NFC QB Concern Index: What teams should be deeply worried?

With the benching of Kirk Cousins on Tuesday for rookie Michael Penix Jr., the Atlanta Falcons either took a step closer to quarterback purgatory or made a bold move that will give them hope for the future.

Here’s how Yardbarker NFL writers rate the level of concern at QB for all NFC teams, with “1” denoting no concern and “5” denoting deep concern.

NFC East

DALLAS COWBOYS (6-8) | 2 | With $231M in guarantees as part of his new contract, Dak Prescott isn’t going anywhere until at least 2028, when his dead cap number drops to $34M. Prescott won three games before heading to the IR with a hamstring injury. That’s the same number of wins backup Cooper Rush has this season.

NEW YORK GIANTS (2-12) | 5 | Daniel Jones is no longer a concern now that he’s on the Vikings’ practice squad, although $22M in dead cap money will keep New York’s attention. The Giants have no QBs under contract for 2025 but could land Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders or Miami’s Cam Ward in the 2025 NFL Draft.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (12-2) | 1 | After two subpar starts and a week of having his relationship with wide receiver A.J. Brown dissected by the national media, Jalen Hurts silenced critics by passing for 290 yards and two touchdowns in a 27-13 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15. Hurts lacks the consistency of MVP candidates Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, but neither of those QBs outplayed the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LVII, as Hurts did.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (9-5) | 1 | Jayden Daniels is clearly the best QB from the 2024 rookie crop. He is the NFL’s 15th-leading passer (3,045 yards) and has posted the fifth-best QBR (67.9) and fourth-highest completion percentage (70.5). Assuming Washington re-signs backup Marcus Mariota for 2025, the Commanders will have one of the most talented and experienced duos in the NFL. — Bruce Ewing

NFC West

ARIZONA CARDINALS (7-7) | 3 | This is a tale of two seasons for Kyler Murray, who looked like a sleeper MVP candidate in the first half of the season for a surprising Cardinals team that had taken the lead in the NFC West. But his play has regressed in the second half as Arizona’s playoff hopes have faded. Murray now looks like a second-tier QB whose contract is one of the worst in the NFL.

LOS ANGELES RAMS (8-6) | 1 | In the second half of the season, Matthew Stafford has played like he’s 26 instead of 36. Over the past five games, the Rams are 4-1 and now are first in the division. During that span, Stafford has 10 TD passes and zero interceptions.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-8) | 3 | Brock Purdy (15 TD passes, nine picks) has mostly played well, which is kind of the problem. Given the injury situation on offense, the 49ers need Purdy to be more than just “fine,” especially since they must make a big decision this offseason on whether or not to make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid QBs.

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (8-6)  | 5 | Geno Smith is wildly inconsistent (14 TD passes but 13 interceptions). As average as he is, Smith is still significantly better than backup Sam Howell, who might have to start if Smith is unable to play because of a knee injury he suffered in Week 15. — Adam Gretz

NFC North

CHICAGO BEARS (4-10) | 3 | Caleb Williams will likely be the starter for at least the next four seasons, but he hasn’t lived up to the expectations of a No. 1 draft pick yet, ranking 19th in passing yards (2,937) and 36th in completion percentage (61.9). Chicago has no great contingency plan if something unexpected happens to Williams. 2023 undrafted free agent Tyson Bagent is the only other QB on the roster.

DETROIT LIONS (12-2) | 2 | If it weren’t for his five-interception game against the Houston Texans in Week 10, Jared Goff would be in the thick of the MVP race with Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen and Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. Knowing he can have an off game of that magnitude on any given week is a slight cause for concern, but Goff has proved he can bounce back. (He has just one interception in five starts since Week 10).

GREEN BAY PACKERS (10-4) | 1 | After throwing 11 interceptions in his first eight starts since signing a four-year, $220 million extension in the offseason, Jordan Love has found his rhythm and played turnover-free the past four games. Backing up Love, Malik Willis has proved to be a serviceable replacement. He led Green Bay to back-to-back wins early in the season following an injury that sidelined Love.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (12-2) | 1 | Minnesota assembled the deepest QB room in the league by signing Sam Darnold in the 2024 offseason and drafting former Michigan star J.J. McCarthy in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Plus, in late November, the Vikings signed former New York Giants starter Daniel Jones. If the Vikings fail to re-sign Darnold and Jones, who are on expiring contracts,  they’ll remain set at the position with McCarthy. — Josh Eaton

NFC South 

ATLANTA FALCONS (7-7) | 5 | Atlanta’s plan to sit rookie Michael Penix Jr. the entire season and learn under veteran Kirk Cousins (18 TD passes, 16 interceptions) blew up in its face Tuesday when head coach Raheem Morris benched Cousins for the 2023 Heisman finalist. The Cousins signing is a disaster, and the situation could be even worse if 24-year-old Penix flops, which is possible considering the spotty history of older rookie QBs.

CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-11) | 3 | Second-year QB Bryce Young (eight TD passes, nine interceptions) has made minor strides after his benching earlier this season and probably earned a third season as Carolina’s starting QB. Whether the Young experiment lasts beyond that remains to be seen.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (5-9) | 5 | Starter Derek Carr has missed four games because of injury this season and is owed $30 million if on the roster on the third day of the 2025 league year, but backups Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener are a combined 0-4 in four starts. New Orleans has a bleak immediate future, and its QB uncertainty is central to its cloudy outlook.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (8-6) | 1 | The Bucs are the envy of the NFC South at QB. Starter Baker Mayfield has a career-best 70.8 percent completion percentage and the most touchdown passes of his seven-year career (32) with three regular-season games remaining. — Eric Smithling