Ranking every potential starting QB on the Rams’ 2021 schedule
The Rams will face 14 different teams in 2021 as part of the NFL’s new 17-game regular season, but not every team on their schedule has a surefire starter at quarterback. Some teams will have camp competitions to decide who will start under center, particularly the three that took quarterbacks in the top 11 of the draft this year.
As of now, there are about 18 potential starting quarterbacks on the Rams’ schedule. We ranked each one from best to worst, which will give you a good idea of just how difficult Los Angeles’ slate of games will be in 2021.
Aaron Rodgers, Packers
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As of now, the reigning NFL MVP is on the Rams’ schedule. That could change if the Packers trade Rodgers or if he refuses to play in 2021, but currently, he’s the best quarterback the Rams will face in 2021. Last season, he led the NFL with 48 touchdown passes and a completion rate of 70.7%, ranking first in interception percentage for the third straight year. It was arguably his best season ever in the NFL and there’s no reason to believe he won’t follow it up with a fantastic encore this season. With the Packers seemingly dug in on keeping Rodgers, it seems like he'll remain in Green Bay for another year. But if they move him, Jordan Love would likely take over as the starter.
Russell Wilson, Seahawks
(AP Photo/Scott Eklund)
Wilson got off to an incredibly hot start in 2020 with 26 touchdown passes in his first seven games, but he cooled off and threw just 14 in his final nine games. Still, he finished the year with a career-high 40 touchdown passes (and a career-high 13 interceptions) and led the Seahawks to a 12-4 record. There are few quarterbacks in the NFL as dangerous as Wilson both inside and outside the pocket. If Seattle’s offensive line can manage to improve even slightly, Wilson will contend for NFL MVP.
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It remains to be seen whether Watson will play at all in 2021, let alone for the Texans. It seems highly unlikely that he’ll be on the Rams’ schedule this season because even if his name is cleared, he doesn’t want to stay in Houston. But Watson remains one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and led the league in passing yards a season ago. The rest of Houston’s roster looks extremely underwhelming, but Watson is an elite talent capable of carrying an offense.
Tom Brady, Buccaneers
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Even at 43 going on 44, Brady is a handful to defend. Just last season, he threw for 40 touchdown passes and only 12 interceptions. He has shown no signs of slowing down at this stage of his career, even if his arm may not be as strong as it once was. Brady should have the Buccaneers in Super Bowl contention this season and will take on the Rams in Week 3 at SoFi Stadium – his first NFL game ever in Los Angeles. He could be in the MVP conversation in 2021, which would be incredible at 44 years old.
Lamar Jackson, Ravens
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There probably isn't a defensive coordinator in the NFL who enjoys game planning for Jackson. He’s a nightmare to defend thanks to his rare mobility and speed, which he and the Ravens use often. Jackson carved up the Rams in 2019 with 169 yards passing and five touchdowns, as well as another 95 yards rushing on only eight attempts. And that wasn’t even with Jackson playing the full game.
Ryan Tannehill, Titans
Tannehill is coming off an outstanding 2020 season in which he threw for 3,819 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He orchestrated a league-high six game-winning drives and led the NFL with five fourth-quarter comebacks. He may not be a prolific passer who’s going to throw for 300 yards a game, but Tannehill is fairly accurate and doesn’t commit many turnovers. He’s somewhat underrated and is certainly an above-average quarterback after reviving his career in Tennessee.
Kyler Murray, Cardinals
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Murray did improve in 2020 and earned a Pro Bowl selection, but he didn’t contend for NFL MVP like some expected him to. Like Jackson, Murray is a nightmare for defensive coordinators thanks to his dual-threat skill set, as he threw for 3,971 yards and rushed for another 819 last season. The Rams have done a better job against Murray than just about every other team in the NFL the last two years, but he’s still difficult to contain.
Kirk Cousins, Vikings
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Cousins is in a tier of quarterbacks who you can win with, but he isn't a player who will carry a team. He threw 35 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions last season, and he always completes passes at a high rate, but he doesn’t strike fear in many defenses. The Vikings could do worse than Captain Kirk, though. He’s good for around 30 touchdown passes and 4,000 yards per year.
