QB Index: Ranking the 59 starting quarterbacks of the 2020 NFL season

[a425couple]

from
https://www.nfl.com/news/qb-index-ranking-the-59-starting-quarterbacks-of-the-2020-nfl-season

(So, of the 59, the 49ers had #30, #38, & 42.
Rankings fair to you or not?

Mullens had 8 starts, 2 wins, 15 giveaways.

For Cao's interest, the "mobile QB" were
#3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 10.)

QB Index: Ranking the 59 starting quarterbacks of the 2020 NFL season
Published: Feb 11, 2021 at 11:57 AM
Headshot_Author_Ali-Bhanpuri_2020
Headshot_Author_Tom_Blair_1400x1000
Headshot_Author_GENNARO-FILICE_1400x1000
Headshot_Author_Dan-Parr_2020
by Ali Bhanpuri, Tom Blair, Gennaro Filice & Dan Parr


We took the reins of the QB Index at midseason, as Chris Wesseling's
second battle with cancer intensified. Last Friday, Chris passed away at
the age of 46, crushing everyone here at NFL Media and the scores of
people he touched during a life well lived.

So here we are, trying to pick up the pieces and do what Wess would've
wanted us to do: Passionately and playfully live in the moment ... even
when the moment calls for ranking men who throw an oblong sphere for a
living.

For this season finale of the QB Index, NFL.com editors Ali Bhanpuri,
Tom Blair, Gennaro Filice and Dan Parr created a composite ranking of
all 59 quarterbacks who logged an official NFL start during the 2020
campaign. (And before you ask, no, the official record keepers did not
credit anyone with a QB start in Denver's Week 12 loss, when the entire
Broncos quarterback room landed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Kendall
Hinton, you're mercifully off the hook.)

These rankings were formulated with one simple question in mind:

Who had the best 2020 season, playoffs included?

Past performances and future projections were NOT taken into account.
Rather, this list is meant to reflect where each QB stood in the 2020
campaign alone.


Rank
1
Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers
Green Bay Packers · Year 16
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 2 | Blair: 1 | Filice: 1 | Parr: 1

2020 stats: 18 games | 70.2 pct | 4,941 pass yds | 8.1 ypa | 53 pass TD
| 6 INT | 146 rush yds | 4 rush TD | 2 fumbles
lost



Bhanpuri: Aaron Rodgers has been so good for so long that it's hard to
grasp just how much of an outlier his 2020 MVP-winning campaign was in
the context of NFL history, but here's my best shot: He became the first
QB ever to account for more than 53 total touchdowns and fewer than 10
interceptions in a single season (including playoffs). In fact, only
twice before had a quarterback produced even 50 total touchdowns while
throwing fewer than 10 picks -- Rodgers both times (53:9 in 2016; 50:7
in 2011.)

Rank
2
Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Tampa Bay Buccaneers · Year 21
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 1 | Blair: 3 | Filice: 2 | Parr: 3

2020 stats: 20 games | 64.4 pct | 5,694 pass yds | 7.6 ypa | 50 pass TD
| 15 INT | 3 rush yds | 4 rush TD | 1 fumble
lost



Bhanpuri: Tom Brady deftly navigated a stagnant franchise, coming off a
7-9 campaign and without a playoff win in 18 years, through the NFL's
most bizarre and challenging season en route to a Super Bowl title. In
Year 1. His arrival changed the entire ethos of the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers, transforming a downtrodden organization that had been
relegated to afternoon programming into a confident free-agent hotspot
worthy of prime-time, deserving of championships. Oh, and at 43, the
undisputed G.O.A.T. finished with one of the best statistical seasons of
his 21-year career.

Rank
3
Patrick Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes
Kansas City Chiefs · Year 4
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 3 | Blair: 2 | Filice: 3 | Parr: 2

2020 stats: 18 games | 66.1 pct | 5,590 pass yds | 7.9 ypa | 42 pass TD
| 8 INT | 360 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 2 fumbles
lost



Bhanpuri: With a healthier offensive line (and toe), Patrick Mahomes
might've leapt all the way to No. 1 on this list. The 25-year-old was
superb again in 2020; though, his most memorable pass of the season
might end up being one he didn't even complete. (C'mon, Darrel Williams!)

Rank
4
Deshaun Watson
Deshaun Watson
Houston Texans · Year 4
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 4 | Blair: 4 | Filice: 4 | Parr: 5

2020 stats: 16 games | 70.2 pct | 4,823 pass yds | 8.9 ypa | 33 pass TD
| 7 INT | 444 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 3 fumbles
lost



Bhanpuri: What Deshaun Watson achieved this season with an
injury-ravaged receiving corps, inconsistent running game, dysfunctional
defense and unreliable O-line is nothing short of astounding. Not even a
Double Ditka return would sufficiently account for Watson's true value.

