Backup Quarterback Power Rankings

In honor of the Hall of Fame game tonight — in which the long-awaited return of real football quickly loses its shine due to the abundance of backups and backups to the backups — here’s a look around the league at the pecking order for all 32 backup quarterbacks. 

Are there bigger questions to answer before the season? Probably. But there will be power rankings galore over the next several months of the NFL season. Now is the perfect time to spotlight the No. 2 quarterbacks, as history says a good number of these guys will end up seeing meaningful snaps this fall. 

In an effort to standardize the comparisons, I’ve included the win/loss record, touchdown-to-interception ratio and adjusted net yards per attempt for all the players here. Teams have different expectations for their backup quarterback than they do for starters. Backups just have to steady the ship and prevent the season from tanking, avoid back-breaking turnovers and keep the offense operating at a reasonable capacity. These three stats do a decent job of capturing who’s best suited for that job description. 

1 – Bengals QB Jake Browning

W/L Record: 4-3

TD/INT Ratio: 12/7

ANY/A: 6.34

Browning entered the league in 2019 as an undrafted free agent but he didn’t get his first live regular season action until this past year when the Bengals lost QB Joe Burrow midseason. He probably would have been in the bottom five had this article been written a year ago. But Browning was a revelation, nearly getting the Bengals into the playoffs despite the loss of Burrow. 

Statistically, there wasn’t much of a dropoff between the two last year, though Burrow was clearly hampered by his calf injury to start the season. Browning had a better completion percentage, better touchdown percentage, a better QBR and ANY/A and even a better PFF grade. Burrow had a better interception percentage and sack rate and there’s obviously not any kind of quarterback controversy. But it’s illuminating how well Browning played, and the Bengals can rest assured they have one of the best backup situations in the league. 

2 – Raiders QB Gardner Minshew

W/L Record: 15-22

TD/INT Ratio: 59-24

ANY/A: 6.19

The quarterback battle in Las Vegas still needs to play out and Minshew could end up winning the starting job by the time Week 1 rolls around. The Raiders are paying him a pretty notable chunk of change, but not an amount that would be crippling should Minshew end up in the No. 2 role. Minshew might be near the bottom in terms of ranking the starters but as a backup, he’s a textbook fit for most teams. He started 13 games for the Colts last year, helping Indianapolis to a 7-6 record and one game short of a playoff berth. Among current projected backups, he was one of only six with an ANY/A of more than 6.0 and his touchdown/interception ratio is near the top of the pile. His physical limitations can be exposed the longer he plays, but as a backup, his style works well. 

3 – Jets QB Tyrod Taylor

W/L Record: 28-28-1

TD/INT Ratio: 65/29

ANY/A: 5.84

Taylor does a few things at an outstanding level that have made him a prized commodity as a backup the past several years. He protects the football with a career interception rate of just 1.7 percent — the third-best mark of any active quarterback with at least 1,500 attempts. He’s not the dual-threat he was in his 20s but he can still use his legs to scramble and buy time in the pocket. He’s also great at throwing deep. Taylor takes a fair amount of sacks and his injury history is a concern but it’s hard to do a whole lot better than him as the No. 2 passer. He’s far better than any of the backups the Jets have had the last two seasons. 

4 – Rams QB Jimmy Garoppolo

W/L Record: 43-20

TD/INT Ratio: 93/51

ANY/A: 6.97

Statistically Garoppolo has a strong case to be No. 1 on this list. His record is far and away superior to any other player and he’s one of just two quarterbacks on the list to start a Super Bowl. He has the fifth-most touchdowns of any backup in football right now and his career ANY/A would have put him in the top ten among all quarterbacks last year. 

The caveat is he put up most of those stats with 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan calling the plays, and Shanahan has a history of juicing the stats for quarterbacks in his system. Garoppolo’s numbers were far more pedestrian last season with the Raiders, though it was a tough situation. I’m also curious about how Garoppolo, who has faced questions about his level of buy-in before, will adjust to being the backup. Can he stay locked in and ready? To be fair to him, he was in this position in his last year with the 49ers and played well again before getting hurt. 

