2023 Pre-Season Rank #84, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #84, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #92, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #124.  Peak Period: 2008-12

What Joe Flacco accomplished in 2023 was inspirational.  Flacco began the season looking for work and signed with Cleveland in November on their practice squad.  He became their starter in Week 13 and had a 4-1 record, taking them to playoffs, where he performed in his first post-season game since 2014.  Flacco won the AP Comeback Player of the Year despite only playing five games. 

Flacco enters this year on a roster (Indianapolis), and though he is a backup, he is employed, has over 40,000 Passing Yards, and has a Super Bowl Ring. The Hall is unlikely, but it has been a hell of a ride and is not over yet.

2023 Pre-Season Rank #97, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #96, 2021 Pre-Season #102 Rank, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #150.  Peak Period: 2012-16

Five years ago, we said this: “Dalton has played his entire career with the Bengals and is still capable of a monster year that could catapult him up this list”  

Four years ago, we said this:  So much for that.  Dalton lost his starting QB job last year (though many pointed out the woes of Cincinnati were not his fault.  His stat padding days might be over as he is now Dak Prescott’s backup, but there was a time when he was a really good Quarterback, and could wind up starting somewhere again.”

As it turned out, Dalton did get starts in Dallas when Prescott got injured, and was decent, though not spectacular.  After that, he was back up in Chicago, where he saw some playing time, and he entered 2022 in the same situation in New Orleans.  Dalton is now a backup in Carolina, who could see some starts depending on how things go. No matter how it ends for Dalton, he is a three-time Pro Bowl Quarterback, and that is impressive.

2023 Pre-Season Rank #37, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #37, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #59, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #67.  Peak Period: 2011-15.

A change of scenery can change the perception.  Matthew Stafford was a Lion for 12 years, racking up passing yards but only a few wins.  A Pro Bowl once in Detroit, Stafford was entrenched as a second-tier QB.  The Rams traded for him, and he became a Super Bowl Champion in year one in Los Angeles and became nationally known.  Articles were written (and scoffed at) proclaiming him a Hall of Famer, and he isn't as of this writing, but he sure is a hell of a lot closer than he was.  Never forget how vital Super Bowl wins are for the Quarterback position for Canton consideration.   

Stafford is now on the north side of 35 and is entering his fourth year in L.A.   Last season’s second Pro Bowl will help him, but he needs a lot more despite the Super Bowl win.  Stat-wise, if he matches what he did last year, he will break 60,000 Yards, though he needs more; especially considering his current losing record (98-107-1).