NFL · 7 hours ago

USA Today Ranks All 32 NFL Starting Quarterbacks From Worst to Best

John Canady

Host · Writer

1) Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
There’s still an argument that no quarterback means more to his team than Josh Allen does to Buffalo. He continues to play at an MVP level while carrying enormous expectations every season, especially in the postseason. The Bills made major changes around him this offseason, and if those moves pay off, Allen may finally have the roster to get him over the hump.

“Allen remains at or near the peak of his powers and may be as indispensable as any player in the league.” - Nate Davis
32) Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett put together the best statistical season of his career in 2025, but Arizona’s record with him under center still tells the bigger story. He kept the offense afloat and brought professionalism to the position, yet the franchise still feels stuck in search of long-term direction. With Gardner Minshew II and rookie Carson Beck waiting in the wings, Brissett enters 2026 needing to prove he’s more than a temporary bridge.

“There’s no denying this offense performed much better during Brissett’s 12 starts in 2025 than it did under Kyler Murray.” - Nate Davis
31) Geno Smith, New York Jets
The Jets are betting that Geno Smith can rediscover the version of himself that revived his career in Seattle rather than the turnover-prone quarterback he looked like last season in Las Vegas. At his best, Smith can stabilize an offense and make smart decisions in rhythm, but the inconsistency has always been the concern. New York desperately needs competence under center, though the ceiling here still feels limited.

“Are the NYJ getting Geno circa 2025, when he threw a league-high 17 interceptions for the Raiders … Or the guy who was a Pro Bowler for the Seahawks in 2022 and ’23?” - Nate Davis
30) Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
This is easily the biggest opportunity of Malik Willis’s career. Miami handed him starter money and now expects him to show he can be more than an intriguing athlete with upside. The Dolphins clearly believe their new system can unlock him, but until he proves he can consistently run an NFL passing attack, there will be questions.

“How much reliable help Willis will enjoy in 2026, aside from RB De’Von Achane… remains to be seen.” - Nate Davis
29) Shedeur Sanders/Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
The Browns somehow enter another season with uncertainty hanging over the quarterback position. Shedeur Sanders showed flashes as a rookie but struggled with turnovers and accuracy. At the same time, Deshaun Watson still hasn’t come close to resembling the player Cleveland thought it traded for years ago. Whoever wins the job won’t have much margin for error on a team that feels ready to move on if this season goes sideways.

“Whoever gets the bulk of the work here… better make the most of it given the quality supporting cast GM Andrew Berry has put in place.” - Nate Davis
28) Kirk Cousins/Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are hoping experience can steady the offense early, which is why Kirk Cousins figures to open the year as the starter. Still, there’s legitimate pressure on this entire group with questions across the offensive line and not much proven production at receiver. Rookie Fernando Mendoza could eventually force the issue if Las Vegas gets off to another rough start.

“Expectations for him – and Mendoza, frankly – should probably be tempered while the new offensive line tries to coalesce.” - Nate Davis
27) Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
Year 2 is going to be massive for Jaxson Dart after an up-and-down rookie season that featured too many reckless moments. The talent and toughness are obvious, but the Giants need him to play with better discipline and avoid putting both himself and the offense in bad spots. With more talent around him this season, the excuses are starting to disappear.

“Dart must do a much better job quelling his devil-may-care approach while better protecting himself and, by extension, the franchise’s investment in him.” - Nate Davis
26) Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
For a brief stretch last year, it looked like Daniel Jones might finally be turning the corner. Then the injuries piled up, and the inconsistencies started creeping back in, which has defined most of his NFL career. Indianapolis committed heavily to him this offseason, but there’s still plenty of reason to wonder whether the Colts overestimated what he actually is.

“Before tearing his Achilles last December, Jones had begun reverting to the player he typically was with the Giants.” - Nate Davis
25) Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
The raw numbers didn’t jump off the page as a rookie, but Cam Ward showed the kind of toughness and leadership traits Tennessee can build around. The Titans are clearly trying to accelerate his development by improving the supporting cast and surrounding him with better coaching infrastructure. If the game slows down for him in Year 2, there’s a chance he becomes one of the bigger risers in the league.

“His rookie numbers weren’t impressive, but his toughness and accountability were unwavering.” - Nate Davis
24) Tua Tagovailoa/Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
Talent has never really been the concern with Tua Tagovailoa or Michael Penix Jr.; it’s whether either quarterback can stay healthy long enough to stabilize the position. Atlanta at least has enough offensive firepower to give both players a chance, especially with Bijan Robinson and Drake London carrying so much of the load. Still, it feels like a situation with short-term answers rather than long-term certainty.

