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The quarterback position is the most important one in football. Of course, other positions need to perform well for an NFL team to find success, but a squad won't make it very far if they don't have, at the minimum, a competent starting quarterback.
A great QB raises the level of those around him and can literally change the entire trajectory of an NFL franchise from a losing culture to a championship one.
With the start of the 2023 NFL season upon us, let's take a look at the quarterback situation for all 32 teams. In this article, we'll rank every starting quarterback in the NFL who's expected to be under center in Week 1.
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1. Patrick Mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs
The undisputed "King of the Quarterbacks", Mahomes heads into the 2023 NFL season on the heels of winning both his second Super Bowl title and NFL MVP award in 2022. The Chiefs' franchise QB tossed for a career-high 5,250 yards last season and there are no signs that he's slowing down anytime soon.
2. Josh Allen - Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen will need to lead the long-suffering Bills to a Super Bowl title to unseat the aforementioned Mahomes as the league's reigning QB1. That said, postseason success feels like an inevitability for the dual-threat Allen and a trending Buffalo squad. Heading into his sixth NFL season, the Wyoming product has now won 10 or more games in four consecutive campaigns. Just as dangerous running the ball as throwing it, Allen has now amassed over 700 rushing yards in two straight seasons.
3. Joe Burrow - Cincinnati Bengals
Since selecting Joe Burrow with the first overall selection of the 2020 NFL Draft, the Bengals have been an organization on the rise. Burrow led Cincy to a Super Bowl appearance in just his second NFL season and the team made a return trip to the AFC Conference title game in 2022. Burrow's athleticism doesn't wow you at first glance, but he displays elite accuracy, decision-making, and leadership for a Bengals offense that possesses one of the league's most promising pass-game cores with Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins.
4. Jalen Hurts - Philadelphia Eagles
A dual-threat nightmare for opposing defenses, the 25-year-old Jalen Hurts was a legitimate MVP contender last year before a late-season injury dashed those hopes. He did return to the lineup to lead the Eagles to an NFC Conference title victory and Super Bowl appearance. Hurts recently agreed to a mega contract extension with Philadelphia and profiles as a top-tier franchise quarterback for years to come.
5. Justin Herbert - Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers signal-caller has already proven himself to be a franchise-caliber NFL quarterback, which is reflected in the recent five-year, $262 million contract extension he signed with the Bolts. Justin Herbert has thrown for 25 or more TDs every season he's been in the league and has already tallied 14,089 passing yards in his three-year career. The lanky QB has the physical and mental skill sets needed for long-term NFL success.
6. Aaron Rodgers - New York Jets
Sure, things didn't end well for Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers last year. However, let's not forget that this is a player that's not too far removed from winning back-to-back MVPs in 2020-21. Now with the New York Jets, we can expect the 39-year-old to be rejuvenated by his new surroundings. Rodgers also won't be hurt by a supporting cast that includes Garrett Wilson, Dalvin Cook, and Breece Hall.
7. Lamar Jackson - Baltimore Ravens
With an ugly contract situation now handled, Lamar Jackson can get back to simply focusing on football. The 2019 NFL MVP has already proven himself to be one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league. He'll likely get a chance to showcase his passing ability even more in 2023 in new Ravens' offensive coordinator Todd Monken's fast-paced, throw-heavy scheme.
8. Trevor Lawrence - Jacksonville Jaguars
After a sluggish rookie campaign in the hellscape that was Urban Meyer's reign in Jacksonville, Trevor Lawrence broke out in a big way in the second half of the 2022 season in his first year with new Jags head coach Doug Pederson. During his second season in Duval, the former No. 1 overall pick doubled his TD output from his rookie season while chopping his INTs in half. Lawrence played well enough down the stretch to lead the Jags to a playoff berth, which could be the first of many.
9. Kirk Cousins - Minnesota Vikings
Kirk Cousins can sometimes be an easy target for criticism for a multitude of reasons, but the numbers don't lie. Since joining the Vikings in 2018, Cousins has thrown for over 4,200 yards in four of five seasons, never finished a season with less than a 65% completion rate, and tossed 153 TDs. He looked extremely comfortable in head coach Kevin O'Connell's first year at the helm in Minnesota and is throwing to the league's best wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
10) Dak Prescott - Dallas Cowboys
We're not even out of the top 10 of our rankings and, as with the aforementioned Cousins, we're already discussing quarterbacks that are far from perfect. Dak Prescott is a prime example of a high-level caliber starting QB that can run hot and cold. What does 2023 have in store for Prescott and the Cowboys? Will he thrive like he did during a 2021 campaign that led to 4,449 passing yards and 37 TDs or struggle with injuries like he did last year when tossing a league-leading 15 INTs in just 12 games?
