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NFL quarterback tiers, 2018: Ranking each team’s starter by category

By Peter Panacy

FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 03: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers greets Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots following the game at Gillette Stadium on November 3, 2013 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
FOXBORO, MA - NOVEMBER 03: Ben Roethlisberger #7 of the Pittsburgh Steelers greets Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots following the game at Gillette Stadium on November 3, 2013 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) /
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PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 21: Case Keenum #7 of the Minnesota Vikings walks of the field after losing in the NFC Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on January 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Minnesota Vikings 38-7. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JANUARY 21: Case Keenum #7 of the Minnesota Vikings walks of the field after losing in the NFC Championship game to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field on January 21, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Minnesota Vikings 38-7. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Above-Average NFL Quarterbacks

Case Keenum (Vikings), Alex Smith (Chiefs), Matthew Stafford (Lions), Kirk Cousins (Redskins), Jimmy Garoppolo (49ers), Jameis Winston (Buccaneers), Dak Prescott (Cowboys), Derek Carr (Raiders), Marcus Mariota (Titans)

If NFL teams can’t secure a quarterback in the first two categories, they’ll usually settle on one of these options. This is the biggest tier of the group, and quarterbacks fall into this category having secured starting positions with the hope of moving into the previous two tiers.

The Minnesota Vikings’ Case Keenum is going to be an interesting storyline this offseason. He’s a free agent in 2018 but played remarkably well last season leading up to the Vikings’ disappointing playoff exit against the Eagles in the NFC Championship game.

Does Minnesota bring him back, knowing full well he’d been a journeyman prior to last season? Or will they turn the reins back to Teddy Bridgewater, who appears set to return from his devastating 2016 knee injury?

Likewise, the Kansas City Chiefs could be moving on from Alex Smith, who did enough to justify a placement above his seemingly perennial “game manager” moniker. With K.C. wanting to turn duties over to the younger and cheaper Patrick Mahomes, Smith will likely find himself elsewhere in 2018.

Will the Washington Redskins re-sign Kirk Cousins to a long-term deal or franchise tag him for a third consecutive year at an exorbitant $34 million? He’s good, but not that good.

Quarterbacks Dak Prescott, Derek Carr, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota all took steps in the wrong direction last season. In Carr’s case, who’ll join forces with newly minted head coach Jon Gruden in 2018, we’d like to see a bounce back.

The good thing for this last foursome is these quarterbacks are all young, full of promise and potential. Don’t relegate them to this category forever.

And for the 49ers with Jimmy Garoppolo? He looks the part of a very, very good quarterback. But we’ll need to see more than just five starts in a Niners uniform to move him anywhere.