Canal Street Chronicles
Determining the strength of field generals around the league.
The talent of the NFL is dispersed across the country, but how do the league’s positions stack up when grouped by division? In this series, we’ll be ranking the team sets by the strength of the competition within their own. Let’s kick things off with none other than the quarterbacks!
Denver’s Bo Nix is coming off a strong rookie season in which he and Sean Payton brought them back to the playoffs for the first time since 2015, when the Broncos defeated the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50. Nix finished top-15 in yards and top-ten in touchdowns last year and should continue to be successful in a strong offense.
Since entering the league in 2017, Patrick Mahomes has undoubtedly been a top-three QB. In seven years as starter for the Chiefs, Mahomes has led them to the playoffs each time, including trips to the Super Bowl five times with three championships.
Geno Smith has bounced around a bit since being drafted in 2013, but he began coming into his own in 2022 with three straight 20+ TD seasons. After serving a five-year stint in Seattle, Smith was traded this offseason to the Raiders in exchange for a third-round pick. He reunites with his former head coach, Pete Carroll, who is also new to Vegas.
Los Angeles’ Justin Herbert was drafted sixth overall in 2020 and has proven to be worth it. Herbert always puts up strong statistical seasons, even securing a 5,000+ yard 2021 campaign. Although he does not have any playoff victories yet, he has brought the Chargers to the postseason twice in his five years.
Dallas, America’s team, has been fortunate to find consistent QB play since 2016 in Dak Prescott. While it may be enticing to rib on the Cowboys about their lack of recent playoff success, the numbers are hard to ignore. Prescott dealt with some injuries last year, but a healthy 2025 could lead to big things for that offense.
The Giants’ QB room is... interesting to say the least. Russell Wilson signed with New York after the long-time Seahawk spent a few down years with the Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers. He will be the starter in a room that also carries Jameis Winston, Tommy DeVito, and first-round draft pick Jaxson Dart.
The Eagles are flying high after Jalen Hurts and company won Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. Hurts is one of the better dual-threat QBs in the NFL today. At just 26 years old, he will continue to have success in the City of Brotherly Love for some time to come.
The only rookie to have a better year than Nix in 2024? Jayden Daniels. Washington seems to have struck gold with the LSU product whom they selected with the second-overall pick...
