Tonight, the annual Hall of Fame Game, featuring the Panthers and Cardinals in this year’s edition, will kick off the preseason and mark the official return of football to our television screens. It’s only fitting that this has become an annual excuse to power rank all the backup quarterbacks in the National Football League. Injuries are a fact of life in the NFL, and history says a significant chunk of the current No. 2 quarterbacks will see significant playing time. So here’s a look at how they stack up. 

I’ve attempted to standardize the comparison as much as possible, including win-loss record, touchdown-to-interception ratio and adjusted net yards per attempt — yards per attempt with bonuses for touchdowns and deductions for interceptions and sacks. Success in those three metrics generally means a backup is meeting or exceeding expectations. Teams don’t ask the backup to replicate the starter, they just ask them to do enough to eke out as many wins as possible until the starter returns.    

One last note; I did not include either Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza or Rams QB Ty Simpson. Both Las Vegas and Los Angeles are going to take things slow with their first-round picks, although Mendoza should be in the lineup at some point this season. With their combination of pedigree, inexperience and long-term expectations, they just don’t fit with the other backups.

1 – Falcons QB Michael Penix Jr

• W/L record: 4-8

• TD/INT: 12/6

• ANY/A: 6.6

• Last year’s rank: Starter

It feels inevitable that Penix will open up the season as the No. 2 passer considering he won’t be cleared for full 11-on-11 work until near the end of August. It’s tough to have a true quarterback competition when one participant is coming off a torn ACL. That said, odds are against veteran QB Tua Tagovailoa finishing all 17 games due to his own injury history and performance questions, so Penix likely gets another shot. Despite his inconsistencies, he compares very well to other backups, as you’d hope for a former top-10 draft pick. 

2 – Bengals QB Joe Flacco

• W/L record: 107-94

• TD/INT: 272/172

• ANY/A: 5.6

• Last year’s rank: Starter

Flacco’s become emblematic of the prototypical backup quarterback, with a few strong runs off the bench in recent years for the Browns and Bengals. He’s still too streaky to be a reliable starter, as the Colts and Browns found out, but his nearly two decades of playing experience makes him effective when pressed into the game on short notice. He’s played in a ton of schemes, is calm and collected with an even demeanor, and he still has terrific arm talent. 

3 – 49ers QB Mac Jones

• W/L record: 25-32

• TD/INT: 67/50

• ANY/A: 5.6

• Last year’s rank: 18th

For the first time since arguably his rookie year, Jones was in a positive offensive environment. He responded with a solid season. Pressed into action for eight starts due to an injury to starting QB Brock Purdy, Jones went 5-3, tossed 13 touchdowns to six interceptions and probably saved San Francisco’s season. A lot of people expected him to get a starting job this offseason but the 49ers had a high asking price and there was probably skepticism about how Jones would do away from HC Kyle Shanahan, who has a long history of elevating passers with limited skill sets. Jones had a good year but he still has a weak arm and can’t move, so he needs specific circumstances to do well.

4 – Commanders QB Marcus Mariota

• W/L record: 36-46 

• TD/INT: 107/62

• ANY/A: 6.1

• Last year’s rank: 4th

Mariota had to play a lot more than the Commanders wanted with so many injuries to QB Jayden Daniels. He went 2-6, which doesn’t look good, but then again Daniels was just 2-5 in his time in the lineup and Mariota threw more touchdowns. There were big problems in Washington last year. He remains highly valued for his dual-threat talents which means the Commanders don’t have to throw out the QB run game section of the playbook when Daniels is out. Mariota had almost 300 yards on the ground and a score last year. 

5 – Eagles QB Andy Dalton

• W/L record: 84-83-2

• TD/INT: 254/151

• ANY/A: 5.9

• Last year’s rank: 3rd

Dalton’s sheer number of reps makes him a valuable presence in the quarterback room. He wasn’t as strong in his relief appearances for QB Bryce Young in 2025 and turnovers have been a consistent issue throughout his career. In many ways, he’s like Flacco, just with a weaker arm and perhaps a tick more mobility, though he’s not running away from anyone at 38 anymore. The Eagles targeted him in a trade to add to their quarterback room, and while he’s not guaranteed to win the competition for the No. 2 role with McKee, that is still notable. 

