If we’ve discovered something watching the NFL this season, it’s that enjoying QB at this degree is de facto f****** onerous. From the varied blitz paths and simulated pressures defenses can throw at you, to the continued utilization of post-snap rotation, even to the general pace of protection now, the margin for error for NFL sign callers is razor skinny, and it will get much more hectic for rookies. One recreation you’re enjoying towards an Alex Grinch-led unit subsequent factor you recognize Steve Spagnuolo is sending gamers you didn’t even know may blitz from that place.
With all that being stated, this crop of rookie QBs appears to have landed within the excellent spot for every of their skills. Excluding Falcons first-round choose Michael Penix Jr and Vikings first rounder JJ McCarthy (who haven’t performed this season), three of the highest 4 QBs off the board are on groups with present successful information. Nevertheless, all successful information aren’t created equal, and the play for all of them have had their highs and lows. With the midpoint of the season creeping up, I feel it’s time we checked in with all of the rookie QBs who’ve performed significant snaps and see how they’re doing.
Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Rumors of Caleb Williams’ demise had been drastically exaggerated.
After a tough begin to the season the place Williams and the Bears took a while to determine what they wished to be on offense, the Bears’ sign caller has taken off. Within the final three weeks. Since week 4, Williams has the second highest Success Price within the NFL, a 9.5 Completion Proportion over Expectation (CPOE) and the Bears as an offense are fourth in EPA per play over that very same time interval. Granted, the groups they’ve performed haven’t precisely been the 2000 Ravens however what they’ve been doing is what good offenses do: completely smash an outmatched opponent.
Sunday’s recreation towards the Jaguars may’ve been the very best of Williams’ younger profession. Williams went 23/29 and threw 4 touchdowns within the 35-16 demolition, showcasing a few of Williams’ top-tier abilities.
The Bears have requested Williams to do fairly a bit pre-snap. He’s setting the protections, getting the offense into the best play based mostly on the pre-snap look, and towards the Jaguars Chicago included extra tempo and Williams was working lots pre-snap. I might argue he’s had essentially the most on his plate relating to that metric, which is commendable for a first-year man six video games into his profession. What actually stood out on Sunday was how good Williams’ ball placement was. He was maximizing his receivers’ capacity to get yards after the catch and defending them from large hits as properly. You’ll be able to inform the sport has actually slowed down for Williams as a result of he’s completely firing passes into tight home windows. Considered one of his touchdowns to Keenan Allen was a prime class throw, with accuracy that will make Son Heung-min jealous.
Within the crimson zone, ball placement and accuracy is essential. The sphere is shorter, which subsequently thins out the margin for error. The Bears movement WR Keenan Allen right into a bunch. On the snap, Williams sees Jags LB Devin Lloyd open his physique in the direction of the bunch and CB Ronald Darby drop into the flat, that means that is going to be Cowl 2. The Bears are operating a designed beater within the crimson zone, having Allen pretend operating throughout the sector and get vertical into the top zone. Lloyd shifts his physique again dealing with the road of scrimmage, and Allen makes his transfer. Williams has to throw this ball with sufficient tempo to guard Allen, whereas additionally forcing Lloyd to both commit go interference or not play the ball in any respect. Take a look at the place Williams places this go, with out hesitation. Excessive, excessive degree throw.
The crimson zone ball placement stood out on Sunday, however along with that, Williams continued to indicate development throughout the construction of the offense. On this play, he’s bought a return route and a nook to the three-man facet, and a hi-lo on the bottom. Towards Cowl 2, Williams chooses to control the second degree defender on the bottom. He freezes this linebacker in the midst of making an attempt to cowl each WR Rome Odunze and the beneath route, and Williams fires one previous him for a giant achieve.
Williams additionally added onto his massive day with well timed scrambles. As a lot man protection because the Jaguars performed, Williams exploited their gaps in go dashing lanes by utilizing his legs on scrambles to not solely choose up first downs, however choose up explosive performs.
Pretty much as good as Williams was on Sunday, he wasn’t excellent. He nonetheless holds onto the ball a bit too lengthy, and the deep ball inside construction hasn’t all the time been there. I nonetheless assume the connection is off on these deep throws, and it got here again to chew him towards the Jaguars on the lone blemish, an interception to S Andre Cisco. It is a designed shot play, with solely two gamers out within the route idea. WR DJ Moore is operating a giant post-corner, and the play is open. Nevertheless, Williams doesn’t put sufficient smoke on this ball, and finally ends up lobbing it brief, a straightforward choose for Cisco.