Rank
5
Josh Allen
Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills · Year 3
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 5 | Blair: 5 | Filice: 5 | Parr: 4

2020 stats: 19 games | 68.4 pct | 4,544 pass yds | 7.7 ypa | 42 pass TD
| 11 INT | 566 rush yds | 9 rush TD | 6 fumbles
lost



Bhanpuri: Josh Allen wrapped his third NFL season having made one of the
biggest year-over-year progressions of any starting quarterback in
years. He improved his game in nearly every area, leaving us all with
the same question to ponder over the next seven months: Just how high
does his ceiling go?

Rank
6
Russell Wilson
Russell Wilson
Seattle Seahawks · Year 9
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 6 | Blair: 7 | Filice: 6 | Parr: 6

2020 stats: 17 games | 67.5 pct | 4,386 pass yds | 7.5 ypa | 42 pass TD
| 14 INT | 563 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 4 fumbles
lost



Filice: Do NOT interrupt Russ when he's cooking. Wilson started the
season on fire, leading the Seahawks to the first 5-0 start in franchise
history while establishing himself as the early MVP front-runner with
some otherworldly numbers.



Russ, Weeks 1-5: 19:3 TD-to-INT ratio, 72.8 comp%, 8.9 ypa, 129.8 passer
rating.



But then the Seahawks hit their bye week, Wilson joined the Madden 99
Club -- MADDEN CURSE!! -- and the wheels fell off. Seattle lost its very
next game and wound up going 7-5 over the rest of the season,
culminating in a home loss on Wild Card Weekend. And yes, Russ' MVP
candidacy plunged alongside his statistical skid.



Russ, Weeks 7-18: 23:11 TD-to-INT ratio, 65.4 comp%, 6.9 ypa, 92.9
passer rating.

Rank
7
Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson
Baltimore Ravens · Year 3
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 7 | Blair: 6 | Filice: 7 | Parr: 7

2020 stats: 17 games | 64.4 pct | 3,098 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 26 pass TD
| 11 INT | 1,175 rush yds | 8 rush TD | 4 fumbles
lost



Filice: Lamar slayed that pesky playoff narrative with an electric
touchdown run and a wild-card win at Tennessee. Lamar revived that pesky
playoff narrative with a catastrophic pick-six and a Divisional Round
loss at Buffalo. What a difference six days makes.

Rank
8
Ryan Tannehill
Ryan Tannehill
Tennessee Titans · Year 9
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 9 | Blair: 8 | Filice: 8 | Parr: 8

2020 stats: 17 games | 65.7 pct | 3,984 pass yds | 7.9 ypa | 34 pass TD
| 8 INT | 272 rush yds | 7 rush TD | 1 fumble
lost



Filice: Passer rating isn't a perfect statistic, but it's something
we're all generally familiar with, so it's a nice contextual device.
Over seven years with the Dolphins, Tannehill posted triple-digit passer
ratings in 22 games. In his first two years with the Titans, he has 21.


Rank
9
Justin Herbert
Justin Herbert
Los Angeles Chargers · Rookie
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 8 | Blair: 9 | Filice: 9 | Parr: 9

2020 stats: 16 games | 66.6 pct | 4,336 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 31 pass TD
| 10 INT | 234 rush yds | 5 rush TD | 1 fumble
lost



Filice: We were told throughout the 2020 pre-draft process that Herbert
was a raw talent who'd need time to transition to the NFL level.
Unexpectedly thrust into action in Week 2, he abruptly proceeded to
eviscerate defenses with graduate-level throws, set the rookie record
for touchdown passes and run away with Offensive Rookie of the Year
honors. Baptism by fire never looked so good.

Rank
10
Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray
Arizona Cardinals · Year 2
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 10 | Blair: 11 | Filice: 10 | Parr: 11

2020 stats: 16 games | 67.2 pct | 3,971 pass yds | 7.1 ypa | 26 pass TD
| 12 INT | 819 rush yds | 11 rush TD | 4 fumbles
lost



Filice: In Year 2, Kyler really showed us what he can do with his legs
-- the guy just moves differently -- but he still has plenty of room for
improvement as a traditional passer. This is a tantalizing/terrifying
thought, depending on your rooting interests.

Rank
11
Baker Mayfield
Baker Mayfield
Cleveland Browns · Year 3
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 11 | Blair: 10 | Filice: 14 | Parr: 10

2020 stats: 18 games | 62.7 pct | 4,030 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 30 pass TD
| 9 INT | 179 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 4 fumbles
lost



Blair: Asking Mayfield to do less in Year 3 allowed him to accomplish
much more -- like, say, directing the Browns' first playoff win in a
generation while firmly establishing himself as the QB of the future,
thereby mercifully sparing the world months of the worst kind of Baker
Discourse. Despite playing in two more games than he did as a rookie,
Mayfield threw exactly as many passes (486) as he did in 2018, logging a
career-low 30.4 attempts per game, but crucially, he took only one more
sack (26 in 2020 compared to 25 in '18) while drastically reducing his
interception rate (1.6%, down from 3.9% in '19 and 2.9% in '18).

