NFL QB Power Rankings: Aaron Rodgers slips, Jayden Daniels rises, Kirk Cousins drops

Los Angeles Chargers v Atlanta Falcons
Los Angeles Chargers v Atlanta Falcons | Kevin C. Cox/GettyImages

NFL power rankings, quarterbacks edition

  1. No. 32-28: Just get us to the NFL Draft
  2. No. 28-23: Performance not matching expectations
  3. No. 22-15: Pleasant surprises, for various reasons
  4. No. 14-11: Star jury is still deliberating
  5. No. 10-6: Star quarterbacks
  6. No. 5-1: Superstar quarterbacks

No position in sports is more important than the quarterback position and trying to decipher the signal-caller pecking order in the NFL can be tough. That is what our latest NFL power rankings are for.

Stats, MVP odds, and team wins are all great tools to start the conversation around how quarterbacks compare to one another. However, there is so much nuance in these comparisons that go deeper than the numbers.

With Thanksgiving in the rearview mirror, now is a good time to compare all 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL (not counting those who are injured and out for the year; sorry, Dak Prescott). Using both the 2024 season and recent history, each quarterback has been ranked and siphoned into an appropriate tier.

No. 32-28: Just get us to the NFL Draft

32. Tommy DeVito, New York Giants

Tommy DeVito's biggest accomplishment on the New York Giants is that he ended the Daniel Jones tenure. Aside from that, there is not much to get excited about.

Drew Lock started on Thanksgiving with DeVito injured but the Giants have made it clear they are riding with DeVito... for better or worse.

31. Aidan O'Connell, Las Vegas Raiders

Aidan O'Connell almost had a signature drive against the Kansas City Chiefs on primetime that would have guaranteed him a long career as a backup quarterback. He may not be starting quality, but he can still make a lot of money being a backup (just ask Chase Daniel).

Unfortunately, Jackson Powers-Johnson snapped the ball too early right off O'Connell's chest in what was the perfect metaphor for the 2024 Las Vegas Raiders season. O'Connell will be replaced in April.

30. Cooper Rush, Dallas Cowboys

Cooper Rush is not meant to be a starter but now he is on tank duty for the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas cannot even do that right, though, as back-to-back wins over the Washington Commanders and Giants have hurt the team's draft position.

Rush is a quality backup who can do good things in small doses. That is all Rush should ever be, though, hence his ranking on this list of starting quarterbacks.

29. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans

There are moments where Will Levis looks like he has the makings of being a franchise quarterback who can lead a respectable offense. The problem is there are far more moments where Levis looks like he is playing the quarterback position with a blindfold on.

This was a prove-it year for Levis and he showed the Tennessee Titans all they needed to see. Expect Tennessee to take a quarterback in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, even if the team has to trade up to do so.

28. Jameis Winston, Cleveland Browns

Jameis Winston has made the Cleveland Browns offense better and he would rank higher than Deshaun Watson on this list. That being said, Winston is still a career backup at this point in his career so it is hard to rank him even above the struggling young quarterbacks who at least have some potential.

That being said, Winston is still the most entertaining quarterback in the league. His performance for Cleveland may have bought him another half-decade in the league, if not more.

No. 28-23: Performance not matching expectations

27. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young has certainly played better since he was reinserted as the team's starting quarterback after a brief stint on the bench. However, he still does not look the part of being a first-overall pick.

However, there is something there for Panthers fans to grasp onto, even if his ceiling is always going to be limited by his size. It has not been great for Young this season but he has been good enough to potentially get one more year of starting opportunities.

26. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

Anthony Richardson can be one of the most explosive quarterbacks on this list who can single-handedly find the endzone with his athleticism alone. At the same time, he can also throw a game away with his poor accuracy, which is why the Indianapolis Colts benched him in the first place.

Like Young, Richardson has looked better since returning to the starting lineup. He struggled overall against the New England Patriots in Week 13 but he still managed to put together a game-winning drive and two-point conversion down the stretch.

25. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons

Transparently, Kirk Cousins was in a completely different tier and was several spots higher than 25th when the early version of this article was put together. Then Cousins went ahead and threw four bad interceptions against the LA Chargers to single-handedly lose the game for the Atlanta Falcons.

Cousins' time as a starter might be up even though he is the same guy who threw for 509 yards and four touchdowns earlier this season. The veteran quarterback has not thrown a single touchdown during Atlanta's three-game losing streak while throwing six interceptions in the process.

24. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets

Remember when the New York Jets thought they were getting a top-10 quarterback who could lead them to the playoffs? Unfortunately, amidst everything else that has gone wrong for New York this season, Rodgers has simply been bad.

Rodgers has looked every bit of 40 years old, especially as the season has gone one and the Jets' playoff chances have dwindled. The future Hall of Famer has not cracked 200 passing yards in each of his last three games despite averaging 34 attempts in those games.

23. Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints

Derek Carr is the ultimate example of numbers not matching the eye test. Based on the numbers alone, Carr should rank much higher than 24th on this list. After all, Carr is 12th in QBR and 10th in EPA per dropback this season.

