logo
NFC West quarterbacks fall into 2 tiers entering 2025

NFC West quarterbacks fall into 2 tiers entering 2025

USA Today2 days ago

Find out where CBS Sports puts Matthew Stafford, Brock Purdy, Kyler Murray and Sam Darnold in their 2025 QB tiers.
The NFL is done with all offseason work and it is the time of year where we get lists and rankings of all sorts. CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin ranked and tiered all 32 projected starting quarterbacks for 2025.
The tiers?
Arizona Cardinals fans will have interest in seeing where the quarterbacks in the NFC West fall? While we did focus on Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray already, let's see about all four starters in the division.
NFC West quarterback tiers
The four starters in the division fall into two categories:
Borderline stars
Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams and Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers fall here, and they are fairly tiered. Stafford has been elite talent for much of his career, but now he is a little less consistent and needs his playmakers to do more, while Purdy, after MVP-type production, saw his play level out after he missed top offensive players.
Volatile veterans
Murray probably should be up in the borderline star tier, but he hasn't looked like that since 2021. He isn't necessarily volatile because, at his worst, he plays at a league-average level.
Seattle's Sam Darnold is the face of volatile veteran. While his 2024 season showed the level of play he could reach when he was drafted third overall in 2018, he has been wildly inconsistent in his career, prone to turnovers. he won't have the weapons he had in Minnesota, so he will have to prove himself again with the Seahawks.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Caitlin Clark's struggles continue, Fever make rotation switch in another loss to Aces
Caitlin Clark's struggles continue, Fever make rotation switch in another loss to Aces

Indianapolis Star

time29 minutes ago

  • Indianapolis Star

Caitlin Clark's struggles continue, Fever make rotation switch in another loss to Aces

LAS VEGAS — The Indiana Fever suffered their second loss in a row Sunday afternoon, falling to the Aces, 89-81, at T-Mobile Arena. Aliyah Boston led the Fever for the second straight game, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds. Kelsey Mitchell had 20 points, while Caitlin Clark had 19. The Fever are 6-7, and will finish their road trip at 10 p.m. Tuesday in Seattle. Here are three observations: The Aces were the only team that the Fever did not beat at least once in Clark's rookie season in 2024, but Las Vegas' dominance over Indiana dates back much further than Clark's start in the league. The Aces haven't lost to the Fever since August 2019, before Clark started college and before A'ja Wilson won any of her three MVP awards. Buy IndyStar's book celebrating Caitlin Clark's rookie season! And that streak will continue for the time being. Wilson, in her seven years in the WNBA, is 21-1 over the Fever — her only loss coming in that August 2019 game. Clark struggled from the field for the second straight game on Sunday afternoon. She had 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting (two points in the first half) Thursday against Golden State and marked the second game of her career where she didn't make a 3-pointer. She did find other ways to facilitate, with seven rebounds and eight assists in a loss to the Valkyries. Her performance against the Aces seemed eerily similar. She only scored five points in the first half against the Aces on 2-of-9 shooting, but found a way to facilitate with eight assists — six of them on made shots by Boston, who had 16 first-half points. How it happened: Fever crumble in fourth quarter again At times, Clark seemed to shy away from the shots that she usually takes with such confidence. Near the end of the second quarter, she was wide open from 3-point range at the top of the key, but she passed up that shot for an attempt to pass inside to a double-teamed Boston, who couldn't catch the ball. That turned into a turnover. Clark continued to facilitate in the second half and did slightly better from the field, ending the game with 19 points on 7-of-19 shooting (1 of 9 from 3-point range). She had a double-double, adding 11 assists (eight turnovers) and three rebounds. Fever backup center Damiris Dantas is set to leave the team for overseas national team obligations following Indiana's game Tuesday. Dantas is part of the Brazilian National Team, and will play in the FIBA AmeriCup Tournament in Chile from June 28 to July 6. Dantas will miss five Fever games, including the Commissioner's Cup final, which will be a hit to the Fever's frontcourt depth. And Indiana seemingly started to prepare for her absence against the Aces on Tuesday. Dantas, who averages 11.6 minutes, 4.6 points, and 2.6 rebounds as a backup 5, was a DNP — coach's decision on Sunday against the Aces. Brianna Turner, who is usually the third center and typically only has garbage time minutes for the Fever, played the backup center minutes behind Boston. Chloe Peterson is the Indiana Fever beat reporter for IndyStar. Reach her at capeterson@ or follow her on X at @chloepeterson67.