5 – Browns QB Jameis Winston

W/L Record: 34-46

TD/INT Ratio: 141-99

ANY/A: 6.25

If Winston could take care of the ball better, he probably would still be starting for a team somewhere. The former No. 1 pick has all the tools teams look for in their top-shelf starters. He has a big arm and an aggressive mentality to attack downfield. Frankly speaking, Winston could be an upgrade over the version of Browns starting QB Deshaun Watson we’ve seen the past two years. Not many quarterbacks, period, have a 5,000-yard passing season on their resume. 

6 – Steelers QB Justin Fields

W/L Record: 10-28

TD/INT Ratio: 40/30

ANY/A: 4.77

Fields was a challenging player to rank. He’s actually opened up training camp working with the starters in Pittsburgh after presumed starting QB Russell Wilson injured his calf during conditioning drills. That’s a situation to keep an eye on after the Steelers spent all offseason saying Wilson was in the “pole position” to start. Presuming Wilson regains the starting gig, Fields is difficult to compare to other backups because of the unique start to his career and his unique skillset. His passing numbers are underwhelming with a career ANY/A that’s in the bottom third of all the players listed here. But his talents as a runner and his pedigree as a 25-year-old former first-round pick give him a higher ceiling than most of the other players listed here. That pushed him up into the top ten, even if there’s a credible argument he should be more middle of the pack. 

7 – Chiefs QB Carson Wentz

W/L Record: 47-45-1

TD/INT Ratio: 153/67

ANY/A: 5.87

Wentz eventually found a home with the Rams later in the season once it was clear there were no starting gigs to be had, and he seems to have accepted this new phase of his career where the NFL sees him as a backup. His lone start with the Rams in a pretty meaningless Week 18 game was solid, and Wentz’s resume is among the most extensive of any backup in the league. He’s more of a playmaker than most backups but also a little more reckless with the ball. There have also been reports of him being a negative locker room presence in the past which should be factored in, as having a harmonious quarterback room is a good thing for an NFL team. 

8 – Panthers QB Andy Dalton

W/L Record: 83-78-2

TD/INT Ratio: 246/144

ANY/A: 5.98

The “Red Rifle” is one of the most experienced players on this list with 163 career starts but hasn’t been viewed as a Week 1 starter since the 2020 season when his time with the Bengals came to an end. Still, he’s a capable and experienced backup. Dalton is one of just a handful of players on this list with a career winning record, leads all backups with 246 career touchdown passes and ranks seventh in ANY/A. 

9 – Patriots QB Jacoby Brissett

W/L Record: 18-30

TD/INT Ratio: 51/23

ANY/A: 5.63

Technically Brissett is New England’s starting quarterback for the time being ahead of first-round QB Drake Maye. But it’s only a matter of time before the No. 3 pick gets the call as the presumed future of the franchise. The Patriots want to be patient with Maye but history says rookie quarterbacks tend to get the nod sooner rather than later, with a few notable exceptions. 

Brissett is regarded as one of the league’s best bridge quarterbacks for his steady hand on the field and positive presence in the locker room as a mentor and leader, even when not starting. He does a great job at taking care of the football with a career interception rate of 1.4 percent that is the best of any active quarterback — starter or backup. However, Brissett has struggled to rise above the game manager label, at least for now. 

10 – Commanders QB Marcus Mariota

W/L Record: 34-40

TD/INT Ratio: 93/55

ANY/A: 6.08

Mariota has come up short in a couple of gigs as the starter but remains in demand as a backup option around the league. His mobility is a big X-factor, but Mariota is the rare mobile quarterback who prefers to operate in structure and only leans on his legs as a last resort or on designed runs. That’s a boon for offensive coordinators who still want to be able to call their systems with the backup while having the option of adding in new wrinkles. All of Mariota’s past teammates have raved about his mental makeup and statistically he ranks near the top of the current backup landscape. He’s a great fit in Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury’s offense should first-round QB Jayden Daniels miss any time. 

11 – Colts QB Joe Flacco

W/L Record: 103-82

TD/INT Ratio: 245/155

ANY/A: 5.68

Flacco’s career was teetering on the brink of irrelevancy when he came off the couch to salvage the Browns’ 2023 season, going 4-1 and sparking the offense to a playoff berth. Flacco won another upset by winning the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year Award instead of Bills S Damar Hamlin, too. He was in demand as a backup this spring and ended up joining the Colts, where his experience should prove valuable to current starting QB Anthony Richardson, both as a mentor and to step in should Richardson run into the injury bug again. Flacco had an issue with interceptions last season but he has a big arm, tons of experience and is the only backup in the league who won a ring as the starter. 

