The 49ers have a tough schedule in 2023 after finishing first in the NFC West last season. Typically a tough schedule means needing to go through a gauntlet of very good quarterbacks.
How good are the QBs on the 49ers’ schedule though? We went through and ranked the 14 presumed starting QBs on their 17-game slate and found that it mostly reflects the QB landscape in the NFL.
There are some heavy hitters at the top, followed by a massive middle tier where the players are mostly interchangeable depending on supporting cast and coaching staff, then there’s a small bottom tier of unknowns or outright bad QBs.
For our rankings we chose one QB from each team, though a couple clubs will have QB battles playing out during the offseason. Here’s how the list shook out before the season, and we’ll update it at year’s end:
Jalen Hurts, Eagles
Hurts has improved dramatically as a passer, but his ability to tie defenses in knots with his legs puts him at the top of our list.
Joe Burrow, Bengals
There’s an argument to be made Burrow belongs at the top here. He’s extremely accurate, doesn’t turn the ball over much, and took sacks less often last season.
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
Jackson is a former MVP with a new offensive coordinator and some new offensive weapons. There’s a real chance he’s in the MVP mix again this year.
Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars
It’s little bit of projection putting Lawrence ahead of some of the more established quarterbacks on this list. However, his leap from 2021 to 2022 in his first year under Doug Pederson (and more importantly away from Urban Meyer) indicates more growth is coming in his third NFL season.
Dak Prescott, Cowboys
Prescott’s 2022 was a little bit of a disaster with a career-worst 15 interceptions and 3.8 percent interception rate. In his previous six seasons he was very good about not turning the ball over though. He’s smart, accurate and doesn’t typically turn it over. Prescott can play.
Kirk Cousins, Vikings
Cousins for all of his faults isn’t a bad quarterback. Can he win a Super Bowl? Maybe not. But most teams would take a 67.5 percent completion rate with 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, which is what Cousins is averaging over his last eight seasons.
Deshaun Watson, Browns
It’s hard to place Watson. He was really good with the Texans. He was not very good in his return from suspension with the Browns last year. Sticking him in the middle is the move until we have more information.
Matthew Stafford, Rams
Injuries derailed Stafford’s 2022 campaign and they may continue to be an issue. He is one year removed from winning a Super Bowl though. Stafford still has a big arm and is going into Year 3 in Sean McVay’s offense. He should be something north of bad even if he’s south of good.
Geno Smith, Seahawks
Smith had a breakout year with the Seahawks last season with an NFL-best 69.8 percent completion rate with 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His second half wasn’t as strong as his first half though which pushed him down the rankings some. It wouldn’t be a shock if he winds up jumping up this list by year’s end.
Daniel Jones, Giants
Idk, man. He’s limiting his turnovers and he’s good with his legs, but there’s not a lot to get excited about with him.
Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers
There’s a bigger recent sample of Mayfield not being very good. He’s in a battle with Kyle Trask for the starting job which says a lot about where he ranks.
Kenny Pickett, Steelers
Are we absolutely 100 percent certain he is the best quarterback on the Steelers roster? He went 7-5 as a starter last season with a 63 percent completion rate. On the other hand, he only averaged 6.2 yards per attempt and had more interceptions (nine) than touchdowns (seven).
Sam Howell, Commanders
Need more information here. NFL types are really high on him though. He won his only start as a rookie last season, completing 57.9 percent of his 19 throws with one touchdown and one interception.
Colt McCoy, Cardinals
Do not need more information here. McCoy is a fine backup. That’s where it ends.
