Welcome back to my comprehensive Ranking of All Backup QBs in the NFL. This is my fifth year compiling and ranking every single backup QB, including 2 injured backups for a total of 34. I will have a spreadsheet displaying the stats of these QBs below the rankings, along with a list of all of the 3rd / 4th string QBs, practice squad QBs, and even free agent QBs. Without further ado, let’s go!

Note: The “Rating” is an arbitrary number based upon the QB’s past play and/or prospect status. It will give you an idea of how well the QB would play if they ever got a chance to. For reference:

80+ Starting QB / Great Backup
79-78 Good Backup
77-76 Decent Backup
75-74 Mediocre Backup
73-72 Bad Backup
71- Practice Squad caliber




#1: SF Jimmy Garoppolo

There shouldn't be any debate here, Jimmy G is easily the best backup QB as his play as a starting QB the past several years has been acceptable at worst. It's possible he gets his job back from Lance midway through the year, but I do not expect to see him on this list next year - this is the same league where Marcus Mariota, Davis Mills, and Geno Smith are starting at QB.


#2: PHI Gardner Minshew

I'm also of the belief that Minshew deserves another chance as an NFL starter. Over his two year stretch in Jacksonville, he posted great numbers for a 6th rounder and the team went 7-13 when he started, compared to 0-12 when he didn't. While he has deficiencies as a passer (lacking arm strength and holding onto the ball too long), he is one of the best backups at moving the ball down the field and usually gives his team a chance to win. I could see him as a low-end starter as a system QB in the future.


#3: MIA Teddy Bridgewater

While our boy Teddy flunked out of another starting job, his numbers weren't half bad (7-7 record, 7.2 Y/A, low turnover rate). Teddy is an ideal backup with a 5-0 stretch with the Saints under his belt. His ceiling is low and he's not going to win a shootout for you, but his floor is high and this is the type of QB you want if your starter misses a few games or a few drives.


#4: PIT Kenny Pickett

I always put the rookies high on this list, as they have so much upside. For example, I placed Justin Herbert at #9 in the 2020 rankings, and it turns out he should have been the unquestioned #1. I was not overly positive or negative about Pickett during the draft process, but I think he can be an accurate QB with some level of playmaking ability. It shouldn't shock anyone if he usurps Trubisky sooner than later.


#5: TEN Malik Willis

Yes, Willis is as raw as it gets as he basically played backyard football for Liberty. But his scrambling ability is lethal enough that I could see him steal a game or two that other backups wouldn't, and while his accuracy and vision are big concerns, he has a mortar for an arm and could connect on some deep throws. I don't see him passing up Tannehill in 2022 because he's simply not ready yet.


#6: BUF Case Keenum

Keenum received 2 starts with Mayfield ailing at times, and he looked fine, and it was nothing to write home about. For some reason, they opted to ship Keenum off for a 7th round pick to Buffalo and stuck with Brissett instead. Case had a bumpy preseason, but with the tools he'd have at his disposal if Allen went down, I could see Case channel some 2017 magic throwing to Diggs and the other weapons Buffalo has.


#7: WAS Taylor Heinicke

We didn't expect Fitzpatrick to only start one game for the Football Team, and Heinicke got a full season as a starting QB. It ended up as a mixed bag more on the negative side, but his overall numbers were not terrible for a backup QB starting 15 games. He still qualifies as a strong backup, but the Commies did add Sam Howell at QB, who is way better than your average 5th round QB prospect.


#8: ARI Colt McCoy

There is a noticeable drop in talent here - there is a smaller number of QB prospects as backups as there used to be - but McCoy showed last year that he can hold up. He turned in great games against the 49ers and Seahawks, while having a clunker against the Panthers. Despite being 35 last year, he showed some mobility in the pocket and was able to command the offense well. He should still have a few more years left as a backup QB (and career earnings of $25M!).


#9: ATL Desmond Ridder

Despite Ridder going higher in the draft than Willis, I am not impressed with him as a prospect. He has very questionable accuracy at all levels and misses routine throws more often than he should. He is a plus scrambler, but I don't think it's a great enough strength to bouy him higher on this list. In the end, he profiles as a poor man's Marcus Mariota, who himself has topped out as a good backup/poor starter.


#10: NYG Tyrod Taylor

It has been awhile since he's been on this list, but welcome back Tyrod! Injuries plagued him as a starter on the Chargers and Texans, but the real story is that he was considerably worse than Davis Mills as the Texans' starter. While in past years he would be considered a top 5 backup, he's now on the same level of backups #10-16. His extensive experience improves his ranking.


