Maybe no different NFL staff has a worse quarterback scenario than the New York Jets, whose 41-year-old starter, Aaron Rodgers, has flopped in 2024. However different groups have dreadful QB conditions, too.
This is how Yardbarker NFL writers price the extent of concern at QB for all AFC groups, with “1” denoting no concern and “5” denoting deep concern.
AFC East
BUFFALO BILLS (11-3) | 1 | Josh Allen threw for 430 yards and 4 TDs in a 48-42 victory over the Lions in Week 15 and is favored (-900) to win NFL MVP, per DraftKings as of Wednesday. Sufficient mentioned.
MIAMI DOLPHINS (6-8) | 3 | Tua Tagovailoa threw three interceptions and averaged a season-worst 4.9 yards per move in a 20-12 loss to the Texans in Week 15. The fifth-year QB hasn’t discovered the shape that helped him lead the NFL with 4,624 yards passing in 2023, however his 265.2-yards-per-game common is third-best within the league. That is a quantity most groups would take, even with a QB with $167M in ensures over the subsequent 4 seasons.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-11) | 4 | In contrast to fellow rookie QBs Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix, Drake Maye began the yr on the bench and didn’t play till a 41-21 loss to Houston in Week 6. He’s gained solely two video games since, however he has an 81.3% completion proportion in his previous two video games and is beginning to present the expertise that made him the third decide within the 2024 NFL Draft.
NEW YORK JETS (4-10) | 5 | The Jets gave Aaron Rodgers a three-year, $112M contract extension in 2023, however staff proprietor Woody Johnson reportedly wanted him benched in Week 5. With head coach Robert Saleh and GM Joe Douglas not with the staff and simply $14M in dead-cap cash for Rodgers subsequent season, a post-June 1 launch appears inevitable for the four-time NFL MVP. — Bruce Ewing
AFC West
DENVER BRONCOS (9-5) | 2 | Taking Bo Nix with decide No. 12 within the 2024 NFL Draft appeared like a attain, however the Auburn/Oregon product has quieted skeptics. By 14 begins, he’s 9-5 and ranks tenth within the league in TD passes (20).
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (13-1) | 1 | At 29, Patrick Mahomes may be a part of Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana and Tom Brady as the one QBs in league historical past with 4 or extra Tremendous Bowl rings. By 14 begins, he’s 13-1 and has the league’s ninth-most TD passes (22).
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (2-12) | 5 | The Raiders have began Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell and Desmond Ridder, who’ve posted a collective 79.2 passer score, well below the league average (91.8). Vegas ought to think about drafting a QB in 2025, maybe Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (8-6) | 2 | If Justin Herbert wins his first playoff sport, it is going to make the Chargers really feel even higher about their QB scenario. By 14 begins beneath first-year Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, he’s 8-6 and has 2,959 yards passing, 16 TD passes and two interceptions. — Clark Dalton
AFC North
BALTIMORE RAVENS (9-5) | 2 | Lamar Jackson is having one other unbelievable common season with 3,580 passing yards, 743 speeding yards, 34 TD passes and solely three interceptions, and he can be closing in on his third MVP award if it wasn’t for Buffalo’s Josh Allen. The one cause Jackson isn’t a “1” on the size is his discouraging playoff resume (2-4 report, 57.4% completion price, six TD passes, six interceptions).
CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-8) | 1 | There aren’t many groups within the NFL extra assured of their QB scenario than the Bengals. Joe Burrow leads the league this season in passing yards (3,977), TD passes (37) and passes of 40-plus yards (12), and he’s beneath contract for at the very least one other three years.
CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-11) | 5 | We transfer from top-of-the-line QB conditions within the NFL to one of many worst. Deshaun Watson, who had a awful passer score (79) earlier than an harm sidelined him for the season, carries a cap hit of $72.9 million in 2025 and 2026, and backup Jameis Winston is just too reckless with the soccer to be the short- or long-term reply.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (10-4) | 3 | This quantity was nearer to a “1” a couple of weeks in the past, however Russell Wilson has gone a mixed 29-for-48 passing (60.4 p.c) for less than 286 yards and three TD passes in two video games with out injured WR George Pickens within the lineup. The Wilson experiment is profitable to date, however the 36-year-old doesn’t have the upside to convey Pittsburgh a Tremendous Bowl. — Jack Dougherty
AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS (9-5) | 1 | C.J. Stroud’s underwhelming 2024 season is a reminder that QBs don’t at all times observe a linear development. His numbers are worse throughout the board in comparison with his rookie season in 2023, together with completion proportion (63.6 in ’24 to 63.9), yards per sport (232 to 273.9), TD% (3.7 to 4.6), interception% (2 to 1) and passer score (89 to 100.8), however we’ll chalk that as much as a second-year droop relatively than a long-term concern.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (6-8) | 4 | Colts head coach Shane Steichen let his displeasure with Anthony Richardson be identified earlier this season when he benched him for 2 video games, and contemplating the second-year QB’s accuracy woes, it’s simple to know why. Richardson has a 47% completion price, the third-worst season completion percentage for a beginning QB with at the very least 10 begins since 2000 (Akili Smith, Tim Tebow).
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (3-11) | 3 | After handing beginning QB Trevor Lawrence a five-year, $275M contract extension this offseason, the Jaguars have their QB locked in for the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, the 2021 No. 1 general decide has not performed persistently properly throughout his first 5 seasons, and he’ll probably be on this third head coach in 5 seasons in 2025.
TENNESSEE TITANS (3-11) | 5 | In a loss to the Bengals in Week 15, HC Brian Callahan made the apparent option to bench second-year professional Will Levis (12 TD passes, 12 interceptions) after three interceptions (together with his fourth pick-six of the season). Now comes the onerous half: discovering a QB Tennessee can construct round. — Eric Smithling
