It is the offseason, which means rankings and lists. As we have for several years, we rank players and positions in the NFC West.
We start this year’s edition with the quarterbacks, specifically the starters.
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1. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Replacing Russell Wilson last year, Smith had a career year and was a legitimate MVP candidate for most of the season. In a year where the Seahawks were expected to be dreadful, they made the playoffs.
He completed a league-high 69.8 percent of his passes for nearly 4,300 yards and threw 30 touchdown passes.
On paper, you wouldn’t think that a division with Matthew Stafford and Kyler Murray that Smith would be No. 1, but here we are.
2. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Murray is coming off a torn ACL and will miss part of next season, but he is still one of the most talented quarterbacks in the league and should be in a better position to succeed with a new offense.
Last year, he was ranked behind Stafford following his MVP-type season, but this time Stafford had an injury-plagued season and is a year older.
3. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
After an incredible 2021 campaign, he played in only nine games last season and had nearly as many interceptions (8) as touchdown passes (10).
His elbow is better but at 35 years old, I put him just behind Murray.
4. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Purdy was a revelation in the second half of the season after both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt.
He went 5-0 in the regular season and led the Niners to the NFC Championship Game.
However, as effective and efficient as he was, most would say the talent around him elevated him rather than being the reason why the talent was elevated. He is less talented than the rest of his division counterparts and most would pick any of the other three starters in the division over him, but he doesn’t appear to be a bad guy to have under center.
