QB Index

Ranking each NFL team's primary starting quarterback from the 2024 regular season

Published: Jan 09, 2025 at 02:58 PM

Nick Shook

Around The NFL Writer

NOTE: This week's rankings feature each team's most prominent starting quarterback, based solely on play from the 2024 regular season.

Rank

Lamar Jackson

Baltimore Ravens · Year 7

Atop the QB Index, two quarterbacks have traded punches all year long in the battle for No. 1. Jackson landed the final few clinching blows in the regular season, playing at a level that seemed impossible even for him. He shattered his previous career-high marks in passing yards and passing touchdowns, and landed less than 100 yards shy of a 1,000-yard rushing season. He closed the regular season with 12 passing touchdowns over his final four games, powering an offense that has put 31 or more points on the board in each of those contests. With Jackson serving as the engine, the driver, the fuel and the tires, the Ravens' racing machine is peaking at the perfect time. Perhaps this is the year he finally gets over the postseason hump, because regardless of voter fatigue, he's my 2024 MVP.

Rank

Josh Allen

Buffalo Bills · Year 7

Perhaps no quarterback has meant more to his team's success than Allen, the unicorn signal-caller who is as much of a threat on the ground as he is through the air. He's an incredibly effective runner, routinely extending plays long enough to create highlights, and is the reason the Bills were able to weather losses on the offensive side of the ball and still finish with a 13-4 record and the second seed in the AFC. He's pushed Buffalo to success in every imaginable fashion, even catching a lateral at the end of a pass he threw and scoring a touchdown. It'll be a tight race for MVP, and while Allen's not my No. 1 choice, he's certainly made a compelling case to be the league's.

Rank

Joe Burrow

Cincinnati Bengals · Year 5

If the Bengals' defense did its job in the first half of the season, Burrow would be receiving legitimate NFL MVP consideration. He's played incredibly well all season long, finishing the campaign just shy of the 5,000-yard mark while posting a ridiculous 43:9 TD-to-INT ratio over 17 games. He also helped Ja'Marr Chase win the receiving triple crown with a similarly absurd final stat line (127 catches, 1,708 yards, 17 touchdowns). Burrow is at the peak of his powers, and the only thing missing from his outstanding 2024 season was a playoff appearance.

Rank

Jared Goff

Detroit Lions · Year 9

Goff has owned this spot for several weeks now because he's been consistently excellent. Behind one of the NFL's best offensive lines, and operating within a Ben Johnson offense perfectly tailored to his strengths, Goff has flourished, guiding the Lions to their first No. 1 seed in franchise history. Playing with peak-level confidence, he's feasted on the middle of the field and flawlessly executed his coordinator's evil genius designs. Detroit has an abundance of talent, obviously, but the team wouldn't be resting on Wild Card Weekend if Goff wasn't doing his part. He's sharp, confident, trusts his staff and plays free from worry, enabling the Lions to be one of the most explosive -- and intimidating -- teams in the NFL.

Rank

Sam Darnold

Minnesota Vikings · Year 7

Whether it was the direction of Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, the 2023 season spent on the bench in San Francisco, or both, Darnold transformed in 2024. He (mostly) ditched his penchant for prematurely feeling pressure and making mistakes, instead trusting his offensive line, his eyes and his arm. In doing so, he guided Minnesota to a 14-3 regular-season record -- far better than the preseason expectations for this Vikings squad. Darnold sped past his own expectations, too, rising from an unknown commodity to a quarterback so valuable, he'll likely attract quite an offer this spring on the open market -- if Minnesota allows him to get there. Nobody saw this coming, and it has been a treat to watch Darnold realize his potential after years of struggles elsewhere.

Rank

Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Year 7

How does one follow up a career year that generated a lucrative new contract? Simple: by producing an even better season after signing the deal. Mayfield reset his career-high marks in passing yards and touchdowns in 2024 as an unrelenting playmaker and laser-accurate passer who isn't afraid to take a few hits if it means earning his team a key first down. He's the heartbeat of these Buccaneers, who overcame a brief stretch of difficulty earlier this year, to throw Tampa Bay back into the playoffs.

Rank

Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders · Rookie

Daniels showed signs he might thrive as a rookie way back in the Commanders' Week 1 loss to the Buccaneers, a game in which Daniels never looked overwhelmed by the speed of the game. That remained true throughout his debut campaign. Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury has built his offense around Daniels' strengths, giving his rookie agency to make plays and taking off the training wheels almost instantly. The result has been a dreamlike season for the Commanders, who are back in the playoffs after finally finding their franchise QB. He's a master of the thrill and a damn good quarterback, too.

