Everyone loves a good quarterback discussion and PFF Analysts Steve Palazzolo and Zac Robinson are here to sort through PFF grades, scheme, style and difficulty level to give you a tiered list of NFL quarterbacks. Be sure to check in every week as we continue to update our quarterback analysis as the season unfolds and subscribe to the PFF Podcast where Steve and Zac will review the best quarterback performances on a weekly basis.
This list is a culmination of Steve and Zac’s analysis using all PFF grades, stats, and added context at their disposal, in which they spoke about in depth on their QB Analysis: Ranking All 32 NFL QB's podcast:
Tier One: Elite
1. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 93.3/2
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 98.0/1
PFF Elite stat to know: Brady had a passer rating of 124.4 on deep (20-plus yard) passes, second-best in the NFL last season.
2. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 87.5/7
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 92.1/3
PFF Elite stat to know: Rodgers threw a league-high 12 touchdowns to go with only one interception when under pressure last season.
Tier Two: Upper-Level Starter
3. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 90.7/4
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 86.6/7
PFF Elite stat to know: Brees ranked second in the NFL in adjusted completion percentage at 79.8 percent last season.
4. Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 52.2/36
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 91.6/4
PFF Elite stat to know: Luck faced pressure on 44.4 percent of dropbacks, tops in the NFL among quarterbacks with at least 400 total attempts in 2016.
5. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 87.5/7
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 92.6/2
PFF Elite stat to know: Ryan’s passer rating of 136.1 on deep (20-plus yard) passes led the NFL in 2016.
6. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 93.6/1
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 83.4/11
PFF Elite stat to know: Roethlisberger led the league with 13 touchdowns on deep (20-plus yard) passes last season.
7. Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 89.8/6
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 88.9/5
PFF Elite stat to know: Wilson’s passer rating of 85.8 when pressured ranked fourth in the league last season.
8. Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 83.0/13
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 80.1/18
PFF Elite stat to know: Rivers' 11 interceptions under pressure in 2016 were the most in the NFL.
Tier Three: Good starter
9. Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 87.0/9
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 87.3/6
PFF Elite stat to know: Carr faced pressure on only 23.9 percent of his dropbacks last season, lowest in the NFL.
10. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 90.1/5
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 76.1/22
PFF Elite stat to know: Newton ranked 35th out of 37 qualifiers with an adjusted completion percentage of 52.8 percent while pressured last season.
11. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: n/a
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 84.4/10
PFF Elite stat to know: Prescott’s passer rating of 118.0 when given a clean pocket ranked third in the league in 2016.
12. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 79.0/21
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 85.9/8
PFF Elite stat to know: Stafford ranked 10th in the NFL with an adjusted completion percentage of 76.1 percent in 2016.
13. Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 80.6/20
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 80.0/19
PFF Elite stat to know: Winston tied for second in the NFL with 11 touchdowns on deep (20-plus yard) passes, though his adjusted completion percentage of 34.8 percent tied for 25th.
14. Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 75.3/27
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 74.9/24
PFF Elite stat to know: Mariota ranked 30th out of 37 qualifiers with an adjusted completion percentage of 69.4 percent last season.
15. Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 82.4/14
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 85.9/9
PFF Elite stat to know: Cousins led the league with 1,359 yards on deep (20-plus yard) passes last season.
16. Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 93.0/3
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 81.6/15
PFF Elite stat to know: Ranked 27th in the NFL in adjusted completion percentage last season.
Tier Four: Middle-of-the-road starter
17. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 86.9/10
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 80.8/17
PFF Elite stat to know: Dalton’s 106.1 passer rating on deep (20 plus yard) throws ranked him fifth in the NFL last season.
18. Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: n/a
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 78.3/20
PFF Elite stat to know: Wentz posted an NFL low 32.8 passer rating under pressure in his rookie season.
19. Sam Bradford, Minnesota Vikings
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 86.2/11
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 83.4/11
PFF Elite stat to know: Bradford led the league with an adjusted completion percentage of 80.9 percent last season.
20. Eli Manning, New York Giants
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 78.2/22
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 70.5/26
PFF Elite stat to know: Manning’s 71.6 adjusted completion percentage ranked him 20th in the NFL in 2016.
21. Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo Bills
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 86.0/12
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 83.2/13
PFF Elite stat to know: Taylor’s 10 touchdown passes under pressure last year ranked fourth in the NFL.
22. Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 81.3/17
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 82.0/14
PFF Elite stat to know: Smith threw 66.7 percent of his passes in under 2.5 seconds or less in 2016, most in the NFL, while his average time to attempt of 2.25 was also the quickest in the NFL.
23. Jay Cutler, Miami Dolphins
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 81.6/16
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 47.1/Did not qualify
PFF Elite stat to know: Cutler faced pressure 45.2 percent of the time last season, second-highest in the NFL among quarterbacks with at least 150 dropbacks.
24. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 75.2/28
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 75.4/23
PFF Elite stat to know: Flacco’s passer rating of 72.3 when using play action was last in the NFL a season ago.
Tier Five: Below-average starter
25. Brian Hoyer, San Francisco 49ers
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 73.2/30
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 82.1/Did not qualify
PFF Elite stat to know: Hoyer’s adjusted completion percentage of 74.9 percent ranked 14th in the NFL last season.
26. Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 80.8/19
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 69.2/27
PFF Elite stat to know: Bortles had a passer rating of only 17.5 on deep (20-plus yard) passes last season, last in the NFL.
27. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: n/a
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 45.6/33
PFF Elite stat to know: Goff’s adjusted completion percentage of 67.4 percent ranked 35th out of 37 qualifiers last season.
28. Tom Savage, Houston Texans
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: n/a
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 68.8/Did not qualify
PFF Elite stat to know: Savage had an adjusted completion percentage of 83.3 percent when pressured, best in the NFL among quarterbacks with at least 80 dropbacks.
29. Trevor Siemian, Denver Broncos
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: n/a
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 56.2/30
PFF Elite stat to know: Siemian tied for 31st with an adjusted completion percentage of 72.9 when throwing from a clean pocket last season.
30. Mike Glennon, Chicago Bears
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: n/a
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 68.7/Did not qualify
PFF Elite stat to know: Glennon threw only 11 passes last season, but he completed 10 of them and his one incompletion was a drop, good for a perfect adjusted completion percentage of 100.0 percent.
31. Josh McCown, New York Jets
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: 72.6/31
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: 53.4/Did not qualify
PFF Elite stat to know: McCown’s adjusted completion percentage of 65.4 percent ranked last out of 37 qualifiers last season.
Not Enough Information
DeShone Kizer, Cleveland Browns
2015 PFF Grade/Rank: n/a
2016 PFF Grade/Rank: n/a
PFF Elite stat to know: Kizer’s 154.7 passer rating when using play action was tops in all of college football in 2016.
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