Free agency and the draft have come and gone, meaning the dog days of the NFL offseason are approaching.
But don’t worry! Chris Simms has placed the 46 best quarterbacks in football into tiers, providing fans one place to compare and contrast their favorite signal-callers heading into training camp.
Last year, Simms ranked the top-40 quarterbacks in football, but he changed things up in 2025, grouping his selections into tiers on a pyramid.
Keep reading to discover Simms’ full pyramid from this year, which includes a few shocking declarations.
The Caretakers
This tier is a “sturdy base” that consists of “dependable” and “reliable” quarterbacks. While these field general can be trusted to play a few games in a pinch, “you don’t want them to lead your team for too long.”
Gardner Minshew (Kansas City Chiefs)
Out of all the quarterbacks in this tier, Simms would take Minshew to lead his team on a game-winning drive late in a game.
Aidan O’Connell (Las Vegas Raiders)
Simms is “not giving up on” O’Connell, a “big guy” with a “pretty damn good arm.” The Purdue walk-on has “some untapped potential” and could be a good replacement for Geno Smith if needed.
Andy Dalton (Carolina Panthers)
Dalton has “no ego” and is a great mentor for young quarterback Bryce Young.
Mac Jones (San Francisco 49ers)
Simms is high on Jones, a talented thrower who “knows how to locate the ball in the proper areas.” Simms predicts that with a full season under Kyle Shanahan, the 2021 first-round pick could have a legitimate NFL future.
Tyrod Taylor (New York Jets)
Taylor has been “around a lot of great quarterbacks” and “there is a reason why teams sign him year after year after year” to back up their starters.
Jarrett Stidham (Denver Broncos)
Stidham “could be maybe something more” if he gets an opportunity to start for an extended period of time.
Other quarterbacks in this tier include Kenny Pickett (Cleveland Browns), Cooper Rush (Baltimore Ravens), Mason Rudolph (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Jimmy Garoppolo (Los Angeles Rams).
Backup Supremes
This tier includes four of the best backups in football. While each quarterback has some serious limitations, they all have at least one physical trait that is very, very good.
Joe Flacco (Browns)
Flacco’s arm is great and his resume is impressive, but he makes far too many mistakes. At 40 years old, Simms knows what he is getting in Flacco and isn’t too impressed.
Malik Willis (Green Bay Packers)
Willis is a dynamic two-way quarterback who “has untapped potential and is going up in a big way.” The 25-year-old needs to be more consistent if he wants to take the next step in Green Bay.
Jameis Winston (New York Giants)
With a “super talented arm,” Winston sometimes looks like “one of the best players in football.” However, Simms does not trust the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Marcus Mariota (Washington Commanders)
Mariota is mobile, consistent and skilled, but also limited. The savvy veteran has a strong arm and “can make some plays” when needed.
Wow or Whoa?
This tier spotlights just one quarterback, and it is a divisive one.
Anthony Richardson (Indianapolis Colts)
While Simms wants to rank Richardson higher, there are serious flaws that cause real concern. Entering a “huge” third NFL season, the 22-year-old will have to improve his mechanics and if he wants to become a reliable starter.
Young Mysteries
This tier is pretty self-explanatory, highlighting two young quarterbacks who could become stars or could be busts.
Bryce Young (Carolina Panthers)
Young, who was selected first overall in the 2023 draft, looked really good last season after getting benched. Upon his return, “you saw a totally different guy” who had “comfort in the pocket.” With Tetairoa McMillan added to his arsenal, Young is poised to have a big year.
J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings)
The Vikings are trusting McCarthy as their starting quarterback heading into training camp, passing on re-signing Sam Darnold and adding Aaron Rodgers. Simms is “excited” to see McCarthy play after missing his rookie season with a knee injury and thinks the first-round pick has NFL pedigree, is bigger than people realize, possesses a strong arm and runs better than expected.
Still On The Pot
This tier features two quarterbacks who need to crap or get off the pot. Their careers started with high hopes and have been full of adversity, but they have a chance this season to rewrite the narrative.
Daniel Jones (Colts)
While Jones has a lot of potential and talent, he does not drive through the ball and “his down-the-field throwing does need to improve.” The 2019 sixth overall pick will be competing with Richardson this offseason, as both attempt to earn the starting gig in Indianapolis.
Justin Fields (New York Jets)
Fields has been handed the keys in East Rutherford, and the 26-year-old can be a good quarterback if the Jets “formulate the offense around him.” His delivery needs work, but his legs are “extremely dangerous.”
