Who is Best QB in the AFC East?
The AFC East is now being seen as the best in the league, with the 2023 NFL season just over three months away.
Once a one-sided division during the New England Patriots’ golden era, there are three teams that many expect to make the playoffs.
The Patriots are now seen as the worst team in the division, a further example of how quick the NFL can change.
Who has the best quarterback? Here is a ranking of the four signal callers from one to four.
1. Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills)
Allen and the Bills have yet to capture what they most desire but Allen is clear above everyone else in the division. This might not have been the case if Rodgers moved to the Jets a year ago, with back-to-back MVP awards in the two years prior, but Allen has now established himself as a top three QB in the league.
After struggling in his first two seasons, he has gone on to have three excellent seasons. In total, he has thrown for 18,397 yards, 138 touchdowns and 60 interceptions since being drafted seventh overall in 2018.
Whilst he is capable of an error filled game, he can excite the crowd at any point with his cannon of an arm in a playing style reminiscent of Brett Favre with his gunslinger approach.
Allen will need to beat the Chiefs or Bengals when it matters in the playoffs if he wants to cement his legacy, but there is no doubting his place on this list.
2. Aaron Rodgers (New York Jets)
Rodgers’ aforementioned two consecutive MVP’s had him seen as one of the best quarterbacks in the league, some even seeing him as the best.
However, a down year has seen Rodgers’ stock drop, but not in the eyes of the Jets who gave up multiple future picks to go get the four-time MVP and Super Bowl 45 champion. This includes a conditional second rounder from 2024 that turns into a first rounder if Rodgers plays 65% of the team’s snaps.
There is concern over how long Rodgers stays with the team, after his revelation that he was 90% retired before his infamous darkness retreat. There has to be questions asked as to whether his downturn in form was simply due to being unhappy in Green Bay, or whether the 39-year-old was showing his age.
3. Tua Tagovailoa (Miami Dolphins)
In similar fashion to Allen, Tua excelled when given a shiny new wide receiver. He would have been an MVP candidate last season had health concerns not taken over.
Tua threw for 3,548 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions last season, and this was with just 13 games played (and two of those ending in early exists from the game). If he was fully healthy, he would have had a lot more yards and touchdowns.
This is the biggest question mark surrounding Tua going into the 2023 season. Can he be available every game?
He has yet to do this since being drafted fifth overall in 2020, missing a lot of big games due to injury or concussion.
With Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle to throw to, he will surely be a contender for MVP and Comeback Player of the Year should he excel in 2023. However, for now, he has not done enough to be any higher than third.
4. Mac Jones (New England Patriots)
Another QB with massive question marks. After a solid rookie campaign with 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, his second season saw a massive downturn. He thew for 2,997 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
With Matt Patricia now gone and Bill O’Brien his replacement at the offensive coordinator role, 2023 will answer the question as to whether the sophomore slump was down to Patricia or whether Jones is not the quarterback we all thought.