Subscribe
Follow Us
Watch out, NFL Super Bowl hopefuls, Joe Burrow has you in his sights. And Josh Allen brings the cash to the quarterback position. But what does the QB pecking order look like for this year? Here we will rank all 32 starting quarterbacks for the 2025 NFL season.
As with any season, injuries can play a key role in how quarterbacks perform. And it’s not just their injuries, but those of teammates. For example, Patrick Mahomes might drop down the list if the Chiefs suffer multiple line injuries. Dak Prescott might fall if CeeDee Lamb gets hurt. Or if a key running back goes down, it can affect the quarterback’s performance.
These rankings are put together with the assumption of a mostly healthy season for the player and the offensive unit as a whole. Also, we will, for the most part, go with the starting quarterback as listed according to the espn.com depth charts.
Away we go!
No. 32, Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
It’s hard to imagine Richardson can beat out Daniel Jones. There’s plenty of documentation to say he’s poor at the position. His accuracy may be the worst in the league.
No. 31, Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
Shough only has to beat out Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. Shough has a rough injury history, so maybe he should be ranked behind Richardson. However, he has a prototypical NFL quarterback frame (6-foot-5, 225 pounds) and far more accuracy than Richardson.
No. 30, Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
ESPN still lists Deshaun Watson as the starter, but he will likely miss most of the season. You get what you see from Flacco, who can provide a modicum of consistency. And that’s about it.
No. 29, Russell Wilson, New York Giants
Father Time has pinned Wilson to the mat, who is squirming to avoid the three count. The mobility is gone, and it seems like it’s only a matter of time before Jaxson Dart takes over as the starter.
No. 28, Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Other places have him ranked higher. But a few top-notch games near the end of a throwaway NFL season should be ignored until he proves it’s real.
No. 27, Justin Fields, New York Jets
Passing consistency has hurt Fields, but he has shown flashes that keep him in the conversation for becoming a reasonably good starter.
No. 26, Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
A lot of people want to buy into the 2024 version of Darnold. But his late-season collapse and losing the stud receivers who helped him with the Vikings will be tough to overcome.
No. 25, Cameron Ward, Tennessee Titans
This is more of a team thing than a Ward thing. The Titans don’t offer much support for Ward at the receiver position, but he has a ton of potential.
No. 24, JJ McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
He hasn’t played in the NFL because of last year’s injury, so there’s a big unknown here. However, with top-tier receivers at his disposal, it’s possible McCarthy far outpaces this ranking.
No. 23, Michael Penix Jr, Atlanta Falcons
The biggest question marks for Penix are accuracy and making plays under pressure. With a clean pocket, he’s tough. Like McCarthy, he’s a potential riser on this list.
No. 22, Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rodgers may turn back the clock at times this season. But the chances of him putting together clutch performances week in and week out are slim.
No. 21, Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
He may get better protection this year, but his receiver group is thin. And that’s being generous. This has all the earmarks of a drop-off season for Smith.
No. 20, Drake Maye, New England Patriots
The best news for Maye is an improved offensive line. The bad news is a very modest receiver room. It may be the 2026 NFL season before he shines.
No. 19, Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
There’s no doubt Williams has the talent to eventually move into the top 10. But, as many quarterbacks have learned, it takes more than talent. Maybe Ben Johnson will be the answer that helps Williams improve.
No. 18, Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Things didn’t go well for Tagovailoa in 2024, and there’s a chance the concussion issues have limited his ability to be an elite NFL quarterback.
No. 17, Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
He has shown flashes of impressive play, but he can’t stay healthy and can’t find consistency. It’s possible for him to take a step forward this year, but Top 15 may be his max.
No. 16, Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Going against the grain here a little. Mayfield is coming off the best season of his career. But his receivers are a year older, and this feels a lot like a year for regression.
No. 15, Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
There’s a lot to like here, especially considering the rough start to 2024, followed by a strong finish. It’s not out of the question for Nix to emerge as a top-10 quarterback this season.
No. 14, Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
This may be a little harsh, given Goff’s production over the past couple of seasons. But the loss of Ben Johnson may hinder his play. And it always seemed he was overachieving as a top-10 NFL passer anyway.
No. 13, Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Like Williams, there’s not a talent issue here. And now Lawrence not only has Brian Thomas but also Travis Hunter at the WR position. If he doesn’t succeed this season, the Jaguars probably need to go in a different direction.
No. 12, Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Efficiency is his calling card, but Purdy didn’t look the same in 2024. If the 49ers stay healthy, there’s a chance he moves into the top 10. But there are still question marks about his overall game.
No. 11, Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott has a knack for feasting against lesser competition but not performing at the same level against tougher defenses. But with Lamb and now George Pickens, Prescott has a great chance to move back into the top 10.
No. 10, Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
For a guy who has played forever and is on the verge of retirement, Stafford is still a top-10 NFL guy. And there are times he can be as good as anybody in the league.
No. 9, CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
Stroud didn’t look as comfortable in the pocket in 2024. His sacks went from 39 as a rookie to 63 last year. Which version of Stroud will show in 2025? The early struggles? Or the late surge?
No. 8, Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
In order to keep this ranking, Love will need to play more like the guy who finished strong in 2023. Last year, he failed to hit on as many big-time throws. With a deeper and better receiver group this year, he might get that back.
No. 7, Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
It’s a little tough to put the defending Super Bowl champion quarterback this far down the list. But Hurts is a product of a great NFL team. He can still struggle against pressure, and his overall play might dip this year.
No. 6, Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
There’s one more step Herbert needs to take. In standard game situations outside of late-game or high-pressure moments, Herbert owns the second-highest passing grade in the league, according to Pro Football Focus. He just needs to do better when things get tight late.
No. 5, Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
The fact that Daniels came through in pressure situations repeatedly in 2024 gives him the boost into the top five. An argument can be made that he had the best rookie season ever, as his 89.6 overall grade by PFF attests.
No. 4, Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
When ranking the top QBs, team success can’t trump everything else. Plus, the Chiefs were a few bad breaks away from losing several games they won last year. Still, Mahomes is elite in the clutch. He just doesn’t deserve the NFL’s top spot in 2025.
No. 3, Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
In fairness, there are times when Jackson looks like the best quarterback in the league. And he turned in an overall grade of 94.0, one of the best in PFF history. But there’s still a little something missing, and Jackson must prove he can get it done in the postseason.
No. 2, Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
When it comes to making plays as a pure passer, there is none better than Burrow these days. He is elite times elite, and deserves strong consideration for the No. 1 spot. And there’s a chance he goes out and takes it this year.
No. 1, Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
What more does Allen need to do to prove he’s the NFL’s best quarterback other than what he did last year? With a no-name wide receiver group, Allen put together a fantastic season and came within a Tush Push of getting the Bills to the Super Bowl. Add in rushing talent to his supreme passing game, and Allen is the guy anybody picks if the league put all players into the draft and started from scratch. Hands down.
