The Athletic's Quarterback Tiers 2026

[daves]

The Athletic today published their annual article ranking QBs and dividing them into five tiers based on the votes of 50 NFL GMs, former GMs, assistant GMs, coaches, and coordinators.

Tier 1: Carries his team each week; the team wins because of him; expertly handles pure-passing situations; has no real holes in his game.

1. Mahomes
2 (tie). Allen
2 (tie). Stafford
4. Burrow

Tier 2: Carries his team sometimes; handles pure-passing situations in doses, or has other dimensions that elevate him above Tier 3; has a hole or two in his game.

5. Jackson
6. Herbert
7. Prescott
8. Maye
9. Goff
10. Love
11. Purdy
12. Williams
13. Daniels
14. Mayfield
15. Darnold
16. Lawrence
17. Hurts

Tier 3: Legit starter but needs better running game or defense to win; lower-volume dropback passing offense suits him best.

18. Nix
19. Rodgers
20. Stroud
21. Jones
22. Young
23. Murray

Spoiler

How panelists voted: Tier 2 (4 votes), Tier 3 (37 votes), Tier 4 (9 votes)

This is Murray’s fourth consecutive year in Tier 3 and the first time he has fallen outside the top 17 in the rankings.

But there is hope.

“The person I think who will change a lot is Kyler Murray, just because he’s around a quarterback coach, he will have weapons, he probably has something to prove and his ability to escape the pocket, when he is on, is no joke,” a defensive coordinator said.

Murray has never been able to dispel questions about his leadership, relatability to teammates and work habits.
“I love the signing,” an offensive coach said. “He will respect the head coach (Kevin O’Connell) because he is legitimate, and he needs to shine up what people think about him. He will be on his best behavior because it’s like being in a contract year. He will have better players around him than he ever had in Arizona.”

An exec suggested Murray could thrive if the Vikings continue to play good defense while putting Murray under center, giving him a solid rushing attack and featuring him in a quarterback keeper game that regulates his exposure to injury.

“They were doing a good job on offense (in Arizona), but losing the line coach (Klayton Adams, who left for Dallas in 2025) was a big loss, because their run game totally changed,” an exec said.

Murray is going from one of the toughest places for a quarterback to win to one of the easiest. Last season, the Vikings were the only team to finish with a winning record (9-8) while ranking outside the top 25 in offensive EPA per play. They did it on the strength of their defense and special teams, which ranks third in combined EPA over the past three seasons (Arizona ranks 31st).

24. Dart
25. Ward
26 (tie). Shough
26 (tie). Tagovailoa
28. Cousins

Tier 4: Unproven player; not enough information to classify; veteran who ideally would not be a full-season starter

29. Willis
30. Smith
31. Watson
32. Penix
33. Brissett

How panelists voted: Tier 3 (6 votes), Tier 4 (42 votes), Tier 5 (2 votes)

Brissett has a 2-15 starting record over the past two seasons partly because his teams, New England and now Arizona, have been so bad on defense and/or special teams. Of the 28 quarterbacks with at least 17 starts over the past two seasons, none has gotten worse defense/special teams support than Brissett (-6.8 EPA per start).

Not that Brissett himself has been a star.

“He can read defenses and put the ball where it’s supposed to go,” a defensive coordinator who faced Brissett last season said. “Gets it out of his hands quick, can take shots, can challenge you down the field.

“I’m not saying this from a talent standpoint, but he operated as a quarterback as well as anyone we saw.”

Defensive coaches rated Brissett higher than offensive ones did, producing the third-largest split in that direction behind Tagovailoa and Prescott.

“He’s a classic 4,” an exec said. “Great veteran presence, everything very positive, except, you know, when he has to play for long stints.”

Brissett, a veteran of seven stops with six teams, including two with New England, falls into the journeyman category at age 33.

“He could help you win in a quick-dropback, rhythm passing game and make the short throws and take the occasional 7-cut shot or the occasional go-ball fade,” another defensive coach said. “But he is not going to scramble for you, not going to create. I do think he is smart.”

34. McCarthy
35. Sanders

 

[GatorAZ]

Other than Jayden Daniels being about 5 spots too high it looks pretty good.