Rank

Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs · Year 8

Winners naturally attract haters, and Mahomes has plenty of them. They'll be quick to point out his numbers aren't as gaudy as they've been in past seasons and claim that's proof he's having a bad year. He isn't. Mahomes has executed this Chiefs offense expertly, and while the explosive plays have been lacking, there's one big reason Kansas City is 15-2 entering the playoffs: Mahomes. He's the most annoying quarterback to face in the NFL because he keeps the Chiefs on the field with his play creation and is always a threat to hit a big gain. He's still working on his connection with Xavier Worthy, but the Chiefs enter the playoffs as the AFC's No. 1 seed because they've filled out their receiving corps well enough to gain some momentum late in the year. Oh, and because Mahomes is their quarterback.

Rank

Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers · Year 5

Early in 2024, it appeared as if we might receive a repeat of the 2023 season. Herbert was hampered early in the season by an ankle injury, lost his left and right tackles briefly during that period and rarely was afforded time to use his greatest attributes to power the Chargers' air attack. Eventually, though, Los Angeles found the light and Herbert capitalized, performing like one of the NFL's best quarterbacks in the back half of the season. He had a very strong second half of the campaign, letting passes rip and building a remarkable rapport with rookie receiver Ladd McConkey, entering the postseason as the leader of one of the league's hottest offenses. It's truly a treat to witness Herbert play football when he's given time to unleash his arm. Even Quentin Johnston has started to heat up, making this Chargers team rather dangerous entering the tournament.

Rank

Geno Smith

Seattle Seahawks · Year 12

When at his best, Smith was fantastic in 2024. He lit up a number of defenses with incredibly accurate passes and propelled an air attack that saw Jaxon Smith-Njigba blossom in his second season. The Seahawks needed their young wideout to do so, especially while their defense sorted itself out early in the season. But, in a few big games, Smith tried to do too much, making costly ill-advised decisions. He paid for his risks in losses to Minnesota and Green Bay, throwing three total interceptions in those two contests. His three picks in a Week 9 loss to the Rams factored heavily into the final outcome, too. While he deserves credit for battling through injury to finish the season, Smith and the Seahawks must know they left chances on the field in 2024. Having written that, Smith still played well enough over the course of the campaign to warrant a spot in the top 10.

Rank

Jordan Love

Green Bay Packers · Year 5

Love went through a lot in 2024. He suffered a knee injury in Week 1 that cost him a couple of games, went 0-5 against NFC teams with 13 or more wins and never quite found the peak he enjoyed in the 2023 postseason. Still, his final numbers and Green Bay's standing as a playoff team point toward a successful season. Love strung together a couple of masterful performances in December, powering the Packers to blowout wins over the Seahawks and Saints. He went toe-to-toe with Sam Darnold and the Vikings back in September. But will he be able to elevate the Packers in the playoffs?

Rank

Matthew Stafford

Los Angeles Rams · Year 16

Stafford was the most difficult quarterback to pin down in 2024. He proved he's still capable of letting it rip and putting gaudy totals on the board, as he did in a shootout win over the Bills, but he also produced some ugly performances in both wins and losses. When he lost Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp early in the season, he tried too hard to play hero and paid for it. When he got them back, he seemed to settle in but also posted three games with less than 200 passing yards to end the season, throwing just one touchdown pass combined in those games. Luckily, all three ended with the Rams emerging victorious, but I've started to wonder whether the Stafford era might be nearing its end in Los Angeles. His contract suggests it could, but first, the Rams will embark on another playoff run. It could be their last with Stafford.

Rank

Brock Purdy

San Francisco 49ers · Year 3

The 49ers suffered a ton of injuries on both sides of the ball, severely hampering their ability to realize their potential in 2024. Purdy never truly had his full complement of weapons around him and lost his All-Pro left tackle late in the season, increasing the difficulty of this evaluation. At times, Purdy still played excellent football, lighting up a handful of defenses in winning and losing efforts. A concerning sentiment emerged, though, in the final few weeks of the season: Purdy seems like a quarterback with a visible ceiling. When everything around him is good, he's going to produce, but he might not be capable of overcoming significant adversity. Is that worth a lucrative contract? We'll find out soon enough.

Rank

Bryce Young

Carolina Panthers · Year 2

We've arrived at the best quarterback story outside of the QB Index's top five in 2024. Young's future in Carolina appeared doomed after two weeks when he was rightfully benched for Andy Dalton and left to pick up the pieces of his shattered confidence. Young might have never seen the field, either, if Dalton hadn't been injured in a car accident. But as fate may have it, Young received his second chance and capitalized, appearing like the quarterback Carolina thought it was getting when making him the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft. Young grew exponentially in so many areas in 2024. He became a confident passer, found a way to sync his internal clock with the speed of the game, strengthened his composure so much that he became an out-of-structure creator and ended up being one of the most enjoyable watches in the NFL in 2024. His future is now bright. Carolina has its man in No. 9.

