Ranking all 32 NFL starting QBs for 2021
Here’s a look at Dave Zangaro’s rankings of the 32 starting quarterbacks in the NFL for 2021.
Lock has some talent but didn’t have a good 2020 season. He completed just 57.3% of his passes for 2,933 yards with 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. Teddy Bridgewater might actually be the better QB in Denver, but let’s see if the younger player can turn his career around.
The Bears signed Dalton this offseason and then drafted Justin Fields. For now, we’ll assume Dalton begins the season as the starter but if they start to struggle, the calls for Fields will be loud.
The Saints could start Winston or Taysom Hill but in either case, they’re going to have one of the worst quarterbacks in the NFL. Winston is a former No. 1 pick but his chances have to be running out. Will he turn into a star in New Orleans? I think it’s doubtful.
The Jets gave up on Darnold after just three seasons, but he’ll get a chance of scenery and the chance to play under Joe Brady in Carolina.
Two years into his NFL career and Jones hasn’t really put it together. There have been flashes but a real lack of consistency. In two years, he has completed 62% of his passes with 35 touchdowns and 22 interceptions.
The Jets were able to get their guy at No. 2 and will turn over the keys of the franchise to the rookie from BYU. If Wilson can help turn around this franchise, he’ll be a hero in New York.
Eventually, Tua did some good things last year but it was still a disappointing rookie season for the No. 5 overall pick. At least he’ll be reunited with Jaylen Waddle, which should help their offense in 2021.
The Niners drafted Trey Lance at No. 3 but will presumably begin the season with Garoppolo under center. The 49ers had a 6-10 record last season but were decimated with injuries. So maybe they try to turn it around quickly and if it doesn’t work, then they can turn to Lance.
I was surprised to see the Pats bring back Newton and then they drafted Mac Jones in the first round. Newton will start the season but if he begins to struggle, it wouldn’t surprise me to see Jones get in there this year.
With just four starts under his belt in an awful situation, it wasn’t easy to find a spot for Hurts. But he did enough good things in limited time to keep him out of the basement. And with his dual threat ability there is a relatively high ceiling here.
At this point in his career, we know what Fitzpatrick is. He has some great spurts and some confusing mistakes. But that Washington team won the NFC East last year and if Fitzpatrick is even a moderate upgrade at the position, they’ll have a chance to do it again.
Wentz was one of the hardest players to place on this list. Based on his performance last year, he deserves to be much lower. But if the reunion with Frank Reich in Indy works, he could quickly get his career back on track. There are some problems to fix but he still has the talent.
The Rams clearly thought they were getting an upgrade in Stafford but Goff will get a chance to prove himself in Detroit too. He might not reach his Pro Bowl peak again, but we’ll see what he can do in a new situation in 2021.
Is this too high for a rookie? Maybe. But Lawrence is the most “can’t-miss” QB prospect since Andrew Luck back in 2012. He might not be in a great situation in Jacksonville but there’s a reason he was the no-doubt top pick in this draft class. He can do it all.
It’s hard to believe that Carr made the Pro Bowl in three straight years from 2015-17 because since then he’s been just good enough for the Raiders to not move on. He is definitely a middle-of-the-pack quarterback.
He’s 39 now so it’s tough to know exactly what to expect from Big Ben as he returns to the NFL for the 2021 season. He was fine last year, throwing for 3,803 yards in 15 games with 33 touchdowns. He might not be a Pro Bowler anymore but he should keep the Steelers in contention.
Mayfield hasn’t necessarily lived up to being the No. 1 pick but he’s been pretty good. He threw for 3,563 yards last year with 26 touchdowns. But his career completion percentage of 61.9 is just too low.
Playing behind an awful offensive line, Burrow lasted just 10 games before tearing his ACL, but he was off to a pretty good start. The addition of Ja’Marr Chase will reunite the two LSU teammates and might form one of the best duos in the NFL.
Cousins set a career high with 35 touchdown passes in 2020 but the Vikings had a disappointing 7-9 record. He appears to be building something special with 2020 first-round pick Justin Jefferson.
After an awful 4-12 season in 2020, the Falcons are sticking with Ryan for at least another year or two. He’s 36 now but has a couple good years left in him. Adding a player like Kyle Pitts in the first round ought to help.
Two years into his NFL career and the former No. 1 overall pick looks like he’s the real deal. He made it to a Pro Bowl in 2020 after throwing for just under 4,000 yards and rushing for another 819. He’s an exciting young player.
After a really impressive rookie season, Herbert seems poised for a long NFL career. As a rookie, he threw for over 4,300 yards and 31 touchdowns on his way to being named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.
One of the most underrated players of the last decade, Stafford if finally out of Detroit and has a chance to put together a big season for a Rams team that is going for it. He should be fun to watch in Sean McVay’s offense.
One of the more underrated players in the league right now, Tannehill led the Titans to an 11-5 record last year, throwing for 3,819 yards with 33 touchdowns. Tennessee has been known for its running attack but now Tannehill has Julio Jones to add to A.J. Brown.
Prescott was off to a torrid start in 2020 before suffering a gruesome ankle injury in October. But he’s back now, healthy and has a mega contract. He also has a group of great receivers to throw to. We’ll see if the Cowboys’ defense improve, but Prescott should be able to put up big numbers again.
No, Jackson didn’t have another MVP season like he did in 2019 but he was still very good in 2020, even as he dealt with some injuries that seemed to slow him down. Jackson still managed to throw for 2,757 yards and rush for another 1,005.
Watson’s legal issues may prevent him from stepping foot on the field in 2021 but there’s no denying his talent. Even on a miserable Texans team, he still managed to have the best season of his young career. He threw for 4,823 yards with 33 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 2021 and Houston just wasted it.
Wilson got off to a great start in 2020, playing at an MVP level early. He tailed off some later in the season but still had his fourth-consecutive Pro Bowl season and had his first 40-touchdown season.
In his third NFL season, Allen had a tremendous breakout year. Is it too early to put him this high? Would we like to see him do it again? Sure. But he was that good in 2020, throwing for over 4,500 yards with 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and adding another 421 yards on the ground. He quickly became one of the most exciting players in the league.
He’s about to turn 44 in August and he just doesn’t slow down. In 2020, he had another incredible season that ended with a Super Bowl win. He now has seven Super Bowl wins and five Super Bowl MVPs. It’s remarkable.
The future Hall of Famer turned 37 during last season but won his third MVP award after throwing for just under 4,300 yards with 48 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He will eventually slow down but that doesn’t look like it’s happening soon. We’ll see where he ends up playing in 2021.
Mahomes hasn’t yet replicated his MVP season from 2018 but he put together another great season in 2020, throwing for 4,740 yards with 38 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. He couldn’t win his second Super Bowl but still put on a show as he ran for his life in the big game.
