The Athletic: 50 coaches and evaluators rank the NFL QBs

[Flash]

2020 Quarterback Tiers: 50 coaches and evaluators rank the NFL starters

Fifty NFL coaches/evaluators ranked 35 veteran QBs. No rookie QBs were included. QBs are voted by tiers (ex. Aaron Rodgers received 46 tier 1 votes, and four tier 2 votes).

Tier 1:

1. Patrick Mahomes (unanimous tier 1)
2. Russell Wilson (unanimous tier 1)
3. Aaron Rodgers
4. Drew Brees
5. Deshaun Watson

Tier 2:

1. Tom Brady
2. Lamar Jackson
3. Ben Roethlisberger
4. Matthew Stafford
5. Matt Ryan
6. Carson Wentz
7. Dak Prescott
8. Phillip Rivers

Tier 3:

1. Kyler Murray
2. Kirk Cousins
3. Jared Goff
4. Jimmy Garoppolo
5. Ryan Tannehill
6. Cam Newton
7. Derek Carr
8. Baker Mayfield
9. Josh Allen
10. Teddy Bridgewater
11. Sam Darnold
12. Daniel Jones
13. Nick Foles

Tier 4:

1. Marcus Mariota
2. Ryan Fitzpatrick
3. Tyrod Taylor
4. Drew Lock
5. Gardner Minshew
6. Mitchell Trubisky
7. Dwayne Haskins
8. Jarrett Stidham
9. Kyle Allen

 

[sb1]

Reigning league MVP is Tier 2. Heh.

 

[sb1]

Explanation of the tiers:
1- Team wins because of him
2- has a hole or two in his game
3- needs a defense and/or strong running game
4- unproven or backup.

 

[Zarozzor]

Brees at 4 lmao

 

[Tottie]

Very interesting list. A few names stick out like Jimmy being below guys like Goff, Cousins... Brees at 4?

 

[captain stone]

Brees at 4 lmao

Whom should be placed ahead of him?

 

[Uptown]

There are tractors and there are trailers..

 

[JarOfMayo51]

Reigning league MVP is Tier 2. Heh.

Im not sure who should be insulted more, Brady or Lamar

Talk about winning because of your QB... Lamar was unbelievable last year, hence the MVP award.

DeSean Watson above Brady? lol

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Brees at 4 lmao

Such a bad list.

 

[Pape]

Bridgewater is tier 3? Huh... He screams back up to me....

Jimmy G should be higher than he is ranked... 1st in tier 3, towards bottom of t2...

Brees tier 2 nowadays.... No longer top ring QB... The best half of his game is gone, and he has been shutting the bed in the playoffs cover the past few seasons

And Philip rivers is just spent... Int machine last year

 

[sb1]

Patriots still have the best QB in the AFC East

FWIW, Cam was the top ranked Tier 3 QB going into last season in these rankings.

 

[Patsgofor4]

Im not sure who should be insulted more, Brady or Lamar

Talk about winning because of your QB... Lamar was unbelievable last year, hence the MVP award.

DeSean Watson above Brady? lol

In 2020? Absolutely. And it's a joke that Brady is ahead of Jackson. So many posters here have blinders on when it comes to the current version of Brady. I would also take Stafford this year over 41 year-old "I won't stand im the pocket and take a hit anymore" Tommy, in a heartbeat.

Also, none of the other quarterbacks has tried to profit off of COVID-19 fears.

 

[farn]

Watson over Jackson is interesting. People love Brees, but I prefer championships to stats.

I really like Wilson as a QB and he’d fit perfectly in NE. Obviously SEA would be crazy to move on from him.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Tier one should only be Mahomes and Wilson. Another year like Jackson had and he's in there.

Matthew Stafford & Phillip Rivers (perennial losers), Matt Ryan (yearly decline) and Carson Wentz (nothing special) should be taken off Tier 2.

Watson will have a rough year.

 

[HeretowatchCamwinachip]

Matt Stafford has to be one of most overrated American athletes this side of the 21st century.

 

[farn]

Matt Stafford has to be one of most overrated American athletes this side of the 21st century.

100% this.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Matt Stafford has to be one of most overrated American athletes this side of the 21st century.

They should change the word itself. He’s Stafforded.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

NFL Top 100

Jackson
Wilson
(Donald)
Mahomes

Weird the players voted him 3rd best QB.

 

[RASTAN99]

Bridgewater is tier 3? Huh... He screams back up to me....

Will be interesting to revisit in the summer 2-years from now.

Personally I believe he will have both locked up the Panthers starting job, and secured a new contract for a TON of money.

 

[BobDigital]

Brees at 4 is fine by me at this point. He isn't as good as he was and was never the best QB in the game. That being said he is a HOFer and still playing very close to that level.

Here is how i rank them and I won't rank everybody. This is from last year but you also need to factor in prior years to a degree. For instance Tannehill had a great year last year on a short season, but we all know that isn't who he is. He just had a hot period and not a long enough sample size to begin to average it out. So it will be a weighted ranking looking mostly at this year but also keeping the last few years in mind.

Tier 1 Played at a HOF level

#1 Mahomes (Was injured part of the year but when healthy he is the best right now).
#2 Wilson
#3 Brady (Subpar stats but did amazing with a horrible cast. Had a few bad games though).

Tier 2 Played at a Pro Bowl level

#4 Brees (Did amazing well with maybe the arguably 2nd most talent cast).
#5 Rodgers (He should be higher but too often plays risk averse).
#6 Lamar Jackson (A huge threat but beats up on bad defenses. His inability to get anything going in the playoff 2 years in a row keeps him from being higher).

Tier 3 played at a typical top 10 level

No one deserves this tier. IMO there was a drop off from the top 6. Frankly I don't like the people below this point getting a top 10 number, as i don't think they deserve it.

Tier 4 played at a good level

#7 Watson - (Percent numbers are good but failed to lead a talented offense to points)
#8 Wentz - (Same. Needs to step it up, just like Watson)
#9 Cousins - (This generations Drew Bledsoe in an easier passing era. Good enough to be in demand but not 'the guy')
#10 Stafford - (A less slightly less consistent Cousins)
#11 Ryan - (He's hot then he's cold, put the pressure on and watch him fold! Fools gold!)
#12 Dak - (The team that pays him will enjoy playoff runs often but rarely see the top 4 and never win it all).
#13 Rivers - (Fell off this year, but maybe he has more left? Will wait and see)

Tier 5 Meh

#14 Jimmy (He did well enough at times. Very inconsistent through)
#15 Murray (Consider his offense and D I think he did pretty well)

There are a few more in 5th tier and then I'd make a 6th and maybe 7th tier... But i'm not ranking anyone else and i don't feel they deserve it at this point.