Top 10 NFL Quarterbacks heading into 2022
The air is getting crisper, pools are closing down, and fall is right around the corner, which can only mean one thing…
Football is back!
After an off-season that saw plenty of movement around the league, fans have a pretty good picture of the NFL landscape headed into 2022; and things couldn't be more exciting, especially at the quarterback position.
Tom Brady is back after a retirement false alarm, Russell Wilson is now in Denver, the young guns, including Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Justin Herbert, and Joe Burrow are taking the league by storm, and much much more.
Over the last week or so, I've compiled a list of who I believe to be the best 10 quarterbacks in the league. This list is a combination of what we've recently seen out of these players (last 2 seasons or so) and a future outlook and prediction on how these guys will fare next season. Let's get into it!
10. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
2021 Stats: 14 games, 9-5 record
Passing: 3787 yards, 24 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 69.2 completion percentage.
Rushing: 88 rushes, 423 yards, 5 touchdowns, 0 fumbles lost.
After a breakout 2020, Murray continued to impress under center in 2021, although he missed two games, his rushing impact significantly declined, and he struggled in his playoff debut with zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Still, Kyler cracks my top 10 quarterbacks because of his dual threat ability, his elite accuracy, and big arm. Only 23, Murray recently signed a 5-year, $230 million extension to lock him in as Arizona’s franchise signal caller.
9. Russell Wilson, Denver Broncos
2021 Stats: 14 games, 6-8 record
Passing: 3113 yards, 25 touchdowns, 6 interception, 64.8 completion percentage.
Russ was hard to place on this list. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt after a 2021 season in Seattle that saw a fractured finger in week five that he never really seemed to fully recover from. Couple that with a rocky situation featuring a horrid offensive line and the result is your franchise quarterback wanting out, and that’s exactly what happened. Now in Denver, Russ has a chance to get right back to winning. With a better offensive line, a young stud running back in Javonte Williams, a solid receiving core, and an up and coming defense, Russ is primed and ready for year 11.
8. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
2021 Stats: 16 games, 11-5 record
Passing: 4449 yards, 37 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 68.8 completion percentage.
Dak is as important to his team’s success other than maybe Rodgers, Josh Allen, and Mahomes, and the last two years show it. Prescott and the Cowboys started off the 2020 season 2-3 before he dislocated his ankle. The Cowboys went 4-7 the rest of the way in a division in which no team finished with a winning record. In 2021, Dak was phenomenal, and the adjustment of his play style post-injury was near-flawless. With a premier offensive line and an emerging superstar in CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys should be able to continue their offensive success with Prescott at the helm.
7. Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2021 Stats: 17 games, 13-4 record
Passing: 5316 yards, 43 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 67.5 completion percentage.
After retiring and un-retiring in the span of a month, the Goat is back in Tampa for year 23. He’ll be 45 years old by the time the season starts, and although he’s regressed a bit, Brady is still a premier QB in the NFL. I do have him a bit lower than most because I worry about Tampa’s offensive line (departures and injuries), Chris Godwin likely starting the season injured, and Gronk and Antonio Brown gone, and how that all affects Brady. However, the NFC got a bit more friendly during the off-season, so another Super Bowl appearance is definitely within the realm of possibility for Tom and the Bucs this year in what could be his final season.
6. Joe Burrow
2021 Stats: 16 games, 10-6 record
Passing: 4611 yards, 34 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 70.4 completion percentage.
Burrow had a historic 2021 based on the expectations coming in. Before tearing his ACL in week 11 of 2020, he was having a solid rookie season statistically, but the Bengals were an abysmal 2-7-1. Burrow healed up during the off-season and welcomed his college buddy Ja’Marr Chase into Cinci, and once the season started, it was wraps for opposing corners. The two showcased insane chemistry, with Chase securing Offensive Rookie of the Year, and took the Bengals to the Super Bowl. With an improved offensive line heading into 2022, Joe Shiesty and the Bengals look to continue their recent success.
5. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Stats: 17 games, 12-5 record
Passing: 4886 yards, 41 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, 67.2 completion percentage.
