Ranking the NFL's 10 Worst QB Situations Ahead of 2023 Training Camp
Here's some breaking news—the NFL is a quarterback-driven league.
Stunning, ain't it?
Get a Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow, and you can set yourself up for success for years. Get a Josh Rosen or Mitchell Trubisky and…not so much.
Of course, it's not just the quarterback, signal-callers need weapons. Need protection. Need coaching. They need a situation that puts them in a position to succeed—to let their talent shine through.
It's no secret which teams have the best quarterback situations. Kansas City. Philadelphia. But there's an opposite end of the spectrum. Situations where every game is an uphill battle for the man under center. Where good players struggle and bad ones just outright flop.
It's those unfortunate souls we're going to look at here. Using a set of criteria that includes the talent and resume of the quarterback involved, the skill-position talent around him, the offensive line in front of him and the coaching staffs and backups helping them, we have identified the 10 worst quarterback situations in the NFL in 2023.
May the fates have mercy on their souls.
Offensive line rankings courtesy of Pro Football Network
Advanced stats courtesy of Pro Football Reference
10. New England Patriots
1 of 10
Starter: Mac Jones
Backup: Bailey Zappe
Third String/Camp Arm: Trace McSorley, Malik Cunningham
The inclusion of the New England Patriots among the worst quarterback situations in the NFL will likely ruffle some feathers. Mac Jones led the Pats to the playoffs two years ago, and last year's offensive struggles were as much the blame of "coordinator" Matt Patricia as the team's young quarterback.
But facts are facts. The Patriots were 26th in the league a year ago in passing. Jones failed to hit 3,000 passing yards, ranking 19th in the league in that regard. Jones' 14 touchdown passes ranked 24th in the NFL. His passer rating of 84.8 ranked 26th.
Per Mark Inabinett of AL.com, Jones said the arrival of new offensive coordinator Bill O' Brien should benefit both him personally and the offense.
"There's things that pop up in practice – issues," Jones said. "And we just try to fix them on the run, or we have tools to do that. It's all about your toolbox. That's what's so great about the system. You use it as a quarterback. Obviously, the most is put on you, but that's a good thing because you have tools to kind of fix it. That's been really good to kind of work on some of those things."
But Jones plays behind an average offensive line (17th in the NFL per Pro Football Network). His new No. 1 receiver (JuJu Smith-Schuster) is more a complimentary piece than passing-game linchpin. And none of New England's pass-catchers are scaring opposing defenses.
If the Pats make the playoffs in 2023, it won't be because of the passing game.
It will be in spite of it.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers
2 of 10
Starter: Kenny Pickett
Backup: Mitchell Trubisky
Third String/Camp Arm: Mason Rudolph, Tanner Morgan
To be fair, Kenny Pickett's play as quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers improved as his rookie season progressed. The Steelers won six of their last seven games to finish 9-8, and Pickett's play down the stretch earned the praise of veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward.
"If you look at December and January, anytime it wasn't going his way, it never felt like he was out of sorts, or it felt like the moment was too big for him," veteran defensive end Cam Heyward said during an appearance on the 3 and Out podcast. "You could look at the Baltimore game and, you know, I don't think they've given up a score in the fourth quarter for some like amount of quarters, which was crazy. He goes down and puts together a drive and you just see here; there it wasn't just one person. He was feeding everybody."
However, Pickett's first season was hardly flawless. The 12-game starter was 28th in the league in passing yards per game, throwing for less than 185 yards per contest. He threw just seven touchdown passes all season long against nine interceptions. Among qualifying quarterbacks, only Zach Wilson had a lower passer rating than Pickett's 76.7.
In wide receivers Diontae Johnson and George Pickens, tight end Pat Freiermuth and running back Najee Harris, Pickett has a decent array of weapons around him. The addition of tackle Broderick Jones should bolster an offensive line that has been a weak spot for several years.
But if Pickett wants to get off this list, he needs to carry last year's late success over to an entire season.
8. Arizona Cardinals
3 of 10
Starter: Kyler Murray
Backup: Colt McCoy
Third String/Camp Arm: Clayton Tune, David Blough
The Arizona Cardinals are one of the harder teams on this list to gauge. On one hand, the team thought enough of former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray to hand him a five-year, $230.5 million contract extension. Murray has led the Redbirds to the postseason.
On the other hand, Murray was absolutely atrocious in his lone postseason start. Murray was 19th in passing yards per game last year, 23rd in passer rating and 19th in QBR—and that was before he tore his ACL in Week 14 last year.
That injury puts Murray's early-season availability very much in doubt. And if Colt McCoy is forced to play a chunk of the 2023 season, then Arizona shoots up this list. The 36-year-old has carved out a career as a capable backup quarterback, but he threw for less than 200 yards per game last year and barely posted a passer rating over 75.
The Arizona passing game also suffered a sizable blow this offseason when the team released DeAndre Hopkins. Marquise Brown has the potential to be an OK No. 1 receiver, but after Hopkins left the team's passing-game weapons went from excellent to slightly above average.