Rank
12
Derek Carr
Derek Carr
Las Vegas Raiders · Year 7
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 12 | Blair: 12 | Filice: 11 | Parr: 12

2020 stats: 16 games | 67.3 pct | 4,103 pass yds | 7.9 ypa | 27 pass TD
| 9 INT | 140 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 8 fumbles
lost



Blair: Carr's difficulty upgrading his status to no-doubt top-10 QB
might help fuel the seemingly eternal speculation about his long-term
future with the Raiders, but unless Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock have a
line on someone definitively better (and there's really only one
theoretically available player who fits that bill), any change at this
point (including switching to Marcus Mariota) would read more like
restless deck-shuffling than anything else. Forget about blaming the
Raiders' collapse on Carr -- would they have even been in playoff
contention without him?

Rank
13
Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford
Detroit Lions · Year 12
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 13 | Blair: 14 | Filice: 13 | Parr: 13

2020 stats: 16 games | 64.2 pct | 4,084 pass yds | 7.7 ypa | 26 pass TD
| 10 INT | 112 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble
lost



Blair: Stafford's final Lions season marked the third time since 2015
that he recorded a passer rating of 95 or better and threw for 250-plus
yards per game while also failing to win more than seven games -- no
other NFL QB did that as many times in that span. His escape to Los
Angeles has the potential to be one of the feel-good stories of 2021.


Kurt Warner reacts to the Rams trading for Stafford
Rank
14
Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan
Atlanta Falcons · Year 13
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 16 | Blair: 13 | Filice: 12 | Parr: 15

2020 stats: 16 games | 65.0 pct | 4,581 pass yds | 7.3 ypa | 26 pass TD
| 11 INT | 92 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 3 fumbles
lost



Blair: Anyone antsy for the Falcons to move on from Ryan should wait to
see if he and new head coach Arthur Smith can make Rodgers-LaFleur-like
magic in 2021. Ryan was much better than Atlanta's record (or the
handful of subpar outings he produced) suggests, mostly living up to his
customary statistical standards, but even if he takes a serious step
back as a 36-year-old QB, he projects as, at worst, a high-end veteran
who can keep the Falcons competitive while they formulate plans for the
post-Ryan era.

Rank
15
Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins
Minnesota Vikings · Year 9
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 14 | Blair: 15 | Filice: 15 | Parr: 14

2020 stats: 16 games | 67.2 pct | 4,265 pass yds | 8.3 ypa | 35 pass TD
| 13 INT | 156 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 5 fumbles
lost



Blair: The annual questioning of Cousins' bonafides became increasingly
exhausting in his first Vikings season without Stefon Diggs, thanks in
large part to a truly wretched Week 2 showing (42% completion rate, 113
yards, 0 TDs, 3 INTs, 15.9 passer rating) that helped set the tone for
Minnesota's 1-5 start. Neither that nor his redemptive second half --
from Week 9 to Week 17, only Deshaun Watson threw for more yards than
Cousins (2,728 to 2,630), and only Aaron Rodgers threw more TD passes
(23 to 20) -- changed his status in my mind as a better-than-average
quarterback who should maybe not be judged too harshly for being unable
to transcend the circumstances around him.


Rank
16
Dak Prescott
Dak Prescott
Dallas Cowboys · Year 5
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 17 | Blair: 17 | Filice: 16 | Parr: 16

2020 stats: 5 games | 68.0 pct | 1,856 pass yds | 8.4 ypa | 9 pass TD |
4 INT | 93 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 3 fumbles lost



Parr: Prescott was on pace to shatter the single-season passing yards
record before a gruesome ankle injury robbed him of a chance to make
history. The small sample size is probably the only thing keeping him
from ending up higher on this list.

Rank
17
Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers
Indianapolis Colts · Year 17
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 15 | Blair: 16 | Filice: 18 | Parr: 18

2020 stats: 17 games | 67.2 pct | 4,478 pass yds | 7.6 ypa | 26 pass TD
| 11 INT | -9 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble
lost



Parr: Rivers' ups and downs of the past season followed the trend he
struggled to break for much of his career. He was good enough to end up
around the middle of the pack of starting QBs.

Rank
18
Joe Burrow
Joe Burrow
Cincinnati Bengals · Rookie
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 18 | Blair: 18 | Filice: 17 | Parr: 20

2020 stats: 10 games | 65.3 pct | 2,688 pass yds | 6.7 ypa | 13 pass TD
| 5 INT | 276 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 4 fumbles lost



Parr: Late November seems like a long time ago, but remember, Burrow was
keeping pace with Justin Herbert in their assault on the rookie passing
yards record prior to his season-ending knee injury. The first overall
pick of the 2020 NFL Draft was doing magical things despite receiving
horrible pass protection.

Rank
19
Drew Brees
Drew Brees
New Orleans Saints · Year 20
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 19 | Blair: 19 | Filice: 19 | Parr: 17

2020 stats: 14 games | 69.5 pct | 3,341 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 27 pass TD
| 9 INT | 3 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 2 fumbles
lost



Parr: Brees managed to play efficiently, despite his mounting physical
limitations, into the second half of the season. In a wickedly familiar
turn of events, injuries piled up on the 42-year-old during what's
expected to be his final ride and left him a shell of his all-time-great
self.

