Ranking the quarterbacks the Raiders will face this season

That’s a big challenge in a division that includes Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert.

Here’s how we rank the quarterbacks the Raiders will face this season and how Smith stacks up against them:

1. Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

Weeks 7 and 18

Comment: Mahomes, coming off another season in which he guided the Chiefs to the Super Bowl, remains the standard by which quarterbacks are measured. The Raiders have been at a decidedly disadvantage against Kansas City because of his otherworldly play, especially the past two seasons. Smith closes that gap by a bit, but beating the Chiefs this season will require a massive team effort.

Edge: Chiefs

2. Jayden Daniels, Commanders

Week 3

Comment: There is a reason the Raiders tried desperately to trade up in the 2024 NFL draft to select Daniels. And why the Commanders kept hanging up the phone when they called. The former LSU star is a spectacular player and puts incredible pressure on opposing defenses with his ability to throw and run. Is there a concern about whether he can replicate his outstanding rookie season? Perhaps. But it’s just as valid to wonder if he’s still just scratching the surface. If so, that is a scary proposition for the rest of the NFL.

Edge: Commanders

3. Justin Herbert, Chargers

Weeks 2 and 13

Comment: There isn’t much Herbert can’t do on a football field, and as he approaches his second season under coach Jim Harbaugh alongside an improved supporting cast, he could be set up for the best season of his career. The next step for Herbert is to carry his regular-season brilliance into the postseason.

Edge: Chargers

4. Jalen Hurts, Eagles

Week 15

Comment: Whether you believe Hurts is the product of the Eagles’ greatness or the engine that drives that greatness is a moot point. The perfect blend of team, scheme and quarterback is working at the highest level.

Edge: Eagles

5. C.J. Stroud, Texans

Week 16

Comment: Stroud would have ranked higher on this list last season and probably would have gotten the edge over Smith. But after going through a bit of a sophomore slump in his second season, including taking 63 sacks compared with 39 as a rookie, Stroud has ground to make up.

Edge: Even

6. Dak Prescott, Cowboys

Week 11

Comment: A hamstring injury cut short Prescott’s 2024 season after eight games, but it wasn’t as if he was playing lights out before getting hurt. His 11 touchdowns to eight interceptions represented the worst TD-to-interception ratio of his career, and his 64.7 completion percentage was his second lowest.

Edge: Raiders

7. Caleb Williams, Bears

Week 4

Comment: Williams, now coached by Ben Johnson, who worked wonders with the Lions’ offense as their coordinator, is a real wild card. On pure talent, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 draft has a chance to slot right behind Daniels. The hope in Chicago is that Johnson helps him achieve the potential that had industry experts calling him a generational talent coming out of USC.

Edge: Raiders

8. Drake Maye, Patriots

Week 1

Comment: The third overall pick in the 2024 draft is poised for improvement under new coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, a former Raiders head coach. Maye has a chance to be great, but his next step is just being a good, competent quarterback.

Edge: Raiders

9. Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars

Week 9

Comment: It feels as if Lawrence should be higher on this list. The reality is, we keep waiting for him to become the elite quarterback everyone expected him to be when he was selected first overall in the 2021 draft. New Jaguars coach Liam Coen is the latest offensive guru to work with Lawrence, and with young weapons such as Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter, maybe he begins to reach his potential this season. But it’s still a waiting game for now.

Edge: Raiders

10. Bo Nix, Broncos

Weeks 10 and 14

Comment: This ranking might feel like a slight against Nix, who put together a good rookie season while helping the Broncos reach the playoffs. He has a chance to prove he isn’t just the product of good coaching and a solid supporting cast. But the opposite is also true. It will be interesting to see how this one looks after the season.

Edge: Raiders

11. Russell Wilson, Giants

Week 17

Comment: The Giants are Wilson’s fourth team in five seasons, which pretty much says where he’s at in his career. The 36-year-old does not move nearly as well as he once did, and the diminished agility greatly affects his play. He’s still capable on a game-to-game basis and no doubt will have a chip on his shoulder facing his former coach, Pete Carroll. Then again, will Wilson even be the starter by Week 17? It could be rookie Jaxson Dart.

Edge: Raiders

12. Cam Ward, Titans

Week 6

Comment: We are going to assume the Titans hand their quarterback reins to Ward, the first overall pick in April’s draft. This ranking could look a lot different come October, but there will be a learning curve for Ward and no guarantee he completes it by Week 6.

Edge: Raiders

13. Daniel Jones or Anthony Richardson, Colts

Week 5

Comment: Jones or Richardson will have to make a massive leap forward for either to move up in this ranking. Richardson has the greater upside, but he has been awful and injury prone in his first two seasons. The Colts hope they can turn Jones into a serviceable starter, even though that feels dubious.

Edge: Raiders

14. Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders, Browns

Week 12

Comment: It’s anyone’s guess who will be starting for the Browns in Week 12. Rookies Gabriel and Sanders offer promise, but it’s hard to justify the Browns ranking any higher than last on this list.

Edge: Raiders

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.