Who Are the Best Backup Quarterbacks in the NFL?
The past NFL season was a big one for franchise quarterbacks being out for the season. It started with Aaron Rodgers just minutes into his first game with the New York Jets, and unfortunately, that trend continued. So, who are the best backup quarterbacks in the league? It’s an important question as we head into the 2024 season.
Best Backup Quarterbacks in the NFL
Backup quarterbacks are usually unsung heroes. Nobody knows their names. They’re around in case the main quarterback is out for a few plays. That’s about it. Unless, of course, tragedy strikes and the backup is needed for the remainder of a season. It reminds me of an understudy in a play. They have to know the role, but they never know if they’re really going to play that role. I say, it’s time to give backup quarterbacks some love. The experts at Sports Illustrated are doing just that by ranking the best backup quarterbacks in the league. It’s the kind of list I don’t usually see, since these tallies are usually reserved for the main guys. So, it’s nice to see the understudies getting some hugs and kisses.
I’ll get off my soapbox and get into their picks. First, I’ll start with a quarterback with whom I’m familiar: Hendon Hooker of the Detroit Lions. In last year’s draft, he was looking to be a first-round pick, but a torn ACL took him into the third round. Today, he’s healthy, but he hasn’t played enough for anyone to really know how he plays in 2024. That said, Sports Illustrated has him way down at No. 26 on their roster. As for my opinion, I would put him higher, somewhere around No. 15. Now that he’s healthy, I have to believe he has some expert moves that he’s raring to put out there.
Looking further down on the Sports Illustrated tally, another interesting name is Justin Fields of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fields came from the Bears, where he was actually a solid franchise quarterback last season. There’s so much buzz about Caleb Williams being this great franchise quarterback for the Bears, and it could all be true, but it’s not like Fields was bad last season, so time will tell how big a difference Williams is going to make. Now, Fields is the backup in Pittsburgh, and he’s No. 5 on Sports Illustrated’s list. I would have put him higher. No. 17 is Kenny Pickett of the Philadelphia Eagles, who was a first-round pick in 2022 and traded to the Eagles from the Steelers. Finally, coming in at No. 1 is Jake Browning of the Cincinnati Bengals. This guy stepped it up in the playoffs after Joe Burrow’s season-ending wrist injury, so he’s more than proven himself. Contact me with your thoughts. Is it September yet?