2026 NFL PAL Rating and Value Rating: performance and contract value

Two scores from 0 to 100. PAL Rating measures the season's performance against regulars at the same position (quarterbacks, running backs, receivers, tight ends, offensive line, interior defensive line, edge rushers, linebackers, cornerbacks, safeties, kickers, punters): 50 is the median regular. Salary never enters it. Value Rating answers a different question: for what the player costs, does the return come in more or less than expected?

WAR, in wins →Payrolls →

Top quarterback

98PALBrock PurdySF · Elite Top running back

99PALKenneth Walker IIIKC · Elite Top receiver

99PALDrake LondonATL · Elite Top edge rusher

99PALGreg RousseauBUF · Elite Top linebacker

99PALDevin LloydCAR · Elite Top cornerback

99PALHezekiah MassesLV · Elite

Value Rating is only computed for the most recent season.

The scale — PAL Rating

90–100 Elite
80–89 Excellent
70–79 Very good
60–69 Above average
40–59 Around average
20–39 Below average
0–19 Very poor

The scale — Value Rating

90–100 Exceptional value
75–89 Very good contract
55–74 Good value
45–54 Fair value
25–44 Poor return
0–24 Very poor return

Regulars only

#	Player
1	Brock PurdySF · QB · 26	98	1.1	98	80	98	59	91
2	Lamar JacksonBAL · QB · 29	95	0.6	95	84	59	80	84
3	Dak PrescottDAL · QB · 33	91	0.7	91	88	95	52	38
4	Josh AllenBUF · QB · 30	88	0.7	84	66	23	98	98
5	Trevor LawrenceJAX · QB · 26	84	0.5	77	95	52	84	41
6	Geno SmithNYJ · QB · 35	80	0.4	70	98	70	95	2
7	Caleb WilliamsCHI · QB · 24	77	0.4	73	70	41	55	88
8	Jared GoffDET · QB · 31	73	0.6	88	48	84	70	9
9	Patrick MahomesKC · QB · 30	70	0.6	80	52	80	9	59
10	Bryce YoungCAR · QB · 25	66	0.4	48	73	63	91	52
11	Joe BurrowCIN · QB · 29	63	0.3	52	55	66	88	63
12	Jacoby BrissettARI · QB · 33	59	0.4	59	59	88	5	66
13	Jayden DanielsWAS · QB · 25	55	0.2	55	27	91	48	70
14	Kirk CousinsLV · QB · 38	52	0.3	63	63	48	73	16
15	Tyler ShoughNO · QB · 26	48	0.2	45	77	30	63	45
16	Deshaun WatsonCLE · QB · 30	45	0.4	66	38	27	30	23
17	Jalen HurtsPHI · QB · 28	41	0.1	30	91	13	77	80
18	Cam WardTEN · QB · 24	38	0.0	23	41	77	2	77
19	C.J. StroudHOU · QB · 24	34	0.1	38	16	73	66	73
20	Matthew StaffordLAR · QB · 38	30	0.2	41	34	38	45	20
21	Bo NixDEN · QB · 26	27	0.0	27	20	45	23	34
22	Drake MayeNE · QB · 24	23	-0.1	34	45	2	41	95
23	Daniel JonesIND · QB · 29	20	-0.2	13	23	34	16	55
24	Malik WillisMIA · QB · 27	16	0.0	16	5	20	38	30
25	Aaron RodgersPIT · QB · 42	13	-0.3	5	9	16	20	27
26	Baker MayfieldTB · QB · 31	9	-0.5	2	30	5	27	48
27	Jordan LoveGB · QB · 27	5	0.0	20	2	55	34	5
28	Justin HerbertLAC · QB · 28	2	-0.2	9	13	9	13	13

How it's calculated

Like the NHL and the NBA: at each position, the line linking latent PAL (the standard score, before the percentile) to the log of the contract's average per year gives the level expected for that salary; the gap to the expected level becomes the Value Rating, 0 to 100. Average per year rather than the season's cap number: the cap number swings too much with contract structure (prorated bonuses, restructures). The line is fitted on veterans only: rookie contracts, set by draft slot, would skew the market price, so rookies come out on top. Each position has its own market: an average quarterback costs more than an excellent running back. Early in the season, Value Rating judges the last complete season against today's contract.

Data: nflverse, Pro Football Reference and NFL Next Gen Stats; salaries updated daily.