Ranking NFL QBs for the 2020 NFL Season

This list will be composed of rankings for each of the 32 projected starters in the NFL, as of today, for the 2020-2021 NFL season only. It is difficult to place rookies and other young quarterbacks on this list because of their inexperience and our inability to accurately predict their trajectory, but I did my best to rank them fairly. Likewise, some older players are simply not the stars that they once were. Anyways, lets get into the list!

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32. Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears

I think it is finally safe to say that Mitch Trubisky is not a good quarterback. Throughout his career, he has posted 48 TDs to 29 INTs, a number that looks better than his play indicates. He will regularly miss open receivers with inaccurate throws and he fails to spark any form of excitement with his play. In his three seasons, he has not registered a playoff win (he can thank Cody Parkey for that) with a talented team led by one of the best defenses in the league. It appears that the Bears don't think he will be getting that playoff win anytime soon either, as they have announced an open-competition between himself and newly acquired Nick Foles.

31. Tyrod Taylor, Los Angeles Chargers

With the conclusion of the 2020 NFL Draft, it is clear that Tyrod Taylor is nothing more than a bridge for Justin Herbert. I actually believe that Tyrod Taylor is a serviceable quarterback, but it would be unfair to rank a player who has hardly played in two seasons highly. With all the talent on the Chargers' roster, I would not be surprised if he led them to the playoffs in the upcoming season, but it is more likely that Justin Herbert takes the helm before the season is over.

30. Dwayne Haskins, Washington Redskins

Dwayne Haskins is tough to rank. He has all the arm talent in the world, but I can't place him any higher than this due to his lackluster rookie season. He totaled 7 TDs to 7 INTs with a 58.6 completion percentage. Some of this can be attributed to the lack of talent around him, but a lot of it was due to his poor play, although he did improve as the season went on. Look for after the 2020 season to see the proper ranking for this player.

29. Drew Lock, Denver Broncos

Like Haskins, Drew Lock is extremely difficult to place on this list. In his five starts in 2019, he led the Broncos to a 4-1 record and put up 7 TDs to 3 INTs with a 64.1 completion percentage. He looked fairly impressive in those games, but his sample size is way too small to place him highly at this point. If he can ball out with all the Denver weapons in 2020, Jeezy will be proud, and the next ranking will represent it.

28. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Miami Dolphins

No matter what your opinion is of Ryan Fitzpatrick, you must respect is ability to wiggle himself into a starting spot nearly every season. Like Tyrod Taylor, Ryan Fitzpatrick is nothing more than a placeholder for Tua Tagovailoa until he is ready to start. His play may not always be the prettiest, but it has become normal for Fitzpatrick to get wins in uncanny ways. When he is on the field, you never know what he is going to do.

27. Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars

Gardner Minshew finds himself above fellow rookies Dwayne Haskins and Drew Lock on this list. In my opinion, I think that both those mentioned players have significantly more talent and potential than Minshew, but it would be unjust for me to place them higher right now. The 6th round pick surpassed all expectations by putting up an excellent ratio of 21 TDs to 6 INTs in 2019, but the numbers may be better than his play. Of the six major efficiency ratings (EPA, CPOE, PFF, TPE, QBR, DVOA), Minshew finished no higher than 21st in any of them. He has proven that he is worth more than a 6th round pick, but it is difficult to project him as the franchise starter.

26. Sam Darnold, New York Jets

Sam Darnold has not been placed in an ideal situation since entering the league in 2018. He has been plagued by poor coaching, lack of talent at receiver positions, and a struggling offensive line. That isn't all to blame as Darnold has not been excellent by any means, but I believe he is better than the numbers indicate. He is still a very young player, so the next couple of seasons will determine if he is the right guy for New York.

25. Teddy Bridgewater, Carolina Panthers

Teddy Bridgewater is a player who has been struck with injuries his entire career. After his horrific knee injury in 2016, he took the field as a starter for the first time since, when Drew Brees went out for five games last season. In those games, Bridgwater went 5-0 and threw 9 TDs compared to 2 INTs. It is tough to name Teddy Bridgewater as the franchise quarterback for the Panthers, but he is a more than capable starter until they find their guy in the next couple of years.

24. Derek Carr, Las Vegas Raiders

Derek Carr has a lot to prove in 2020. In 2017, the Raiders signed Carr to a massive 5 year, $125 million deal, and he has not played up to his salary. Although he hasn't been terrible, the Raiders have had a 17-31 record following the 12-4 season that led to the massive contract, so it is safe to say it hasn't paid off yet. Statistically Derek Carr has been decent with 62 TDs to 31 INTs in that time period, but it has not equated to wins. If the Raiders struggle again in 2020, expect Las Vegas to start seeking for a replacement.

23. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

Bills fans may grill me for this, but Josh Allen is not a good quarterback, at least not yet. Sure his 17 rushing TDs in his first two seasons are impressive, but that is not a stat that measures success at the quarterback position. He has a rocket for an arm, but has arguably the most erratic accuracy in the league which is shown by his 56.3 career completion percentage. I am not saying he is a bad player, but he has a lot to improve on before I am convinced that he is anything more than average. I still think the Bills will be a good team in 2020, but I am not sold on the Josh Allen hype.

22. Daniel Jones, New York Giants

The NFL went crazy when the Giants selected Daniel Jones 6th overall in the 2019 NFL Draft over Dwayne Haskins, but it looks like they made the right choice. Danny Dimes showed flashes of great play in 2019 where he posted 24 TDs to 12 INTs with a passer rating of 87.7. His accuracy and arm talent looked promising for a rookie, but fumbling remains a huge concern for him as he fumbled 18 times in 12 games. If he can hold onto the ball, the Giants have found their Eli Manning replacement for the years to come, and 2020 will be a large indicator of that.

21. Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns

Will we get 2018 rookie season Baker or 2019 disappointing Baker in the upcoming season? If he replicates his poor 2019 season where he put up 22 TDs to 21 INTs, then there will be no excuses for his poor play given the immense talent around him. Personally, I am split on how I feel about Baker due to the two very different seasons we have seen from him so far. 2020 will tell all.

20. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

It is impossible to correctly rank a quarterback who has not yet played a single snap in the NFL. I expect the 2019 College Football Playoff champ to be a great quarterback in the league given a few years, but he might not light up the league right away. The Bengals will be a much better team in 2020, but they are still a few years out from being true competitors. I think Joe Burrow will show great potential in the 2020 season.

19. Phillip Rivers, Indianapolis Colts

If this list was solely based on performance in 2019, then Phillip Rivers would find himself much lower than this 19th placement. He finished the year with the Chargers racking in 23 TDs to 20 INTs, and ended the season with a discouraging 5-11 record. However, throughout his career, he has always been a fringe top-10 quarterback, so I am not ready to quit on him just yet. If he has another poor year with the Colts next season, it may be time for him to hang up the pigskin.

18. Cam Newton, New England Patriots

This ranking is going to disappoint a lot of people. Some are going to think the former MVP should be put higher on the list, whereas others are going to think the contrary because of his "benching" last season. He is a clear upgrade over Jarrett Stidham, but I think he is an average player at this point in his career. His athleticism is undeniable, although he has never been the most accurate passer. His play-style does not exactly fit the Patriots' scheme, but of course Bill will probably find a way to get him a ring.

17. Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers

The quarterback who found himself just short of winning a Super Bowl last season ends up at 17 on this list. Jimmy Garoppolo is a perfect reflection of a player who will not win you games by himself, but probably will not lose you games either. For a loaded 49ers' roster, that is all he needs to be to make them contenders. It is unlikely that he will light up the stat sheet next season, but look for him to be efficient again.

16. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams

Jared Goff will take the field for his fourth season as a starter in the upcoming season. In his first two seasons, he threw 60 TDs to only 19 INTs and made the Super Bowl in his second year, but he took a step back in 2019. He finished with 22 TDs opposed to 16 INTs while posting his first season with a passer rating below 100. I expect his 2020 season to be somewhere in the middle of his 2017-2018 and 2019 performances. I don't think he will ever be a top quarterback in the league, but he should be a solid starter throughout his career, including next season.

15. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans

Ryan Tannehill finds himself at 15 on this list after an impressive 2019 season with the Titans. He also found himself a new contract, which angered people who believed Derrick Henry deserved a new deal first after carrying the Titans' offense to the AFC Championship. Tannehill had the highest passer rating in the league last season with a stellar rating of 117.5, but it will be extremely difficult for him to duplicate that success. Don't be surprised if he falls a little on this list after next year, but this is where he deserves to be for now.

14. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

The $28 million man ends up with a top-15 placement after a strong 2019 performance. In the 2019 season, he boasted 26 TDs to only 6 INTs and had an excellent passer rating of 107.4. There are endless jokes about how Kirk Cousins plays under the lights, but at the end of the day, he is still a respectable player. This may be the peak of where Kirk Cousins places, but he is more than deserving of his position for now.

13. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Lets make it very clear before we begin. Dak Prescott does not deserve to get paid $40 million a year, and the $30 million a year contract that he rejected is still more than I would pay him. It would be foolish to say that Dak is a bad player, but he continuously fails to lead a talented Cowboys' roster to anything more than mediocrity. His career numbers are fairly impressive with 97 TDs to 36 INTs and a 97.0 passer rating, but it is evident that he needs talent around him to succeed. If I am ranking the players who I would want to go out and win me a game right now, this is where Dak would lie.

12. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

After missing nearly the entire 2019 season with injury, Big Ben gets placed just outside of the top-10. In the prime of his career, Ben Roethlisberger was a fringe top-5 quarterback, but I don't believe he is that same player at 38 years old. I expect him to be a candidate for the passing yards and touchdown leader due to the Steelers' offensive system, but he will bring a fair share of turnovers as well. Expect Big Ben to be a borderline Pro Bowl caliber player next season.

11. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

The 2019 Offensive Rookie of the Year looked impressive in his first season under center for the Arizona Cardinals. His 20 TD to 12 INT season may not seem too crazy, but it was promising what he was able to do with the sub-par talent around him. I am still pumping the breaks a little before crowning Kyler Murray as a top tier player, but 2020 should be a big year for him, largely in part to the addition of DeAndre Hopkins.

10. Matt Stafford, Detroit Lions

I am a still a strong believer in Matt Stafford. People tend to forget that Stafford was playing through injury last season before his final start in week 9, and he had a 106.0 passer rating with 19 TDs and 5 INTs to that point. He is the fastest quarterback ever to hit the 40,000 yard milestone and I don't think he is slowing down just yet. I expect Matt Stafford to put up his usual numbers for the 2020 season.

9. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

Like Stafford, many people tend to give Matt Ryan more slack than he deserves. Starting from the infamous Super Bowl choke season in 2016 to the present, Matt Ryan has thrown for 119 TDs and just 40 INTs. Sure he had a slight down year in 2019, but he still finished with a decent 26 TDs to 14 INTs. I am a firm believer that Matt Ryan is still a top-10 QB in the NFL, and his 2020 season should prove me right.

8. Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles

Carson Wentz is an elite quarterback. Aside from his uninspiring rookie season, his career average passer rating is 99, and his TD:INT ratio is phenomenal at 81:21. For a large portion of last season, Wentz was throwing to practice squad players, and still managed to out dual the Cowboys for the NFC East title. I anticipate that he will make his way back to the Pro Bowl come January.

7. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans

Despite the tragedy that is Bill O'Brien and the Texans' front office, fans can rejoice that they have a star player at the most important position in the sport. It will be interesting to see how the Texans' offense fairs without DeAndre Hopkins, but atleast they got David Johnson, right? I suspect that the team will have less success next season, but to no fault of Deshaun Watson. When the older generation of quarterbacks are entirely gone, Watson should have a claim for a top-5 quarterback in the league.

6. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It is no secret that Tom Brady isn't getting any younger. Talent wise, Brady is not the same player as he once was, but I couldn't find myself to place him any lower than this. Even with his step back in play, you almost expect Tom Brady to find a way to make the Super Bowl every year, and this year shouldn't be much different despite him joining the Buccs. He is the GOAT for a reason, and that is why the 42 year old still finds himself near the top of my list for 2020.

5. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Many people are going to be frustrated that Lamar Jackson is only number 5 on my list. There is no denying the incredible MVP season that Lamar Jackson put up in 2019, but I think it is too soon to place him in a top-3 spot. I believe that he is going to be elite in 2020, but it will be hard for him to replicate the insane season he had a year ago. If he is able to put up another season even close to the caliber of his 2019, then he will move up accordingly, but 5 is still a very nice spot.

4. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

Do people really believe that Aaron Rodgers is slowing down? Do they realize that he has thrown 51 TDs to a measly 6 INTs in the past two years? Aaron Rodgers has been incredible his entire career and I am truly confused on the public's perception of his play recently. In my eyes, he is still one of the most talented players in the NFL, and his 2020 play should indicate that.

3. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

I went back and forth on who deserved the number 3 spot on my list, but I ultimately gave Drew Brees the nod over Aaron Rodgers due to team success in recent years. I do think that Drew Brees will retire in the next couple of seasons, but I also expect him to perform to his usual standard until that time comes. In his last two seasons, Brees has put up similar numbers to Rodgers, with 59 TDs to just 9 INTs. Drew Brees remains one of the best players in the NFL at age 41, and the Saints will be Super Bowl contenders once again because of it.

2. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson has been one of the best players in the league since he entered it in 2012, and I am very happy that he is finally getting the respect that he deserves the past few years. There are not many other players who could of brought the 2019 Seahawks' roster to a playoff victory, particularly with their offensive line, but any team with Russell Wilson is an instant contender. I believe that he has gotten better every single season he has played, and I expect no less from him in 2020.

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

2 seasons. MVP. Superbowl MVP. Record breaking 10 year, half a billion dollar extension at 24 years old. Nothing more needs to be said.