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Through the first four weeks of the NFL season, backup quarterbacks — and even third-stringers — have seen quite a bit of action.
Starter injuries have occurred around the league. The New York Giants’ Jaxson Dart is out for the season with a knee injury. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Baker Mayfield dislocated his thumb. The Chicago Bears’ Caleb Williams is sidelined with a hamstring injury. The Washington Commanders’ Jayden Daniels suffered another injury to his non-throwing elbow, though he’s expected back this week. The Minnesota Vikings’ Kyler Murray sustained a concussion 11 snaps into his season. Defending Super Bowl champion Sam Darnold injured his glute five snaps into his season.
All but one of these teams — the Bucs — have won games amid these injuries. That got us thinking: How do the backups stack up around the league?
Here are the NFL’s backup quarterbacks, ranked 1 through 32.
1. Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
Jones went 5-3 as a starter while filling in for Brock Purdy in 2025. Among 36 quarterbacks with at least 250 dropbacks, Jones ranked 10th in EPA per dropback, according to TruMedia. Kyle Shanahan’s play-calling prowess is surely baked into the numbers. Still, among the veteran quarterbacks on this list, Jones is most deserving of another chance to start in the league.
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Jonathan Jones and Johnny Sweet
2. Joe Flacco, Cincinnati Bengals
Flacco kept the Bengals competitive last season after landing there via trade ahead of Week 6. Over a six-start stretch playing in place of Joe Burrow, Flacco was fifth in the league in passing yards. I thought he played well enough to earn a bridge job this offseason. He ended up returning to the Bengals to back up Burrow.
3. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
Mariota is a very reliable backup. He started for the Commanders in Week 3 after Daniels’ injury. Mariota was excellent in an upset win over the Seahawks. Mariota was patient against the Seahawks’ shell coverage. He made tight-window throws when he needed to, and he sealed the game with a third-down designed rush. Mariota suffered a knee injury in Week 4, which forced rookie Athan Kaliakmanis into action.
Marcus Mariota has shown he’s capable of winning games in relief. (Alex Pantling / Getty Images)
4. Mitchell Trubisky, Tennessee Titans
Trubisky spent two seasons backing up Josh Allen in Buffalo before joining the Titans this offseason. He played close to a full game in Week 18 last season and made a bunch of NFL throws. Trubisky has some accuracy issues and will make ill-advised throws over the middle. But his combination of experience and traits makes him a top backup.
5. Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks
Lock was excellent in Weeks 1 and 2 this season after Darnold’s injury. He completed 35 of 48 passes for 422 yards, four touchdowns and no turnovers. The Seahawks won both games, against the Patriots and Cardinals. I do worry about turnovers if Lock is forced to play over a more extended period. He has 35 turnovers in 43 career games.
6. Davis Mills, Houston Texans
I’ll admit I’m higher on Mills than most, but he checks a lot of boxes as a backup. He’s made 29 career starts, including three straight wins for the Texans last season while C.J. Stroud was out. Mills is one of the best pure passers among the league’s veteran backups. He has the arm talent around which you can really build a passing game plan. He is in the final year of his deal, and I think he could get a bridge chance in 2027.
7. Fernando Mendoza, Las Vegas Raiders
Mendoza showed some promising signs in the preseason. The No. 1 pick is now in a perfect situation. Kirk Cousins is playing well, and the Raiders are 3-1. Mendoza can sit, watch and learn. He needs to see some actual regular-season action before moving up this list, though.
Fernando Mendoza’s note taking habit
Elise Devlin
8. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
Rattler went 1-7 as the Saints’ starter in 2025 before being benched for Tyler Shough. The 2024 fifth-round pick ranked 29th in EPA per dropback among 33 passer-rating-qualified quarterbacks, according to TruMedia. Rattler is a very talented thrower, and he is still young. He would give the Saints a chance if forced into action.
9. Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears
Bagent led the Bears to a 23-12 win over the Jets in Week 4 while Williams remained sidelined. Bagent throws with great touch over the intermediate area of the field. He looked comfortable within Ben Johnson’s offensive scheme. Bagent is ultimately limited by his arm strength, which showed up on an interception in the Jets game. He made the right decision but did not have the juice on the throw.
10. Jarrett Stidham, Denver Broncos
Stidham started the AFC Championship Game last season after Bo Nix suffered an ankle injury in the divisional round. He was actually playing pretty well before it started dumping snow in the third quarter in Denver. The Patriots and Broncos combined for 3 points in the second half. An unfortunate circumstance for Stidham, who was making his first start since 2023. In the first half, he showed he is capable.
Jarrett Stidham struggled in the second half of last season’s AFC Championship Game. (Tyler Schank / Clarkson Creative / Getty Images)
11. Stetson Bennett IV, Los Angeles Rams
Bennett, a fourth-round pick in 2023, has not yet played in a regular-season NFL game. But he looked solid in the preseason this year. Bennett is a polished timing and rhythm passer, which makes him a good fit in Sean McVay’s offense. Bennett is the Rams’ backup despite the team’s drafting Ty Simpson in the first round.
12. Kyle Allen, Buffalo Bills
Allen has bounced around as a reserve in recent seasons. Houston in 2022. Buffalo in 2023. Pittsburgh in 2023. Detroit in 2025. He returned to the Bills for 2026. Allen looked very sharp in the preseason, completing nearly 86 percent of his passes.
13. Tyrod Taylor, Green Bay Packers
With 62 career starts, Taylor is one of the most experienced backups in the league. He started four games for the Jets in 2025. He gives his team a chance because of his athleticism and scrambling ability. Durability is always a concern. Taylor suffered a groin injury in Week 14 last year. He can attack as a passer outside the numbers.