12 – Texans QB Case Keenum

W/L Record: 30-36

TD/INT Ratio: 79/51

ANY/A: 5.7

In a lot of ways, Keenum is the prototypical backup quarterback. He’s been around the league for a long time in a wide variety of systems and has played a lot of football — dating back to college as well. Keenum was the precursor to the Minshew’s and Browning’s of the league as players who didn’t have great physical tools, but were good enough to start a ton of games in college and rack up a lot of reps. Keenum is good enough to keep a team afloat if need presses him into action but not so good that he’ll rock the boat in the quarterback room. 

13 – Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr.

W/L Record: NA

TD/INT Ratio: NA

ANY/A: NA

There’s obviously no NFL resume to go off of with Penix but the Falcons thought highly enough of him to take him with the No. 8 pick of the draft despite guaranteeing veteran QB Kirk Cousins $100 million less than two months before. Penix recently leapfrogged veteran QB Taylor Heinicke to be the No. 2 behind Cousins, another sign of the Falcons’ confidence in him. 

14 – Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy

W/L Record: NA

TD/INT Ratio: NA

ANY/A: NA

Minnesota has indicated it plans to operate with an abundance of patience with McCarthy, with HC Kevin O’Connell emphasizing McCarthy will play when he’s ready and not a moment before. It’s not clear yet if that means McCarthy will be the backup or the No. 3 behind journeyman Nick Mullens. Regardless, McCarthy’s draft capital and potential have him right in the mix with Penix. 

15 – Cowboys QB Trey Lance

W/L Record: 2-2

TD/INT Ratio: 5/3

ANY/A: 6.83

This will be Lance’s fourth season yet he remains a huge mystery box with just 102 career pass attempts so far. That’s not likely to change soon unless there’s an injury to Cowboys QB Dak Prescott, and even then it’s not clear whether Dallas trusts Lance or veteran QB Cooper Rush more as the No. 2 — Rush is a respectable backup in his own right. Once again Lance will be in a position where preseason reps will take on huge importance. It felt right to group him with the other backups who have elite pedigrees but skinny resumes. 

16 – Bills QB Mitchell Trubisky

W/L Record: 31-26

TD/INT Ratio: 72-48

ANY/A: 5.5

A stint as the backup in Buffalo where Trubisky threw just eight passes during the regular season actually got the former top pick a second chance as the starter with the Steelers on a bridge deal. But he was jettisoned this offseason as Pittsburgh went for a fresh slate in the quarterback room and it’s likely just backup gigs going forward for Trubisky from this point. In that regard, it makes a lot of sense to return to the Bills where he was comfortable. Trubisky has a winning record and a solid TD/INT ratio which stands out when compared to other backups. His 5.5 ANY/A is just ordinary and speaks to some of the inconsistency Trubisky hasn’t been able to shake. A perk for the Bills is Trubisky brings some mobility, so they don’t have to scrap the quarterback runs from the playbook if Trubisky has to come in. 

17 – Vikings QB Sam Darnold

W/L Record: 21-35

TD/INT Ratio: 63/56

ANY/A: 5.02

Though Darnold will probably be the starter for a significant chunk of the season, I elected to list him here. The biggest thing keeping his career afloat at this point is his pedigree as the former No. 3 pick in the draft and the flashes of that talent, particularly in practice settings. Darnold has had patches of solid play but always comes back down to earth due to his penchant for turnovers and tendency to crumble against pressure. It’ll be interesting to see how he fares in Minnesota with arguably the best situation of his career. 

18 – Jaguars QB Mac Jones

W/L Record: 18-24

TD/INT Ratio: 46/36

ANY/A: 5.47

Jones is embarking on the reset process of his career after a dismal past two seasons following a promising rookie season. His first year was efficient but as New England’s supporting cast crumbled, so did Jones. The hope is that a better environment brings more out of Jones, but the question will still be what the overall ceiling is for a player like him. Jones might end up topping out as a quality backup. He needs time off the field first, however, as he was pressing and making things worse for himself by the end of his stint with the Patriots. If all goes to plan for the Jaguars, Jones won’t see the field at all this year and will have a chance to pick out the best situation for him in 2025 when his rookie contract expires. 

