The Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB countdown, No. 3: Aaron Rodgers

Posted by Mike Florio on June 24, 2020, 8:12 PM EDT

Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB rankings: Aaron Rodgers

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From the middle of the 2010 season through the 2018 season, Aaron Rodgers ranked in the estimation of Chris Simms as the top quarterback in all of football. Now, after a 2019 season that saw the Packers go 13-3, Rodgers has dropped from No. 1 to No. 3.

Yes, somehow, Simms has relegated Rodgers to the No. 3 spot on the former NFL quarterback’s annual list of the top 40 quarterbacks in all of football.

Simms and I talked through the reasoning for the reduction on Wednesday’s PFT Live. The mobility was a bit reduced. The fastball wasn’t quite as fast.

But Aaron Rodgers still No. 3. Which isn’t bad. And he has plenty of motivation to get back to No. 1, given the team’s decision to make Jordan Love a first-round pick.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

No. 15: Tom Brady

No. 14: Ben Roethlisberger

No. 13: Kirk Cousins

No. 12: Kyler Murray

No. 11: Ryan Tannehill

No. 10: Cam Newton

No. 9: Matthew Stafford

No. 4: Deshaun Watson

The Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB countdown, No. 4: Deshaun Watson

Posted by Mike Florio on June 24, 2020, 4:11 PM EDT

Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB rankings: Deshaun Watson

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He took the league by storm as a rookie, before suffering a torn ACL. By the time he returned, Patrick Mahomes was taking the league by storm. Last year, Lamar Jackson was taking the league by storm. Through it all, Deshaun Watson quietly and steadily has become one of the best quarterbacks in all of football.

He’s good enough to land at No. 4 on the Chris Simms top 40 quarterback countdown.

Watson, a franchise quarterback who has shown every indication that he will be for years to come, has become everything that he was expected to be — and then some — in the NFL. The problem is that Mahomes has blown everyone else away, making it hard for Watson to get the notice he should.

He nevertheless should. The test comes this year, with receiver DeAndre Hopkins gone. As explained in the attached video (i.e., please watch the attached video), the trade that sent Hopkins to Arizona could actually make Watson better by leaving him without a security blanket and forcing him to work through his progressions faster (and stick with them) instead of extending the play and waiting for Hopkins to spring open.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

No. 15: Tom Brady

No. 14: Ben Roethlisberger

No. 13: Kirk Cousins

No. 12: Kyler Murray

No. 11: Ryan Tannehill

No. 10: Cam Newton

No. 9: Matthew Stafford

The Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB countdown, No. 5: Lamar Jackson

Posted by Mike Florio on June 24, 2020, 2:10 PM EDT

Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB rankings: Lamar Jackson

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He was the NFL’s MVP in 2019, in only his second season. That was good enough to make him a top-five quarterback in the league, in the assessment of Chris Simms.

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson lands at No. 5 on the list.

Some would say Jackson should be even higher. That’s easy to say, without considering the merits of the four that landed above him. At this point, and as Jerry Jones would say, we’re circumcising a mosquito. Each of the top five are great players, and Jackson arguably would among the top two or three quarterbacks with whom to start a franchise currently.

The next level for Jackson entails winning a playoff game. With an 0-2 record in two postseason starts, one more loss could convert the situation into a trend. A fourth would make it a full-blown narrative.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

No. 15: Tom Brady

No. 14: Ben Roethlisberger

No. 13: Kirk Cousins

No. 12: Kyler Murray

No. 11: Ryan Tannehill

No. 10: Cam Newton

No. 9: Matthew Stafford

No. 8: Dak Prescott

No. 7: Matt Ryan

No. 6: Carson Wentz

The Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB countdown, No. 6: Carson Wentz

Posted by Mike Florio on June 24, 2020, 9:59 AM EDT

Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB rankings: Carson Wentz

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Before suffering a torn ACL against the Rams in December 2017, Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz was on track to become the NFL’s MVP. Since then, questions have percolated as to whether he’s truly the guy.

He is.

In late 2019, with the Eagles on the ropes and pretty much everyone but Wentz injured, the quarterback found another level of performance, basically willing the team to the postseason. That performance, along with his overall skill set, has placed him at No. 6 on the Chris Simms top 40 NFL quarterback countdown.

