National Football League

2017 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings: Post-Draft edition

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 10:32 p.m. ET

Fansided, Randy Gurzi/FanSided via NFL Spin Zone

With most the offseason moves done, we have an idea of who will start under center for each team, so where are they in our 2017 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings?

As the 2017 NFL season inches closer and closer each team is finally starting to take shape. There were some big moves in free agency like wide receiver DeSean Jackson going to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and running back Adrian Peterson leaving Minnesota, where he has been a fixture in the offense since 2007.

Defensive players were on the move as well. Nose tackle Dontari Poe found a new home in Atlanta with the Falcons and cornerback A.J. Bouye signed a huge deal to defect from the Houston Texans to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South.

As fun as those storylines were, no position gets as much attention as the quarterback spot. The orchestrators of offense get all the love when their team wins, and they take the most abuse when they lose. The rewards in the end are evident as someone with starting potential like Mike Glennon received a huge contract in the $15 million per year range to fight for a job with the Chicago Bears.

Another big quarterback move included the NBA-style salary dump of Brock Osweiler — where the Texans gave the Cleveland Browns a second-round pick to take on his mammoth contract. Then, of course, some moves were made in the draft by teams like Houston getting Deshaun Watson and Chicago deciding Glennon wasn't enough as they picked up Mitchell Trubisky.

With all these dominoes finally falling, how does each team stack up with our first 2017 NFL Quarterback Power Rankings? Let's find out.

Jan 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) walks to the field prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

32. Jared Goff — Los Angeles Rams

After mortgaging their future to move up and select Cal quarterback Jared Goff in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams have to be upset with their early return on the investment. Goff sat on the bench for most the season before putting up some putrid numbers while the team lost all seven games he started.

The firing of perpetually losing head coach Jeff Fisher should make the whole team better, but Goff has to prove it before anyone can buy in. Heading into the new season, he's still a big question mark.

31. Cody Kessler — Cleveland Browns (Projected Starter)

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The best thing that could have ever happened to Cleveland Browns quarterback Cody Kessler was the team trading away the 12th overall pick. Rather than get a guy in Deshaun Watson who can start now, they went with DeShone Kizer in the second round out of Notre Dame. That makes Kessler the favorite to start for at least another year.

Kessler put up decent numbers, but never could lead his team to a win. He has a lot of growth necessary to become a full-time starter, but at least for now he's a better choice than Kizer.

30. Josh McCown — New York Jets (Projected Starter)

To go from the Cleveland Browns to the New York Jets isn't much of an upgrade anymore. Josh McCown was really good a few seasons back, but has become a journeyman all over again. He's a stop-gap guy as they hope Christian Hackenberg is able to become the eventual starter.

Dec 18, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles (5) runs for a touchdown past Houston Texans defensive end Christian Covington (95) during the first half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

29. Blake Bortles — Jacksonville Jaguars

The powers that be in Jacksonville are saying all the right things about Blake Bortles. They even picked up the fifth-year option in the rookie deal of the third-overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Still, it feels like he's on his last leg with this team.

Bortles continues to underperform and throws interceptions at an incredible rate. There's plenty of talent on the roster, but he has to play smarter for them to max that out.

28. Trevor Siemian — Denver Broncos

Trevor Siemian should not be the starter for the Denver Broncos. He's okay in spurts, but isn't the guy to lead a team anywhere except hovering around .500. They need to turn things over to second-year quarterback Paxton Lynch, but for some reason they seem to favor Siemian. He won't climb much higher than this in the NFL Quarterback Power Rankings though, no matter how much the staff in Denver loves him.

27. Sam Bradford — Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford completed an amazing 71.6 percent of his passes in 2016. Well, so what? There was nothing impressive about his game. It didn't matter if it was second-and-1, first-and-10 or third-and-35 — Sammy Sleeves was throwing a pass to the flat for a maximum of three yards.

He was the dump off king in 2016. A year before, that style got Brandon Weeden canned in Dallas (he was at 72.4 percent passing that year and was incredibly ineffective in the win-loss column), but Bradford gets praised. He simply isn't good, has never had a winning season and quite frankly, may never.

