apart.