NFL Quarterback Rankings: Eagles' Hurts Leads Top 5 NFC Quarterbacks
Rankings 4/6/23
There has been a lot of quarterback movement in the NFC during the offseason. Derek Carr joined the New Orleans Saints. Tom Brady hung up the cleats for good this time, and Aaron Rodgers is expected to be out of the conference by the start of the 2023 season.
Still, there are plenty of talented quarterbacks in the NFC. Here's my ranking of the top 5, with a few honorable mentions.
Top 5 NFC Quarterbacks
Honorable Mentions
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
No. 5 Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Last season was a tough one for Matthew Stafford. He had a season-ending injury after playing only nine games, winning just three. Los Angeles Rams were decimated by injuries, including to All-Pros Aaron Donald and Cooper Kupp. They had 98 games missed due to injuries on their roster, the most in the NFL. They used 13 different starting offensive line groups in 17 games. How is Stafford going to be successful under those circumstances?
Stafford's work ethic is unequaled. The guy will be in the gym and the film room. He has passed for more than 4,000 yards in a season nine times and more than 5,000 once. He will get back to a high level, and I think the Rams will surprise people with how well they do.
No. 4 Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Brock Purdy only started six regular-season games, with his seventh being a playoff win vs. the Seahawks. In his first seven games, he had a passer rating of more than 114, the only time that's ever happened in NFL history. If he hadn't gotten hurt, the San Francisco 49ers had a chance to beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game and then win the Super Bowl.
Purdy didn't play against a No. 1 defense until Jimmy Garoppolo got hurt. He didn't play with a No. 1 offense until Garoppolo got hurt. Purdy, who threw 16 TD passes to just four interceptions, having as much success as he did was remarkable. He didn't have any of the first-team reps in training camp or during the season, and he didn't have any reps against the No. 1 defense. Yet he was still successful, leading his team to seven consecutive wins.
Yes, he'll start over Trey Lance, and no, the 49ers won't draft a quarterback.
No. 3 Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Daniel Jones, who didn't even have his fifth-year option picked up, not only led the New York Giants to the playoffs but to a first-round upset at Minnesota. Why did he have the most successful year of his career? Because of coach Brian Daboll. Daboll knows how to play to players' strengths better than any coach in the NFL.
Daboll designed an offense that calls for things Jones is good at. Jones had the most rushing yards of his career (708), he had the best completion percentage of his career (67.2 percent) and he accounted for 15 passing touchdowns and rushed for seven more.
No. 2 Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
Some people say Justin Fields didn't show out in 2022. He completed 60 percent of his passes, the worst in the NFL for a quarterback who started more than 12 games. However, consider who Fields was throwing to.
This offseason the Chicago Bears added No. 1 wide receiver DJ Moore in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. They signed guard Nate Davis in free agency. Fields will have a full season with receiver Chase Claypool, who only had seven games with the team. Fields also should have a healthy Darnell Mooney, who only played in 12 games. Mooney had 81 catches in 2021 but just 40 last season.
The other thing that will help Fields is he will be in his second year in offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's offense. That will help Fields become an elite quarterback. He's gotten better, and this year he has more weapons.
No. 1 Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
When Jalen Hurts started the Eagles were 14-1 in the regular season. In the process, he became the only quarterback in NFL history to have 10-plus rushing touchdowns and a 100 quarterback rating in the same season.
This guy is elite, and he keeps getting better. People close to the Eagles organization will tell you Hurts is one of the hardest workers they've ever seen. Hurts is all football, all the time.
He's strong, fast, quick and wins games. Hurts will be just as good, if not better, in 2023 than he was in 2022. And the Eagles will make a deep run in the playoffs again.
Clay Harbor played tight end for seven seasons in the NFL. Follow him on Twitter @clayharbs82