For the first time in 23 seasons, the Cleveland Browns have a franchise-caliber NFL quarterback. Unfortunately, the AFC North is loaded with talent as well.
The Cleveland Browns made one of the biggest trades in NFL history by trading for Deshaun Watson. Not only did they give up six draft picks, but they also gave him a five-year, $230 million contract where every single dollar was guaranteed.
Recent history has shown that even with an elite roster, you can’t compete for a Super Bowl without an elite quarterback. The Haslams have given Andrew Berry the green light to go all in. Let’s hope it pays off.
This list is sure to change with the upcoming NFL draft, but here is where each team ranks with their starting quarterback with most of the free-agent shifting in the past.
NFL Quarterback Rankings:
NFL quarterback No. 32 – Davis Mills, Houston Texans
At this point, I’m not sold that the Houston Texans will start the season with Davis Mills as their quarterback, but if the season were to start today, that would be the case. It’s tough to be ranked the worst starting quarterback in the NFL, but there are only 32 of these guys in the entire world.
In 2021 Mills went 2-9 as the starter and didn’t have a ton of talent around him to give him any type of help. The Texans have no need to tank with all the picks acquired from the Watson trade, but they are also maybe a year or two out from really competing.
With pick No. 3 in the 2022 NFL draft, I suspect they will be at least thinking about taking a quarterback. The issue is, I Don’t think anyone is sold that this class has elite talent at the position. We will see just how sold the organization is on Mills based on their pick at the end of April.
NFL quarterback No. 31 – Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks
After being picked in round two by the Denver Broncos in 2019, I don’t think Drew Lock was thought of as a sure-fire NFL starting quarterback. He certainly has the arm to make it, but he has struggled in his prior three seasons with the Broncos.
With an 8-13 record and heading to a Seattle team that appears to be in a complete rebuild mode, I don’t see things getting any better for him next season. Remember, Lock has struggled to stay healthy, and the Seahawks weren’t able to protect an athletic Russell Wilson the last few seasons.
Seattle will have pick no. nine in the 2022 NFL draft, but I don’t expect them to go quarterback with such a weak class unless everyone before them passes. A trade with the Browns of some sort that lands them with Baker Mayfield seems like the most plausible scenario currently.
NFL quarterback No. 30 – Daniel Jones, New York Giants
The New York Giants are also in an interesting situation. Daniel Jones who was the former No. 6 overall pick in 2019 has not lived up to expectations, but I’m not sure he has been given a fair chance either. He’s a guy that reminds me of a Brady Quinn — has some talent but was just put in a bad situation to have a chance of succeeding.
In three seasons he has gone 12-25 as the starter with 45 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. With a big decision on the fifth-year option of his rookie agreement, I don’t expect the Giants to give him another year as the starter.
With pick No. 5 in the 2022 draft, they certainly could be in the market for a quarterback, but again, with a weak draft class, they may not be sold on anyone and go another season with Jones to get a look.
NFL quarterback No. 29 – Zach Wilson, New York Jets
Perhaps no one was put in a worse situation as a rookie than Zach Wilson for the New York Jets. Yes, the team tried to piece together an offensive line for him, but he had no talent at the skilled positions to get the ball to.
As a rookie, Wilson was a disappointing 3-10 with only nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions. However, at the beginning of the season, some believed this was a Jets team that would not win a game.
The Jets have picks No. 4 and 10 in the upcoming draft but look for them to add talent for Wilson to succeed, as I believe they are committed to giving him another chance in the system.
NFL quarterback No. 28 –Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints
I know it’s kind of unfair to put Jameis Winston down this low. He has 7-years of experience and is 33-44 as a starter in the NFL. He has a huge arm, but it often gets him in trouble as he has too much trust and throws far too many interceptions.
The biggest reason I have him this low is the loss of Sean Payton. I know we all pretend to understand how important a coach can be in the NFL, but I don’t think people understand how good Payton was. I would have him just a notch under Bill Belichick as one of the best in the league.
