Starting QB Tier Ranking - ESPN Insider

[iowajerms]

* Attached is .pdf file of the article.

League insiders rank 32 starting quarterbacks into tiers - NFL
By Mike Sando

​

TIER 1 - quarterbacks can carry their teams week after week and contend for championships without as much help

T-1: Aaron Rodgers, GB - (2014: T-1)
T-1: Tom Brady, NE - (T-1)
3: Andrew Luck, IND - (5)
4: Ben Roethlisberger, PITT - (7)
5: Peyton Manning, DEN - (T-1)
6: Drew Brees, NO - (T-1)

TIER 2 - less consistent and need more help than tier 1, but good enough to figure prominently into a championship equation.

7: Philip Rivers, SD - (6)
8: Russell Wilson, SEA - (T-8)
9: Tony Romo, DAL - (T-8)
10: Joe Flacco, BAL - (12)
11: Matt Ryan, ATL - (T-8)
T-12: Eli Manning, NYG - (T-8)
T-12: Matt Stafford, DET - (13)
14: Cam Newton, CAR - (10)

TIER 3 - quarterbacks who are good enough to start but need lots of support, making it tougher to contend at the highest level.

15: Carson Palmer, ARI - (21)
16: Alex Smith, KC - (18)
17: Ryan Tannehill, MIA - (23)
T-18: Colin Kaepernick, SF - (14)
T-18: Andy Dalton, CIN - (T-19)
T-20: Derek Carr, OAK - (N/A)
T-20: Jay Cutler, CHI - (17)
22: Nick Foles, STL - (15)
T-23: Sam Bradford, PHI - (T-21)
T-23: Teddy Bridgewater, MIN - (N/A)

TIER 4 - unproven starters or those who might not be expected to last in the lineup all season. Voters used the fifth tier sparingly.

25: Marcus Mariota, TEN - (N/A)
26: Jameis Winston, TB - (N/A)
27: Blake Bortles, JAX - (N/A)
28: Robert Griffin III, WAS - (T-19)
29: Josh McCown, CLE - (24)
30: Brian Hoyer, HOU - (29)
31: Matt Cassell, BUF - (28)
32: Geno Smith, NYJ - (32)

 

[Rollingthndr]

They need to move Cutler into Tier 4.

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

Tom Brady T-1st? Andrew Luck #3? Okay....?

Yah no.

 

[cdumler7]

I would move Tony Romo up on this list. Heck I would put him where they have Drew Brees as I just don't think Brees should be in that tier-1. I would also say Rodgers should just be in a tier by himself. There is honestly nobody on his level.

 

[Oldschool739]

* Attached is .pdf file of the article.

League insiders rank 32 starting quarterbacks into tiers - NFL
By Mike Sando

​

TIER 1 - quarterbacks can carry their teams week after week and contend for championships without as much help

T-1: Aaron Rodgers, GB - (2014: T-1)
T-1: Tom Brady, NE - (T-1)
3: Andrew Luck, IND - (5)
4: Ben Roethlisberger, PITT - (7)
5: Peyton Manning, DEN - (T-1)
6: Drew Brees, NO - (T-1)

TIER 2 - less consistent and need more help than tier 1, but good enough to figure prominently into a championship equation.

7: Philip Rivers, SD - (6)
8: Russell Wilson, SEA - (T-8)
9: Tony Romo, DAL - (T-8)
10: Joe Flacco, BAL - (12)
11: Matt Ryan, ATL - (T-8)
T-12: Eli Manning, NYG - (T-8)
T-12: Matt Stafford, DET - (13)
14: Cam Newton, CAR - (10)

 

[LambeauLegs]

T1 should be Rodgers alone then sort out the rest.

 

[iowajerms]

I do like Drew Brees and consider myself a fan, but I would have him above Joe Flacco, possibly just below Flacco. Definitely above Matt Ryan. He doesn't have the same magic as he had a few years ago.

 

[Cave_Johnson]

"quarterbacks can carry their teams week after week and contend for championships without as much help"

6 guys in this group, 5 of them have carried their teams to championships. The other one averages more than 2 turnovers per game in the post season. Move him down a tier below and it's not bad.

 

[iowajerms]

I think Brady should be top tier, but he has too much help compared to Aaron Rodgers to be tied with him. Rodgers has a good team around him, but comparing to what Brady has, Rodgers deserves to be 1st and Brady 2nd. After SB win, I have no problem with him #2. You can say "cheater" but he would have done that good without cheating.

I still would have Manning above Roethlisberger.

Brees needs to be Tier 2

I would put Cam Newton above Eli Manning.

I could be wrong on this, but didn't KC's receiving corps drop a lot of TD passes? Smith can't be blamed for that. I would have him up a tier (bottom part of it).

Kaepenick could raise next season if he does good. He lost a ton of teammates. Foles got a good deal in STL.

I didn't realize Geno was still starting, but then again, Rex is the coach.

 

[SonnyCID]

"quarterbacks can carry their teams week after week and contend for championships without as much help"

6 guys in this group, 5 of them have carried their teams to championships. The other one averages more than 2 turnovers per game in the post season. Move him down a tier below and it's not bad.

Ive never seen a QB "carry" a team to a title. Each of those top tier guys benefited from either very good defenses, or at least key defensive plays to win chamionships.

Im not saying theyre not cream of the crop, they are. Well, except Brees, and possibly Manning.

 

[Cave_Johnson]

Ive never seen a QB "carry" a team to a title. Each of those top tier guys benefited from either very good defenses, or at least key defensive plays to win chamionships.

Im not saying theyre not cream of the crop, they are. Well, except Brees, and possibly Manning.

True. I probably should have put quotes around "carried". Just trying to use the same language being used in the article.