Around the NFC North: QB Ranking
Obviously, Jordan Love is first
By Mike Price
The inferior North teams don't have a lot of experience talking sh** and it's more clear than ever this off-season. We've had a lot of "ball-knower" tests this off-season, and Jordan Love being the clear best QB in the North and one of the top 5-7 in the league is one of them.
If you're arguing with some Bears fan dingus and they say that Love isn't good because he throws picks or some other nonsense, it's actually a good thing because you know right then and there that you can disregard any other opinion they have.
Anyway, let's get into the ranking.
1. Jordan Love
2. Jared Goff
3. Caleb Williams
I'm going to pair these two because the Bears fan dingus will be foaming at the mouth and unable to read further otherwise.
Goff and Williams are opposite QBs. Goff, as long as he has a run game and perfect pass protection, can matriculate the ball down the field all game and can run up the score on bad defenses. Once the pressure rises, he falls apart. Williams plays down to the opponent and often has a horrific first half, only to turn into an MVP-level QB (certainly one with MVP-level luck if last season is any evidence) in the fourth quarter and bring the Bears back to win.
If you could combine these two QBs, you'd have an argument that Calred Goffliams was as good as Jordan Love. Sadly, the arm talent and silly body factor would still be lacking.
So, why did I put Goff first? At this moment, it's because too much of the Caleb Williams stuff is just random. He makes too many truly bad decisions toward the beginning of games and gets bailed out a lot at the end of games. Sure, he hits some throws that make your eyes pop out of your head, but the ones in the first half that make you wonder if the Bears have an assistant coach qualified to perform an exorcism bring down the total picture too much.
Goff also isn't as bad as many (mostly me) make him out to be. According to the private equity site formerly known as PFF (PE-FF?) he was the 12th best QB in the league last year. You can't say that about Caleb Williams. Because he was 14th.
There's something to be said for Goff finishing second in the NFL in pass yards with over 4,500 while the Bears may very well never have a 4,000-yard passer in Illinois.
While we're on the PE site, there are a few stats that can sum up this section. Jared Goff is 23rd in big-time throws, and Caleb Williams is 6th. Goff is 17th in turnover-worthy plays while Williams is 33rd. Just for kicks, it's worth noting that Jordan Love has as many big-time throws as Caleb Williams while having one more turnover-worthy play than Jared Goff. Nice.
4. Tyrod Taylor
Heh.
5'8. Kyler Murray
Kyler Murray has had plenty of highlight plays in his career, but he's never been close to a consistent season-long plus player. He relies too much on running around and throwing the ball up. Not enough playing on schedule and operating an NFL offense.
FWIW, this is the first season that he'll play with really good weapons and a good NFL offensive scheme. If the Vikings can pair some designed runs with enough rollout and dash pass plays they could definitely get the most out of Kyler Murray. At least until October 23.
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Mike Price is a lifelong Packers fan who recently moved from Utah to Stoughton (a Madison suberb). You can follow him on twitter at @themikeprice.
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Comments (17)
BuckyBadger
June 23, 2026 at 11:01 am
Ok the 5'8" ranking made me chuckle. For the division Caleb has the most talent but Love is the best QB in the division at the moment. Goff is an average starter who can make average throws but needs top talent around him to make it go. He won't raise the bar of your team and if it is windy that game fuhgeddaboudit.
Caleb has time to hone in his skill set but I just don't think he has the mental fortitude to make it happen. I thought this about him at USC and I thought last year had a lot to do with luck than it did anything else. Lets see how he plays it back.
O'Connell is suppose to be some kind of QB whisper but how many QBs has he actually developed? His draft pick is looking far from ready.
dobber
June 23, 2026 at 12:11 pm
When the OL in Minnesota is good, it's a feasting opportunity for any credible QB...which tells you just how bad McCarthy really is.
Ihappydirt
June 24, 2026 at 12:17 am
Love by far has the most talent. The only QB to finish in the top 9 in all the metrics, while no other was in the top 15.
Caleb is mediocre for completion %age, benefited from a #4 schedule and did come thru big-time after Doubs fumbled the onside. Before that he's under 50% completion for 150 yards, the game's over, and he's excoriated by Bears fans. Give him credit for rallying. But serious regression will happen due to the picks dropping way off with the #1 sked.
I'll also keep saying this. 2 penalties for 5 yards in the p.o. game when they committed 10-for-120. GB 7-for-67. Booker fined $47k for a hit that wasn't called a penalty, after he's the guy that concussed Love weeks earlier. Four late hits o.b., including 3 beyond the white line (a full yard o.b.). One flipped Reed then knelt on his chest. Should have been ejected. MLF going nuts, ref turns his head and walks away. NFL felt Chi had gone too long without any success, so threw them a bone.
Handsback
June 23, 2026 at 11:36 am
I think Caleb Williams has the best arm maybe in the league. So did Brett Favre, but arm strength alone doesn't make an NFL QB.
Love has a really good arm. He can scramble but again doesn't have the wheels of Williams.
I think where Love has over every QB in the league is his release and knowing where to go with the ball.
Love has the best team match of any QB in the league outside of Mahomes and KC.
So I think your rankings are spot on.