With a diminishing roster and new system for 2022, I think it could be a long year for Saints fans.
NFL quarterback No. 27 – Marcus Mariota, Atlanta Falcons
I don’t think many would argue that the Falcons were the big losers of the 2022 offseason. They appeared to be a lock to land Watson, but when they dragged their feet on a new contract, he went with the money and ended up in Cleveland.
Once the Watson news went south, then they aggravated their current quarterback and ended up having to trade Matt Ryan as well. In the end, they ended up with Marcus Mariota who was an above-average starter in 2016 and 2017 but hasn’t had any experience in the last two seasons.
He is athletic and can make some throws but will certainly have to bust off some rust.
NFL quarterback No. 26 – Mitchell Trubisky, Pittsburgh Steelers
For the first time in over a decade, the Steelers will be looking for a long-term solution at quarterback after the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger. For now, Mitchell Trubisky is the guy and after being forced out of Chicago, I think he has a chance to succeed.
This is a guy who is 29-21 as a starter and was 11-3 in 2018. I have him way further down on the list than I want, but after sitting out the 2021 season as a backup for Josh Allen, I can’t convince myself to put him any higher.
I could be wrong, but Pittsburgh was a great fit for Trubisky, and he could really resurrect his career there.
NFL quarterback No. 25 – Sam Darnold, Carolina Panthers
I can no longer make the claim that Sam Darnold is a really good NFL quarterback. I thought the Jets did him wrong and when he went to Carolina, I thought things would be better.
It just appears that Darnold is another guy with a strong arm that struggles with accuracy. I would argue he has never been on a great roster, but in four years he has managed to go 17-32, and I’m not sure 2022 will be any better after the Panthers desperately tried to upgrade at quarterback this offseason and failed.
With pick No. 6 in the 2022 draft, a quarterback could be in play, but I still see Darnold as the week one starter.
NFL quarterback No. 24 – Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars were the laughing stock of the 2021 season. Not only was the roster bad, but the Urban Myer experiment also went south quickly as coaching in the NFL is totally different than the college level.
Lawrence was only 3-14 as a rookie, but I think with the roster upgrades they have made, another year of experience, and some stability, Lawrence could be in for a much better year. The key will be giving him some protection.
NFL quarterback No. 23 – Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
I’ll be honest, I struggle to appreciate Jalen Hurts, but after going 8-7 last year with limited weapons on offense, I had to give him a little more respect.
He doesn’t have the athleticism as a guy like Lamar Jackson, but he is always a threat to tuck the ball and can outrun almost anyone on the field.
With multiple first-round picks at their disposal for 2022, Hurts should get a few more weapons that this roster desperately needs. Another thing to his advantage is a weak conference. The Cowboys will be solid, but the Commanders and Giants are likely duds once again.
NFL quarterback No. 22 –Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers
Perhaps the team with the most depth at quarterback in 2022 with be the 49ers. Unfortunately, they have two guys with some questions, instead of one fantastic player. Many expect that Trey Lance will be the starter after only starting two games in his rookie year, but we can’t forget they also have Jimmy Garopollo on the roster.
Many expected Garopollo to be traded this offseason, but with only one year left on his contract and a history of injuries, no one was willing to take on his cap number.
Lance does have Kyle Shanahan as his coach which is a good thing, but I’m not sold he is ready to be an elite starter in the league.
NFL quarterback No. 21 – Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders
After a hot start to his career which included an 11-2 season as a starter and his team winning the Super Bowl (with him injured), Carson Wentz has struggled the last two seasons and will be on his third team in three seasons.
He was 9-8 last season in Indianapolis, but I would argue he was the reason for more losses than he has wins. He can’t see to get his confidence back and struggles with reading the field properly.
Washington isn’t a terrible fit, but I’m not sure he will see any more success there than he did with the Colts. They have a strong defense, but not a ton of weapons on offense for him.