This year, if both Wentz and the rest of his teammates can stay healthy, the Eagles could be in position to make some real noise, three years after winning it all with Nick Foles subbing for Wentz.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

No. 15: Tom Brady

No. 14: Ben Roethlisberger

No. 13: Kirk Cousins

No. 12: Kyler Murray

No. 11: Ryan Tannehill

No. 10: Cam Newton

No. 9: Matthew Stafford

No. 8: Dak Prescott

No. 7: Matt Ryan

The Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB countdown, No. 7: Matt Ryan

Posted by Mike Florio on June 23, 2020, 11:10 AM EDT

Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB rankings: Matt Ryan

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He’s already No. 10 in the all-time passing yardage list, No. 11 on the all-time touchdown pass list. And he’s No. 7 on the Chris Simms top 40 quarterback list.

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, the 2016 NFL MVP, gets that spot in the top 10 for 2020.

Some will shake their heads. They shouldn’t. Ryan quietly has become one of the best quarterbacks of his era, someone who would be regarded as a much better quarterback if his team hadn’t blown a 28-3 lead against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI.

He’s still one of the best quarterbacks in the league, and one of the reasons why we shouldn’t just assume that the NFC South will come down to the Buccaneers and the Saints.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

No. 15: Tom Brady

No. 14: Ben Roethlisberger

No. 13: Kirk Cousins

No. 12: Kyler Murray

No. 11: Ryan Tannehill

No. 10: Cam Newton

No. 9: Matthew Stafford

No. 8: Dak Prescott

The Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB countdown, No. 8: Dak Prescott

Posted by Mike Florio on June 23, 2020, 6:25 AM EDT

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The Cowboys have a top 10 quarterback, and their failure to pay him accordingly could result in the team paying top dollar by July 15.

Dak Prescott comes in at No. 8 on the Chris Simms top 40 quarterback countdown for 2020.

Prescott moved up from No. 13 after his third season. Although he lacks many of the “wow” moments of a Patrick Mahomes (then again, pretty every quarterback not named Patrick Mahomes does), Prescott gets it done.

Critics would say he doesn’t, because No. 8 only won eight games last year. But there were reasons for that unrelated to Prescott, including a defense that wasn’t nearly as good as it needed to be.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

No. 15: Tom Brady

No. 14: Ben Roethlisberger

No. 13: Kirk Cousins

No. 12: Kyler Murray

No. 11: Ryan Tannehill

No. 10: Cam Newton

No. 9: Matthew Stafford

The Chris Simms top 40 NFL quarterback countdown, No. 9: Matthew Stafford

Posted by Mike Florio on June 18, 2020, 7:26 PM EDT

Chris Simms top 40 NFL quarterback rankings: Matthew Stafford

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He missed half of last season due to a back injury, but he remains in the top half of all NFL quarterbacks.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford comes in at No. 9 on the Chris Simms top 40 countdown for 2020.

Still only 32, Stafford has thrown for more than 41,000 yards in his career, with 256 touchdown passes — already 18th and 19th, respectively, on the all-time list. The knock continues to be that he doesn’t win. He career record is 69-79-1, and he has no postseason victories.

But the quarterback only deserves so much of the blame. The supporting cast hasn’t been consistently solid, and the organization has labored for decades under the weight of deep-seated dysfunction.

This is the year it could change. If it doesn’t, the could be plenty of changes in Detroit, including a change of venue for Stafford.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

No. 15: Tom Brady

No. 14: Ben Roethlisberger

No. 13: Kirk Cousins

No. 12: Kyler Murray

No. 11: Ryan Tannehill

No. 10: Cam Newton

The Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB countdown, No. 10: Cam Newton

Posted by Mike Florio on June 18, 2020, 12:01 PM EDT

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We’ve gotten to the top 10 of the Chris Simms top 40 quarterback countdown, and the guy at No. 10 is a guy who currently doesn’t have a team.

He’s the first pick in the 2011 draft and the 2015 NFL MVP: Cam Newton.

Yes, Cam Newton. If healthy, he’s a top-10 quarterback. The question is whether he’s healthy, and when/if/how a team will be able to properly come to that conclusion.

It’s more than just the foot injury that caused him to miss 14 games last year. He also had a shoulder injury in 2018 that resulted in surgery and a mid-career change in his throwing motion.