“It’s also quite feasible that Atlanta completely starts over behind center in 2027.” - Nate Davis
23) Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young deserves credit for helping Carolina claw its way to a division title after how disastrous things looked early in his career. He’s clearly more comfortable now, and the Panthers are finally giving him some continuity, but the week-to-week inconsistency is still hard to ignore. The flashes are there; now the next step is sustaining them.

“Now that he’s enjoying continuity in Charlotte, consistency needs to follow.” - Nate Davis
22) Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
It’s still a pretty small sample size, but Tyler Shough gave the Saints legitimate optimism late last season. He looked poised, competitive, and capable of keeping New Orleans in games despite limited experience. If he continues building on that momentum, the Saints could end up with one of the more surprising offenses in the NFC.

“Maybe the league figures Shough out a bit in his second season… and maybe he vaults New Orleans back to the playoffs.” - Nate Davis
21) Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
At this stage of his career, Aaron Rodgers doesn’t need to be MVP-level Rodgers for Pittsburgh to feel good about this experiment. The Steelers wanted leadership, efficiency, and stability, and for the most part, they got it last year. Surrounded by better receiving depth and reunited with Mike McCarthy, Rodgers still has enough left to keep this team relevant.

“Rodgers could very well lead Pittsburgh to its first playoff win in a decade.” - Nate Davis
20) C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
The expectations around C.J. Stroud changed quickly after his breakout rookie campaign, which is why last season felt disappointing even if the circumstances around him weren’t ideal. Houston didn’t protect him consistently, and the run game rarely helped, but Stroud also looked far less decisive than he did in 2023. The talent is still obvious; now he has to prove that the rookie season wasn’t the high point.

“Stroud also needs to belatedly build on his 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign after plateauing – at best – since.” - Nate Davis
19) Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
The Broncos were playing some of their best football before Bo Nix went down with the ankle injury in the postseason. He handled a massive workload last year and continued showing the confidence and timing that made Denver believe in him early on. If the transition to a new offensive coordinator goes smoothly, Nix could take another significant step forward.

“Fans in the Mile High City will always rue the broken ankle he suffered in last season’s playoffs.” - Nate Davis
18) Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings
This feels like a massive reset opportunity for Kyler Murray. Minnesota’s offensive structure and supporting cast should give him every chance to revive his career, especially with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison on the outside. The biggest question is whether Murray can consistently operate within the offense instead of relying solely on improvisation.

“Murray is certainly a far more dangerous player out of structure than Cousins or Darnold.” - Nate Davis
17) Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
A lot around Brock Purdy changed last season, and the injuries across the roster clearly affected both his production and the offense as a whole. San Francisco is trying to reload around him again, which should take some pressure off Purdy, who has been carrying everything himself. Still, this season feels important in determining whether he can elevate the offense when conditions aren’t perfect.

“What does it all mean for Purdy? TBD.” - Nate Davis
16) Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love has been good enough to keep Green Bay competitive, but the Packers are still searching for that next jump offensively. Too often, the passing game has felt inconsistent despite the flashes of high-end play Love can deliver. This season will say a lot about whether he’s simply solid or truly capable of leading Green Bay back into contender status.

“Maybe a less-is-more approach to the wideout room and better-defined roles for those players will help Love, and this team find another gear.” - Nate Davis
15) Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
When healthy, Jayden Daniels still looks like one of the most electric young quarterbacks in football. The problem is that Washington can’t afford for him to keep taking unnecessary hits after injuries disrupted so much of last season. The Commanders clearly believe Daniels is their future, but finding him more reliable help outside of Terry McLaurin feels critical moving forward.

“Daniels must do a better job staying out of harm’s way.” - Nate Davis
14) Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Last season finally felt like the breakout campaign everyone expected from Trevor Lawrence when he entered the league as the No. 1 overall pick. He played with confidence, pushed the ball downfield, and looked far more comfortable operating the offense under Liam Coen. Now the challenge becomes proving 2025 was the beginning of something sustainable rather than a one-year spike.

“Lawrence finished fifth in the MVP balloting and resembles Josh Allen-lite.” - Nate Davis
13) Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
At some point, people are going to stop doubting Baker Mayfield every offseason. Despite constant coaching turnover, Mayfield continues finding ways to produce and keep Tampa Bay competitive. Injuries slowed him down late last year, but before that, he was playing some of the best football of his career.

“Mayfield almost always seems to rise to the occasion.” - Nate Davis
12) Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
A couple of years ago, the idea of Sam Darnold leading a team to a Super Bowl would’ve sounded ridiculous. Now he enters 2026 with the full trust of Seattle’s locker room and legitimate expectations attached to him. Darnold still has stretches where mistakes creep in, but there’s no denying how much confidence he gave this offense during its championship run.

