Chiefs 2022 Schedule: Opposing Quarterback Rankings

Embed from Getty Images
Over the course of the last couple of weeks, we have looked deeper into the opponents on the Kansas City Chiefs schedule for 2022. Who are the grizzled veterans and young stars that stand out on their docket? We wrote about the top five toughest running backs, pass catching groups and pass rush groups that Kansas City will face this season. However, there is one spot that we have saved special for last. That would be the quarterback position.

Who are some of the most lethal passers on the Chiefs schedule? Can some of these younger names begin to separate themselves from the pack? On the other hand, which teams are left to have multiple passers battle out for the starting job during a quarterback competition this preseason?

We will go one by one, listing some of the top questions surrounding certain quarterbacks. Or, the top traits for some passers will be listed, especially if some of those attributes have flew under the radar for some. Quarterback rankings can always spark debates. Disagree with our list? Let us know. Without further ado, here are the rankings of the opposing quarterbacks on the Chiefs 2022 schedule, beginning with our worst rated quarterback.

16) Drew Lock- Seattle Seahawks

After three seasons in Denver, Drew Lock heads to the Seattle Seahawks as part of the Russell Wilson trade. Lock occasionally showed flashes in the intermediate passing game while with the Broncos. Yet, those positives had been few and far between. Lock noticeably continued to lose confidence, as well as suffered from off-kilter mechanics. Thus, his playing time in Denver waned before it could even truly begin. There are a couple of major questions surrounding Lock entering 2022, outside of if he can win the Seattle starting job. Does his shotty ball placement help or hurt him in the quarterback competition? Finally, can Lock prove that he can be a trustworthy starting quarterback at the NFL level? If not, it is quickly becoming a career that may be best served as a backup.

15) Trey Lance- San Francisco 49ers

We go from one quarterback who may or may not start, to another one in the same boat. However, Trey Lance is in a slightly different situation than that of Lock. He still needs to prove himself at the NFL level. Though, he is still guaranteed to get a shot at the starting job eventually, nonetheless. It all comes down to if Jimmy Garoppolo will be moved or not before the regular season. Most spots are now filled. But, a late injury or performance question could force a team’s hand to attempt to acquire Garoppolo late this summer.

Lance was always going to need a fair bit of time to polish before taking the reins in San Francisco. Even still, his arm strength and wicked release are traits that he can lean on. Overall, Lance can only climb up these rankings by finally taking the field and proving that he was worth a third overall selection in 2021.

14) Geno Smith- Seattle Seahawks

Having familiarity within the Seattle offense gives veteran Geno Smith a slight boost over the previous two quarterbacks. While Wilson was injured part of last season, Smith stepped in and gave the Seahawks a fighting chance each week. His well-rounded trip in the NFL circle has helped to evolve his decision-making process. With that and his possible inside track at the Seattle job in mind, the Seahawks may feel more comfortable turning to him at the start of the season. No one is going to fill the massive shoes that Wilson is leaving on that offense. But in 2022, Smith’s sense of competitiveness and determination could make a major difference on a team that is looking to figure out their new identity.

13) Davis Mills- Houston Texans

If we are being honest, Davis Mills arguably had one of the better finishes of most rookie quarterbacks from last season. It took a bumpy road to get there. But by the end of 2021, Houston’s newest signal caller was making the Texans a pest of an offense to face each week. He was built in a pro-style offense while at Stanford. Because of that, Mills has a tremendous feel for items like play-action and progressing through his reads. There are a couple of questions surrounding him entering 2022. Does he take another step to possibly lock down the Texans starting quarterback job for a couple more seasons? And, will Mills be able to start the season strong? If so, Houston could be much more scrappy as an underdog this season. It could also allow Mills to separate himself from this bottom tier of passers.

12) Trevor Lawrence- Jacksonville Jaguars

Embed from Getty Images
Anything but positive results was largely the story for the number one overall pick from the 2021 NFL Draft. Trevor Lawrence was put in a challenging situation as a rookie, being paired with new head coach Urban Meyer. Not only did Meyer flame out in Jacksonville, but his quick tenure also placed a fair bit of obstacles for the next regime to overcome. Lawrence will now be paired with highly regarded quarterback coaching guru Doug Pederson. Definitely, that does not guarantee improved results for Lawrence. Can he get back to being confident, however? Lastly, does Trevor gain any ground from a decision-making or reads perspective?

11) Jimmy Garoppolo- San Francisco 49ers

As mentioned above, it is anyone’s guess as to if Garoppolo will still be a 49er come Week One of the 2022 regular season. In some ways, San Francisco has been gifted by Garoppolo’s ability to manage games and make swift decisions. There have also been some crippling mistakes and turnovers in the biggest of moments, to boot. Garoppolo is not as unplayable as other veteran passers that make the same mistakes. At the same time, this appears to be a make-or-break season for the remainder of Garoppolo’s career. If he starts somewhere, can he prolong his career as a potential starter beyond 2022?

10) Matt Ryan- Indianapolis Colts

In my mind, the Matt Ryan addition is absolutely an upgrade over the one-year Carson Wentz experiment for Indianapolis. Like Garoppolo, Ryan can manage games and keep his team’s head above water. The term “game manager” should not be seen as a detriment in today’s NFL. With Ryan, he singlehandedly kept the Atlanta Falcons in the wild card playoff race for a while last year. Ryan has a question surrounding himself entering his Colts tenure in 2022. There is also one surrounding the team as well. Does he find a new ambition and new lease on his career with the change of scenery? Plus, is Indianapolis’ offensive supporting cast deep enough for the Colts to be seen as a competitive threat?

