Ranking the NFC North QBs after the 2024 NFL Draft: Where does J.J. McCarthy land?

The Minnesota Vikings didn't surprise many people when they went after a quarterback in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Moving on from Kirk Cousins will leave big shoes for the team to fill, but hopefully the former University of Michigan passer can help to ease the transition.

It's also a tough time to be trying out a new quarterback because of the state of the position throughout the NFC North. The division is bound to be extremely competitive for many seasons to come and that will all depend on how the quarterbacks shake out.

But what about the current state of the division? How do the starting quarterbacks of each team rank against each other? Let's see how the Vikings stack up against the Bears, Lions, and Packers for the upcoming season.

Ranking the NFC North QBs after the 2024 NFL Draft

1. Jared Goff - Detroit Lions

Whether you believe Jared Goff can be consistent or not, the Lions quarterback deserves to be commended for a fantastic 2023 season. Leading Detroit to a division title while throwing for 4,575 yards and 30 touchdowns with 12 interceptions is quite impressive.

Entering his fourth season with the Lions, Goff has some great weapons to help the offense move the ball. As it stands, Detroit is the team to beat in the division, and getting pressure on their quarterback is no easy task.

2. Jordan Love - Green Bay Packers

It looks like Jordan Love could be the real deal for the Packers. How does Green Bay do it? That organization seems to have a knack for spotting quarterback talent in a way that frustrates Vikings fans to no end.

Last year, Love threw for 4,159 yards with 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while leading them to the playoffs despite having an inexperienced receiving corps and the weight of taking over for a four-time NFL MVP at quarterback in Green Bay.

3. Caleb Williams - Chicago Bears

Expectations have to be extremely high for Caleb Williams with the Chicago Bears. The organization not only used the No. 1 overall pick on the former USC quarterback but they moved on from Justin Fields without Williams officially being a member of the team.

Chicago has been working to give Williams the tools to succeed. Trading for Keenan Allen and drafting Rome Odunze boosts an already-impressive group of receivers that already includes D.J. Moore. Williams could have a big year as a rookie if he can click with the team's offense and pass-catchers.

4. J.J. McCarthy/Sam Darnold - Minnesota Vikings

At the moment, it is still a bit unknown if Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy will be the starting quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. Darnold is likely the best option until McCarthy shows he is ready for the task.

Minnesota is the only team in the division that has not named a starting quarterback. That alone is enough to place the Vikings at the bottom of this ranking. However, any quarterback with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson available to catch passes could quickly move up these ranks.