JMHO
dobber
June 23, 2026 at 12:09 pm
"I think Caleb Williams has the best arm maybe in the league. So did Brett Favre, "
So did....Jay Cutler.
Bitternotsour
June 23, 2026 at 05:29 pm
If he has such a good arm why is his completion percentage pure ass? The best arm in the NFC is in Green Bay or perhaps on the Rams.
TarynsEyes
June 23, 2026 at 11:56 am
Mahomes, Allen, Burrow, Herbert, Stafford, Maye, Nix, Hurts, Darnold, Goff, Jackson, Prescott, Stroud, Purdy, Lawrence, Rodgers (I believe he would have two 1000 yd receivers if in GB today, though MLF would be a hindrance.) The w/l record is possibly a different story, but it wouldn't be a drastic separation, if any.
Prescott, Herbert, and Lawrence could be argued via playoff appearances, but they do look more driven than Love, and that matters.
A couple/few others because of years played (longer/shorter), but they have done something Love hasn't regardless of years played: reached a conference final or SB.
It's an unending argument because there are many aspects to be applied to a decision, but the one that will always take president is the bias that makes most blind to what their beloved actual is, did and might never do.
The list above is in no particular order, since the positions can change and do actually, less the first five.
I could only maintain an unbiased opinion that has Love as a definite 11-15 ranked QB. Whether he moves up or down will depend on what he does this season compared to what the others do. A huge issue I have is how stagnate his growth has been. Either Love or MLF seems to have reached their ceilings because each other's are lower than hoped/expected to be. That blame/reasoning is another topic.
OK, have at me.
P.S.
I at least didn't put Mayfield on the list, but it is a viable thought. I also left Caleb out by design because heads would explore, but he is on there invisibly, but I'll let you decide where he should be in regards to Love.
NFLfan
June 23, 2026 at 12:06 pm
Caleb is a clutch player and can scramble way better than Love. His O-Line is stronger.
Goff is cerebral and experienced but not as talented as Love nor Williams.
Murray is talented but somewhat unpredictable
T7Steve
June 23, 2026 at 12:13 pm
Here I go.
All these QBs, (Love included) will only rise and fall on this list and versus the rest in the NFL depending on their O-lines. Health and continuity of their O-lines are the foremost reasons for the success of any QB that reaches this level.
Gman1976
June 23, 2026 at 03:48 pm
Caleb and the Bears beat Love and the Pack two out of three times last year. Did Love put his team on his back the last 2 games or did Caleb? Could Love do what Caleb did to pull out those games? Granted that Caleb has a much better coach than Love, but I don't see Love doing what Caleb does. And I am a lifelong Packer fan that HATES to lose to the Bears.
Ihappydirt
June 24, 2026 at 12:27 am
Doubs recovers an onside and it's a diff convo. That game is in G.B. even with the loss of 2 of our best - Parsons and Kraft. Who was Chi missing in comparison?
Also Love is only the 3rd QB to throw for 300 yards, 4 TDs, no ints, and lose in the p.o. I swear too many GB fans don't appreciate what they have.
Don't anoint Caleb when he benefitted from so much luck ...
Snap the ball
June 23, 2026 at 11:23 pm
What I want to see is a cocky Love. Like Brett in his day.
Everytime Brett run unto the field I think we scored …when he walk out we didn’t
I want to see Love run out and show some enthusiasm and energy
Other teams notice that and body language.
Run out like the old man did ….Brett. farrrrrrrrvvvve. Did
Snap the ball
June 23, 2026 at 11:25 pm
Love made a drive to win. And would have if the snap was better
And Mcmiss didn’t help his cause …..but the why things are going we might want him back…..
Or screw it go for two all the time. 50. 50. On those plays
I wish I could be the 2 point coach. And have 50 different plays for that and lineups
Can we think ahead
Snap the ball
June 23, 2026 at 11:28 pm
Love is better than all. If he turns it loose …..
Need more two back sets this year
Or t formation like Rodgers had with John K in the backfield
Snap the ball
June 23, 2026 at 11:31 pm
Be unpredictable
I would be at games and watch Reed in motion and nobody moved on Defense….waste of energy sometimes
Have him on the line. Run at the defender and break. That how you get open. Vs running away from them. They catch up
I hope love is working on not having that hitch in this throw. Come back and fire it
Or you soon to be a Carson Wentz type. But he’s made 130 million for being a guy
Ihappydirt
June 24, 2026 at 12:40 am
As I said above, Love was the only QB to finish in the top 9 in all the metrics, while nobody else was in the top 15 in all. Yet, you're comparing him to Wentz, lol.
GB fans are being too entitled. I'm ecstatic Love is our QB. Wait 'til you see what they do with Watson, Reed, Golden, Kraft this year. (Jacobs, LLoyd?) They are going to light up the league.
BTW, the reason they put a guy in motion is to get the defense to declare what coverage they are using. If they don't move, it's telling. It helps Love, and Reed can run all day and not be tired.
Ihappydirt
June 24, 2026 at 12:54 am
They're also not catching up to Reed (4.4), Watson (4.3) or Golden (4.3) in motion, and all 3 are some of the better route runners in the NFL. They do break.
Golden was in top 3 in NFL for being open, but Love looked to Doubs (a great player) too often. Now he and Wicks are gone and he will see Golden more.