The 2024 NFL season has been full of surprising developments, from the Vikings leading the entire NFC with a perfect 4-0 record, to the Steelers becoming strong contenders in the AFC despite QB Russell Wilson dealing with a lingering injury. These developments have been made possible thanks in large part to the good play of quarterbacks who were highly drafted but cast off by their previous franchises.
Coaching & scheme fit make a difference here as these quarterbacks have turned their careers around while playing for franchises that believe in their capabilities. Having a crop of young starting quarterbacks who always play with a chip on their shoulders is a good thing for a league headlined by great starting quarterback play.
Without further ado, let’s dive in to analyze this year’s crop of starting QBs & what makes them special as they have defined the 2024 NFL season at the quarter mark.
Sam Darnold
Originally drafted by the Jets, the Vikings new QB1 recently played for the Panthers and 49ers as well before signing a one-year, $10M deal with the team this offseason. That deal looks like a bargain now after the team lost rookie QB J.J. McCarthy, who was slated to be their starting QB, to a season-ending meniscus tear back in August.
Enter Sam Darnold, who has played quite well over the first month to the tune of 932 passing yards at 8.8 yards per attempt, a 68.9% completion rate, and 11 passing TDs. He has helped to transform this team that was believed to be one of the worst in the league heading into the season into one of the NFL’s best teams at the quarter mark. Not too shabby for the QB who admitted to “seeing ghosts” while playing for the Jets.
Justin Fields
The Steelers new QB1 hasn’t officially been declared the team’s starting quarterback by their head coach, but that hasn’t stopped him from acting like one in September. All that it cost the Steelers to acquire his services from the Bears was a sixth-round pick that will (likely) escalate to a fourth rounder based on playing time incentives.
Justin Fields has played mostly error-free football up to this point with 830 passing yards at 7.6 yards per attempt, a 70.6% completion rate, and 6 TDs (3 pass, 3 rush). He hasn’t been perfect, but his key ability to take care of the football has enabled the Steelers to play within their identity by winning games through their stellar defense. The QB known for his bad turnovers has flipped the script with a new team in 2024.
Geno Smith
The man who never wrote back is someone that most NFL fans should root for as his career has been anything but ordinary despite recent success with the Seahawks. Can anyone blame him for flaming out after playing for the Jets, Giants, & Chargers (three of the worst-run organizations in the entire league) in his first 6 NFL seasons?
All that Smith ever needed was an opportunity for redemption, as he finally got his second chance in 2022 after being Russell Wilson’s backup for 2 seasons in Seattle. He posted career high numbers across the board that season before coming back down to Earth in 2023, and now he’s leading the league in several passing statistics including passing yards (1,182), passing yards/game (295.5), and completions (115).
Baker Mayfield
Mayfield understands that the NFL is a business, as he was pushed out of Cleveland in favor of Deshaun Watson, lost a quarterback competition to Sam Darnold, and had to beat out Kyle Trask in order to finally become the Bucs starting QB last year. He was rewarded with a three-year, $100M deal this offseason after throwing for 4,044 passing yards at a 64.3% completion rate and 28 passing touchdowns in 2023.
Baker recently engaged in an offensive shootout with Kirk Cousins on Thursday Night Football, a shootout in which he threw for 180 yards and three touchdowns while completing 79% of his passes and adding 42 rushing yards on his six carries. The former No. 1 overall pick has been sensational for Tampa Bay in the wake of Tom Brady’s retirement, as he’s found a team that believes in his dynamic skillset.
The bottom line
Quarterbacks such as Mayfield, Smith, Fields, and Darnold have been the stars of the 2024 NFL season despite the various trials and tribulations along their journey. In a league that is too often searching for answers at the quarterback position, it’s important to remember that marrying a talented player to the correct scheme and coaching that player to maximize their full potential is an ideal recipe for success.
The Sports Beacon 