The 2020 NFL season is just a day away. It’s time to release my QB tiers for the season. Let’s go over player tier by tier.
Tier one includes the elite level superstars that can carry a franchise to a Super Bowl trophy by virtually themselves. Russell Wilson was the best quarterback in football. What he did last year was insane. But, Patrick Mahomes went on to win the Super Bowl and is the face of the league.
Deshaun Watson and Carson Wentz, to me, are not arguable. What they do epitomizes the elite level. Watson continues to carry a lifeless offensive line and take his team further than they should be. We saw what Wentz did last year with a roster full of practice squad guys. Those are the top four right now, and all can win a championship with little help.
Tier two includes quarterbacks who have the talent but haven’t quite reached star status. I’m not sure they ever will, but there’s no questioning the ability. Jimmy Garoppolo is a perfect example, having posted a 27-13 TD-INT ratio on over 69%. He’s very, very good. Just a tick below the stars and needs to put another good season together.
Sam Darnold has already proven he’s talented but has no help. The Jets are a no-win situation. Can Kyler Murray reach star level in year two? Josh Allen has all the arm talent in the world. If he improves his accuracy, he can quickly become a star. I think Drew Lock has it, but this is one someone can convince me to put on the too soon to tell list.
Tier three is the aging superstars that can still win. Aaron Rodgers isn’t at peak ARod anymore, but he can still lead a team to 13 wins like a year ago. Drew Brees has had three-straight years of over 72% completion. He’s still uber accurate and can get the job done. Ben Roethlisberger led the NFL in passing yards in 2018. I don’t know if he’s healthy or not, but the last time we saw him, Ben showed he’s still a top-flight QB.
Tier Four is interchangeable with tier three. It’s the B level quarterbacks. By no means are they scrubs, but they’re not guys that can win a championship unless the rest of your team is perfect. Matthew Stafford is the best of the bunch, but he’s stuck with the Lions.
The rest are a tick below but belong on this list. Say what you want about Jameis Winston. His talent is undeniable. The decision making is not great, but we’re still talking about a guy who throws over 5,000 yards and 30 touchdowns for a reason.
Dak Prescott is the perfect B level guy. Dak all the help he could ever ask for and keeps his team in the playoff mix. He’s just not leading you to a title. Matt Ryan, Derek Carr, and healthy Cam Newton all fit this mold.
Tier Five is a limited talent group. I just have Kirk Cousins and Teddy Bridgewater here. I have no issue if you put Cousins in the B level. However, he’s not good in big games and feels like he needs more help from his defense than others. Bridgewater can manage the hell out of a game and averaged the fewest air yards per attempt a year ago.
Tier Six is rookies. Tua Tagovailoa is a superstar, but I’ll throw all of them in here for now until we see what they have.
Tier Seven is the ticking time bomb that is Lamar Jackson. The guy had a tremendous regular season. Once again, he stunk when things matter in the playoffs. Teams will figure this offense out eventually. Just a matter of when. Probably not this year but next year only because the Ravens are a good organization. Jackson will look like his washed-up buddy RG3 in no time.
Tier Eight is the old guys on their last legs. Tom Brady is toast. Watch the games from last year. I was never a doubter before midway through last year, but he’s shot. The same goes for Philip Rivers. Could they have good years? Maybe but both are showing significant signs of being done.
Tier Nine is too soon to tell. Daniel Jones had an okay stretch last year but didn’t do nearly enough to prove he’s a $100 plus million quarterback when his rookie contract is up. We need to see more. Dwayne Haskins was put into such an unfair situation; it’s hard to say how good he is.
Tier Ten is QB’s are below average starters or high-end backups. Do I need to explain myself here on any of them?
Tier Eleven are quarterbacks that are trash. I won the argument on Mitchell Trubisky. Now kneel before your king and think twice before you question my opinion on quarterbacks.
