The 2023 NFL season is finally here, after a long and relatively tumultuous offseason. So, TGH wanted to break the football ice by publishing a ranking of the top 10 quarterbacks in the league. These rankings are subjective opinions published ahead of the 2023 Week 1 kickoff.

10. Tua Tagovailoa

It’s been said and written and repeated to death, but before Tua Tagovailoa suffered his first concussion of the 2022-2023 season, Miami was undefeated and had one of the best offenses in the NFL. After that, however, it was anyone’s guess how the next Dolphins game would end.

Health and the fear of the next scary injury hold Tagovailoa back on this list, and most others. When he’s upright and possesses all of his faculties, he plays above his size, his arm talent and his maneuverability. He’s really good, especially since he’s been given Mike McDaniel and the speediest offense in the league.

But, up to this point, he can’t be counted on to stay on the field. That’s the truth, however much of a bummer it is to admit. Tua may never be the best in the league, but he rises up this ranking (maybe significantly) if he doesn’t remind us how potentially scarring each NFL play can be.

9. Dak Prescott

Eliminating the years in which Prescott has suffered a season-altering injury, his raw stats would surprise most people if they stopped just using the old “eye test.” While under the pressure of being the quarterback of the most-discussed team in the league (whether that is deserved or undeserved, it cannot be disproven), he’s delivered a career that is generally underrated.

Since becoming the starter in 2016, Prescott’s best year was in 2019 in which he was just 98 yards shy of 5,000. He had 30 passing touchdowns to just 11 picks… but the team was 8-8. The previous season, he threw for fewer than 4,000 yards, 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions… but the Cowboys won a playoff game.

As stated above, the years in which he’s missed time removed, Prescott has been an incredibly solid quarterback. A bit too reckless with the football sometimes, sure, but, on a more consistent team, his numbers would be good for at least one or two NFC Championship runs in his seven years as a starter.

Dallas fans know they’re not getting too much flash out of him, but his evenness and overall poise earn him a top-10 ranking, even if he can’t constantly bail the Cowboys out.

8. Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers is a Super Bowl champion. He’s second all-time in NFL MVPs with four, including one in each of his age-37 and 38 seasons. He’s been selected to the Pro Bowl 10 times and the First Team All-Pro four times.

This segment could go on and on to talk about his various records and league-leading seasons in one statistical category or another. But, instead, it’s more necessary to talk about why he’s all the way down at number eight despite him being the most talented thrower of the football the league has ever seen.

Things had been rocky between the Packers brass and Rodgers for years. He responded by posting three 13-win seasons in a row before 2022-2023. The team shifted to get younger, and Rodgers struggled to adapt. He had his worst statistical season in years, “only” throwing for about 3,700 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Many middling NFL quarterbacks and high-tier backups would commit a crime or two to have a season like Rodgers did last year. But, with the influx of insane young talent at the position and his age (40 in December), it has to be taken into account that he’s just not going to be at the top of the mountain like he’s used to being.

Now on a new team, with both great young talent and some veteran buddies, he’s on a mission to not only add to his trophy case, but to prove that last year was a fluke and not a product of age. Either way, a declining Rodgers is better than most quarterbacks could ever hope to be.

7. Trevor Lawrence

If one is taking into account pre-draft hype and overall potential more highly than this article will, then Lawrence could be a spot or two higher. But as it stands, he only has one good year of NFL football under his belt. It was a very good year that reminded folks of just how good he could end up being, but even so, he has more to prove.

A 9-8 season may seem mediocre, but it was good enough to win their weak division, which should be a team’s first goal before worrying about Super Bowl potential. Lawrence took that momentum and immediately squandered it as he threw four first-half picks and looked up at halftime to see his team down 27-0 going into the second half.

Against all odds, Lawrence threw four touchdowns and led his team to the third-largest comeback in NFL playoff history as Jacksonville kicked a field goal as time expired to win the game 31-30.

That is what Lawrence brings to a team. Before his NFL career began, he was unfamiliar with losing to the point where he had never lost a game on a Saturday dating back to high school. His rookie year may have been abysmal, but the absolute dumpster fire of Urban Meyer’s 13-game tenure shouldn’t count against him.

There’s no way to not grade Lawrence on potential. It’s damn near impossible, actually. But as long as that potential bias is admitted, there’s no reason to not be excited for the Jaguars’ future and rank him among the top-10 quarterbacks in the league.

6. Jalen Hurts

Jalen Hurts played in 15 of 17 games last season and still almost won NFL MVP. In fact, if he played in those two games it’s decently safe to say that he’d have won it outright. During his sophomore (full-time starter) campaign, he led his team to the Super Bowl and accounted for 35 touchdowns on the most run-heavy team in the entire league.

