5. Matthew Stafford
Matthew Stafford had an injury-riddled 2022 season. The last time we saw him fully healthy, he led the Rams to a win in Super LVI. Stafford is one of the most under-appreciated quarterbacks in the NFL and is a potential Hall of Famer. The Los Angeles quarterback ranks 11th all-time in passing yards, 12th in passing touchdowns, and 11th in passing completions.
Stafford's main problem is that he is playing quarterback for a bad team. The Rams traded away or released key veterans like Jalen Ramsey, Allen Robinson, and Bobby Wagner this offseason. They are in a rebuilding period, attempting to build their next Super Bowl team. Stafford still gets to throw to the NFL's best wide receiver and Super Bowl LVI MVP, Cooper Kupp.
4. Tua Tagovailoa
The concussion situation surrounding Tua Tagovailoa is downright scary, but when he is on the field, he is ridiculously good. Despite playing in just 13 of the Dolphins 17 games in 2022, Tua ranked 12th in the NFL in passing yards, eighth in passing touchdowns, and third in QBR.
Tua's Week 2 performance in Baltimore last fall was nothing short of spectucular. The Dolphin threw for 462 yards and six touchdowns, four of which came in the fourth quarter. He threw for three or more touchdowns four different times last season. The Dolphins are a Super Bowl contender if Tua stays healthy.
3. Aaron Rodgers
Aaron Rodgers won back-to-back MVP awards in 2020 and 2021, but the wheels came off in 2022. Rodgers threw 12 interceptions in 2022, just three off the league high. He also ranked just 11th in passing yards. The most shocking stat, Rodgers ranked 26th in QBR, posting a horrendous 39.3 mark.
Marcus Mariota, Kenny Pickett, Jacoby Brissett, and Andy Dalton all posted higher QBR's than Rodgers last fall. We can probably forget about 2022, as Rodgers will definitely bounce back in New York. The Jets have a very solid group of weapons for Rodgers, but a brutal schedule that could make starting hot very difficult. Rodgers deserves to be this high due to his pedigree.