Total, the arrow is trending up for Williams. He’s performed the very best soccer of his profession not too long ago and the Bears have been incredible offensively. With the post-bye week schedule getting tougher for Chicago, Williams has to proceed his excessive degree of play for this offense to remain afloat, and the Bears have to assist their rookie out.
6-week grade: A-
GIF description:
Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders
Daniels and the Commanders have taken the NFL by storm this 12 months, racing out to an NFC East-leading document of 4-2. Daniels is the engine behind probably the most environment friendly offenses within the league by EPA per play. Regardless of dropping to the Ravens on Sunday, I really got here away extra impressed with Daniels as a QB and his capacity to bail the Commanders out of some tough conditions.
The Ravens had been capable of shut off the water on a number of what the Commanders had been profitable at to start the season. Washington had a 27% Success Price on the bottom, one in all their worst outputs as a workforce for the reason that season started. Baltimore additionally shut off the water on most of Daniels’ scrambles, confining him to successful together with his arm and thoughts. Daniels handed that take a look at with flying colours, posting a 50% Success Price on the day and showcasing his development as a passer.
I say this as a praise (please don’t harm me, Commanders’ followers): the Washington passing offense could be very easy. There’s a number of horizontal motion and flooding of the perimeters of the protection, asking the QB and his talent place gamers to maximise their skills in these areas. Nevertheless, because the season has gone on, Daniels has grown in ways in which his faculty tape didn’t present. His ball placement on the skin has all the time been terrific, however within the NFL it’s what’s making this offense go, particularly on cash downs. A few performs actually stand out to me on this division, each routes to WR Terry McLaurin. Take a look at the ball placement on this throw to McLaurin, a cease path to the highest of the display. The nook is throughout him, however Daniels makes it null and void by placing this ball down and away, forcing the nook to undergo the DB to try to make this play. I additionally love the timing that he performs with, this ball is out and in of his fingers rapidly, a pleasant signal on a day the place he needed to maintain onto the ball for a very long time.
Then, a landing on a fade route late within the recreation. I imply, that is some prime tier work by the rookie. He places this ball away, the place solely McLaurin can get it, towards Cowl 0 within the crimson zone. As I stated with Williams on the prime, the crimson space is the place ball placement actually issues, and Daniels was dialed in there.
The place I used to be really actually inspired by Daniels on this recreation was his responses to stress. Getting into the sport, Daniels led the NFL in scramble makes an attempt, and whereas his 42.3% First Down Price is excellent in that division, you need to see him discover higher solutions in that space. Baltimore was capable of recreation up Washington a number of instances and get a free runner, however Daniels didn’t flinch, firing passes at each space of the sector. This space of development for him is large, as a result of if he can beat you together with his legs and his arm he turns into a a lot, rather more harmful quarterback. Washington is working a ranges idea right here with the 2 inside receivers to the journeys facet, and Daniels needs to get there as properly. Nevertheless, the best guard permits stress. Daniels stands in and throws a strike to maintain the chains shifting. Not solely that, he places the ball out in entrance so his receiver had the chance to get some YAC.
Once more, Daniels will get whacked, however he’s capable of ship this ball on a flood idea after a roll away from the idea. Actually good work from the second general choose.
Daniels can nonetheless afford to work the center of the sector extra usually, however I feel that’ll come because the reps come. He’s been the very best rookie QB this 12 months to this point, passing each take a look at with flying colours.
6-week grade: A+
GIF description:
Drake Maye, New England Patriots
It was formally Maye-day in New England, with the third general choose making his full debut towards the Houston Texans. Whereas the 41-21 loss received’t present it, I believed Maye acquitted himself properly in his first prolonged common season time.
Let’s begin with the apparent: Maye bought completely CRUSHED on this recreation. Subsequent Gen Stats had the Pats permitting a 47.9% Strain Price on Sunday, excessive but in addition on par with their efficiency this 12 months. Regardless of being sacked 4 instances, I believed Maye had some very nice moments towards stress. He confirmed off his athletic capacity with some scrambles when there was a lane obtainable and shifting the chains usually together with his runs.
Within the dropback recreation, I believed Maye had some highs and lows, with the highs definitely outweighing the lows. Maye threw for 3 touchdowns, essentially the most spectacular of these being this rainbow landing to Kayshon Boutte down the sideline. That is what was essentially the most tantalizing about Maye as a prospect. The downfield functionality and confidence in his arm to make each throw. Towards DB Derek Stingley Jr, Maye drops this ball out of a helicopter into Boutte’s fingers for a landing.
