I’m not sure what this says about the quarterback landscape, but this year’s list of backups has been the best in years—or since I started doing these rankings in 2023.
Just compare the back end of the list and the top five spots compared to the past two years. (Here’s 2024 and here’s 2023.)
The 2025 backup quarterbacks look better partly because the Atlanta Falcons refuse to cut their losses with Kirk Cousins and haven’t fooled anyone into thinking they’re serious about keeping him to be Michael Penix Jr.’s No. 2 this season. Unsurprisingly, Cousins didn’t report for the team’s voluntary OTA this week. Eventually, the Falcons will need to accept that they paid Cousins $100 million guaranteed for two months of solid football.
Not even the Cleveland Browns wanted to let the Falcons off the hook by trading for Cousins. Instead, they opted for a four-man quarterback competition. (There’s a tracker for passing completions from the four QBs in OTAs!)
It was tough deciding who will be QB2 for the Browns this year. All right, let’s get to this year’s impressive list.
32. Kyle Trask, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
It seems like ages ago when Trask was competing with Baker Mayfield for the Buccaneers’ starting job in 2023. Trask, a ’21 second-round pick, has had only two passing attempts since Mayfield arrived and only nine career passing attempts with zero starts. Trask was Tom Brady’s backup for two seasons. There’s not enough of a sample size to know whether Trask is a quality backup.
31. Tyson Bagent, Chicago Bears
Bagent is remembered for his four consecutive starts as an undrafted rookie filling in for the then-injured Justin Fields two years ago. Bagent had a few impressive flashes, but the lows made it clear that he’s better suited as a spot starter. Bagent didn’t see much work last year as Caleb Williams’s backup, attempting only two passes.
30. Davis Mills, Houston Texans
Mills has had zero starts since the organization drafted C.J. Stroud in 2023. But the ’21 third-round pick has impressed Houston as a QB2, evident by the one-year, $5 million extension he received last year. Mills has plenty of experience, starting 26 games in his first two NFL seasons.
29. Mitchell Trubisky, Buffalo Bills
Trubisky drastically improved during his first stint with the Bills. However, that wasn’t the case after two shaky seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, starting seven games from 2022 to ’23. The Bills supported their rave remarks about Trubisky by bringing him back to be Josh Allen’s backup last season. Luckily for Bills fans, Trubisky hasn’t made a start in two seasons in Buffalo.
28. Nick Mullens, Jacksonville Jaguars
Mullens is know for getting hot in a hurry, but his aggressive approach often gets him in trouble with killer turnovers. In 2023 with the Minnesota Vikings, Mullens passed for 411 yards and four interceptions during a losing effort against the Detroit Lions. Mullens, the former San Francisco 49er and Brown, has started 20 of his 33 career games played.
27. Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints
Rattler was thrown into the fire as a rookie last season, losing all six of his starts for the injury-ravaged Saints. Rattler, the 2024 fifth-round pick, showed minimal flashes and might not be an option to be the Week 1 starter due to the second-round selection of Tyler Shough. It’s not a given that Rattler will land the backup job with third-year QB Jake Haener also on the roster.
26. Mason Rudolph, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rudolph is penciled in as QB1 in Pittsburgh, but all signs point to Aaron Rodgers joining the team in time for training camp. (Although Steelers legend Terry Bradshaw is tired of waiting.) Rodgers made it evident by saying recently that he has plans to be in Chicago this season as an opposing player. The Steelers are scheduled to face the Bears in November. If Rodgers doesn’t sign, perhaps Rudolph is forced to compete with sixth-round rookie Will Howard for the starting gig.
25. Will Levis, Tennessee Titans
Levis is a talented QB, but he can’t be trusted for long stretches due to his careless ways with the football. There were many times last year that Titans coach Brian Callahan wanted to pull his hair out watching Levis commit backbreaking mistakes. There’s a strong chance Levis isn’t on the Titans’ roster after final cuts this summer. He’ll need to showcase himself in the preseason with the franchise invested heavily in 2025 No. 1 pick Cam Ward.
24. Joshua Dobbs, New England Patriots
Dobbs can be trusted for one game after memorable starts for the Arizona Cardinals, Titans and Vikings the past few seasons. But he tends to go cold when asked to play more than one game, which occurred in his rollercoaster 2023 season, splitting 12 starts in Arizona and Minnesota. Perhaps Dobbs is more of a consistent quarterback after learning from 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan last season.
