Ranking Chargers' Justin Herbert and all 32 starting quarterbacks in 2023

Tier 3: Undeniable franchise arm with Super Bowl potential

• 7. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
• 6. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
• 5. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles

All three of these quarterbacks are undoubtedly franchise guys and are good enough to lead their team to a Super Bowl. After all, Jalen Hurts just led the Philadelphia Eagles to the Super Bowl while the Baltimore Ravens are consistently an elite regular-season team when Lamar Jackson is healthy.

Trevor Lawrence is the most interesting quarterback here. Many NFL fans have already crowned Lawrence as one of the best quarterbacks in the sport. His overall numbers from 2022 were solid, albeit carried by a handful of great games that masked the several bad games that Lawrence had.

Lawrence has all the natural tools to climb into tier 2 of this quarterback ranking. However, it wouldn't be all that surprising if he finds himself at the top of the Kirk Cousins tier after 2023.

Tier 2: Quintessentially elite with an MVP ceiling

• 4. Justin Herbert, LA Chargers
• 3. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
• 2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert checks in as the fourth-best quarterback in the sport. This may seem low for Chargers fans but it is still a big deal that the team has a quintessentially elite quarterback that can win the MVP award.

Herbert is probably more naturally talented and has a higher ceiling than Joe Burrow but it is impossible to overlook Burrow's postseason success. At some point that matters, even if in Burrow's case he has gotten a lot of help.

If Josh Allen does not make a deep playoff run with the Buffalo Bills this season then there are going to be a lot of questions raised about his ranking on this list and whether or not he deserves to be the second-best quarterback in the sport.

Tier 1: In his own tier, on his own planet, in his own universe

• 1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

It is no surprise that Patrick Mahomes is the top-ranking quarterback on this list. Mahomes isn't just the best quarterback in the sport, though. He is on an entirely separate tier from every other signal-caller in the league. That is how special Mahomes is.

There were a lot of question marks about just how elite Mahomes would be in 2022 without Tyreek Hill running routes. So what did he do? He won his second MVP award and his second Super Bowl in only his fifth season as a starting quarterback.

Unfortunately, the Chargers have to play Mahomes twice a year (while also having to likely get through him in the playoffs).