With free agency behind us, NFL rosters shifting during the 2024 NFL Draft, and training camps soon opening across the league, it’s time to rank the quarterbacks in the NFC, with the list including the presumed starter for each team.
Be sure to check out the full list of our 2024 NFL QB Rankings, or you can check out our 2024 AFC QB Rankings.
2024 NFC QB Rankings
1) Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
You have to wonder whether Prescott is the final evolution in the Derek Carr-Kirk Cousins analogy. His stats are elite, and he’s undeniably one of the best passers in the game. In 2023, he led all quarterbacks in passing touchdowns (36), while ranking second in completion percentage (69.5%) and third in passing yards (4,516).
But is he good enough to lead Dallas to a championship? That remains a fair question as Prescott enters his ninth season with the Cowboys.
2023 STATS: 4,516 Passing Yards, 36 Passing Touchdowns, 9 Interceptions, 7.7 Yards Per Attempt, 72.7 QBR
2) Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Stafford looked finished in 2022, but he rebounded in 2023 while leading the Rams to a surprising playoff berth. The 36-year-old QB completed 62.6% of his passes for 3,965 yards and 24 TDs to go along with 11 picks. Stafford was his usual tough, gunslinging self, and proved he still has plenty left in the tank.
2023 STATS: 3,965 Passing Yards, 24 Passing Touchdowns, 11 Interceptions, 7.6 Yards Per Attempt, 63.5 QBR
3) Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Some say Purdy is a glorified game manager who’d be nothing without Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
You can make that case if you want, but Purdy bounced back from Tommy John surgery to throw for 31 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl — in just his second season. Give the guy some credit.
2023 STATS: 4,280 Passing Yards, 31 Passing Touchdowns, 11 Interceptions, 9.6 Yards Per Attempt, 72.8 QBR
4) Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Hurts is very good, but last season proved he was a bit overrated. He doesn’t make great reads, and great defensive coordinators can make him look foolish.
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Hurts will always have a high ceiling because of his running ability, but he’s more limited as a passer than Eagles fans want to admit.
None of this is to say we’re down on Hurts, who is a legitimate franchise quarterback. We’re just saying he’s not elite.
2023 STATS: 3,858 Passing Yards, 23 Passing Touchdowns, 15 Interceptions, 7.2 Yards Per Attempt, 60.1 QBR
5) Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Murray’s height will always be an issue, and he still hasn’t proven himself to be a great leader. Nevertheless, he’s one of the most gifted quarterbacks in the game and a true dual threat.
The Cardinals might regret giving him that massive contract, but Murray has all the tools to be a franchise QB. Plus, he now gets to work with Marvin Harrison Jr.
2023 STATS: 1,799 Passing Yards, 10 Passing Touchdowns, 5 Interceptions, 6.7 Yards Per Attempt, 47.2 QBR
6) Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Congratulations, Packers fans: You somehow found another franchise quarterback.
Are we getting ahead of ourselves? Maybe. After all, Love basically sat for the first three seasons of his career and didn’t look great in his limited opportunities.
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But by the end of last season, he looked like one of the best young quarterbacks in football. Love has a cannon for an arm and is capable of playing off-script when necessary.
2023 STATS: 4,159 Passing Yards, 32 Passing Touchdowns, 11 Interceptions, 7.2 Yards Per Attempt, 62.1 QBR
7) Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
Cousins is a slightly better version of Derek Carr, which is to say he’s a good player, but there’s a reason he’s never won anything. The veteran routinely comes up short in crunch time and can be tricked into making big mistakes. Plus, he’s coming off a torn Achilles and will turn 36 years old in August.
The Falcons also clearly have their doubts despite giving Cousins a massive contract. The Cousins-Penix dynamic will be worth monitoring all season.
2023 STATS: 2,331 Passing Yards, 18 Passing Touchdowns, 5 Interceptions, 7.5 Yards Per Attempt, 63.2 QBR
8) Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mayfield enjoyed a career-best season in 2023, completing 64.3% of his passes for 4,044 yards and 28 touchdowns to go along with 10 interceptions. He finally looked like a player both good enough and mature enough to lead a franchise.
That said, Mayfield needs to repeat that success before we can rank him in the top half of NFL quarterbacks.
2023 STATS: 4,044 Passing Yards, 28 Passing Touchdowns, 10 Interceptions, 7.5 Yards Per Attempt, 54.3 QBR
9) Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
The Lions and their fans would tell you that Goff is one of the 10 best quarterbacks in football. We would strongly disagree.