23. Kenny Pickett, Cleveland Browns
It wouldn’t be a surprise if the four quarterbacks vying for the starting job this summer play musical chairs with the depth chart order. According to reports, Pickett is getting the first crack at the starting gig, but Dillon Gabriel has had some reps with the first-team offense. We’ll pencil in Pickett as QB2 here for Week 1 because Gabriel has impressed the local reporters in Cleveland. It appears popular rookie Shedeur Sanders and veteran Joe Flacco have fallen behind in the rotation of arms.
22. Jalen Milroe, Seattle Seahawks
Milroe struggles as a passer, but his freakish athleticism could make him a dangerous playmaker. This explains why the Seahawks rolled the dice on the Alabama product despite signing Sam Darnold in the offseason. There’s been talk coming out of Seattle about the possibility of the team utilizing Milroe as a red-zone threat this season.
21. Taylor Heinicke, Los Angeles Chargers
Heinicke hasn’t played much since leaving Washington two years ago. He was once viewed as a top QB2 because he impressed at times during his 24 starts in Washington. But Heinicke struggled in his stint with the Falcons before landing as Justin Herbert’s backup with the Chargers last season.
20. Jarrett Stidham, Denver Broncos
Stidham heads into his second season as the Broncos’ backup after losing the starting competition to Bo Nix last summer. Stidham didn’t record a passing attempt in 2024, but he did have two productive starts for the Raiders toward the end of the ’23 season.
19. Tanner McKee, Philadelphia Eagles
McKee made the most of his Week 18 start against the New York Giants, who were more than ready for their offseason vacation. The 6' 6" McKee completed 27-of-41 passes for 269 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. The lone start was impressive enough for the team to trade Pickett to the Browns. McKee lacks experience but has the luxury of playing on a loaded team in case he needs to step in for Jalen Hurts.
18. Tyrod Taylor, New York Jets
Taylor is a proven backup with ideal traits for the role. The 14-year veteran has 58 career starts and excels at protecting the football, with 68 career passing touchdowns compared to 29 interceptions. Taylor does tend to frustrate football fans due to his safe approach on the field, but coaches don’t mind as long as the offense runs efficiently.
17. Joe Milton III, Dallas Cowboys
Some might argue that this ranking is too low for Milton after dazzling in his Week 18 start last season for the Patriots. However, Milton, who went 22-of-29 for 241 yards and two total touchdowns, faced the Buffalo Bills’ backups a week before the playoffs. The Patriots were quick to trade the 2024 sixth-round pick. But the Cowboys were impressed with Milton’s lone start, sending this year’s fifth-round pick to New England to land Dak Prescott’s backup.
16. Hendon Hooker, Detroit Lions
Hooker hasn’t played much since being viewed as a top quarterback prospect in the 2023 draft. The third-round pick missed his rookie season due to a torn ACL and had only nine passing attempts as Jared Goff’s backup last year. Hooker lacks experience, but he does have the benefit of leaning on a stacked offense in case he’s needed to fill in for Goff in 2025.
15. Zach Wilson, Miami Dolphins
Wilson received rave reviews from the Broncos during his one-year stint in Denver. Still, it’s unknown how much Wilson benefited from having a reset year away from the chaos he faced daily in three seasons with the Jets. Perhaps Wilson will become the latest former first-round quarterback of the Jets to have success elsewhere. He’s not expected to play this season unless Tua Tagovailoa sustains more injuries.
14. Gardner Minshew II, Kansas City Chiefs
Minshew went from a productive starting stint for the Indianapolis Colts in 2023 to a disastrous starting role with the Raiders last year. The Minshew Mania rollercoaster saw a combined 20 starts in the past two seasons. He won’t be expected to play as Patrick Mahomes’s backup in Kansas City. Minshew had a cozy stint with the Eagles, starting only four games in two seasons after two up-and-down seasons with the Jaguars to start his career.
13. Cooper Rush, Baltimore Ravens
Rush held down the Cowboys’ QB2 job for a few years partly because of his 4–1 stretch in 2022. However, the results weren’t as good last season when he was thrust into eight starts due to Prescott being sidelined. Then, again, the Cowboys didn’t do Rush any favors with a stagnant rushing attack. If he’s needed to fill in for Lamar Jackson, Rush should expect a much better-rushing game with Derrick Henry in the backfield.
12. Aidan O’Connell, Las Vegas Raiders
O’Connell displayed enough flashes to convince the Raiders he’s worthy of at least competing for the starting gig the past two seasons. But with 17 starts, O’Connell’s inconsistent performances made it clear he’s more of a backup than a reliable starter. There’s no doubt who will be the starter in Las Vegas after the trade for Geno Smith.
