If you don't have a quarterback in today's NFL, you have nothing. The quarterback position is often referred to as being the most important position in professional sports, and while that seems hyperbolic, it's true.
There are 32 starting quarterback jobs in the NFL, and it doesn't ever feel like the league is really capable of figuring out a way to fill them all.
In the NFL, there are the "haves" and the "have-nots" when it comes to this position, and that's what we're exploring in the latest NFL Power Rankings. How does every quarterback in the NFL stack up right now? Which ones are the most unproven? Who has the highest upside? Let's take a look at our final quarterback power rankings with the preseason in the rearview and the regular season now on deck.
NFL Power Rankings: Final QB rankings before 2025 season
32. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
Regardless of whether it’s Spencer Rattler or Tyler Shough starting for the New Orleans Saints, it’s probably fair to say that this team has the worst QB situation in the league right now. Maybe not long-term because they might have a more realistic shot at discovering a franchise QB than, say, the Browns. But the Saints are undoubtedly in a rough position after the surprise retirement of Derek Carr this offseason.
31. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
Daniel Jones has a chance to revive his career with the Colts under head coach Shane Steichen, who has been a bit of a QB whisperer in his coaching career. The whispering didn’t work for Anthony Richardson, though. Jones is one of the most turnover-prone quarterbacks we’ve seen in recent years, and it would be the most shocking storyline of the year if he found a way to be a successful reclamation project with the Colts.
30. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
Cam Ward certainly isn’t the 3rd-worst starting quarterback in the NFL right now in terms of talent, but this list isn’t just based purely on talent. Obviously, Ward has a chance to climb this list quickly, but he’s unproven at this stage. There’s no guarantee that he’s going to come in and light it up like we saw from a few rookies last year. The Titans obviously believe they’ve got their guy, which right now is all that really matters.
29. JJ McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
JJ McCarthy is in a similar boat to that of other young quarterbacks in the league going into this season. He’s unproven. As a former high draft pick, the talent level is obviously there, and McCarthy has some serious moxie and charisma about him. He’s also got a great coaching staff and a situation in Minnesota that has been pretty favorable to quarterbacks in recent years. It would be surprising if McCarthy was bad this year, but it also wouldn’t be surprising if he proved to be more of a work in progress than people seem to assume.