But when it ultimately comes down to it, Carr is not someone who anyone wants leading a game-winning drive down three with a minute left in the game. Wins may not be a quarterback stat but it is hard to look past Carr's career record.

22. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears

Caleb Williams has had his moments this season just like anyone else on this list. However, it would be disingenuous for anyone to suggest he has lived up to expectations after being touted as one of the best quarterback prospects in recent draft history.

The Chicago Bears may be a dumpster fire but the team did do everything it could to surround Williams with talent. Other quarterbacks have played far better with much less help than Williams has had this season.

No. 22-15: Pleasant surprises, for various reasons

21. Drake Maye, New England Patriots

Speaking of quarterbacks who have played better with less help, Drake Maye has outplayed the No. 1 overall pick despite being in one of the worst situations in the league. Maye has a bad offensive line, no real passing weapons and arguably one of the worst head coaches in the sport.

Still, Maye is proving at every turn that he is the real deal and is a true franchise guy for the Patriots. Sunday's loss against the Colts was the best of both worlds for Patriots fans as Maye looked fantastic without outright hurting draft stock.

20. Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks

Geno Smith was such a surprise for the Seattle Seahawks that his stock in the league has almost been overvalued. Smith is an average quarterback in this league who can have above-average moments against the right opponents on the right day.

Smith has gone from being more of a game manager to having more boom or bust in his game. While his yards per game have reached a career high, his interception rate has almost doubled. On his best day, Smith ranks all the way in the top 15.

19. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers

Yes, we are ranking Russell Wilson ahead of Geno Smith after the incredible game he had against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Russ had one of the best games any quarterback has had this season as he completed 76.3% of his passes for 414 yards and three touchdowns.

He may no longer be prime Russell Wilson but there is still something there in his game. After six starts this season, Wilson is on a 17-game pace of 4,607 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions with a 64.8% completion rate. That is, objectively, a great year.

18. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker Mayfield was bad on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers and some may use that as a reason to plummet him down quarterback rankings. While it was not pretty, Baker has not had another true stinker this season, so he deserves the benefit of the doubt.

Mayfield is the epitome of this grouping of quarterbacks, though. They are all so close together and the order can drastically change at any given time. No. 21 could jump all the way to No. 15 one week, and No. 15 could fall all the way to No. 21 the next. The difference in these quarterbacks is razor-thin, which is fitting considering this is the "mediocre QBs club".

17. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos

Like it or not, Bo Nix has been playing really good football as of late and he has shot up these rankings as a result. Nix has really come into his own the last three games and his success is a big reason why the Broncos are in a great spot to make the playoffs.

Of course, it helps that he is one of the oldest rookies in league history with more college experience than any of his peers. That may limit Nix's ceiling to be much lower than Broncos fans want to admit, but it does not change the fact that his immediate impact is larger than many expected.

16. Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings

It doesn't make sense that Sam Darnold is the median in a year where he was not even supposed to be a starting quarterback but that is the reality. While Darnold certainly has a lot of help with his coaching and his weapons, he has been a solid quarterback this season.

Would he succeed in the same situations other quarterbacks below him have? Probably not. But Darnold is doing exactly what the Vikings need him to do for a team that has a real shot of being the No. 1 seed in the NFC. That deserves recognition.

15. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins looked like one of the worst teams in the league without Tua Tagovailoa and have been much better since he returned. As easy as it is to dissect Tua, the 2024 season has proven that he makes the Dolphins a better football team.

However, Tua is essentially the more advanced version of Nix. While the two quarterbacks have completely different games, they both have limitedceilings in the NFL. If everything around them is perfect then they could go on a deep playoff run. But if it is not perfect they will not lift an entire team to relevancy.

No. 14-11: Star jury is still deliberating

14. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions

Jared Goff is in the best situation of any quarterback in the league. He has the most innovative offensive mind in the sport calling plays with a star-studded offensive cast, a stout offensive line and a defense that can shut down any team in the league.

Goff has proven he is a suitable captain for this ship already with a deep playoff run last year and performances that mirror the best in the league. However, at any instant, the five-interception version of Goff can return to put an end to this miracle Lions season.

13. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence took one of the scariest hits in recent NFL history on Sunday, so it feels unfair to dissect his performance as a starting quarterback. At this point, the only thing that matters is Lawrence’s health. May he get better soon.

12. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

Sure, Brock Purdy stepped into a situation that every quarterback dreams of with the best weapons in the sport and one of the best head coaches in the league. But he still had to go out there and earn his keep in the NFL and that is exactly what he has done the last two years. Those doubting Purdy now are simply behind the curve.

It is fair to question whether or not Purdy can actually be a star quarterback but he is more than good enough to lead a Super Bowl run. Don’t believe in Purdy? Just look at how poorly the San Francisco 49ers played with Brandon Allen under center.

11. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

Kyler Murray truly is the most compelling quarterback in the NFL. No other quarterback has had several stretches where he is playing at an MVP level while also having several stretches where he looks like a replaceable starting quarterback.

Murray is back to playing at a high level in 2024 but he has to keep it up through the toughest part of the season to stick as a true star quarterback. His first game of December was a concerning sign, though, as the Arizona Cardinals blew a 13-point fourth-quarter lead with Murray completing six of 11 passes for 51 yards and two interceptions.

