CLEVELAND, Ohio — Pro Football Focus has unveiled its list of the NFL’s 32 best quarterbacks ahead of 2024, and Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson sits at 23rd, which is much lower compared to his 13th rank in 2023.
PFF divided the quarterback rankings into seven tiers with different headlines.
There’s Tier 2, which is titled, “The Elite” and includes divisional foes in Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson and Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow.
Tier 4′s “The Melting Pot of Starters” includes an early 2024 opponent in Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence.
Watson was placed in Tier 5 and its title says, “Can Singlehandedly Win and Lose Games.” The tier includes four quarterbacks, with Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield at the top, and Watson at the bottom of the tier.
PFF’s Trevor Sikkema wrote this about Watson:
“Watson has been a disappointment since joining the Cleveland Browns. He has played in just six games in each of the past two seasons due to suspension and injury, and he is coming off season-ending surgery to his throwing shoulder. His numbers reflect all of that. Watson’s 58.7 cumulative PFF passing grade over the past two years ranks 53rd among qualifying passers. Still, his dominant days in a Texans uniform are not a figment of your imagination. Perhaps this is the year we see it again, though he is running out of time to prove it.”
Among qualifying quarterbacks, Watson finished 27th in offense grading (67.3) and 26th in passing (66.8).
Watson graded 69.5 in play action, where he completed 68.3% of his passes for 403 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
Watson graded best (77.5) on deep passes from 20 yards to further downfield, completing eight of his 23 passes (34.8%) for 280 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Year 3 for Watson is pivotal, and the Browns are all in on making sure he’s ready with multiple wideout options, headlined by the offseason move for Jerry Jeudy.
PFF’s quarterback rankings:
TIER 1: MAHOMES
1. PATRICK MAHOMES, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
TIER 2: THE ELITE
2. LAMAR JACKSON, BALTIMORE RAVENS
3. JOE BURROW, CINCINNATI BENGALS
TIER 3: POSTSEASON-CALIBER QBS
5. JUSTIN HERBERT, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
6. DAK PRESCOTT, DALLAS COWBOYS
7. MATTHEW STAFFORD, LOS ANGELES RAMS
8. AARON RODGERS, NEW YORK JETS
9. JALEN HURTS, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
10. C.J. STROUD, HOUSTON TEXANS
TIER 4: THE MELTING POT OF STARTERS
11. JORDAN LOVE, GREEN BAY PACKERS
12. TREVOR LAWRENCE, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
13. BROCK PURDY, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
14. TUA TAGOVAILOA, MIAMI DOLPHINS
15. KIRK COUSINS, ATLANTA FALCONS
16. JARED GOFF, DETROIT LIONS
17. KYLER MURRAY, ARIZONA CARDINALS
18. GENO SMITH, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
19. CALEB WILLIAMS, CHICAGO BEARS
TIER 5: CAN SINGLEHANDEDLY WIN AND LOSE GAMES
20. BAKER MAYFIELD, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
21. DEREK CARR, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
22. RUSSELL WILSON, PITTSBURGH STEELERS
23. DESHAUN WATSON, CLEVELAND BROWNS
TIER 6: THE NEXT GENERATION
24. ANTHONY RICHARDSON, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
25. BRYCE YOUNG, CAROLINA PANTHERS
26. JACOBY BRISSETT/DRAKE MAYE, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
27. JAYDEN DANIELS, WASHINGTON COMMANDERS
28. WILL LEVIS, TENNESSEE TITANS
TIER 7: THE HOLDOVERS
29. DANIEL JONES, NEW YORK GIANTS
30. AIDAN O’CONNELL/GARDNER MINSHEW, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
31. SAM DARNOLD/J.J. MCCARTHY, MINNESOTA VIKINGS
32. JARRETT STIDHAM/BO NIX, DENVER BRONCOS
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