A Wish List of Teams for the Best QBs in the 2024 NFL Draft

The clubs top prospects would likely choose if they could buck the current system and dictate who they’d play for like Eli Manning did in 2004.

Harbaugh coached J.J. McCarthy, one of the top quarterback prospects in this year's NFL draft. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

If being an NFL quarterback was like being a prospective accountant who just graduated from the Wharton School of Business—with their pick of any firm to work for—which team would they choose? 

Obviously, outside of the Manning family, it seems difficult for quarterbacks to manipulate their eventual landing spot in the NFL. Ducking back to college for another year to reap the windfall of NIL money is likely their best bet in the hopes that some stable organization tanks (just kidding, it’s probably just going to be the Panthers). 

Seriously, if a quarterback could pick his eventual landing spot, what would their wish list of teams look like? Every prospect in this year’s draft class is different, so I tried to bake in a wide range of perks for each. There are some who would thrive in quieter environments and some who would possess a desire for a blank canvas to write on. There are also some who work better with seasoned coaches and some who require an established culture. 

So if I was headed to the 2024 NFL draft as a top quarterback with my choice of a team, here would be my personal wish list of attributes along with an explainer on why I chose those teams. I also included, as a hedge against some angry tweets, my runners-up at the bottom. 

Happy scrolling… 

11. Los Angeles Chargers

Top attributes: 

• Quarterback-centric head coach who played the position.

• Blank canvas football market hungry for stars.

• Ability to rewrite franchise history.

Make your case: Like some of the other coaches on this list, Jim Harbaugh’s ability to work with quarterbacks should not be questioned. Colin Kaepernick played in a Super Bowl with Harbaugh and Harbaugh was the first head coach to utilize Alex Smith effectively. There is a relentlessness and drive to Harbaugh that some would consider a medical issue, but fellow quarterbacks would likely consider a massive comfort. A Harbaugh team is always going to run the ball well and rarely will they find themselves totally out of answers offensively. The Chargers barely make this list, though, because Harbaugh is in the unenviable position of having to re-prove himself at the NFL level. What has changed since his very successful Michigan hiatus? We don’t know. What we do know is that Harbaugh would wind up on the short list of many quarterbacks hoping to revive their careers elsewhere. Like Andy Reid, this really isn’t a possibility any time soon, and time will tell how much Justin Herbert truly grows. But if we are relying on previous sample size, Andrew Luck, Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick, J.J. McCarthy and more all feel like success stories whose genesis began with the head coach and former quarterback. 

The Chargers are also kind of a fresh lump of clay. While the franchise is not without its greats, if there is a quarterback who likes the idea of being the franchise player, that mantle is still open and ready to be handed out to the first passer who can win a Super Bowl. 

10. Cincinnati Bengals 

The Bengals have invested in Burrow, who, when healthy, led them to a Super Bowl. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

Top attributes: 

• Franchise learning how to value its franchise QB after past mistakes.

• Close-knit scouting and coaching staffs improve the talent pipeline.

• Appreciative, tight-knit fanbase, great market. 

Make your case: I can’t say for certain that Bengals owner Mike Brown changed his modus operandi after the Carson Palmer years—and Palmer’s subsequent gripes about the place—but I can say that since the beginning of the Joe Burrow era, there has not been a franchise more hell-bent on protecting in and investing around its quarterback. The Bengals spend in free agency, they constantly look to upgrade their offensive line and, believe it or not, their smaller scouting department has led to more hits than misses when it comes to the draft. I would count Cincinnati as genuinely one of the most stable places for a quarterback in terms of patience, competitiveness and surrounding talent. 

As a market, the team’s Super Bowl run a few years back says it all. Cincinnati, like Buffalo and Green Bay, has a charm and a mystique to it. Players are more parts of the community than objects to be gawked at or criticized. I do think this matters when peace of mind and the ability to settle down are on everyone’s minds.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers 

Top attributes: 

• Blue blood franchise. 

• Incredible draft track record for offensive weapons.

• Requisite patience and support from a great head coach.

Make your case: Maybe Pittsburgh gets knocked down the list a little bit here, but I’m willing to put the Kenny Pickett pick aside and you should be, too. Pittsburgh needed a quarterback in the talent-starved 2022 class and did the best it could. Pickett was ousted after two seasons, but I’m not sure how many organizations would have given him a second season to begin with. Like the Green Bay Packers and the New York Giants, Pittsburgh understands the totality of the position quite well, and despite some sluggishness in terms of coordinator flexibility from a defensive-minded head coach, there haven’t been many Steelers seasons where the quarterback was starved for talent. The Steelers have seemingly always had a brilliant cast of wide receivers home grown, resulting in an occasional glut. The complementary defense is also a nice perk, though the inevitable pressure on any rookie during the Mike Tomlin era is going to be unusually high because of the competitive division and the team’s track record of success. 

8. Los Angeles Rams

McVay traded Goff, acquired Matthew Stafford and then won a Super Bowl. / Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Top attributes: 

• Brilliant head coach.

