3. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Despite playing the best football of his career in 2025, Bryce Young was only 8-8 as a starter, throwing 23 touchdown passes against 11 interceptions, earning an 87.8 passer rating. I just do not see it with Young and worry about a limited ceiling in the NFL. Sure, he did improve across the board, but he threw for least 200 passing yards in just four games in 2025, while also having a passer rating below 80 in six of his 16 starts.
All in all, it was a mediocre season from Young, but the 8-9 Carolina Panthers did do enough to get into the playoffs, so they deserve credit for that. Unless Young takes another sizeable leap forward in 2026, the Panthers won't accomplish much more than they did in 2025. This could not be a bigger season for Young.
2. Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons
Tua Tagovailoa has had an interesting career thus far. He's played in the NFL for six seasons, finishing with a winning record in five of those years. He's thrown 120 touchdown passes in his career, and also has a career passer rating of 96.4. On paper, you really like what you see, but he's played just one full season in his career and has battled through many injuries.
Now on the Atlanta Falcons, Tagovailoa should be able to beat out Michael Penix Jr. for the starting job, and if so, he should also settle in as the second-best quarterback in the division, to begin the year, at least. He's been a prolific passer before and knows how to play the position, and perhaps being on a new team could help him throw it back to that 2023 season, where he led the NFL with 4,624 passing yards.
Tagovailoa isn't a slouch.
2. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers definitely dealt with a regression in 2025, but that regression still almost netted them an NFC South title. Mayfield's stint with the Buccaneers has largely been a success, and based on how well he played in 2023 and 2024, 2025 could simply be an outlier.
Mayfield threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdown passes in 2024, and I honestly think a lot of us forgot how good he was that year. He's thrown 95 touchdown passes over the past three seasons, which ranks second in the NFL during that time, only trailing Jared Goff.
His ceiling as a quarterback is definitely higher than the rest at the moment, so, for the time being, he'll take the top spot in our NFC South quarterback power rankings.
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