Now that minicamps are underway and the offseason is continuing on, let's power rank all 32 projected starting QBs for the 2025 NFL Season.
No NFL team is going to sustain success in this league without having some semblance of a competent starting QB, and there truly aren't many elite passers in today's NFL. Getting the quarterback position right might be the single-hardest thing in all of professional sports, as the reward for doing so is massive.
As minicamps continue and we get further into the offseason, let's power rank all 32 projected starting QBs.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking all 32 projected starting QBs
Unranked: Tyler Shough, Cam Ward, JJ McCarthy
We could see these three quarterbacks get their first NFL starts in the 2025 season, so there just is no reason to give them a ranking - they are total unknowns at this point regardless of their draft status. Both Cam Ward and JJ McCarthy were first-round picks in the 2025 and 2024 NFL Drafts, but Tyler Shough was a second-round pick this year.
McCarthy is easily set up for the most success, but that doesn't mean the Vikings will see him have success. Cam Ward is in a shaky situation and is a raw prospect, so that could present itself to be a problem, and I honestly just feel bad for Tyler Shough.
29. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
The 'worst' incumbent starting QB in the NFL might just be Daniel Jones, who could now be in line to start with the injury to Anthony Richardson, who is somehow worse than Jones. The Colts have to get something going with their QB room if they want to be relevant in the 2025 NFL Season, but that just does not feel likely at all. Jones come in at 29th in our QB rankings.
28. Michael Penix Jr, Atlanta Falcons
Michael Penix Jr got some action for the Atlanta Falcons near the end of the 2024 NFL Season, but there is a ton of unknown with Penix at this point. He was drafted into a decent situation and did get to sit back and watch Kirk Cousins when he was initially playing well with the Falcons in 2024.
Penix has weapons like Bijan Robinson, Darnell Mooney, and Drake London at his disposal, so he's got a ton of people to throw the ball to, and he also gets to play in a dome, which is surely going to help. Fortunately, the Falcons are in the NFC South, one of the NFL's weakest divisions, so there is a path for this team to make the postseason in 2025, but it's going to take a sizeable year two leap from their first-round pick in 2024.
27. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young did seem to show something worthwhile near the end of the 2024 NFL Season, so perhaps the Carolina Panthers are building something special here. Head coach Dave Canales worked his magic with Geno Smith in 2022 and Baker Mayfield in 2023, so perhaps we'll see Young hit his stride in the 2025 NFL Season. If he doesn't, the Panthers might have to start fresh at the position, as the regime that drafted Bryce Young isn't there anymore, so there really isn't much of a reason for GM Dan Morgan to stick with the young QB if he doesn't pan out the way they hope in the 2025 NFL Season.
Bryce Young is 27th in our QB power rankings but could absolutely rise into the teens if he shows some consistency in what could be the most urgent and crucial season of his entire football career, but he's still largely unproven.
26. Justin Fields, New York Jets
Justin Fields is now on his third team in as many seasons, so Jets fans will need to calm down before crowning Fields as the next breakout QB. The New York Jets passer struggles to see the entire field and just holds onto the ball for too long. He's like a poor man's Russell Wilson, honestly, but he can make a ton of magic happen with his Jets.
If nothing else, the Jets do have some credible weapons on offense, so that could help Fields at least show some competence in a crucial 2025 season, and the team can easily move on following this year, so they did not make any sort of long-term commitment to the QB.
The Jets probably won't be any good this year with Justin Fields under center, but there could be some fireworks here and there. Fields is 26th in our QB rankings for the 2025 NFL Season.
25. Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
Joe Flacco is a perfectly fine backup QB and is probably one of the 32-best QBs in the NFL at this point. The NFL is truly hurting for competent QB play, and while it is hard to say who is in the lead for the Browns' QB job this year, Flacco is the one who has all the seniority, so I guess the nod could go to him at this point, but it would not shock me if both Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel got starts for the team in 2025.
The Browns should at least see what they have in either player, and they won't know without throwing them onto the field. Flacco might have a short leash for that reason, and he comes in at 25th in our QB power rankings. It could be a long season for the Browns.
