Ken's QB Tiers: Only Two Elite Guys, and Baker Mayfield Still Isn't One
Ken's QB Tiers: Only Two Elite Guys, and Baker Mayfield Still Isn't One  
Podcast: The Ken Carman Show with Anthony Lima
Published On: Fri Jul 24 2026
Description: Ken unveils his annual five-tier NFL quarterback rankings, built around a running "Kirk Cousins" naming gimmick, placing only Mahomes and Allen in the elite tier while noting a record 15 franchise-level quarterbacks league-wide. He and Anthony debate where guys like Bo Nix, CJ Stroud, and Sam Darnold belong, with Ken defending Stroud as a franchise guy despite a down year and calling Nix a product of Sean Payton's system. The conversation inevitably swings back to Baker Mayfield, with both hosts revisiting Cleveland's quarterback saga and Ken taking ownership of not wanting Deshaun Watson while still questioning why Baker didn't get season-ending surgery when he needed it.