6 – Cardinals QB Gardner Minshew

• W/L record: 17-30

• TD/INT: 68/35

• ANY/A: 5.9

• Last year’s rank: 9th

Minshew’s opportunity after the Chiefs lost QB Patrick Mahomes lasted 13 pass attempts, as he went down with a knee injury himself that really sent the Chiefs’ season spiraling. It’s interesting that he didn’t end up staying with the Chiefs given the timeline for Mahomes’ injury, and I’m not sure which side initiated that. He’s getting $5.75 million from the Cardinals this year which is strong money for a backup, even though he never really got a shot this offseason to steal the starting job from Jacoby Brissett and will have third-round QB Carson Beck nipping at his heels. Minshew has a reputation as a gamer, whose physical talent doesn’t always support his playing style. 

7 – Vikings QB Carson Wentz

• W/L record: 49-49-1

• TD/INT: 159/72

• ANY/A: 5.8

• Last year’s rank: NA

Spoiler: this is not going to be the first Vikings quarterback on this list. Wentz was signed late in August as the Vikings realized their quarterback room of J.J. McCarthy, Sam Howell, Brett Rypien and Max Brosmer was going to give them issues if not addressed. He was starting by Week 3 with McCarthy hurt. Wentz’s strengths remain his experience and arm talent but decision-making and a penchant for taking hits are still weak spots. The accumulation of injuries finally ended his season after five starts. The Vikings, scarred from injury issues at the position in the last few years, ideally would love Wentz to be the No. 3 quarterback. However, it’s not out of the question he climbs higher. 

8 – Packers QB Tyrod Taylor

• W/L record: 29-31-1

• TD/INT: 73/34

• ANY/A: 5.7

• Last year’s rank: 5th

Taylor is a personal favorite of mine in the ranks of the backups because of his aesthetics. I just love how he plays the game. He takes care of the ball well and pushes the ball down the field while also adding an extra dimension with his legs in the pocket and run game. It’s not a shock the Jets looked more competent when he was under center. Unfortunately, Taylor has always been a little injury-prone, and that’s accelerated as he’s moved deeper into his 30s. He only started four games for the Jets last year because that’s all his body would hold up for. 

9 – Giants QB Jameis Winston

• W/L record: 36-53

• TD/INT: 156/113

• ANY/A: 6.2

• Last year’s rank: 8th

You know the drill with Winston right now. He’ll push the ball down the field and put up yards and points. Among all backups right now with at least 10 starts, he ranks No. 4 in ANY/A and career touchdown passes. But the price is more turnovers than most coaches are comfortable with from the quarterback position. Starter or backup, it’s tough to win as a quarterback with too many turnovers. 

11 – Titans QB Mitch Trubisky

• W/L record: 31-26

• TD/INT: 78/48

• ANY/A: 5.6

• Last year’s rank: 16th

Trubisky has had a relatively successful second act to his career as a backup. He’s got first-round-caliber tools when it comes to mobility and arm strength, and his ANY/A puts him in the top half of the league for backups. That’s a lot of boxes checked for teams. He hasn’t had to start games since 2023 but he annually has tended to do well in the preseason. 

12 Texans QB Davis Mills

• W/L record: 8-19-1

• TD/INT: 40/26

• ANY/A: 5.2

• Last year’s rank: 23rd

Houston had to lean on Mills last year when starting QB C.J. Stroud had a concussion, and the veteran delivered big-time with a 3-0 run. That stretch includes six total touchdowns to only one interception, two fourth-quarter comebacks and three game-winning drives. Mills is a big pro-style quarterback but he showed some unexpected wheels, helping him to overcome a sub-60 percent completion rate. The Texans locked him up on a one-year extension worth $5 million — quality pay for a No. 2 quarterback. 

