Ravens' Lamar Jackson Wins Preseason Nod Over Rival

Ranking the top-most tier of NFL quarterbacks hasn't been this contentious in years. Everyone seems to agree on the same four names at the top; Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes as the near-untouchable winner, Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson and Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen as the most popular MVP picks year-in and year-out, and Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow as the newcomer statistical darling.

Mahomes has enjoyed a comfortable spot atop those stars for all of the 2020s, but last year's interruption from his Kansas City Chiefs' perennial Super Bowl coronation seems to have changed everything entering this fall's regular season.

With Mahomes coming off of a down season by his standards and Burrow's Bengals consistently pulling him back from returning to the playoffs, Allen and Jackson have evolved into the NFL writer's favorite choice debate. They've alternated the last pair of MVP awards, with Jackson's potential third trophy going to Allen in what many saw as a toss-up of a race at best.

With mere days remaining until the two stars get another chance to battle on primetime, NFL.com has picked its side for the last time this summer. In their final preseason quarterback power ranking, they rolled with Jackson over his most recent playoff vanquisher.

"With all due respect to Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson should have won his third NFL MVP last season," Nick Shook declared. "He outperformed his 2023 season -- his second MVP-winning campaign -- in every notable statistical category. Jackson is one of one and the linchpin of the NFL's most prolific offense, a unit that returns 10 starters in 2025. He's answered the doubters who didn't believe in his passing abilities and should be considered an MVP contender annually until proven otherwise."

Jackson seemed to clear himself of Burrow and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels further down the first tier, but even Shook couldn't make the case for Jackson over the near-inevitable Mahomes.