• Aggressive, open-minded front office.

• Elite wide receivers and a system to develop more.

Make your case: Sean McVay is a tough one, right? On one hand, he brought Jared Goff to a Super Bowl. On the other hand, he traded Goff so that he could win a Super Bowl. There is an element of demand here that could turn off some younger, developing passers. There are also layers of complexity in this offense. I wrote about the process of getting Puka Nacua field ready. Now, imagine that for a quarterback. Still, the Rams have incredible wide receiver talent interwoven into a running game that is going to provide time and the element of surprise against a defense. There also exists this built-in idea of what makes a great wide receiver, which has allowed them to find talent such as Nacua, Cooper Kupp, Ben Skowronek and more without spending premium draft capital. In all, this team is one that gives you back what you put into it. Like San Francisco, the ceiling is higher and the chances of becoming “great” are more likely, assuming McVay plans to be in this profession for the long haul. 

7. Baltimore Ravens

Top attributes: 

• Stable coaching staff and coordinator situation.

• Advanced, highly functioning organization.

• Track record of QB development.

Make your case: I have written about this plenty, but the moment I saw John Harbaugh—after Lamar Jackson’s first playoff loss in early 2019—totally recommit to (the then perceived to be nonconventional) Lamar Jackson, I knew he was not a one-QB wonder of a head coach. Harbaugh’s understanding of the position goes beyond the platitudes of the QB guru and evolves into something reminiscent of a great CEO. Seeing him pivot to OC Todd Monken after the Greg Roman experiment went stale was another deft maneuver that displayed some emotional intelligence. 

Also, if I’m a quarterback, I like the idea of my team being ahead of the curve. Baltimore tends to pick more often in the draft. They tend to take more chances and see them through successfully. There is a process in place and, thus, a pair of Super Bowl titles in a (relatively speaking) short period of time with the same ethos. While this does not often lead to a historically great trove of wide receivers, the Ravens are always striving and unafraid to take swings at the position. They more than make up for it with a usually great offensive line and tight end platoon. 

6. Indianapolis Colts 

It's on Steichen to develop Richardson, who the Colts drafted in 2023. / Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Top attributes: 

• Quarterback whisperer head coach.

• Winnable division.

• Low-pressure market allowing for privacy, comfortable growth.

Make your case: Shane Steichen’s understanding of the quarterback position is above and beyond anything I have observed from this current wave of gurus, which is saying a lot. Perhaps another coach designs a better offense, but there is no coach capable of providing more answers at the line of scrimmage than Steichen, whose work last year with Anthony Richardson and Gardner Minshew should have earned him a closer inspection from coach of the year voters. I outline some of that here but the TL-DR version is this: his eye for creating pocket comfort is razor-cutting-garlic intricate. 

Outside of the obvious, I noted that Peyton Manning and Andrew Luck really enjoyed playing in Indianapolis and had the ability to be a private citizen there to some degree. Luck lived downtown for some time and frequented local establishments. Manning was allowed to have a world of his own. If you’re a prospective franchise player, there is something to be said about having breathing room away from the field. 

5. Philadelphia Eagles

Top attributes: 

• Relentless front office.

• Track record of success with varying talent levels and skill sets.

• Undeniable culture from ownership down.

Make your case: I was initially hesitant to put the Eagles on this list, but their skill level at the position is undeniable and seems to speak to a larger cultural effort as it spans multiple head coaches. The Eagles have made Super Bowls in recent years with a combination of Jalen Hurts, Carson Wentz and Nick Foles. While I’m not criticizing any individual talent, I can almost guarantee you that Wentz would not have developed into a borderline MVP candidate had he not played in Philadelphia first, and his wayward post-career has borne that out to this point. I like the Eagles because they always have stalwart players who can share the leadership load, and are incredibly aggressive when it comes to improving the roster and capitalizing on a window. 

The turbulence of the market lends itself to a kind of personality test for quarterbacks. There are those who thrive on tough love—which is no doubt adopted by the front office and its willingness to discard a franchise QB in the middle of a long-term contract—and those who eventually grow distasteful of it. Playing there most certainly is not for everyone, but those who tend to have longevity there are among the best the NFL has seen. 

4. San Francisco 49ers

Purdy, the last pick in the 2022 NFL draft, had the 49ers on the verge of winning a Super Bowl. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Top attributes: 

• Demanding but brilliant head coach.

• Incredible set of weapons.

• Formulaic offense that rewards smart play.

Make your case: I think that, as Kyle Shanahan grows alongside Brock Purdy, he will expand his own potential as an offensive play-caller and head coach. For a while, I would guess that most of Shanahan’s biggest fans in the quarterbacking world were veterans who already processed information quickly and could share a knowledge base with Shanahan, allowing the pair to think on the same level a la Kirk Cousins or Matt Ryan. The Trey Lance experiment was just that, but the 49ers hedged and eventually came out with a more than acceptable solution. All of that said, Shanahan still wants a quarterback who can take this offense to the next level with complementary mobility, which is why Lance was so intriguing in the first place. I feel strongly that the 49ers should be high on this list because, more than any team outside of the Kansas City Chiefs, the team has the ability to turn a quarterback into an iconic player who has a chance of becoming one of the greats. There is a higher ceiling playing here, though San Francisco will have to do a good job of replenishing their talent as the Deebo Samuel–George Kittle–Christian McCaffrey tandem ages out. 