Matthew Stafford is a perfect example of why football is a team game. While quarterback is the most important position, formidable weapons, a good defense, and consistent coaching are essential to making a run in the playoffs. Stafford rarely had all three during his 12 years in Detroit, and the result was zero playoff wins. In his first year as a Ram, Stafford tied his career high in touchdowns and completion percentage, developed a historic connection with WR Cooper Kupp, and above all, won a Super Bowl in a competitive division. What really makes him a top 5 quarterback to me, however, is how he performed in the playoffs. In 4 playoff games (keep in mind he played 3 in 12 years as a Lion), Stafford outplayed Kyler Murray, Tom Brady, Jimmy Garrapollo, and Joe Burrow, with 3 of which being on this list. He also led 3 game winning drives, a theme we often saw in his Detroit years. The Rams enter 2022 as good as anyone and look to repeat as champs.
4. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Stats: 17 games, 9-8 record
Passing: 5014 yards, 38 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, 65.9 completion percentage.
Herbert has exceeded expectations through his first two years and is exactly what the Chargers wanted following the 16 year-long Phillip Rivers era. He's been great statistically, but unlike fellow young star Joe Burrow, Herbert has yet to make the playoffs, something that for the most part can be attributed to the Chargers’ sub par defense over the last two seasons. Herbert is immensely talented, and although almost every other QB on this list has won playoff games, that can’t be counted against a player headed into only his 3rd year with a top tier offense and a lagging defense. Regardless, LAC should be much better in 2022 and are being talked about as contenders in the AFC. So long as Herbert and his group of elite weapons continue their recent success, I can see why. Herbert is a candidate to win MVP this season.
3. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Stats: 17 games, 12-5 record
Passing: 4839 yards, 37 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, 66.3 completion percentage.
Although Mahomes’ numbers have come back to Earth since his unreal MVP season in 2018, he’s still a top talent in the league. His playoff numbers are excellent and his ability to make unreal throws in critical situations remains as strong as ever. Simply put, Mahomes epitomizes the modern NFL QB: his arm is accurate and powerful, he’s extremely mobile and can make plays off-balance, he’s clutch, and he’s been a great leader since his early days in the league. This year, however, things will look a bit different in Kansas City, as Mahomes won’t have star receiver Tyreek Hill on the field with him for the first time in his career. The additions of JuJu and 2nd round receiver Skyy Moore are nice, and superstar Tight End Travis Kelce remains, but the offensive game plan will surely see some changes. Mahomes and Kansas City look to make another deep run but will compete in what could be the greatest offensive division of all time.
2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Stats: 16 games, 13-3 record
Passing: 4115 yards, 37 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, 68.9 completion percentage.
Rodgers has been playing at an elite level for his entire career, but over the last 2 seasons especially, he’s been unreal. Both, however, have ended in disappointing playoff exits. Regardless, A-Rod’s game is near-flawless: he’s deadly accurate with impeccable timing and underrated mobility. The loss of superstar Davante Adams will certainly cause the Pack to take a different approach, but with 12 at the helm the Green Bay offense is still dangerous. Perhaps this is the year Rodgers makes a long awaited Super Bowl run as he guns for his second ring.
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Stats: 17 games, 11-6 record
Passing: 4407 yards, 36 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, 63.3 completion percentage.
Rushing: 122 rushes, 763 yards, 6 touchdowns, 3 fumbles lost.
While last year’s stats weren’t insane, I still don’t think there’s a QB as talented as Allen, and he’s only going to get better. He’s got the most powerful arm in the league and is an elite runner all while having a frame of 6’5” 237 lbs. But perhaps the main thing that sticks out about Allen is that he’s been exceptional in the playoffs. So far he’s thrown for 1718 yards, 14 TD’s, and only 1 INT through 6 playoff games, and if the frenzy against KC in the divisional last year went Buffalo’s way, we could be talking about them as Super Bowl champs. He’s 26 and still has a long career ahead of him in a city and organization that’s been waiting for their savior. Allen is my favorite to win MVP this season and Buffalo is a contender to come out of the AFC.
