12. Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Over the final eight games of his rookie season, Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos went 5-3, and Nix was on a 45-touchdown pace. It’s safe to say that Nix and the Broncos proved a ton of people wrong in the 2024 NFL Season, as Denver has gone from being thought of as one of the worst teams in the NFL to a team that could dethrone the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs. Not only is their second-year QB a strong passer, but he can do damage with his legs as well.
11. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans
CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans regressed a bit in the 2024 NFL Season, and if the offensive line can get into shape in 2025, they’ll be among the best teams in the NFL. Stroud and Houston are entering a very crucial third year, as in 2023 and 2024, they’ve got 10-7 and won one playoff game, so that’s been their ceiling so far. Stroud is just outside the top-10 in our power rankings but does have a top-10 ceiling in the NFL.
10. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert is probably never going to be better than where he is now, as he has been the same exact QB each year of his NFL career. The LA Chargers have a stable, franchise QB, but they don’t have an elite passer, and in both years the Chargers have been to the playoffs in the Herbert era, they’ve gotten embarrassed.
I have said for a while now that Justin Herbert is simply this generation’s Kirk Cousins, and through five seasons, that does seem to be the case, but there are many quarterbacks who simply aren’t as good.
9. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Throwing for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2024, Baker Mayfield was simply on fire, and with rookie WR Emeka Egbuka now in the picture, Mayfield hitting 4,000 yards again is on the table. He’s not an elite QB and is likely not able to lead the Buccaneers to the Super Bowl, but he’s found a new home and is definitely one of the better passers in the NFL at this point.