9) Derek Carr- Las Vegas Raiders

Embed from Getty Images
It is crazy to think that a quarterback like Derek Carr is seen as the worst ranked quarterback in his own division. The same can be said about his current standing in the crowded AFC. Luckily for Carr, he recently put together his career best season last year. There were still a few ups and downs along the way. But for the Raiders, his leadership, newfound attack and poise helped them reach the playoffs amidst many distractions within their own team. Carr faces a question on if he can provide a repeat performance for Vegas. Traits like his deep ball accuracy and pocket navigation are items that have improved, which could help his case for another strong season.

8) Ryan Tannehill- Tennessee Titans

It was tough to decide who should be ranked higher between Ryan Tannehill and Carr. The main factor that narrowly separated the two? That would be the item of Tannehill’s recent consistency. He has simply been a tiny bit more trustable for a longer stretch. Despite always lacking talent in spots, the Titans’ system continues to be a thorn in many teams’ sides. Tannehill will be tested with less talent on offense this year, particularly in the pass catching room. AJ Brown is now gone. Does Tannehill have what it takes to take another step, even with a worse cast of weapons? Perhaps, his athletic profile and confidence could help guide Tennessee to another playoff appearance.

7) Kyler Murray- Arizona Cardinals

Embed from Getty Images
Things have been awfully rocky lately between the Arizona Cardinals and quarterback Kyler Murray. The number one overall pick from 2019 is looking to land a new contract. His agent put out an awkward statement early on during the offseason. But since then, it appears that it is all business between Murray and the Cardinals. If anything, his 2021 finish did not do him any favors for potential negotiations. Murray’s turnovers were head-scratching. His ownership of mistakes seemed careless. Moreover, the Cardinals passer has followed those same trends late in the season during each of the last two years. Now to start 2022, how will he fare with his top wide receiver (DeAndre Hopkins) being suspended for six games? Can Murray simply prove that Arizona must pay him top dollar?

6) Russell Wilson- Denver Broncos

Wilson undoubtedly makes the Broncos a much more formidable offense than they have been in a long time. Seen as a team that has been a quarterback away from competing for the last few years, it will not be easy for Denver in 2022. First-time head coach Nathaniel Hackett faces immense pressure right away. The defense could be considerably worse in the front seven. Plus, Wilson has not quite played up to his standards over the last season and a half, when healthy. Thus, he drops a bit on this list. His track record is quite extensive. Though, Wilson must regain a quicker trigger and more pocket awareness for Denver to reach their ultimate goal in 2022.

5) Justin Herbert- Los Angeles Chargers

Justin Herbert has become one of the most difficult young quarterbacks to defend. He truly holds one of the more dangerous arm strengths for opponents to have to deal with. On the flip side, his mobility at his size is a unique factor that many people forget about. While his decision-making and reads have been mostly solid throughout his first two seasons, there is still some room for improvement there. Once in a while, Herbert gets a bit lackadaisical or passive, trying to fit balls into tight windows. Fine-tuning some of those minor details could allow the Chargers to fully hit their stride this season as a playoff threat.

4) Matthew Stafford- Los Angeles Rams

Embed from Getty Images
The next quarterback on the list also plays in LA. In his first campaign with the Rams, Matthew Stafford won a Super Bowl title. His strong start and playoff run allowed some fans to see the leadership and wow plays that Stafford could make, something that was always somewhat hidden in Detroit. Ironically, his minor issues stem from the same items to that of Herbert. If Stafford can keep the forced throws that lead to turnovers down, the Rams will once again be a tough out in the NFC. Obviously, he still has Cooper Kupp in the fold. How does losing Robert Woods affect his 2022 season, however?

3) Josh Allen- Buffalo Bills

For some people, the Buffalo Bills are the pick to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl this upcoming season. A big part of that would be due to the growth of quarterback Josh Allen. Similar to the other quarterbacks in the top five of this list, he is nearly unstoppable when the confidence grows and he finds his groove. Allen will have a slightly different set of weapons at his disposal this year. Namely, Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders are now gone, with Jamison Crowder and Tavon Austin looking to replace them. They will look to help Allen cement himself in the upper echelon of quarterbacks. Can the Bills passer prove himself on the expected big stage?

2) Joe Burrow- Cincinnati Bengals

Some may be surprised that Joe Burrow is ranked atop the young quarterbacks on this list. But out of all of the signal callers on the Chiefs 2022 schedule, Burrow has been constantly reliable and upright for the Cincinnati offense. It is simply hard to poke any holes in his game, when he is right. Burrow has the poise like a quarterback who has played in the NFL for 15 years. Items like pocket navigation, avoiding and recognizing pressure and reading the field are other areas in which he separates himself among younger passers. It will not be easy to repeat last year’s strong finish. But if there is anyone who can answer that hype that the Bengals have rarely faced, it would be Burrow.

1) Tom Brady- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Aaron Rodgers had a desirable finish last season. Though in my mind, the best all-around season from start to finish last year, was Tom Brady. It was fairly baffling as to why the MVP was awarded to Rodgers in such a lopsided fashion. I digress. There has been no sign of slowing down from Brady after heading to Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers are looking for revenge after a difficult playoff exit against the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams. Generally, that spells trouble for anyone in Brady’s warpath. With his level of play still among the best in the entire league, Tampa Bay will hope to cherish as much time as they have left with the future Fox Sports commentator.

Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles throughout this week. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.

– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.