Is Tom Brady still a top 5 QB in the NFL?

Tom Brady continues to perform for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, despite being 45 years of age, but is he still one of the top 5 quarterbacks in the NFL?

His 2022 season has been mixed from the standpoint of team success, with the Bucs struggling to match their pre-season expectations.

Yet, the veteran QB is perhaps having one of his better individual seasons in recent years. Brady doesn’t have the supporting cast he needs at the moment. Tampa Bay’s offense is limited in quality and depth, but the quarterback is making the best of the situation.

His impending retirement is a problem that will not go away. His divorce from Gisele Bundchen has led some to believe he will continue to play after 2022.

If that is the case, his stats from this season will be critical reading for teams looking for a free-agent quarterback in the offseason.

How does 2022’s Tom Brady compare to his rivals?

Tom Brady actually compares well with Patrick Mahomes in 2022

To make a clear assessment of just where Tom Terrific stands, you have to look at the players who are considered the best around in the position.

Prior to the start of the season, many would have said that the top three quarterbacks in the NFL were Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, and Joe Burrow. Rodgers was the defending MVP whilst Mahomes and Burrow completely dictated their team’s offensive success.

In the 2022 season through Week 12, TB12 compares favorably to all three of those names. Mahomes has 3,585 passing yards, Burrow has 3,160, and Brady has 3,051.

There isn’t too much between the three, especially when you consider how bad the receiving options are in Tampa compared to Kansas City and Cincinnati.

Ball security is an important facet of quarterback play. The 45-year-old has thrown just two interceptions all season. Both Mahomes and Burrow have been far more careless, throwing eight interceptions each, six more than the veteran.

However, with more mistakes come more chances. Mahomes has 29 touchdown passes whilst Burrow has 23 through Week 12.

Brady is way behind with a paltry 14 touchdown passes in the 2022 season.

In terms of sacks, Burrow has been targeted by defenders. The abysmal offensive line of the Bengals has allowed their QB to be felled 33 times. Conversely, Brady and Mahomes have both been sacked only 17 times through the first 12 weeks of the season.

Aaron Rodgers has really struggled in 2022. He has thrown for only 2,682 yards, 21 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He has also been sacked 24 times, which is more than Brady.

Tom Brady compares well to the established best quarterbacks in the NFL. He throws less touchdowns than all three of his contemporaries but makes fewer mistakes.

His performances are still at a high level. TB12 is ranked fourth in the NFL for passing yards in 2022. He still produces numbers that would easily place him in the top five NFL quarterbacks.

What does a 45-year-old Tom Brady offer?

This is a question that may be best answered at the end of the season, especially if the former New England Patriots starter plans to continue playing.

But would signing him give a team a significant boost?

In terms of touchdowns, it's clear he's not the same thrower he once was. His disappointing return in 2022 can be attributed in part to a weak receiving corps. Nonetheless, he can lead a team up the field.

In a battle with the Los Angeles Rams, Tom Brady showed he could still execute game-winning drives.

The Bucs had offered nothing on offense all game, but he took his team endzone-to-endzone to win the game. It took him 35 seconds.

This is a skill that age doesn’t hinder. You never stop seeing the openings, your arm just isn’t able to make the throws any longer.

Brady has suffered a drop in arm strength, but not anywhere near the degree where it’s a problem. He hasn’t fallen completely off the board as Peyton Manning did. He is still in the top 5 NFL quarterbacks for throwing yards in 2022.

If you gave Tom Brady the Cincinnati Bengals’ offense, he’d win the Super Bowl, although at the same time if you gave Burrow the Bucs’ offense, he would have more touchdown passes.

Brady is still spectacular as a quarterback. He needs more help than he did in his younger days, but his statistics are impressive.

Teams looking to sign him have to realize he won’t get better. He is approaching the end of his career and will only decline from here.

Yet, the fact that he is still a top 5 performing QB in 2022 at 45 is incredible.

Many will disagree on this point based on their personal interests and affiliations, but the stats don’t lie. Tom Brady is well within the best 5 performing players in his position in 2022, and that isn’t showing any signs of changing imminently.