Simms' 2026 QB Countdown: Joe Burrow
Chris Simms analyzes why Joe Burrow's anticipation and ability to read defenses make him one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL.
Video Transcript
Let's get to number two on your list here.
this was a little bit surprising to me.
I agree with you, but let's get to number two on your quarterback ranking.
Yeah.
Well, number two is gonna be Joe Burrow.
Yeah.
And, and like I said, I mean, it's, w- it's, it's fingernails, it's skin of your teeth type of stuff here.
it really was.
Mm-hmm.
I went My original list when I wrote it down, I kinda made Lamar two and Joe three.
And then- Right I wrote it back down and I went Joe, I went Joe two- Lamar three.
And then I- went back one more time and I handed it in to my group, and I had Lamar two and Joe three.
Yeah.
And then as y- Uh- You know, then I went through my notes a little bit, and I was kinda like, man, my notes read a little bit more Joe Burrow.
And- Okay you know, and then I think, like what I said, when I went back the second time and watched Lamar, I went, man, he m- you know, missed some throws last year.
And I do think there's gonna be that little adjustment we talked about with him not being able to just be the fastest guy in the field all the time, right?
So that's what it was nitpicky.
But Burrow, you know, like Mahomes and Lamar, there is the injury thing there that you talk about and, and is certainly a factor.
But man, wh- when I watch Joe Burrow when he's out there right now, I mean, he's, he's m- you know, he's arguably the most surgical guy in the NFL from the pocket, right?
Yes.
Yep.
I mean, he's got a sixth sense.
We talk about it all the time.
First off, he never misses the target.
His throwing- Right his accuracy is incredible, right?
Everything from power throws to being a passer in touch and anticipation.
And then, you know, on top of that, what he does, he's got more athletic ability than he gets credit for.
He does extend plays, and really where he's great is dancing in the pocket and doing stuff like this, and then making a throw over the middle for 10 or 15 yards.
Burrow's ability to read defenses and place a ball is really probably second to none when you get into the surgicality part of playing quarterback in the NFL.
And he's back at number two for the first time since 2023. is there any amount of pressure on Burrow?
Because the argument always is he doesn't have a defense, not a good offensive line.
It seems like the Bengals went out of their way to make sure that Joe Burrow would have an opportunity here, not only to win this year, but stay for the long term.
Yeah.
Well, we're You know, he made a comment he thinks it's the best team he played with.
I, I don't r- totally agree- Yes with that.
I gotta see it first.
But there, yeah, there's pressure on him.
Well, yeah, since when a team that gets to a Super Bowl, Chris, you know that.
Right.
And the next year they went to the AFC Championship game and had the Chiefs- on the ropes.
I mean- Yes.
So, so, but, but, but yeah, there's pressure on him because too, we know it's- Right they've made it all about the offense there.
And hopefully the defense can help out a little bit, but it is about the offense, and it's gonna be pressure on him to carry the squad that way.
But I think he welcomes that.
And then, you know, and I'll say this too, you know, it was so close between four, three, and two and all that.
And when you do watch Joe Burrow, and you know, I take this into account, yeah, you know, and there's no doubt he's got better support at the receiver position and can get away with a few things that, like, Mahomes can't, or sometimes Lamar can't.
Mahomes can make perfect back shoulder throws and it's like, well, yeah, Hollywood Brown or Xavier Worthy can't catch it, or they're not big enough or strong enough to hold onto the ball.
You know, Burrow doesn't have to worry about that.
But I sift through that, but I just wanted to make that point that, yeah, Burrow's talent and support around him on the offensive side of the ball is definitely better than Mahomes.
There's no doubt about that.
You know, the Lamar conversation, hey, they can run the ball and they got Derrick Henry, it's a little closer, but I would still say the support Joe has on the offensive side of the ball is, you know, better.
But Burrow is amazing, and I think he's kind of just absolutely in his peak of play right now, and you just hope he can stay healthy to where we can see it for a full season.
All right, so we'll get to number one here in just a second.
I just wanna be clear for the audience here.
You handed in a final list, and then took that list back and made some changes.
You, you swapped two and three.
I, I- Is that what you did?
I, I do it, I do it all the- That's Pete's Molyneux case.
Well, so I do it all the time.
I know, and I, and I d- I drive Pete Demoletoletoleto nuts.
But yeah, when we get to I got the list, and then when we get- Right to the five we're doing that day- yeah, there might be da- I, I like I always tell you, the day before, I go back and watch film, I read through my notes.
Right.
And then I might text, you know, Pete that night or the next morning and go, "Hey, you know, I had this guy at 21 and this guy at 20.
Let's flip them," right?
Yes.
After watching back again and reading my notes, I, I, I like the other guy better.
And yeah- Right so this was one of those that, that happened.
Yeah, my original copy that I gave to the group here did have Lamar two, Joe three- and, I pulled the old switcheroo
