We, at PerSources, have ranked the top-20 players from both the RB and WR positions. Now, it’s time to move to the most important position on the field, the QB. Earlier this offseason, PerSources fans participated in a survey where they ranked the 32 starting quarterbacks. Here, we’re going to focus in on the 10 best. As the countdown to the NFL’s 100th season rolls on, we continue with our 2019 NFL season preview. Let’s look at the top-10 quarterbacks for 2019.
#10: Philip Rivers
2018-19 season stats: 68.3 completion percentage, 4,308 passing yards, 32 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a 105.5 passer rating.
Kicking off our quarterback rankings is the man with the most awkward throwing motion in the league, Philip Rivers. As awkward as it is, Rivers makes it work for the Chargers.
Last season was neither his best or worst of his career. In fact, it was a pretty average one looking at Phillips’ past numbers. Nevertheless, he led the Chargers to a 12-4 record, tied for the best in the AFC. Rivers, himself, was even in the brief conversation for the MVP.
Last season, Los Angeles emerged as a true favorite to win the conference. For Rivers, unfortunately, that didn’t come to fruition due to their 41-28 loss to the Patriots in the Divisional Round. Rivers tallied 331 yards but went an underwhelming 25/51 in the process.
Los Angeles has all of the tool necessary to win a Super Bowl title. At 37, time is running out. Unless Rivers is like Tom Brady and can withstand father time, this season is shaping out to be a now or never situation for him.
Rivers has Mike Williams, Keenan Allen, and the returning Hunter Henry at his disposal. If Melvin Gordon re-signs, he’ll also be taking the field alongside Rivers. The QB has the weapons around him needed to succeed. It’s just a matter of whether or not they can remain healthy (Derwin James has already been sidelined). Rivers is still underrated, underappreciated, and praised the most when he’s trash-talking. The only way to change that is to lead this Chargers above and beyond. That means more than just an AFC Championship appearance.
#9: Ben Roethlisberger
2018-19 season stats: 67 completion percentage, 5,129 passing yards, 34 passing touchdowns, 16 interceptions, and a 96.5 passer rating.
This season of Ben Roethlisberger will be one to watch. Roethlisberger is coming off a year where he had career-highs in completion percentage, passing yards, touchdowns, and even interceptions. He also led the league in passing yards for the second year. Even at 37 years old, Roethlisberger clearly hasn’t lost a step. However, this season he’ll be without two of the most prominent weapons he’s ever played with.
After holding out last season due to contract disputes, Le’Veon Bell didn’t return to the team. Instead, he decided to sign with the New York Jets this offseason. To add to that, Antonio Brown also forced his way out of Pittsburgh and to the Oakland Raiders in a blockbuster trade.
Since 2013, Brown and Bell have been two of the best players in the NFL. With their departure, questions arise as to whether or not that will result in a dip in Roethlisberger’s numbers.
These moves leave WR Juju Smith-Schuster and RB James Conner as Roethlisberger’s top targets. As good as Conner is, he’s nowhere near the player that Bell is. Conner isn’t the elusive receiving back that Bell was for the Steelers. Flipping to Smith-Schuster, he put up elite numbers as a second option. Whether he’s a legit star remains to be seen. And, since he’ll be put into the limelight as Pittsburgh WR1, we’ll finally see whether he can be the productive receiver for Roethlisberger that Brown was.
The bottom line is that Roethlisberger needs to show he can perform without elite talent. He notched career numbers without Bell on the field. Who says he can’t do the same without Brown?
“Big Ben” is still an elite quarterback. People are counting Pittsburgh out to win the division due to the emergence of the Browns. This puts a chip on Roethlisberger’s shoulder, as he and his team are being highly underestimated. The key for his season will be to remain consistent.
His concerns lie in the players who are the new focus of the offense. Along with Conner and Smith-Schuster, Roethlisberger will also have James Washington, Ryan Switzer, Eli Rogers, Donte Moncrief, Vance McDonald, and others to work with as well. If he can develop the same level of chemistry he did with his former Pro-Bowl teammates, Roethlisberger will have a great chance to lead the Steelers back to the postseason.
