5 Teams That Need a Better Backup QB Plan

Quarterback play is the most important factor for winning in today’s NFL … and somehow teams still under-invest in the position. Not the starters. The market forces teams to over-invest in starters, and then they turn around and under-invest in rest of the quarterback room. That thinking leaves them vulnerable to injury and robs them of an opportunity to develop valuable players.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ trade for Andy Dalton is one of the under-appreciated moves of the offseason. When a smart front office prioritizes having three veteran quarterbacks on the roster — for now — other teams should take notice. Throughout his tenure, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman has benefited from having quarterback depth. He was with the Eagles in 2004 when they traded A.J. Feely to the Dolphins for a second-round pick, and in 2016 when they received a first-rounder for Sam Bradford. No surprise, there’s speculation that Roseman added Dalton to the roster so he could eventually deal away backup Tanner McKee.

Potential contending teams not adding quality depth at quarterback is baffling. Perhaps they think that if the No. 1 guy goes down, they’re finished anyway. But last season, backups helped San Francisco, Houston and Green Bay make the playoffs. If not for a second-half snowstorm in the AFC title game, we might have had Denver Broncos backup Jarrett Stidham starting in the Super Bowl. Quarterbacks are more mobile and the days of iron men like Tom Brady or Eli Manning are gone. Last season, 64 quarterbacks saw action. Just wait until they extend the season to 18 games.

The notion that there are not enough quality players at the position to go around is ridiculous. There are at least 20-30 quarterbacks good enough to win the Super Bowl. Did anyone have Sam Darnold, who won it this year, ranked in the top 30 at the position after his stints in New York and Carolina? He was considered a career backup. Darnold needed to be in the right place at the right time, and he’s not alone. That’s why paying up for a dynamic QB room makes sense.

Great teams also have a history of being aggressive at finding backup quarterbacks during the draft, even when they have entrenched starters. The Eagles took Jalen Hurts in the second round even though Carson Wentz had just led them to the playoffs. The Patriots continually drafted quarterbacks during their dynasty. They took Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round in 2014 and used third-rounders on Jacoby Brissett, Ryan Mallett and Kevin O’Connell while Tom Brady was at his peak. The Chiefs famously drafted Patrick Mahomes when Alex Smith was playing at a Pro Bowl level.

While Philadelphia and other teams have made strong backup moves, there are still potential upgrades out there. Teams could bring in wisdom and possibly a talent upgrade with free agents Kirk Cousins, Russell Wilson, Garoppolo or Tyrod Taylor. Or they could attempt to trade for a younger prospect, like Indy’s Anthony Richardson, Chicago’s Tyson Bagent or Philly’s McKee. Or they could think outside the box and call the Vikings about J.J. McCarthy, or jump the QB-needy teams for Ty Simpson in the draft.

A GM should never stop thinking about his entire QB room or rule out any possibility. Not when someone like Roseman is always tinkering. There are multiple contenders who still have work to do:  

5 playoff contenders who need to upgrade their QB room

New England Patriots

The Patriots released 31-year-old Josh Dobbs and re-signed 27-year-old Tommy DeVito to back up 23-year-old Drake Maye. As much as everyone loves DeVito’s personality, he’s unproven in meaningful games despite starting eight games for the Giants. Maye could still use a mentor and with a tougher schedule this year, the Patriots can’t afford to give away any games if Maye gets hurt.

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams could still bring back Garoppolo … but they haven’t yet, so now they’re left with Stetson Bennett as the primary backup to 38-year-old Matthew Stafford. Their lack of movement could be because they want to take Alabama’s Ty Simpson at No. 13 in the draft or a developmental player in later rounds. Stafford’s healthy run last season felt like a miracle. The Rams are in a win-now mode, so a more stable insurance policy must be a priority.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Backup Nick Mullens has shown flashes throughout his career, but don’t be surprised if the Jags want to take a shot at a younger, developmental quarterback in the later rounds. Jacksonville head coach Liam Coen helped turn around Trevor Lawrence’s career and could have success with a developmental guy taken in the third round or later.

Los Angeles Chargers

Head coach Jim Harbaugh said he was excited when they re-signed backup Trey Lance, noting how well he played in spot duty in a Week 13 win over the Raiders. But over the long term, Lance, the former No. 3 overall pick, is still an unknown. If any team needs multiple contingency plays, it’s the injury-plagued Chargers. Starter Justin Herbert is always dealing with some kind of physical issue and Lance will probably be put to the test this season.

Green Bay Packers

Jordan Love has missed games in each of the past two seasons, with Desmond Ridder currently his main backup. Head coach Matt LaFleur is running out of time and won’t be able to use injuries as an excuse. Ridder has experience starting, but he’s not as talented as last season’s backup, Malik Willis. The front office should jump into the veteran pool instead of simply adding depth late in the draft.