Ranking NFL Starting Quarterbacks Entering 2022

With the Preseason only days away, we begin the month-long countdown until we see some of our favorite stars take the field. In this current era of football, there is no position considered more valuable than the quarterback. Some teams will be entering that season with their franchise guy, others are just waiting for April to come back around so they can elevate their play at the position with young guys like C.J Stroud or Bryce Young. With that in mind, let’s look at my rankings of all 32 projected starting quarterbacks for the 2022-2023 NFL season.

1. Patrick Mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs

This one is undoubtedly the easiest to explain. There is no quarterback right now that any GM in their right mind would rather take. He has the accuracy, he certainly has the arm strength, and every year his awareness and his football IQ only improves. The only quarterback that can challenge Mahomes for the title is Aaron Rodgers, but he is only getting older, and at some point DMT is going to stop helping him win MVP awards. Mahomes is, however, could be going into this season with the weakest weapons he’s ever had after losing Pro-bowl wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

2. Aaron Rodgers - Green Bay Packers

There is nothing Rodgers can’t do… until playoff time. He has the accuracy, he has enough of an arm, and he might be the best quarterback to have when a play breaks down. He’s an amazing quarterback, but he’s also the oddest, probably only one more interview away from being the NFL’s Kyrie Irving. The character concerns will most likely fail to impact his play as a passer, but it is worth keeping them in mind as Rodgers looks to be a leader in a team sport.

3. Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills

There’s not a single doubt in my mind that Allen has the strongest arm in the NFL. Coming off a spectacular playoff performance, look to see Josh Allen come out of the gate hot with a vengeance. Allen’s done nothing to make me doubt his talents, and I fully expect him to cement himself as one of the defining quarterbacks of the next decade.

4. Tom Brady - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

I am not sure what can be said that we don’t already know. He’s the smartest quarterback to play the game, and might have the fastest throwing motion in NFL history. He has achieved every accolade that can be accomplished. Even if his arm talent has diminished beneath that of some players on this list, he’s proven that he can always find a way to win.

5. Joe Burrow - Cincinnati Bengals

I usually don’t expect much from the last team to lose the Super Bowl, history has shown a constant downslide in performance for the loser every year, but if any player is going to lead their team to defy the odds, it’s Joe Burrow. Rob Gronkowski compared the man to Brady is mentality and in his mechanics, and with Burrow entering his 3rd season that is an exceptional amount of praise and hope Bengals fans should have for the future. His deep ball might not be perfect, but he’s got the accuracy and release time to make up for it. With weapons like Ja’marr Chase and Tee Higgens, I expect nothing, but excellence from the cool under pressure Burrow.

6. Matthew Stafford - Los Angeles Rams

Stafford has recently been dealing with a throwing injury, and so his performance this season may be hindered, but until that happens it’s only appropriate to look at how a healthy Stafford performs. His arm strength is crazy and long with consistent and impressive accuracy. The biggest problem Stafford has had throughout his career is interceptions. He almost lost a couple playoff games this season due to that problem, but with the addition of Allen Robinson, Rams fans have good reasons to hope that his interception problems will decrease this season.

7. Justin Herbert - Los Angeles Chargers

Herbert has top-5 level arm talent and skill, but he has to do one thing before he can be put there: win when it counts. That is really what this season has to be all about for him, individual accolades do not matter unless they come with a playoff win. It is that simple, but with a stacked roster that now includes Khalil Mack and JC Jackson, that is well within reach.

8. Lamar Jackson - Baltimore Ravens

Lamar Jackson is an incredible football player, anyone who tries to challenge that is a Steelers fan. Jackson’s quarterback skillset, however, is not as impressive as his total skill set in general. His accuracy is just not where it is for half the quarterbacks for this list. Jackson’s running ability makes up for that, though, as he forces teams to keep a spy, decreasing the amount of defensive backs covering his receivers. His ability to help his receivers get open is simply something that no one else on this list is able to offer.

9. Dak Prescott - Dallas Cowboys

It’s been a little over a year since the Cowboys made Dak Prescott one of the highest paid players in the league, and since then, he has been able to prove that he is every bit the player to demand such a high salary. He’s got a good deep ball, amazing footwork, and is one of the best quarterbacks when throwing on the run. What keeps Dak, however, on the fringe of top-10 caliber quarterbacks is his lack of success in the playoffs along with a couple issues when it comes to staying in sync throughout the season with his receivers.

10. Russell Wilson - Denver Broncos

Wilson’s a great quarterback, it’s hard to doubt that, but his last couple seasons in Seattle left a lot more to be desired than his first few in the league. He has MVP upside entering this season, but he also has the potential to be the reason the Broncos lose a couple games. He’s got good accuracy, but as his speed decreases with age, he has been forced to rely on his arm talent, which is just not as good as anyone in the top 7 of this list.

