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This 2023 NFL offseason has seen the quarterback landscape in the NFC be completely changed. Aaron Rodgers is on his way to the New York Jets, Tom Brady retired, Jimmy Garoppolo leaves the NFC while Derek Carr enters it. With that, it is time to rank the top five current quarterbacks in the NFC before the 2023 NFL Draft.
5- Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Fresh off a new contract extension, Geno Smith showed in 2022 that in the current state of the NFC he is a top five quarterback. Smith completed 424 of 607 passes between the regular season and playoffs for a total of 4,535 yards and 32 touchdowns to only 12 interceptions. Smith helped lead this young Seahawks team to a 9-8 record as well as a spot in the playoffs. Smith was given the chance to start and never looked back. Whether his breakout will be sustainable or not still remains to be determined, but as far as entering 2023 goes, he is a top five quarterback in the conference.
4- Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
Justin Fields started to take a leap in 2022, and with the offseason moves the Bears have made so far, should be expected to once again in 2023. Fields began 202 with only Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet as his top two receivers, he now gets both of them again in 2023, but also Chase Claypool and D.J. Moore. When you look at Fields’ passing numbers, the 11 interceptions aren’t fantastic, but he did still have 17 passing touchdowns and 2,242 yards with an adjusted completion percentage of 71.7%. Also taking into consideration the fact that he still found success throwing despite facing 203 pressures. With Fields, there is also the rushing threat he has, as he had 1,143 rushing yards, and eight rushing touchdowns last season. Fields showed flashes in 2022, and if he can continue to develop with a better situation, he heads into the 2023 season as a top quarterback in the NFC.
3- Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions finished 2022 with the third-best offense in the NFL overall, the sixth best passing attack with 4,281 yards, and fifth most points scored per game with 26.6. That was all because of the play of Jared Goff. He finished the 2022 season with an adjusted completion percentage of 65.1% for 4,438 yards, 29 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions. This all included a nine game stretch in which he threw 15 touchdowns to zero interceptions. His efficiency led to the Lions having a chance at the playoffs with a 9-8 record, which included sweeping the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers while splitting with the Minnesota Vikings. From being looked at as a bridge quarterback, Goff has elevated his play to be looked at as a quarterback that can lead the Lions.
2- Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
17 interceptions aren’t great, but that is the most Prescott has had in his career so far, and not all of them were his fault either. Still, given the receiving options outside of CeeDee Lamb and Dalton Schultz, Prescott made the most of what he had to throw for 3,371 yards, 28 touchdowns, and an adjusted completion percentage of 75.1%. He elevated the talent around him, and even did this while missing time with a hand injury he suffered in Week One against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Prescott also led the Cowboys to have the fourth-highest scoring offense at 27.5 points a game and the league’s fifth-best third-down conversion rate at 45.5%. He is a playmaker for the team, and past the interceptions, put them in position to win games repeatedly.
1- Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Coming in at the top spot, is Jalen Hurts. What a change a year can make as well. This time last offseason many were questioning if Hurts could be the long-term answer for the Eagles at quarterback or if they would move on. He silenced those questions by leading them to the Super Bowl. Hurts took massive leaps in his second season as a starter with his 4,280 passing yards, 25 touchdowns to only six interceptions, 77.4% adjusted completion percentage while also rushing for 901 yards and 18 touchdowns. Hurts makes the Eagles offense one of the best not only in the NFC, but the NFL as a whole, leading him to be the top quarterback in the conference.
