Quarterback is the most important position in football. Hit on your franchise signal-caller, and you immediately put yourself in contention. Hit on that young, cheap quarterback like the Houston Texans did, and then you have the financial flexibility to construct a roster that launches your campaign for the Lombardi Trophy.
Truth be told, every starting NFL quarterback is under pressure entering 2024. Patrick Mahomes has his eyes set on the three-peat, Lamar Jackson wants to shed the narrative that he can't win in the postseason, Trevor Lawrence wants to live up to the massive contract he just signed, Joe Burrow and Anthony Richardson need to stay healthy, Josh Allen has to prove he's the same playmaker after losing his top two wideouts and C.J. Stroud has Super Bowl expectations after a historic rookie campaign. But who are the top five AFC quarterbacks under the most pressure entering 2024? That's what we're here to discuss.
5. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
One of the most fascinating quarterbacks to keep tabs on this season. Levis had a legendary NFL debut in Week 8, when he sparked the Titans offense in a big way with 238 yards and four passing touchdowns with zero interceptions against the Atlanta Falcons, but he threw just four more touchdowns with four interceptions over his next eight starts. The gunslinger out of Kentucky wasn't in the most favorable situation, having to operate behind one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL, but he did show off his exceptional arm talent.
This offseason, Tennessee hired the offensive-minded Brian Callahan, who has coached several notable quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford and Burrow. While general manager Ran Carthon found three new starters on the offensive line, spent big money on free-agent wideout Calvin Ridley and brought in slot master Tyler Boyd to pair with veteran pass-catcher DeAndre Hopkins. The Titans now have one of the best WR trios in the entire NFL, and the table is set for Levis to prove himself as the franchise quarterback. Will he? Last year, the rookie averaged an NFL-high 10.3 air yards per attempt, but also had an NFL-low 58% completion percentage.
4. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
There was an incredible amount of hype around the Jets entering last season, but New York's hopes were crushed just a handful of plays into Week 1 when Rodgers tore his Achilles. The collection of Zach Wilson, Trevor Siemian and Tim Boyle went 6-10, while the Jets offense scored a total of 18 touchdowns, the fewest since the 2012 Kansas City Chiefs. The Jets haven't made the playoffs in 13 years, which is tied for the longest active streak in the MLB, NBA, NHL and NFL.
Now 40 years old, the questions remain whether Rodgers can stay healthy and take the Jets where they want to go. He's got two things going for him: One is an improved offensive line, an underrated stable of weapons headlined by Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall, and then one of the best defenses in the NFL loaded with talent at all three levels. Secondly, Rodgers clearly has this superpower where he's able to rise up and make all of his doubters look silly. Remember, he won two straight MVPs when the Green Bay Packers decided to invest important draft capital at the quarterback position with the selection of Jordan Love. Doubt Rodgers at your own peril, but he's under pressure to be the Jets' savior.
3. Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
The Browns shocked the NFL world in 2022 by gifting Watson a five-year, fully-guaranteed $230 million contract. Despite all of the market movement since then, no other quarterback has secured those guarantees. It's wild that we are entering Year 3 of this mega deal, and Watson has made just 12 starts.
Watson is 8-4 as the starter for the Browns, as he missed 11 games in both 2022 and 2023. Watson was suspended 11 games two years ago, and then missed 11 starts this past season due to injury. The Browns have averaged 19.7 offensive points per game in Watson's starts, while all other starting Browns quarterbacks over the last two years have averaged 21.5 offensive points per game. Joe Flacco certainly stood out by averaging 27.2 offensive points per game in his five starts. Watson also ranks 35th or worse in completion percentage, yards per attempt and passer rating among 45 qualified quarterbacks over the last two seasons.
In 2024, Watson has to remain healthy and live up to the contract the Browns gave him. If he can, Cleveland could be Super Bowl contenders.
2. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
Tagovailoa has not received the long-term lucrative extension he's been after just yet, and there's clearly pressure on him to have his best season in a contract year. The good news is that he's capable of doing that. In each NFL season, Tagovailoa has improved on his games won as a starter, passing yards total and passing touchdowns. Mike McDaniel and Tyreek Hill have clearly been important for Tagovailoa's development, but there's a specific goal he should have in 2024, and that's to beat good teams.
The former No. 5 overall pick went 1-5 against eventual playoff teams in the regular season last year, and then struggled in the 19-point playoff loss to the Chiefs. So, the Dolphins went 1-6 overall against playoff teams in 2023, and had a -110 point differential vs. those playoff teams, which is the second worst by a team that made the postseason all-time. As a starter, Tagovailoa is 6-14 against playoff teams.
What happens if he regresses, or gets injured? Tagovailoa is under pressure because this is his final season to make a push for that big deal.
1. Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers
It sounds dramatic, but it feels like Mr. Unlimited's legacy is on the line entering 2024. Wilson looked like he was on track to one day reside in Canton during his time with the Seattle Seahawks, but following the Denver disaster, you have to wonder where exactly he stands as a starting quarterback.
As we all remember, Wilson had his worst NFL season ever with head coach Nathaniel Hackett in 2022. Last year, the Denver Broncos traded for Sean Payton to fix Wilson, and while the 35-year-old did improve, it definitely wasn't good enough. Wilson still had a losing record as starter, averaged his worst yards per attempt ever (6.9) and was benched after a home loss to the 3-11 New England Patriots. That led the Broncos to take on an NFL-record $85 million in dead cap.
Can Wilson return to form in Pittsburgh and make people forget about his Broncos days? He's also facing a different element of pressure with Justin Fields behind him on the depth chart. The athletic former first-round pick is also hungry to prove himself, and there's no doubt he's going to be pushing Wilson.