No. 10-6: Star quarterbacks

10. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans

C.J. Stroud is trying his best to play himself out of the star quarterback conversation. While Stroud has not been awful this season he has not looked like the same guy who took the NFL by storm in his rookie season with the Houston Texans.

Stroud has built up enough equity to rank within the top 10 and still be considered a star quarterback. However, he very easily could lose his spot if he puts together a bad month of December, even if there isn’t another quarterback who earns a spot in the star conversation.

9. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

If a new NFL franchise popped up tomorrow it would undoubtedly pick Stroud to be the face of the franchise over Matthew Stafford. Stafford is on his way out in the league and the 2024 season very well could be his last true year as a star quarterback.

That being said, Stafford is still playing at a star level and is one of the main reasons why the Los Angeles Rams are even in a spot to contend for the playoffs with the roster they have. It may not always be pretty with Stafford and his age does show up from time to time. But when the Rams need a big drive from him, he often delivers.

8. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels is the real deal. The rookie hit a rough patch in the middle of the season that brought him and the Washington Commanders down to Earth but it does not change the fact that he is an elite quarterback in the making.

Sunday’s win over the Tennessee Titans was a good reminder of just how special Daniels is. While it may have come against subpar competition, it isn’t every day that a rookie quarterback completes over 80% of his passes with three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown.

7. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Hurts has a lot of critics who take offense at the idea he is a star quarterback. While he lacks some key traits that will keep him from ever being a true superstar quarterback, he has done enough in his career thus far to be considered one of the top-10 quarterbacks in the NFL.

As a pure passer, Hurts has no place in the top 10. But the quarterback position is more than passing ability in 2024 and his value as a rusher cannot be ignored. Only five quarterbacks in the NFL have more EPA this season than Hurts with Daniels being the only one who ranks below him on this list. The rest are in the elite tier.

6. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

Jordan Love was the hottest name at the quarterback position heading into the 2024 season and he has mostly followed through on that hype this season. It has not been perfect for Love, who played compromised on a bad knee, but he has reminded football fans that his ceiling is as high as anyone in the league.

Love’s 2024 season is a small step down statistically from his 2023 season but if history tells us anything, it is that the Green Bay Packers QB will heat up down the stretch. Nobody wants to play the Packers in the playoffs, and Love is a big reason why.

No. 5-1: Superstar quarterbacks

5. Justin Herbert, LA Chargers

Justin Herbert has done a lot with almost nothing this season. His basic counting stats leave a lot to be desired and his biggest critics will use them as a way to discredit him. But those same critics can no longer use the LA Chargers’ record against him, which was always the most flawed criticism of the former Oregon Duck.

The Chargers genuinely have one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL with an interior offensive line that leaves a lot to be desired. These hurdles have impacted Herbert’s overall numbers but they have not changed Herbert’s ceiling.

Herbert has proven on multiple occasions this season that he belongs in the superstar tier with flashy performances when the lights were the brightest. If the Chargers can add proper wide receiver help in the offseason then the rest of the AFC might be in serious trouble in 2025.

4. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Joe Burrow is having himself a Herbert season in 2024. Burrow has arguably the best numbers in the entire NFL but does not have the win-loss record to show for it as the Bengals are 4-8 and need to win out to even have a chance at the seventh seed in the AFC.

Holding Burrow’s record against him in what is a career year because he has an awful defense would feel counterintuitive after all the years of defending Herbert against the same narrative. Burrow has been nothing short of elite this season, although it will be interesting to see how he plays in 2025 if he doesn’t have the best 1-2 WR punch in the NFL.

3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Josh Allen is the MVP favorite as it stands right now but that does not make him the best quarterback. He is the MVP favorite partly because of the Buffalo Bills’ record (and head-to-head win over the Kansas City Chiefs) and also because of voter fatigue for another MVP candidate.

This is not to knock Allen, who is having an incredible 2024 season despite losing his top wideout Stefon Diggs. But when we look at the bigger picture that includes more than just MVP odds, it is hard to rank Allen ahead of the top two quarterbacks on the list.

2. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson is playing like the best quarterback in the NFL this season. No quarterback in the sport is as dangerous as Lamar, who truly is the best dual-threat quarterback in NFL history. Numbers-wise, Lamar is the best as he has been extremely efficient and productive while limiting turnovers in his game.

However, these rankings are much more than who is playing the best. While Lamar is having a better season than the obvious No. 1 on this list, he does not have three Super Bowls to his name. Until someone definitively knocks the king off his throne, the No. 1 quarterback on these lists should always be the same.

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

No quarterback list should be taken seriously if Patrick Mahomes does not rank No. 1. No, he has not played like the best quarterback in the sport this season. Yes, he is having the worst statistical year of his career as the Chiefs have put together the wonkiest 11-1 season to this point.

But at the end of the day, Mahomes is the guy who everyone is trying to emulate, who every team is trying to beat. The road to the Super Bowl goes through Mahomes and until that changes, he will be the best quarterback in the sport. No questions asked.

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