Rank
20
Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Pittsburgh Steelers · Year 17
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 20 | Blair: 20 | Filice: 21 | Parr: 19

2020 stats: 16 games | 66.0 pct | 4,304 pass yds | 6.4 ypa | 37 pass TD
| 14 INT | 11 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble
lost



Parr: Steelers receivers let Big Ben down far too often: His 48 dropped
passes in the regular season were 15 more than any other QB was troubled
with, per Next Gen Stats. A disappearing running game didn't help
either. Roethlisberger played some of the best football of his career in
the first half of the season, but the bottom dropped out down the stretch.

Rank
21
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Miami Dolphins · Year 16
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 21 | Blair: 21 | Filice: 22 | Parr: 21

2020 stats: 9 games | 68.5 pct | 2,091 pass yds | 7.8 ypa | 13 pass TD |
8 INT | 151 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Bhanpuri: Ryan Fitzpatrick was one of the 10 most entertaining QBs to
watch this season -- routinely making jaw-dropping and heroic throws
both as a starter and in relief. I have no clue if the 38-year-old free
agent can carry over the magic of this campaign to another team next
fall, but several squads could do (and likely will do) far worse at the
position.

Rank
22
Jared Goff
Jared Goff
Los Angeles Rams · Year 5
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 22 | Blair: 23 | Filice: 26 | Parr: 22

2020 stats: 17 games | 66.9 pct | 4,281 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 22 pass TD
| 13 INT | 109 rush yds | 4 rush TD | 4 fumbles lost



Bhanpuri: Jared Goff capped a disappointing, turnover-filled 2020
campaign by playing solid playoff football just two weeks after
undergoing surgery to repair a broken thumb on his throwing hand.
Leading scoring drives on nearly every other possession should've been
enough to keep the Rams competitive in their Divisional Round matchup
with the Packers, had the QB on the opposite sideline not scored the
first five times he touched the ball. If there's a silver lining for
Goff after being shipped off a playoff team to a franchise in flux, it's
that he'll get two shots to pay back his fellow Cal alum next season.

Rank
23
Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts
Philadelphia Eagles · Rookie
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 23 | Blair: 22 | Filice: 25 | Parr: 27

2020 stats: 15 games | 52.0 pct | 1,061 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 6 pass TD |
4 INT | 354 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 2 fumbles
lost



Bhanpuri: Jalen Hurts provided a spark for a lifeless Eagles offense
when he took over for Carson Wentz in Week 14, but the rookie's four
starts were far from perfect. Still, combine his copious potential with
a 2021 salary that's 3.4 percent the size of Wentz's, and it's no
surprise why the fledgling Nick Sirianni regime might opt to stick with
the second-year passer as the team's starter next season.


Rank
24
Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones
New York Giants · Year 2
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 30 | Blair: 25 | Filice: 20 | Parr: 24

2020 stats: 14 games | 62.5 pct | 2,943 pass yds | 6.6 ypa | 11 pass TD
| 10 INT | 423 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 6 fumbles lost



Bhanpuri: One of the most infuriating players in the entire league,
Daniel Jones has proven in his short career that he can make every throw
and almost any run. And yet, he turns the ball over (1.4 per game) like
he's going toe to toe with Jameis Winston. Can Jones make a Baker
Mayfield-like leap in Year 3?

Rank
25
Andy Dalton
Andy Dalton
Dallas Cowboys · Year 10
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 24 | Blair: 30 | Filice: 24 | Parr: 25

2020 stats: 11 games | 64.9 pct | 2,170 pass yds | 6.5 ypa | 14 pass TD
| 8 INT | 114 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble
lost



Bhanpuri: After a rough start to his fill-in role as the Cowboys' QB1,
which included expected growing pains and an unexpected battle with
COVID-19, Andy Dalton helped steer the wayward Cowboys back into the NFC
east race. Dallas went 4-3 from Weeks 11 to 17, when Dalton threw for
the sixth most touchdowns (13) and the 11th most yards (1,718). He also
posted the14th best passer rating (95.1) among the 30 QBs with at least
120 attempts during that span. Right back in the middle of the pack,
where he belongs.

Rank
26
Taysom Hill
Taysom Hill
New Orleans Saints · Year 4
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 32 | Blair: 27 | Filice: 23 | Parr: 23

2020 stats: 17 games | 72.7 pct | 928 pass yds | 7.7 ypa | 4 pass TD | 2
INT | 472 rush yds | 8 rush TD | 6 fumbles lost



Filice: NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported last week that Jameis
Winston is "in the driver's seat" to become the Saints' starting
quarterback in 2021, but doesn't a small part of you want to see Sean
Payton go FULL MAD SCIENTIST with Hill at the helm? Yes, Hill's starting
stint this past season was a mixed bag, but the Saints went 3-1. And
what happened to all that Steve Young talk?