Jared Goff, Lions
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Goff will make his return to L.A. in Week 7 against the team that traded him this offseason, which makes Rams-Lions all the more intriguing. Rams fans know No. 16 well, and they’re well-aware of his strengths and weaknesses. He’s good when not under pressure in the pocket and when his receivers are open, but if under any sort of duress, he becomes a below-average quarterback who makes mistakes you’d expect to see from a rookie. Goff might have a hard time in his first season with the Lions, given their lack of talent around him.
Carson Wentz, Colts
(AP Photo/Laurence Kesterson)
Wentz and Goff are in a very similar position. They were taken first and second overall in 2016, signed big contracts with their original teams and were traded this offseason. There’s a reason for that: They’ve been nothing but disappointing the last two years. Wentz’s mechanics have regressed, which led to an unsightly 57.4% completion rate and 15 interceptions in only 12 games last season. He also led the NFL in sacks (50) despite not even playing four games. The Colts hope they can get him back on track.
Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars
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The No. 1 overall pick will visit Los Angeles in Week 13 and by then he’ll have a good grasp of how to succeed in the NFL. Lawrence has every trait you want in a franchise quarterback, from the size, arm strength and accuracy to his mobility and field vision. It’s hard to project how good a rookie quarterback will be, but after seeing what Justin Herbert did in L.A. last year, there’s no reason to believe Lawrence can't put up similar numbers.
Jimmy Garoppolo, 49ers
(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Garoppolo has now been with the 49ers for four years but he’s played just 30 games. It’s been an up-and-down tenure in San Francisco, highlighted by a Super Bowl appearance, but he has also struggled to not only stay healthy, but also produce at a consistent rate. He’ll have to hold off rookie Trey Lance for the starting job, which could be difficult thanks to Lance’s high ceiling and athleticism.
Daniel Jones, Giants
(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Jones did not look good in Year 2. Granted, the Giants were bad as a team, but he threw just 11 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions in 14 games. He still has a hard time holding onto the football, fumbling it a league-high 11 times, and there is a clear lack of accuracy from the former Duke quarterback. He’s not someone the Rams should have to worry much about, though he should have better numbers with Kenny Golladay and Kadarius Toney in the mix, as well as Saquon Barkley.
Andy Dalton, Bears
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Dalton isn't going to wow anyone, but he might just be steady enough to hold off rookie Justin Fields for the time being. Last season in Dallas behind an injury-ravaged offensive line, Dalton threw for 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions in nine starts. The Bears signed him to be their starter, but Fields should overtake him at some point. It just probably won’t be by Week 1 when the Rams play them.
Trey Lance, 49ers
(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)
Lance was the quarterback the 49ers traded up to No. 3 for, and he’ll be the face of the franchise for at least the next four or five years. But before he takes the field, he has to beat out Garoppolo for the starting job. Whether that’s in 2021 or 2022 remains to be seen, but Lance is a high-ceiling player with some boom-or-bust traits.
Justin Fields, Bears
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The Bears traded up to No. 11 overall for Fields after he slipped out of the top 10, landing who they hope will be their franchise savior at QB. He’s an accurate quarterback with great mobility, toughness and instincts, making him a potential Pro Bowler at some point down the line. The Rams probably won't see him in Week 1, however.
Jordan Love, Packers
Love didn't appear in a single game as a rookie last year so we don't really know what to expect from him in the NFL. But he has a big arm and was turnover-prone in 2019 when he had 17 interceptions at Utah State. The Packers know him better than anyone but Love is a relative unknown at this point in his career.
Tyrod Taylor, Texans
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Taylor has only started four games since 2018, so we haven't seen much of him lately. He’s had some bad injury luck, but Taylor is still capable of at least orchestrating an offense and producing yards either through the air or on the ground. He’ll only have a chance to play this season if Watson isn't on the Texans’ roster.
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