With the 2025 NFL season officially kicking off in a couple of weeks, here is a ranking of every starting quarterback in the NFC.
Ranking Each Starting Quarterback In The NFC
16. Tyler Shough/Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
Whoever is the starter between Rattler and Shough this offseason won’t make a difference, as both of these quarterbacks are relatively close to each other in talent. Regardless of who wins the competition at starter, it’s clear the New Orleans Saints will be at the bottom of the league in either conference as far as quarterback room talent goes.
15. Russell Wilson, New York Giants
Wilson is entering his 14th season and signed a one-year deal with the Giants in the offseason. The longer Wilson continues to play in the NFL, the further he is getting from his prime years, which were all but spent in his time in Seattle. Last season for the Steelers, he threw for 2,482 yards, 16 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Wilson didn’t do much to warrant a return to Pittsburgh, as the Steelers decided to go a different direction.
During the NFL draft, the Giants traded up in the first round to select Jaxson Dart, so though Russell will get the reins first at being the starter, it might not be long before Dart gets his opportunity.
14. J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
McCarthy is the biggest mystery for any player who will have a major impact on any team in the NFL. After being selected tenth overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, a meniscus injury in preseason ended any chance of McCarthy’s rookie season. Minnesota went on to win 14 games behind veteran quarterback Sam Darnold, and instead of re-signing Darnold off what was a MVP-like campaign, the Vikings chose to let Darnold walk in favor of McCarthy.
If McCarthy is even an above-average starter, the Vikings will be in Super Bowl conversations.
13. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
Penix was the most shocking pick of the 2024 draft after Atlanta selected him eighth overall after previously signing Kirk Cousins to a long-term deal during the same offseason. Penix got to start three games last season and threw for 775 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. However, this offseason, Penix has been able to get full reps as the starter, and the Falcons have completely given the keys to the offense to the second-year quarterback.
A big year from Penix and the Falcons could make their first appearance in the playoffs since the 2017 season.
12. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Williams had a forgettable season as the first overall selection in the 2024 draft; however, regardless of his raw stats, he is physically one of the more gifted quarterbacks in the league. The slate has been wiped clean for Williams as the Bears got rid of his head coach, offensive coordinator, and many more who contributed to his rookie season. In comes Ben Johnson as head coach from Detroit, one of the brightest offensive minds in the NFL, to help Williams reach the heights he was drafted to reach.
Despite a down rookie season, Williams threw for 20 touchdowns and only six interceptions.
11. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
The first overall pick in the 2023 draft is in for the biggest year of his career. After being benched for part of the 2024 season due to bad play, Young came back with more consistency and a vengeance and showed flashes of why he was the first overall pick in 2023. It’s going to be a big year for Young to build on the end of his 2023 to justify his draft position.
10. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks
Darnold is coming off a career season in 2024, passing for over 4,300 yards, throwing 35 touchdowns to 15 interceptions for the Vikings. If the NFL had a Most Improved Player Award like the NBA does, Darnold would have won the award last season. However, for Darnold to prove that season wasn’t an outlier, he will need to hit the ground running as the starter for the Seahawks after signing a three-year $100 million deal this offseason. This will also be Darnold’s fourth team in the last four seasons.
9. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Murray has all the talent in the world, but his career in Arizona has been underwhelming up to this point after being the first overall pick in 2019. Last season, Murray finished the season with a solid 3,700 passing yards to go along with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and added 572 rushing yards and five more touchdowns. Murray will need a big year to push the Cardinals towards an NFC playoff berth in a tough NFC West conference.
8. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Love has been the lead man behind a Packers team that has finished in the top ten in total offense each of the last two seasons. Love has been the starter for the Packers. Love had an up-and-down season in 2024, which was mostly due to a knee injury he suffered in week one, but going into last season, Love was a preseason favorite pick for MVP.
7. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Despite being limited physically, Purdy has been productive as the 49ers’ starting quarterback. In 2023, Purdy finished top-five in MVP voting, and an injury-riddled season by SF brought Purdy’s production down some. However, the 49ers still have faith in him and signed him to a five-year $254 million extension.
6. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Prescott is the current highest-paid quarterback in the league, on a yearly average of $60 million. He will need a bounce-back season after only playing half the season due to a terrible hamstring injury. Before last season, Prescott had led the Cowboys to three straight 12-win seasons.
5. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mayfield was a legit MVP candidate in 2024. Mayfield finished third in passing yards with 4,500, third in touchdowns with 41, and was third in completion percentage. He was voted a top-ten quarterback in the NFL by a poll done by executives, coaches, and scouts by ESPN.
4. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Goff finished second in passing yards in the NFL with 4,629 and fourth in passing touchdowns with 37. He has consistently led the Lions to one of the best offenses in the NFL in each of the last three seasons.
3. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Even though Hurts finished last season as the Super Bowl MVP, his passing season wasn’t without any flaws. The Eagles’ passing attack finished 29th in the NFL; however, it’s hard to argue with a Super Bowl MVP and Hurts showing up in the biggest moments when his team needs him.
2. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Stafford still has arguably the best arm talent among quarterbacks in the league. At 37, Stafford continues to shine in the NFL and show fans why he was selected first overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. Expect a big season out of Stafford with a duo of Davante Adams and Puka Nacua.
1. Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
You can say it’s early, but we all saw how electric his rookie season was. Daniels led the Commanders to one of their best seasons to date, leading them all the way to the NFC Championship game as a rookie.
Daniels finished with five game-winning drives, 3,568 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, 891 rushing yards, and seven touchdowns. Even if Daniels takes a slight step back from his rookie season, he is expected to be in the MVP conversation and have Washington in the Super Bowl conversation.
Main Image: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
