Only nine NFL starting quarterbacks played in all 17 regular-season games in 2023, per The Florida Times Union, so it’s vital to have a capable backup or two on a roster.
Heading into the 2024 season, some teams have good backup QB plans (Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans) while others are flirting with disaster (Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Chargers).
We asked Yardbarker’s NFL writers to evaluate the backup QB situations for all 16 AFC teams, assigning each a rating from “1” (terrific) to “5” (terrible).
AFC East
BUFFALO BILLS | Backups: Mitchell Trubisky, Ben DiNucci | Rating: 5 | If two-time Pro Bowler Josh Allen misses extended time, Buffalo might as well start prepping for 2025. Injuries are already wrecking Buffalo’s QB room. After losing third-string quarterback Shane Buechele to a significant neck injury, Trubisky — who has disappointed in preseason — left Saturday’s 9-3 win over the Steelers with a knee injury.
MIAMI DOLPHINS | Backups: Mike White, Skylar Thompson | Rating: 4 | White and Thompson have shown flashes when given opportunities as starters, but their preseason performances have raised concerns that Miami might need to add another backup quarterback behind starter Tua Tagovailoa. In two preseason games, White has completed 15-of-34 passes for 142 yards, while Thompson has thrown for 156 yards, one touchdown and one interception and completed 47% of his passes.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS | Backups: Drake Maye, Bailey Zappe, Joe Milton III | Rating: 3 | Veteran Jacoby Brissett is considered the front-runner to be the Week 1 starter, but HC Jerod Mayo has left the door open for first-round rookie Maye to secure the job. Nonetheless, it’s a matter of time before Maye starts and Brissett serves as the second-string QB, which isn’t the worst situation for the Patriots because the journeyman has proved to be a serviceable backup over 48 career starts.
NEW YORK JETS | Backups: Tyrod Taylor, Jordan Travis, Andrew Peasley | Rating: 3 | Travis and Peasley are nothing more than developmental projects, but Taylor could keep the Jets afloat if starting QB Aaron Rodgers misses time with an injury. Taylor, a one-time Pro Bowler, was arguably the best quarterback for the Giants in 2023, throwing for 1,103 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions in five games as a starter. — Colum Dell
AFC West
DENVER BRONCOS | Backups: Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson | Rating: 4 | Rookie Bo Nix — who has posted an impressive 121.5 passer rating in two preseason games — will probably win the starting QB job. Stidham went 1-1 in two regular-season starts with Denver in 2023 and is a better backup option than former Jets dud Wilson. In three seasons with New York, Wilson threw more interceptions (25) than TD passes TDs (23) and posted an awful 73.2 passer rating.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | Backups: Carson Wentz, Chris Oladokun, Ian Book | Rating: 2 | Losing QB Patrick Mahomes would be devastating for the Chiefs, but it appears they’re prepared for the worst-case scenario. Former Pro Bowler Wentz has looked dependable through two preseason games, completing 9-of-14 passes for 57 yards and one TD.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS | Backups: Aidan O’Connell, Carter Bradley, Nathan Peterman | Rating: 3 | O’Connell lost the starting job to Minshew II but should be a serviceable backup. In O’Connell’s rookie season in 2023, he went 5-5 in 10 regular-season starts, completing 62.1 percent of his passes for 12 TDs and seven picks.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | Backups: Easton Stick, Max Duggan, Luis Perez | Rating: 5 | If star QB Justin Herbert suffers a season-ending injury, the Chargers would probably be doomed. Through two preseason games, Stick, Duggan and Perez have failed to throw for a TD. — Clark Dalton
AFC North
BALTIMORE RAVENS | Backups: Josh Johnson, Devin Leary, Emory Jones | Rating: 4 | One of the Ravens’ more underrated losses this offseason was former Pro Bowl quarterback Tyler Huntley, who joined the Browns in free agency. Huntley never lit up the scoreboard (eight TD passes, seven interceptions in 20 games), but journeyman Josh Johnson and sixth-round rookie Devin Leary don’t inspire confidence should starter Lamar Jackson miss time.
CINCINNATI BENGALS | Backups: Jake Browning, Logan Woodside, Rocky Lombardi | Rating: 2 | When quarterback Joe Burrow suffered his season-ending wrist injury last year, the Bengals’ playoff hopes were all but lost. However, Browning brought them back, passing for 1,936 yards and 12 touchdowns in nine games. Cincinnati still came up short of the postseason, but Browning played with confidence.
CLEVELAND BROWNS | Backups: Jameis Winston, Tyler Huntley, Dorian Thompson-Robinson | Rating: 2 | The Browns had five different starting quarterbacks last season, so they signed capable veterans in Winston and Huntley to prevent that from happening again. Starter Deshaun Watson has played in just 12 games the past two years due to injuries and suspension, so it’s not hard to imagine one or both backups playing at some point this season.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS | Backups: Justin Fields, Kyle Allen, John Rhys Plumlee | Rating: 1 | The QB competition winner is still undecided, but for this exercise, we’ll award Russell Wilson the starter’s job because he has pole position. That would mean Pittsburgh has the No. 11 overall pick in 2021 NFL Draft (Fields) and an experienced, six-year veteran (Allen) as its backups. That’s quite the upgrade over Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph from a season ago. — Aaron Becker
AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS | Backups: Davis Mills, Case Keenum | Rating: 2 | Between Mills and Keenum, the pair have 92 NFL starts, offering the Texans plenty of experience behind second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud. While no one has secured the No. 2 job, the Texans should feel comfortable with either option.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS | Backups: Joe Flacco, Sam Ehlinger | Rating: 3 | Flacco, a 39-year-old former Super Bowl MVP, was serviceable with the Cleveland Browns in 2023 (4-1) last season, but he is at the back end of a long career. Ehlinger is much younger (25), but he hasn’t shown much, going 0-3 in his only starts as a pro. If either needs to carry the load should starter Anthony Richardson miss time, the Colts could be in trouble.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS | Backups: Mac Jones, C.J. Beathard | Rating: 2 | If it’s experience the Jaguars are looking for behind starter Trevor Lawrence, they have it in Jones and Beathard, who have proved capable of winning a game here or there over nine combined NFL seasons. Jones, a former Pro Bowler, may have the advantage for the No. 2 spot (73.5% completion percentage, 308 passing yards in preseason), which could make Beathard trade bait.
TENNESSEE TITANS | Backups: Mason Rudolph, Malik Willis | Rating: 2 | Rudolph is as solid as a backup gets, going 8-4-1 with 19 touchdowns and a 63.5 completion percentage over 13 career starts in four seasons with the Steelers. The Titans should feel good having him fill the same role behind second-year quarterback Will Levis. In training camp and the preseason, Rudolph has outplayed 2022 third-round pick Willis. — Mike Santa Barbara