2024 NFL energy rankings: High 32 beginning QBs getting into Week 1

2024 NFL power rankings: Top 32 starting QBs entering Week 1 initially appeared on NBC Sports Boston

A brand new NFL season is sort of right here, and what meaning: It is time for a contemporary batch of beginning quarterback rankings.

There’s by no means been extra quarterback expertise in professional soccer than proper now. Even most of the gamers listed within the bottom-third of this checklist have loads of capacity. Placing collectively the highest 15 was harder than earlier years.

Final season noticed a number of upper-tier quarterbacks, corresponding to Aaron Rodgers and Joe Burrow, miss vital time attributable to damage. It will be thrilling to see these gamers return in Week 1 and attempt to lead their groups again to the playoffs.

With out additional ado, this is our rating of the NFL’s prime 32 beginning quarterbacks.

Nix beat out Jarrett Stidham to win the Broncos’ beginning job. The No. 12 decide within the 2024 NFL Draft performed nicely within the preseason and can attempt to assist the Broncos compete for a playoff spot after ending simply exterior the wild card race in 2023.

Darnold turned the clear-cut starter in Minnesota after rookie J.J. McCarthy tore his meniscus just a few weeks in the past. It is an incredible alternative for the previous No. 3 total draft decide to revive his profession. And he is very fortunate to have a number of wonderful weapons round him on offense, together with the league’s most gifted huge receiver in Justin Jefferson.

Regardless that rookie Drake Maye outplayed Brissett in current practices and the ultimate two preseason video games, the Patriots announced Thursday that the veteran will start Week 1. The actual query is what number of video games will Brissett play. When will Maye take over? Within the meantime, Brissett ought to be fairly comfy operating the offense due to his familiarity with offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt from their time collectively on the Browns.

The Giants weren’t capable of commerce up for a quarterback within the 2024 draft, so that they’re operating it again with Jones. He was restricted to 6 video games final season attributable to an ACL tear, and his efficiency within the preseason this month was subpar. It should be a protracted season in New York.

Younger’s rookie season was a catastrophe, and making issues worse was the truth that the Panthers owed their 2024 first-round decide (No. 1 total) to the Bears. Carolina did add just a few high quality go catchers within the offseason with huge receivers Diontae Johnson (commerce) and rookie Xavier Legette (draft). Is it sufficient to assist Younger take an enormous leap in 12 months 2? Uncertain.

Levis has plenty of potential after a good rookie yr that noticed him play within the second half of the season. The Titans did a pleasant job within the offseason surrounding their younger QB with expertise on the ability positions. They signed star operating again Tony Pollard and wideout Calvin Ridley early in free company. Tennessee already had DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks on its huge receiver depth chart.

Levis has a strong arm and is not afraid to take possibilities downfield. This Titans offense has the potential to be fairly entertaining.

Minshew is getting one other probability to be a beginning quarterback, and it is an incredible alternative due to the expertise round him within the Raiders offense. Davante Adams continues to be one of many league’s finest wideouts. Jakobi Meyers is an excellent WR2, and the tight finish mixture of Michael Mayer and rookie Brock Bowers is spectacular as nicely.

Minshew would not have a excessive ceiling, however he is fairly dependable. He has three seasons of a minimum of 15 landing passes and fewer than 10 interceptions. The Colts virtually made the playoffs with Minshew final season.

After a disastrous two seasons with the Broncos, Wilson has a contemporary begin with the Steelers. Pittsburgh doubtless could have a run-heavy offense with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren main the best way. If Wilson protects the soccer, Pittsburgh may very well be a wild card group within the AFC. His stats final season — 3,070 yards, 26 landing passes and eight interceptions — had been higher than you may assume.

Daniels is a very thrilling participant along with his dual-threat ability set. The reigning Heisman Trophy winner will convey actual pleasure and aptitude to a Commanders franchise that has lacked elite-level expertise on offense for a while.

Richardson is an interesting participant. His passing capacity continues to be a piece in progress, however the energy and athleticism he performs with as a quarterback is fairly distinctive. The principle concern is whether or not he can run as a lot as he does and keep wholesome for a full season. He suffered a season-ending damage simply 4 video games into his profession in 2023.

We all know what Carr is at this level. He is a good-not-great quarterback who may help you win eight or 9 video games. And given the weak spot of the NFC South, 9 wins is perhaps sufficient to win that division.

