Do Mac Jones, Baker Mayfield belong at bottom of QB pyramid?
It's construction time in the NFL.
And just as each builder needs its cornerstone to set the foundation for its overall structure, each franchise knows that a capable starting quarterback is the chief building block behind the construction of a viable contender.
Nick Wright has begun unveiling his traditional "pyramid" list for QBs heading into the 2022 season, which, by correlation, has a hierarchal connection to the league's most tenable squads. That is, albeit, prior to the upcoming season's kickoff.
Nonetheless, having a better QB gives you a better chance to win a football game on any given Sunday, and from Wright's perspective, this is how the compilation shakes out.
Let's have a look at his bottom two tiers, as revealed Tuesday on "First Things First."
Mac Jones, Baker Mayfield land on bottom of QB pyramid
Beneath the Pyramid
Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks; Daniel Jones, New York Giants; Marcus Mariota, Atlanta Falcons; Mitchell Trubisky, Pittsburgh Steelers
Wright's thoughts: "These are four guys who are ‘starting quarterbacks,’ meaning they are currently starting quarterbacks, but we know Mariota and Trubisky and career backups, and Lock is a career backup. Jones will soon be a career backup, so they don't even get ranked."
Bottom Tier
2021 Stats: 2-8 record, 159-for-270 (58.9%), 1,870 YDs, seven TD, 10 INT
Wright's thoughts: "We haven't seen enough [to rank him higher.]"
2021 Stats: 2-9 record, 263-for-394 (66.8%), 2,664 YDs, 16 TD, 10 INT
Wright's thoughts: "I actually like some of the things I've seen, but I haven't seen enough."
Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders
2021 Stats: 9-8 record, 322-for-516 (62.4%), 3,563 YDs, 27 TD, seven INT
Wright's thoughts: "Wentz is an interesting one, because he is better than all of the guys on this tier, except for when it matters most, in which case he is worse than all of the guys on this tier."
2021 Stats: 3-10 record, 213-for-383 (55.6%), 2,334 YDs, nine TD, 11 INT
Wright's thoughts: "The only reason he's not lower is because of his draft pedigree."
Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
2021 Stats: 7-5 record, 263-for-388 (67.7%, 2,653 YDs, 16 TD, 10 INT
Wright's thoughts: "You guys know I think he's going to lose his job."
Mac Jones, New England Patriots
2021 Stats: 10-7 record, 352-for-521 (67.6%), 3,801 YDs, 22 TD, 13 INT
Wright's thoughts: "I haven't explained this because I have an inkling we might be arguing about it."
2021 Stats: 3-10-1 record, 332-for-494 (67.2%), 3,245 YDs, 19 TD, eight INT
Wright's thoughts: "Jared Goff is Jared Goff."
Next Tier Up (QBs No. 21-16)
Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings
2021 Stats: 8-8 record, 372-for-561 (66.3%), 4,221 YDs, 33 TD, seven INT
Wright's thoughts: "He's a fine regular season player."
Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
2021 Stats: 12-5 record, 357-for-571 (67.2%), 3,734 YDs, 21 TD, 14 INT
Wright's thoughts: "He's [another] fine regular season player."
Baker Mayfield, Carolina Panthers
2021 Stats: 6-8 record, 253-for-418, (60.5%), 3,010 YDs, 17 TD, 13 INT
Wright's thoughts: "Good year, bad year, good year, bad year."
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
2021 Stats: 8-7 record, 265-for-432 (61.3%), 3,144 YDs, 16 TD, nine INT
Wright's thoughts: "We've seen flashes. I have concerns about his long-term viability."
Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints
2021 Stats: 5-2 record, 95-for-161 (59%), 1,170 YDs, 14 TD, three INT
Wright's thoughts: "Some doofus at Bleacher Report called him a dark horse MVP, and they couldn't stop calling him that. But he did have his moments before he tore his ACL."
Trey Lance, San Francisco 49ers
2021 Stats: 1-1 record, 41-for-71 (57.7%), 603 YDs, five TD, two INT
Wright's thoughts: "I trust the evaluators, John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan, and I trust that in that offense, he's going to be excellent."
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2024-25 NFL Playoff Bracket, Schedule, Standings
2024 NFL Playoff Picture: NFC West, South coming down to the wire
The Raiders lost by winning, what else we learned in Week 16
-
Who are the 10 greatest linebackers in NFL history?
2024 NFL Week 16 Pick 'Em: Predictions for FOX Super 6 by Chris 'The Bear' Fallica
Texans WR Tank Dell out for season after dislocating knee, tearing ACL
-
Saints' QB coach takes Spencer Rattler into freezer to prepare for Packers matchup
Lions pull off fake-fumble trick play vs. Bears, taking inspiration from Packers