#8: Jared Goff
2018-19 season stats: 64.9 completion percentage, 4,688 passing yards, 32 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a 101.1 passer rating.
2018 was the breakout season of many players. Jared Goff was one of them. All the numbers listed above were career-highs for the third-year QB who led the Rams to a 13-3 season including an NFC Championship. Goff was on fire for most of the season. He had 465, 413, 391, and 354-yard games as part of one of the best offenses in the league. Goff ranked fourth in passing yards and tied for sixth in passing touchdowns.
Some would make the solid argument that Jared Goff is a system quarterback. Goff’s season peaked in a Monday Night Football bout against the Kansas City Chiefs. But, in games following that (mainly against the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears), Goff’s high-level play suddenly disappeared. From Week 12 on, Goff recorded only one more 300-yard game. Against the Chicago Bears, he had only 180 yards and a 45.5% completion percentage. The week prior, against the Lions, he had 207 yards on 17/33 passing.
What was evident in these back-to-back games was that once the strategy to compromise the Rams’ offensive scheme was working, Goff completely shut down. The tail-end of Goff’s season didn’t see him have the impressive run he had pre-Week 12. As teams figured out how the Rams’ operated, they were able to suppress Goff.
That’s a huge concern for not only Goff but the whole Rams’ team. Sean McVay needs to find a way to keep his quarterback playing at an elite level throughout the entire season, not just before a bye week.
Jared Goff is still growing as a player in all parts of his game. In his three years in the league, Goff has increased his completion percentage each season. That reflects Goff’s ever-growing confidence which will continue into this season. In addition, his decision-making is also expected to grow. Why? Because he’ll have learned from last season to stop holding onto the ball for so long.
Goff had the fifth-longest time to throw the ball in the league in 2018. Out of the 25 times that Goff was sacked, 23 of them happened when he held the ball for 2.5 or more seconds. This means that Goff needs to improve on getting the ball out quicker and making decisions faster.
As one of the top young players this league has, Goff still has much to improve on. Quarterbacks in this league get judged heavily on sacks and interceptions. To prevent both, Goff needs to heighten his decision-making ability. And, whether it’s the Rams’ system or his play, Jared Goff needs to be elite for the entirety of the season. If he kept that pre-Week 12 pace going, Goff would’ve finished with 5,159 yards, better than the previously-ranked Ben Roethlisberger.
Jared Goff can lead the Rams back to the Super Bowl. If he improves his play this season, he’ll lead them to a Super Bowl title as well.
#7: Andrew Luck
2018-19 season stats: 67.3 completion percentage, 4,593 passing yards, 39 passing touchdowns, 15 interceptions, and a 98.7 passer rating.
Despite being riddled with injuries over the past few seasons, Andrew Luck remains a top-10 quarterback. Luck’s completion percentage and QBR were heightened in 2018, resulting in a modest 10-6 season for the Indianapolis Colts. Luck also won the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award for his performance.
I expected Luck to top 5,000 passing yards in a season by now. Unfortunately, I don’t think that’ll happen this season due to a calf-turned-ankle injury that Luck sustained this offseason. He continues to be held out of practice and the preseason.
The Colts’ roster significantly improved this offseason. On paper, the team looks like they can make a run to the AFC Championship. For Luck, he’s still 29 which is young compared to the other quarterbacks on this list. He’s also now two years removed from shoulder surgery.
Overall, the biggest thing for Andrew Luck this season is his health. He needs to recover and stay healthy. The Colts remain optimistic, but Luck might not even start Week 1.
It may seem like Andrew Luck should be lower on this list. However, although he’s been riddled with injuries, his talent trumps all of that. If healthy, Luck has the tools around him to be an AFC threat.
#6: Matt Ryan
2018-19 season stats: 69.4 completion percentage, 4,924 passing yards, 35 passing touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and a 108.1 passer rating.
“Matty Ice” is one of the more underrated quarterbacks on this list. You could also make the argument that Ryan deserves to be higher up. Throughout his career, Matt Ryan has been consistent, and 2018 was no different. Even after an uncharacteristic 2017 season, Ryan bounced his way back. That included the second-highest passing yard total of his career (behind his MVP season total). 2018 also saw Ryan notch the most passing touchdowns since that same season and the fewest interceptions of his career.