19 – Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell

W/L Record: 5-5

TD/INT Ratio: 12/7

ANY/A: 5.37

Grading on the curve of a fourth-round rookie, O’Connell had a promising rookie season, helping the Raiders to a .500 record in the games he started and finishing with a positive TD/INT ratio. At minimum, he showed long-term promise as a backup option, and he’ll have the chance to make a jump this year because even if he doesn’t beat out Minshew for the starting job, it feels like a virtual certainty both Raiders quarterbacks will start games in 2024. Like Jones, O’Connell’s ceiling is capped because of his lack of mobility and ordinary arm strength. 

20 – Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder

W/L Record: 8-9

TD/INT Ratio: 14/12

ANY/A: 5.62

Ridder is more athletic than a lot of the quarterbacks listed ahead of him and theoretically still has a higher ceiling as a potential starter down the road if he develops more. But his penchant for turnovers ultimately made his tenure as the starter in Atlanta short-lived and probably cost former HC Arthur Smith his job. If he can clean that up, Ridder could get another shot to start down the road, just probably not in Arizona. His ANY/A is right in line with Flacco and Brissett and that does not account for Ridder’s contributions as a runner where he’s superior to both players. 

21 – Seahawks QB Sam Howell

W/L Record: 5-13

TD/INT Ratio: 22/22

ANY/A: 4.44

Like Ridder, Howell is dropped in these rankings because of too many mistakes, including interceptions, fumbles and sacks. They’re understandable for a young player to some degree but coaches usually want their backup quarterbacks to avoid back-breaking mistakes as much as possible. Howell led the NFL in passing yards for a chunk of last season but ultimately hit a wall as the coaching staff asked too much of the young passer. He led the NFL in passing attempts but also led the league in interceptions and sacks which is reflected by his poor ANY/A. He could have second-chance starting potential down the road. 

22 – Eagles QB Kenny Pickett

W/L Record: 14-10

TD/INT Ratio: 13/13

ANY/A: 4.97

Pickett’s record papered over some of his struggles on the field but wasn’t enough to prevent the Steelers from looking into bringing in competition for him this offseason. Pickett’s reaction to that is reportedly what prompted Pittsburgh to cut bait entirely, and now the former first-rounder is resetting his career in Philadelphia. His physical tools are good enough to be a solid starter. Pickett plays like a game manager but has the size and mobility to add a little something extra. He needs to improve his play under pressure, however, to unlock that. In fairness to Pickett, Pittsburgh’s offensive system might have been among the worst in the NFL the past two years. 

23 – Giants QB Drew Lock

W/L Record: 9-14

TD/INT Ratio: 28/23

ANY/A: 5.55

Lock’s arm strength and willingness to be a gunslinger make him a fun watch but not necessarily the steadiest backup option. In his two starts last year, Lock was steamrolled by the 49ers but then led a comeback win over the Eagles with a dagger of a throw on the game-winning drive. His touchdown-to-interception ratio is a pretty good summation of what the Giants are going to get if they end up having to play him in 2024. 

24 – Titans QB Mason Rudolph

W/L Record: 8-4-1

TD/INT Ratio: 19/11

ANY/A: 5.82

I would listen to a case for Rudolph to be about eight spots higher on this list. He doesn’t have the name recognition of some of these other players but his stats quietly stack up well. He’s one of just a handful of backups with a career winning record and has a positive TD/INT ratio and career ANY/A. No one in the NFL was interested in him as a free agent last year, leading to a return to the Steelers as the third-string quarterback. But by the end of the year, Rudolph was starting and leading a three-game winning streak to get the Steelers into the playoffs. It’ll be interesting to see how he performs in a different environment. 

25 – 49ers QB Joshua Dobbs

W/L Record: 3-11

TD/INT Ratio: 15/13

ANY/A: 4.45

Dobbs was a better story than he was quarterback in 2023. He was benched twice and traded twice, which is not something many players can say. Having said that, there were undeniable high moments for Dobbs and it should be interesting to see what he can do with a legitimate offseason in the same system instead of having to cram for the test during the week of a game. He’s both one of the most book-smart quarterbacks in the NFL and a great athlete, and the 49ers tend to put up solid numbers on offense almost no matter who is behind center. 