Ready Rookie
This tier highlights the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Cam Ward (Tennessee Titans)
Simms has “a lot of confidence” in Ward and does not “see many weaknesses” in his game. The 22-year-old will have a lot to absorb in his rookie season, including how to take what the defense offers and why throwing the ball away is sometimes the best play. But Simms thinks he will learn those lessons quickly.
Clock’s Ticking
This tier is a tough place to be for a 36-year-old quarterback who is very possibly getting his last chance to start in the NFL.
Russell Wilson (Giants)
While he throws a great deep ball, has experience in big games and does not make many mistakes, Wilson has Winston and rookie Jaxson Dart breathing down his neck. There is a good chance he gets benched during the season if the Giants struggle.
Escaped From New York
This tier is a unique one, composed of two quarterbacks who had tough stints with the Jets as a rookie before revitalizing their careers with new teams.
Sam Darnold (Seattle Seahawks)
There is a lot of good and a lot of bad with Darnold. He has an “incredibly quick release” and has “more power in his arm” than he gets credit for. The 27-year-old improved at throwing the deep ball last season, but “his internal clock” needs work and he could benefit from more experience as a starting quarterback.
Geno Smith (Raiders)
Simms thinks “the physical ability is real” with Simms. With a “crazy strong” arm and a “versatile” repertoire, Smith can be a productive starter in the NFL if he develops a better “get out of jail plan.”
Don’t You Forget About Me
No, this is not a scene from “The Breakfast Club.” This tier is all about Kirk Cousins.
Kirk Cousins (Atlanta Falcons)
Like many people, Simms is not very high on Cousins, declaring that his “physical ability affected the mental decision-making” last season. Turning 37 years old in August, retirement could soon be on the table for Cousins if things don’t improve for him soon.
Needs More Info
Six quarterbacks were selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. This tier consists of two of those players who Simms needs more data on before making a full, complete evaluation.
Michael Penix Jr. (Falcons)
Penix Jr. only started three games last season, showing some obvious talent and potential. With arm talent that “pops off the screen” and the ability to make “big power throws with ease,” the 25-year-old can lead the Falcons to the playoffs, but Simms needs to “see more.”
Drake Maye (New England Patriots)
The Patriots only won four games last season, but Maye was not the reason why. While the former North Carolina Tar Heel has a lot to improve, including his throwing form and decision-making, the big-play ability is there, and he could have a good year under Josh McDaniels and Mike Vrabel.
Is This It?
This tier is a trio of quarterbacks who were once considered rising stars. Now, they are fighting for their NFL futures.
Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys)
There are few quarterbacks more divisive than Prescott. Simms is “underwhelmed” about the 31-year-old, declaring that his “release is slow” and “his anticipation is not great.”
Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins)
Tagovailoa has played in just one postseason game in his career, a 26–7 loss to the Chiefs in 2024. Simms likes a lot about Tagovailoa’s game, but he is very concerned about the quarterback’s ability to play “big-game football.”
Trevor Lawrence (Jacksonville Jaguars)
Lawrence is one of the most difficult players to rank because there is “unbelievable talent” but “way too many missed throws.” New head coach Liam Coen has arrived in Jacksonville and will attempt to fix his franchise quarterback. However, at the end of the day, “it’s going to be on [Lawrence].”
Ready To Launch
Much like “Needs More Info,” this tier features two rookie quarterbacks. These rookies have Simms much more excited than Penix Jr. and Maye, though.
Bo Nix (Broncos)
Simms had countless good things to say about Nix, complimenting his powerful arm, quick release and special ability to push the ball down the field. Nix and Sean Payton have the potential to become a deadly duo for years to come.
Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears)
Williams had a really tough rookie year, but a lot of his struggles could be attributed to “organizational failures.” When comparing his 40 best plays to other top quarterbacks, Simms believes Williams is right there, and he “will be shocked if he’s not one of the most improved, best stories in football this year under Ben Johnson.”
Want To Touch The Hiney
Inspired by “Billy Madison,” this tier includes two quarterbacks who are “so close to getting everything they want.” However, they have a couple of flaws that must be fixed.
Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals)
Murray has shown an ability to “make highlight plays with his movement and his running.” Although the 5-foot-10 quarterback has become a better decision-maker, he “plays small” and needs to improve his play in the pocket.
Jordan Love (Packers)
Some people think Love took a step back last season. Simms doesn’t argue that claim, but he feels the 26-year-old still has “big-time, game-changing talent.” That makes him a scary quarterback for defenses to match up against, and one that Simms admires.
Scheme Dream
This tier features three quarterbacks who aren’t perfect. Yet with the right head coach guiding them, they have more than enough talent to lead their teams to success.
