Who are the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL?

Posted by Mike Florio on May 4, 2020, 7:31 PM EDT
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The Saturday decision of quarterback Andy Dalton to sign with the Cowboys gave Dallas a veteran backup for the first time since Mark Sanchez in 2016. And while there are plenty of very good starting quarterbacks in the NFL, there aren’t a full complement of 32 capable understudies.

So who are the best? Simms and I drafted them on Monday morning’s edition of PFT Live.

As usual, three rounds. Six in all. Check out our selections, and then chime in with your thoughts in the comments.

And, if your a fan of most NFL teams, hope and pray your starter doesn’t get injured.

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37 responses to “Who are the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL?”

  1. Cowboys have a great 1 – 2 quarterback situation and watch out…Dalton is a 6’5″ QB who had no one to throw to last year.

    As a Browns fan, Baker better be ready this year because although Case knows his role being #2 and grooming him, he’s gunning for #1.

    Stay healthy all and God bless.

  4. I think Las Vegas has a great backup in Mariota… they should top the list IMO

  6. Aaron Rodgers has created a massive controversy in Green Bay. The sign of the issue was McCarthy getting canned. Can’t wait for this issue to snowball and the Packers fans watch him leave chedderneck town USA!

  7. 1. Foles – Chi
    2. Dalton – Dal
    3. Winston – NO
    4. Mullens – SF
    5. Love – GB

  10. Famous Amos says:
    May 4, 2020 at 8:03 pm
    Jordan Love, then Dalton I guess.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Technically, Dalton is the starter as Dak is not on the Cowboys team at the moment.

  11. ajandrew2020 says:
    May 4, 2020 at 7:52 pm
    Cowboys have a great 1 – 2 quarterback situation and watch out…Dalton is a 6’5″ QB who had no one to throw to last year.

    As a Browns fan, Baker better be ready this year because although Case knows his role being #2 and grooming him, he’s gunning for #1.

    Stay healthy all and God bless.

    —————-

    Keenum is a solid backup but he is not a fit in that division. He has a noodle arm and AFC North has bad weather games late in the year. The Browns can rely on running game but good teams will just sell out to stop the run.

  12. Yeah, Pack fans. A guy who has never thrown an NFL pass is high on the B/U list. The same guy, I might add, you people were SCREAMING IN ANGER about last Thursday.

    LOL!

  14. americanhandegg says:

    …you people were SCREAMING IN ANGER about last Thursday.
    ———————–
    Season ticket holding family and I never complained. I legit think it was a great move given Arods age and Hollywood aspirations after football life. Not to mention it will get his fire burning hotter than recent years. Excellent move and foresight by the Pack. Backup comparison of Mahomes reminiscent behind Alex Smith at KC.

  15. americanhandegg says:
    May 4, 2020 at 8:50 pm
    Yeah, Pack fans. A guy who has never thrown an NFL pass is high on the B/U list. The same guy, I might add, you people were SCREAMING IN ANGER about last Thursday.

    LOL!
    ____________

    Mind you it’s the same QB that every NFL talking head called a developmental project (not a compliment) but Packer Nation is ready to put him in Canton lol

  20. Foles is their starter. Mich is a horrible back up so Dalton is the best back up in the league.

  24. I think Jeff Driskel is the quintessential backup. Good enough passer and mobile. Mobility in your backup QB is absolutley PARAMOUNT in today’s NFL. Things tend to break down when your backup QB goes in. If he has legs, he can at least extend a broken play and give you a fighting chance.

    That’s Jeff Driskel.

  25. The problem is the top couple backups could be starters & just might not start the season; Foles/Mitch, Fitz/Tua, tyrod taylor/herbert. Of the clear backups tho, jameis & mariota…pretty ironic pair

  26. As a Packer fan I’m never surprised how delusional some Packers fans are by thinking Love is a top backup QB, who hasn’t thrown a pass, taken a snap, but hasn’t even sighed the contract.

  28. Dalton could be the starter at the moment or he would be the top backup…

    #5 AJ McCarron – Texans
    #4 Matt Schaub – The Falcons
    #3 Case Keenum – The Browns
    #2 Marcus Mariota – Da Raiders
    #1 Nick Foles – The Bears

  29. Assuming it’s understood that the goal of the game is to win, then there can be only one yardstick…points. And there’s only 1 backup qb from last season that started less than 8 games, but was able to account for more points than the Mormon Missle, and that’s Teddy B. Football. After any significant injury to a starter, the backup becomes the starter. Teddy is now a full time starter. No one, not any, provides as much value, in terms of points scored from the actual position of backup qb, than he does, therefore Taysom Hill is the best of any backup qb…period.

  30. cletuspstillwaterjr says:

    I would take Fitzmagic over anyone mentioned.
    _____________

    While I agree Fitzmagic is a great backup think about all the teams he’s ruined over the years by looking like a starter.

    Fitz is that girl that’s just a friend but after a while you start thinking “what if”… and when you make that leap it ends up really bad and ruins the relationship. Fitz should always stay just a friend.

  31. HagemeisterPark says:

    Not to mention it will get his fire burning hotter than recent years.
    ###

    If $80,000,000.00 paid in the first 9 months of his 2018 deal wasn’t enough to get “his fire burning hotter” – JLove won’t even cause a flicker of a flame.

    Older, slower, injury prone with declining skills is all Rodgers is at this point in his career.

    But the Packers created their own problem by extending him in 2018. They could have saved MILLIONS and had Rodgers on a franchise tag right now – IF they even wanted him anymore.

    Now they have to budget for the cap hit when they trade/cut him.

  32. gtodriver says:

    But the Packers created their own problem by extending him in 2018…
    —————-
    Minnesota has Rhett Bomar, Sean Mannion, snd Curt Cousins. And gave Curt a $66M 2 year extension this year for the only reason to push their salary cap doom off of 2020 and into 2021. The Pack qb situation looks great compared.

    Love needs time to develop, and he will get 3 years in Green Bay given Arods current contract. Arod will be 40 and time to move on. From there we will see what happens but MN seems to have enough to worry about with their own QB situation without any future plans.

  33. Dalton in Dallas. Instantly stabilizes the team. Removes the need for Dakota. And Dakota has lost all power on his contract.

  34. considering the saints went 5-0 with teddy bridgewater, you have to consider what Jameis Winston could do for them. Winston is officially a Blue-Chip backup now.

  35. Marcus Mariota is the only QB in NFL fantasy football history to score 12 points on one play when he threw a TD pass to himself.
    I still love Derek Carr more though.

  36. ‘consider what Jameis Winston could do for them’…

    Like throw an interception or fumble on his very 1st play…
    Throw 2 pick 6s and end up losing the game for the whole team…
    Ware out the defense by turning the ball over just minute after they have come off the field (not just once but several times a game)…

    Considered: and he should be 3rd string!

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