Rank
27
Alex Smith
Alex Smith
Washington Football Team · Year 16
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 25 | Blair: 24 | Filice: 29 | Parr: 28

2020 stats: 8 games | 66.7 pct | 1,582 pass yds | 6.3 ypa | 6 pass TD |
8 INT | 3 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles
lost



Filice: "So ... what are the actual criteria for the NFL's Comeback
Player of the Year award?" Nope, we're not playing that game. The
question doesn't apply. Not this year. Smith's comeback story transcends
snark.


Alex Smith reacts to winning 2020 AP Comeback Player of the Year
Rank
28
Tua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa
Miami Dolphins · Rookie
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 28 | Blair: 26 | Filice: 28 | Parr: 26

2020 stats: 10 games | 64.1 pct | 1,814 pass yds | 6.3 ypa | 11 pass TD
| 3 INT | 109 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 1 fumble
lost



Filice: On the one hand, Tua was clearly outplayed by the quarterback
taken one pick behind him, his arm left something to be desired and
unnamed teammates questioned his ability in the local paper. On the
other hand, Tua went 6-3 as a starter, he might not have been 100
percent after major hip surgery and his surrounding cast left something
to be desired.

Rank
29
Teddy Bridgewater
Teddy Bridgewater
Carolina Panthers · Year 7
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 26 | Blair: 31 | Filice: 27 | Parr: 30

2020 stats: 15 games | 69.1 pct | 3,733 pass yds | 7.6 ypa | 15 pass TD
| 11 INT | 279 rush yds | 5 rush TD | 3 fumbles
lost



Filice: Reflecting the 2020 Panthers as a whole, Teddy initially
exceeded expectations but petered out as the season went along. Head
coach Matt Rhule didn't equivocate in his end-of-season presser --
"Teddy has to have a tremendous offseason" -- and the Panthers have
clearly been poking around the QB market, so it'd be a surprise to no
one if Bridgewater is one-and-done as Carolina's starter.

Rank
30
Jimmy Garoppolo
Jimmy Garoppolo
San Francisco 49ers · Year 7
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 27 | Blair: 29 | Filice: 30 | Parr: 31

2020 stats: 6 games | 67.1 pct | 1,096 pass yds | 7.8 ypa | 7 pass TD |
5 INT | 25 rush yds | 0 rush TDs | 0 fumbles lost



Filice: Jared Goff was in the Super Bowl two years ago. Garoppolo made
it last year. Now Goff's with a new franchise. Could Jimmy G follow
suit? Interesting times in the NFC West.


Rank
31
Mitchell Trubisky
Mitchell Trubisky
Chicago Bears · Year 4
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 29 | Blair: 28 | Filice: 33 | Parr: 29

2020 stats: 11 games | 66.9 pct | 2,254 pass yds | 6.9 ypa | 17 pass TD
| 8 INT | 205 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 2 fumbles
lost



Blair: Is it weird that I'm kind of high on Trubisky coming off a season
in which he temporarily lost his job to Nick Foles? Yes, it is -- but
even taking into account the playoff loss that served as the umpteenth
reminder of Trubisky's limitations, the relatively strong close to his
regular season heading into free agency provided glimpses of a potential
future as an extreme post-hype sleeper capable of competent play in the
right situation, either as a season-saving backup or placeholding
starter with upside.

Rank
32
Cam Newton
Cam Newton
New England Patriots · Year 10
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 31 | Blair: 32 | Filice: 31 | Parr: 32

2020 stats: 15 games | 65.8 pct | 2,657 pass yds | 7.2 ypa | 8 pass TD |
10 INT | 592 rush yds | 12 rush TD | 1 fumble
lost



Blair: The most surprising thing is not that Newton will have to find
the right situation for his skill set as an aging dual-threat QB -- it's
that Bill Belichick couldn't provide that for him. Here's hoping Newton
gets the chance to author a proper later-stage chapter to his career
after COVID-19 and a subpar supporting cast waylaid his dalliance with
the Patriot Way.

Rank
33
Drew Lock
Drew Lock
Denver Broncos · Year 2
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 33 | Blair: 33 | Filice: 32 | Parr: 34

2020 stats: 13 games | 57.3 pct | 2,933 pass yds | 6.6 ypa | 16 pass TD
| 15 INT | 160 rush yds | 3 rush TD | 3 fumbles
lost



Blair: It's not exactly curtains yet for Lock, who still could have a
shot to grow into a decent player, whether in Denver or, down the road,
elsewhere. But it's also hard to imagine the Broncos can't find someone
capable of bringing a higher floor and ceiling to the position in 2021.

