Jimmy Garoppolo replaces Tom Brady the first month of the season. The Cowboys continue to look for an insurance policy in case Tony Romo is hurt again, especially after backup Kellen Moore suffered a broken leg. Andy Reid looked to a familiar face to make sure Alex Smith’s understudy was ready for the season. And Geno Smith insists he’ll be ready in case Ryan Fitzpatrick can’t play for the Jets.
Backup quarterback in the NFL is usually a forgotten position, and plenty of fans couldn’t even name most teams’ second-stringers. Go ahead. Who’s the backup to Drew Brees? And Aaron Rodgers? And Philip Rivers?
Given the lack of quarterback depth in today’s game, an even greater premium is placed on No. 2. Just ask the Cowboys, whose 2015 season effectively ended when Romo suffered a fractured collarbone in Week 2.
1. Josh McCown, Browns
McCown was signed last year as the starter, but a concussion and Johnny Manziel’s presence limited his play time. RGIII is the man this year, but McCown’s experience serves him and the Browns well.
2. Colin Kaepernick, 49ers
It has been a steady descent for Kaepernick, who played in the Super Bowl only 2 1/2 years ago and nearly won it in the fourth quarter. Chip Kelly appears to be leaning toward Blaine Gabbert as his starter, although Kaepernick should figure into the mix at some point.
3. Geno Smith, Jets
A year after he was literally punched out of the lineup by linebacker IK Enemkpali in a locker room incident, Smith goes into his fourth – and potentially final – season with the Jets as Ryan Fitzpatrick’s backup. But with two years as a starter, he’s ahead of most NFL backups in terms of experience. He has a terrific arm, although decision-making still a concern.
4. Nick Foles, Chiefs
A trade last year sent him from Chip Kelly’s Eagles to the Rams, but Foles fell out of favor with Jeff Fisher and was eventually released after the Rams drafted Jared Goff as their quarterback of the future.
5. Colt McCoy, Washington
Former Browns starter had four starts in relief of injured RGIII and Kirk Cousins in 2014, but didn’t start last year when Cousins emerged as the clear-cut starter. McCoy had 21 combined starts his first two years with the Browns in 2010-11.
6. Mike Glennon, Buccaneers
Glennon has been the subject of trade rumors the last two seasons, but the Bucs prefer that he remain as a capable backup for second-year starter Jameis Winston. A third-round pick in 2013, Glennon started 18 games over his first two seasons.
7. A.J. McCarron, Bengals
McCarron did a nice job last season filling in for the injured Andy Dalton, going 5-2 as a starter. He couldn’t get past the Steelers in the AFC playoffs, but he at least showed his team he can fill in capably when necessary.
8. Matt Schaub, Falcons
Interceptions and a lack of confidence prompted the Texans to part ways with Schaub after the 2013 season, and after stints in Oakland and Baltimore, he’s back with the Falcons, who drafted him in the third round in 2004. Schaub, who backs up Matt Ryan, has a 47-45 record as a starter.
9. Brian Hoyer, Bears
Hoyer is on his fifth team, and comes off a mediocre season with the Texans where he went 5-4 as the starter but was overpowered by the Chiefs in a 30-0 home loss in the AFC wild card playoffs. He backs up Jay Cutler in Chicago, so there’s no way he plays unless Cutler is injured.
10. Jimmy Garoppolo, Patriots
The last time the Patriots were without Tom Brady, Matt Cassel nearly got them to the playoffs, going 10-5 as the starter after Brady suffered a knee injury. The Patriots now turn to Garoppolo to fill in during the four-game suspension Brady will serve for his role in the Patriots’ alleged use of purposely underinflated footballs in the AFC Championship Game in January 2015.
11. Ryan Mallett, Ravens
Joe Flacco suffered a season-ending ACL injury late last season, giving Mallett a chance to audition for 2016. He passed the test and returns as Flacco’s backup.
12. Chad Henne, Jaguars
The former Dolphins starter is a capable backup for Blake Bortles, who comes off a much-improved season with 35 touchdown passes.
13. Chase Daniel, Eagles
The Eagles re-signed Sam Bradford early in the offseason, but it’s clear Carson Wentz is the quarterback of the future after Philly traded up to get him a No. 2 overall. For now, it’s Bradford No. 1 and Daniel No. 2 after he comes over from the Chiefs, where he worked with Doug Pederson.
14. Drew Stanton, Cardinals
Stanton did a solid job in relief of the injured Carson Palmer in 2013, going 5-3 as the starter. That’s what you want in your backup: a guy with experience who won’t screw it up if you need him to play.
