The starting quarterback is the dream position growing up, and arguably holds the most responsibility of any position in professional sports. With that, if a backup is called on, they need to be ready to lead the team like no other backup in sports.
As a result, having a good backup at QB is an essential investment in case of an emergency with your starter.
32) Kyle Trask, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With 11 career passes, there isn’t much to work with in terms of knowing how Trask would manage a whole game, if it were required of him. He was drafted in the second round of the 2021 Draft and was thought to be in the mix for the starting job once Tom Brady retired, but Baker Mayfield balled from the moment they brought him in, and Trask never really had a chance.
31) Mitchell Trubisky, Buffalo Bills
Drafted second overall in the 2017 NFL Draft, Mitchell Trubisky is widely considered one of the biggest draft busts in recent memory. He has had a long leash as a backup, even after struggling as Pittsburgh’s backup.
Josh Allen is an absolute dog and is as tough as nails, so Trubisky hasn’t needed to be relied upon in his time in Buffalo, and we hope for the Bills fans’ sake that remains the same.
30) Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears
When Justin Fields got injured two years ago, Bagent impressed in his four starts filling in with his grit and flashes of why he was signed in the first place as an undrafted free agent. He wasn’t convincing enough to be a real threat to be a long-term NFL starter, or have any other team calling. Still, he is a nice option to have behind Caleb Williams.
29) Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers
If Mason Rudolph were semi-reliable to lead the offense as the planned starter, they wouldn’t have needed to pursue the aging wonder, which is Aaron Rodgers. He is most famous for getting clocked in the head with his helmet, which, while not deserved, shows that there hasn’t been much to see with him in the game. They also spent a sixth-round pick on Will Howard, indicating a potential change at this position.
28) Davis Mills, Houston Texans
Ever since coming to Houston, he has shown he can lead this offense if need be, but C.J. Stroud has a firm hold on the starter’s role. Mills is a good backup to make the safe play and take care of the ball, but long-term, I wouldn’t expect him to start in this league.
27) Nick Mullens, Jacksonville Jaguars
Nick Mullens is an extremely streaky player, but his best games are good enough to have him in a role like this. The downside is why he ranks here on this list. He has twenty games of experience under his belt as a starter and is backing up Trevor Lawrence, who has a firm hold on the job, but injuries haven’t been kind to him to this point.
26) Kenny Pickett, Cleveland Browns
I am lower than most on Pickett based on both his hold on the backup role and the fact that Cleveland brought in two quarterbacks in the draft. He is listed currently as the backup, but it will be fascinating to see how the roster shakes up over there. I do not think he would have fallen off so fast, but he isn’t in the best spot for development.
25) Brandon Allen, Tennessee Titans
With the fresh news that Titans’ second-year quarterback Will Levis had surgery on his throwing shoulder and will miss the season, the Titans will turn to journeyman Brandon Allen to back up Cam Ward. The Titans are the sixth team for Allen, and he provides experience and mentorship for the rookie Ward. His longest stint as a starter was his time with the Bengals in 2020, where he played to a 1-4 record.
24) Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints
When Derek Carr went down last year, Spencer Rattler had a golden chance to show the world that he was the QB of the future in New Orleans. He failed to win any of his six starts, and the Saints spiraled into a rebuild. In camp this year, Rattler appears to have beaten out rookie Tyler Shough for the first crack at the starters role.
The Saints drafted Shough in the second round and gave him a fully guaranteed contract, so it appears as if Spencer Rattler has among the shortest leashes in the league. One could also argue that Jake Haener has been just as good in camp as Shough in a smaller sample size, so this QB room is one certainly worth monitoring.
23) Jarrett Stidham, Denver Broncos
He was okay with the Raiders, but didn’t do enough to win a wide-open starting gig there. He lost out to Bo Nix for the Denver starter position last season, which I feel was more of a formality. I feel comfortable with him coming in in short spurts, but he doesn’t have the potential to crack the top-20 on this list.
22) Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks
Drew Lock has shown flashes of potential and is coming off an eight-game cameo with the Giants that rates as an improvement in terms of QBR from last year, but also came with the second-lowest completion percentage of his career. Jalen Milroe is an incredibly raw and interesting prospect for Seattle, but I don’t think he is much of a threat to Lock’s role at this time.