Rank
34
Gardner Minshew
Gardner Minshew
Jacksonville Jaguars · Year 2
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 36 | Blair: 34 | Filice: 34 | Parr: 33

2020 stats: 9 games | 66.1 pct | 2,259 pass yds | 6.9 ypa | 16 pass TD |
5 INT | 153 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 4 fumbles lost



Blair: Don't shed too many tears over the end of Minshew Mania in
Jacksonville. As a former sixth-round pick, you could do far worse than
endearing yourself to the nation while establishing yourself up as the
Millennial replica of Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Rank
35
Carson Wentz
Carson Wentz
Philadelphia Eagles · Year 5
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 34 | Blair: 35 | Filice: 35 | Parr: 35

2020 stats: 12 games | 57.4 pct | 2,620 pass yds | 6.0 ypa | 16 pass TD
| 15 INT | 276 rush yds | 5 rush TD | 4 fumbles lost



Blair: Wentz is just one member of the (unsettlingly large) crowd of
young quarterbacks teetering on the brink, but his fall might be among
the most harrowing, given the heights from which the former MVP
candidate has plummeted. Without digging into the messy business of
assigning blame, Wentz's 2020 backslide should haunt not just the Eagles
but any NFL decision-maker tasked with safeguarding the development of a
talented signal-caller.

Rank
36
Sam Darnold
Sam Darnold
New York Jets · Year 3
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 35 | Blair: 36 | Filice: 36 | Parr: 36

2020 stats: 12 games | 59.6 pct | 2,208 pass yds | 6.1 ypa | 9 pass TD |
11 INT | 217 rush yds | 2 rush TD | 2 fumbles
lost



Parr: No QB with more than 110 pass attempts had a lower passer rating
than Darnold (72.7). His flashes in leading the Jets to consecutive wins
over playoff teams late in the season (Rams and Browns) could help
inspire teams to make a trade offer for him, though.

Rank
37
Taylor Heinicke
Taylor Heinicke
Washington Football Team · Year 4
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 37 | Blair: 37 | Filice: 37 | Parr: 38

2020 stats: 2 games | 60.3 pct | 443 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 2 pass TD | 1
INT | 68 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Parr: Heinicke was taking engineering classes at Old Dominion a couple
months ago. Now he just inked a two-year contract extension. The
head-spinning life changes come courtesy of a Super Wild Card Weekend
performance that saw him join an exclusive club. The only other member?
His opposition that January night, Tom Brady. They're the only players
since 1950 drafted in the sixth round or later, including undrafted free
agent signees, with 300 or more pass yards and a rush TD in their first
playoff start, per NFL Research.

Rank
38
C.J. Beathard
C.J. Beathard
San Francisco 49ers · Year 4
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 38 | Blair: 38 | Filice: 40 | Parr: 37

2020 stats: 6 games | 63.5 pct | 787 pass yds | 7.6 ypa | 6 pass TD | 0
INT | 28 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 3 fumbles
lost



Parr: Take this with a massive grain of salt due to sample size, but the
only players with a better passer rating than Beathard last season were
Deshaun Watson and Aaron Rodgers (min. 100 attempts). Not bad for the
Niners' third-string QB.


Rank
39
Kyle Allen
Kyle Allen
Washington Football Team · Year 3
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 41 | Blair: 40 | Filice: 38 | Parr: 39

2020 stats: 4 games | 69.0 pct | 610 pass yds | 7.0 ypa | 4 pass TD | 1
INT | 26 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 1 fumble lost



Parr: Allen overcame an arm injury only to have a far more serious ankle
injury end his season a few weeks later. Who knows? He might have taken
the starting job and ran with it had he remained healthy, given his
comfort in Scott Turner's offense.

Rank
40
Nick Foles
Nick Foles
Chicago Bears · Year 9
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 39 | Blair: 41 | Filice: 42 | Parr: 42

2020 stats: 9 games | 64.7 pct | 1,852 pass yds | 5.9 ypa | 10 pass TD |
8 INT | 1 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Parr: Once billed as the savior, Foles nearly destroyed the Bears'
playoff hopes after replacing Mitchell Trubisky in the starting lineup.
He went 2-5 in seven starts and turned the ball over at least once in
all but one of those games.

Rank
41
Chad Henne
Chad Henne
Kansas City Chiefs · Year 13
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 40 | Blair: 42 | Filice: 45 | Parr: 40

2020 stats: 4 games | 73.9 pct | 314 pass yds | 6.8 ypa | 2 pass TD | 1
INT | 10 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Bhanpuri: The veteran backup made two critical season-extending plays
for a Super Bowl team this season, which is two more than anyone below
him on this list.


Can't-Miss Play: Henne-thing is possible! QB's run, fourth-down throw
seal Chiefs win
Rank
42
Nick Mullens
Nick Mullens
San Francisco 49ers · Year 4
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 45 | Blair: 39 | Filice: 44 | Parr: 41

2020 stats: 10 games | 64.7 pct | 2,347 pass yds | 7.5 ypa | 12 pass TD
| 12 INT | 8 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 4 fumbles lost



Bhanpuri: The restricted free agent had yet another solid opportunity in
2020 to prove he should be the 49ers' QB of the future, but two wins and
15 giveaways in eight starts doesn't exactly breed confidence.