If you need more evidence as to how impressive his season was, Ryan ranked third in both passing yards and passing touchdowns.
Those are a lot of numbers for a quarterback who’s rather underappreciated. But, this season, Ryan is going to have to reach to new heights if he really wants to be considered among the NFL’s elite.
Ryan needs to do something he’s never done in his career, and that’s top 5,000+ passing yards. He came awfully close last year, but he didn’t quite make it. However, this season isn’t only about Ryan’s personal accolades, but it’s also about what he can do to bring the Falcons back to the playoffs. You’d think that since Super Bowl LIII was in Atlanta, the team would have more motivation. They didn’t. The Falcons turned in a disappointing 7-9 season.
The BC product has one of the best offenses in the league. His offensive weaponry includes the likes of superstar receiver Julio Jones, Mohamed Sanu, Calvin Ridley, Austin Hooper, Devonta Freeman, and other solid pieces. With talent like this, it’s hard to imagine these Falcons missing the postseason. Atlanta does have some work to do in regards to their offensive line and defense, but overall, Ryan leads the forefront of a team that’s better than a 7-9 record.
Matt Ryan needs to put the Falcons back into a winning position. That might mean the 5,000 passing yard season that was previously discussed. That also means his players remaining healthy. Since 2008, Ryan has remained in the top-11 in QBR, finishing outside the top-10 once. He’s as consistent and reliable as they come. His 2019 must somewhat replicate his 2016 season if he wants to put the Falcons back in a winning position.
#5: Russell Wilson
2018-19 season stats: 65.6 completion percentage, 3,448 passing yards, 35 passing touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and a 110.9 passer rating.
In fifth is, in my opinion, the best dual-threat quarterback in the NFL, Russell Wilson.
Ever since the Seahawks’ last Super Bowl appearance in 2014, their overall talent has lowered each year. The one person that’s remained consistently great for the franchise is Wilson.
Wilson’s passing touchdown, QBR, and interception numbers were the best they’ve ever been, even with the lack of talent. That led him to be, for now, the second-highest paid player in NFL history. Wilson agreed to a four-year, $87.6 million contract extension this offseason. It contains a $31 million signing bonus and about $60 million in guarantees.
My opinion on big-money contracts simply is: if the organization trusted you enough to sign you to it, then you better play like you’re worth it. There’s no doubt that Wilson is deserving of one of the largest contracts in the NFL. Now, he has the pressure on him to perform up to that standard.
Even though his contract should correlate with improved performance, I wouldn’t bet on that for Wilson. His supporting cast isn’t necessarily as stacked as some of the quarterbacks on the list. WR Doug Baldwin has departed from the team with the hole being filled by rookies D.K Metcalf and Gary Jennings.
One of the greatest strengths of Russell Wilson is his consistency. As good as he could be, that’s rather suppressed because of the lack of playmakers around him. RBs Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny along with WR Tyler Lockett are really the only playmakers that Wilson can lean on.
Wilson will do what he’s been doing for the past seven seasons. He’ll continue to be one of the NFL’s elite. Whether it’s slinging jaw-dropping passes through the air or taking it on the ground himself, Wilson will do it all for Seattle. Though, the Seahawks lack of talent may compromise him this season.
#4: Aaron Rodgers
2018-19 season stats: 62.3 completion percentage, 4,442 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, 2 interceptions, and a 97.6 passer rating.
One year ago, Aaron Rodgers was regarded as the best quarterback in the NFL by many. Now, he doesn’t even crack my top three. Why? Because it’s not entirely about talent. Otherwise, Rodgers would easily be placed in the top two. Regardless, Rodgers has a whole lot to prove this season.
The former Cal QB didn’t have a bad season. Maybe he had a bad season by his standards, but compared to some other quarterbacks not listed, he had himself a year. Racking up nearly 4,500 passing yards is impressive for Rodgers. This was even more impressive because he suffered a tibial plateau fracture and a sprained MCL in Week 1.