Chris Olave is a legit No. 1 wideout and shall be Carr’s prime goal once more. However after Olave, the expertise degree on the Saints huge receiver depth chart drops off considerably. Carr has averaged 24.75 landing passes over the past 4 years. The Saints want him to get nearer to 30 in 2024.

Williams was an electrifying participant at USC and gained the Heisman Trophy in 2022. The Bears took him No. 1 total within the 2024 draft and he impressed within the preseason. Chicago additionally has surrounded Williams with loads of expertise within the passing assault, highlighted by veteran wideouts D.J. Moore and Keenan Allen, in addition to rookie Rome Odunze.

This is a crucial season for Smith. He is 33 years outdated and getting into the ultimate yr of his contract. He is put collectively two excellent seasons in Seattle, and the group has surrounded him with loads of weapons on offense, together with wideouts DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.

Smith went 2-5 in opposition to groups that made the playoffs final season. That may’t occur once more if Seattle goes to achieve the postseason from a really aggressive NFC West division.

Watson has been restricted to only 12 video games as a Browns participant, together with solely six final season attributable to damage. The Browns have a playoff-caliber roster, and so they earned a wild card spot in 2023 with veteran Joe Flacco as their starter. If Watson is ready to play like he did for a few years in Houston, the Browns may very well be a tricky group to beat within the AFC.

Mayfield had a profession yr in 2024, setting private bests with 4,044 passing yards and 28 touchdowns. He helped lead the Buccaneers to a 9-8 file and an NFC South title. Mayfield parlayed that success into a brand new three-year, $100 million contract to stick with Tampa Bay.

Murray performed simply 11 video games final season as he labored his means again from a torn ACL in 2022. Now absolutely wholesome, expectations are excessive for Murray, who, at occasions in his profession, has appeared like an MVP candidate.

The Cardinals have some good items on offense, together with operating again James Conner, rookie wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. and tight finish Trey McBride. If Murray is wholesome, this Arizona offense may very well be fairly prolific.

Lawrence had a breakout 2022 season throughout which he led the Jaguars to an AFC South title and a playoff win. Final yr was a step again, as each the group and Lawrence regressed a bit.

After signing a large five-year, $275 million extension within the offseason, the Jaguars want Lawrence to leap up into the second tier of quarterbacks. He has the power to be an elite participant. The query is that if he can play at that degree on a constant foundation.

Cousins’ profession with the Vikings resulted in Week 8 final season after tearing his Achilles. He signed with the Falcons as a free agent within the offseason. Atlanta is hoping that Cousins would be the last piece that unlocks the true potential of its offense. The Falcons have some spectacular younger expertise in operating again Bijan Robinson, huge receiver Drake London and tight finish Kyle Pitts.

Cousins is not an elite participant, but when wholesome, you’ll be able to pencil him in for 4,000-plus passing yards and 25-plus touchdowns.

Goff led the Lions to the NFC Championship Sport final season, and expectations are for Detroit to be proper again within the combine once more in 2024. He threw for 4,575 yards with 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions in 2023. There is no cause why Goff should not have the ability to match or enhance on these stats this season. The Lions offense is loaded, headlined by operating again Jahmyr Gibbs and huge receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Purdy may most likely be greater on this checklist. He is not tremendous flashy, however anybody who throws for 4,000-plus yards with 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions is fairly dang good. It does assist that he performs in arguably essentially the most gifted offense within the league. San Francisco boasts a plethora of elite offensive expertise, together with operating again Christian McCaffrey, huge receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, and tight finish George Kittle.

Purdy was a legit MVP candidate final season, and it would not be shocking if that was the case in 2024 if the 49ers problem for the No. 1 seed once more. Purdy additionally has loads of motivation after shedding final season’s Tremendous Bowl in additional time.

After an injury-plagued 2022, Matthew Stafford appeared like his outdated self final season and led the Rams again to the playoffs. You will not discover many quarterbacks with a stronger arm or extra pure toughness than Stafford. Even at age 36, he is nonetheless one of many league’s prime QBs.

Stroud had an outstanding rookie marketing campaign, main the Texans to an AFC South title and a playoff berth. He threw for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. After including star wideout Stefon Diggs within the offseason, the Texans offense may very well be much more explosive in 2024.

Rodgers tore his Achilles within the first quarter of his Jets debut final season. Now wholesome, it will likely be fascinating to see if the long run Corridor of Famer can get again to the elite degree he performed at earlier than the damage. He gained back-to-back MVPs not too way back in 2020 and 2021.