What I used to be tremendous excited for was seeing Maye work via his progressions and attempt to do some massive boy QB’ing. You may see Maye making an attempt to work from his major, to the secondary, all the best way to the checkdown with out bailing or risking it exterior the pocket. He was prepared to face in and get hit if it meant making an attempt to take a throw attacking downfield, an admirable (if not loopy) factor to do behind this OL. On this play, Maye is making an attempt to work this idea to the left, a Bench idea with an out and a nook, with a bottom dig and an beneath route Pop Douglas seems after seeing Maye come again. You’ll be able to see Maye’s head and physique go “no, no, no, sure” because the pocket collapses. It’s not the sexiest play, however his willingness to face and fireplace is one thing you’ll be able to completely construct on.
He even bought a bit of saucy at instances, mixing in a shoulder feint to pry an out route open towards Cowl 2. Boutte is operating the out and TE Hunter Henry is operating this out path to the underside of the display. Watch Maye speak in confidence to preserve the cloud nook from leaping this out route, then fireplace in an out behind it. I’m enthusiastic about this, that is what will get the individuals going.
Now let’s discuss some negatives. First off, I feel Maye’s ball placement was a bit up and down on Sunday. You’ll be able to attribute it to first recreation jitters, however there have been a number of factors the place I used to be simply confused on the place the ball was going. His first interception was one like that, making an attempt to hit Douglas on an over route. Maye simply sails this one, placing it too excessive and too far out to make a play, and the defender has a straightforward choose.
You’ll be able to inform Maye was fascinated by that miss all recreation, as a result of the identical route comes open a number of extra instances, and his passes progressively get higher. The subsequent over to Douglas was too far out, however degree. The one after that was a catch, but it surely was behind. Lastly, he hits Douglas in stride, towards a blitz, and he scores. The ball placement was spotty at some point of the sport, however seeing him be taught what buttons do and don’t work was actually enjoyable!
Drake Maye threw to DeMario Douglas on an intermediate in-breaker not less than as soon as every quarter
Q1: INT’d excessive throw from clear pocket on third down
Q2: DPI earlier than finish of H1
Q3.1: Broad on third down
Q3.2: Behind however catchable for large play
This fall: Hits Pop in stride for lengthy TD on third down pic.twitter.com/lIe0tgyMna— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) October 14, 2024
Total, I used to be actually impressed with Maye’s efficiency, primarily as a result of the sport didn’t look too quick for him processing clever. He was 8-15 for 81 yards and an INT underneath stress and had solutions for blitzes, whether or not it’s together with his arm or his legs. The ball placement and accuracy will enhance over time, however the largest query shall be if the Pats can preserve him upright lengthy sufficient to forestall hits, growing scar tissue that makes QBs bail on pockets early. We shall be watching your profession with nice curiosity.
6-week grade: incomplete
GIF description:
Bo Nix, Denver Broncos
To say Bo Nix and the Broncos have had a tough go of it over six weeks can be an understatement. By six weeks the one QB with a worse Success Price is Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson, and the one QBs with a worse particular person adjusted EPA/dropback is Watson, Jacoby Brissett and Will Levis. Yeah, not nice firm.
What’s even weirder is the truth that regardless of these numbers, Nix has proven some flashes (once more, it’s towards the Raiders and Buccaneers, however you play who you line up towards). I wished to go in and work out why Nix was struggling a lot through the Broncos loss to the Chargers, and the outcomes paint the image of a QB who’s simply making an attempt to play too quick.
I really assume Nix’s arm is nice sufficient to function this offense. It’s not anyplace close to the highest tier guys, however for a Sean Payton offense it’s adequate. The arm hasn’t been the issue—it’s been his head and ft which have brought on the problem. It seems like Nix is enjoying too quick, too fast to bail on pockets and too toesy to get any accuracy on passes additional than 10 yards downfield. His processing is off at this level, which isn’t nice for a man making an attempt to function a Payton offense. Let’s discuss his first throw of the day Sunday, an interception. Nix’s head is in the best place; the Chargers are in Cowl 3, and the primary over route by the slot and the out route by the tight finish open this window for the Dig. Nix sees it and is in the best place, however have a look at his ft. He seems like he’s standing on his tiptoes and is bouncy within the pocket. Once you throw, you need all of your cleats within the floor, as a result of a toesy passer has an excessive amount of wasted movement. Wasted time within the NFL results in disaster, and this interception on the primary dropback is pretty catastrophic.