With his limited mobility, Rodgers still put up the sixth-most passing yards. Based on what he’s said in regards to his injuries, he didn’t need surgery and is feeling “incredible.” Right now, he’s dealing with back tightness which has the Packers taking precautionary measures. The expectation is that Rodgers will be 100% come Week 1.
On that note, the goal for Aaron Rodgers is to win. Because, at this point, at least to me, questions must arise as to whether or not Rodgers is an elite quarterback. And, if he is, it must be because of his talent and not what he’s accomplished.
From 2008-14, Rodgers led Green Bay to a 70-33 record and a Super Bowl win. Rodgers also had two MVPs over that time frame. Now, since 2015, the Packers have a 30-24-1 record with Aaron Rodgers under center. Injuries do play a part in this record, but overall, he isn’t the same player he once was.
In fact, at 35, it’s obvious that he’s on a downslope. Each of the past four seasons saw him throw for a completion percentage lower than 65% and a passer rating below 100. Rodgers isn’t the “bad man” everyone thinks he is. Leading a comeback against the Bears in Week 1 of last season was impressive. Every “Hail Mary” play he’s completed are as well. But, at the end of the day, Rodgers needs to prove he’s still an elite player and a winner.
All 2019 should be about for Rodgers is leading the Packers to the NFC Championship game. No one has Green Bay as the favorite or even a threat to the defending NFC champion Los Angeles Rams. But, if the highly-praised Aaron Rodgers is under center, anything should be possible. 2019 is the bounce-back season for Rodgers. It’s now or never.
#3: Drew Brees
2018-19 season stats: 74.4 completion percentage, 3,992 passing yards, 32 passing touchdowns, 5 interceptions, and a 115.7 passer rating.
As Drew Brees gets older, he overachieves more and more. Last season, Brees became the NFL’s all-time passing yards leader, totaling 74,437 over the course of his career. He’s 40 and has still found a way to have the highest single-season pass completion percentage in NFL history. If it weren’t for the historic season of Patrick Mahomes, Brees would’ve been the clear cut MVP after leading the Saints to a 13-3 record.
It’s fair to say that Drew Brees is underrated when it comes to the all-time quarterback conversation. He’s one of the best quarterbacks I’ve seen in my lifetime. I’ll put Brees over Rodgers any day, simply because he’s better. Rodgers is a more talented player, but Brees’ numbers and performance separates him from Rodgers. It’s not common to see a quarterback have a completion percentage of 70+ for three straight seasons. Each season, his percentage went up and his interception numbers went down. Brees is as accurate of a QB as there is in this league.
There’s not much to say in regards to concerns surrounding Brees. After last season’s heartbreaking NFC Championship game, Brees is coming back with a vengeance. He has two of the best players at their respective positions in Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas at his disposal. He has a successful Sean Payton offense to work with. And, overall, Brees has all the tools both on and off the field to lead the Saints to a Super Bowl victory.
What should you expect from Drew Brees? Another MVP campaign which will correlate to another deep New Orleans playoff run.
#2: Tom Brady
2018-19 season stats: 65.8 completion percentage, 4,355 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and a 97.7 passer rating.
The greatest quarterback of all-time clocks in at second on this quarterback rankings list. You can make a firm argument that Brady should be placed anywhere in the top-10. His numbers aren’t very attractive in the regular season. But, then again, the great ones separate themselves under the bright lights of football’s biggest stages. It’s something Tom Brady has done better than anyone else.
Brady is coming off of his sixth Super Bowl title at 42. As much as that stat is said, it’s still impressive. Over the past few seasons, Brady hasn’t had the most talent or the best numbers. However, he won when it’s counted most. Patrick Mahomes, Andrew Luck, Deshaun Watson, and Philip Rivers are just some of the quarterbacks that, despite having great seasons, have been trumped by Brady.
His top target, TE Rob Gronkowski, elected to retire this offseason. Even with the dominant receiver departing from the team, Brady has an underrated receiving corps to work with this season. It’s comprised of last year’s Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman, Phillip Dorsett, N’Keal Harry, Cameron Meredith, Demaryius Thomas, and others. Even if some of their stats don’t look so good on paper, the Patriots are known for finding a way players can make an impact. A mix of veterans and rookies is what Brady has to work with this season, giving him many options about who should fill the Gronkowski-sized void left.
