The starting quarterback is the most closely-watched guy on virtually every NFL team. The backup quarterback is often forgotten about.
But it shouldn’t be that way because every backup is just one injury away from playing. While losing a starter can be devastating, it doesn’t always turn out to be that way. Take the case of Earl Morrall and the 1972 Miami Dolphins. With the Dolphins off to a 4-0 start, starter Bob Griese suffered a broken leg, Morrall stepped in and led Miami to a victory against the San Diego Chargers. After that, Morrall and the Dolphins kept winning and winning.
Griese returned to start the Super Bowl and the Dolphins became the only team in history to have an undefeated season. It wouldn’t have happened without Morrall.
That’s a lesson every team should keep in mind. But some do a better job than others.
Here’s a look at the top 11 backup quarterbacks for 2019.
Robert Griffin III | Brian Hoyer | Blake Bortles | Ryan Tannehill | Ryan Fitzpatrick/Josh Rosen | Chase Daniel | Daniel Jones | Jacoby Brissett | Tyrod Taylor | Josh McCown | Teddy Bridgewater
11. Robert Griffin III, Baltimore Ravens
Back in 2012, it looked like the Washington Redskins had drafted the next great quarterback in Griffin. He had a great rookie season, throwing for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns with only five interceptions and also rushed for 815 yards and seven touchdowns. After that, he ran into trouble with inconsistency and injury. Baltimore brought him in last year, but he only attempted six passes. Now, that Joe Flacco is gone and the Ravens are committed to Lamar Jackson as the starter, the Ravens are looking to Griffin, who was re-signed to a two-year, $4 million contract in the offseason, to be the backup. His skill set is similar to Jackson’s, so the Ravens wouldn’t have to make major changes to their offense if Griffin is forced to play.
10. Brian Hoyer, New England Patriots
Let’s be very clear in saying that Hoyer is not the heir apparent should Tom Brady ever actually decide to retire. At 33, he’s in the final year of a three-year, $4.4 million contract. He’ll probably be gone from New England before Brady is because Hoyer has no upside. However, he’s pretty much the perfect backup in New England’s current situation. He’s no threat to Brady, but he’s experienced enough to be a solid short-term fill-in, if he’s needed.
9. Blake Bortles, Los Angeles Rams
Bortles hit his ceiling in his second season in Jacksonville (2015) when he threw for 4,428 yards with 35 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. But, after that, his career went into a steady slide. Now, he’s out of a pressure-packed situation. He was Jacksonville’s first-round pick in 2014 and he grew up near Orlando, so expectations were ridiculously high. In Los Angeles, where he signed a one-year, $1 million contract, he’s not even on the radar of most fans. The only expectation is that, if anything happens to Jared Goff, Bortles should be able to play respectably. In Sean McVay’s offense and on a team with plenty of talent, Bortles should be able to be a decent fill-in.
8. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
In the end, the Miami Dolphins decided Tannehill was not a franchise quarterback and let him go. So, he carries the “bust’’ label, but that might not be entirely fitting. You have to go back a way, but Tannehill did have some pretty good moments in Miami. Take the 2015 season for example. He threw for 4,208 yards and 24 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. After signing a one-year, $2 million deal with Tennessee, it’s clear the Titans view him as nothing more than a backup to Marcus Mariota. But, if Tannehill is forced to play, it might not be a disaster. After all, he did a pretty good job of taking care of the ball in Miami – throwing for 123 touchdowns and 75 interceptions.
7. Ryan Fitzpatrick/Josh Rosen, Miami Dolphins
This one is complicated because it isn’t clear if the Dolphins will open the season with Fitzpatrick or Rosen as the starter. It’s possible this could be a situation like the one Fitzpatrick was in last year in Tampa Bay when he and Jameis Winston bounced back and forth in the starting role. Fitzpatrick is 36 and he’s had moderate success at times during his career. The Dolphins signed him to a two-year, $11 million contract. That kind of money is on the low end for a starter and the high end for a backup. The Dolphins aren’t loaded with talented overall, but Fitzpatrick could give them a jump start (he led the Bucs to a 2-0 start last season and put up big numbers).
But it’s obvious Fitzpatrick isn’t a long-term answer. Rosen, 22, could be.
Rosen was a first-round pick by Arizona last year, but the Cardinals cast him aside when they took Kyler Murray with the first overall pick in this year’s draft. Rosen has plenty of upside. Plus, the Dolphins got a financial bargain when they traded for Rosen. Arizona had to eat most of the four-year, $17.6 million contract he signed last year. In base salary and bonuses, Rosen will only earn $1.2 million this year, $2 million in 2020 and $2.8 million in 2021. The Dolphins just have to decide if and when he’s good enough to start. Bringing in Rosen was a low-risk move that could end up yielding a high reward.