Has Goff improved since his days with the Los Angeles Rams? Certainly. But he needs to be managed, and when he faces a great defense, he’s prone to complete meltdowns.
Goff deserves a ton of credit for turning himself into a quality NFL starter, but that doesn’t mean he’s great.
2023 STATS: 4,575 Passing Yards, 30 Passing Touchdowns, 12 Interceptions, 7.6 Yards Per Attempt, 60.3 QBR
10) Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
The No. 1 pick in the draft, Williams is entering an ideal situation for a rookie quarterback. He’ll throw to Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet, giving him enviable room for error as he gets his feet wet in the pros.
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Williams isn’t a perfect prospect, and some evaluators worry about his ability to lead an NFL locker room. But Williams is one of the most talented QB prospects of the last decade and has “star” written all over him.
2023 NCAA STATS: 3,633 Passing Yards, 30 Passing Touchdowns, 5 Interceptions, 9.4 Yards Per Attempt, 82.4 QBR
11) Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Smith wasn’t nearly as good in 2023 as he was in 2022, but he still had some big games.
Is Smith a true franchise quarterback? Probably not, but he’s good enough if he’s surrounded by a strong supporting cast. Seattle probably could do better, but it also could do a lot worse.
2023 STATS: 3,624 Passing Yards, 20 Passing Touchdowns, 9 Interceptions, 7.3 Yards Per Attempt, 59.5 QBR
12) Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
The Saints got the full Carr experience in 2023. The former Raider made some big plays and threw 25 touchdowns, but he also displayed a maddening propensity for checkdowns and soft play in big moments.
Carr is a classic good-but-not-great quarterback, someone who will probably never get over the hump.
2023 STATS: 3,878 Passing Yards, 25 Passing Touchdowns, 8 Interceptions, 7.1 Yards Per Attempt, 56.5 QBR
13) Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Daniels, the No. 3 pick in the draft, has the ability to be one of the more dynamic quarterbacks in the NFL. He’s polished and accurate as a passer and dangerously fast as a runner.
Daniels still needs to bulk up, but he’s a Week 1 starter and a potential star.
2023 NCAA STATS: 3,812 Passing Yards, 40 Passing Touchdowns, 4 Interceptions, 11.7 Yards Per Attempt, 95.6 QBR
14) Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Jones’ 2023 campaign was wiped out by a torn ACL, but he wasn’t playing well before suffering the injury.
At this point, his impressive performance in 2022 is an outlier. In his four other seasons as New York’s starter, Jones threw 47 touchdowns to go along with 45 interceptions.
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Jones’ ability to make plays on his feet is impressive, but the reality is he’s not a great passer. He’ll probably start over Drew Lock, but Jones’ contract is such that New York won’t hesitate to bench him.
2023 STATS: 909 Passing Yards, 2 Passing Touchdowns, 6 Interceptions, 5.7 Yards Per Attempt, 36.3 QBR
15) Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Young might be in the top 15 a year from now. But, at this juncture, he’s one of the worst QBs in the NFL.
As a rookie in 2023, he completed just 59.8% of his passes for 2,877 yards and 11 touchdowns to go along with 11 interceptions. The 2023 first-overall pick regularly looked like he was in over his head and needed a break.
Of course, the Panthers deserve much of the blame for putting Young in a bad situation.
2023 STATS: 2,877 Passing Yards, 11 Passing Touchdowns, 10 Interceptions, 5.5 Yards Per Attempt, 33.4 QBR
16) Sam Darnold, Minnesota Vikings
Darnold’s in a similar spot as Stidham. He will probably be the Week 1 starter for Minnesota, but the rookie McCarthy will be nipping at his heels.
Darnold, the third overall pick in 2018, still has his believers. But he simply hasn’t proven himself as a worthy NFL starter.
That said, don’t be surprised if Darnold takes the job and runs with it — at least for a while.
2023 STATS: 297 Passing Yards, 2 Passing Touchdowns, 1 Interception, 6.5 Yards Per Attempt, 49.3 QBR
Unranked Rookies
Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons stunningly used the No. 8 pick on Penix, who some viewed as a Round 2 talent. In theory, Penix could beat out Kirk Cousins for the starting job, but the Falcons aren’t going to pay Cousins all that money to sit on the bench. So, Penix likely will sit for at least a season or two.
J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota traded up to select McCarthy with the No. 11 pick. Talented but inexperienced, McCarthy has all the intangibles you look for in a franchise quarterback — but does he have the arm? He’ll compete with Sam Darnold for the starting job in training camp.