Ranking all 32 of the NFL's current QB situations

As the NFL shows no signs of implementing a draft lottery, the Titans will be the latest to reap the top reward for losing. After a 3-14 season, the Titans earned the No. 1 overall pick. By all accounts, they will pass on top talents Abdul Carter and Travis Hunter to take top QB prospect Cam Ward. With the Miami product not yet in Nashville, this situation is quite bleak. Failing starter Will Levis headlines a depth chart that lost Mason Rudolph, as Tennessee replaced him with career backup/third-stringer Brandon Allen. This depth chart does not exactly mask the Titans' intentions as the draft nears.

A proud old-school organization, the Steelers have tumbled into a place where they are waiting on a diminished Aaron Rodgers. Pittsburgh made an offer early in free agency but has not seen the polarizing talent commit. Meanwhile, the team's 2024 QB plan -- a Russell Wilson-Justin Fields setup -- is out, both passers heading to New York. The Steelers have re-signed Rudolph as protection, but the team has placed most of its chips on Rodgers. Carson Wentz remains available, and the Falcons have Kirk Cousins on the trade block. Holding the No. 21 pick, the Steelers are in a desperate situation.

No more spinning the Deshaun Watson catastrophe is taking place, as Jimmy Haslam buried the trade effort this offseason. While the sunk cost seems unlikely to play for the Browns again, his guaranteed contract will be on the payroll through at least 2027 due to the team's restructuring spree. Watson's contract and Achilles injury will lead low-cost vets Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett to town. Flacco fared surprisingly well in 2023, winning a still-strange Comeback Player of the Year race, but he is now 40 and coming off a bad Colts season. Pickett's stock has tanked over the past two seasons. Will a rookie option join this duo? If not, Flacco-Pickett is a tough sell. 

Anthony Richardson's Tim Tebow-esque accuracy season has brought the Colts to a desperate place as well. GM Chris Ballard and HC Shane Steichen's jobs will be on the line, and their insurance policy may be needed if Richardson does not make significant strides this offseason. Enter Daniel Jones, who received a competitive offer from the Vikings. The six-year Giants starter, outside of some rookie-year promise and a fluky 2022, has not lived up to his high-level draft slot. But he has a decent chance to return to a starting role. Richardson always appeared a risky investment due to poor college accuracy. He may now be in an uphill battle against another bust.

The post-Drew Brees Saints may be submitting dull on-field work, but their off-seasons should be the subject of at least a mini-documentary. Mickey Loomis, now the second-longest pure GM in NFL history, continues to do whatever it takes to ensure the Saints remain a lower-middle-class operation. As New Orleans eschews an overdue rebuild, Loomis restructured Derek Carr's deal to lock him in for 2025 and make a 2026 separation costly. That decision now invites more scrutiny, as a report about a Carr shoulder injury emerged just before the team's offseason program. Another option appears likely to join the injured middling QB and primary 2024 replacement Spencer Rattler.

In an interesting position due to having seen top-10 pick J.J. McCarthy miss his entire rookie season, the Vikings have effectively told Rodgers to stand by. It appears Minnesota, and a full Brett Favre story arc, is Rodgers' preference. But the team understandably does not want the high-maintenance veteran to interfere with McCarthy's offseason. The Vikings are almost definitely playing a lead role in stalling the Steelers' plan, as they wait to see if McCarthy needs more time learning or is ready to roll. After a 14-3 season, a fair amount of pressure exists for the team to stay on track after letting Sam Darnold walk in free agency.

The Steelers wanted Justin Fields to stay, only pivoting to Darnold and Rodgers pursuits after it became clear he wanted to test the market. The Jets swooped in, replacing the talented but borderline-toxic Rodgers with Fields. A two-year, $40 million deal ($30M at signing) for a player who spent most of last season as a backup is an interesting strategy, and it does keep the door open for a Jets QB pick. For now, though, Fields has a clear runway to see if his dual-threat skillset can translate to a regular starter role again. The Jets still have Tyrod Taylor as veteran insurance, at least. 

Andy Dalton's car accident could be a seminal moment in Charlotte sports history. Only minor injuries occurred, but the crash near the Panthers' facility prompted Carolina to move Bryce Young -- benched two games into the season -- to return to action. Nearing bust status already, the 2023 No. 1 pick showed signs of life upon returning to the lineup. Although Dalton lost his job due to an off-field injury, he did not take it personally, re-signing with Carolina on a two-year, $8 million deal. The 15th-year veteran still should provide a quality QB2 presence for the Panthers, who need to see if Young is truly their long-term option.