#11: NO Andy Dalton

Just like Taylor, Dalton is another former starter who would usually rank higher, but poor play in 2021 reduces his ranking. Dalton used to be the model of consistency as an average QB, but he hasn't lived up to that as a backup. Perhaps the Saints will get more out of him if Winston gets hurt.


#12: BAL Tyler Huntley

Huntley got the first 4 starts of his career last year and despite the ugly passing numbers, I think there is some upside here. He's a great mirror to Jackson as he graded out as a borderline-elite scrambler and PFF's passing stats have him as a semi-accurate short and intermediate passer. If he gets more chances in 2022, I think we will see an improvement on his 2021 numbers.


#13: IND Nick Foles

You know the story on Foles, and he's a hard guy to pin down. Last year he spent the season collecting way too much money as a #3 QB, and he's already flunked out of Rams, Jaguars, and Bears starting QB jobs. The Super Bowl run with the Eagles is the outlier - it seems to me that Foles needs everything around him to be absolutely perfect. I don't think the Colts can provide that, and while the idea that reuniting with Frank Reich could help, well, it sure didn't help with Carson Wentz!


#14: SEA Drew Lock

Lock was a footnote in the Russell Wilson trade, and inexplicably lost the starting QB battle to Geno Smith. Perhaps that wasn't a shocking defeat, as Lock underwhelmed time after time in Denver, showing poor accuracy, pocket awareness, and turning the ball over too much. He has shown enough to be at best an average backup QB and does have a little upside as a 25 year old, but you should expect Carroll to stick with Geno.


#15: KC Chad Henne

Henne got bumped up after he made some clutch throws in a 2020 playoff game, and I have nothing to add after the 2021 season. He still has a strong arm, but I do wonder how well he’d hold up through a full game.


#16: GB Jordan Love

Love got his first chance in 2021 and choked away an incredibly winnable game against the Chiefs (losing 7 to 13). Still, he had a solid preseason and came into the NFL super raw. There is room for him to jump into the top 10, but if the Packers were really confident in him they wouldn't have backed up the Brinks truck for Rodgers.


#17: LAR John Wolford

The former AAF QB got a chance to play has a playoff win to his name… despite getting injured and watching Goff win said game. He's still a major question mark, but I prefer him to many of the veteran retread options out there.


#18: LAC Chase Daniel

This is your annual Chase Daniel career earnings report: $33M! Still going at age 36, Daniel has fended off Easton Stick to retain his backup role for the Chargers. Having only started 5 games (and only 3 since 2015) over his entire 12 year career, we don't exactly know what a full season of play from would look like, but I imagine he'd be mediocre at best.


#19: NYJ Joe Flacco

For now, Flacco is the Jets' starter, but he is their backup once Zach Wilson returns. Joe doesn't have a whole lot left in the tank as he no longer has the zip on some throws like he used to, and probably should be considering retirement soon at age 37. He's a passable option who won't turn over the ball much.


#20: CAR Sam Darnold

Are you surprised to see him this far down the list? Darnold may have been a third overall pick and is still only 25 years old, but his terrible play cannot be overshadowed. Yes, he was stuck playing in below average offensive systems, but that doesn't explain how his play fell off a cliff in Year 3. Career passing % of 59.8%, Y/A of 6.1 the past two seasons... that's poor even for backup QBs. He is a shifty runner (5 TDs last year) and maaaaybe he turns things around in a better offense, but that's simply wishful thinking at this point.


#21: MIN Nick Mullens

Fallen from his #6 spot in 2020 on this list, Mullens lost to CJ Beathard in San Fran, failed to pass up Keenum in Cleveland, and then lost to Jarrett Stidham in Vegas. Thankfully for him, the Vikings' backup spot was wide open thanks to the incompetence of Mond and Mannion. Mullens has the ability to spark an offense and move the ball down the field, but too often he throws danger to the wind and throws some truly horrific interceptions. He's also somewhat mobile and has a low career sack rate. I could see him rehabbing his value and rising up on this list.


#22: HOU Kyle Allen

Allen had an uneventful 2021, as a backup to Heinicke in Washington. Similar to Mr. Heineken, Allen got a full audition in Carolina back in 2019 and wasn't completely terrible, but it was still rough. His numbers improved when he got a four game stretch in 2020, but he still falls firmly into the mediocre category.


#23: NE Brian Hoyer

Belichick has kept Hoyer around for another year. His last couple times out he looked completely cooked, and his likely replacement was drafted in the 4th round (Bailey Zappe). This may be it for the 37 year old.


#24: JAX CJ Beathard

Beathard retained his backup QB job, as the Jaguars couldn't wait to ship off Minshew for a late round pick and he faced no competition this season. Already 29 despite being in his 5th year of football, Beathard had a two game stretch in 2020 where he played well, but the rest of his career was not backup caliber.


