Around the NFC North: QB Ranking
Obviously, Jordan Love is first
By Mike Price
The inferior North teams don't have a lot of experience talking sh** and it's more clear than ever this off-season. We've had a lot of "ball-knower" tests this off-season, and Jordan Love being the clear best QB in the North and one of the top 5-7 in the league is one of them.
If you're arguing with some Bears fan dingus and they say that Love isn't good because he throws picks or some other nonsense, it's actually a good thing because you know right then and there that you can disregard any other opinion they have.
Anyway, let's get into the ranking.
1. Jordan Love
2. Jared Goff
3. Caleb Williams
I'm going to pair these two because the Bears fan dingus will be foaming at the mouth and unable to read further otherwise.
Goff and Williams are opposite QBs. Goff, as long as he has a run game and perfect pass protection, can matriculate the ball down the field all game and can run up the score on bad defenses. Once the pressure rises, he falls apart. Williams plays down to the opponent and often has a horrific first half, only to turn into an MVP-level QB (certainly one with MVP-level luck if last season is any evidence) in the fourth quarter and bring the Bears back to win.
If you could combine these two QBs, you'd have an argument that Calred Goffliams was as good as Jordan Love. Sadly, the arm talent and silly body factor would still be lacking.
So, why did I put Goff first? At this moment, it's because too much of the Caleb Williams stuff is just random. He makes too many truly bad decisions toward the beginning of games and gets bailed out a lot at the end of games. Sure, he hits some throws that make your eyes pop out of your head, but the ones in the first half that make you wonder if the Bears have an assistant coach qualified to perform an exorcism bring down the total picture too much.
Goff also isn't as bad as many (mostly me) make him out to be. According to the private equity site formerly known as PFF (PE-FF?) he was the 12th best QB in the league last year. You can't say that about Caleb Williams. Because he was 14th.
There's something to be said for Goff finishing second in the NFL in pass yards with over 4,500 while the Bears may very well never have a 4,000-yard passer in Illinois.
While we're on the PE site, there are a few stats that can sum up this section. Jared Goff is 23rd in big-time throws, and Caleb Williams is 6th. Goff is 17th in turnover-worthy plays while Williams is 33rd. Just for kicks, it's worth noting that Jordan Love has as many big-time throws as Caleb Williams while having one more turnover-worthy play than Jared Goff. Nice.
4. Tyrod Taylor
Heh.
5'8. Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray has had plenty of highlight plays in his career, but he's never been close to a consistent season-long plus player. He relies too much on running around and throwing the ball up. Not enough playing on schedule and operating an NFL offense.
FWIW, this is the first season that he'll play with really good weapons and a good NFL offensive scheme. If the Vikings can pair some designed runs with enough rollout and dash pass plays they could definitely get the most out of Kyler Murray. At least until October 23.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO OUR CHEESEHEAD NATION WEEKLY NEWSLETTER HERE.
__________________________
Mike Price is a lifelong Packers fan who recently moved from Utah to Stoughton (a Madison suberb). You can follow him on twitter at @themikeprice.
__________________________
Comments (7)
BuckyBadger
June 23, 2026 at 11:01 am
Ok the 5'8" ranking made me chuckle. For the division Caleb has the most talent but Love is the best QB in the division at the moment. Goff is an average starter who can make average throws but needs top talent around him to make it go. He won't raise the bar of your team and if it is windy that game fuhgeddaboudit.
Caleb has time to hone in his skill set but I just don't think he has the mental fortitude to make it happen. I thought this about him at USC and I thought last year had a lot to do with luck than it did anything else. Lets see how he plays it back.
O'Connell is suppose to be some kind of QB whisper but how many QBs has he actually developed? His draft pick is looking far from ready.
dobber
June 23, 2026 at 12:11 pm
When the OL in Minnesota is good, it's a feasting opportunity for any credible QB...which tells you just how bad McCarthy really is.
Handsback
June 23, 2026 at 11:36 am
I think Caleb Williams has the best arm maybe in the league. So did Brett Favre, but arm strength alone doesn't make an NFL QB.
Love has a really good arm. He can scramble but again doesn't have the wheels of Williams.
I think where Love has over every QB in the league is his release and knowing where to go with the ball.
Love has the best team match of any QB in the league outside of Mahomes and KC.
So I think your rankings are spot on.
JMHO
dobber
June 23, 2026 at 12:09 pm
"I think Caleb Williams has the best arm maybe in the league. So did Brett Favre, "
So did....Jay Cutler.
TarynsEyes
June 23, 2026 at 11:56 am
Mahomes, Allen, Burrow, Herbert, Stafford, Maye, Nix, Hurts, Darnold, Goff, Jackson, Prescott, Stroud, Purdy, Lawrence, Rodgers (I believe he would have two 1000 yd receivers if in GB today, though MLF would be a hindrance.) The w/l record is possibly a different story, but it wouldn't be a drastic separation, if any.
Prescott, Herbert, and Lawrence could be argued via playoff appearances, but they do look more driven than Love, and that matters.
A couple/few others because of years played (longer/shorter), but they have done something Love hasn't regardless of years played: reached a conference final or SB.
It's an unending argument because there are many aspects to be applied to a decision, but the one that will always take president is the bias that makes most blind to what their beloved actual is, did and might never do.
The list above is in no particular order, since the positions can change and do actually, less the first five.
I could only maintain an unbiased opinion that has Love as a definite 11-15 ranked QB. Whether he moves up or down will depend on what he does this season compared to what the others do. A huge issue I have is how stagnate his growth has been. Either Love or MLF seems to have reached their ceilings because each other's are lower than hoped/expected to be. That blame/reasoning is another topic.
OK, have at me.
P.S.
I at least didn't put Mayfield on the list, but it is a viable thought. I also left Caleb out by design because heads would explore, but he is on there invisibly, but I'll let you decide where he should be in regards to Love.
NFLfan
June 23, 2026 at 12:06 pm
Caleb is a clutch player and can scramble way better than Love. His O-Line is stronger.
Goff is cerebral and experienced but not as talented as Love nor Williams.
Murray is talented but somewhat unpredictable
T7Steve
June 23, 2026 at 12:13 pm
Here I go.
All these QBs, (Love included) will only rise and fall on this list and versus the rest in the NFL depending on their O-lines. Health and continuity of their O-lines are the foremost reasons for the success of any QB that reaches this level.