Aug 26, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Mike Glennon (8) drops back against the Cleveland Browns during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated theCleveland Browns 30-13. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

26. Mike Glennon — Chicago Bears

It's hard to believe in a guy like Mike Glennon when the team that just dished out big money to him doesn't even believe in him. Not long after giving the former Tampa Bay reserve a three-year, $45 million deal, the Bears traded three picks to move up one spot in the NFL draft. With their new second overall selection, they took North Carolina quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

Fans were angry then and they booed Trubisky at a Chicago Bulls game. It's not that Trubisky is bad, but they just bought into the Glennon-hype. It's hard to imagine anything other than disaster here.

25. Deshaun Watson — Houston Texans (Projected Starter)

The reports are the Houston Texans will start Tom Savage at quarterback this season. This needs to be just the team blowing smoke in an attempt to channel the best out of rookie Deshaun Watson because it's a no-brainer he's a better option than Savage.

Sure, there will be some hiccups along the way, but Watson was a winner in school and could easily climb up these NFL Quarterback Power Rankings in no time. If Savage starts, look for the representative for the Houston team to be even closer to the bottom than this.

24. Brian Hoyer — San Francisco 49ers

The former New England Patriots quarterback, Brian Hoyer has become the ultimate journeyman. The weird thing is, he really isn't terrible. The problem is, he struggles to stay healthy and isn't special. He's a suitable game manage,r which new head coach Kyle Shanahan wanted in his first season, but not much more. Still an upgrade over last year though.

Dec 11, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) against the Pittsburgh Steelers at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

23. Tyrod Taylor — Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills did the right thing when they worked out a deal to keep quarterback Tyrod Taylor in town. He wasn't the problem in his two seasons as a starter, and deserves a shot with better coaching — which he should get with Sean McDermott in town now with a different staff.

He's a dual-threat that needs help from his teammates. The sky is the limit for him, but he won't climb higher until he becomes more consistent.

22. Alex Smith — Kansas City Chiefs

It will be interesting to see how veteran Alex Smith responds to the Kansas City Chiefs moving up to 10th overall to select Texas Tech prospect Patrick Mahomes. With a guy there to take his place will he finally start to push the ball downfield, or will he keep being same old "safe Alex" with the ball. He gets a lot of regular season wins, but his game manager style hurts them in the postseason.

21. Eli Manning — New York Giants

It's hard to figure Eli Manning out. The New York Giants signal-caller has led the team to two Super Bowls but he's also turnover prone. He threw 16 picks last season, which was the seventh time in his 13-year career he has had an average of at least one pick per game. He's had double-digit picks in every season where he played 16 games (only his rookie season when he played seven games and had nine picks is the exception) and has hit 20-or-more three times. He can be great in the biggest moments, and awful in others.

Jan 1, 2017; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton (14) against the Baltimore Ravens at Paul Brown Stadium. The Bengals won 27-10. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

20. Andy Dalton — Cincinnati Bengals

The Red Rifle wasn't bad in 2016, but he wasn't really great either. He had a very efficient season, but the team just wasn't very good. The Bengals refused to trade his backup, A.J. McCarron, which could be an indictment on their belief in Dalton. Or maybe they just didn't get an offer they truly felt was fair. Either way, Dalton needs to take a step forward in 2017 or else the chatter around him will get really ugly.

19. Carson Wentz — Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles made a big move in the 2016 NFL Draft like the Rams did earlier. Theirs seems to have paid off better as Carson Wentz was the much better looking player last year. He was a Day 1 starter, and despite having some growing pains, he represented the team well and looked the part of an NFL quarterback. He has all the tools around him now to take the next step, he just has to be willing to put in the work.

18. Joe Flacco — Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens starter Joe Flacco is a lot like Eli Manning. He's great when the spotlight is on him, but at times looks average at best. He wasn't healthy in 2015 and didn't look like himself at times early on in 2016. Look for the real Flacco to be back in 2017.

Jan 1, 2017; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) signals before the snap during the first half of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chiefs won 37-27. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

17. Philip Rivers — Los Angeles Chargers

Philip Rivers was the pick the New York Giants made then traded for Eli Manning. Eli got the bling, but Rivers is still the better individual player. His issue last season, though, was turnovers as he had 21. That's not all on him, as the team suffered through a ton of injuries as he lost two of his favorite targets in receiver Keenan Allen and running back Danny Woodhead. With the addition of Clemson receiver Mike Williams, the blame falls more on Rivers if he has a similar season in 2017.

16. Carson Palmer — Arizona Cardinals

Former No. 1 overall pick Carson Palmer has had a career resurgence since joining the Arizona Cardinals in 2013. He has had more than 4,000 yards in each full season and had a record of 6-0 in 2014 before a shoulder injury ended his season. As a starter for the Red Birds, he is 35-17-1 and, despite the rough way last season went, he should still be dangerous going forward.

