Patrick Mahomes is the undisputed best quarterback in the NFL, but after him, it’s certainly up for debate. Lamar Jackson is coming off his second season as the league’s Most Valuable Player, but Josh Allen and Joe Burrow each have very strong arguments as well.
Between Jackson, Allen, and Burrow, who was the highest-ranked quarterback after Mahomes on Pro Football Network’s NFL Top 100 list, and how many players at the position made the cut?
Quarterbacks on PFN’s NFL Top 100 List
1) Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (1st overall)
Already considered one of the best players in NFL history, Mahomes is the top player in the league heading into 2024.
A three-time Super Bowl winner and two-time league MVP through six NFL campaigns, Mahomes has a path to becoming the greatest player in the NFL’s record books. He and Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid are on the verge of creating the league’s next indelible dynasty.
2) Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens (3rd overall)
Jackson became just the 11th NFL player to win multiple MVP awards after an electric 2023 campaign in which he appeared more comfortable as a passer than he had in several seasons. He ranked third in adjusted net yards per attempt (7.34) and fourth in QBR, punctuating his outstanding season-long performance with a five-TD outing against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17.
Jackson flourished as a pocket quarterback but was still a threat on the ground, finishing with 200+ more rushing yards than any other signal-caller. Among QBs, he ranked second in rushing success rate and third in rushing first downs.
3) Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills (11th overall)
Sixteen NFL quarterbacks have posted at least 2,000 dropbacks over the past four years. While there’s a significant gap between Mahomes and Allen in EPA per dropback (0.215) during that span, there’s another enormous chasm between Allen at No. 2 and the rest of the league.
Allen doesn’t have a Super Bowl ring or much personal hardware to speak of, but he’s been among the league’s best signal-callers since the decade began.
4) Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (12th overall)
While injuries marred Burrow’s rookie campaign and the 2023 season, the Cincinnati Bengals were a few plays away from winning the Super Bowl in 2021 and advanced to the AFC Championship in 2022.
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Burrow was utterly dominant in those two seasons. From 2021 to 2022, he led the NFL in touchdown rate (6.1%), ranked second in EPA + CPOE composite (0.143), and finished third in adjusted net yards per pass attempt (7.12).
5) Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys (32nd overall)
Will 2024 be Dak Prescott’s final go-round with the Cowboys? Jerry Jones and Co. seemingly haven’t come any closer to extending their franchise quarterback after he led the NFL in touchdown passes (36) last season.
A second-team All-Pro in 2023, Prescott will have one more shot at increasing his value before potentially hitting the open market next offseason. One of the most intelligent signal-callers in the league, Prescott’s pre-snap diagnoses, post-snap awareness, and physical talent make him a consistent top-10 option under center.
6) C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans (35th overall)
C.J. Stroud could hardly have been more impressive in his 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign. The No. 2 overall pick led the NFL in passing yards per game (273.9) and interception rate (1%), showing a rare blend of aggressiveness and patience while looking like a 10-year veteran and becoming the youngest NFL quarterback to win a playoff game.
7) Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles (43rd overall)
Did Jalen Hurts take a step back as a passer last year? Or was his 2023 regression the result of injuries and discord among the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive coaching staff?
Hurts became the Eagles’ starter in 2021 and gradually blossomed from a run-first QB into a do-it-all threat. He finished second in MVP voting and came within a few plays of guiding the Birds to a Super Bowl title after the 2022 campaign.
With an excellent supporting cast and new OC Kellen Moore in tow, Hurts could rebound next season — and the Tush Push isn’t going anywhere.
8) Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers (51st overall)
Justin Herbert hasn’t achieved the same level of team success as other quarterbacks on this list, but he’s been a high-end passer in his own right — despite the Los Angeles Chargers failing to optimize his offensive environment.
Herbert posted a 60+ QBR in all four of his pro campaigns, setting a career-high 70.9 mark in 2021. One of the most physically talented QBs in the NFL, Herbert should finally get his flowers if and when the Chargers start winning games under Jim Harbaugh.
9) Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams (52nd overall)
Matthew Stafford looked cooked in 2022 but recovered for an exceptional 2023 campaign with the upstart Rams. He ranked second in PFF’s big-time throw rate while posting the fourth-best turnover-worthy play rate, a deadly combination that earned him the second Pro Bowl nod of his career.
Injuries will be a concern as he ages, but Stafford is one of the toughest players in the NFL.
10) Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers (55th overall)
No quarterback was as efficient in 2023 as Brock Purdy, whose 0.338 EPA per play lapped the rest of the NFL. Of course, EPA can often tell the story of a successful passing unit — and few signal-callers had as talented a supporting cast or better coaching than Purdy.
However, the former seventh-round pick improved both as a distributor and an off-schedule playmaker last season, and it’s impossible to ding Purdy for flawlessly operating the offense put in front of him.
11) Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers (58th overall)
Coming into the season with just one pro start in relief of former Green Bay Packers starter Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love finished second in the NFL in touchdown passes (32), fifth in passing efficiency, and ninth in QBR while leading Green Bay to nine regular-season wins and a Wild Card rout of the Cowboys.
In 2024, Love could become an MVP candidate while leading the NFL’s youngest offense.
12) Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins (66th overall)
Tua Tagovailoa led the NFL in yards per attempt (8.9) and touchdown rate (6.3%) in 2022 and paced the league in passing yards (4,624) in 2023. His statistics suggest an MVP candidate who should comfortably rate among the NFL’s highest-paid players.
MORE: Who Are the NFL’s Highest-Paid Quarterbacks in 2024?
Tua is undoubtedly aided by Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel’s dynamic scheme and the presence of superstar wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but Miami doesn’t have many alternate paths to a QB upgrade.
13) Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets (80th overall)
Trying to predict how Aaron Rodgers will perform in 2024 is almost impossible. While he won back-to-back MVPs as recently as 2020 and 2021, he’s now 40 years old, coming off a torn Achilles, and still trying to get his New York Jets stint off the ground.
The talent is probably still there, but Rodgers’ myriad question marks — punctuated by his mercurial personality and odd offseason — make the legendary QB a total mystery.
14) Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (92nd overall)
Trevor Lawrence hasn’t necessarily turned into the generational quarterback he was billed as in 2021, but he ranks 12th in adjusted net yards per attempt and 14th in EPA + CPOE composite over the past two seasons after being mercifully released from Urban Meyer’s vice grip.
Injuries hindered Lawrence down the 2023 stretch and eventually kept the Jaguars out of the playoffs. He still has all the traits of a high-end NFL quarterback, but Lawrence has to become more consistent on a down-by-down basis and limit turnovers to reach his full potential.