The pandemic has made it very difficult for Newton to land a job, and with most starting spots taken he’ll likely have to wait for someone to get injured. For many teams, it would be impossible to justify keeping him as a backup after the players see what he can do on a practice field — if, again, he’s healthy.

At some point, Newton will get another chance. And if he’s indeed healthy, whoever gets him will end up being very happy about that. Even if, for now, Newton likely isn’t very happy about being a franchise quarterback without a franchise.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

No. 15: Tom Brady

No. 14: Ben Roethlisberger

No. 13: Kirk Cousins

No. 12: Kyler Murray

No. 11: Ryan Tannehill

The Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB countdown, No. 11: Ryan Tannehill

Posted by Mike Florio on June 17, 2020, 7:51 PM EDT

Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB rankings: No. 11, Ryan Tannehill

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The 2019 comeback player of the year had never really arrived. Last year, he did.

After seven seasons in South Florida that failed to yield sustained success, Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill had a career season in 2020 resulting in a big new deal with Tennessee and, even more importantly, the No. 11 spot on the Chris Simms top 40 quarterback countdown.

It seems a little high; I’d probably put Tannehill behind Kyler Murray (No. 12) and Kirk Cousins (No. 13). But it’s not my list. It’s the list of a former NFL quarterback who has been around the game his entire life, and he makes a strong case for Tannehill.

So check out our discussion of Tannehill’s spot on the list, and tune in Thursday as we break into the top 10 of the Simms countdown.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

No. 15: Tom Brady

No. 14: Ben Roethlisberger

No. 13: Kirk Cousins

No. 12: Kyler Murray

The Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB countdown, No. 12: Kyler Murray

Posted by Mike Florio on June 17, 2020, 1:40 PM EDT

Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB rankings: Kyler Murray

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The NFL’s offensive rookie of the year had enough of an impact to land at No. 12 in the Chris Simms top 40 quarterback countdown.

Kyler Murray of the Cardinals earned that spot with a stellar first season that largely went unnoticed, primarily because the Cardinals were the also-ran in the best division in football, scrambling for relevance against the team that went to the Super Bowl in 2019, the team that went in 2018, and a team that has gone twice since 2012, with a winning record every year since then.

But Murray deserves a ton of credit, and he’ll be getting more of it as more people see what he can do. And he can do it all, from throwing to running to making off-schedule throws to ultimately winning games and chasing playoff spots.

Murray already is the second best quarterback in the division under the Simms analysis, with only Russell Wilson ahead of Murray. Before long, Murray could maybe challenge Wilson for supremacy in the NFC West.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

No. 15: Tom Brady

No. 14: Ben Roethlisberger

No. 13: Kirk Cousins

The Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB countdown, No. 13: Kirk Cousins

Posted by Mike Florio on June 16, 2020, 11:16 PM EDT

Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB countdown: Kirk Cousins

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The countdown has moved to the unluckiest of numbers, and No. 13 has landed on No. 8 for the Vikings.

Chris Simms has placed Kirk Cousins in the thirteenth spot on the 2020 list of NFL quarterbacks.

We discussed the ranking at length on Tuesday’s PFT Live, reviewing the strengths and limitations of a guy who has a great arm if he has time to throw. The problem is that, when things break down, he has a hard time making chicken salad.

And that’s really what separates the best quarterbacks from the next tier: The ability to make something happen when the play that was called doesn’t unfold as planned. Some become even more dangerous during improvisation time. Others, well, don’t.

Cousins is in the “don’t” category. But he’s still good enough to help the Vikings win games, enough last year to get to the playoffs and to upset the Saints in New Orleans. As long as he has time to throw, the Vikings have a chance to win every game they play.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

No. 15: Tom Brady

No. 14: Ben Roethlisberger

The Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB countdown, No. 14: Ben Roethlisberger

Posted by Mike Florio on June 16, 2020, 5:37 PM EDT

Chris Simms top 40 NFL QB: Ben Roethlisberger

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He has played in all 16 regular-season games only four times in a 16-year career. He played two games last year. But Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is still good enough to land in the top 15 of the Chris Simms top 40 quarterback countdown.

Big Ben comes in at No. 14.

