Who is the best quarterback in the NFC North heading into this season?
For decades, the Green Bay Packers have had the best quarterback in the black and blue division.
It started when Brett Favre became a terror for the NFC Central after taking over for Don Majkowski in 1992 and transitioned to Aaron Rodgers when he succeeded Favre to take over the NFC North in 2009.
After Rodgers was traded to the New York Jets this offseason, the title of best quarterback in the NFC North is up for grabs. Here, we'll discuss which quarterback has the inside track of becoming "King of the North" and what it could mean for their respective teams this season.
4. Jordan Love (Packers)
This isn't as much of an indictment on Love as it is admitting that he's a giant unknown. Love sat behind Rodgers for three seasons – including back-to-back MVP campaigns for Rodgers in 2020 and 2021 – after the Packers traded up for him in the first round of the draft, but he hasn't gotten a real opportunity to showcase his development.
Love made a start for the Packers when Rodgers contracted COVID in 2021 and completed 19-of-34 passes for 190 yards, a touchdown and an interception in a 13-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. While those numbers aren't great, his offensive line allowed him to be pressured on 48.7 percent of his dropbacks and the game was played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, one of the NFL's toughest environments.
Love has been limited to mop-up duty in the rest of his 10 career appearances, completing just over 60 percent of his passes for 606 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. But he also showed improvement last season, completing 66.7 percent of his passes for 195 yards and touchdowns and finishing with a higher overall Pro Football Focus grade (78.7) than Kirk Cousins (77.4).
The Packers have wisely hedged their bets with Love, signing him to a team-friendly extension rather than picking up his fifth-year rookie option and also loading up on picks for the 2024 draft. That haul includes a potential first-rounder from the New York Jets if Rodgers plays 65 percent of snaps this season.
But the rest of the NFC North also had a false sense of security about Rodgers, who also spent four seasons sitting behind Favre. If Love repeats history, he could shoot up this list and extend the Packers' reign of terror for the next decade.
3. Justin Fields (Bears)
While Love might be the most unknown quarterback in the division, Fields might be the most intriguing this season, and it's this potential that has the national media salivating at the possibility he's the best QB in the NFC North.
I have no words... pic.twitter.com/1PB27ihspH
— Adam Patrick (@adampatrickNFL) July 22, 2023
Fields had a tough rookie season under Matt Nagy, going 2-8 as a starter and completing 58.9 percent of his passes for 1,870 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His sophomore season was a modest improvement, completing just over 60 percent of his passes for 2,242 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions but the difference was his rushing ability.
Fields set an NFL record by running for 1,143 yards and scoring on the ground eight times last season, establishing himself as a dual threat. With the addition of D.J. Moore, Fields could take another leap into superstardom this season but he could also follow the path of Daniel Jones.
Jones's future with the New York Giants was up in the air last season, but he took a step forward under the guidance of Brian Daboll. While his passing numbers (3,205, 15 touchdowns, five interceptions, 67.2 percent completion rate) weren't pretty, he ran for 708 yards and seven touchdowns.
Two big performances against Ed Donatell's defense late in the year offered a glimpse of his potential and Jones cashed in with a contract that will pay him $40 million over the next four seasons.
It's possible Fields could take that same leap and force the Bears into a lucrative contract extension next spring. If he regresses, the Bears have hoarded draft picks for next year's draft and can make a run at one of the top quarterbacks in the class.
2. Jared Goff (Lions)
Goff has developed – perhaps unfairly – a maligned reputation after Sean McVay kicked him to the curb following the 2020 season, but he's also had his moments over his seven-year career.
Goff was the conductor of the high-powered Rams offense that went all the way to the Super Bowl in 2018, throwing for 4,688 yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, but threw for 8,590 yards, 42 touchdowns and 29 interceptions the next two seasons before getting traded to Detroit.
Many assumed Goff was a placeholder for a Lions team that appeared to be tanking for a new quarterback, but he's completed 66 percent of his passes for 7,683 yards, 48 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in his two seasons in Detroit.
Vikings fans are also familiar with what Goff can do at his best, as he's thrown for 299 yards per game, 12 touchdowns, three interceptions and a 101.6 passer rating in six career games against Minnesota. Goff has also led the Lions to a pair of wins over the Vikings including a last-second touchdown to Amon-Ra St. Brown in 2021 and a 330-yard, three-touchdown performance in a 34-23 win over the Vikings last November.
A former Super Bowl quarterback, there is a case for Goff to be the top quarterback on this list, but he'll have to cash in on the Lions' preseason hype to make that happen. If he's able to do it, the 28-year-old could be in line for an extension next spring and become Detroit's quarterback for the foreseeable future.
1. Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
If you're reading this, you know all about Kirk Cousins's game.
Cousins is a lock to put up big stats, throwing for over 4,000 yards in four of his six seasons with the Vikings and throwing for 30 or more touchdowns in three of them.
You also know that Cousins is coming off a year where he tied an NFL record with eight fourth-quarter comebacks, but he couldn't produce the one the Vikings needed the most, checking down to T.J. Hockenson on a 4th-and-8 with the season on the line.
It's clear that Cousins has the physical tools to be the best quarterback in the division but it's the mental part that is holding him back. The recent Netflix docuseries "Quarterback" showed Cousins battling through a rib injury while leading the Vikings to 13-4 last season, but it still didn't sell the Vikings on signing him to a contract extension this offseason.
With contract talks shelved until he's set to become a free agent next spring, Cousins's future is uncertain, but this is not something he hasn't experienced before. Cousins was franchise tagged twice by Washington in 2016 and 2017 and averaged 4,505 yards with a total of 52 touchdowns, 25 interceptions and a 95.6 passer rating, but the Commanders went just 15-16-1.
We know the big stats are coming. We know Cousins will have a hot stretch, but if he can't help the Vikings win games, he'll fall down this list and possibly be playing for a new team next fall.