Rank

Kyler Murray

Arizona Cardinals · Year 6

Murray returned to form in 2024, carrying over the positive momentum he built in the final weeks of the 2023 season and turning the Cardinals into an intriguing team. For a while, they flirted with a playoff appearance, but some offensive difficulties and the limits of their roster ultimately resulted in falling short. That fit Murray's season, too. He had moments of excellence but also struggled to find consistency on a weekly basis. In order to maximize Murray's talents, Arizona needs to take the next step offensively while Murray needs to determine who he wants to be as a quarterback. These can happen simultaneously, which might be a requirement to see their partnership reach its potential.

Rank

Jalen Hurts

Philadelphia Eagles · Year 5

Two seasons ago, Hurts powered the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance. This season, he hasn't needed to. Sure, Philadelphia's offense has been inconsistent at times and its receivers were at least temporarily unhappy, but this unit runs through Saquon Barkley. Hurts remains important, though, because he's equipped to work off Barkley, using both his arm and mobility to create positive outcomes. He's seemed to shake off his tendency to hang onto the ball too long, delivers accurate passes and takes off for gains on the ground when necessary. He's conducting this offense in 2024 instead of propelling it, but there's still plenty of value in that.

Rank

Bo Nix

Denver Broncos · Rookie

Plenty of folks scoffed at the Broncos when they used the 12th overall pick on Nix last April, but true ball-knowers understood Denver took the Oregon product because he fit exactly what Sean Payton sought in a quarterback. It didn't take long for Payton to realize his rookie passer was at his best when on the move, and so we saw ample outside-the-pocket opportunities for Nix in Year 1, which allowed him to thrive. At one point, Nix was even included in Offensive Rookie of the Year conversations, but a bit of tumult during the second half of the season -- including five interceptions thrown between two games in Weeks 13 and 15 -- quelled those takes. No matter for the Broncos, though. They earned a playoff appearance with a rookie who has grown over the course of the season and appears to be exactly what Payton's Broncos needed under center.

Rank

Tua Tagovailoa

Miami Dolphins · Year 5

After completing his first full season without injury in 2023, we fell back into the discussion revolving around Tagovailoa's long-term health and viability in the NFL in 2024 thanks to a concussion suffered in Week 2 that cost him a month's worth of games. When he was gone, it was clear how much the Dolphins relied on him. When he returned, Miami's offense gradually returned to form, but never reached the explosive rate of production that became their signature in previous years. Tagovailoa excelled in Mike McDaniel's timing-based offense, but the big play was missing. They lost a couple of close games once he returned, mounted a late playoff push, and ultimately encountered another health-related interruption (hip) in a season that will feel wasted for Dolphins fans. Miami has to sort out the issues around him, but Tagovailoa's importance was certainly proven in this season -- although reliability remains a question.

Rank

Dak Prescott

Dallas Cowboys · Year 9

It sure feels like we haven't seen Prescott play football in ages, doesn't it? That's what happens when a star suffers a season-ending hamstring injury in early November, sending an already-struggling team toward a dark place. Prescott had some successes in his abbreviated 2024 campaign, leading the Cowboys to a season-opening blowout win and throwing for 352 yards in a thrilling victory over the Steelers in Pittsburgh. He encountered a bumpy road, though, struggling to get on the same page with CeeDee Lamb and committing some ugly turnovers in his final month, throwing six interceptions over three games before ending his season with Dallas' loss to Atlanta. Cooper Rush didn't fare any better, but Prescott needs to find more consistency in 2025 -- and stay healthy -- in order to properly bounce back from this strange year, which never quite got off the ground.

Rank

Drake Maye

New England Patriots · Rookie

Maye was thrown into action after watching Jacoby Brissett for five weeks and quickly proved he was worth the third-overall pick spent on him. Maye has it, displaying quick decision-making ability, an accurate arm and some surprising mobility. The mere fact he accomplished anything while on this horrid Patriots team is an achievement in itself. New England has its quarterback, but needs to surround him with proper talent in order to maximize his production.

Rank

C.J. Stroud

Houston Texans · Year 2

If you're searching for an example of how a bad offensive line can hamper an entire offense -- and a scintillating talent under center -- look no further than these Texans, who have failed to protect Stroud and are suffering for it. Stroud rightfully doesn't trust his offensive line, which seems to have thrown a wrench into his mental process while playing quarterback. He's made some uncharacteristically bad decisions as a passer and struggled to complete simple checkdowns in a recent blowout loss to the Ravens on Christmas Day. It's disheartening to watch, especially after seeing what Stroud can accomplish when he's properly protected. Losing two of his top three receivers for the season hasn't helped, either, but we all know what needs to be addressed in order to remedy this situation. Hopefully that puts Stroud back on track in what can still be an outrageously successful career.