NFL quarterback No. 20 – Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
Call me a homer Ohio State fan, but one guy I am high on is Justin Fields. Some could have him eight spots prior to no. 20, but I do think he will have a big second year. The Bears offense was a disaster last year, and Fields had no protection.
Unfortunately, they don’t have their first-round pick in 2022, but I think Fields just needed another season for the game to slow down for him. He was so beaten up by the end of last year, that he couldn’t even play the style he wanted.
This is one I could be wrong on, but I’m expecting a much-improved Fields in 2022.
NFL quarterback No. 19 – Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
While I’m high on Fields, I’m equally as low on Jared Goff. The only reason I have him this high is because of his 45-37-1 record as a starter. Keep in mind, that 42 of those wins came with the Rams who have a tremendous coach and a loaded roster.
I know everyone thinks that Dan Campbell is the next great coach and folks will run through a wall for him. The effort is great and can elevate a team substantially, but Goff doesn’t have all the abilities of an elite quarterback.
He needs a friendly system and a great coordinator to make him successful. I don’t think he has either in Detroit and it will be another disappointing season for him.
No. 18 – Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa is a strong one, he has a 13-8 record as a starting quarterback in the NFL but has been benched multiple times for Ryan Fitzpatrick in the past. Honestly, that has to mess with a guy’s confidence and I’m not sure why they have been so back and forth with him in Miami.
With the addition of Tyreek Hill and a stout defense, the pressure will be on Tagovailoa in 2022 to lead this team to the playoffs. While they overachieved in 2021, they also had one of the easiest schedules in the NFL.
I think this roster is good enough to put him at No. 18, but I don’t think he is good enough to get this team to the playoffs in a loaded AFC.
NFL quarterback No. 17 – Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
Kirk Cousins to me is just like vanilla ice cream. It tastes delicious and you will never see me turn down a scoop. But if there are other options it’s not going to be my top pick.
With a 59-59-2 starting record, Cousins is efficient. And if a guaranteed eight-win season is what you are looking for, Cousins is your guy.
I don’t see anything different in 2022. He will go 8-9 as a starter, throw for over 4,000 yards, and the Vikings might even make the playoffs, but they aren’t serious contenders for a Super Bowl.
NFL quarterback No. 16 – Mac Jones, New England Patriots
Mac Jones is the highest-rated quarterback of the 2021 class. After a 10-7 record last year and taking his team to the playoffs, Jones is set up for success once again.
I do think Josh McDaniels leaving is big, but no one game plans like Belichick. He doesn’t care how ugly the win is, he only cares about winning.
With the Bills and Dolphins both looking like serious players in the AFC, the road will be tough for the Patriots this year. Jones will need to have another great season to keep this team competitive, but he has shown the poise and accuracy to do that.
NFL quarterback No. 15 – Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
I may be giving a little too much credit to Kyler Murray by putting him at no. 15 as he is only 22-23-1 as a starter in the league. However, the weapons around him and the offensive scheme are perfect for his skill set.
If the Cardinals can ever figure out how to put a full season together, they could be extremely dangerous. With a weak NFC this year, the Cardinals are likely the second or third best team in the division. It’s always easier when you have to beat one or two teams and not all of them like some in the AFC.
NFL quarterback No. 14 – Matt Ryan – Indianapolis Colts
No team has mastered the bridge quarterback quite like the Indianapolis Colts. Ever since the early retirement of Andrew Luck, the Colts have been on the search for a new quarterback. After Jacoby Brissett, Philip Rivers, and Carson Wentz, Matt Ryan will be in command for the Colts.
Ryan has proven to be an extremely effective quarterback in the NFL, but we can’t act like he is still in the prime of his career. Indianapolis was a great fit with the dome, and he will also have some nice weapons available to target.
I don’t see the Colts as Super Bowl contenders, but they certainly could make the playoffs in the AFC with Ryan at the helm as he finishes the last few years of his career.
