Seahawks, NFC West land in surprising spot in 2025 divisional QB rankings

Heading into the 2025 season, the Seattle Seahawks know they're going to have a tough time in their division. All three of their rivals have the ability to make the playoffs, mainly due to their talent at the quarterback position. In fact, they have one of the top divisions in the league when it comes to quarterback play, according to Nick Shook of NFL.com.

Shook ranked all eight divisions, and has the NFC West at No. 2. That's a bit surprising since Sam Darnold of the Seahawks, Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers, and Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals all have questions to answer heading into the season. Even Matthew Stafford of the Los Angeles Rams, who is the top signal-caller in the division, isn't untouchable given his age. Still, they come in behind only the AFC West, even with their concerns.

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Shook says Murray is entering a pivotal season with the Cardinals. He has all the talent to be among the best, but hasn't put up back-to-back impressive seasons yet. He then discusses the pressure surrounding the rest of the division, starting with Purdy and Darnold.

"Purdy, meanwhile, just signed a lucrative deal that delivered a long-overdue payday to the former Mr. Irrelevant; now, the pressure will be on him to deliver during what might be a transitional year for San Francisco. Darnold is likely feeling a similarly heavy weight after signing with Seattle following a career year in Minnesota; the move placed him in another new situation with even greater responsibility. And finally, Stafford resolved his contractual standoff with the Rams and is back for his 17th NFL season." — Shook, NFL.com

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe looks to pass as Drew Lock and Sam Darnold watch during mini-camp at Virginia Mason Athletic Center. | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

Ironically enough, Darnold is the second-highest ranked QB in this division according to the 2024 QB Index. He comes in at No. 13, while Purdy is 14th and Murray is 17th. Stafford leads the way at No. 8.

That's what makes their ranking so surprising. Only one of the four was a top-10 quarterback last year, but the overall consistency is enough for them to leap some bigger names.

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