24. Russell Wilson, New York Giants
Now on his third team in as many seasons, Russell Wilson is on his fourth NFL team already and has played for the Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, and now New York Giants in three-straight seasons. It is truly kind of sad to see how Wilson as fell off, as when he was at his best, he was among the best and most lethal QBs in the NFL and is one of the best dual-threat QBs of all-time.
But it's clear that the 2012 NFL Draft pick has regressed as a passer and has gotten a lot slower. He is running into a ton of sacks and is still holding onto the ball for too long, but the New York Giants had to get a bit desperate here, so they signed Wilson to a one-year deal. However, the Giants also signed Jameis Winston and drafted Jaxson Dart in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, so Wilson may not have a super long leash in all honesty.
His career will likely come to an end in the next year or so, but Wilson will end up in the Hall of Fame one day.
23. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
It is kind of hard to fairly rank Sam Darnold, as he had an incredible year with the Minnesota Vikings in the 2024 NFL Season, but he was also in a near-perfect situation with elite weapons and a compent offensive line, and the Seahawks may not have either of those things with Darnold under center. It's also effectively a one-year deal for the Seahawks, and I just do not envision Seattle having a ton of success.
We might also see Darnold regress a bit and revert back to the QB he was before he signed with the Vikings. He's 23rd in our QB power rankings.
22. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
We're now getting into the tier of quarterbacks who have a little something to them. Trevor Lawrence comes in at 21st in our power rankings. He's been in the NFL for four seasons and just does not have much to show for it, but the Jaguars franchise has been downright dysfunctional his entire time there. Lawrence will now be on his third head coach entering his fifth year in the NFL.
He's got all the talent in the world and could end up being a top-10 QB if Liam Coen knows how to stabilize things, but neither Urban Meyer nor Doug Pederson could, so it might not be looking great for Coen based on the past. The Jags did draft Travis Hunter to pair with Brian Thomas Jr, so that could be great news for Lawrence. A very talented player without a doubt, Lawrence just isn't someone we can think of that highly at the moment.
21. Aaron Rodgers, Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Rodgers finally signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in what might be his last season in the NFL. Rodgers is one of the most talented QBs in the history of the NFL, so it will be a sad day when he retires, and to be fair to Rodgers, the QB did throw for nearly 30 touchdowns in 2024 with the New York Jets, and the Pittsburgh Steelers aren't quite that dysfunctional.
The offensive line is a bit unknown at this point and the WR situation outside of DK Metcalf is shaky, but there is enough talent on either side of the ball for Rodgers and the Steelers to at least scrape together a winning record, but making the playoffs might be an uphill battle for this team. Rodgers comes in at 21st in our latest QB rankings.
20. Geno Smith, Las Vegas Raiders
Geno Smith is an average QB who turns 35 years old this year and was just traded for a third-round pick. I am personally shocked at the folks who would have Smith ranked higher than this. There’s a reason why he was traded and a reason why he reunites with Pete Carroll, a head coach who seems to be a bit out of touch with what wins in today’s NFL.
Smith and the Raiders can at least be competent for a couple of seasons, but they aren’t going to win anything of note, especially being in the loaded AFC West. Geno Smith did have a nice career revival a couple of years ago, but that has worn off. Smith is 20th in our QB rankings and probably won’t rise much at all during the 2025 NFL Season.
19. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
One of the more interesting QBs in the NFL is Caleb Williams, who did do a lot of good with the Chicago Bears during his rookie season in 2024. He threw just six interceptions all year and threw more than three times as many touchdown passes as he did interceptions, which is flat-out impressive. The Bears also overhauled the interior of their offensive line, which should be huge for Williams’ development, and Ben Johnson now being the head coach should also help a lot as well.
Williams is absolutely a breakout candidate for the Bears in 2025, and if he does break out, the Bears are going to be a huge problem for the opposition to deal with. He’s got all the necessary tools to shoot up these QB rankings. However, being ranked 19th is not too shabby. The arrow is pointing in the right direction for Williams and the Bears franchise for 2025 and beyond.
18. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
I can promise you at least one thing for the 2025 NFL Season; Drake Maye and the New England Patriots are going to be a lot better than you think. Maye was also better than his raw stats might indicate during his rookie season, and now that the Pats have a competent roster, solidified offensive line, and a proven head coach, this team truly has nowhere to go but up.
Sure, they might still be a year away from making the playoffs, but they can absolutely finish with a winning record and hang around against most opponents, including the Buffalo Bills. Frankly, New England is the second-best team in the division, and Drake Maye just may end up being the second-best QB in the division as well.
But even though I am quite high on this team, we can’t crown them yet. Drake Maye comes in at 18th in our QB rankings for the 2025 NFL Season, but this is a solid ranking and leaves a ton of room for him to skyrocket in 2025, which is absolutely going to happen.
17. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
When he’s on the field, the Miami Dolphins are quite good and nearly-elite on the offensive side of the ball, but that’s been the primary issue for Tua Tagovailoa during his career, and the injury concerns have stayed with him since his collegiate days - some players just never shed that injury bug, and more broadly, Tagovailoa is also just a decent QB.
His not being able to lead the Dolphins on a playoff run and not really being able to play all that well when the weather gets cold are huge issues. Tua Tagovailoa might be the perfect QB for a franchise that has been searching for competent QB play for years. It would not shock me to see the Dolphins moving on from their QB in some capacity if 2025 ends up being a dud.
16. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
At this point, I am not sure Kyler Murray is going to ever truly breakout. It seems like we are waiting for him to do so each year, but it just has not happened yet. Murray just might be an average quarterback, which is fine! However, at some point, the Arizona Cardinals might want to pursue something bigger and could get aggressive.
They have gone from four to eight wins in the 2023 to 2024 seasons, so the franchise is on the right track, but if they can’t take another step forward in 2025, it’ll be hard to see how they can keep this thing going with Murray under center.
One of the few true dual-threat quarterbacks in the NFL, Murray is 16th in our power rankings for the 2025 NFL Season, and it really does not feel like he is going to rise much, but Marvin Harrison Jr making a year two leap could make things a lot easier for the QB.
15. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
I have no idea why people think Jalen Hurts is a top-5 QB. He’s not even close to that if we’re being honest. Hurts is a below-average passer who is quite slow to process, holds onto the ball for too long, and takes too many sacks.
The Eagles have an insane team around him and honestly should have won multiple Super Bowls at this point, but I guess people are attracted to Hurts being able to remain calm and come through in the clutch, which are both extremely important things to possess as a QB!
However, just about everything else is quite underwhelming. Yes, the Eagles and Hurts won the Super Bowl, but I am still not buying into this QB. He’s 15th in our power rankings and is average at best.
14. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy signed a mega contract extension this offseason with the San Francisco 49ers, and he did deserve it, but Purdy might not be a great QB at any point in his career and might be one of those passers who ends up being as good and playing as good as his surroundings, which is totally OK.
The 49ers have made it to the Super Bowl with Purdy under center, and given his limitations, GM John Lynch may have to do a little bit more work to ensure that the roster is buttoned-up as much as possible.
Purdy is 14th in our power rankings, and I could honestly be convinced to move him up a spot or two. He’s still quite young and should only be entering the prime years of his NFL career. The Niners, if nothing else, have a competent, slightly above-average QB they can win some games with, and that could be fine for the franchise.
13. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott is coming back from a pretty nasty hamstring injury he suffered in the 2024 NFL Season, and he’s now got a revamped running back room and another wide receiver to throw the ball to in George Pickens, so this offense may actually be quite good, and in the Prescott era, the offense has never really been a major issue.
Prescott is a very good quarterback and has been quite efficient for most of his career, but because he plays for the Dallas Cowboys, he seems to be subjected more to criticism than other quarterbacks around the NFL, which just is not fair.
But for years, Prescott has been a model teammate and has always said the right thing. He’s probably a bit underappreciated. Dak Prescott is 13th in our power rankings.
12. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans broke out in a major way in the 2023 NFL Season, but they also regressed a bit in 2024, so it’s easy to see why the 2025 NFL Season could be the most important that this franchise has ever had.
Stroud is a very good quarterback but is 12th in our rankings as we head into the 2025 NFL Season. He’s got the talent and overall skillset to skyrocket up these rankings and even earn some MVP votes along the way. Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, Joe Mixon, and now Nick Chubb figure to be the top players that Stroud will have at his disposal in 2025.
It should be a solid year for the defense, which helps, but the Texans offensive line is going to be the major factor here. If they get things figured out along the OL, CJ Stroud and the offense should be quite efficient, and they should win more than 10 games.
11. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Jordan Love has been an above-average QB over the last two seasons, but those kinds of quarterbacks do not win Super Bowls. He and the Green Bay Packers have to take a leap in 2025 if they hope to become among the contenders in the NFL. We know that this team can win 10 or 11 games, but I want more.
They have won 20 regular season games over the last two seasons and have made it to the playoffs two years in a row now. But is that going to be good enough? Love and the Packers do have nice roster talent and a competent offensive line to boot, so the only thing that can really derail this season might be Jordan Love himself. He’s 11th in our QB rankings for the 2025 NFL Season.
10. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos had an amazing season in 2024, and Nix really silenced a ton of doubters. The Broncos are in a great position to become one of the best teams in the NFL in 2025, but they’ve still got to prove it, and some people still seem to be a bit out on Nix and the Broncos.
Now yes, Sean Payton is an offensive mastermind and does know how to get the most out of his QBs, but can’t we apply this same logic to Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid? What if Bo Nix is a great QB? That’s firmly possible. He finished with the fifth-most touchdown passes in the NFL last year with 29 and ended up with 34 total, so he was quite good and productive.
The Broncos could compete for the AFC West title in the 2025 NFL Season if the defense gets that much better and if Nix can take a step forward. He is 10th in our QB power rankings.
9. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Hebert has been the perfect B+ QB his entire career, and that might begin to be an issue. He and the Los Angeles Chargers have been to the playoffs in two separate seasons, and they’ve gotten embarrassed in both games, so the early returns on the Herbert era, besides him putting up shiny stats isn’t too great. LA won 11 games in 2024 and could eek out another win or two in 2025 given their offseason additions, but they still do not feel like a juggernaut at all.
If nothing else, it’s about guaranteed that Justin Herbert is again a very efficient QB. He’s been that way his entire career, and he comes in at ninth in our QB power rankings for the 2025 NFL Season.
8. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield was insanely prolific for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2024 NFL Season, but former offensive coordinator Liam Coen is now the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, so it’ll be another year of transition for that unit. Not only that, but Mike Evans is another year older and Chris Godwin is coming off a major injury, so this unit could regress a bit.
Baker Mayfield is still one of the better QBs in the NFL, as he hit the 40-touchdown mark and 4,500 passing yards mark in the same season, which is pretty rare. He’s really turned his career around with the Bucs and should still be mostly efficient in the 2025 NFL Season. It’s hard to find a spot for Mayfield, as he’s not a great quarterback. Eighth feels like as high as we’ll see him in QB rankings.
Does the veteran quarterback have even better football in him for the 2025 NFL Season?
7. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes is one of the most interesting quarterbacks in the NFL. Statistically, his production has been just OK over the last two seasons - nothing special, but the Kansas City Chiefs have also won a Super Bowl and appeared in another, so they are still winning at the highest level.
The Chiefs have been missing that explosive element of their offense, and it’s kind of turned this unit into a dink-and-dunk one, which is interesting. Kansas City should still be among the best teams in the NFL and may have another great shot at winning the AFC West for the 10th year in a row, which just does not seem real.
Mahomes and the Chiefs may also begin to prove us wrong a bit and end up right back atop the NFL. It’s hard to find a good spot for Patrick Mahomes. He comes in at seventh in our QB rankings for the 2025 NFL Season.
6. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford is still playing at a very high level even as he gets closer to 40 years old. Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams won 10 games in the 2024 NFL Season and captured the NFC West title. They finished the year 9-3 after a shaky 1-4 start, so this team is absolutely a Super Bowl contender if they can avoid the injury bug.
Stafford is still an elite processor and still has high-end arm talent. He can make every throw on the field and hasn’t really shown major signs of regressing just yet. They won the Super Bowl back in 2021 and probably have another year or two together before we really start to have some tough conversations, but Matthew Stafford is absolutely an elite quarterback and is sixth in our QB rankings for the 2025 NFL Season.
The Rams should have another great shot at winning the NFC West title this year.
5. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Jared Goff truly revived his career when he went from the Los Angeles Rams to the Detroit Lions, but the Lions may be in for their toughest test yet, as both Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn both got head coaching jobs this offseason, so it’s going to be interesting to see how both units deal with the new play-callers.
The Lions roster is among the most talented in the NFL, so they should be just fine, but a slight regression, even from Goff, could be on the docket. He’s established himself as an elite pocket passer in today’s NFL when most of the notable quarterbacks are dual-threat. Goff is honestly part of a dying breed. He’s fifth in our QB power rankings for the 2025 NFL Season. This is probably as good as we will ever see Jared Goff.
4. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels was spectacular in the 2024 NFL Season for the Washington Commanders and is someone who could get a ton of MVP votes in 2025. Daniels and the Commanders won 14 total games between the regular season and playoffs, so it’s not like they had much more room to win anymore.
Some have said that the Commanders are in a spot to regress in 2025, which I could see, but Daniels and the offense was just so efficient that it’s hard for me to see them not be quite good yet again.
This is a well-oiled machine with the closest thing we have to Lamar Jackson as the quarterback. Daniels is fourth in our QB power rankings for the 2025 NFL Season and could honestly rise a spot or two when the season gets underway.
3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
The third-best QB in the NFL is Josh Allen. He did win the MVP award in the 2024 NFL Season, but he wasn’t a super prolific passer and did see his receivers end up a ton of yards after the catch, so you could argue that Allen just was not asked to do a whole lot for the Buffalo Bills.
But one thing is true; Allen and the Bills have taken ownership of the AFC East in recent years and do not seem to be letting go anytime soon. They saw the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game in the 2024 NFL Season, which was the second time those two teams met in that game since 2020.
Allen and the Bills have not been able to slay the Chiefs dragon, but could 2025 bring a better fortune? Only time will tell, but Buffalo does have the better QB and roster at this point, so you have to wonder if it is only a matter of time.
2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow threw over 40 touchdowns in the 2024 NFL Season, but it was wasted away by the putrid Cincinnati Bengsls defense. And to make things worse, both Trey Hendrickson and 2025 first-round pick Shemar Stewart each do not have a contract. It seems like Hendrickson will indeed holdout if he doesn’t get one, and who the heck knows what’ll happen with Stewart.
The Bengals at least have one of the best QBs in the NFL and perhaps a future Hall of Famer if he can continue stringing these insane seasons together. However, it would not shock me if Burrow ended up requesting a trade at some point, as the Bengals have just not proven to be able to build a consistent team around him, and Burrow really shouldn’t think he’s got to remain loyal just because he was drafted. Even Tom Brady switched teams.
1. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson is absolutely the best quarterback in the NFL right now - he had the best year of his career in the 2024 NFL Season but lost the MVP award to Josh Allen. I almost think the NFL MVP voters had a little bit of voter fatigue and felt like they had to give it to Allen. Anyway, Jackson and the Ravens have made the regular season look like a cakewalk for years now, but they’ve failed to have any legitimate success in the postseason.
They did make it to the AFC Championship Game in the 2023 NFL Season but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs and have also not won multiple games in the playoffs since 2012. Something has to change with Jackson and the Ravens as we approach the 2025 NFL Season, but what if it just does not happen? If nothing else, Ravens fans can rest knowing that they’ve got the best QB in the league.