Justin Herbert is one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks, but PFF doesn’t believe he’s good enough to earn a spot among the league’s elite. In a recent article, analyst John Kosko ranked all 32 starting passers and put Herbert in the eighth spot, just below Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford at the bottom of the “High-End Starters” tier.
“Herbert might be the best regular-season quarterback in non-clutch situations,” Kosko writes. “His 91.0 overall grade over the past three seasons ranks sixth, and when excluding playoff performances, his passing grade actually tops Patrick Mahomes’.”
Justin Herbert PFF
May 20, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws the ball during offseason workouts at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
PFF: Justin Herbert Is the Eighth-Best Quarterback In Football
Nobody is saying Justin Herbert is the NFL’s best quarterback, and he doesn’t belong in the same discussion as guys like Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Patrick Mahomes. However, everyone else in the league is fair game. As Kosko himself admits, Herbert’s standard performance should earn him a higher spot, but his perceived performance in high-level situations dropped him down the list.
Herbert did not play well in the Wild Card loss to the Houston Texans, but he wasn’t nearly as bad as the box score would suggest. He only had one reliable receiver last year, and getting a subpar roster to the postseason is an impressive feat in itself, especially since he was banged up for a sizable portion of the year. Additionally, it’s hard to blame Herbert for a lack of success prior to 2024, as head coach Brandon Staley was one of the worst in the league and the defense has been an active liability since the quarterback entered the league.
PFF has Justin Herbert at the bottom of a tier comprised of Jalen Hurts, Jayden Daniels, and Matthew Stafford. Stafford at his peak was an elite quarterback, but he slowed down last year and probably won’t improve with age. Daniels had a remarkable rookie season, but how much faith can you put in just one season? Hurts, meanwhile, is a good quarterback, but his overall production is inflated by playing in a near-perfect situation.