-
Ben Solak, ESPN
Rookie quarterbacks were a massive part of the 2023 NFL season. Eight first-year passers started at least four games last season, which tied 2019 for the most in a single season. That included Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, Anthony Richardson, Will Levis, Aidan O’Connell, Tyson Bagent, Jake Browning and Tommy DeVito.
Some were surprisingly good, but one was surprisingly rough. And who can forget all the memes that DeVito offered us. Truly, a class for the history books.
• “ESPN Daily” podcast: Solak talks young QBs
• “The Mina Kimes Show”: Solak gives award predictions
As we turn our eyes to the 2024 season, four of the eight are expected to start in Week 1 and plant their flags as franchise quarterbacks. For Stroud, that victory is already won. For Richardson and Levis, there are plenty of reasons for excitement. And for Young, the road uphill is a long and difficult one. I broke down what we know — and what we’ve yet to find out — about each of the four presumed sophomore starters entering the 2024 season. (And I gave a little love to O’Connell at the end, too, as he battles for the starting job in Las Vegas.)
Jump to a QB:
Young | Stroud | Richardson
Levis | O’Connell
2023 stats: 2,877 passing yards, 11 TD throws, 10 interceptions and 33.4 QBR
What we know: It wasn’t all his fault last season … but some of it definitely was.
Young’s rookie season was one of the worst we’ve seen from a quarterback in quite some time. Of the 50 rookie passers to attempt at least 200 passes since 2010, Young’s EPA per dropback (minus-0.17) is better than only Jared Goff, Josh Rosen, Jimmy Clausen and Blaine Gabbert. Rosen and Clausen lost their starting jobs to first-round draft picks just one season after they were selected; Gabbert lost his two years after he was drafted. It is worth wondering whether the Panthers would have selected Caleb Williams and sent Young the way of Clausen and Rosen had they kept their first-round pick in this year’s draft.