Backup QBs more important than ever, but who has the best one?
Backup QBs are more important than ever. So who has the best one? Scouts Inc. ranks them 1-32.
So if the starting QB goes down, is your team in good hands when the backup trots out? Here's our list of the top backup QBs in the NFL, from 1 to 32. Let the second-guessing begin. 2. Sage Rosenfels, Houston Texans
3. Todd Collins, Washington Redskins
4. Matt Leinart, Arizona Cardinals
5. Kerry Collins, Tennessee Titans 6. J.P. Losman, Buffalo Bills 7. Brian Griese, Tampa Bay Buccaneers 8. Josh McCown, Carolina Panthers 9. Gus Frerotte, Minnesota Vikings 10. Cleo Lemon, Jacksonville Jaguars 11. Damon Huard, Kansas City Chiefs 13. Patrick Ramsey, Denver Broncos 15 Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia Eagles 16. Chad Henne, Miami Dolphins 16. Brad Johnson, Dallas Cowboys 17. Trent Green, St. Louis Rams 18. Rex Grossman, Chicago Bears 19. Jim Sorgi, Indianapolis Colts 20. Kellen Clemens, New York Jets 21. Seneca Wallace, Seattle Seahawks 22. Chris Redman, Atlanta Falcons 23. Byron Leftwich, Pittsburgh Steelers 25. Shaun Hill, San Francisco 49ers 26. Andrew Walter, Oakland Raiders 27. Mark Brunell, New Orleans Saints 28. Dan Orlovsky, Detroit Lions 29. David Carr, New York Giants 30. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Cincinnati Bengals 31. Kevin O'Connell, New England Patriots 32. Matt Flynn, Green Bay Packers
Scouts Inc. watches games, breaks down film and studies football from all angles for ESPN.com.
Veteran QB with starting experience from when he was with Tennessee. His knowledge of multiple systems, smarts and leadership make him the best backup QB in the NFL.
Rosenfels is somewhat of a journeyman QB, but he's a confident backup who has very good physical tools. He can make all the throws, and the only thing that really held him back was lack of starting experience in his early years in the league.
Veteran backup who shows great leadership skills. Proved his value last season as a guy who could come off the bench and be effective over a short period of time.
Hard to say where he is right now mentally, but the physical tools are there. His lack of leadership and commitment are his biggest negatives.
He is a veteran pocket-passer who has a big-time arm. His biggest drawback is that he is a little loose with the football at times, which means there is a lot of risk/reward when he is in the lineup.
We do not know how he will react as a backup. He is young and still has good overall physical tools to work with, which means a change of scenery could spark his game.
He has been productive over his career as a starter but he needs talent around him to win. He's a good backup because he exudes leadership, and guys believe in him in that role because he has won before.
Veteran backup QB who has good athletic ability and good arm strength, but struggles mentally and under pressure, leading to poor decisions.
As a starter and backup, he is a guy who will take chances and move the chains. However, he is streaky and can keep you in a game just as quickly as he can throw you out of one.
He is a game manager as a backup. He is not going to put up big numbers, but he can drive the bus over a short period of time if he is surrounded by a few playmakers.
Has had recent success when called upon. Overall he makes good decisions with the ball, and his knowledge of the offense covers up his lack of physical skills.
He has not seen a lot of game action lately, but he has good overall physical skills. After all, he's never had any problems making whatever throw is needed. Decision-making has always been his biggest downfall.
He has had two good preseasons overall, but the jury is still out on whether he can ascend because there is no body of work to go on.
Biding his time in Philadelphia. Based on preseason views, however, there is still some work to be done mechanically because he is adjusting to a pro-style offense.
He is a pocket-passer with good overall arm strength. Time will tell, but he has the skill, smarts and leadership to develop into a No. 1 QB.
He is a former starter who has had a solid career. However, his lack of arm strength at this point of his career is scary, and you wonder if he could produce anymore if called upon.
The end of his career has been plagued by two major concussions, and you would worry about his safety if he had to play because he lacks mobility and the feel that he once had for the game.
Career is over in Chicago, but two years ago he was the starting QB for the Bears in Super Bowl XLI. He will get a chance to compete elsewhere next season.
It was alarming as to how unprepared he was last season when called upon to play, but he is smart and understands the system in which he plays.
Looks like there is something here to work with, but he appears to be lacking in confidence right now. His decision-making has been awful at times, be it in training camp, the preseason or even the 2007 season, when he got an opportunity to play.
He lacks ideal size and arm strength for the position, but he is an athletic backup who is a dual threat at the position.
Made plays at the end of the 2007 season in flashes. Does not have a great arm, but we liked his leadership skills coming off the bench, and he kept team organized under some pretty trying times.
Nobody questions the physical tools. However, he is not mobile and has a big wind-up and slow delivery. This gets him hit and hurt far too often.
Was competing for the starting spot until he became ill with a viral infection. He was a great college QB at Ohio State, but his lack of height, arm and accuracy will prevent him from ascending.
Career backup who played well in a few games in 2007, but he lacks the skills to become a No. 1 or even a quality backup.
Tall QB with a good arm overall, but he is not a great leader. He's more of a finger pointer and passes the blame, which never sits well in the locker room or on the playing field.
His best assets at this point are experience, but the skills have diminished to the point where you would have to question whether he should have retired prior to the start of the 2008 season.
He hasn't played in two seasons, and with a total of 17 career passes there isn't a lot to go on. Had a strong arm coming out of college, but his biggest drawback right now is he lacks experience.
Veteran backup of whom we have seen enough. His lack of preparation and game management were alarming when called upon to play in Carolina last season.
The fourth-year pro out of Harvard made some nice throws in the preseason, but he lacks experience. He has 135 career attempts but hasn't had one in a regular-season game since 2005.
Rookie who had an up-and-down preseason. If Matt Cassel were to go down, it's hard to believe he's even close to being ready to step in.
He beat out much more heralded rookie Brian Brohm for the backup job, but we still didn't see enough in the preseason to know much about him. The jury is still out on just how good he'll be, and if Aaron Rodgers gets hurt, tough to think he'd be ready to step in.
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