Add in an offensive line that Pro Football Network ranked as the sixth-worst in the NFL, and only two things are keeping Arizona from ranking higher here:
Hope that Murray will return to Pro Bowl form sooner rather than later.
And the messes under center ahead of them on this list.
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7. Washington Commanders
4 of 10
Starter: Sam Howell
Backup: Jacoby Brissett
Third String/Camp Arm: Jake Fromm, Tim DeMorat
This ranking may raise a few eyebrows. After all, the Washington Commanders will ostensibly be starting a fifth-round quarterback in 2023 who has made all of one career start.
Howell admittedly played well in that lone start against the Dallas Cowboys last year. And as Zach Selby wrote for the team's website, the second-year pro has already made a positive impression on new Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy.
"He's a subtle but solid and confident kid," Bieniemy said of Howell. "He's not gonna really show you anything. He just remains calm. And that's what I love about him. Through the good and through the bad, he remains the same, and that's the sign of a confident player who understands what it takes."
Howell isn't without resources offensively. Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson are a quality duo at wide receiver. The team has depth and talent at running back. Bieniemy is widely regarded as one of the better coordinators in the league.
However, like so many of the quarterbacks listed in this piece, Howell will be working behind a suspect line—26th in the league per Dallas Robinson of PFN. It's hard to succeed as a quarterback running for your life.
However, the Commanders have a hole card of sorts. The signing of veteran backup Jacoby Brissett was a brilliant move as insurance against struggles from Howell. While filling in for the suspended Deshaun Watson in Cleveland last year, Brissett was quietly eighth in the league in QBR.
That's a higher QBR than Joe Burrow. And Justin Herbert. And the retired Tom Brady.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5 of 10
Starter: Baker Mayfield
Backup: Kyle Trask
Third String/Camp Arm: John Wolford
It's Baker Mayfield to the rescue—said no one ever.
Technically, Mayfield isn't Tampa's starting quarterback yet—he still has to beat out second-year pro Kyle Trask for the job. But most seem to believe he will, and Mayfield told reporters that his late-season stint with the Los Angeles Rams last year helped him get his floundering career back on track.
"I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. It was the first time I had fun playing football in a few years," Mayfield said. "It brought that feeling of having that success and really remembering what it was all about, Kind of hit the reset button for me."
Where passing-game weapons are concerned, Mayfield may be in the best spot of his career to date. Mike Evans has played nine NFL seasons—and never failed to record 1,000 receiving yards. Chris Godwin is an excellent receiver in his own right who has surpassed 1,000 yards each of the past two years.
But free agent defections (including the loss of left tackle Donovan Smith) have hit Tampa's offensive line hard—Pro Football Network ranked the Buccaneers front as the league's third-worst.
And then there's Mayfield himself. Last year, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft was 29th in the league in passing yards per game. He tossed just 10 touchdown passes against eight interceptions. And among 33 qualifying quarterbacks at Pro Football Reference, Mayfield's QBR of 24.5 was dead last.
The Bucs may well be better off going the unknown route with Trask, because we know who Mayfield is. What he is—a low-end starter who struggles to read defenses and panics easily under pressure.
Either way, Tampa's quarterback situation is among the worst in the NFL.
5. Tennessee Titans
6 of 10
Starter: Ryan Tannehill
Backup: Will Levis
Third String/Camp Arm: Malik Willis
There are no doubt those who believe this ranking isn't high enough. And on some level, they have a point.
There's no sugarcoating it—the Tennessee Titans absolutely collapsed down the stretch last year, and while Ryan Tannehill was on the sidelines for much of that collapse, he didn't have a great 2022.
Tannehill's 211.3 passing yards per game in 2022 were his fewest since his last year in Miami. But those struggles had as much to do with the "weapons" around Tannehill as the quarterback himself—he still posted a passer rating of nearly 95 and threw over twice as many touchdowns as interceptions.
The problem in Tennessee is that those weapons aren't one bit better in 2023. Treylon Burks showed some flashes as a rookie, but calling him a No. 1 receiver is a stretch. After that it's the likes of Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, Chris Moore and Racey McMath—a veritable who's who of "who?"
Chigoziem Okonkwo has shown some promise at tight end, but still…ouch.
The Titans also have all kinds of problems along the offensive line—in fact, their front five was ranked as the absolute worst in the league per PFN. This may well be Tannehill's last season in Nashville after the Titans drafted Will Levis in the second round of April's draft.
Tannehill has had more success in the NFL Than any other signal-caller in this piece, including playoff appearances in three of the past four years.
But both he and Levis are being set up to fail.
4. Carolina Panthers
7 of 10
Starter: Bryce Young
Backup: Andy Dalton
Third String/Camp Arm: Matt Corral
Leading up to the 2023 NFL draft, there was as much said and written about Bryce Young's 5'10 frame as what he accomplished at Alabama. More than a few naysayers questioned whether Young was simply too short to succeed at quarterback in the NFL.
After watching Young on the practice field, Carolina Panthers running back Miles Sanders believes that narrative is bogus.
"I look at him and he's very sharp, and on it with everything. He's there early, he leaves late," he told The Rich Eisen Show. "His decision making is smart. He doesn't force anything really. His pocket presence is what really stands out to me. So, again, the height doesn't matter at all—I hope nobody's worried about the height. But I like him, and we got a bright future ahead."
Reports have been mostly glowing about Young since he joined the Panthers, and while he still technically has to beat out Andy Dalton to start, that's going to happen. Nothing that Young showed at Alabama indicated that his height will prevent him from succeeding. New Panthers head coach Frank Reich is a keen offensive mind. And the Panthers offensive line ranks in the top half of the league.
But Young's offensive weapons are—not great.
The Panthers No. 1 wide receiver (Adam Thielen) is past his prime and hasn't posted a 1,000-yard season since 2018. The team's No. 2 receiver (D.J. Chark) has just one 1,000-yard season on his resume (in 2019).
Of this year's incoming rookies. Young is the most NFL-ready.
But without better weapons, it's not going to be easy making the jump to the pros.
No, that wasn't another short joke.
3. Indianapolis Colts
8 of 10
Starter: Anthony Richardson
Backup: Gardner Minshew
Third String/Camp Arm: Sam Ehlinger
Now we head into the land of the unknown. The land of the unproven. The land of the rookie quarterbacks.
There's no denying the potential upside with Anthony Richardson in Indianapolis. The size. The arm strength. The scrambling ability. But there's also denying the accuracy issues in college and the limited experience as a starter.
Most expect that inexperienced or not, Richardson will be the Colts' Week 1 starter, but while appearing on the Rotoworld Football Show (via Steve DelVecchio of Larry Brown Sports), Nate Atkins of the Indy Star revealed that Richardson has some catching up to do in at least one regard.
"It's trending toward Anthony's job Week 1, but I don't think it's a guarantee because they need to have someone who is ready to run the entire playbook," Atkins said. "Gardner is way ahead in terms of knowing the playbook."
Minshew has a fair amount of starting experience—24 starts with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles. But glorious mustache aside, Minshew's a so-so talent. He's a backup, not an NFL starter.
The Colts want Richardson out there.
Assuming he is, he'll have a fair amount of passing-game talent around him in Michael Pittman Jr. and second-year pro Alec Pierce. Jonathan Taylor is one of the best running backs in the NFL. The Colts' offensive line has backslid in recent years (24th in the league per PFN), but Quenton Nelson remains arguably the best single lineman in football.
But Richardson is a complete Wild Card. He could be great. He could be awful.
We just don't know.
2. Atlanta Falcons
9 of 10
Starter: Desmond Ridder
Backup: Taylor Heinicke
Third String/Camp Arm: Logan Woodside, Feleipe Franks
The Atlanta Falcons actually have some things working for them offensively in 2023.
Wide receiver Drake London showed flashes of the talent last year that made him the first wide receiver drafted in 2022. If head coach Arthur Smith ever remembers he's on the team, Kyle Pitts might be the most athletic tight end in the NFL. The Falcons have quietly assembled a top-10 offensive line. Rookie running back Bijan Robinson is a dynamic, multi-faceted ball-carrier.
But none of that is going to matter unless Desmond Ridder steps up under center in his second year.
For his part, head coach Arthur Smith told reporters that Ridder has eagerly taken on the responsibilities of being a leader offensively.
"When he talks, you listen," Smith said. "I've been around older quarterbacks, younger quarterbacks, and having leadership qualities is one of the most important traits you can have - probably, clearly the most important trait you should have as a quarterback, and he has that."
That's all well and good, but Ridder is going to have to up his level of play considerably in Year 2 for the Falcons to have success. As a rookie he completed 63.5 percent of his passes and won two of four starts, but Ridder managed just 177 passing yards a game, scored just two touchdowns and was sacked nine times.
For lack of a batter word, Ridder looked average.
And when you're an NFL quarterback, average just doesn't cut it.
1. Houston Texans
10 of 10
Starter: C.J. Stroud
Backup: Davis Mills
Third String/Camp Arm: Case Keenum
To be clear, C.J. Stroud is an immensely talented young quarterback who likely has a bright future in the NFL. He's arguably the best arm talent in his draft class. He can make all the throws with touch and anticipation.
Per Jonathan Alexander of the Houston Chronicle, Stroud is already making a positive impression on some of his new teammates.
"C.J. is bright. His attitude and demeanor are kind of almost understated sometimes," Texans tight end Dalton Schultz said. "He walks through pretty humble, head down, soft voice. But when you start to interact with him, the kid just oozes confidence. Obviously, everyone is familiar with what he did at Ohio State. The kid is a baller."
All that being said, assuming that Stroud beats out Davis Mills to start, he's looking at a rough rookie year—because just about everything is working against him.
Houston's top two receivers are a declining veteran in Robert Woods and a second-year pro in John Metchie who didn't play at all last year while battling leukemia. Last season, the Texans were last in the AFC in total offense, 25th in passing offense, 31st in rushing offense and 31st in scoring offense. The Texans have a bottom-half offensive line and a first-year offensive coordinator in Bobby Slowik.
Rome wasn't built in a day, and it's going to take time to build an offense around Stroud that can take full advantage of his talents.
The trick is accomplishing that before his confidence is wrecked by getting pummeled by opposing defenses.
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