As the quarterback goes, so goes most NFL teams. Which QBs have what it takes to lead their teams to big seasons and possibly victory in the Super Bowl in 2019?
32. Dwayne Haskins, Washington Redskins
A rookie starting for a team that had all sorts of issues in the second half of last season? Doesn’t matter if it is Dwayne Haskins, the first-round pick out of Ohio State, or anyone else. Washington quarterbacks could be in for a long, long season.
31. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Rookie coach, rookie QB on a team that had worst record in the NFL in 2018. That’s a recipe for absolute disaster and horror. Good think Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury will have a lot of time to get Arizona in order.
30. Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jameis Winston has had plenty of time to prove he was the franchise quarterback in Tampa Bay. Nothing suggests that the former Florida State star has done that or is going to elevate his game to the superstar level expected out of a one-time No. 1 overall pick.
29. Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders
The good news is Derek Carr has Antonio Brown. The bad news is Derek Carr has Antonio Brown on a team that went 4-12 in 2018. The rebuilding process is geared toward Las Vegas, not Oakland. That means the Silver & Black are looking at another last-place finish that doesn’t bode well for Carr in the long run.
28. Josh Rosen, Miami Dolphins
This rating could prove to be a little high as Josh Rosen moves from Arizona to Miami. He has never lived up to the hype and headlines whether at UCLA or as a rookie. A fresh start after one sour season can only help.
27. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Josh Allen’s rookie season was upended by injury. The Bills have brought in John Brown and Cole Beasley to give the second-year pro from Wyoming more targets. That should help somewhat. He needs to be around for 16 games and show lots of improvement.
26. Eli Manning, New York Giants
The sands of time are running out — have run out? — on the two-time Super Bowl winner, Eli Manning. There will be less controversy with Odell Beckham Jr. gone but there has not been enough talent added to offset a struggling offense on a team that finished last in the NFC East last season.
25. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
Hard to believe Andy Dalton is 68-50-2 as a starter in Cincinnati. That is likely because he is 18-24-1 in his last three seasons for the Bengals. Becoming big-time dullsville and don’t expect much more in a difficult division.
24. Sam Darnold, New York Jets
Expect to see improvement with Le’Veon Bell in the backfield and Jamison Crowder as another target for Sam Darnold in his second season. The biggest hurdle could be getting over his coach, Adam Gase, who has shown nothing to deserve this gig off his record in Miami.
23. Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
Jimmy Garoppolo will be 28 during his sixth season as a pro. Granted he sat behind Tom Brady in New England and 2018 was ruined by injury. Still, Kyle Shanahan and Garoppolo are up against it as the Niners look to show progress. Jimmy G isn’t old but he also isn’t getting any younger. Now is the time to strut his stuff.
22. Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
Marcus Mariota heads into his fifth season in Tennessee and has yet to play in all 16 games. His career mark as a starter is 27-28. Durability is a question and the time is now to come up with a double-digit victory season, which he has yet to do.
21. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
Matthew Stafford enters his 11th season with a sub-.500 career record as a starter. He can put up all the big stats he wants but until the Lions start to win more than they lose, it won’t matter much when it comes to NFL history.
20. Joe Flacco, Denver Broncos
Joe Flacco moves from Baltimore to Denver, which lost double-digit games in 2018. Not an easy spot, especially when you consider John Elway has already drafted “the future” in Drew Lock. Flacco needs a fast start and to have a solid season to avoid a brewing quarterback controversy.
19. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
It did not take long for Lamar Jackson to move out Joe Flacco in Baltimore. The former Louisville star needs to progress as a passer to avoid a sophomore jinx. He showed a lot of good in 2018 and stands to be one of the most watched players in 2019.
18. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton is 30 years old. That means he needs to rely more on his arm than his legs if he wants his career to extend. With the exception of his first two seasons, every year has been bad-good-bad-good. This means the Panthers should be on the rebound after a 7-9 mark. Let Christian McCaffery do the running and Newton should take care of his shoulder while loading up passes.
17. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
The stats were okay but the record was mediocre. Kirk Cousins falls right in the middle until he shows he can lead a team to great success. He has a sub-.500 mark as a starter. And he, too, has turned 30. Time is now to deliver on that big contract Minnesota gave him.
16. Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears
Mitchell Trubisky showed great growth from Year One to Year Two. The good news is he doesn’t have to put up pinball numbers for Chicago to thrive. Expect to see more solid — but not glamorous — play from the Bears’ quarterback.
15. Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
Before Carson Wentz moves up on this list he has to prove he can stay healthy and durable as the Eagles’ quarterback. With Nick Foles off to Jacksonville, Philly needs a 16-game season out of their star quarterback, who just received a massive contract extension.
14. Nick Foles, Jacksonville Jaguars
This could be another great spot for Nick Foles to show off his leadership and quarterback capabilities. The Jags have needed a solid quarterback for a long time. Foles can be that and more. This team had a sorry season last year when a lot was expected. Foles can take over the offense and erase the bad memories of 2018.
13. Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns
Baker Mayfield certainly believes he deserves to be ranked higher than 13th on this list. The rookie had a great start and was a key cog in the Browns’ turnaround. Taking the next step — steps — won’t be as easy. Cleveland has a ton of talent around the Oklahoma star and his progress and the team’s will be one of the biggest stories in 2019.
12. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
Dak Prescott is 32-16 as a three-year starter for the Cowboys. Impressive stuff. He has shown great leadership qualities. The quarterback from Missisippi State gets Jason Witten back and that will help has he looks to build on a .667 winning percentage.
11. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
Jared Goff and the Rams advanced to the Super Bowl. He put up some gaudy stats in games before the title loss. Goff has rewarded the Rams’ faith in making him their top pick in 2016. He is 24-7 in his last two seasons as a starter. Can Sean McVay and Goff take the next step in 2019? It is not going to be easy.
10. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
There is no questioning Matt Ryan’s greatness. He will put up massive numbers for the Falcons. The big issue is can Dan Quinn and his quarterback right the staggering ship, which seems wobbly since the Super Bowl meltdown. This is a critical season and if Ryan wants to find his way to a ring the window is getting smaller.
9. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
Andrew Luck had one of the great comeback seasons in NFL history. The former Stanford star is in the groove and looks to move Indianapolis to the next level with a deeper playoff run. Don’t be surprised if he pulls it off. This quarterback has the right stuff to deliver a ring in Indy.
8. Deshaun Watson, Houston Texans
Absolutely love how Deshaun Watson has developed in Houston. He easily could take the next step into the elite quarterback level. The former Clemson star knows how to direct an offense and has the ability to post big numbers and a lot of points. Superstardom could be as close as 2019.
7. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
This is a perfect spot for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers to have a big season. The distractions — Bell and Brown — are gone. Mike Tomlin and Roethlisberger need to show Pittsburgh has settled down and the best way to do that is deliver big performances and double-digit wins.
6. Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers
Time is running out on Philip Rivers’ chances to get to the Super Bowl and earn a ring. Will he be able to lead this Los Angeles team to the promised land or will it be a career of a lot of stats and no titles. The Chargers can improve off a strong 2018 and need to have Rivers take the next steps quicky to make them champions.
5. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
Russell Wilson has led Seattle to double-digit wins in all but one season. He is 30 now, too, and has the winning gene and loads of charisma. Not sure Wilson and the Seahawks have enough to move over the Rams in the NFC West but they are a threat to make the playoffs every season.
4. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
No one should be surprised if Aaron Rodgers has a huge season with the change from Mike McCarthy to Matt LaFleur. The legendary quarterback is one of the game’s great leaders and can easily turn the team around from two subpar seasons.
3. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
So what does Patrick Mahomes do for an encore after going for 5,000 yards and 50 TDs in 2018? It will be difficult to duplicate those stats but Mahomes is the next generation of mega-star quarterback and will continue to excel at incredible levels.
2. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
One controversial play away from the Super Bowl. Drew Brees is an offensive mastermind. He loses Mark Ingram but that is more than offset by the continued presence of Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas. How incredible would a Brees-Brady Super Bowl matchup be?
1. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
To be the man, you have to beat the man. That is all.