11. Tua Tagovailoa - Miami Dolphins
The big question with Tua Tagovailoa remains his durability. Now three years into his NFL career, the Dolphins signal-caller has never started more than 13 games in a season. Tagovailoa suffered some scary concussions last season, eventually missing the stretch run for Miami. Before his 2022 campaign ended prematurely, he had already posted career highs in passing yards and TDs in head coach Mike McDaniel's first season on the Miami sidelines. Tagovailoa has perhaps the league's best wide receiver duo in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
12. Matthew Stafford - Los Angeles Rams
As the 35-year-old gunslinger readies for his 15th NFL season, questions abound. Is Matthew Stafford the quarterback who threw for 4,886 yards and 41 TDs while leading the Rams to a Super Bowl title in 2021? Or the one that looked to be near the end of his career in 2022 while suffering two concussions and appearing in just nine games for an abysmal L.A. squad? The answer probably lies somewhere in between and will largely depend on the quality of his protection, as well as the health of Cooper Kupp.
13. Jared Goff - Detroit Lions
It's tempting to label Jared Goff a "system quarterback", but as long as Goff remains in Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson's scheme he should be taken seriously. He amassed the 10th-most passing yards in the NFL in 2022 while his average of 7.5 yards per attempt was on par with the likes of Josh Allen and Joe Burrow. Goff should remain comfortable in 2023 for a Lions offense that's certainly trending up.
14. Justin Fields - Chicago Bears
After a breakout 2022 campaign in which Justin Fields rushed for a jaw-dropping 1,143 yards and eight TDs, many expect the Bears quarterback to make a leap as a passer in his third NFL season. Fields did make strides as a thrower last season, raising his completion percentage, total passing yards, and passing TDs in comparison to his rookie year. If that progress in the pocket continues, Fields could solidify himself as one of the NFL's most dynamic young QBs.
15. Daniel Jones - New York Giants
Jones posted career highs in passing attempts (472), passing yards (3,205), and yards per attempt (6.8) in head coach Brian Daboll's first year at the helm in New York. While the growth as a passer was exciting, the true revelation came thanks to Daboll embracing Jones' rushing ability, as he finished last season as one of just five QBs in the league with more than 700 rushing yards. He enters 2023 with a revamped stable of weapons around him that includes tight end Darren Waller and rookie wideout Jalin Hyatt.
16. Russell Wilson - Denver Broncos
Russell Wilson's first year in Mile High was an unmitigated disaster. It's tough to determine how much of the blame lies with Wilson and how much of 2022's offensive trainwreck resides with one-and-done Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett. The veteran will have no excuses this season, as legendary offensive guru Sean Peyton will take the reigns in Denver. For as bad as he was last year, 2023 has all the makings of a bounce-back season for Wilson.
17. Deshaun Watson - Cleveland Browns
It wasn't too long ago that Deshaun Watson would have been a no-brainer top-five player on this list. However, those days feel long gone, as the controversial QB struggled in his return to football in 2022 following a prolonged absence due to his off-the-field behavior. Watson looked understandably rusty for the Browns last season and hasn't looked markedly better in preseason action this year. We've seen his talent in the past, though it's fair to wonder if Watson will ever again reach the level of play he displayed with the Houston Texans.
18. Derek Carr - New Orleans Saints
While he isn't making quite as many headlines as Aaron Rodgers, Derek Carr is another veteran NFL quarterback who will be suiting up for a new franchise in 2023 after leaving his longtime team. Carr walks into an intriguing situation with the Saints, a team that possesses some talented offensive weapons such as Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and Alvin Kamara. The change of scenery could be a blessing in disguise for the former Raiders signal caller and a huge upgrade at the position for New Orleans.
19. Geno Smith - Seattle Seahawks
One of 2022's most pleasant surprises, Geno Smith put forth a career year for the Seahawks in 2022. The former Jets bust amassed an impressive 4,282 passing yards and 30 TDs last season while posting an NFL-best 69.8% completion rate. Smith's output did decline down the stretch last year, however, as he failed to top 300 passing yards in a game after Week 13, while his yards per attempt numbers plummeted over the last month of the season.
20. Ryan Tannehill - Tennessee Titans
The 35-year-old veteran remains a serviceable NFL starting quarterback, though he's undoubtedly on the back side of his career. Ryan Tannehill has played solid, if unspectacular, winning football while serving in a quasi-game-manager role for the run-heavy Titans in recent years. While the team has been intent on drafting his replacement over the last two years, Tannehill remains Tennessee's best chance to win football games and the offseason addition of DeAndre Hopkins is certainly an upgrade to what was an abysmal Titans receiving corps in 2022.
21. Brock Purdy - San Francisco 49ers
The sample size is ridiculously small, but the former "Mr. Irrelevant" looked like the perfect fit for Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan's offensive scheme when pressed into duty in 2022. Brock Purdy answered the call after injuries to both Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo last season, leading the Niners to a berth in the NFC Conference Championship game before suffering a UCL injury that required surgery during the offseason. Purdy was the perfect combination of aggressive and sensible during his time under center last year, averaging a chunky 8.1 yards per pass attempt while tossing just two INTs.