“Darnold was awesome during Seattle's Super Bowl run and no mere game manager.” - Nate Davis
11) Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
This feels like a massive year for Jalen Hurts as Philadelphia reshapes its offense yet again. Hurts remains one of the league’s most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks, but the Eagles need more consistency from the passing game moving forward. With questions swirling around the roster and another new coordinator in place, the pressure isn’t going anywhere.

“If matters don’t improve this season, questions about Hurts’ future in Philly are only going to mount.” - Nate Davis
10) Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
The growth from Caleb Williams during his first season under Ben Johnson was impossible to ignore. He plays with rare confidence and creativity, and there are still moments where he looks capable of making throws few quarterbacks even attempt. The next step is to reduce chaos and become more efficient in the pocket each week.

“There’s certainly room for upward mobility for an unusually talented and fearless player.” - Nate Davis
9) Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Few quarterbacks in football can match the physical tools Justin Herbert brings to the table every week. He can make every throw, carry an offense, and still somehow remain one of the calmer personalities in the league. Until the postseason narrative changes, though, there will always be questions about whether the Chargers can truly break through with him.

“However, the playoffs remain Herbert’s Kryptonite.” - Nate Davis
8) Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
When healthy, Dak Prescott still gives Dallas a chance to compete with anybody in the NFC. He’s coming off another highly productive season, but the Cowboys need to avoid putting the entire offense on his shoulders every single week. A more balanced attack could help Prescott play his best football late in games and late in the season.

“The Cowboys will likely be better off if he can throw less frequently and hand off more often.” - Nate Davis
7) Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
It’s hard to ask much more from Jared Goff after the season he just delivered for Detroit. He continues to produce at a high level while rarely getting enough credit compared to some of the flashier names around the league. If the Lions give him more help defensively, Goff has already shown he can keep this offense rolling.

“Remarkably consistent, if not flashy, Goff mostly needs a little more help from Detroit’s D.” - Nate Davis
6) Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
The expectations surrounding Lamar Jackson are so high now that even strong seasons can somehow feel disappointing. Baltimore went through plenty of turbulence last year, but Jackson is still one of the few quarterbacks capable of carrying an offense almost by himself when healthy. The biggest adjustment this season may be learning a new system under another coordinator.

“If healthy, Jackson can cure a lot of ills.” - Nate Davis
5) Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Even with the injury concerns, it still feels dangerous to doubt Patrick Mahomes for too long. The knee recovery and protection issues are real questions entering the season, but Mahomes has built a career around thriving in difficult situations. Kansas City may need patience early in the year, though, while he works his way fully back into form.

“Vintage Mahomes might not surface in September … and maybe not at all until 2027.” - Nate Davis
4) Drake Maye, New England Patriots
The leap Drake Maye made last season completely changed the trajectory of the Patriots franchise. He looked poised well beyond his years during New England’s Super Bowl run and still feels like a quarterback whose best football is ahead of him. If the Patriots continue to build around him properly, the MVP conversation may become an annual occurrence.

“There should still be plenty of room before a 23-year-old entering his third NFL season bumps up against the ceiling of his potential.” - Nate Davis
3) Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
At 38 years old, Matthew Stafford somehow just delivered arguably the best season of his entire career. The arm talent remains elite, and Sean McVay continues putting him in a position to attack defenses aggressively. The Rams know they’re balancing short-term contention with long-term planning, but Stafford clearly still has enough left to keep this window open.

“From an individual perspective, the reigning MVP’s 17th NFL season was his best.” - Nate Davis
2) Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
When healthy, Joe Burrow remains one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in football because of how calm and surgical he is under pressure. Cincinnati finally appears to have more stability around him, which could allow the Bengals to re-emerge as legitimate contenders in the AFC. If Burrow stays upright, the ceiling for this team is as high as anyone’s.

“A player who's so often willed the Bengals to victory could get the Stripes all the way back to the Super Bowl.” - Nate Davis
1) Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
There’s still an argument that no quarterback means more to his team than Josh Allen does to Buffalo. He continues to play at an MVP level while carrying enormous expectations every season, especially in the postseason. The Bills made major changes around him this offseason, and if those moves pay off, Allen may finally have the roster to get him over the hump.

“Allen remains at or near the peak of his powers and may be as indispensable as any player in the league.” - Nate Davis
32) Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett put together the best statistical season of his career in 2025, but Arizona’s record with him under center still tells the bigger story. He kept the offense afloat and brought professionalism to the position, yet the franchise still feels stuck in search of long-term direction. With Gardner Minshew II and rookie Carson Beck waiting in the wings, Brissett enters 2026 needing to prove he’s more than a temporary bridge.

“There’s no denying this offense performed much better during Brissett’s 12 starts in 2025 than it did under Kyler Murray.” - Nate Davis

USA Today Ranks All 32 NFL Starting Quarterbacks From Worst to Best

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