13 – Chiefs QB Justin Fields

• W/L record: 16-37

• TD/INT: 52/32

• ANY/A: 4.9

• Last year’s rank: Starter

The Jets were Fields’ third team in as many seasons as he tried to become the latest successful quarterback reclamation story. It did not go well. Fields remains one of the most gifted running quarterbacks in the league but he has not taken a step forward as a passer (if anything, it’s been the opposite). He didn’t process fast enough to run a functional passing offense last year, and that needs to improve before he gets another starting opportunity. 

However, Fields is still just 27, did a good job protecting the ball the last two seasons and might be better weaponized as a backup coming into the game as opposed to a weekly starter. His legs are a dynamic changeup that would be tough for defenses to adjust to mid-game or on short notice. You can bet Chiefs HC Andy Reid is aware of that, too. 

14 – Saints QB Spencer Rattler

• W/L record: 1-13

• TD/INT: 12/10

• ANY/A: 4.7

• Last year’s rank: 33rd

Rattler’s record through two seasons is pretty poor and he was benched for QB Tyler Shough last year, losing his chance for good as a potential starter in New Orleans barring some sort of shocking plot twist. However, I thought Rattler quietly showed significant improvement in his second season after he was simply overmatched as a rookie. His completion percentage shot up by over 10 points and he improved his success rate by almost as much. He’s not a dual-threat quarterback per se but he can hurt defenses with his legs and make big throws on the move. The 25-year-old might not have realistic starting potential but he’s at least intriguing going forward. 

15 – Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell

• W/L record: 7-10

• TD/INT: 20/11

• ANY/A: 5.6

• Last year’s rank: 14th

O’Connell has cinderblocks for feet and an arm that can’t always cash the checks his brain tells it to write. But he’s a plucky passer with some innate feel for the position — the kind of player who hangs around the league for a long, long time as a backup. Think Brian Hoyer. He’s in the final year of his deal, and while it wouldn’t be completely unforeseen for the Raiders to keep him ahead of Mendoza for the first few weeks at least, he’s the kind of player I could see having a real market from other teams less set at quarterback. 

16 – Titans QB Will Levis

• W/L record: 5-16

• TD/INT: 21/16

• ANY/A: 5.1

• Last year’s rank: NA

Levis didn’t play at all last season, choosing to get surgery to repair a shoulder injury once the Titans made it clear they were moving on with No. 1 pick Cam Ward. Tennessee has not found a trade it likes yet, and so Levis has been competing with Trubisky in training camp to be Ward’s primary backup. 

Levis recently said he was confident he was one of the 32 best quarterbacks in the NFL. I’m not sure I agree, but I do think he has some room to improve from where he’s ranked right now. He has real physical tools with an arm that ranks probably top 3 on this list for power. He’s a rugged, physical runner, and if he were to sharpen up his decision-making, he could become similar to Wentz as a lower-end starter or top-shelf backup. Gonna go ahead and call this now, but watch for him to land with Liam Coen, his former head coach at Kentucky, with the Jaguars after his rookie contract is up this season. 

17 – Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy

• W/L record: 6-4

• TD/INT: 11/12

• ANY/A: 4.3

• Last year’s rank: Starter

McCarthy was tough for me to rank. On the one hand, if you strictly look at the stats and the tape from last year, this is a generous ranking for a backup. His ANY/A was horrible and he turned the ball over far too much. However, McCarthy is a former first-round pick and it feels safe to bake in some improvement, especially because Minnesota is giving him a real shot to compete with veteran QB Kyler Murray. He’s unlikely to win and that’s why I’ve grouped him with the backups and split the difference of how far I initially wanted to drop him. 