What should we all expect from Brady? Unlike the other quarterbacks on this list, you can’t turn to yardage or touchdown predictions. All you should expect from Brady is another season leading one of the best teams in the NFL. Expect Brady to lead an offense that’ll be a top-2 seed in the AFC, and yet again, a Super Bowl contender. Don’t expect Brady’s numbers to be on the same level of Drew Brees or Matt Ryan.
As I mentioned before, at this age, it’s not the numbers that make Brady great. It’s his ability to always come through when it counts the most. Whether it’s on the road or at Gillette Stadium, Brady remains as clutch as ever. This season, Tom Brady will further stake his claim as the greatest football player of all-time.
#1: Patrick Mahomes
2018-19 season stats: 66.0 completion percentage, 5,097 passing yards, 50 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, and a 113.8 passer rating.
The number one quarterback heading into the 2019-20 NFL season is none other than the reigning MVP, Patrick Mahomes.
Last season, Mahomes overachieved in every sense of the word. He put himself in a class of his own with his game-breaking performances and jaw-dropping plays.
Looking at his numbers, he’s only the second player in league history to hit the 5000-yard and 50-TD mark. Mahomes also achieved the eighth-most passing yards in a single-season. He joined Peyton Manning and Tom Brady as the only players to throw for 50+ touchdowns. Mahomes got the Chiefs over the hump by leading them to the first seed in the AFC. He brought them all the way to the AFC Championship, where they suffered an overtime defeat to the New England Patriots.
After coming off of one of the best single-seasons for a quarterback ever, one must ask what’s next for Mahomes? The simple answer to that is a Super Bowl appearance.
Last season showed us that Mahomes is the quarterback of the future. He led the Chiefs on a deep playoff run at 23. But, when it comes to his amazing season, I wouldn’t bet on Mahomes to replicate it.
No quarterback has ever thrown for 40+ touchdowns in a season and increased that number the next. It’s hard to imagine Mahomes throwing for 50+ for a second season. The greatest quarterbacks have yet to conquer that feat. Anything is possible in this league, but this year is due to be way more difficult for Mahomes and KC.
The Chiefs have the fifth-hardest schedule this season. Their opponents having a combined win percentage of .520. They’ll be playing seven of the top 10 defenses from last season, giving Mahomes a huge challenge this year. Even with their difficult schedule, they should be considered AFC favorites because Mahomes is under-center and the Patriots get counted out every year.
With his extraordinary arm talent, gunslinger play-style, and underrated ability to run, Mahomes is due to improve this season. It’s an interesting situation because I expect Mahomes to get better as a player, but not better in terms of his numbers. Despite all of that, not only is Mahomes the best quarterback heading into the season, he should be considered the MVP favorite.
His favorite weapon, WR Tyreek Hill, wasn’t suspended, meaning he’ll be available Week 1. On top of that, Mahomes will once again have TE Travis Kelce at his disposal. Now that Rob Gronkowski has retired, he may be the best TE in football. Sammy Watkins, Damien Williams, and rookie Mecole Hardman are due to be key pieces in the Chiefs’ offense as well.
After last year, Mahomes has all eyes on him. He goes into the season with great chances to win back-to-back MVP awards. And, in the process, he could make a Super Bowl appearance as well. His talent is undeniable, and this season, he’ll show the world why he’ll be the best quarterback in the league for many, many years to come.
Who’ll Finish The Season On Top?
Last season gave us the unexpected rise of Patrick Mahomes. Who knows what this season will bring? Each quarterback has their fair share of pressure on them entering 2019. If any of them fail to make it back to the postseason, their season will be considered a failure.
Will Mahomes continue his dominance? Will Drew Brees and Tom Brady give him a run for the top spot? How will Aaron Rodgers bounce back after a subpar 2018 season? All of these questions and more will be answered in a few short weeks.
Which quarterbacks were ranked too high? Which are too low? Let me know.