#25: LVR Jarrett Stidham

Having failed multiple times to win the Patriots' backup QB job, Stidham spent 2021 on the IR and was traded to the Raiders for a late round pick. After a strong preseason, Stidham won the job (probably helps that McDaniels is the HC), but the tape on him shows that he's unfieldable - and it's not like he was all that good a prospect at Auburn. Maybe this is the year he proves me wrong.


#26: DAL Cooper Rush

We're reaching the bottom of the barrel here. Rush didn't crack the 53 man roster, but was still the backup on the practice squad. He finally got to start a game against the Vikings and was able to conduct a 4th quarter comeback, and despite his glaring flaws, he was at least able to get the ball out to his playmakers. But now that Prescott is slated to miss several weeks, he's probably screwed. Fielding a bad backup QB is simply a Cowboys tradition at this point.


#27: NYJ Mike White

I'm including White since he's the backup while Flacco starts. White's claim to fame (probably for the rest of his life) is upsetting the Bengals while putting up a 405/3/2 line while completing 37 of 45 passes. The rest of his games were complete trainwrecks, resulting in 8 picks in 3.5 starts. White has some playmaking ability, but it's mostly undone by how reckless and mistake-prone he gets, and he's not a factor as a runner. He is an above average practice squad QB, I'll give him that.


#28: CHI Trevor Siemian

After he was nearly flushed out of the league after a stint with the Jets, Siemian notched 4 starts with the Saints last year and lost them all, but did throw 11 TDs. That is misleading as the offense went into a standstill after a decent couple of starts, and he was promptly benched for Taysom Hill. If Siemian were to start for the Bears, their offense would be quite possibly the worst unit to start a game in the modern era, at least on paper.


#29: CIN Brandon Allen

Allen has fallen down the rankings because of more 'decent' options out there rather than his own failures. The Bengals trust him and it's now his 3rd year as their backup QB, but he's been bad whenever he's been given a chance, suffering from poor accuracy and an inability to push the ball down the field.


#30: DEN Brett Rypien

After being billed as a draftable prospect in 2019, Rypien went undrafted and it took him until his 4th year as a Bronco to win the backup job from Josh Johnson. He had one start in 2020 and won it, but tossed four picks and I haven't been impressed with his preseason play. While I was slightly high on him coming out of college, I don't think Rypien has much upside.


#31: DET Nate Sudfeld

The Lions usually skimp on their backup QB position, and they nabbed Sudfeld after Tim Boyle and David Blough reminded us that they are not NFL-caliber QBs. Sudfeld has never shown anything to suggest he would be a quality backup, as he never fully seized the Eagles' backup QB in his four years there. He's a practice squad arm at best.


#32: CLE Joshua Dobbs

Dobbs is the biggest unknown on this list. A 4th round pick by the Steelers, he's spent most of his career as a 3rd stringer, with a stint with the Jaguars, backing up Minshew for a time. He didn't show much during the preseason, and the way he has bounced around implies that NFL teams lack confidence in his ability as a backup.


#33: TB Blaine Gabbert

What is the difference between him and a guy like Chad Henne, you ask? Both may be former busts turned backups, but whenever I tune in to watch Gabbert play in the preseason, I don't see any upside to his play (whereas Henne and others look OK at best). He's no longer a quicker runner, he's always been inaccurate, and he has a penchant for turnovers. He's a classic "coach's pet" who isn't actually good at football, but is an asset to the coaching staff and his fellow QBs (yes, Vikings fans, he's Sean Mannion). It's an embarrassment that 2021 2nd rounder Kyle Trask can't unseat him by this point - more to the player, but also for the team.


#34: CAR P. J. Walker

Darnold is on the IR so Walker, who looked to be their 4th string QB, is the backup. PJ dominated in the now-defunct AAF, but has looked like a deer in the headlights in the NFL, tossing 8 picks (plus 4 fumbles) on just 122 passing attempts. He looks like a random athlete thinking he can translate his Madden skills to the actual football field - that works against backups, but not NFL starters. I think he can be better than this, but his play was so abysmal that the Panthers preferred a barely functioning Darnold and a 101% cooked Cam Newton over him.




Last year we had 7 QBs on this list who had seen game action at one point, now that list is down to one. Teams are only keeping young and inexperienced 3rd string QBs these days.



Practice squads have more experienced QBs on them, as any QB prospect that has any shred of future potential will likely be claimed.



As expected, there is a total lack of talent on the free agent market. 


That's it for this year's addition of the Backup QBs article you didn't ask for! Let me know what you think.