In the NFL it’s hard to argue that quarterback isn’t the most important position in the entire league. Having a good starting quarterback doesn’t guarantee success in the team-oriented sport, but a great one can elevate the play of the entire offensive unit.
This season there were plenty of quarterbacks who either regressed or elevated their game in such a way that their rating in the next Madden title should change in some meaningful way. Let’s look at 10 quarterbacks who earned a rating change, whether positive or negative.
10 Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers didn’t have his best year in 2019 as the N.C. State product threw 20 interceptions in a season in which his team was supposed to take advantage of their talented roster and make a playoff run. On top of having a down year, Rivers is now a free agent and it seems like the Los Angeles Chargers have decided to move on. With him and his family moving to Florida it’s unclear if he’s going to continue playing in the NFL, but if he does look for his overall in next year’s Madden to sport a drop from his current rating.
9 Joe Flacco
Joe Flacco is currently in a transition period in his career as he is now considered a backup. After getting benched in Baltimore in favor of the current reigning MVP in Lamar Jackson, Denver Broncos fans are wondering if the same fortune will rub off on Drew Lock, their rookie quarterback who will enter his 2nd season as the likely starter for the team. Flacco was benched this season due to poor play and it seems he’ll likely never see a starting job ever again. Look for his overall to take a major dip as he moves from decent starter to obvious backup.
8 Jameis Winston
You have to applaud Jameis Winston, as it’s not easy to throw 30 touchdowns in an NFL season. He also managed to throw 30 interceptions which was also quite a feat in its own right. With his demands for a pricey contract, it’s unlikely he lands back in Tampa Bay unless his team understands his lack of value. His awareness will likely be the attribute that gets dinged the most, but I don’t envy the rating guys at Electronic Arts who have to try and come up with an overall for a guy who provides equal value to both his team and his opponent.
7 Josh Allen
Did Josh Allen become an elite quarterback in 2019? The answer to that is clearly no. That being said, he managed to elevate his game and improve his accuracy in a major way that helped the Buffalo Bills make the 2019 playoffs and almost upset an upstart Houston Texans team. Allen will need to once again focus on improving his accuracy from inside the pocket, but his play this year showed he is a dynamic playmaking quarterback who has ascended to being one of the Top 15 starters in the NFL. Here’s hoping his overall reflects that later this year.
6 Jared Goff
For better or worse at this point in his career, Jared Goff has proven his doubters correct. By that, I mean that he is for sure a system quarterback who’s thrived under head coach Sean McVay.
The problem with that is that NFL defenses have figured out McVay’s system and he’s done little to evolve it, so in turn, his young quarterback has struggled to get things going and regressed heavily in 2019. Goff will only ever be as good as the system is successful, which means that one could argue that the relationship between Goff and McVay may be the most important in the league.
5 Teddy Bridgewater
Imagine seeing Drew Brees getting injured and you’re asked to replace him and make it feel as if nothing changed. That could mess with a lot of individual’s minds, but not Teddy Bridgewater’s. The pending free agent managed to go 5-0 in the games he started in Brees’ absence and showcased he still has what it takes to be an NFL starting quarterback. On top of cashing out big this offseason, Bridgewater will also see his overall reflect the type of skills he showed off under Sean Payton in New Orleans last season.
4 Deshaun Watson
When Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney compared his former quarterback Deshaun Watson to Michael Jordan the entire sports world scoffed. After Watson’s incredible win against the Buffalo Bills in the 2019 NFL season it’s now clear as day what Swinney meant with that comment. Watson is the ultimate competitor and his playmaking ability will keep his team in the mix until the very end. With veterans retiring and his play ascending, Watson is moving up into the elite tier of starting NFL quarterbacks and Madden will likely reflect that in his overall ratings boost.
3 Baker Mayfield
The Cleveland Browns were easily the most disappointing team of the 2019 season, and their 2nd-year quarterback Baker Mayfield was just as disappointing. Mayfield’s 2019 season was riddled with turnovers, bad decision making, and a feeling of distrust in his offensive line and protection.
All of his numbers across the board were down, except for one: interceptions. Commercials aside, Mayfield experienced a serious sophomore slump, and with a new general manager and coach entering the fray, we’ll see if it really was Freddie Kitchens’ fault that he regressed.
2 Ryan Tannehill
It’s hard not to get an overall rating boost when you win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. When the Miami Dolphins traded Ryan Tannehill to the Tennessee Titans, fans across the league assumed it was the end of his career as a starter. A few weeks into the 2019 season Tannehill was given the opportunity to start and he ran with it. The Titans went 7-3 in his 10 starts and made a playoff push that took them to the AFC Championship game. Whether he’s in Tennessee next year or not, look for Tannehill to get some serious Madden rating love.
1 Lamar Jackson
The reigning NFL MVP, Lamar Jackson, won’t only see a giant overall rating boost, he’ll likely be the cover athlete for Madden NFL 21. He took the football world by storm and showcased a dual-threat style of quarterback play the league hasn’t truly seen since the early days of Michael Vick’s career with the Atlanta Falcons. Jackson not only ran all over NFL defenses, but he also increased his accuracy and proved he could make plays from inside the pocket. His lack of playoff success will be ammunition for him to continue working to get better every single day.
NEXT: Madden: 10 Players Most Likely To Land The Cover Of Madden 21