14. Tommy DeVito, New England Patriots
DeVito had a very solid preseason for the Patriots, and his playmaking makes him a quality backup. DeVito produced 10 explosive plays over three preseason games this summer, including a 36-yard scramble and a 69-yard passing touchdown against the Eagles.
15. Gardner Minshew II, Arizona Cardinals
Minshew has made 47 career NFL starts. He is backing up Jacoby Brissett in Arizona. Minshew will put the ball in harm’s way. Minshew had 19 interceptions in 22 starts with the Colts and Raiders in 2023 and 2024. Minshew can be a roller-coaster experience, but he is entertaining.
16. Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rudolph started one game for the Steelers in 2025 in place of Aaron Rodgers. He completed 24 of 31 passes for 177 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Rudolph is very much a middle-of-the-pack backup. You can do better. You can also do worse.
17. Carson Wentz, Minnesota Vikings
Wentz was forced into action early in Week 1 after Murray suffered the concussion. The Vikings won that game against the Packers. They won the next week, 9-3 over the Bears, in another Wentz start. Wentz is just a very chaotic player. He is jumpy in the pocket. He can spray throws. But he is very tough, and he did throw three touchdowns in that win over the Packers.
18. Joshua Dobbs, Detroit Lions
Dobbs signed with the Lions in August after backup Teddy Bridgewater retired. He found a rhythm late in the preseason. Against the Colts, Dobbs completed 15 of 19 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He was quite accurate in that game to all three levels of the field.
19. Justin Fields, Kansas City Chiefs
What kind of game plan would Andy Reid concoct if Fields were forced into action with the Chiefs? It’s a fascinating hypothetical. Probably some version of the triple option. Fields is an elite runner and scrambler. He is limited as a passer.
20. Tyler Huntley, Baltimore Ravens
Huntley replaced Lamar Jackson for the second half of the Ravens’ win over the Titans in Week 4. Jackson is dealing with an ankle issue. Huntley can keep an offense alive with his legs. But he brings very little upside in the passing game. Undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano was one of the stars of the preseason. He looks like the Ravens’ backup option of the future over Huntley.
21. Shedeur Sanders, Cleveland Browns
Sanders lost the starting quarterback battle to Deshaun Watson in the preseason. The Browns are off to a surprising 3-1 start. Sanders went 3-4 in seven starts in 2025. He turns the ball over way too much. Among 36 quarterbacks with at least 250 dropbacks, Sanders ranked last in EPA per dropback, according to TruMedia. He was also pressured on 51.4 percent of those dropbacks, the highest rate in the league.
Shedeur Sanders lost the starting QB battle to Deshaun Watson. (Jason Miller / Getty Images)
22. Sam Howell, Dallas Cowboys
Howell has plenty of arm talent. He showed that in 2023 when he threw for nearly 4,000 yards with the Commanders. Howell also threw 21 picks that season. He played well for the Cowboys in the preseason, averaging close to 8 yards per attempt.
23. Trey Lance, Los Angeles Chargers
Lance, the 2021 No. 3 pick, backed up Justin Herbert last year in Los Angeles after beating out Taylor Heinicke in the preseason. This preseason, Lance struggled with poor decision-making, to the point where second-year quarterback DJ Uiagalelei pushed him for the backup job. Lance can make plays with his legs. He has yet to harness the talent in his arm.
24. Jalon Daniels, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Daniels, an undrafted rookie out of Kansas, started in place of Mayfield in Week 4. He threw two interceptions as the Bucs lost 17-14 to a struggling Packers team. Daniels finished with 55 yards rushing. He has upside as a scrambler, but the picks were costly.
25. Jameis Winston, New York Giants
Winston is 2-0 as a starter in the past two weeks. The record does not tell the story of how Winston is playing. He is struggling mightily with his accuracy and arm strength. There were several face-palm throws in Sunday’s win over the Cardinals. This could get ugly over the long term.
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26. Andy Dalton, Philadelphia Eagles
Dalton has thrown one pass this season. It was an interception. He replaced starter Jalen Hurts for four snaps in a blowout loss to the Bears in Week 3. Dalton turns 39 later this month. It does not appear as though he has much left in the tank.
27. Anthony Richardson Sr., Indianapolis Colts
Richardson’s athleticism is off the charts, and he can create with his legs. But he is far from being a capable passer in the NFL. His processing and accuracy are lacking.
28. Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons
Tagovailoa was dreadful in 14 starts for the Miami Dolphins last year. He signed a one-year deal with the Falcons this offseason. He was in line to start in Week 1 in place of Michael Penix, who was still recovering from knee surgery. But Tagovailoa suffered a practice injury. Cooper Rush started instead. We never got a look at Tagovailoa in a Falcons uniform. I can’t imagine it would have gone well.
29. Kenny Pickett, Carolina Panthers
I see very little upside in Pickett’s game outside of his 27 games of starting experience. He played very poorly in two starts for the Raiders in 2025.
30. Cade Klubnik, New York Jets
The Jets drafted Klubnik in the fourth round in the spring. He has some intriguing traits, and there were some positive moments from him during the preseason. But the inexperience is concerning for Klubnik, who is backing up Geno Smith.
31. Quinn Ewers, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars traded for Ewers in late August to back up Trevor Lawrence. A seventh-round pick in 2025, Ewers got his first starting experience over the final three games for the Dolphins last season. He completed 66.7 percent of his passes. He averaged 189.7 passing yards per game and had three touchdowns and three interceptions. He also fumbled once.
32. Kyle McCord, Miami Dolphins
The Eagles drafted McCord in the sixth round in 2025. They cut him, and he spent the year on the Philly practice squad. He signed with the Packers for 2026. Green Bay traded McCord to the Dolphins. McCord has not yet played in an NFL regular-season game.