Michael Penix Jr. has not yet established himself as a proven starter, but for now, Kirk Cousins is still on the Falcons' roster. Atlanta is unlikely to enter the season with the since-benched sunk cost, and an interesting trade process will commence depending on some of the QB-needy teams fare in the draft. Not particularly accurate in his three starts, the NFL's latest southpaw passer did show some promising signs upon replacing Cousins late last season. He will have a full offseason to grow as a starter, with the Falcons now fully committed. They will be in the market for a backup, in all likelihood, once Cousins is jettisoned post-draft.

This is a good time to remind that this annual Yardbarker assessment, unlike some other offerings in this space, only covers the upcoming season. While the Giants are hurting in the long term, their Russell Wilson-Jameis Winston plan features 286 combined starts. Wilson has been a capable option after a woeful 2022, though he has not done enough to convince teams to keep him around. This is likely the Super Bowl winner's last starter shot, but he should have better weaponry in New York compared to Pittsburgh. This group could see a major update in the draft, however, as Shedeur Sanders is on Big Blue's radar.

Caleb Williams trudged through an uneven rookie year, seeing lesser prospects (including Bo Nix, the sixth QB chosen last year) have more success as rookies. Williams led the NFL in sacks taken, as the Bears employed two play-callers and two head coaches. Chicago hired Ben Johnson with the primary aim of putting Williams on a franchise-QB course. The Bears also brought in a nomadic backup ( Case Keenum) to mentor the No. 1 overall pick. This is team No. 8 and NFL city No. 9 for Keenum. Known more for his arm-wrestling father, ex-Division II arm Tyson Bagent remains on the roster as a potential third-stringer.

Mac Jones' second-place Offensive Rookie of the Year finish may still be a warning sign regarding an overly optimistic Patriots QB outlook, but Drake Maye flashed an all-around skillset for an overmatched team as a rookie. The Pats have given Maye Stefon Diggs, and another weapon is likely coming in the draft. Last year's No. 3 overall pick drew strong offers from the Giants and Vikings, but the Patriots stood pat. Maye has a clear runway now, as Josh Dobbs has replaced Jacoby Brissett as the backup and rocket-armed third-stringer Joe Milton is now Dallas-bound. 

Sam Darnold's market did not quite take off like most expected, though the near-bust did score a higher per-year salary than Baker Mayfield as a free agent. But Darnold thrived in a friendly environment, enjoying the likes of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Aaron Jones and T.J. Hockenson in a Kevin O'Connell-coached offense. Circumstances are different in Seattle, especially after D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett's exits. The Seahawks did see Jaxon Smith-Njigba take off last season, and they have hometown cog Cooper Kupp on what is now a middle-class contract. Darnold's pay-as-you-go contract gives buyer-beware vibes, but the team (for now) is deep behind him after pairing Drew Lock with Sam Howell.

After a concerning start, Bo Nix made tremendous strides in Sean Payton's offense. Payton showed he could coax quality play from a rookie arm, and he did so despite Denver lacking weaponry at every skill-position spot save for where Courtland Sutton lined up. Nix's 29 rookie-year TD passes are the second-most in NFL history, and Denver now has Evan Engram complementing Sutton. More RB and WR help should be coming as well, setting up an interesting sophomore season. The Broncos let third-stringer Zach Wilson walk but kept Jarrett Stidham on another two-year contract, giving Nix a capable backup.

The Seahawks cut bait on Geno Smith after three starter seasons, and his subsequent Raiders extension (two years, $75 million) reveals perhaps a lower opinion of the late bloomer within the league than among media. Smith's 2024 season, however, equaled his breakout 2022 in yards per attempt (7.5) and surpassed it in completion rate (70.4%). Unfortunately, he threw 15 INTs last season. The Raiders, though, have a proven starter in his mid-30s. And Smith's short-term extension allows the team to keep looking. For now, Pete Carroll will coach his former reclamation project again. On/off starter Aidan O'Connell remains rostered as well.

A humbling experience for the Jaguars, 2024 also brought a step back for Lawrence. It is safe to question whether the ex-Clemson super-prospect will come close to justifying the hype. Lawrence showed difference-making potential down the stretch in 2022, but injury trouble has plagued him now for two years. Considerable talent remains, and the Jaguars showed desperation -- via the power inexperienced coach Liam Coen now wields -- in pursuing a coach that can help him break through. The Jags let backup Mac Jones walk, bringing in Nick Mullens -- who worked with new OC Grant Udinski in Minnesota -- as a backup.