18 – Browns QB Shedeur Sanders

• W/L record: 3-4

• TD/INT: 7/10

• ANY/A: 3.9

• Last year’s rank: NA

Another young passer who arguably deserves to be ranked lower strictly off the numbers, I’m also choosing to bake in some improvement for Sanders. That ANY/A is truly horrid but Cleveland wasn’t working with a full deck on offense last season. Sanders’ supporting cast looks like it will be better, and he has to follow through with better decision-making when avoiding sacks and turnovers. His persona is not what the NFL wants out of its typical backup quarterback, and that might be a bigger obstacle long-term than his talent. 

19 – Browns QB Deshaun Watson

• W/L record: 37-35

• TD/INT: 123/48

• ANY/A: 6.6

• Last year’s rank: NA

I decided to include Watson because it feels like the competition between him and Sanders is legitimately 50-50 at this point — and regardless of who starts Week 1, odds are high that both will end up with a fairly even number of starts by the end of the season. On the surface, his numbers look head and shoulders above everyone else on this list, but he has obviously not been the same player he was to start his career. 

Since returning from over a year off due to a sexual misconduct scandal and suspension, he has a 9-10 record, 19 touchdowns to 12 interceptions and an ANY/A of 4.66. Those are poor for a starter and they’d be below average for a backup. And after multiple Achilles injuries, it remains to be seen if Watson can compensate for any shortcomings with his legs like he used to. 

20 – Eagles QB Tanner McKee

• W/L record: 1-1

• TD/INT: 5/1

• ANY/A: 6.7

• Last year’s rank: 22nd

The Eagles have raved about McKee and asked for the moon in any trade discussions. Yet he has an incredibly limited sample size to go off of with only a few spot starts plus preseason action. Projecting forward off those small sample sizes can get you in trouble. It’s also interesting that the Eagles traded for Dalton this offseason to compete with McKee for the primary backup job. McKee is in a contract year, which may have been one factor, but then again so is Dalton…

21 – Colts QB Anthony Richardson

• W/L record: 8-7

• TD/INT: 11/13

• ANY/A: 5.1

• Last year’s rank: 11th

I still hold out hope for Richardson putting things together, but I’m probably still too high on him even with this modest ranking. He had a golden opportunity to revive his career last season when Daniel Jones got hurt halfway through the season. But Richardson couldn’t capitalize — he was already on injured reserve after a freak training accident left him with a broken orbital bone. It continues the story of his career. The Colts just haven’t been able to count on Richardson when they needed him, and he’ll have to come from behind to even win the primary No. 2 job over Riley Leonard this month. 

22 – Seahawks QB Drew Lock

• W/L record: 10-18

• TD/INT: 34/28

• ANY/A: 5.4

• Last year’s rank: 19th

Situations and environments matter a lot for backup quarterbacks, too. In 2023, Lock had to step in as the starter for the Seahawks and had a big comeback win amidst a 1-1 run. He parlayed that into a decent contract and a shot at potentially more playing time with the Giants in 2024. But that didn’t turn out to be what Lock expected, and after a 1-4 stint when his number was called late in the season, he returned to the Seahawks who have always held him in high esteem. He’s streaky and a gunslinger with a big arm, which can lead to some highs and lows. 

23 – Steelers QB Mason Rudolph

• W/L record: 9-9-1

• TD/INT: 30/22

• ANY/A: 5.5

• Last year’s rank: 17th

Rudolph is a perfectly acceptable NFL backup quarterback. It’s hard to find much else to say. He’s solid pretty much across the board, from his record to his numbers. 

24 – Buccaneers QB Jake Browning

• W/L record: 4-6

• TD/INT: 18/15

• ANY/A: 5.4

• Last year’s rank: 6th

Browning blanked the blank last year, and it’s why he’s taken a free fall down this list. He had a huge opportunity following the turf toe injury to QB Joe Burrow. Cincinnati had tons of confidence in Browning based on the last time he filled in for Burrow for an extended time and was ready to roll with him ahead of this offseason when he would have been a restricted free agent. But Browning was so bad in four games that the Bengals had to make an uncharacteristic trade for Flacco in a flail to try and save their season. He threw eight picks in four games while losing another fumble. Worse, his three starts were all blowout losses. Cincinnati declined to tender him, re-signing Flacco instead, and Browning is now in Tampa Bay. 