NFL quarterback No. 13 – Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
It’s really hard to bash Ryan Tannehill who has a 72-59 record as a starting quarterback in the NFL, but he always seems to make a few bad decisions that keep the Titans from getting to the next level.
They are a team that relies on running the football and play great defense to win games. Tannehill gets more credit than he really deserves because of how good the roster is around him.
When you dig into the stats, he is just another guy that has only thrown for 4,000 plus yards twice in his 9-year career and has only had playoff success during one season. I’m not saying I wouldn’t want him as my starting quarterback, but he is definitely not a top choice in the league.
NFL quarterback No. 12 – Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders
I’m now getting to a point in the list where there will be several people who disagree with me. But let me be clear, I think any of these top 12 quarterbacks could win a Super Bowl on the right roster.
Derek Carr may only have a record of 57-70 in the NFL as a starter, but I think he has far more talent than that. He was on a few really bad teams, and I think has three or four more seasons left as an elite quarterback in the league.
The bad news for the Raiders, they are in the most competitive division in football. The Chiefs, Chargers, and Broncos all have quarterbacks ranked ahead of Carr, and make it very difficult to succeed.
NFL quarterback No. 11 – Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos
I know a lot of people have Russell Wilson higher on their list, and I agree with you, that five years ago Wilson was likely a top eight or nine quarterback in the league.
One, he has gotten older and lost some mobility which has hurt him. And two, some of these young guys in the league have just been unreal the last few seasons.
I think Wilson will be better off in Denver and the Seahawks roster had just gotten bad the last few seasons, but he also isn’t a guy that I fear playing on a Sunday like in years past. Still a great quarterback with a few years left, but not the same guy he was in 2017.
NFL quarterback No. 10 – Matthew Stafford, Las Angeles Rams
For years, Lions fans simply didn’t know what they had with Matthew Stafford. And just like Goff has decreased output since leaving a great system, Stafford has increased his stock just as much.
We always knew he had the arm talent, he just needed the weapons and coaching to really unleash his potential. Not only did he win a Super Bowl in 2021, but he could also easily win another one in the next three years if he continues to play at the same level.
I put him at number ten because the Rams always seem to have one of the best rosters in the league making things easier for him as well.
NFL quarterback No. 9 – Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
A player I have argued never gets enough credit is Dak Prescott. For a full year fans didn’t want to pay Prescott big money, and then when he was injured in 2020, fans really saw his value.
There’s no doubt that Prescott has a lot of weapons on offense, but he has a record of 53-32 as a starter with 143 touchdown passes and only 50 interceptions.
He has a cannon of an arm, can move well in the pocket, and has great accuracy. Pair that with his ability to quickly read a defense and I think he could eventually crack the top five quarterbacks in the league in the next few years.
NFL quarterback No. 8 – Justin Herbert, Las Angeles Chargers
Coming into the 2020 draft, Joe Burrow was the clear No. 1 quarterback of the draft, but Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert were neck and neck for two and three.
Luckily for the Chargers, the Dolphins went with Tua and the Chargers ended up with one of the best arm talents in the league.
I am first to admit I didn’t love Herbert coming into the draft. I thought that Oregon was just a system and he couldn’t make it in the NFL Man, was I wrong, and the Chargers are now going all in to surround him with the talent to win now.
NFL quarterback No. 7 – Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
As a fan of the Cleveland Browns and seeing Lamar Jackson twice a year for the last three seasons, he is just a total myth to me. I don’t understand how he is always the most athletic guy on the field, but I must give him my respect.
He has only thrown for more than 3,000 yards one time, but he is 37-12 as the starter and is so difficult to tackle in open space. For the last three years, the Ravens have had the most difficult running game in the league to slow down.
He’s the prime example of knowing what’s coming, and not being able to stop it. Then when you can’t tackle him and bring guys into the box, wide receivers are running wide open. Jackson is a guy that will lose his edge if he ever loses his elusiveness, but he will continue to be a problem for at least a few more seasons.