11. Derek Carr - Las Vegas Raiders

I think that this is going to be my most out of place ranking by the end of the season, but I will be adamant that this is where Derek Carr should remain. He has the qualities of a good franchise quarterback and a fantastic leader. Carr knows how to play the game, but there’s no specific area that stands out when it comes to the veteran quarterback, however, I expect him to put up incredible numbers now that he is reunited with his college receiver and good friend Davante Adams. The pair should have fantastic chemistry and Adams is your favorite receiver’s WR1, so expect for that connection to boost his numbers as Calvin Johnson and Cooper Kupp have done for Matthew Stafford.

12. Kyler Murray - Arizona Cardinals

Kyler Murray sure can sling it and he knows how to maneuver his body in ways that I don’t believe most quarterbacks can, but all it has done is lead him to be a more accurate, but less effective Lamar Jackson. Murray has not demonstrated the ability to carry his team, and is beginning to show concerning traits of a talented player lacking the intangibles. With DeAndre Hopkins out for the first 6 weeks of the season, expect Murray to decrease in production.

13. Kirk Cousins - Minnesota Vikings

I find it fitting that Cousins ranks here as we enter a series of serviceable quarterbacks that are good enough to put you in playoff contention, but not good enough that they are the reason your team wins a playoff game. Cousins is probably the definition of that, as he is a good quarterback, but that’s all he is. Surrounded by one of the best receiving duos in the NFL, Cousins fails to put up great numbers, but succeeds in playing well enough that the Vikings have to keep him around. He’s accurate, and plays the game well, but in this era of football, you want your quarterback to play better than well.

14. Ryan Tannenhill - Tennessee Titans

Tannehill is very interesting to me, because the Titans have been amazing during the regular season, but I cannot recall a single moment throughout these last couple seasons where I’ve been impressed by their quarterback. He has good accuracy and pocket passing, and that can take an okay quarterback far when they have Derrick Henry at running back and Mike Vrabel at head coach, but his performance in this year’s playoffs was too terrible for me to put him above Kirk Cousins. You cannot throw three interceptions when it matters, especially when you lose the game. Stafford would be a lot lower on this list if the Rams lost the NFC championship.

15. Matt Ryan - Indianapolis Colts

Matty Ice is starting to melt. For all the conversation on loyalty to franchise icons, I have to admire the Falcons for moving on from the once fantastic MVP as they search to rebuild themselves into contenders. He still has the accuracy, but his performance in the red zone has been suspect for years now, and his arm strength is clearly starting to go. He should perform fine for the Colts who have a good enough offensive line and running back that should give him enough time in the pocket to make accurate short and intermediate passes. In a weak division, Matt Ryan is being asked to just play better than Ryan Tannenhill, but I am not convinced that will happen.

16. Mac Jones - New England Patriots

Mac Jones could be the Pats next Brady, but right now, he is just the Walmart version. Jones has a quick release and can clearly play the Patriots’ system, but right now his play does not scare a defense. With a full season under his belt and an elevated receiving core, Jones has the potential to change how the NFL perceives him.

17. Jameis Winston - New Orleans Saints

Jameis Winston is a real boom or bust player that the Saints seem to have a lot of trust in, and it is very obvious as to why. He is a number one pick who’s ability to sling the ball was never questioned, but you never knew what team he was slinging it to. If it wasn’t for Tom Brady’s decision to join the Bucs, however, Winston would probably still be their starting quarterback, but I believe that Winston’s departure was for the better. After the chance to study under Drew Brees and two years under offensive mastermind Sean Payton, I expect Winston to cut down on the mental errors and play some good football with a good receiving core. Until he does that though, his bust potential is too high to put above a consistent quarterback, but that does not mean I would not rather have him on my team. In the NFL you have to take risks, but a bolder GM cannot be the qualification for a better player.

18. Deshaun Watson - Cleveland Browns

With one trade, the Cleveland Browns went from loveable underdogs to desperate bitches. Watson is a terrible person, anyone questioning that must root for Homelander when watching The Boys. He clearly used his status as an athlete to enact predatory behavior, which he has essentially admitted to, and a year long suspension might not be enough. With that in mind, it is logical to think his chemistry with his receivers and tight ends will be off, and after a couple snaps this preseason, that certainly looks to be the case. Combine his off the field issues with the amount of time he will be off the field, Watson is likely to struggle and fail to live up to the irresponsibly massive contract the Browns gave him.

19. Jalen Hurts - Philadelphia Eagles

Hurts is a bigger Walmart Kyler Murray. He can run and scramble incredibly well, and it does affect how the defense is going to play against him, but he has shown genuine accuracy issues that have limited his ability to impact the game. Most teams do not have to surround top level quarterbacks with top talent just to see if they should keep them, and that is exactly what Philadelphia is doing. They loaded their offense not to contend for the Superbowl, but to see if Hurts can win a playoff game. He has great intangibles, but that is not always enough, and with him the Eagles will most likely be stuck in a constant stream of mediocre seasons.