15. Shaun Hill, Vikings
Hill started his career with the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2005, and now he’s back as Teddy Bridgewater’s reliever. He did a commendable job with a mediocre Rams team in 2014, going 3-5 as a starter. A journeyman who can fill in temporarily, but Hill can’t be counted on beyond that.
16. Jared Goff, Rams
The Rams will take their time with the No. 1 overall pick, meaning Goff will study behind Case Keenum. At least for now. As we’ve seen quite often in recent years, though, the highly drafted quarterback plays sooner – much sooner – rather than later.
17. Matt Moore, Dolphins
Moore hasn’t started a game since 2011, when he went 6-6 as a starter for the Dolphins. He has had a chance to go elsewhere and theoretically battle for a starting job, but the Dolphins value him as a backup for Ryan Tannehill.
18. Matt McGloin, Raiders
McGloin saw some time as the Raiders’ starter in 2013, going 1-5 and showing some promise as a rookie. But the Raiders upgraded the position the following year by drafting Derek Carr, so McGloin remains the understudy.
19. Matt Cassel, Titans
Cassel parlayed a terrific season as Tom Brady’s backup into a multi-year deal with the Chiefs, but he’s simply not a starting caliber quarterback. That said, he offers veteran experience as a No. 2, so the Titans have at least an insurance policy behind Marcus Mariota.
20. Kellen Clemens, Chargers
The former Jets backup spent some time with the Rams before joining the Chargers, where he doesn’t get the chance to see much action with the durable Philip Rivers ahead of him. He can win a game or two in a pinch.
21. Derek Anderson, Panthers
A former starter with the Browns, the 33-year-old Anderson has called Carolina home since 2011. He plays behind reigning MVP Cam Newton, so there isn’t much opportunity to play
22. Brandon Weeden, Texans
Weeden was once considered the Browns’ franchise quarterback, but he flamed out quickly in Cleveland before joining the Cowboys and then the Texans. He’s 6-19 as a starter. Weeden does have a rocket arm, but the Texans invested $18 million a year for Brock Osweiler, so he’ll only play in the event of injury or a sustained slump.
23. Luke McCown, Saints
At age 35, the younger brother of Josh McCown has 10 career starts in 12 NFL seasons. Translation: Drew Brees needs to stay healthy for the Saints to have a chance. McCown lost his only start last year when Brees was out with a shoulder injury.
24. Dan Orlovsky, Lions
Orlovsky was a fifth-round pick for Detroit in 2005, and spent time in Houston, Indianapolis and Tampa before rejoining the Lions last season. Orlovsky has only 12 starts on his resume, so he’s viewed strictly for mop-up duty for franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford.
25. Ryan Nassib, Giants
A fourth-round pick out of Syracuse in 2013, Nassib plays behind the most durable quarterback in the NFL. On the off-chance that Eli Manning does get hurt, there’s simply no way to tell whether he’d be up to the job.
26. Landry Jones, Steelers
A fourth-round pick in 2014, Jones went 1-1 in two starts in place of the injured Ben Roethlisberger last season.
27. Trevone Boykin, Seahawks
An undrafted rookie out of TCU, Boykin has drawn favorable comparisons to Seahawks starter Russell Wilson by coach Pete Carroll. Sound crazy? Well, few people took Carroll seriously when he pumped up Wilson as a rookie, and all the quarterback did was blossom into a Super Bowl winner.
28. Scott Tolzien, Colts
A one-time understudy for Aaron Rodgers, Tolzien joins a Colts team with another established starter in Andrew Luck. He only plays in the event of injury, but Luck is hopeful he’ll remain healthy after missing nine games last season.
29. E.J. Manuel, Bills
A former first-round pick, Manuel simply never took the next step at the NFL level and is now the backup to former Ravens backup-turned-Bills-starter Tyrod Taylor. The Bills clearly don’t see a future for Manuel, as evidenced by their drafting of Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones.
30. Brett Hundley, Packers
Hundley replaces Scott Tolzien as Aaron Rodgers’ backup. The Packers view Hundley, a fifth-round pick out of UCLA in 2015, as a developmental quarterback with a chance to improve into a potential – we repeat, potential – successor to Rodgers, who turns 33 in December.
31. Dak Prescott, Cowboys
The rookie out of Mississippi State went into the preseason as the No. 3 quarterback, but he was promoted to Tony Romo’s backup after Kellen Moore suffered a broken ankle. The Cowboys have expressed interest in Josh McCown, but no deal so far.
32. Trevor Siemian, Broncos
If Mark Sanchez wins the No. 1 job in Denver, it’s Siemian – for now – over first-round rookie Paxton Lynch as the backup. But Lynch will eventually win the No. 1 job and perhaps serve as the primary backup before long.
..... - Newsday