25 – Jaguars QB Nick Mullens

• W/L record: 5-15

• TD/INT: 34/31

• ANY/A: 6.3

• Last year’s rank: 24th

No matter what, Mullens is going to grip it and rip it whenever he gets into the game. The journeyman passer has a surprisingly high ANY/A because he hasn’t been afraid to cut the ball loose in his limited opportunities. Of course, the interception and loss numbers show the downside. 

26 – Panthers QB Kenny Pickett

• W/L record: 16-11

• TD/INT: 16/16

• ANY/A: 4.8

• Last year’s rank: 27th

It’s tough to hold last year with the Raiders too much against Pickett, as that situation would have chewed up and spit out most quarterbacks. He was in a much more favorable spot with the Eagles the year prior, though, and did nothing with the opportunity. In theory, he can make some plays with his legs to offset his ordinary passing skills but Pickett hasn’t been a weapon on the ground since his rookie year. The Panthers bet $4 million on his pedigree as a former first-round pick to try and pull that back out of him as a backup, and because he was a lot younger than Dalton. 

27 – Ravens QB Tyler Huntley

• W/L record: 7-9

• TD/INT: 13/10

• ANY/A: 4.6

• Last year’s rank: NA

This is another example of why location can be huge for backups, too. Baltimore brought in veteran Cooper Rush who was one of the league’s more respected backups during his time in Dallas. We ranked him 12th on last year’s list. Rush had to play last year when Lamar Jackson was injured and it was ugly. Baltimore ended up bringing back Huntley, their longtime backup they had moved on from, to replace Rush by the end of last year. He’s not the most polished passer but he’s a good runner and lets the Ravens keep that aspect of their offense. 

28 – Bears QB Tyson Bagent

• W/L record: 2-2

• TD/INT: 3/6

• ANY/A: 4.4

• Last year’s rank: NA

Bagent hasn’t had meaningful snaps since he was an undrafted rookie out of Shepherd in 2023 but he’s been so impressive behind the scenes and in limited viewings that the Bears gave him a two-year, $9 million extension ahead of the 2025 season — strong money for a backup. They also were reportedly willing to listen to offers this past offseason to flip him for a decent pick. He’s not the most impressive physically but similar to Minshew, he’s got some moxie to him. You don’t stick around as a rookie free agent out of Shepherd otherwise. 

29 – Dolphins QB Quinn Ewers

• W/L record: 1-2

• TD/INT: 3/3

• ANY/A: 5.4

• Last year’s rank: NA

Ewers got the nod late in the season when the Dolphins benched Tagovailoa, and Miami saw enough to consider going with him as the starter this year before they ended up being able to sign QB Malik Willis. There was about as much bad as good, but the flashes from Ewers, especially his arm talent, were interesting. He’ll have to hone in on the details a lot more but he’s a potential riser. 

30 – Colts QB Riley Leonard

• W/L record: 0-1

• TD/INT: 2/3

• ANY/A: 4.4

• Last year’s rank: NA

When the Colts lost Jones and were faced with the prospect of trying to hold onto a playoff spot with Leonard under center, their reaction was to bring Philip Rivers out of retirement after five years. It shows how low expectations were, even if it’s understandable for a rookie late-rounder. Leonard did get a start in the last game of the season and put up 30 points on a really good Texans defense, although they had already clinched a playoff berth and were sitting some starters. He probably entered camp as the favorite for the No. 2 job over Richardson thanks to the positive first impression he made. 

31 – Lions QB Teddy Bridgewater

• W/L record: 33-32

• TD/INT: 75/47

• ANY/A: 6.0

• Last year’s rank: NA

Bridgewater’s a proven veteran who has returned to the sidelines after his first retirement in 2023 didn’t stick. However, he hasn’t seen a lot of action over the past several years, throwing 15 passes for the Bucs last season. He never had great physical tools and I’m not sure how much he has left in the tank at 33. 