3. New York Giants 

Top attributes: 

• Track record of patience, second contracts.

• The QB is the franchise’s most important person.

• Coach with a strong track record of development.

Make your case: Alright, so here’s where I’m going to run into trouble and that’s fine. My take on Brian Daboll has always been that he had more to do with Josh Allen’s success than given credit for (without taking too much away from Allen). Similarly, he got more out of Daniel Jones than any other head coach, and helped Jones secure a second contract with the Giants. This is the highest team on the list that may actually draft a quarterback this year and my reasoning dates back to the selection of Eli Manning in 2004. At every turn, the organization did what was best for Manning. They protected him, found him playmakers, paid him well, rarely put him in a bad spot and allowed the team to wrap around his particular leadership style. They changed coaches when it became apparent that Manning wasn’t being optimized. The same can be said for how they treated Jones, who was present for a rapid cycling of Giants head coaches before they eventually got the hire right. Even the ill-fated Dave Gettleman era was a grand attempt at building something sustainable for a quarterback. 

The Giants are well aware that being The Giants Quarterback means something and take many precautions to prevent those selections from looking awful. More than any other team on this list, I feel like the security net is thicker. I don’t know in how many other situations Jones reaches a second contract. 

2. Kansas City Chiefs

Reid and Mahomes have won three Super Bowls in five years. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Top attributes: 

• Generational head coach.

• Flexible offensive system.

• History of finding quality playmakers.

Make your case: Find me a quarterback in the NFL who doesn’t want to play for Reid, and I’ll show you a liar, or someone hoping to launch a YouTube channel with a seriously awful hot take. Reid introduced a kind of schematic flexibility into the NFL that utterly revolutionized the sport. Patrick Mahomes slipped because he was pigeonholed as an Air Raid quarterback. Alex Smith was expendable in San Francisco because he came of age in the Urban Meyer Utah offense. So…Reid just took what they did well and ran it in the NFL (and still, once a Super Bowl, busts out some of the old Utah option package that inevitably springs Mahomes for 45 yards and a major first down). While this current roster is in flux, and Reid, when you speak to him about quarterback play always makes it quite clear that he’s not in the market, we’re speaking a little bit in hypothetical terms here. If you were hoping that any team would do the research and also possess the basic knowledge to maximize your career, the Chiefs would top almost any list. 

1. Green Bay Packers

Love and LaFleur formed a dynamic tandem after the Packers traded Rodgers to the Jets. / Mark Hoffman?Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Top attributes: 

• Organizational stability. 

• History of quarterback development.

• Willingness to sit and be patient.

Make your case: I don’t think this one should be particularly controversial in the end. The Packers have successfully handed off the QB1 title from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love, who was absolutely electric at the end of last season and seems primed to become the next great, or at least very good, Packers quarterback. And at some point this sample size moves the Packers away from luck and into a category that encompasses everything in regards to how they treat the position holistically. One can be lucky at the quarterback position. Look at Jerry Jones, who inherited Tony Romo as an undrafted free agent and then accidentally got Dak Prescott when Connor Cook was taken earlier than expected. And…Dallas has done very little (relatively speaking) with that talent. Green Bay has Super Bowls with both Favre and Rodgers, and I don’t think it's outrageous to forecast a similar rise for the Packers in a year or two. 

Other candidates

Detroit Lions

An aggressive, player-first team with a head coach who would probably defend me during a Grand Theft conviction, the Lions are on the rise as an organization thanks to Dan Campbell. Goff called his move to the Lions the greatest thing that’s ever happened to him. Players don’t just throw those words around. 

Buffalo Bills

The development of Allen was a masterclass, though, and as I noted earlier, I do assign a lot of that initial credit to Daboll. Still, Sean McDermott and GM Brandon Beane have created a functional, winning environment out of pure tatters. I don’t know if someone else besides Allen would be successful in Buffalo, but the franchise is no longer a black hole for the position. 

Denver Broncos

Having Sean Payton is intriguing for the right kind of personality, although, as we’ve recently noted, Payton doesn’t draft young quarterbacks and we really have no track record of his success with newly minted professionals. That said, there are certainly a number of quarterbacks who would gravitate to him and, if assimilated properly, would have great success. Hurting the Broncos was the team’s longstanding struggle to develop at the position. 

Miami Dolphins

Mike McDaniel’s work with Tua Tagovailoa has been second to none, and we haven’t discounted Miami’s glowing report card on the latest NFLPA player survey, which reflects the kind of culture McDaniels is intent on creating. My one knock would be a lack of sustainability and ultimate success, though I had the hardest time not including McDaniels on this list out of any other play-calling head coach.