Nix has additionally proven an lack of ability to face within the pocket, or use much less wasteful movement to create home windows for himself. As , however not nice athlete, Nix is placing himself behind the 8-ball with all of the wasted movement and inefficiency. The highest tier athletes can get away with it due to how robust their arm is—Nix can’t, and due to that, he’s struggled. An space that I’ve observed he’s been fairly inconsistent is in throwing digs, particularly on Dagger ideas. The window is open, however watch Nix as he’s throwing this ball. He’s fading away and losing movement. I do know the stress is there, however he’s unable to create sufficient of a window to get the ball off cleanly.
Essentially the most irritating a part of it’s easy: he’s hit these throws! I’ve seen him hit that dig in earlier video games, shoot he even did it towards the Chargers later within the recreation! However he doesn’t make something simple for himself together with his course of or his footwork, and it’s dragging his play into the mud to begin the season. Take a look at this one, all his cleats are within the floor and although there’s stress he rips one for a giant play late within the recreation. He can do it at this degree, however proper now he’s approach too inconsistent.
It’s simple to say the sport must be slowed down for Nix, but it surely actually does. He’s enjoying approach too sped up and sacrificing his footwork, throwing off his mechanics. This was an issue for him in faculty and the issue has include him to Denver. When he will get his cleats within the floor and is throwing fast recreation he can function, however that’s not what you ask a first-round choose at QB to do. I’m involved for Nix and the Broncos, as a result of it’s not trying good proper now.
6-week grade: D+
GIF description:
Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
The Rattpack has touched down in New Orleans! Spencer Rattler bought his first profession begin for Derek Carr, who was out with an indirect damage. The outcomes had been, let’s simply say, a blended bag. Rattler went 22/40 for 243 yards with a landing and two picks within the Saints’ 51-27 loss, however going again into the movie, it exhibits a QB who seemed like…nearly what you count on.
When Rattler was in construction and throughout the confines of the offense, it seemed good! He was capable of showcase among the practical athleticism he has, and a depraved proper arm that may zip passes in on rollouts. The primary play of the sport was an ideal instance of this. He boots exterior the pocket on a designed play motion, and is given a half subject learn. He has a curl path to his far proper, a nook route and an over route coming from the tight finish on his left. Rattler will get out of the pocket and throws a strike to TE Juwan Johnson on the primary play.
When Rattler is working with all his cleats within the floor throughout the construction of the offense, he seemed fairly good. This throw completely rocked late within the recreation. Rattler sees the Cowl 3 security flip his physique in the direction of the journeys facet, leaving the bottom nook to defend Johnson by himself. Rattler seems the security off then rifles this go to Johnson to maneuver the chains. You’ll be able to see the arm expertise when he’s working like this.
The issue for Rattler was fairly simple to see, as properly: when Rattler tried to do an excessive amount of he was immediately punished. He’s , not nice athlete who bought a fast reminder that the NFL is way sooner than the school recreation. When he tried to work out of construction he was punished on this recreation, bailing on simple pockets or misreading ideas.
WR Mason Tipton motions out earlier than the snap, and the Saints run a clearout to that facet, the tight finish operating vertical and Tipton operating beneath him. Rattler ought to throw this ball to Tipton and let him try to win after the catch. The throwing lane is open through good go safety. Nevertheless, Rattler tries to scramble, however rapidly realizes that hole closes in a short time. He has to filth it, and the ball falls incomplete.
The sport was properly out of hand by this throw, however I simply assume Rattler makes this one too onerous on himself. The saints are operating Mesh with a verify launch to the best. With the Bucs in man protection, one in all these shallow routes ought to be open. Rattler bails on a wonderfully positive pocket, lacking the shallow coming from his proper, and finally ends up throwing this one in need of the sticks and solely getting 2 yards. Rattler seemed like a rookie to finish this recreation, one which was making an attempt to do an excessive amount of.
Total, Rattler was about what you count on from a fifth-round rookie. He hit some very nice throws in construction and flashed among the athleticism and arm that I used to be enthusiastic about, but in addition confirmed why he may want some extra time. He’s gotta be taught to not make the sport too onerous on himself, and proceed to win inside construction. We’ll see what Rattler has in retailer for us over the subsequent few weeks.
6-week grade: incomplete
GIF description:
