Football is a game of quarterbacks. An offense’s passer is it’s most important piece. The three most important positions are the passer, the pass rusher, and the pass protector. It is a sport that revolves around a singular position. So in 2021 if any team hopes to make a run they need to have an elite player and a natural leader running their offense. So for the 2021 season, who will be the best quarterbacks? Here is my top ten for 2021 in no particular order.
Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks
Let Russ Cook! Russell Wilson is one of the best quarterbacks of this generation and possibly one of the best in the history of the league. Russ plays the game how a dual threat passer should in my opinion. He is one of the best passers in the league and only runs when he has to. He posses a threat to defenses through the ground and through the air and it is very hard to stop a Russell Wilson led offense when he is dealing.
Projected Stat Line: 17 games played/356 completions/533 pass attempts/4,237 passing yards/8.0 YPA/42 passing touchdowns/66.8% completion rate/13 interceptions/72 rushing attempts/425 rushing yards/5.9 YPC/7 rushing touchdowns
Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
For being a small guy, Kyler knows how to deal from the pocket and can really launch it when he needs to. Kyler, another dual threat signal caller, is a smart player who knows when to flush the pocket and when to sit tight. If Kliff Kingsbury’s air raid offense is ever going to get off the ground, this is going to be the season it happens. Let’s see what Kyler is made of.
Projected Stat Line: 17 games played/402 completions/578 passing attempts/4,298 passing yards/7.4 YPA/38 passing touchdowns/69.6% completion rate/14 interceptions/89 rushing attempts/561 rushing yards/6.3 YPC/12 rushing touchdowns
Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
I think that we are going to see a Joe Burrow reminiscent of his 2019 form this season. He has an offense that features Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd, and Joe Mixon and will have ample play makers surrounding him. This will be a pass first offense that will let Joe loose and will allow him to get into a rhythm. This is gonna be the Joe Burrow bounce back tour.
Projected Stat Line: 17 games played/412 completions/607 passing attempts/4,483 passing yards/7.2 YPA/36 passing touchdowns/67.9% completion rate/15 interceptions/44 rushing attempts/189 rushing yards/4.3 YPC/5 rushing touchdowns
Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
You don’t see many pure gun slingers in the league anymore but Justin Herbert is just that. I think he is a threat to break records every year and he could own the single season passing title. Justin is smart, accurate, and responds well when the pocket breaks down. I think he only gets better from last year and in an offense with Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Jalen Guyton, and rising rookie Josh Palmer, the young stud will have a bevy of weapons around him. I see the MVP race coming down to Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Justin Herbert.
Projected Stat Line: 17 games played/447 completions/642 passing attempts/5,122 passing yards/8.0 YPA/43 passing touchdowns/69.6% completion rate/16 interceptions/47 rushing attempts/221 rushing yards/4.7 YPC/7 rushing touchdowns
Tom Brady, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The majority of fans would called Tom Brady the best to ever play the game of football and last year’s dream season only supported this claim. Tom is looking like age is just a number and he is showing no signs of regression. Brady is looking accurate and he still has the arm strength to push the football down the field. Tom is a fierce competitor and looks just as clutch now as he did when he was 25. The man doesn’t skip a beat.
Projected Stat Line: 17 games played/378 completions/542 passing attempts/4,067 passing yards/7.5 YPA/36 passing touchdowns/69.7% completion rate/13 interceptions/27 rushing attempts/30 rushing yards/1.1 YPC/2 rushing touchdowns
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
The Rams made a big trade to go snag Stafford and this not only puts them in serious Super Bowl contention but gives him the most complete offense he has ever played in. Sean McVay will get the most out of Matthew and this talented receiving core of Cooper Kupp, DeSean Jackson, Van Jefferson, Robert Woods, and Tutu Atwell will power a crazy stat line for Stafford as they make a run at a ring.
Projected Stat Line: 17 games played/397 completions/583 pass attempts/4,768 passing yards/8.2 YPA/41 passing touchdowns/68.1% completion rate/12 interceptions/23 rushing attempts/85 rushing yards/3.7 YPC/2 rushing touchdowns
Patrick Mahomes II, Kansas City Chiefs
I think it would be really cool to be a Chiefs fan. Not because they win a lot or because they go far in the playoffs, but because they get to watch Patrick Mahomes every week and go to bed saying he is their quarterback. This dude in my opinion will be the best player of all time when it is all said and done. He is just a football magician and will show us what he is made of during his Super Bowl LVI revenge tour.
Projected Stat Line: 17 games played/422 completions/621 passing attempts/5,397 passing yards/8.7 YPA/52 passing touchdowns/68.0% completion rate/7 interceptions/54 rushing attempts/286 rushing yards/5.3 YPC/3 rushing touchdowns
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
No one on this list has the surrounding talent and play makers of Dak Prescott. He is coming off of a compound fractured ankle and is on his bounce back grind. We are going to see a vertical and explosive Cowboys passing offense and at the helm of it will be Dak Prescott. I think we see the former Mississippi State Bulldog prove that his contract was well worth it.
Projected Stat Line: 17 games played/411 completions/607 passing attempts/4,927 passing yards/8.1 YPA/39 passing touchdowns/67.7% completion rate/14 interceptions/48 rushing attempts/254 rushing yards/5.3 YPC/5 rushing touchdowns
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
All this Lamar Jackson slander is nonsense. Along with being the most athletic quarterback in NFL history, he is an incredible improviser in the passing game, and has shown he can sling it when he needs to. Lamar has the vision of a running back and can take off from the pocket in the blink of an eye. He is becoming a better and better passer as the seasons go on and he is only going up from here.
Projected Stat Line: 17 games played/289 completions/441 passing attempts/3,572 passing yards/8.1 YPA/32 passing touchdowns/65.5% completion rate/8 interceptions/156 rushing attempts/1,030 rushing yards/6.6 YPC/9 rushing touchdowns
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
In 2018 when I was grading Josh Allen, I thought he was really raw and needed a ton of refinement, but if any team could harness his tools then they will be getting themselves one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. The Buffalo Bills did just that and have harnessed those tools and have turned Josh Allen into an MVP candidate. He is a gun slinger who plays smart, he is getting much more accurate, and has a rocket launcher for an arm. He has the makings of an all-time great.
Projected Stat Line: 17 games played/429 completions/614 passing attempts/5,035 passing yards/8.2 YPA/45 passing touchdowns/69.9% completion percentage/9 interceptions/92 rushing attempts/377 rushing yards/4.1 YPC/10 rushing touchdowns
Honorable Mentions:
Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Matt Ryan. Atlanta Falcons