NFC West QB rankings: LA Rams' Matthew Stafford returns to the top

It is the time of the offseason, as we have done for years here on Cards Wire, where we go through each position and rank players and position groups in the NFC West. Entering the 2025 season, we start by looking at the starting quarterbacks for the Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks.

This year, there is one change at quarterback. Seattle traded Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders and signed Sam Darnold in free agency after his career year with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024.

How do they stack up against one another this year?

1. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

In last year’s rankings, Stafford fell to third in the division. But he is still great. He hasn’t gotten to 4,000 passing yards since 2021, but he perhaps was the most efficient he has ever been. His eight interceptions thrown were the lowest in his career in a full season. His 1.5% interception rate was the lowest for a any year he played at least a half-season. He didn’t have the number of touchdown passes as in years past, but that was because the Rams ran the ball more.

If I had to pick a quarterback for one season from the division, I would take Stafford first.

2. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

Murray still has an MVP ceiling. However, his consistency comes into question. He did throw eight of his 11 interceptions last season in the final seven games, when they went from 6-4 and leading the division to 8-9 and in third place.

I’m not ready to put Sam Darnold ahead of anyone in this division because of his inconsistent career, and Brick Purdy’s play dropped when his weapons got worse. Purdy and Murray had similar seasons, only Murray adds the running dimension and can rally his team from behind. This could change in a year, but Murray gets a slight edge over Purdy.

3. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

He is a rich man and was paid like a franchise quarterback, but the flaws began to show last year when his skill players weren’t as dynamic. He still was good, but he has yet to show he can bring the 49ers back from behind. A stat shared with me by Niner Wire managing editor Kyle Madson on a podcast episode that has not been released yet is telling: In Purdy’s 36 career starts, he has not thrown a single touchdown pass in the final four minutes of a game in which the 49ers are trailing.

Murray rallied the Cardinals to victories twice last season when the Cardinals trailed by more than one score in the second half and forced overtime in another.

4. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

Darnold had the best season of all the quarterbacks in the NFC West, but he did it with the Vikings, who had Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, T.J. Hockenson and Aaron Jones. he had an elite supporting cast on offense. it is the only season in his career that he has done that, and even at the end of the year, the turnover-prone Darnold showed up.

So can he replicate his success without the supporting cast in Seattle, who has a worse offensive line?

I can’t put him higher than the bottom until he proves that 2024 was no anomaly.

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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Ranking the NFC West starting QBs in 2025

NFC West QB rankings: LA Rams’ Matthew Stafford returns to the top

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