15. Ryan Tannehill — Miami Dolphins

Ryan Tannehill got a lot better when the running game got going thanks to Jay Ajayi. Although, the same could be said for a lot of quarterbacks. No matter what the reason, the light started to come on for him and it's a shame he had to miss the postseason due to an injury. His strong arm as well as his mobility are a tough matchup.

Dec 18, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) rolls out to pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. The Titans won 19-17. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

14. Marcus Mariota — Tennessee Titans

Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota is a talented guy. He can throw, he can run and he's a great leader. His issue though is health. In his first two seasons in the league he has yet to play a full year. He missed Week 17 last season and would have been unavailable for the playoffs had they been eligible after breaking his right fibula. If he stays healthy though, he's really good.

13. Matthew Stafford — Detroit Lions

Last year, Matthew Stafford had started to garner attention as a potential NFL MVP. It made sense because he was leading his team to game-winning drives at an all-time rate. They went 9-7 on the year and did so thanks to eight wins orchestrated by the calm and collected Stafford. When many thought he would regress after No. 1 receiver Calvin Johnson retired, Stafford flourished.

12. Cam Newton — Carolina Panthers

Don't let last year trick you, Cam Newton is a beast. He was the 2015 NFL MVP for a reason and the Carolina Panthers were in full-blown Super Bowl hangover mode after getting shellacked by the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. Newton also was beat up a good bit as the offensive line struggled. This year should be different.

Dec 24, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) leaves the field after the game against the Chicago Bears Soldier Field. Redskins won 41-21. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports

11. Kirk Cousins — Washington Redskins

What a weird couple offseasons for the Washington Redskins. They suddenly look like a talented team again, and a lot of that is thanks to Kirk Cousins. He has gone back to back seasons with over 4,000 yards passing but the Redskins just don't seem to want to pay him. To top it off, there were plenty of rumors he could be traded during the most recent offseason. Eventually they need to realize that while he isn't perfect, Cousins is a capable NFL starter.

10. Jameis Winston — Tampa Bay Buccaneers

With the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston. He came into the league with a lot of baggage, but has proven to be a really good football player. He's smart and his teammates will go to battle with him. He also throws an amazing fastball, which he can get careless with at times. If Winston ever cleans up the carelessness, he could be top five.

9. Andrew Luck — Indianapolis Colts

When the Indianapolis Colts let legendary quarterback Peyton Manning go prior to the 2012 season, they believed they had the next big thing in Stanford product Andrew Luck. He looked to be just that to start his career as he led the Colts to three-straight 11-5 seasons.

Then in 2015 they were just 2-5 with him under center and 8-7 this past season. The poor records make it seem like Luck is struggling, but he really isn't. There's just not a lot of talent around him, and the defense is atrocious. Luck has an amazing blend of size, speed and arm strength. If the team around him gets better, the sky is the limit.

Dec 4, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) scrambles against the Carolina Panthers during the second quarter at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Carolina, 40-7. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

8. Russell Wilson — Seattle Seahawks

Not far removed from back-to-back Super Bowls, Russell Wilson had a hard time in 2016. The Seattle Seahawks quarterback was sacked more times than any other quarterback who made the post season. He was taken down 41 times — second most in the NFL — and has now been sacked at least 40 times four straight seasons. The constant hits have taken their toll as he battled injury all year long. Hopefully they get this issue fixed and if so, Wilson will climb even higher in our 2017 NFL Quarterback Power Ranking.

7. Dak Prescott — Dallas Cowboys

A fourth-round pick out of Mississippi State, Dak Prescott wasn't even supposed to see the field yet. He did after injuries were sustained by Tony Romo and Kellen Moore and the rest is history. He became the only guy not named Tom Brady to go for over 3,500 yards with 20-or-more touchdowns and less than five interceptions.

He led Dallas to a 13-3 record and won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award for his efforts. Look for more of the same out of the natural leader in his second year.

6. Ben Roethlisberger — Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers had to start thinking about the future this offseason when Big Ben Roethlisberger hinted at retirement. They surely don't want the two-time Super Bowl winner to leave the game just yet. He's one of the more natural winners in the game and is as good in the pocket as he is on the fly.

Dec 18, 2016; Glendale, AZ, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Saints defeated the Cardinals 48-41. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

5. Drew Brees — New Orleans Saints

He may be one of the older guys in the entire NFL, but New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees can still sling it. He's coming off his fifth-career 5,000-plus yardage passing season. That's a number many players can only dream of hitting and he does it almost on the regular anymore, including a stretch of three-straight seasons from 2011-2013.

Sadly, for Brees and the Saints, their defense has turned into one of the worst in the league. His incredible ability to move the ball on offense and put up points hasn't led to enough wins in recent seasons. The Saints are coming off a third straight 7-9 year and they hope that a draft where some defensive talent was added will help them get over that hump.

4. Derek Carr — Oakland Raiders

No. 4 on this list is number four on the Oakland Raiders. Derek Carr was an absolute steal for them in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Players like Blake Bortles, Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater all went before him and he has outplayed them all.

For much of 2016, he was regarded as an MVP candidate thanks to leading Oakland out of the dark ages. Stuck on the wrong side of .500 since 2002, the Raiders finally had a winning season thanks in large part to Carr's abilities. A broken leg kept him out of their lone playoff game last year, but look for Carr to rebound nicely now that he's healthy.

Jan 22, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter in the 2017 NFC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

3. Aaron Rodgers — Green Bay Packers

Part of the allure of Aaron Rodgers is his incredible overconfidence. He's often regarded as the best quarterback in the game by many analysts, but when they begin to question him at all he starts to get fired up. He did the infamous R-E-L-A-X speech at one such occasion, then got mad when he was questioned about the state of the team at 4-6 last season. His response was that they could run the table, which they did during the regular season. They then nearly carried that into the postseason as they wound up in the NFC Championship Game.

What makes Rodgers so special is his strong arm, which allows him to fit the ball anywhere he wants. He's also incredibly smart about those throws as interceptions are few and far in-between for the Packers leader.

He took over for a legend in Brett Favre, and he now finds himself dueling with a legend in Tom Brady for the right to be the best in the game. As it stands now, he's incredibly close, but heads into 2017 as No. 3 on our NFL Quarterback Power Rankings. With some of the added talent this offseason — like tight end Martellus Bennett — don't be shocked if he isn't No. 1 before long.

Jan 22, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) passes the ball during the fourth quarter against the Green Bay Packers in the 2017 NFC Championship Game at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

2. Matt Ryan — Atlanta Falcons

As good as Aaron Rodgers is, he is one upped by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. After a few seasons of questions surrounded the third-overall pick in 2008, he had a career year in 2016. Ryan led one of the best offensive attacks as he threw for 4,944 yards with 38 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. He did all that while completing 69.9 percent of his passes on the year.

Then in the playoffs, he outdueled Rodgers for the right to represent the NFC in Super Bowl 51. Ryan was a great leader for the team then, and really has been since coming into an odd situation nine years ago.

Fresh off the Michael Vick dogfighting ring, the Falcons needed a new quarterback to believe in. With Vick in jail, they had a terrible season in 2007 and they used a premium pick on Ryan out of Boston College. Since then, "Matty Ice" ahs gone 85-57 as a starter and has led to them five post season trips.

Things could be different in 2017 for him, as offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has left to take a head coaching job in San Francisco. The two worked really well together and Ryan now has to figure things out with his new play caller, Steve Sarkisian.

Feb 5, 2017; Houston, TX, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) celebrates with the Vince Lombardi Trophy after beating the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl LI at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

1. Tom Brady — New England Patriots

No one should be shocked by anything this guy does anymore. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is just super human. He's going to be 40-years old in August, but is fresh off a Super Bowl win — the fifth of his illustrious career. Unlike many guys approaching 40, he isn't winning because of some defensive minded team that relies on the rushing attack for their offense. Instead, Brady is still out there throwing 40-passes a game to get the wins.

The crazy thing is, he looks as good as he did at 29 years of age. He takes incredible care of his body and the result is a guy who hasn't aged a bit. His mind is still as sharp as ever also as Brady can pick any team apart no matter the circumstances.

His last game was the best example. After falling behind 28-3, Brady led a fourth-quarter comeback for the ages in Super Bowl 51. He continually broke off play-after-play against the Atlanta Falcons and eventually was able to force overtime. Of course, in this extra period they were able to walk off victorious.

The scariest part is all that was done without his best weapon in tight end Rob Gronkowski. Not only will Gronk be back in 2017, but the team also added wide receiver Brandin Cooks from the New Orleans Saints. It looks like another great season is on the way for Brady.