He doesn’t quite break the top five here because he needs to prove it for one more season. Not to say this was a flash in the pan, but the Eagles’ schedule was very easy and a lot of their wins came on the back of a legitimately historic pass rush.

However, there’s a chance he rushes for over 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns while also showing that he isn’t afraid to throw it. As long as the offensive line holds up, he has all the tools necessary to show everyone that he’s the one to fear in the NFC for a long time coming.

5. Justin Herbert

Everyone already knows that Herbert began his career thanks to a mistake on the part of the Chargers’ medical staff. What most people don’t remember is that he went from one of the most beloved pre-draft prospects to a bit of an afterthought before that start.

Since he became the starter, he’s made a case for having one of the best arms in the entire league. He’s thrown for 4,300-plus, 5,000-plus and 4,700-plus yards in each of his three years even though the team has been a bit snakebitten when it comes to injuries.

Herbert’s playoff career got off to an inauspicious start after the team melted down and gave up one of the biggest comebacks in NFL history. But the former Offensive Rookie of the Year has a team built around him to rocket him even further into stardom.

There’s no reason to think he won’t eclipse 4,500 yards and 30 touchdowns again in 2023. It may be a popular opinion to fade Herbert and the Chargers this year, but when push comes to shove there aren’t many players that teams would rather have than him and his pure arm talent.

4. Lamar Jackson

Most thought that the league would never see a player of Michael Vick’s specific skillset ever again. Lamar Jackson presents the theory that it was only a matter of time until they’d have the chance to watch someone who could be even better at it.

The former NFL MVP and passing touchdowns leader wasn’t quite content with those stats that year. He also broke the all-time record for rushing yards by a quarterback in a season (1,206) and rushing attempts by a quarterback in a season (176), while also grabbing a share of the record for games in a season with a perfect passer rating (two). All of those things happened in 2019 alone.

Much has been made about his performance since then, especially his passing prowess. He’s failed to post a 3,000-yard season in the past two years and his passing touchdown numbers have taken a dip since his MVP season.

However, he played in only 12 games in both 2021 and 2022, due to injuries. His receiving core has been either injured, below average or both. The emphasis on his running ability has taken a decided front seat, as well.

It’s tough to argue that there is a more dangerous dual-threat player in the entire league at any given moment. Jackson’s top running speed and his deep ball are defense killers, if the opportunities are open. The unfair denigration of his talents is one of the worst examples of the “what have you done for me lately” way of thinking that permeates the NFL sphere every season.

Jackson is one of the most talented and electric players the league has ever gotten the chance to watch. His lack of playoff success does mar the ranking a bit, but there’s no denying that opposing defenses absolutely have to spend more time in the film room when they have the Baltimore Ravens up next on the schedule.

3. Josh Allen

Josh Allen had a pretty abysmal start to his NFL career. In 11 starts, he managed a 5-6 record throwing for 10 touchdowns and 12 picks. He may have added eight scores on the ground, but confidence wasn’t necessarily inspired during his first crack at professional action.

Since then, he’s racked up three straight 4,000-plus yard passing seasons with 35-plus touchdowns. In 2021 and 2022, he rushed for over 760 yards. He has one of the strongest arms this league has ever seen and he’s resurrected Buffalo from the dregs of the AFC East to one of the NFL’s scariest teams to play.

Allen needs to be this kind of player for the Bills to have success, too. An outdoor stadium in one of the coldest and windiest NFL cities necessitates a Howitzer-level arm. His running back room and offensive line have been below average, so he uses his large frame to bully even the toughest defenders on a rushing attempt. If he’s not as good as he is, the Bills are a fringe Wild Card team.

The value that Allen brings to this particular franchise brings him all the way up to third overall. His team may disappoint at times, and Allen isn’t blameless in those moments. But the fact that they’re consistently among Super Bowl favorites and playoff stalwarts is due to him being an all-time gamer.

At any moment, Allen could make a play that will have fans wondering how anyone else but Buffalo could be in the final four. Don’t outthink the room on this one, he’s incredible at his job.

2. Patrick Mahomes

Mahomes has had maybe the best start to a quarterbacking career for which anyone could realistically (or unrealistically) hope. Part of that success is lucking into maybe the greatest set of offensive circumstances in the history of the NFL.

He was given head coach Andy Reid; enough said there. He was given the opportunity to sit behind Alex Smith, a first-overall pick and the definition of a consummate professional. Mahomes was also afforded Tyreek Hill, a solid offensive line and Travis Kelce, who is making a case for the best pass-catching tight end in league history.

To his credit, though, he’s made the most of all of those gifts and won two MVPs, three AFC Championships and two Super Bowls. He’s led the NFL in passing touchdowns twice, passing yards once and been selected to a Pro Bowl every single year he’s been a starter. Those aren’t all of his accolades, either.

In four of his five years as a starter, he’s thrown for over 4,700 yards (twice for over 5,000). In 2018, his first year as a starter, he had a 50-touchdown season, making him only the third quarterback ever to do so. Add to those stats the “wow” plays that seem to crop up every week but can’t accurately be described in print, and there lie the makings of one the most talented quarterbacks to ever lace them up.

What’s holding him back from being the top-rated quarterback on this list, though, is the lack of general adversity he’s had to overcome.

Clearly more was made about his high-ankle sprain during last year’s playoffs than actually needed to be. He’s never had a great defense, but defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo schemes them well and Chris Jones remains one of the best sack-getters in the league. The running back spot has never mattered to the Chiefs during Mahomes’ reign and his pass-catchers generally stay healthy (Sammy Watkins not withstanding).

The only point in his career in which he faced pure, unadulterated adversity was in Super Bowl LV. Most of his starting offensive line was out due to injury and a makeshift one had to be trotted out against a great Buccaneers front seven. And in that game, Mahomes failed to score a touchdown. Any way that’s sliced, the cape simply fell off of his shoulders. He couldn’t be Superman when things weren’t all falling his way.

No one can doubt, Mahomes’ greatness, though, and this article certainly isn’t doing that. Not many players could’ve had anywhere near this run, even given all of the advantages that he was.

1. Joe Burrow

This will, without a doubt, be the most controversial ranking on this list. Most fans and pundits have Mahomes ranked first with a large gap between him and the rest of the quarterbacks (if not players of any position) in the NFL. However, having Mahomes as the unquestioned number one fails to take into account several pieces of context necessary for ranking quarterbacks.

First of all, Burrow was thrust into the starting role in Cincinnati the moment after he was drafted. He was given a two-win team with an offense featuring an aging A.J. Green and an inexperienced Tee Higgins, plus a rookie head coach. He was also given one of the worst offensive lines in the league.

Yes, Burrow only led the Bengals to a record of 2-7-1 before being injured, but that’s an easy record to obtain considering he was on his back for the majority of the season. His 13-5 touchdown to interception ratio impresses for a rookie either way.

Despite being the most sacked quarterback in the league the following season, he took Higgins to new heights, made Ja’Marr Chase one of the premier wideouts in the NFL and won Cincinnati its first playoff game in three decades. Burrow followed that up with a win over the number one seed in the AFC despite tying the record for sacks taken in a playoff game at nine. Finally, they mounted a historic comeback against the mighty Chiefs to reach the Super Bowl.

The very next year Burrow was the determining factor as the Bengals posted a 12-4 season, culminating in another playoff run shortened in the AFC title game by some questionable refereeing. In fact, both of their playoff losses in the past two seasons could be attributed to bad breaks. There’s a real chance Burrow is a two-time Super Bowl Champion if not for bad calls by officials.

Keep in mind that, in 2021, when he was the most sacked quarterback in the league, that Burrow had 370 extra yards for which to account in loss yardage (obviously a league leader). He also led the NFL in completion percentage (at over 70 percent) and yards per attempt, meaning that percentage cannot be attributed to him dinking and dunking his way across the field. He aired it out more (and more efficiently) than anyone.

In 2022, when Burrow came in fourth in MVP voting, he threw only six fewer touchdowns than the MVP winner (in a less pass-heavy offense). He also threw the same number of interceptions, a stat that is even more impressive when considering four of those were thrown just in Week 1.

Not to retread the above, but in the Super Bowl in which Mahomes had an unserviceable offensive line, he scored nine points. Burrow has made this team what it is despite the offensive line never quite being up to snuff. Especially during the Bengals’ Super Bowl run. In that game, he went up against a Rams front seven that (at least) rivaled the Buccaneers’ in Super Bowl LV, with an equally bad line. Burrow scored 20, Mahomes scored nine.

In short, Burrow was given no help to begin his career. He may have gotten an old friend in Chase ahead of their Super Bowl season, but he is the sole reason this team elevated past where all pundits had them. He’s the reason for Cincinnati’s continued relevance. Given this franchise’s history of mediocrity, that simply means more.

Unlike other quarterbacks on this list who lucked into good situations, Burrow’s offense and their dominance is exclusively due to him picking them up and showing them what it means to win. He is the most valuable player in the NFL, bar none.

Stay tuned for more breaking NFL content, including offseason moves, contract updates and more news from every team.

Featured image courtesy of NFL.com

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