With Tyreek Hill trade rumors still swirling and Pro Bowl left tackle Terron Armstead retiring, Tua Tagovailoa's situation does not appear improved. The Dolphins are committed, however, after joining the Jags, Packers, Lions and Cowboys in completing pricey QB extensions last summer. Tagovailoa only finished 11 games last season, and his next concussion will bring serious retirement rumors. When healthy, the lefty is accurate and has rated highly in Mike McDaniel's offense. The sixth-year passer needs to show that form this year. Another Tua injury would bring, gulp, Zach Wilson -- given $6 million guaranteed -- into action.

Time may be running out for Kyler Murray in Arizona; the former Pro Bowler has not done much of note since coming back from a December 2022 ACL tear. Murray is entering his seventh season as the Cardinals' QB, and the team did climb by four wins last year -- Murray's first season with perfect NFL attendance since 2020. With Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride signed long term, Murray needs to remind of his early-years form. It would also help if the Cards added one more receiving weapon. Arizona added experienced backup Jacoby Brissett to back up Murray, who has missed 18 career games.

Jordan Love carries a $55 million-per-year salary. His lack of accomplishments show how much leverage starter-level quarterbacks command. That said, Love finished fifth in QBR last season and led the Packers to a 10-win campaign despite missing early time due to a Brazil injury. Upside remains for the Aaron Rodgers successor, who is signed through 2028. Love's completion percentage dropped, but his yards per attempt climbed to 8.0. The Packers resist calls to add a true No. 1 receiver, and Christian Watson will miss much of the season with an ACL tear. That invites questions, though Green Bay does have trade pickup Malik Willis returning as a backup.

This might be a tad low for a C.J. Stroud-fronted crew, but the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year took a step back in 2024. Stroud saw his yards per attempt freefall from 8.2 to 7.0 and his INT count rise from five to 12 between 2023 and '24. This came despite the Texans enjoying better O-line health last season. Houston has since traded Stroud's best blocker, Pro Bowl LT Laremy Tunsil, amid an O-line overhaul that features free agent Cam Robinson in that role. In Stroud's defense, he was without Stefon Diggs for much of last year and without Tank Dell again to close the season. Dell may not play in 2025, however, leaving Houston with questions.

To a degree, all quarterbacks are weaponry-dependent. No one receives such criticism like Purdy, who indeed benefitted from a four-All-Pro skill-position fleet and Kyle Shanahan's play-calling acumen. Purdy still moved well past the bar Jimmy Garoppolo set and bailed the 49ers out of the Trey Lance mess. He did not approach his high-end 2023 marks, but the former Super Bowl starter held his own despite being without two of his All-Pro toys ( Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk) and Hall of Fame-bound LT Trent Williams. A bounce-back effort should commence, though it is interesting the player Shanahan initially wanted in 2021 -- Mac Jones -- is now Purdy's backup.

Baker Mayfield silenced skeptics in 2024, proving (with a different play-caller, no less) his 2023 rebound was not a fluke. Career-high marks flooded the former Progressive pitchman's stat sheet, and the Buccaneers continued their run of NFC South titles. The Bucs kept talented but injury-prone Mike Evans sidekick Chris Godwin and saw rookie Jalen McMillan deliver strong complementary work down the stretch. Mayfield, who will somehow be on a sixth play-caller since 2021, should be positioned to keep going in the weaker of the two conferences (QB-wise). Longtime backup Kyle Trask re-signed as well.

Unlikely to be scrutinized to a comparable degree if he held a different home address, Dak Prescott earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2023. Consistency has eluded the former fourth-round find, but he gives the Cowboys a high floor. Prescott has guided Dallas to five playoff berths, including 12-win seasons in three of the past four years, but does generally settle in as a high-second-tier option (His contract-negotiating skills are on the Kirk Cousins level, however.) The trade for rocket-armed Patriots draftee Joe Milton adds some intrigue, after Trey Lance did not move the needle in two seasons.

Jared Goff has proven his 2022 reemergence was no fluke, guiding the Lions to back-to-back NFC North titles and a 15-2 2024 season. Questions about the former Rams No. 1 pick sustaining this form post-Ben Johnson are valid, as a less flashy OC (John Morton, who was a midlevel Broncos staffer last season) takes over. The Lions have seen Goff post top-six QBR finishes in two of the past three seasons, building a contender around a player who had been a trade throw-in piece. Hendon Hooker has not become a surefire backup, however, and the Lions will pit the third-rounder against journeyman Kyle Allen in a QB2 battle worth monitoring.