32 – Broncos QB Jarrett Stidham

• W/L record: 1-3

• TD/INT: 8/8

• ANY/A: 5.1

• Last year’s rank: 29th

When the Broncos caught the bad break of bad breaks and lost QB Bo Nix to a broken ankle ahead of the AFC title game, it was Stidham who got the nod to try and finish the job with a Super Bowl. It showed why Cinderella stories like Nick Foles’ run with the Eagles nearly a decade ago are so special — they don’t happen that often. Stidham threw one touchdown pass but couldn’t muster up any other points in a 10-7 loss. 

33 – Bills QB Kyle Allen

• W/L record: 7-12

• TD/INT: 26/21

• ANY/A: 5.0

• Last year’s rank: 28th

Allen has thrown three passes in the past three years, which makes it tough to get that good of a read on him. In the past, he’s been a decent backup with some physical talent, although he hasn’t come close to matching that debut streak with the Panthers back in 2019. 

34 – Cowboys QB Joe Milton

• W/L record: NA

• TD/INT: 2/2

• ANY/A: 7.1

Last year’s rank: 21st

Milton has jaw-dropping physical talent, including possibly the strongest arm of any quarterback, starter or backup, in the NFL right now. A lot more goes into playing the position than that, though, and Milton has had to sharpen the edges of his game to stick around. The Cowboys brought in competition for him with the next player on this list. 

35 – Cowboys QB Sam Howell

• W/L record: 5-13

• TD/INT: 22/23

• ANY/A: 4.27

• Last year’s rank: 32nd

Howell started all 17 games for the Commanders in 2023 and led the NFL in passing attempts, which is just jaw-dropping. Since then, he’s had just 14 attempts and completed only five. He was traded three times from 2024 to 2025 and the Cowboys are the fifth team he’s suited up for since being drafted in 2022. It’s safe to read between the lines and say he’s probably plateaued, although that one season does still keep teams intrigued. 

36 – Patriots QB Tommy DeVito

• W/L record: 3-5

• TD/INT: 8/3

• ANY/A: 4.4

• Last year’s rank: NA

Remember “Tommy Cutlets?” DeVito is New Jersey through and through and captured the hearts of the Giants’ fanbase when he was pressed into action as a rookie in 2023 and his numbers weren’t all that bad. Since then, he’s been more of a third-string option, but the Patriots liked him enough to make him their primary backup and axe veteran QB Joshua Dobbs. 

37 – Chargers QB Trey Lance

• W/L record: 2-4

• TD/INT: 5/5

• ANY/A: 5.0

• Last year’s rank: NA

Lance has banked enough reps to the point where he is being entrusted with a No. 2 job instead of a developmental No. 3 role. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it seems like he’ll never reach the potential he showed as a rookie and former No. 3 pick in the draft. His one start for the Chargers last year was ugly, even if it was Week 18. (As an aside, his 44 pass attempts in that game were over 20 percent of his career total…) Los Angeles still brought him back without real competition, which says something at least. 

38 – Rams QB Stetson Bennett

• W/L record: NA

• TD/INT: NA

• ANY/A: NA

• Last year’s rank: NA

The former national title winner at Georgia has yet to see the field for an NFL game as a former fourth-round pick. Yet it seems like he has the inside track to be the primary backup to Matthew Stafford in a Super Bowl or bust year, ahead of first-round QB Ty Simpson. He has HC Sean McVay vouching for him, which counts for something, but still…

39 – Jets QB Cade Klubnik

• W/L record: NA

• TD/INT: NA

• ANY/A: NA

• Last year’s rank: NA

The Jets would love for Klubnik to run away with the backup job behind veteran QB Geno Smith. It seldom works out that clean for Day 3 rookies, although Klubnik had three seasons of starting action at Clemson, so he’s got some experience to lean on.