Who is the top NFC East quarterback?
By: Andy Davies
The NFC East is one of the more ridiculed divisions in recent NFL history, is ready for another year to prove the doubters wrong, especially in a conference that offers a much easier path into the playoffs.
Often nicknamed the ”˜NFC Least’, a team that has not won the division in back-to-back years since the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles. Since then, all four teams have tasted first place with the Eagles and Dallas Cowboys claiming five and both the Washington Commanders and New York Giants sharing three.
The Eagles and Giants have gone on to win Super Bowls whereas the Cowboys and Washington continue in attempts to rediscover the past. However, who has the best quarterback?
Here is a ranking of the best to worst quarterbacks in the division.
1. Dak Prescott (Cowboys)
Prescott could be argued as one of the more overrated quarterbacks in the NFL, but he is head and shoulders above the rest on this list.
Only six quarterbacks threw for more yards than Dak in 2021 (4,449) and only three had more passing touchdowns last season (37). The next best in this division was Wentz for both passing yards (3,563) and passing touchdowns (27), which shows the gulf of class that Prescott is ahead of the other quarterbacks in this list.
He may be yet to win many of the big games, even with an improved defense in 2021 under coordinator Dan Quinn. However, you would back him to win the game for you in pressure moments ahead of any other NFC East QB.
2. Jalen Hurts (Eagles)
Choosing between Hurts and Wentz was a tough choice as they are both very similar when it comes to their passing stats. Only two quarterbacks threw for more yards than Hurts and less than Wentz in 2021.
However, despite Wentz having 11 more passing touchdowns than Hurts in 2021, the Eagles QB has nine more rushing touchdowns. In a modern-day league where a quarterback has to show more mobility than they did 15-20 years ago, Hurts represents a better option not only for being six years younger than his newest division rival but also for his dual-threat.
Hurts was given more gametime in 2021 compared with 2020 where he was the backup to Wentz and threw for 16 touchdowns and 9 interceptions along with the nine rushing touchdowns. A tough 2022 schedule will present Hurts with the chance to show his true self as compared with the favourable 2021 calendar. He is a much brighter prospect than the two below him on this list.
3. Carson Wentz (Commanders)
If this was an article written two or three years ago, Wentz may well have been number one in this list. However, injuries have played a massive role in his decline that ultimately saw his departure from the Eagles after the conclusion of the 2020 season. He would join the Indianapolis Colts in 2021 but would be traded to the Commanders just a year later.
His 3,563 yards, 27 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 2021 is an improvement on the 2,620 yards, 16 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in 2020 but this was with a much better offensive line and greater offensive weapons.
Wentz will have these weapons in Washington, with running backs Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissick as well as wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel which may propel him up this list, but he seems to be really affected by his injuries in the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Sometimes, a player never recovers from injuries, especially in the NFL. Look at Todd Gurley as a classic recent example. His stats may make him look better than he is and the move to Washington could go one of two ways, but he looks far from the quarterback that he once was.
4. Daniel Jones (Giants)
When the Giants picked Jones sixth overall in 2019, this was a huge shock as many felt they overreached for the Duke quarterback.
In the three seasons that have followed, these thought processes have been proved to be completely warranted.
Prescott was seventh for passing yards in 2021, Wentz was 18th and Hurts was 21st. Jones was 29th. He was also 30th in the league for passing touchdowns.
The Giants wanted to find a replacement for Eli Manning but their first attempt of doing so appears to be a mistake. His only positive attribute is his scrambling ability, but we also saw him fall over when looking to get a rushing touchdown.
This is nothing against Jones as he’s a great kid and is probably a victim of his draft position, but he is certainly not good enough to start in the NFL.