Brock Purdy (49ers)
With a new five-year, $265 million extension, Purdy is locked in as the franchise quarterback of the 49ers. The final pick of the 2022 draft has “great feel” and a “sixth sense,” but he was “trying too hard” last season and has to get “back to basics” in 2025.
Aaron Rodgers (Steelers)
After signing a one-year contract with the Steelers, Rodgers will attempt to go out with a bang in Pittsburgh. While Simms no longer thinks the 41-year-old is an elite quarterback, he “can still throw the ball with the best of them” and has “a top-10 arm in the NFL — maybe even higher than that.” There is still “hope” for Rodgers.
Jared Goff (Detroit Lions)
Arguably the toughest pocket passer in the NFL, Goff is a borderline top-10 quarterback. The 2016 No. 1 overall pick is an “aggressive, fearless decision-maker” who does not throw interceptions, which “is pretty remarkable” given Dan Campbell is his head coach. Even though Goff isn’t always sexy, Simms “can’t deny the results.”
The Truth Hurts
This tier is controversial, featuring one player who is coming off an incredible year leading an incredible team.
No. 10: Jalen Hurts (Philadelphia Eagles)
The Super Bowl LIX MVP is “the ultimate leader” — a “tough” quarterback who “can handle the Philadelphia criticism.” Speaking of criticism, Simms thinks there are “still flaws in his football game that need to be addressed” and there is “no quarterback in football that has more advantages on the field at the position” than Hurts.
Pocket Rockets
This tier highlights a pair of signal-callers who use their explosive arms to make no shortage of big-time throws.
No. 9: Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Mayfield is one of the most aggressive quarterbacks in football. The 30-year-old “sees the field really well” and has “some different arm angles” to fool defenses. Even though he can be prone to turnovers, Mayfield is “one of the most dangerous quarterbacks in the game right now.”
No. 8: Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers)
Standing at 6-foot-6, Herbert “plays bigger than any quarterback in the sport.” While the 27-year-old has shown flashes of being able to escape the pocket, “he just doesn’t do it enough.” If he could improve his scrambling ability, Simms thinks he can be in the “top five, top six conversation for the next four or five years.”
Surgicality
The three quarterbacks in this tier are surgically accurate and simply don’t miss many throws.
No. 7: C.J. Stroud (Houston Texans)
After a marvelous rookie season, Stroud regressed in 2024, something Simms blames on the Texans and not the 23-year-old quarterback. He is still “one of the best quarterbacks in football” and Simms believes “this year will be better than any year he’s had in his career to this point.”
No. 6: Matthew Stafford (Rams)
Even though he is 37 years old, Stafford has “one of the most gifted arms in the history of football.” Mobility is a big concern, especially as he ages, but Stafford “does an incredible job of not taking unnecessary sacks.” With a new contract, Simms thinks Stafford could lead the Rams back to the Super Bowl, possibly in a matchup against Stroud’s Texans.
No. 5: Jayden Daniels (Commanders)
All concerns about Daniels have been thrown out the window after his sensational rookie season. While the second pick of the 2024 draft could be “a hair stronger,” he has a strong and precise arm that is paired with elite athleticism. Already a top-five quarterback, “the sky is the limit” for Daniels.
The Core Four
No. 4: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)
Mahomes has “mastered the art of winning,” will retire as “an all-time great” and is “awesome.” But Simms feels that he has not been as good as the other three signal-callers in this tier over the past two seasons, prompting his all from No. 1 in last year’s rankings.
No. 3: Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals)
“The assassin himself” could have been the MVP last season if the Bengals made the playoffs. After throwing for nearly 5,000 yards and 43 touchdowns, it became clear Burrow is a top-four quarterback in the league. Burrow “works the pocket perfectly” and “will absolutely destroy you,” while still being able to escape and make “backyard plays.”
No. 2: Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills)
For the fifth straight year, Allen is in the top three of Simms’ rankings. Without an elite supporting cast, the 2024 NFL MVP has “arguably the most powerful arm we have ever seen in the history of this sport” and takes “the burden of the offense on his shoulders.” There are not enough good things to say about Allen, who very well could be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when his playing career is over.
No. 1: Lamar Jackson (Ravens)
We have reached the top of the pyramid, and Simms saved the best for last. While Mahomes, Burrow and Allen are special players, “nobody is playing quarterback right now better than” Jackson. The two-time NFL MVP is “out of this world,” arguably the greatest mobile quarterback in history while possessing an “unreal” skill set in the pocket. It has finally “all come together,” and Jackson’s future could not be more bright.
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