Well-timed losses keep changing franchise trajectories. The Commanders' late-Ron Rivera-era swoon handed them Jayden Daniels, who became a force multiplier immediately after carrying some questions as the second-best prospect in the 2024 draft. Outplaying Caleb Williams as a rookie, Daniels dragged Washington to its first NFC championship game in 33 years. This snapped the NFL's second-longest drought, and Daniels -- thanks to Deebo Samuel and perhaps draft aid -- will have more help next season. The team also re-signed backup Marcus Mariota, who gives the team a comparable skillset (albeit a much lower-end version) if Daniels were to miss time.

This space is not giving up on Justin Herbert, a wildly talented passer. Though, expectations may need to be adjusted. Jim Harbaugh restrained the five-year veteran last season, but Herbert -- despite a receiving corps housing Ladd McConkey and little else -- provided elite efficiency during Harbaugh's latest turnaround effort. Herbert's 23-3 TD:INT ratio did precede a disappointing wild-card showing in Houston, but the Bolts deserve some blame for not equipping their ace with much McConkey complementary help. The team added Trey Lance to compete with Taylor Heinicke for the backup job. Under Harbaugh, Lance qualifies as an interesting flier.

In the long term, a Matthew Stafford-fronted group should obviously not rank this highly. For 2025, the recent trade-block resident still represents an elite option. Sean McVay continues to form an early Hall of Fame path, and the Rams wisely backed off their odd Stafford trade consideration. Agreeing to a team-friendly extension years ago cost Stafford, who rebounded well in 2023 to reaffirm his place as a top-10 QB by leading the team to back-to-back playoff berths. Stafford is 37 and injury-prone, however, which does invite attention due to Jimmy Garoppolo's status as a brittle performer. That said, Garoppolo is one of the league's better QB2s when healthy.

Removing all doubt about his long-term starter viability, Jalen Hurts sliced up a strong Chiefs defense in a cruise to Super Bowl LIX MVP honors. A near-flawless performance gave Hurts the interesting claim to having outplayed Patrick Mahomes in two Super Bowls. Hurts is far more than a Tush Push beneficiary, and the Eagles may need to dial that back -- should the NFL not force them to -- in a long-game effort around their QB. Hurts rebounded from a step back in 2023 and elevated his status in the game in the process. The Eagles traded 2024 backup Kenny Pickett, giving 2023 sixth-round pick Tanner McKee a chance to fill a spot that appears a bit wobbly. 

A clear top tier remains, keeping Hurts and Stafford headlining the second flight of QBs. This placement may be unfair to Lamar Jackson, who has earned back-to-back first-team All-Pro seasons. On the whole, he has outplayed two of the starters in front of him here over the past two seasons. Playoff shortcomings remain an issue in the superstar's late 20s. Jackson, though, dropped his masterpiece for a Ravens team still appearing a receiver short. Their electric maestro has made it work and will be headed to Canton one day. Baltimore has switched out journeyman extraordinaire Josh Johnson for longtime Cowboys backup Cooper Rush.

Joe Burrow probably denies Josh Allen MVP if the Bengals feature a league-average defense last season. Yes, the Ravens swept the Bengals last season and have made both the past two playoff brackets (to Cincinnati's zero). Burrow also has elite weaponry, in Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. But Burrow rebounded from a concerning wrist injury last season, showing an important full season of health. He delivered dominance, but Cincy's defense let down its franchise centerpiece. The Bengals also felt the Carson Palmer-like pressure from Burrow this offseason, paying his receivers and heightening the pressure on all parties for 2025.

Unquestionably the NFL's most accomplished active quarterback, Patrick Mahomes proved in the AFC playoffs he can still deliver when it matters. A woeful Super Bowl outing, however, tabled the premature debate against Tom Brady and Peyton Manning for all-time greatness. Mahomes has taken a step back since his 2022 MVP season, and it is not as though his pass-catching situation has been significantly worse than the Ravens or Bills' setups. It can be argued Josh Allen did much more with less last season. This is still nitpicking for the Chiefs, who have an all-time great in his prime. They also added another experienced backup in Gardner Minshew.

Maddening injury misfortune continues to befall the Bills against the Chiefs, who keep upending their rivals after regular-season losses. That said, Josh Allen has been the NFL's most dangerous quarterback since Joe Brady replaced Ken Dorsey as offensive coordinator. Last season brought an MVP showing after the team traded Stefon Diggs and took on $31 million in dead money. No Diggs replacement emerged, with Amari Cooper delivering little, yet Allen motored along as an all-around dynamo. The Bills should be leery of unleashing Allen on runs, due to the punishment he absorbs, but they have the game's top option at 28. Mitch Trubisky is a shaky QB2, but Allen has proven quite durable.