26 – Broncos QB Jarrett Stidham

W/L Record: 1-3

TD/INT Ratio: 8/8

ANY/A: 5.1

Stidham is still competing for the starting nod in 2024 but I have a hunch the Broncos will want to go with their first-rounder, QB Bo Nix, especially after touting how his NCAA-record 63 starts made him more pro-ready than most prospects. Stidham was okay in his two starts last year, completing 60.6 percent of his passes for 496 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a 1-1 record. He checks a lot of boxes teams want to see in terms of arm talent, accuracy and mobility. 

27 – Dolphins QB Mike White

W/L Record: 2-5

TD/INT Ratio: 9/13

ANY/A: 5.28

White is a classic big-bodied throwback pocket passer who has flashed a strong arm and a willingness to go downfield in his limited action. Miami signed him to steady the quarterback room behind Tua Tagovailoa but fortunately didn’t need his services in 2023. Cutting down on the turnovers should be a priority for him. 

28 – Ravens QB Josh Johnson

W/L Record: 1-8

TD/INT Ratio: 13/16

ANY/A: 4.25

The ultimate NFL journeyman, Johnson is going on his 17th year as a professional, and the Ravens are the 14th different team he’s worn the uniform for. Statistically, he ranks near the bottom in most categories and he’s struggled to shed the third-string label the NFL slapped on him early in his career. But if you strictly looked at Johnson’s relief performances the last few years, the progress he’s made is apparent. He might be better than ever at 38 years old. 

29 – Lions QB Hendon Hooker

W/L Record: NA

TD/INT Ratio: NA

ANY/A: NA

Detroit used a third-round pick on Hooker last year but his rookie season was a redshirt as he recovered from a torn ACL. While Hooker was a breakout player in his final college season, there were major questions about his transition to the pros given his age (25 as a rookie) and the lack of translatable NFL concepts from Tennessee’s offense. Hooker’s a true wildcard and is competing with veteran journeyman Nate Sudfeld for the backup role behind Jared Goff (Sudfeld would probably be near the bottom as a career third-stringer for the most part). 

30 – Saints QB Jake Haener/Spencer Rattler

W/L Record: NA

TD/INT Ratio: NA

ANY/A: NA

While Haener was picked last year, he effectively had a redshirt season as the third-string option that also included a six-game suspension, so he and Rattler are coming at the backup job from a fairly similar place. Haener was a fourth-round pick, Rattler was a fifth. Haener doesn’t have the pedigree of Rattler, who was a Heisman candidate and prospective top pick before his career took a turn, but he’s cut from the same cloth as guys like Minshew and Keenum. Both guys have blank NFL slates, making it tough to rank them much higher. 

31 – Chargers QB Easton Stick

W/L Record: 0-4

TD/INT Ratio: 3/1

ANY/A: 5.43

Stick’s stats from when he was pressed into action last year don’t look abysmal but the 0-4 record sheds a lot of light on his struggles. He bring a mobile element with his legs but also took way too many sacks, going down 14 times in five games. Realistically he should be a third-stringer, not a primary backup. 

32 – Bears QB Tyson Bagent

W/L Record: 2-2

TD/INT Ratio: 3/6

ANY/A: 4.15

Earning the primary backup job as an undrafted rookie free agent is a legitimately impressive accomplishment by Bagent, especially considering the year before he had been playing at Division II Shepherd University. That adds a little bit of context to his performance, which was not good. The Bears still managed to go 2-2 with Bagent starting and his ANY/A was not that much worse than Fields’ number. Bagent will once again get the nod as the backup behind No. 1 overall QB Caleb Williams, and the Bears will hope he’s developed physically and learned more about what he can and cannot due against NFL competition. 

33 – Packers QB Sean Clifford

W/L Record: NA

TD/INT Ratio: NA

ANY/A: NA

Clifford was entrusted with backup duties behind Jordan Love last year but didn’t see the field for anything besides the victory formation as a rookie. He’s got solid size, an above-average arm and some mobility. He was a four-year starter at Penn State, beating out current Titans starting QB Will Levis, but Clifford was a largely inconsistent player in college. It remains to be seen if he can shake that in the pros. 

34 – Buccaneers QB Kyle Trask

W/L Record: NA

TD/INT Ratio: NA

ANY/A: NA

Trask lost the competition for the starting job to veteran QB Baker Mayfield last year and has only 10 career regular-season passing attempts (of which he completed just three). The former third-round pick was a late bloomer in college and turned a solid final season at Florida into a third-round selection by Tampa Bay. While Trask is big, that’s about the only area where he seems to be above average as a quarterback.