The 2024 edition of The Athletic’s NFL Quarterback Tiers is here. Where does your favorite QB rank?
As part of Tuesday’s episode of The Athletic’s “Scoop City” podcast, former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel crunched the tape on the six first-round rookie quarterbacks in their preseason debuts.
Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Grade: A
Stats: 4-7, 95 yards (1 carry, 13 yards)
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He looked like he had been in the NFL for five to seven years. It was really impressive. He was so calm, cool and collected. The moment wasn’t too big for him. He played 20 plays; I get that. But the way he felt and the way that I saw him on the film, that was most impressive.
J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings
Grade: A-minus
Stats: 11-17, 188 yards, 2 TD, INT (2 carries, 18 yards)
Editor’s note: The Vikings have since announced that McCarthy will be out for the season after a successful surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee.
He threw the interception early, threw it late across the middle. I’m actually glad that happened to him because I think it settled his nerves. What I noticed about him was how much he was doing at the line of scrimmage. We knew he was really smart, but he was changing plays at the line of scrimmage, going from a run to a pass, alerting. He was getting guys set in the right formation. That’s the type of thing that makes me say, Man, it was impressive.
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
Grade: B-plus
Stats: 15-21, 125 yards, TD (3 carries, 17 yards)
He was able to really get the ball out of his hands. The biggest issue for the Denver Broncos last year was they held onto the ball way too long last year. That’s not what Sean Payton wants from this offense. I was part of this offense for five years with Payton. I know this offense inside and out. The biggest thing that Payton wants out of a quarterback in the first preseason game is he wants you in and out, on and off, up and down. That’s what he says: in and out of the huddle, up and down the field and on and off the field. The tempo is something that really stood out with Nix. He wasn’t holding the football, he wasn’t taking sacks, he was using his legs and athleticism, which I thought was an overlooked trait for him coming out of Oregon.
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Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta Falcons
Grade: B
Stats: 9-16, 104 yards
I thought he was excellent. He maybe didn’t look as comfortable as Caleb Williams, but I just want to throw this out there: The go balls he was throwing in the game — and that’s what he’s known for, his deep ball accuracy — were excellent. I was really impressed with what he was able to do.
Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Grade: Incomplete
Stats: 2-3, 45 yards (1 carry, 3 yards, TD)
He played only nine snaps. The big highlight was the throw down the right sideline which was a dime into the bread basket. We’d say, if a receiver was running down the sideline, “Just put gifts down the chimney from Santa,” and that’s exactly what he did. Just a little gift down the chimney. But if I were the Commanders, I would not let Jayden Daniels see the field again this preseason. He just looks smaller than what he weighed in at the combine. If there was one knock against him, he does not know how to slide, he does not know how to protect himself.
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
Grade: Incomplete
Stats: 2-3, 19 yards
He looked raw. He struggled a little bit under center, but there were only six snaps so it’s too early to tell. Honestly, he got outplayed by Joe Milton because Milton was able to play more.
(Top photo: Rich Barnes / Getty Images)