Who is the best quarterback in the NFL right now?
There is a train of thought that the best quarterbacks in the NFL are now able to run the ball with the game becoming focused on the ground game in recent years but is that backed up by anything? Arguably the greatest QB of all-time, Tom Brady, is limited in this department but that will not stop him making this list. Aaron Rodgers, another who could conceivably enter the GOAT conversation, is also not the best rusher and moves quickly when there is a gap but his arm strength is still his greatest asset.
The most recent draft further highlighted the importance of the position with the top three picks all being QBs and those rookies (Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance) have not yet had chance to prove their worth but will hope to enter the discussion once they settle into the league. They could join a handful of others who could well join the elite in the coming years. Kyler Murray looks to have all the tools to become a top QB with the ability on the ground as well as through the air while there are also veterans who could enter the fray thanks to a change of scenery. Matthew Stafford regularly carried Detroit Lions but a move to the Los Angeles Rams during the recent off-season and playing under a quality, inventive head coach in Sean McVay could bring the best out of the veteran.
However, here at TSZ, we’ll take a look at those deemed to be in the mix to be considered the best in the NFL:
Lamar Jackson
Jackson is one of the QBs whose rushing game is arguably better than his passing game and that makes him a dual-threat. Since his debut season in 2018 to the start of this season, Jackson amassed 2,906 yards on the ground while he was able to surpass 1,000 yards in each of the last two years. Those figures are impressive and he backed it up by making his way into the end zone on at least seven occasions in each year too. In total, he has secured 20 rushing touchdowns up until the start of this season and wish the Ravens a rush-focused offense, it would be little surprise if he produced a career year in terms of rushing figures.
Josh Allen
Allen is another with a dual-threat and enters the conversation as the best in the NFL thanks to a breakout year last time out. The Buffalo Bill threw for 5,361 yards and 42 TDs as he managed to guide his team to within one match of the Super Bowl, falling short in the AFC Conference Championship game. Allen’s aerial numbers were a huge improvement on the earlier efforts in his career but the 25-year-old has always been consistent on the ground. He has notched at least eight TDs in each of his three seasons in the NFL while he surpassed 500 rushing yards last season as well as finding the end zone on nine occasions, taking his total number of TDs to a phenomenal 51 for the year. He boasts an impressive physique but is also quick on his feet as well as being powerful and now with an improved passing game, he looks like the all-round, modern day QB.
Tom Brady
While Brady is up there as best of all-time, he has competition if picking a current QB to start under center at present. The six-time Super Bowl champion made it seven in his first year with Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year but he was aided by an excellent defensive unit who ensured he spent plenty of time on the field while Brady also had the luxury of a high-quality receiving corps. Brady could surpass 95,000 passing yards for his career should he stay healthy this year with 5,694 coming in an incredible year last time out. He also threw for 50 TDs and while he rushed for four on top of that, those tended to be short-range efforts with the 44-year-old lacking the ground threat posed by some of the younger QBs in the league.
Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers could well look back on his career and feel his quality has been wasted having only managed to win one Super Bowl ring to date. Last year’s MVP was let down by some poor defensive efforts last year as they fell to eventual champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC Conference Championship. Rodgers produced some astonishing numbers last year, finishing with 53 TDs. His 48 during the regular season was the best of his career wand he also posted a new career-best in terms of completions with 70.7%. To make the numbers even more impressive for Rodgers, he was once again left with very little to aim for with Green Bay Packers failing to spend big in the draft in the receiving corps. Wide-receiver Davante Adams has developed a great relationship with Rodgers on his way to becoming one of the best receivers in the NFL but the former second-round pick only serves to highlight Rodgers’ quality with his franchise continually failing to give their QB weapons to aim for, yet he can still produce the goods with his deadly accuracy.
Patrick Mahomes
Mahomes is the poster boy of the NFL and rightly so with the Kansas City Chiefs QB lighting up the league since his first year as a starter in 2018. He has been selected to the Pro Bowl in each of those three years, leading the Chiefs to a Super Bowl success in just his second full season as a starter. Despite struggling with an injury at the business end of last season, Mahomes still managed to achieve 42 TD passes and rushed for another three. His ability on the ground is a big feature of Mahomes’ game and while it doesn’t always translate into getting himself into the end zone, he can make big plays on the ground to move his team up the field. He can also use his footwork to evade pressure and make his way into areas to deliver a pass, even when off balance. That ability is truly unique with him finding various ways to get the ball into his receiving corps. Mahomes has a couple of excellent targets in the shape of WR Tyreek Hill and TE Travis Kelce and with his ability through the air as well as on the ground, he poses defensive co-ordinators sleepless nights. He has many years ahead of him in the NFL and despite having just turned 26, he looks to be the best QB in the NFL right now with plenty of years on his side too.