20. Baker Mayfield - Carolina Panthers

Baker is a decent quarterback, but injuries made him look terrible last season. Until we see his accuracy improve, it is difficult to rank him higher. On top of injury related accuracy issues, Mayfield is going to need to trust his receivers to go get the ball more often in order to elevate his game and distract from some of his weaknesses. Hopefully a healthy Christian McCaffery and a change of scenery helps him do that.

21. Carson Wentz - Washington Commanders

Wentz has talent, and has shown the ability to be an MVP candidate, but that was five years ago and it’s hard to believe he will find a way to get back to his 2017 level with a weak Commanders team. That being said, no quarterback beneath him on this list has had an MVP caliber season, and that’s enough to keep him above the bottom third of NFL quarterbacks.

22. Tua Tagovailoa - Miami Dolphins

Remember when everyone was calling for teams to #tank4tua? Well hindsight is 20/20. His throwing mechanics just look off and where the ball lands when he throws it deep proves that not all weird things are good. It is hard to believe that even Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are going to be able to make Tua look like a franchise guy, but even if they do, that just makes the GM of the Dolphins a fantastic illusionist.

23. Trevor Lawrence - Jacksonville Jaguars

Trevor Lawrence probably has the most potential on this list after being the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck, but like Luck, he is stuck on a bad team. Hopefully his improved receiving core is enough to highlight how good of a player he really is.

24. Zach Wilson - New York Jets

Wilson had a decent rookie season for a player stuck on the Jets, a decent amount of bad, but flashes of brilliance. He can make Mahomes-like throws and has great scrambling footwork, but with such a bad offensive line, he has got to put extra trust in his receivers to be where they’re supposed to be. Hopefully, this season, he is able to justify the Jets use of the 2nd overall pick on him, because he certainly has the potential to.

25. Marcus Mariota - Atlanta Falcons

Mariota proved during his time on the Raiders that he still deserved a starting spot on an NFL roster, and all the reports from Falcons training camp seems to back that up. He is a mobile quarterback with sufficient accuracy, and he has learned to not try and play like something different. Even despite a deflated Falcons roster, Mariota might be able to help win them four to six games.

26. Davis Mills - Houston Texans

Mills probably had the best season behind Mac Jones amongst last year's rookie quarterbacks, but I suspect that he does not have much higher to go from that. He has above average accuracy and average arm strength, but he is not going to be special. Without much improvement for the Texans offense, expect Mills to put up similar numbers to what he put up last season, which were only good relative to his young peers who have a lot more potential.

27. Justin Fields - Chicago Bears

Fields had a terrible rookie season, with very few flashes of greatness, but there were flashes. I expect more of those flashes this season, but it is very easy to see his potential never being reached behind the worst offensive line in the NFL. Fields could be great, but unfortunately the Bears front office will probably stop that from happening.

28. Trey Lance - San Francisco 49ers

There is not much to say about Trey Lance because we have not seen much of him. He is a very raw prospect so how he has developed over the last year is yet to truly be discovered. He is an athletic freak, however, and has a ton of potential, but it is difficult to rank him higher until we see him play when it matters.

29. Jared Goff - Detroit Lions

Jared Goff feels like just an older Davis Mills who had a hall of fame coach for a few years. He was not the reason the Lions lost games last season, and the only way he is this season is if he throws a last second pick or T.J Hockenson and D’Andre Swift ball out. Expect for next year's top five Lions pick to be a quarterback.

30. Mitch Trubisky - Pittsburgh Steelers

Personally, I would start Kenny Pickett, but only because I do not know if there is anything Trubisky can teach him that a season’s worth of start wouldn’t teach better. Trubisky is just accurate enough to be okay, and the Steelers might consider him serviceable, but if their offensive skill players play to their potential, he is going to be the reason they are losing games. Trubisky limits the Steelers play calling and is easier to game plan against than a rookie Kenny Pickett who has no NFL tape to scout.

31. Daniel Jones - New York Giants

Daniel Jones is terrible. He is not a top 32 quarterback, he might not be top 35, but the Giants are a terrible organization, so they have not found someone to replace him yet. His only talent is that he is fast, but that is it. I did not like him when he was drafted and I still don’t like anything about him when it comes to his play. I doubt anyone is wondering why he is so low on this list.

32. Geno Smith - Seattle Seahawks

Geno Smith is a good backup quarterback for a team that traded away their starter. He is probably going to play the best he can, but his best is just not good enough. I do not expect him to be the chosen starter for all 17 games this season, because at some point they’re going to want to see what Drew Lock can do, which will also not be enough, but DK Metcalf will probably catch a few more deep balls with Lock.