<
>
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
Get ESPN+

Ranking 2020 NFL free-agent quarterbacks: Top 15 based on current value

NFL free agency is approaching -- teams can start negotiating with free agents on March 16 -- and it's as deep a class as we've seen in quite a while.

That's especially the case at quarterback, where future Hall of Famers Tom Brady and Philip Rivers (yeah, I said it) are up for grabs. Throw in the likes of Dak Prescott, Jameis Winston and wild cards such as Taysom Hill, and quarterback-needy teams are left with plenty of options.

One option that appears to have come off the board last week is 41-year-old Drew Brees, who said he will "make another run at it" with the New Orleans Saints in 2020.

Below is my ranking of the top 15 free-agent quarterbacks in the 2020 class. This isn't in terms of pedigree or career production but based on current value, upside and how they are projected to play next season. Considering both short-term and long-term outlook, I'll assess just how attractive each quarterback should be to potential suitors.

1. Dak Prescott

2019 team: Dallas Cowboys
Age at the start of the 2020 season: 27

Background: Prescott will not go down in history as the best (or perhaps even second or third best) quarterback on this list, but the combination of his strong 2019 campaign and the massive age gap between him and the likes of Brady and Rivers makes him the most valuable quarterback in free agency. Finally armed with a quality group of pass-catchers led by Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup, Prescott posted the league's fourth-best QBR (70.2), second-most passing yards (4,902) and fourth-most passing touchdowns (30) this past season.

Outlook: He may never be a consistently elite passer, but Prescott is enough of a difference-maker to warrant a generous long-term extension. Expect him to get it from Dallas.