The 2024 NFL season has featured a mix of season veterans, rising rookies, unproven talents, and all-time greats. And, while performances vary from week to week, it’s time to rank all 32 NFL starting quarterbacks as we head into the back half of the season.
32. Cooper Rush — Dallas Cowboys
Cooper Rush is simply filling in for the injured Dak Prescott — who will be out for the rest of the season — but let’s face it, he hasn’t been good. This season looks like it’s going to be one to forget for the Dallas Cowboys.
31. Daniel Jones — New York Giants
It seems as if Daniel Jones’ time with the New York Giants has come to an end, and for good reason. He’s been benched for backup Tommy DeVito after a fairly dismal start to the season.
30. Trevor Lawrence — Jacksonville Jaguars
Mac Jones has been filling in for Jacksonville Jaguar’s starting QB Trevor Lawrence since he’s been hurt, but Lawrence is expected to return, so let’s just focus on him. Lawrence got himself a big payday following his first few seasons in the NFL, but he has not played well this year. And while the team around him (and the coaching staff) is also to blame, Lawrence should be playing a lot better for the amount of money he’s getting paid.
29. Gardner Minshew — Las Vegas Raiders
Apologies to Gardner Minshew, but he’s not meant to be a starting quarterback. In fact, a big reason why the Raiders are sitting last in the AFC West is due to Minshew being a subpar QB.
28. Will Levis — Tennessee Titans
Will Levis currently leads the league in interception rate and the entire Tennessee Titans offense just looks out of sync. While it may be too early to say he’s a bust, he’s going to have to drastically improve to change people’s opinions about him.
27. Jameis Winston — Cleveland Browns
Jameis Winston is filling in for the injured Deshaun Watson for the rest of the season and it’s already been an up-and-down experience. While he played well in his first game with the Browns, his second performance was not very good. Nobody, not even Winston, can save this Browns team.
26. Bryce Young — Carolina Panthers
Bryce Young reclaimed the starting quarterback role from Andy Dalton, and while he’s looked better since his return, he’s still not living up to his #1 draft position. Maybe it’s the organization, perhaps it’s the players around him, but the Panthers have struggled mightily this year.
25. Anthony Richardson — Indianapolis Colts
Anthony Richardson recently returned as the Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback after sitting for a couple of weeks, and while it’s clear he has immense talent, there’s still a lot to improve. He’s last in completion percentage, so if he wants to stick around as a starter in the future he has to clean that up.
24. Drake Maye — New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are not a great football team, so it’s hard to fully judge Drake Maye’s performances thus far, but he has shown flashes of promise. However, for him to actually be successful in the future, New England needs to get a better team of players around him.
23. Caleb Williams — Chicago Bears
Expectations were extremely high for Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears coming into this season, and let’s be honest, he hasn’t exactly lived up to them. But, it’s also not really his fault. Williams is a rookie who deserves time to learn, grow, and make mistakes. Unfortunately, he’s getting sacked almost every play and can’t quite get the offense going.
22. Sam Darnold — Minnesota Vikings
Sam Darnold started off the season extremely well and the Minnesota Vikings looked like the team to beat. However, in recent weeks, the team has come back down to earth and so have Darnold’s performances.
21. Brock Purdy — San Francisco 49ers
Is Brock Purdy a good quarterback or does he just have great weapons around him? This is the question that has been asked a million times and to be honest, I’m not sure we know the answer. He’s shown flashes of brilliance, but at times he still makes very questionable mistakes.
20. Tua Tagovailoa — Miami Dolphins
It’s hard to judge Tua Tagovailoa’s performance this season because he missed so much time due to his concussion, but when he’s played he has performed decently well. The jury’s still out about whether he’ll ever become an elite quarterback, but he’s solid enough.
19. Matthew Stafford — Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford has great weapons and a great head coach in Los Angeles, but his age is starting to show. How much longer will he be able to perform at a high level? Only time will tell.