Shohei Ohtani returns to the mound and throws first sharp inning for the Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani returns to the mound and throws first sharp inning for the Dodgers

San Francisco Chronicle​

timean hour ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

Shohei Ohtani returns to the mound and throws first sharp inning for the Dodgers

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani pitched one hitless inning Sunday in his second mound start for the Los Angeles Dodgers, striking out two and allowing just one baserunner on an error by Mookie Betts. Ohtani threw 18 pitches against the Washington Nationals at Chavez Ravine, recording 12 strikes with one wild pitch. After leadoff hitter CJ Abrams grounded out, Betts dropped James Wood's popup in the sun, but Ohtani struck out Luis García Jr. and Nathaniel Lowe to end it. Ohtani then struck out on seven pitches as the Dodgers' leadoff hitter against Washington's Michael Soroka in the bottom half of the first. Ben Casparius replaced Ohtani in the second inning for the Dodgers, who likely saw what they hoped to see from their two-way superstar. Ohtani's fastball topped out at 98.8 mph after hitting 100 in his first outing, and he finished both of his strikeouts with breaking balls. Ohtani yielded two hits and a run while throwing 28 pitches in the first inning Monday against San Diego in his first mound outing since 2023. Before Ohtani faced Washington, Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said there's no firm timeline for the right-hander to extend his starts to full length. The Dodgers also have made no long-term decisions about how they will handle the day-to-day details of the dual pursuits of baseball's only serious two-way player in several decades. Roberts acknowledged that Ohtani could move out of his customary leadoff spot in the Dodgers' lineup on the days when he pitches, particularly at home. While Ohtani has told Roberts he isn't bothered by pitching the first inning and then going straight to the on-deck circle to be the Dodgers' first batter in the bottom half, Roberts recognizes it's not ideal. 'He's said that he's completely fine with hitting leadoff (and) doesn't want to change,' Roberts said. 'So I think that for now, we'll stay status quo, but coming out of this one, you could say maybe it might make more sense to hit second or third or fourth.' Ohtani went just 4 for 23 with 11 strikeouts at the plate in the Dodgers' previous six games before Sunday, and that includes his two-hit performance last Monday during his mound return. He had homered in just one of his past 18 games, although he still entered Sunday tied for third in the majors with 25 homers. The Dodgers will be patient with Ohtani as he readjusts to two-way life while managing the demands of both jobs. 'I have not seen signs of fatigue,' Roberts said. 'I think that like all hitters, when you start chasing outside the strike zone, it's hard to have consistent success. I don't think that's a fatigue thing, but we'll manage it, and I think that I can only take him at his word, and the swing speed and stuff you track is still in line. Again, once we ramp up more, it might be a different conversation.' Ohtani didn't pitch at all last season while recovering from arm surgery during his first season with the Dodgers under a 10-year, $700 million contract. He won his third MVP award while becoming the first player in baseball history with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season, and the Dodgers won his first World Series championship. Ohtani entered Sunday third in the majors with a .996 OPS, but some of his other offensive numbers have gone down slightly this season while he returned to a steady throwing program. The Dodgers have no public concerns about Ohtani's production, remaining supportive of his two-way play — and they need his arm, given their season-long injury woes on the mound. ___

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro says there will be no state money for sports venues
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro says there will be no state money for sports venues

NBC Sports

timean hour ago

  • NBC Sports

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro says there will be no state money for sports venues

Two NFL teams call Pennsylvania home. Neither should consider calling Pennsylvania when it's time to finance stadium renovation or construction for their home stadiums. Via the Associated Press, Governor Josh Shapiro made it clear on Sunday that state money will not be available to sports teams. 'I'm very worried about the overall budget,' Shapiro said Sunday before a NASCAR Cup Series event at Pocono Raceway. 'I'm very worried about the overall economic situation given the federal cuts. You want to balance investing in tourism, investing in sports, investing in great arenas and facilities, with making sure that you're also investing those dollars in things that Pennsylvanians need most.' And, in Shapiro's view, Pennsylvanians don't have a pressing need for sports. He nevertheless wants sports — and more of them — in Pennsylvania. 'I will tell you that we want to make sure the Steelers, we want to make sure the Eagles, and all of our pro teams have outstanding places to play,' Shapiro said. 'That are welcoming for fans. That generate revenue. We're going to continue to dialog with them about what they need and what's possible.' There's been a presumption for years that, because members of the public attend sporting events, there's an obligation by their state and local governments to help pay for the venue. Does that happen when someone builds a store that members of the public? A theater? The key words Shapiro used are 'generate revenue.' Sports stadiums generate plenty. More than enough to pay for themselves. Sure, that might result in less profit. But so what? If there's enough profit to justify the investment, that should be good enough. Sports teams aren't entitled to unlimited profit via taxpayer subsidies. The Steelers, who opened their current stadium in 2001, aren't currently angling for a replacement. The Eagles have begun the process of considering whether to renovate Lincoln Financial Field or to replace it. Whatever the approach on either side of the Commonwealth, the two teams have one thing in common. State money won't be available, for as long as Shapiro is in office. Elected in 2022, Shapiro can run again in 2026. So it's possible that the policy won't change before 2030. At the earliest.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store