Rank

Russell Wilson

Pittsburgh Steelers · Year 13

Due to a camp injury, Wilson began the season as the unexpected backup to Justin Fields, and for about a month it appeared as if he might not get the job back. Eventually, though, Mike Tomlin decided to see what he had in his veteran, replacing Fields with Wilson and reaping the rewards. Wilson's involvement opened up the passing game and led the Steelers to plenty of surprising success. That peaked with Wilson's 414-yard, three-touchdown performance in a road win over Cincinnati, striking fear in the hearts of other AFC contenders. They soon learned there wasn't much to fear, though, because Pittsburgh's offense has cratered since then, losing the last four games and falling short of 18 points in each of the defeats. Wilson has made some curious decisions and even his reliance on George Pickens -- especially in third-and-long situations -- is proving unreliable. We may have already seen the ceiling for Wilson in 2024 and beyond, and while the Steelers are headed to the playoffs, their future under center remains uncertain.

Rank

Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets · Year 20

With his Achilles tear behind him, Rodgers was supposed to fulfill his destiny in New York in 2024. It never happened. Rodgers looked sharp early in the Jets' season opener, but failed to find consistency as a passer, struggling to keep up with the speed of the game while failing to establish much of a rapport with his pass catchers. He effectively ran Mike Williams out of town and all but forced the Jets to trade for his old pal, Davante Adams. Even that wasn't enough to save the season, though. Rodgers found some moments of success in the back half of the campaign, throwing for 250-plus yards in four of his final five starts, but by then, it was too late to salvage their hopes. Instead of prepping for a playoff run, Rodgers spent the last month of the season answering frequent questions regarding his future. At best, he's now a bridge quarterback in New York, and that's if he even wants to play again.

Rank

Kirk Cousins

Atlanta Falcons · Year 13

A spotlight followed Cousins from the moment he decided to leave Minneapolis for Atlanta, and for a while, he was built for the bright lights, leading the Falcons to a 6-3 start. He looked like an elite quarterback in Atlanta's two wins over Tampa Bay, throwing for 785 yards, eight touchdowns and just one interception in those games, but eventually, his lack of mobility became a problem. When pressure reached him through the middle, Cousins showed his age, repeatedly making mistakes while throwing under-duress passes into traffic. His last five games were nightmarish, producing a 1:9 TD-INT ratio, and some might still think coach Raheem Morris waited too long to bench him for rookie Michael Penix Jr. The youngster is the future, while Cousins appears set to remain as a well-paid backup -- unless Atlanta finds a trade partner.

Rank

Derek Carr

New Orleans Saints · Year 11

The 2024 season repeatedly suggested this partnership is merely temporary. Carr did a solid job as a veteran quarterback, throwing 15 touchdown passes and occasionally displaying explosive ability through the air, but the Saints' red-hot start to 2024 -- in which Carr threw for 443 yards and five touchdowns in two blowout wins -- was ultimately a tease. Carr played well enough to justify owning the job, but it's clear he's not a long-term solution for the Saints. With a $51 million cap number in 2025, don't be surprised to see some contractual adjustments or a roster move, especially as a new staff takes over.

Rank

Trevor Lawrence

Jacksonville Jaguars · Year 4

Because he only played 10 games -- nine and a half, truly -- Lawrence's 2024 season left us all wanting more. Save for his peak performance in a shootout win over the Colts in early October, Lawrence never quite found his stride, struggling to move the ball in a low-ceiling Jaguars offense. That wasn't necessarily his fault, as he showed brief periods of success, but overall, Lawrence's 2024 season was one we'll forget. He again dealt with injuries, threw some ugly interceptions, made some nice plays and ended it prematurely due to a concussion. As the Jaguars reset with a new coach in 2025, they'll hope Lawrence will be able to stay healthy and find a new comfort zone under the next staff.

Rank

Caleb Williams

Chicago Bears · Rookie

There are two sides to Williams' rookie-season coin. He clearly has incredible physical tools and an innate sense of the rush, which allows him to pull off some uncanny evasive maneuvers to keep plays alive before unleashing his rocket arm. But Williams' development seemed to be interrupted by the Bears' leaky offensive line and dysfunctional operation, which saw them fire offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, terminate coach Matt Eberflus and leave Williams with an interim coach in Thomas Brown, who received two emergency promotions in the same season. Essentially, Williams was thrown into a situation that only offered occasional respite, and because of this, he developed a tendency to hold onto the ball too long, as if he were too fearful of turning the ball over to make a decision. He'll need to break that habit going forward, but the talent is clearly there. Hopefully, Chicago builds a better situation around him this offseason.