We are one week away from the 2024 scouting combine, and still a little over two months away from the NFL draft.
With that said, the most important position in sports is always at the forefront of conversation, and these are the top 32 quarterbacks in the NFL ahead of the annual selection meeting.
32. Desmond Ridder, Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta seems to see the error of their ways and will be replacing Ridder with a free agent signing or trade.
31. Daniel Jones, New York Giants
The Giants are a sinking ship, and it appears Jones and head coach Brian Daboll will go down together like Captain Ahab and Starbuck.
30. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
May Dave Canales be the Lord and Savior for Young the same way he was for Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield.
29. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
Corporal Feast-or-Famine has one of the biggest arms in the game, but Tennessee needs to get him help at the skill positions, as well as an offense that will utilize the intermediate portions of the field.
28. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
I’d imagine the Browns are actively trying to find any way out of Watson’s contract after getting high-level production from a quarterback that was on the couch most of the season.
27. Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers’ best quarterback isn’t even on the roster- that tells you the state of that franchise.
26. Sam Howell, Washington Commanders
Sleep well, Sam Howell Hive. It was a good run. Washington will almost certainly draft a quarterback, but Howell will be one of the top backups in the NFL.
25. Gardner Minshew, Indianapolis Colts
Minshew was one dropped pass away from leading the Colts to the playoffs- hats off to him.
24. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos
Cirque du Soleil has nothing on the travelling circus that is Russell Wilson. I can’t imagine too many teams will be lining up for his services.
23. Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
The Saints wanted a sports “Carr” but instead got a ’98 Accord with every light on the dash lit up.
22. Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
The Comeback Player of the Year showed he still has a few bullets left in the chamber.
21. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
Richardson only played in four games before suffering a season-ending injury, but man did he put on a one-man show in that month of action. He’ll be back and climb the list.
20. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
Fields is almost certain to be playing in a new uniform in 2024. Hopefully it’ll be one with a better offense and weapons to fully tap into his physical gifts and potential.
19. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
If the temperature drops below 70 degrees, you have the Dolphins right where you want them.
18. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
What a bounce-back season it was for Mayfield in Tampa Bay. We’ll see, though, how much the absence of Dave Canales is felt, as well as the potential departure of Mike Evans.
17. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Smith dealt with injuries in 2023, but what we saw when he was healthy was still good. This new era of Seahawks football without Pete Carroll will pique my curiosity.
16. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
It feels like we’ll have the Purdy debate until the end of time. He isn’t elite, but he’s certainly not bad. He is elevated by all the talent around him, as well as his head coach, but he is also capable of operating that system and making the right choices.
15. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
If Murray is gifted the prize of Marvin Harrison Jr, expect him to look like the star he was pre-ACL injury.
14. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles’ collapse in the final six weeks of the season is what everyone keeps returning to when discussing their 2023 season. However, their offense struggled all season, and Hurts’ production took a small step back.
13. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Goff’s career resurgence from scapegoat in Los Angeles to hero in Detroit has been one of the best stories in the NFL. Keeping Ben Johnson in his ear was a big win for the Lions, and they’ll be a contender in the NFC again in 2024.
12. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
Cousins was on pace for 38 touchdowns and nearly 5,000 yards before he sustained his Achilles injury in 2023. Wherever he plays in 2024 will be getting arguably the league’s most underrated quarterback.
11. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
The criticism of Lawrence has gone overboard. Of the 14 interceptions he threw in 2023, seven of them came in the final four games when he was dealing with a CVS receipt of injuries. He is still one of the game’s best quarterbacks, but he also needs reliable pass catchers and a better offensive line in front of him.
10. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott led the NFL in touchdown passes, bit continues to come up short in the playoffs. Until it changes, that will be the narrative.
9. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Rodgers will need an upgraded offensive line in front of him this season to ensure he doesn’t suffer another serious injury.
8. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Love is really that dude. It takes a special talent to finish second in the NFL in touchdown passes with the youngest group of weapons in football. He’ll keep them in contention for deep playoff runs for a long time.
7. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Everyone knows how I feel about the MVP race (I would have voted for Josh Allen, and did on the PFWA ballot). And that’s not to dunk on Jackson, who is tremendous, but the hype he received this season was more than was warranted.
6. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
From Thanksgiving onward, Stafford looked like the final boss version of himself. He threw 17 touchdowns to just three interceptions in the final seven games of the year, showing he has plenty left in the tank.
5. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
Stroud put together arguably the best rookie season by a quarterback in NFL history, finishing just 266 yards behind Andrew Luck for the most passing yards by a rookie in a season. Had he not missed two games, he all but certainly would have broken that record, and maybe would have won league MVP.
4. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Fans fan out very quickly how important Herbert is to the Chargers once he was lost for the season. Including the game he left early against the Broncos, the Chargers lost their final five games without Herbert, and scored less then 13 three times, and also allowed 63 points to the Las Vegas Raiders. When healthy, he is one of the best and most gifted quarterbacks in football.
3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Burrow was nagged with injuries all of last season, a wrist injury ultimately costing him the remainder of the season. After the Bengals’ bye week, Burrow and Cincinnati looked like the league’s best team before Burrow’s injured wrist injury put him on the shelf. It feels like far too many people are sleeping on the Bengals, and that may be how they want it.
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
He led the NFL in total offensive yards and touchdowns, leading Buffalo to five consecutive wins down the stretch and yet another AFC East title. Without Allen, the only thing the Bills would be competing for is a top 10 draft pick.
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
What else can really be said? He’s the get out of jail free card. He’s the universal solvent. He’s the best quarterback we’ve ever seen. And the rest of the star quarterbacks in the NFL will hope to avoid being nothing more than footnotes in the story of Patrick Mahomes.