NFL quarterback No. 6 – Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
When the Cleveland Browns traded for Deshaun Watson, they got a very talented guy who had as good of a season as anyone in 2020 statistically.
The big question on Watson is, can he win the big games? After 11-5 and 10-5 seasons in 2018 and 2019, his team was only 4-12 in 2020 when he had his best statistical season.
We all know the Texans were in turmoil during that time, and the roster he led to 4-12 would have easily been 0-16 with even an average quarterback under center.
The 2022 Browns roster will be the best team Watson has ever played on and we could see some special things next season. We now wait and see what happens with a suspension.
NFL quarterback No. 5 – Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
It honestly kills me to not have Joe Burrow as the top-rated quarterback in the NFL, but I just can’t with all of the talents in the league. Even as a Browns fan, I can’t get enough of this guy. He’s so likable and does all his talking with his talent, not his arm.
This team was 2-14 in 2019, drafted Burrow in 2020, and made the Super Bowl in 2021. Yes, he has a lot of talent on offense, but he did all of this with a weak offensive line and a very average defense.
If ownership gets out of the way and spends some money on this team, Burrow could have the Bengals in contention for a Super Bowl the entire next decade.
NFL quarterback No. 4 – Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady will go down as the greatest of all time at the position. With seven Super Bowls and counting and a regular-season record of 243-73, he is just fantastic.
Even at age 45 (by the start of next season), Brady continues to perform at a top-five level at the most important position in the game. The guy threw for the most yards in his career just last season.
He continues to amaze me and until he actually retires, never count his team out.
NFL quarterback No. 3 – Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers is likely one of the most unlikable guys in the NFL but is also one of the most talented. He’s one that can get away with being difficult because you know he is going to throw for 4,000 plus yards and 35 touchdowns almost every season.
It will certainly be interesting to see how he fairs without Davante Adams, but I would also make the argument that Adams could see a decline in production without Rodgers.
With the NFC lacking talent at the top, I expect to see the Packers at least make it to the NFC championship game in 2022.
NFL quarterback No. 2 – Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
So, in 2018 it was Mayfield, Darnold, Josh Rosen, and Josh Allen. At the time, with the Browns having the number one pick, I was all in on Darnold. Mayfield was likely my number two pick, but Allen may have been my least favorite.
Not only does he have one of the biggest arms in the league, but he also has the athleticism to bail himself out of tough situations, and has really dialed in his accuracy since turning pro.
There is no doubt that he was given a great situation in Buffalo where the defense has always been great. Some may have Allen closer to four or five in the top QB list, but after his postseason last year, I think 2022 will be a huge year for him.
NFL quarterback No. 1 – Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
It’s hard to believe that nine guys were taken before Patrick Mahomes in the 2017 draft. While the Browns landed a generational player in Myles Garrett, the Kansas City Chiefs found a guy that may forever change the league.
Mahomes who is 50-13 as a starter with 151 touchdown passes and only 37 interceptions has proven that you can throw the ball every down if you want. Not only can he stand in the pocket and hit open receivers, but he also has the ability to change his arm angle and throw around defenders.
At least twice a year Mahomes makes a throw that makes you think, “wow”. As long as he remains on the roster, the Chiefs will always be in contention for a Super Bowl. He has the rare ability to make every single person on the roster better, even defensive players.
When you play the Chiefs, no lead is ever big enough, and if you get down early it feels like you don’t even have a chance of coming back.
Recap:
The NFL has no shortage of talent at quarterback right now, and three of the top seven guys in the league are currently in the AFC North.
Nothing is ever easy, but if the Cleveland Browns truly want to compete for a Super Bowl, they are going to have to beat teams like the Bengals, Ravens, Bill, and Chiefs consistently which will be a tall task.
It will be fun to see how this list changes after the draft, and after the quarterback shuffle was so fast and furious to begin the offseason, expect to see things slow down.