Rank
43
John Wolford
John Wolford
Los Angeles Rams · Year 3
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 44 | Blair: 43 | Filice: 41 | Parr: 43

2020 stats: 2 games | 56.8 pct | 260 pass yds | 5.9 ypa | 0 pass TD | 1
INT | 58 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Bhanpuri: Wolford went from practice-squad player to playoff-clinching
passer to hospital patient and now Matthew Stafford's understudy over
the course of a month.

Rank
44
Mason Rudolph
Mason Rudolph
Pittsburgh Steelers · Year 3
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 47 | Blair: 46 | Filice: 39 | Parr: 44

2020 stats: 5 games | 58.1 pct | 324 pass yds | 7.5 ypa | 2 pass TD | 1
INT | -6 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Bhanpuri: Mason Rudolph had nearly half (4) as many completions of
20-plus air yards in his Week 17 start as Ben Roethlisberger had from
Week 11 to Week 16 (9), per Next Gen Stats. You can decide whether
that's more of an encouraging note for Rudolph's development or an
indictment of Big Ben's regression.

Rank
45
Mike Glennon
Mike Glennon
Jacksonville Jaguars · Year 8
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 42 | Blair: 45 | Filice: 43 | Parr: 47

2020 stats: 5 games | 62.0 pct | 1,072 pass yds | 6.0 ypa | 7 pass TD |
5 INT | 17 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 2 fumbles
lost



Bhanpuri: Mike Glennon's first start this season (and in more than three
years) was by far his best showing of his five opportunities. In that
narrow Week 12 loss to the Browns, he threw for two scores and posted a
passer rating of 96.7 -- his highest mark as a starter since hitting
138.4 in Week 12 of the 2013 season. That's seven years, folks.


Rank
46
Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco
New York Jets · Year 13
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 43 | Blair: 44 | Filice: 48 | Parr: 46

2020 stats: 5 games | 55.2 pct | 864 pass yds | 6.4 ypa | 6 pass TD | 3
INT | 22 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Filice: Since guiding the Ravens to the franchise's second Super Bowl
title in 2012, Flacco's gone 44-51 as a starter with a dull 82.5 passer
rating. Not exactly elite.

Rank
47
Brandon Allen
Brandon Allen
Cincinnati Bengals · Year 4
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 46 | Blair: 47 | Filice: 49 | Parr: 45

2020 stats: 5 games | 63.4 pct | 925 pass yds | 6.5 ypa | 5 pass TD | 4
INT | 27 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble
lost



Filice: Taking the reins after Joe Burrow's season-ending injury, Allen
had one win in his five starts. But what a win it was! The former
sixth-round pick completed 78 percent of his passes for 371 yards and
two touchdowns, outdueling Deshaun Watson (324 yards, three TDs) in a
shockingly entertaining 37-31 Week 16 game between two teams playing out
the string. Any given Sunday, baby!

Rank
48
Colt McCoy
Colt McCoy
New York Giants · Year 11
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 48 | Blair: 48 | Filice: 50 | Parr: 48

2020 stats: 4 games | 60.6 pct | 375 pass yds | 5.7 ypa | 1 pass TD | 1
INT | 12 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost



Filice: With the Week 13 win at Seattle, McCoy's career record is now
2-0 vs. the Seahawks ... and 6-22 against the rest of the NFL. Colt
McCoy, 'Hawk hunter.

Rank
49
Tyrod Taylor
Tyrod Taylor
Los Angeles Chargers · Year 10
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 50 | Blair: 49 | Filice: 47 | Parr: 50

2020 stats: 2 games | 53.3 pct | 208 pass yds | 6.9 ypa | 0 pass TD | 0
INT | 7 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Filice: Why do bad things happen to good people? It's one thing to lose
your starting job to the first-round pick who was just drafted to
replace you. But having it happen because the team doctor accidentally
punctured your lung while administering a pain-killing injection? Yeah,
that's some next-level bad juju. Unsurprisingly, Taylor remained fully
supportive of Justin Herbert, who takes every opportunity to praise his
veteran teammate's leadership ability and mentorship.

Rank
50
Dwayne Haskins
Dwayne Haskins
Washington Football Team · Year 2
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 49 | Blair: 50 | Filice: 52 | Parr: 49

2020 stats: 7 games | 61.4 pct | 1,439 pass yds | 6.0 ypa | 5 pass TD |
7 INT | 46 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 3 fumbles lost



Filice: Released by Washington before the completion of his second NFL
season, the 2019 No. 15 overall pick will try to resurrect his career in
Pittsburgh under no-nonsense head man Mike Tomlin and a QB coach with a
West Point pedigree. Very interesting, given the headaches Haskins
created with his former team.

Rank
51
Garrett Gilbert
Garrett Gilbert
Dallas Cowboys · Year 7
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 52 | Blair: 53 | Filice: 46 | Parr: 53

2020 stats: 1 game | 55.3 pct | 243 pass yds | 6.4 ypa | 1 pass TD | 1
INT | 28 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Blair: Gilbert's decent effort against the Steelers in Week 9 (243
yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, 72.6 passer rating) might not have meant much for
him in 2020, but it could set him up as the Cowboys' second-string QB in
2021, presuming Andy Dalton heads for greener pastures.