The two-time Super Bowl champion remains one of the very best quarterbacks in football, a sure-fire Hall of Famers with plenty of gas in the tank, if he can keep the tank from rupturing prematurely, again.

If he can hold it together, he could have another great year — and the Steelers could be in the mix in an AFC that is a bit more wide open with Tom Brady gone. Of course, the Steelers will have to contend with the Ravens and the Chiefs, and that won’t be easy. The better Ben plays, the greater the chance the Steelers will have to thrive.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

No. 15: Tom Brady

The Chris Simms top 40 QB countdown No. 15: Tom Brady

Posted by Mike Florio on June 15, 2020, 11:17 PM EDT

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The GOAT is stuck in the middle of the pack.

Tom Brady, the best quarterback to ever play in the NFL, has landed at No. 15 on the Chris Simms top 40 quarterback countdown for 2020. Like Drew Brees at No. 16, Brady dropped six spots. Last year, he and Brees were back-to-back at No. 9 and No. 10.

Brady turns 43 before the next season begins, and as discussed during Monday’s PFT Live, Brady is beginning to show some signs of it. From reduced arm strength late in the year to conscious efforts to live to fight another day (but not getting blown up by someone half his age), Brady is still very good, but no longer very great.

Besides, and as mentioned in connection with Brees, there are plenty of great young quarterbacks currently in the NFL. That makes it harder for the fortysomethings to stand out. Thus, despite the excitement and interest generated by Brady’s jump from New England to Tampa Bay, the truth is that Brady isn’t the guy he used to be.

It’s not a criticism from Simms. Just a fact.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

No. 16: Drew Brees

Chris Simms top 40 QB countdown, No. 16: Drew Brees

Posted by Mike Florio on June 15, 2020, 11:46 AM EDT

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Yes, you read that correctly.

Drew Brees, a first-ballot Hall of Famer and one of the best quarterbacks of all time, comes in at No. 16 in the Chris Simms top 40 quarterback countdown. Brees, who led the league in completion percentage and generated the highest passer rating of his career, fell six spots, from No. 10.

But Simms has a reason for it. Brees has been losing arm strength. As he enters the 2020 season at age 41, it may only get worse.

Brees continues to be excellent when it comes to making pre-snap reads and quick throws and moving the chains underneath. But as he continues to fail to get the ball down the field, it may get harder to find openings closer to the line of scrimmage.

Besides, there are many great quarterbacks right now, young and old. As the Simms list continues to unfold, it will become clear why Brees is as low as he is. There are many quarterbacks who, entering 2021, are in a better position to thrive.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II

No. 29: Teddy Bridgewater

No. 28: Ryan Fitzpatrick

No. 21: Baker Mayfield

No. 20: Jimmy Garoppolo

No. 19: Derek Carr

No. 18: Josh Allen

No. 17: Philip Rivers

Chris Simms top 40 QB countdown, No. 17: Philip Rivers

Posted by Mike Florio on June 12, 2020, 9:58 AM EDT

Chris Simms top 40 QB countdown: Philip Rivers

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Philip Rivers isn’t happy that some people think he’s done. Chris Simms isn’t one of those people.

Simms has the new Colts starter at No. 17 on the list of all NFL quarterbacks for 2020.

Rivers, who is getting the same $25 million for the coming season that Drew Brees will be getting from the Saints and that Tom Brady will be getting from the Buccaneers, isn’t in their class. But Rivers has something they don’t — a high-end offensive line and the benefit of reduced expectations.

Still, it’s hard not to forgot those seven interceptions that Rivers threw in a pair of back-to-back prime-time games last year, and it’s hard not to wonder whether the game has begun to pass him by. To the extent that Rivers can use that at fuel for this season, advantage Colts.

Eventually we’ll see what kind of advantage Rivers brings to a Colts team that, as of last year, assumed Andrew Luck would be the starter for years to come.

More from Chris Simms top 40 QBs list:

No. 40: Tua Tagovailoa

No. 39: Dwayne Haskins

No. 38: Mitchell Trubisky

No. 37: Justin Herbert

No. 36: Taysom Hill

No. 35: Jarrett Stidham

No. 34: Tyrod Taylor

No. 33: Jameis Winston

No. 32: Case Keenum

No. 31: Nick Foles

No. 30: Gardner Minshew II