Quarterback is the most important position in sports. When an NFL signal-caller struggles to produce, his team’s offensive performance will inevitably dip. As the regular season winds down, let’s go around the league and identify which quarterbacks need to get back on track heading into 2023, including the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford and the New Patriots’ Mac Jones.
5 QBs That Need To Rebound in 2023
Some of these passers have dealt with injuries this season, while others simply haven’t executed. What can they do to get back on the horse next year?
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Injuries have always been an issue for Stafford, but he’s typically gritted through them to stay on the field. That wasn’t possible this season, when a concussion, a spinal cord contusion, and the Rams’ dismal performance led to Los Angeles shutting him down in early December.
Some thought Stafford could retire this offseason, but the 34-year-old indicated earlier this week that he’ll return to the Rams in 2023. And yet, Stafford alone won’t be enough to fix a woeful Rams offense that ranks dead last in yards per play and 31st in points scored.
MORE: How Rams QB Matthew Stafford Can Get Back on Track in 2023
Stafford’s 50.1 QBR is his worst mark since his second NFL campaign, but it’s hard to fault him for his performance. LA’s offensive line has suffered more injuries than any unit in recent memory. Stafford absorbed 29 sacks in nine games, while Rams quarterbacks have been pressured on 26.8% of their dropbacks, the third-worst rate in the league.
A revamped front five, especially along the interior, should do wonders for Stafford and open lanes for Los Angeles’ run game. But the Rams also might need to add another pass catcher, given that Allen Robinson was a massive disappointment after inking a three-year, $46.5 million contract last offseason.
Mac Jones, New England Patriots
Only a year ago, Jones looked like the best quarterback from a loaded 2021 NFL Draft class. He displayed accuracy, timing, and rhythm en route to finishing 14th in expected points added per dropback, and he was the only rookie passer to lead his team to the playoffs last season.
This year, Jones looks like an entirely different quarterback, as all of his negative attributes have been exacerbated by a crumbling offensive structure. A statue in the pocket who often fails to notice pressure, Jones has already taken 26 sacks in 11 starts. After suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 3, Jones missed three games and then split time with Bailey Zappe before reclaiming the starting job in Week 7.
Jones has plenty of issues of his own, but he also needs more offensive weaponry. Jakobi Meyers is an excellent receiver, but he’s not a true No. 1. He’s also scheduled to hit free agency next season, and it remains to be seen whether the Patriots will retain him. Either way, a receiving corps of Meyers, Nelson Agholor, DeVante Parker, and Kendrick Bourne is anything but inspiring.
But the real issue is likely the play-caller. Bill Belichick has entrusted defensive mind Matt Patricia as New England’s de facto offensive coordinator, and the results have been disastrous. The Patriots can’t go into 2023 with Patricia as their OC, and they should do whatever it takes to get Bill O’Brien to leave Alabama and rejoin the New England staff.
Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Earlier in the season, it was easy to pin Tom Brady’s struggles on everything but Brady. Center Ryan Jensen went down in training camp, further offensive line injuries hampered Tampa Bay’s offensive line, and the receiving corps was banged up, too.
Jensen hasn’t returned, and right tackle Tristan Wirfs is currently sidelined by an ankle issue. But receivers Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, and Russell Gage are all available, as are running backs Leonard Fournette and Rachaad White. And yet, Brady’s performance has largely gotten worse.
MORE: The Bucs Are Hard To Watch, But They’re Still Going To Win the NFC South
Brady has bottomed out over the past two weeks. Facing the 49ers in Week 14, the 45-year-old threw two interceptions and averaged just 4.6 yards per attempt in a 35-7 beatdown. On Sunday, Brady let a 17-0 lead slip away by tossing two more picks and losing two fumbles.
Brady seems to grow more frustrated by the week, and it would be surprising if he returns to the Buccaneers in 2023. His most recent contract extension contains a no-franchise tag clause, so he won’t be tied to Tampa Bay. The 49ers, Raiders, Jets, and Giants could all make for viable Brady landing spots next season.
Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos
Russell Wilson has missed a few games due to injury this year, but it hasn’t been health questions that have derailed his first season as a Bronco.
Denver brought in former Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to design an offense that would mesh Green Bay’s system — the same scheme that helped Aaron Rodgers to consecutive MVP awards — with Wilson’s style of play. That pairing seemed to offer a good deal of upside, at least on paper.
However, Denver’s offense has been among the least efficient in the NFL, and Wilson has posted career lows in QBR, passer rating, and adjusted net yards per attempt. His 2.8% touchdown rate is the fourth-worst in the NFL, ahead of only Zach Wilson, Mac Jones, and Kenny Pickett.
Given that they just signed him to a five-year, $245 million extension with $124 million guaranteed, the Broncos can’t move on from Wilson until at least 2024. Even then, it would be incredibly costly for Denver to part ways.
While the Broncos can’t fire their quarterback, they can get rid of their head coach, and it seems likely that someone else will be in Hackett’s chair in 2023. Whether a new scheme can help resuscitate Wilson’s career is anyone’s guess, but Denver doesn’t have much choice but to try.
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Murray won’t play again this season after tearing his ACL in Week 14, but he’d already experienced a downturn in productivity even before going down. While the former No. 1 overall pick had exhibited obvious development in each of his first three NFL campaigns, his 2022 statistics were eerily similar to his rookie year numbers.
Murray was going backward, but it wasn’t necessarily all his fault. Kliff Kingsbury’s offensive scheme is stagnant and inconsistent, and it seems clear that the head coach-quarterback relationship could be improved. The Cardinals are likely to part ways with general manager Steve Keim this offseason, and it would hardly be surprising if they do the same with Kingsbury.
Will a new coaching staff be enough to get Murray back on track? Maybe, but Arizona must also make significant investments along its offensive line. Keim built the Cards’ front five with aged players, so it’s no shock that three of their linemen are currently on injured reserve.
Murray can be one of the more dynamic players in the league, but Arizona’s offense has to evolve beyond his out-of-structure ability. A new head coach and offensive play-caller would be a step in the right direction for 2023.