The Madden 24 player ratings were unveiled last week. While many wait for the NFL season and the release of the upcoming Madden game, players and athletes alike love to discuss the ratings for fun.

But as with every Madden, there's always a few ratings that leave us scratching our heads. Here's five players who did (or did not) deserve the Madden 24 rating they received.

Madden 24 – Five Player Ratings That Make No Sense

5. Jason Kelce, Center, Philadelphia Eagles – (92 Overall)

Apparently being one of the best Centers in the league for the better part of the last decade isn't enough to help Kelce get a high overall. He's still the highest rated Center in the game, but it still feels low, all things considering. The Eagles led the league in rushing touchdowns in 2022 with 32 and placed fifth in total rushing yards. Of course, give credit where it's due to QB Jalen Hurts. However, even he would tell you much of the success of the run game is attributed to a fantastic offensive line.

The famous Eagles' QB sneak maneuver, which earned them 2 touchdowns in the SB loss to KC, was one of the most successful plays in the NFL in 2022. On 41 attempts on fourth down and goal-line situations, the Eagles successfully converted 37 of those plays into first-downs and touchdowns. And who's the one leading the charge on those plays? Kelce.

Perhaps it's his age, but that didn't stop Tom Brady getting a 97 overall in Madden 23 despite being over 40.

4. Trevor Lawrence, Quarterback, Jacksonville Jaguars – (82 Overall)

Any Jaguars player who had to deal with Urban Meyer in 2021 deserves a medal. That especially goes for Trevor Lawrence, who had breakout season in 2022. Lawrence improved in nearly every passing category in 2022 under new Head Coach Doug Pederson.

Despite this, he's below both Tua Tagovailoa (83) and Kirk Cousins (84). Tagovailoa had the best receiving tandem in Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, while Cousins has the best receiver in the game to throw to.  Lawrence put up similar numbers with Christian Kirk as his WR1. Both the Dolphins and Vikings lost in the wildcard round, while Lawrence and the Jags pulled off the biggest comeback in NFL postseason history.

Lawrence doesn't need to be a 90 something overall, but we believe his 2022 campaign warrants a higher rating for him. Perhaps an 85 overall would've been a fairer number.

We expect to see more from the Jaguars this year, especially while their division is in the midst of a rebuild. The Colts and Texans plan to roll out with rookie QBs, while the Titans struggle to find consistency.

3. Kyler Murray, Quarterback, Arizona Cardinals (79 Overall)

The Cardinals did not have a great 2022 NFL season. Deandre Hopkins received a suspension, the team fired their head coach Kliff Kingsbury, and it marked J.J. Watt's last season with the team before retirement.

Heading into 2023, things still aren't looking good for the Cardinals. Hopkins is gone, Budda Baker is demanding a trade, and they hired this guy as their head coach:

Yes, that's the Johnathan Gannon, former Eagles' defensive coordinator who allowed 38 points, got zero sacks, and ultimately helped the Birds lose Super Bowl LVII.

So before we jump on the Kyler Murray hate train, let's cut the guy some slack. He's still a very accurate QB with good mobility and low turnover rate. We don't think Murray is deserving of a high rating. However, a 79 overall seems a bit low for a guy whose team is going downhill. Perhaps there is more pressure on him after inking a 5-year, $230 million dollar deal.

That being said, Arizona must do more to help Murray out. They drafted OT Paris Johnson Jr. in the first round to keep their signal-caller protected. Now they need to find him some more weapons to help improve their playoff chances in 2023.

2. Orlando Brown, T, Cincinnati Bengals (83 overall)

The four-time pro bowler turned Super Bowl Champion is getting severely disrespected in Madden 24 ratings. Brown ranks 13th among all Left Tackles in the game, under players such as Christian Darrisaw (85) and Rashawn Slater (85). While Brown isn't the best tackle in the league, he's far from 13th place.

If he wasn't one of the best, the Bengals wouldn't have snagged him from the Chiefs with a four-year, $64 million dollar contract. Many considered it a great signing for the Bengals by giving Joe Burrow more protection.

Also worth mentioning is the fact that KC didn't allow a single sack in Super Bowl LVII. Talk about the slippery field all you want, but Brown didn't make any pivotal mistakes that could've cost his team the game. He only surrendered four sacks in 2022, meaning he's deserving of a much higher rating.

We'd argue he deserves somewhere between an 85-87 at the very least, though we know many Bengals fans who thinks he deserves more.

1. Lamar Jackson, Quarterback, Baltimore Ravens – (91 Overall)

Now before you start smashing your keyboard, just hear me out. If the year was 2020, we would agree on this rating, and even argue it should be higher. But since Lamar Jackson's MVP year he's been on a slow and steady downward trajectory. Needless to say, his injuries are holding him back. And when he is healthy, he's just not the same.

One may argue the Ravens put no talent around him, but not for lack of trying, at least. Since 2019, the Ravens drafted three receivers in the first round across five NFL drafts (Zay Flowers, Marquise Brown, and Rashod Bateman). Additionally, the following offensive players have been drafted in the third round or higher since 2018:

  • TE Mark Andrews (3rd Round, 2018)
  • T Orlando Brown (3rd Round, 2018)
  • TE Hayden Hurts (1st Round, 2019)
  • WR Miles Boykin (3rd Round, 2019)
  • RB J.K. Dobbins (2nd Round, 2020)
  • T Tyre Phillips (3rd Round, 2020)
  • WR Devin Duvernway (3rd Round, 2020)
  • OL Ben Cleveland (3rd Round, 2021)
  • OL Tyler Linderbaum (1st Round, 2022)

The team even went on to sign veteran free agents like DeSean Jackson and Odell Beckham Jr. to bolster the receiving corps in any way possible. It hasn't worked, and Jackson hasn't been able to throw for over 20 TDs since 2020.

Now there's two reasons to explain the Raven's offensive deficiencies. Either the front offense is drafting the wrong players (possibly true), or Lamar simply can't make do with all the talent the team tries to provide him (also possibly true) . But just look at Patrick Mahomes, who had a stellar 2022 campaign without star wideout Tyreek Hill. If Jackson is to be considered elite, he must be able to prove himself despite any adversity he faces.

And then of course there's the Elephants in the room, injuries and playoff performances. The best ability in any sport is availability, and if you're unable to physically play, you won't be able to prove the “haters” wrong. Jackson's missed 10 games in the last two seasons. Additionally Jackson holds a 1-3 record in the playoffs, but somehow got the highest paid deal for a QB in NFL history.

Conclusion

That about wraps it up. There's plenty of player ratings to discuss, but remember that they'll change throughout the NFL season. So while you see a player rated wrongly now, ratings update over time. Additionally, you'll be able to boost your favorite players' ratings in franchise mode with a few stellar seasons. We're curious to see how the ratings change in 2023.

Check out the top 20 players' overalls in each position in Madden 24:

Madden NFL 24 releases on August 18th, 2023 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via EA App, Steam, and Epic Games Store. Players who pre-order the Deluxe Edition get three days of Early Access.

For more on Madden NFL 24, check out ClutchPoints Gaming.