Regardless of Rodgers’ damage, expectations are enormously excessive in New York. The Jets have not been to the playoffs since 2010. For that to alter, Rodgers must have a implausible season.

Expectations are tremendous excessive for the Packers after they almost upset the 49ers within the NFC Divisional Spherical final season. Love had a breakout 2023 because the Packers starter with 4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. With a gifted, younger group of receivers round him, Love may climb just a few extra spots on these rankings by this time in 2025.

Tagovailoa lastly performed a full 17-game season in 2023 and the outcomes had been implausible. He led the league with 4,624 yards, and got here up simply in need of 30 touchdowns (29).

The Dolphins have accomplished an incredible job including expertise to their offense to assist Tagovailoa. There is not a greater huge receiver duo than Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, and the operating again tandem of Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane is fairly good, too. So long as Tagovailoa stays wholesome, the Dolphins ought to proceed to have one of many highest-scoring offenses.

The 2023 marketing campaign was a difficult one for Herbert and the Chargers as an entire. The upcoming season may very well be a battle, too. The Chargers misplaced veteran wideouts Mike Williams and Keenan Allen, in addition to beginning operating again Austin Ekeler, throughout the offseason. These gamers weren’t adequately changed.

The addition of head coach Jim Harbaugh and the drafting of Notre Dame left sort out Joe Alt at No. 5 total may end in Los Angeles changing into extra of a run-based group in 2024. Herbert is an outstanding participant, however it’s onerous to be too enthusiastic about his weapons on offense.

Prescott is often positioned fairly excessive on these prime QB lists, and plenty of non-Cowboys followers say it is the results of Dallas bias. However in the event you really have a look at Prescott’s stats, they’re actually good. He accomplished virtually 70 % of his passes for 4,516 yards with a career-high 36 touchdowns and 9 interceptions final season. He was the one quarterback in 2023 with 30-plus touchdowns and fewer than 10 interceptions.

Prescott’s efficiency within the playoffs hasn’t all the time been nice, however within the common season he is completely among the many absolute best.

The second half of 2023 was fairly troublesome for the Eagles and Hurts. They began out 10-1 and Hurts was a prime MVP candidate. However then the Eagles misplaced 5 of their final six video games, Hurts did not play nicely throughout that span, and so they had been dominated 32-9 by the Bucs within the NFC Wild Card Spherical.

Regardless of the powerful finish to final season, Hurts nonetheless managed to set profession highs with 3,858 yards and 23 touchdowns. He additionally picked up 605 yards and 15 touchdowns on the bottom. The career-high 15 interceptions was an issue, although. If Hurts can trim that quantity significantly, Philly shall be in a lot better form.

Allen is a matchup nightmare. He is an incredible passer, and he is powerful to take down within the open area along with his 6-foot-5, 237-pound body. Allen has thrown for 4,000-plus yards in 4 consecutive seasons, and he is averaged 34.3 touchdowns per yr throughout that span. The problem with Allen is he throws too many interceptions. He threw 15 in 2021, 14 in 2022 and a career-high 18 in 2023.

There’s plenty of strain on Allen’s shoulders with out a true No. 1 wideout or an elite operating again. However he has to chop down on the turnover-worthy performs for the Payments to lastly get again to the Tremendous Bowl.

Final season, Jackson turned the eleventh participant in league historical past to win a number of MVP awards. He accomplished 67.2 % of his passes for a career-high 3,678 yards with 24 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He is additionally essentially the most harmful QB within the open area. He picked up 821 yards (5.5 per carry) and 5 touchdowns on the bottom in 2023.

The one query remaining is whether or not Jackson can play at an MVP degree within the playoffs. If he does, the Ravens may simply win the Tremendous Bowl. It is actually the one factor he has left to show.

A wrist damage ruined Burrow’s and the Bengals’ season in 2023. Now that he is wholesome once more, the Bengals are anticipated to be a prime contender within the AFC. There is no cause why Burrow should not be among the many most correct QBs within the league and tally a minimum of 4,400 yards and 34-plus touchdowns. And let’s not overlook he has one of many league’s prime WR duos in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.

This was a straightforward one. Mahomes is in a category by himself.

He is a three-time Tremendous Bowl champion who’s gained back-to-back titles and Tremendous Bowl MVPs. He is an elite passer, an incredible improviser, and he can escape the pocket and decide up yards along with his legs. There’s nothing he cannot do with the soccer. Mahomes is the very best participant in soccer, and it will take lots for that to alter.