Rank
T-52
Ryan Finley
Ryan Finley
Cincinnati Bengals · Year 2
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 51 | Blair: 57 | Filice: 51 | Parr: 52

2020 stats: 5 games | 53.1 pct | 164 pass yds | 5.1 ypa | 1 pass TD | 2
INT | 66 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Blair: We had to take our moments of joy where we could get them in
2020. In an unlikely turn of events, Finley provided one of those
moments in Cincinnati's Week 15 upset of a listless Steelers team,
sprinting 23 yards into the end zone on the second run of 20-plus yards
-- and first touchdown run -- of his career.

Rank
T-52
Jeff Driskel
Jeff Driskel
Denver Broncos · Year 5
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 56 | Blair: 51 | Filice: 53 | Parr: 51

2020 stats: 3 games | 54.7 pct | 432 pass yds | 6.8 ypa | 3 pass TD | 2
INT | 28 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Blair: Did you know Driskel has been sacked more times (22) over the
past two seasons than anyone to have started four games or less in that
span? I bet he knew!


Rank
54
Brett Rypien
Brett Rypien
Denver Broncos · Year 2
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 53 | Blair: 54 | Filice: 54 | Parr: 54

2020 stats: 3 games | 67.5 pct | 295 pass yds | 7.4 ypa | 2 pass TD | 4
INT | -5 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Blair: Rypien might have thrown four interceptions against the Jets in
Week 4, but he was also the only Broncos QB to average more than 7 yards
per throw (7.8) in 2020, and -- crucial to his chances of preserving a
place on the depth chart -- didn't prevent Denver from winning the game.

Rank
55
P.J. Walker
P.J. Walker
Carolina Panthers · Year 4
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 54 | Blair: 52 | Filice: 55 | Parr: 56

2020 stats: 4 games | 57.1 pct | 368 pass yds | 6.6 ypa | 1 pass TD | 5
INT | -2 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Blair: Walker's time in the spotlight was brief, but his respectable
first NFL start (70.6% completion rate, 1 TD, 2 INTs, 77.8 passer rating
in a Week 11 win over Detroit) surely beefed up his XFL-spiked resume.

Rank
56
Jake Luton
Jake Luton
Jacksonville Jaguars · Rookie
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 55 | Blair: 55 | Filice: 56 | Parr: 55

2020 stats: 3 games | 54.5 pct | 624 pass yds | 5.7 ypa | 2 pass TD | 6
INT | 13 rush yds | 1 rush TD | 0 fumbles lost



Parr: Luton Lunacy, the sequel to Minshew Mania, never took off and
ended with a thud (aka a four-INT outing in a 27-3 loss to the
Steelers). The rookie sixth-round pick had the lowest passer rating
(54.5) of any QB with at least 100 attempts.

Rank
57
Robert Griffin III
Robert Griffin III
Baltimore Ravens · Year 9
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 57 | Blair: 58 | Filice: 57 | Parr: 57

2020 stats: 4 games | 57.1 pct | 42 pass yds | 3.0 ypa | 0 pass TD | 2
INT | 69 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost



Parr: Baltimore was at least competitive in RG3's lone start -- the
Wednesday afternoon tilt in Pittsburgh amid the Ravens' COVID-19
outbreak. He made some plays with his legs, but hurt more than he helped
overall, throwing a pick-six.

Rank
58
Brian Hoyer
Brian Hoyer
New England Patriots · Year 12
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 58 | Blair: 56 | Filice: 58 | Parr: 58

2020 stats: 1 game | 62.5 pct | 130 pass yds | 5.4 ypa | 0 pass TD | 1
INT | 8 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 1 fumble lost



Parr: With Cam Newton out after testing positive for COVID-19, the
Patriots turned to Hoyer for a Monday night start in Kansas City and it
did not go well. The 12th-year veteran was benched after committing his
second turnover of the evening late in the third quarter.

Rank
59
Ben DiNucci
Ben DiNucci
Dallas Cowboys · Rookie
Individual Rank: Bhanpuri: 59 | Blair: 59 | Filice: 59 | Parr: 59

2020 stats: 3 games | 53.5 pct | 219 pass yds | 5.1 ypa | 0 pass TD | 0
INT | 22 rush yds | 0 rush TD | 2 fumbles lost



Parr: In fairness to DiNucci -- a seventh-round pick out of James
Madison -- he should never have been put in position to play as a
rookie, but he was (a Week 8 start against the Eagles with Andy Dalton
sidelined) and here we are. He finished the season with the fewest yards
per attempt of any QB (min. 40 passes). He lost two fumbles against
Philly and couldn't lead Dallas on a TD drive. No one deserves to be
last, but someone had to be. Sorry, Ben.

Related Content