The NFL’s best deep-ball quarterbacks

Who’s the NFL’s best when it comes to firing deep passes? Here’s our list that rewards explosiveness and efficiency equally.

9. Kirk Cousins, Minnesota Vikings

(Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports)

As intimated above, Cousins presents a fascinating disconnect between surface metrics and actual throwing efficiency on deep balls. Per Sports Info Solutions, he led the NFL last season with 17 touchdown passes on deep-ball routes, and threw just one interception. But he was on target on just 59.3% of those throws, which puts him 10th among eligible quarterbacks. And per Next Gen Stats, he threw into tight coverage on just 12.9% of his overall attempts, the fifth-lowest total in the league. Again, beware the deep-ball quarterbacks whose receivers do most of the work.

Minshew | Cousins | Brady | Watson | Prescott | Jackson |
Rodgers | Tannehill | Wilson | Mahomes