11. Sam Howell, Minnesota Vikings
The Seahawks quickly traded Howell after drafting Milroe to back up Darnold. Howell found a home in Minnesota after coach Kevin O’Connell stopped responding to Rodgers’s texts about him possibly joining the team. (That’s a joke, maybe.) Howell had some positive moments as a starter for the Commanders in 2023. He’ll now help second-year QB J.J. McCarthy prepare for his first season as a starter—unless Rodgers finds a way to Minnesota and not Pittsburgh.
10. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals
Brissett often gets called to be the bridge quarterback for a notable unproven young quarterback or a veteran in need of some competition to get him back on track. Brissett has the latter assignment with the Cardinals after a subpar season from Kyler Murray. The team is still committed to Murray after guaranteeing more money on his contract. But at least the Cardinals have another reliable option in case Murray continues to struggle.
9. Malik Willis, Green Bay Packers
Willis needed some experience—and to leave the Titans—to get his career on track. There was nothing special about Willis’s two starts with the Packers last season, but he showed strong command of the offense and did enough to win both games while Jordan Love recovered from a knee injury. Willis has come a long way since his disastrous performances with the Titans. Also, Willis gets a bump for these rankings because he has the benefit of playing with Josh Jacobs and receiving play calls from coach Matt LaFleur.
8. Andy Dalton, Carolina Panthers
Not many No. 2 quarterbacks are as reliable as Dalton, the former long-time starter of the Cincinnati Bengals with 168 career starts. Dalton started five games last season after the benching of Bryce Young, who showed vast improvements after returning to the field. The Panthers believe Dalton has helped with Young develop as he heads into Year 3 in Carolina.
7. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
As a backup, getting the starter prepared to play is just as important as keeping the team afloat when injuries occur. Jayden Daniels often praised Mariota for helping him throughout his sensational rookie season. Also, Mariota can still play, evident by his 205-yard performance in the blowout win against the Panthers after Daniels exited due to a rib injury.
6. Mac Jones, San Francisco 49ers
Jones will finally get to learn from Kyle Shanahan after various reports stated that he was Shanahan’s first choice in the lead-up to the 2021 NFL draft before the team ultimately selected Trey Lance with the No. 3 pick. After mixed results with the Patriots and Jaguars, Jones will back up Brock Purdy, who just received a hefty pay raise with his five-year, $265 million contract extension. Jones sometimes gets a little reckless, but he has a knack for pushing the ball downfield.
5. Jaxson Dart, New York Giants
Dart hasn’t taken a snap in the NFL. Still, the Giants view him as a long-term starter after trading back into the first round to take the Ole Miss product at No. 25. Russell Wilson is the starting quarterback of the Giants, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Dart takes over midway through the season. The rookie signal-caller impressed coach Brian Daboll during their pre-draft meetings.
4. Jake Browning, Cincinnati Bengals
Browning, last year’s No. 1-rated backup QB, wasn’t needed to start last year with Joe Burrow staying healthy the entire 2024 season. Still, Browning cracks the top five because of his sensational seven starts in 2023 when he completed 70.4% of his passes and recorded 1,936 yards for 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
3. Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts
It’s hard to trust a quarterback as inconsistent as Jones. Still, his skill set and starting experience could make him a reliable backup, especially in situations requiring his services for longer than a week. There’s also the possibility of Jones flourishing away from the struggling Giants. In Indianapolis, Jones will play with Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr. and will be guided by coach Shane Steichen. There’s a chance Jones wins the starting gig, but the team likely favors Anthony Richardson after investing a first-round pick in him in 2023.
2. Jimmy Garoppolo, Los Angeles Rams
It doesn’t get much safer at quarterback than Garoppolo, who racked up 38 wins and made a Super Bowl appearance with the 49ers. Garoppolo can keep teams afloat amid injuries and has the skill set to run offenses smoothly. He lacks arm strength and is sometimes slow to react, but he has a nice gig in Los Angeles as Matthew Stafford’s backup. If Garoppolo is needed to play, he can lean on Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
1. Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons
It would have been interesting to see whether Cousins could still draw interest for starting opportunities. However, the Falcons weren’t willing to let him go for nothing after committing plenty of money on the four-year, $180 contract they handed the veteran signal-caller last season. Cousins flourished in his new surroundings for two months, including a 509-yard performance against the Buccaneers. But Cousins’s lack of mobility and arm fatigue got the best of him down the stretch, forcing coach Raheem Morris to turn to Penix. It’s hard to believe the Falcons are willing to keep Cousins for the 2025 season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking the NFL’s 32 Backup QBs of 2025.
