The New England Patriots are preparing for their first season without Bill Belichick leading the franchise since the turn of the century, and their schedule is difficult.
While their quarterback situation isn't fully figured out yet, the Patriots will face some of the best that the league has to offer at the position throughout their 18-week 2024 campaign.
Before we move further into the team's offseason program, let's take a look at the projected starting quarterbacks that New England's defense will be tasked with stopping and rank them from worst to best.
No. 14 - Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Obviously, Williams has the potential to be a great quarterback in the NFL after being selected with the first overall pick this year. However, he hasn't played a snap yet, so it's hard to rank him above those who have.
No. 13 - Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
Levis looked average in his nine starts as a rookie in 2023, completing an unimpressive 58.4% of his passes for 1,808 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions. At least the Titans have given him more talent to work with in 2024.
No. 12 - Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts
As a rookie, Richardson appeared in just four games before being knocked out for the year with a season-ending shoulder injury. His knack for finding the end zone as a runner (four rushing touchdowns in four games) makes him a threat unlike many others.
No. 11 - Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Smith had a career resurgence in 2022 with Seattle, but he dropped off a bit in the 2023 season. He still played well enough to be a Pro Bowler in both seasons and considering how he was essentially an afterthought for five years, his play is still impressive
No. 10 - Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Tagovailoa has been much improved since Mike McDaniel arrived in South Florida. Last season, he even led the league in passing yards (4,624). However, he needs to avoid the dips and injuries that have derailed Miami's seasons.
No. 9 - Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
From the last pick to the NFC champion, Purdy has certainly had an impressive start to his career. Last year, he made strides as a passer, totaling 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns, as the 49ers allowed him to control the offense.
No. 8 - Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Returning from injury in 2023, Stafford looked to be back to his old self, throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and making his second Pro Bowl. Now, he'll just have to beat time.
No. 7 - Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Murray also returned from injury last season, playing in just eight games after tearing his ACL against the Patriots in 2022. He's lost his best weapons in recent years, but with Marvin Harrison Jr. coming in, he should have a new favorite target.
No. 6 - Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Lawrence still looks like he has all of the talent in the world, but the former first-overall selection needs to avoid costly turnovers. In 50 games, he's thrown 39 interceptions and fumbled 33 times. If he can straighten that out, the Jaguars should be contenders.
No. 5 - C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
What Stroud did as a rookie was so impressive, completing 63.9% of his passes for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Now, he has even more weapons at his disposal, making Houston a dangerous team to play going forward.
No. 4 - Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
Herbert, like Lawrence, appears to have all the talent in the world. He has the big arm to make every throw, and he can use his legs when he needs to. However, he can make some dumb decisions at times. While the coaching change should help, they also lost his top two wideouts in Mike Williams and Keenan Allen this offseason.
No. 3 - Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Rodgers might be the biggest question mark this year. At 40 years old and coming off of a torn Achilles, it wouldn't be surprising to see him take a major step back from his MVP form, but the last time we saw him on the field (before the handful of plays for the Jets), he was incredible.
No. 2 - Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
The former first-overall pick appeared in just 10 games last season due to injury, but when Burrow's on the field, he's one of the best in the game. With this being potentially the last chance to play with both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, the 27-year-old will want to capitalize.
No. 1 - Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Allen is widely considered the best quarterback in the NFL not named Patrick Mahomes. He can do a bit of everything, including making some plays that just boggle your mind. However, his pure ability is so awe-inspiring that even as an opponent, you have to respect it.
