Where Joe Burrow falls in QB rankings from national media outlet
A few years ago, Joe Burrow was a relatively unknown redshirt junior at LSU who wasn't viewed as a future NFL quarterback. Fast forward to 2022 and Burrow is one of the biggest stars on the planet after leading the Cincinnati Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance in over 30 years this past season. […]
A few years ago, Joe Burrow was a relatively unknown redshirt junior at LSU who wasn't viewed as a future NFL quarterback.
Fast forward to 2022 and Burrow is one of the biggest stars on the planet after leading the Cincinnati Bengals to their first Super Bowl appearance in over 30 years this past season.
But while the Bengals quarterback is viewed as one of the biggest sports stars in the world, he's not yet viewed as a top-five quarterback by the national media.
The latest quarterback rankings from Pro Football Network have Burrow ranked as the No. 6 quarterback in the NFL entering the 2022 season.
Here's the top five from PFN:
- Patrick Mahomes — Kansas City Chiefs
- Josh Allen — Buffalo Bills
- Aaron Rodgers — Green Bay Packers
- Tom Brady — Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Justin Herbert — Los Angeles Chargers
From PFN:
Joe Burrow is already beginning to hit mythical levels of reputation. The Cincinnati Bengals playoff run and Burrow’s “style” have put some lofty expectations on his future. The team didn’t seem like a Super Bowl contender. They finished 12th in offensive DVOA and 24th on defense.
The LSU legend came into the league an already polished product. He had more than enough upside to be a fantastic NFL QB, and his floor was high because of his particular skill set.
Burrow produced the highest CPOE in the league last season. He’s an accurate passer who manages the pocket incredibly well. Getting his LSU running mate in Ja’Marr Chase was all the Bengals needed to unlock the offense.
I'm not sure I agree with these rankings. I can see having Burrow below Mahomes, Brady, and Rodgers. And to some extent, I can understand him being below Allen. But I don't get how they can put Herbert over Burrow.
Sure, Herbert passed for over 5,000 yards last season and Burrow didn't. But Burrow wasn't that far behind Herbert — he passed for 4,611 yards in one less game than Herbert. If Burrow plays that final game, he likely finishes the season very close to 5,000 yards.
And Burrow, of course, led his team to the Super Bowl. Herbert, meanwhile, has yet to play in a playoff game.
If you're an NFL team and you're starting from scratch, are you taking Burrow or Hebert? I think the answer is going to be Burrow almost every time, which is exactly why he should be ranked higher than Hebert.
Featured image via Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