22. Mac Jones - New England Patriots
After a strong rookie campaign in 2021, Jones regressed during his second NFL season. In all fairness to him, he did spend the 2022 season playing without an actual offensive coordinator. With former Patriots offensive guru Bill O'Brien now back on the New England staff, Jones has a good chance to return to form in 2023.
23. Jimmy Garoppolo - Las Vegas Raiders
Jimmy Garoppolo's best was never quite good enough for Kyle Shanahan and the Niners, and his 2022 season - and time in San Fran - ended with a broken foot in Week 13. Garoppolo will now reunite with his former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels in Las Vegas, where he'll likely serve as a game manager with fairly low pass volume.
24. Kenny Pickett - Pittsburgh Steelers
It was an uneven rookie campaign for Kenny Pickett, the only QB selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He initially struggled after being pushed into action to replace an injured Mitchell Trubisky but did settle down toward the end of the season. Pickett finished 2022 by throwing for four TDs and just one INT across the Steelers' last five games. He'll look to make a leap in his second NFL season.
25. Bryce Young - Carolina Panthers
The first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Bryce Young is the first rookie to appear in our power rankings. He'll start right away for the Carolina Panthers and new head coach Frank Reich. Unfortunately for the rookie signal caller, Carolina parted ways with their biggest offensive weapon - wide receiver D.J. Moore - in the mega-trade that allowed them to select Young. However, he'll have a serviceable supporting cast that includes offseason additions, Miles Sanders and Adam Thielen.
26. C.J. Stroud - Houston Texans
Some experts believed that C.J. Stroud was the most pro-ready quarterback available in the 2022 NFL Draft due to his prototypical size and arm talent. Stroud will get his chance to prove his readiness, as he's already been named the Week 1 starter for the Houston Texans. It's a franchise undergoing major changes with DeMeco Ryans entering his first year as head coach in Houston and the rookie will be working with a receiving corps that's below-average on paper.
27. Anthony Richardson - Indianapolis Colts
A raw prospect with intriguing upside, Anthony Richardson has, somewhat surprisingly, already been named the Colts Week 1 starter. A physical freak that broke the NFL Draft Combine, Richardson possesses a canon-like arm and is an excellent runner. While the Colts have a mess on their hands with the Jonathan Taylor situation and are in a soft rebuild, Richardson's potential is off the charts, though his floor is super low.
28. Jordan Love - Green Bay Packers
After spending the entirety of his rookie year inactive and subsequently serving as Aaron Rodgers' backup for two years, Jordan Love will finally take the reigns as the starting QB for the Green Bay Packers in 2023. Despite being in the NFL since 2020, Love has only logged one (ugly) career start for the Packers and attempted a grand total of 83 passes during his time in Green Bay.
29. Baker Mayfield - Tampa Bay Bucs
After a training camp competition with Kyle Trask, Baker Mayfield will open the season as the Bucs' starter. It will be the third team he's suited up for in the past year. Mayfield did show some signs of life during his stint with the Rams and head coach Sean McVay last year, though it probably says something that McVay let Mayfield walk following the 2022 season. He does have some talented playmakers in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, though it's fair to wonder if the former No. 1 overall pick will ever regain the form he briefly flashed early in his career.
30. Sam Howell - Washington Commanders
A total wild card in 2023, the 2022 fifth-round draft pick earned a one-game audition in Washington's final game of the 2022 season and performed well enough to enter this year's training camp as Washington's starter. Ron Rivera is apparently impressed with Sam Howell and he'll lead the Commanders in Week 1 with Jacoby Brissett serving as his backup.
31. Desmond Ridder - Atlanta Falcons
Desmond Ridder was a great big "MEH" after he replaced a benched Marcus Mariota down the stretch last year. Playing in Arthur Smith's run-heavy scheme, Ridder was given little chance to show what he could do as a rookie, as he only dropped back to pass 136 times across his four 2022 starts. Despite his lack of meaningful production in his maiden NFL campaign, Atlanta must be intent on giving Ridder an honest look in 2023, as they failed to make any notable moves at the QB position during the offseason.
32. Joshua Dobbs/Clayton Tune - Arizona Cardinals
With Kyler Murray still recovering from an ACL injury that ended his 2022 season early, Arizona surprisingly released long-time backup Colt McCoy recently. Apparently content to go into full-blown "tank" mode with an eye toward Caleb Williams in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Cardinals will roll out either fifth-round rookie Clayton Tune or recent trade acquisition Joshua Dobbs. Either way, Arizona will likely have some of the worst quarterback play in the league until Murray returns to the lineup.
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