6. Chase Daniel, Chicago Bears
He’s a career backup who has attempted only 154 passes in a 10-year career But you could do a lot worse than Daniel as a backup quarterback. That’s why he’s in the second-year of an $10 million contract to be ready in case anything happens to Mitchell Trubisky. Daniel is the kind of quarterback who could come in and be competent. With Chicago’s defense, the Bears could be more than decent with Daniel. Perhaps the best thing of all about Daniel is that he spent the first four years of his career playing under Sean Payton and backing up Drew Brees in New Orleans and also returned to the Saints for the 2017 season. Some positive things had to rub off on him during that experience.
5. Daniel Jones, New York Giants
Jones has yet to throw an NFL regular-season pass, although he’s looked sharp so far in the season. But this guy has more upside than anyone on the list and he’s not going to be a backup for long. The Giants drafted him No. 6 overall and gave him a four-year deal worth $25.6 million and the team holds and option for a fifth season. You don’t make a move like that for someone who is going to be a backup for long and Jones won’t be. Eli Manning is clearly at the end of the road and is in the last year of his contract. All it’s going to take to get Jones in the lineup will be a few losses or rough outings by Manning. The sooner Jones gets in the lineup, the better. This guy is the quarterback of the future and the Giants might as well start getting him experience as soon as possible.
4. Jacoby Brissett, Indianapolis Colts
If anything happens to starter Andrew Luck, the Colts have the luxury of turning to Brissett, who has experience as a starter in their system. In 2017, Brissett started 15 games in place of an injured Luck. He wasn’t great as he threw for 3,098 yards. But he was reasonably competent and didn’t make a lot of bad throws as he finished with just seven interceptions. As a backup with starting experience, Brissett is a bargain this season with a $2 million salary. But the Colts better enjoy this luxury while they can. Brissett can become a free agent in 2020 and it’s likely he’ll get offers from teams willing to give him a chance to start.
3. Tyrod Taylor, Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers signed Taylor to a two-year, $11 million contract this offseason. That’s decent money for a backup quarterback, but it’s well spent as an insurance policy in case anything happens to Philip Rivers. This is a guy that made 43 starts in his three seasons with Buffalo and he wasn’t bad. He didn’t put up huge numbers with the Bills but he was a fairly accurate passer and never threw more than six interceptions in a season. Taylor also is a threat to run the ball. If anything happens to Rivers, the Chargers wouldn’t be in bad shape with Taylor. They’re a talented team and Taylor is good enough to lead him to the playoffs. As far as Taylor being the heir apparent to Rivers, 37, his current contract situation isn’t set up to naturally make that happen. But if the Chargers like what they see in Taylor and Rivers shows signs of slowing down, the team could try to work out a long-term deal.
2. Josh McCown, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles coaxed McCown, 40, out of retirement and a job in broadcasting last week, as they signed him to a one-year, $2 million contract to be the backup to Carson Wentz. In some ways, McCown is the perfect backup. He’s been around the league since 2002 and the Eagles are his ninth team. McCown has seen everything there is to see. He’s a team player and gladly will try to be a mentor to Wentz. As a guy who has completed 1,581 passes and 98 touchdowns, McCown is a reliable option if Wentz is injured for a few games. But let’s be clear in saying that McCown is absolutely nothing more than a short-term answer. He had chances to be a starter earlier in his career, but never could nail down a job for the long term. He’s capable of filling in nicely in the short term. But, if McCown, has to play more than a few games, the Eagles will be in for a long season.
1. Teddy Bridgewater, New Orleans Saints
Even though he’s thrown just one touchdown pass since 2015, there’s a reason why the Saints re-signed Bridgewater to a one-year, $7.25 million contract with a $6 million signing bonus this offseason. Bridgewater spent last season backing up Drew Brees and barely played. But coach Sean Payton is a quarterback guru and he got to see Bridgewater practice every day and must have liked what he saw. Brees has been remarkably durable other than a shoulder injury early in his career.
But one big hit could change that at any moment and the Saints are more than comfortable with turning to Bridgewater if he’s needed. Part of that is because he already has a year in the system. And part of that is because Bridgewater was pretty productive as Minnesota’s starter in 2014 and ’15 before tearing up his knee. Bridgewater is not Brees. But Bridgewater is a guy the Saints would be comfortable inserting into a lineup that’s filled with talent. But there could be even more to this situation than meets the eye. Although Brees still played at an elite level last year, he’s 40 and retirement could come soon.
The Saints could keep Bridgewater around with a short contract or two in the interim and make him their starter with a long-term contract when Brees does decide to retire. Bridgewater is only 26 and eventually taking over for Brees could be the perfect way to revive a once-promising career.
Pat Yasinskas has covered the NFL since 1993. He has worked for The Tampa Tribune, The Charlotte Observer and ESPN.com and writes for numerous national magazines and websites. He also has served as a voter for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