21) Joshua Dobbs, New England Patriots
Joshua Dobbs has always been someone who could pop up in a new offense and surprise for a game or so, but he has always gotten figured out. Drake Maye has a firm hold on the starting role, but it is always good to have an option that can make a quick impact for a team that will have its growing pains
20) Tanner McKee, Philadelphia Eagles
The way that McKee got this high on the list was from the game he had against the Giants to close out last season. He threw for 269 yards on 27/41 passing, threw for two touchdowns, and had no interceptions. The team around him is stacked and set up for success, as soon as he has his number called again.
19) Taylor Heinicke, Los Angeles Chargers
Once the starter in Washington, the team moved on when he was due for a new contract, and he fell off the map in Atlanta, where the options around him were unimpressive. His grit and skill are enough to start in this league for a low-end team, but this is a nice role for him behind Justin Herbert and under a great teacher in Jim Harbaugh.
18) Joe Milton III, Dallas Cowboys
Another Week 18 stand-out, Milton was immediately traded to the Cowboys to back up Dak Prescott, and if his number is called, he has an impressive support system around him.
The Patriots turned the sixth-round pick into a fifth-round pick, so technically, they made well on their investment, but I think there is a future for Milton in a better situation.
17) Hendon Hooker, Detroit Lions
Hendon Hooker has a lot of talent, but tore his ACL as a rookie and threw just nine passes as Jared Goff’s backup in 2024. This Lions offense has a plethora of talent around him, so I think that they would lean on the Gibbs/Montgomery duo to lead the offense, but Hooker should be able to hold his own if ever called upon.
16) Zach Wilson, Miami Dolphins
After a chaotic tenure with the Jets, it seems as if getting away helped him reset and get his game right. Now, he is the backup to oft-injured Tua Tagovailoa and may be called upon at the snap of a finger to finish a game.
It is not expected for Tua to get injured, which is Wilson’s path to playing, but he may get a shot to shoot up this board sooner than anyone.
15) Tyrod Taylor, New York Jets
Tyrod Taylor cracks the Top-15 for me based on his vast array of talents and his experience. He has started 58 games in this league, consistently opting for the safe approach by prioritizing ball protection over all else. He is the perfect backup for Justin Fields and could even help him get his game to the next level.
14) Cooper Rush, Baltimore Ravens
One could argue that Rush deserves to be much higher on this list, given his leadership of the Cowboys during Dak Prescott’s absences and his success despite a lack of a running game. He isn’t expected to see the field at all with Lamar Jackson being among the league’s elite at the position, but like I said before, this is an investment every team has to make.
13) Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders
This is a massive year for O’Connell, even if he develops in the background. The Raiders traded for Geno Smith, and that salary is a bridge into next year. With O’Connell still rostered, he could find himself with a path to competing with a rookie for a starting job next year or looking for a job as the team looks for a more seasoned backup for the inevitable first-round QB next year.
12) Gardner Minshew II, Kansas City Chiefs
When Minshew Mania ensued in Jacksonville, there was genuine belief that he was the future there for a second. He started 14 games in 2019, with 3,271 yards passing, and he threw 21 touchdowns to only six interceptions. He got a few chances again the last two years in Indianapolis and Las Vegas, but now he can get comfortable in a new role behind one of the greatest ever to do it.
Minshew will be a flare off the bench if ever needed, but I don’t anticipate much run for the newest QB in Kansas City.
11) Sam Howell, Minnesota Vikings
Sam Howell had a shot in Washington, but he is in a great position to develop alongside JJ McCarthy as the backup for what they are trying to build. He looked great in the last preseason game, including leading a 14-play, 94-yard touchdown drive. He seems comfortable and confident in the pocket here in Minnesota.
10) Malik Willis, Green Bay Packers
If there is one thing that Malik Willis provides Green Bay, it is someone confident at the helm who will do whatever it takes to win. This was evident in the fact that the Packers won both games he started, a stark contrast to how he performed in Tennessee. With Jordan Love at the helm, he won’t be expecting to supplant him, but Love’s injury history has Willis knowing he can be in at any time.
9) Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Shanahan preferred Mac Jones to Trey Lance when they had the third pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, so that he may take this project a little more personally than others developing backups. Jones showed last year that he likes to take chances downfield. While he has shown enough skill to be in the league, he lacks the consistency to supplant the new $265 million man, Brock Purdy.
8) Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett has a history of doing what he is doing for Kyler Murray now. He gets the call and gives the incumbent a little fear that they may be benched if they struggle or don’t meet their expectations.
Murray was supposed to take that next leap last year, but instead got famous for his struggles coinciding with Call of Duty’s ‘Double XP Weekend. This could be just what Murray needs, and Brissett is also a significant body they can use in 4th and short situations.
7) Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
This is the one backup that I heard took the role of backup to a potential superstar, as it is labeled, as opposed to trying to throw them off. Jayden Daniels has given him credit for his help last year. But that wouldn’t be enough for him to be top-ten on this list. He can still lead the team if the game calls for it on occasion, and that was exhibited when he dismantled the Panthers last year when Daniels left hurt.
6) Andy Dalton, Carolina Panthers
He may not be on this list if not for a car accident that gave Bryce Young a second chance. Still, Dalton is the league’s finest journeyman since Ryan Fitzpatrick, seamlessly fitting in wherever a quarterback is needed, whether in a lead role or as a backup. His experience is also great for keeping Bryce Young honest and helping him develop.
5) Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
The former first-round pick of the Giants comes into Indianapolis after a tumultuous tenure with the Giants. He competes for the starting job, but only while they try to work with Anthony Richardson, if at all. He has a solid supporting staff, and maybe he will thrive without dysfunction.
4) Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
The Giants boast an exciting quarterback room, featuring a Super Bowl Champion in Russell Wilson, a former number-one overall pick turned seasoned veteran who could start on several teams in the league, Jameis Winston, and a top quarterback prospect in the league, Jaxson Dart.
Dart showed the world why the Giants invested the 25th overall pick in him to be their quarterback of the future in his first preseason outing against the Bills. Still, his lack of experience will keep him behind Winston at the very beginning.
Currently, this situation warrants close attention, as it appears they’re grooming Dart as a starter for next year, and I believe he has a solid chance at securing the backup role sooner rather than later.
3) Jimmy Garoppolo, Los Angeles Rams
A two-time champion backup, who has amassed 15,828 passing yards throughout his career, Jimmy Garoppolo is one of the more well-respected backups in the league. They do have Stetson Bennett IV rostered as well, but it is clear that ‘Jimmy G’ has one of the most secure holds on his backup role of anyone in the league. This is particularly important given that Matthew Stafford has yet to return from his back injury.
Remember, Jimmy Garoppolo in a Sean McVay offense is much different than Jimmy Garoppolo with the Raiders.
This version of Jimmy G is likely the best backup QB in football.
— Frank Ammirante (@FAmmiranteTFJ) August 12, 2025
2) Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals
Concerning Desmond Ridder, Jake Browning has earned his way to being one of the best backups with no threat of losing his hold on his role as Joe Burrow’s top backup. If anyone has doubts about his ranking, consider his performance in 2023. Browning threw for 1,936 yards, with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He completed 70.4% of passes that season and won three of those games.
I am very confident that Joe Burrow’s job is safe as the lead guy, but I am equally satisfied that he has complete trust in the way that Browning runs the offense if that is what is needed.
1) Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
I think that we are one inevitable injury from him being a starter again in this league. His contract is more of a barrier than his skillset, as he was a revelation in Atlanta when he burst onto the scene, including a 509-yard game against the Buccaneers.
The moment we’ve all been waiting for…
KIRK TO KYLE TOUCHDOWN
FOX | NFL+ pic.twitter.com/iXBNAK7KCp
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) September 8, 2024
Later on, other teams caught on to his lack of pocket mobility, and he struggled to adjust. The Falcons then tried something new with their new rookie, Michael Penix Jr., and that approach worked just as well. Regardless, he is a great asset to have around the team, especially in case of an emergency, as he can effectively run the offense for shorter periods.