18. Aaron Rodgers — New York Jets
The New York Jets organization has been a mess this year, but Aaron Rodgers hasn’t exactly done himself any favors either. And, as the oldest starting quarterback on this list, it’s clear that Rodgers’s time as an elite player is probably over.
17. Bo Nix — Denver Broncos
Bo Nix is quietly having one of the best rookie seasons of the year. It’s taken him a little time to adjust to the speed of play (which is perfectly normal), but in recent weeks he’s looked sharp and confident.
16. Jordan Love — Green Bay Packers
The Packers have had an up-and-down season, and while Jordan Love has played decently well, his decision-making at times has been questionable. The Packers still have a shot at the playoffs, but it will require Love to clean up his mistakes.
15. Kirk Cousins — Atlanta Falcons
Kirk Cousins is as steady as they come, and that’s exactly what the Atlanta Falcons have needed this season. He has been brilliant? No. But he’s done enough to keep the team atop the NFC South.
14. Geno Smith — Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks’ offensive line is terrible, but Geno Smith is still proving he’s a very solid quarterback. Sure, it hasn’t always been pretty, but Smith and the Seahawks still have a chance at winning the NFC West.
13. Derek Carr — New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr has actually played well for the New Orleans Saints, but they went on such a bad losing streak that they ended up firing their head coach. Now, that’s not Carr’s fault, but it’s safe to say he’s not performed any miracles this year.
12. Russell Wilson — Pittsburgh Steelers
After a few disappointing years in Denver, Russell Wilson is having himself a career renaissance in Pittsburgh. In fact, the Steelers are currently atop the AFC North and look like a team that could make a deep run in the playoffs.
11. Jayden Daniels — Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels will more than likely be the 2024 NFL Rookie of the Year and he 100% deserves it. Sure, he’s made some rookie mistakes, but he has shown immense composure and confidence.
10. Baker Mayfield — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield’s career has been a rollercoaster, but it looks like he’s found his footing in Tampa Bay. While he still has moments of questionable decision-making, he has done well with this Tampa team and coaching staff.
9. C.J. Stroud — Houston Texans
C.J. Stroud had a great rookie year with the Houston Texans and he’s been improving on that this year. While he has struggled a little bit to complete passes under pressure, he’s proven himself as a solid quarterback who will have success in the league for years to come.
8. Justin Herbert — Los Angeles Chargers
New head coach Jim Harbaugh has really given quarterback Justin Herbert the tools to be successful and it’s paying off. While the Chargers are still sitting in second place in the AFC West behind Kansas City, there’s a chance they could sneak into the playoffs.
7. Kyler Murray — Arizona Cardinals
One of the surprises of the season has to be Kyler Murray, who has looked very good thus far. In fact, not only has he managed to stay healthy, but he’s limited the turnovers and has gotten this Cardinals offense rolling.
6. Jalen Hurts — Philadelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts has really improved in 2024 after a slightly disappointing last half of the 2023 season. The Eagles are looking like a strong contender in the NFC and Hurts has shown great poise and patience.
5. Jared Goff — Detroit Lions
Sure, Jared Goff has a great offensive line, receivers, and coordinator, but he is still playing well. In fact, the Detroit Lions look like the best team in the NFL and no one is going to want to face them come the playoffs.
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4. Patrick Mahomes — Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes is not having his best season ever, but it really doesn’t matter. The Chiefs have the best record in the AFC and Mahomes is getting a lot out of an offense that is missing a handful of their starters.
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3. Joe Burrow — Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow is having an MVP type of season and yet the Cincinnati Bengals have a losing record and look like they’re going to miss out on the playoffs. Burrow has done everything right, but it’s just not paying off.
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2. Josh Allen — Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen is playing extremely well and the Buffalo Bills look like Super Bowl contenders. Sure, he could still clean up the interceptions, but his ability to find open receivers, extend plays, and get touchdowns with his legs is second to none.
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1. Lamar Jackson — Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson is having yet another MVP season. While the Baltimore Ravens have suffered some tough losses, there’s no question Jackson is one of the top quarterbacks in the league.