2023 NFL backup QB rankings: 49ers have two capable No. 2s, while Panthers, Ravens crack top five

Quarterbacks are one of the central driving forces of the NFL. It’s why, every year, there’s so much attention on which signal-callers belong among the game’s select elite. Not to be overlooked in the QB discussion, however, is the backup job.

We need look only to a pair of recent NFC contenders — the Eagles and 49ers — to see just how important a strong No. 2 can be. Philadelphia famously won its first Lombardi Trophy in 2017 when Nick Foles replaced an injured Carson Wentz and went on to best Tom Brady in the big game. Then, just last season, San Francisco advanced all the way to the NFC title game — against the Eagles, coincidentally — thanks in large part due to Brock Purdy bringing improbable poise off the bench.

Which teams have the best insurance plans under center today? Here’s how we’d stack up all 32 backups going into 2023:

The fifth-round rookie out of Penn State is set to be the top backup for new starter Jordan Love, even though he’s slightly older at 25. He put up numbers in college but was critiqued for inconsistent fundamentals.

The former second-rounder is technically competing with Baker Mayfield to replace the retired Tom Brady as Tampa Bay’s starter, but he’s thrown just nine NFL passes and isn’t necessarily built to improvise from the pocket.

Small and streaky, the fourth-rounder out of Georgia reportedly already has a leg up on Brett Rypien to be Matthew Stafford’s No. 2. His confidence and progression-passing experience could help in Sean McVay’s system.

Relegated to the bench for good with Aaron Rodgers in town, the former No. 2 overall pick still boasts tantalizing off-script tools. But the Jets increasingly tried hiding him as a passer in two injury-riddled years as their starter, muddying his reliability.

Going on 38, you don’t want him starting more than a game or two at this juncture. In fact, it’s been six years since he started multiple games. The ex-Patriots mainstay at least knows the ins and outs of Josh McDaniels’ system.

The former XFL star withstood a Panthers regime change in 2022, showing composure in a tough six-game stretch off the bench. He’s always struggled with accuracy at the NFL level, however, making him an interesting choice as Justin Fields‘ new backup.

The Liberty product was so listless as a rookie, scrambling around while filling in for an injured Ryan Tannehill in 2022, that Tennessee traded up for second-rounder Will Levis this year. But he also had a bad setup and still boasts top-tier elusiveness.

Entering Year 5, Stick has thrown just a single NFL pass. But the former NDSU title-winner has always had respected pocket movement and leadership, and he’s drawn positive spring reports taking over for the departed Chase Daniel.

Tentatively ahead of rehabbing rookie Hendon Hooker, Sudfeld brings experience from bench stints with the Eagles and 49ers, and in fact would’ve been San Francisco’s No. 3 in 2022 if not for Brock Purdy’s strong rookie summer.

On his seventh team in seven years, the former Broncos starter threw 11 TDs to just three picks in four starts for the Saints in 2021. But injuries dinged his Bears debut a year ago, and he’s never once completed 60% of his throws in a season.

The 14th-year vet is more like a top-15 backup thanks to serviceable spot starts in multiple spots, but going on 37, coming off multiple injuries, he’s not a sure thing to stay under center while Arizona’s regular QB1, Kyler Murray, endures his own rehab.

After four years in Tampa Bay, including three as Tom Brady’s backup, the ex-Jaguars starter is replacing Chad Henne as Patrick Mahomes‘ veteran insurance. He’s not seen much action in years, but he knows the game and should benefit from a new lineup.

He failed to stick as a starter for the ailing Texans in 2022, but the former undrafted reserve fared better than expected despite dire surroundings during previous stops with Washington and the Panthers. He should enjoy Buffalo, resting behind Josh Allen.

A true gunslinger, for better and worse, the ex-Broncos starter didn’t get a chance to suit up for his Seattle debut thanks to Geno Smith’s breakout. If you need someone who can sling it anywhere on the field, he’s still got the arm to do so.

BYU rookie Jaren Hall probably offers more upside with his athletic profile, but Mullens has proven before he’s capable of throwing in a pinch, most notably during 16 separate (and gutsy) starts as a 49ers injury replacement from 2017-2020.

What the former Steelers prospect lacks in experience — he’s appeared in just eight games — he makes up for with smarts and underrated elusiveness. Abruptly thrust into a brief starting gig with the Titans late in 2022, he fared better than expected.

Trevor Lawrence’s No. 2 for the last two years, he endured injury-riddled 49ers lineups at the start of his career, most notably throwing six TDs and zero picks during six appearances in 2020. Kyle Shanahan has always spoken highly of his vision.

After four years with hardly any action in Dallas, Rush went a combined 5-1 in place of an injured Dak Prescott from 2021-2022. Though he’s a straightforward pocket passer, he proved willing to look downfield and feed his playmakers while on the field.

The numbers aren’t glowing for the sixth-year reserve: eight TDs and 12 INTs with a 2-5 record as a starter. But he showed lots of toughness and briefly elevated the Jets while replacing Zach Wilson from 2021-2022. Miami is betting on that moxie, considering he’s the most experienced insurance behind one of the biggest medical concerns in the league in starter Tua Tagovailoa.

The 2022 fourth-rounder wasn’t perfect off the bench as a rookie, but he also briefly showed more life than ailing starter Mac Jones, bringing more swagger and efficiency to a broken offense. If Jones struggles again, he could find himself back in the lineup.

The former Bills standout hasn’t been an efficient multigame starter in more than a half-decade, and he’s recently struggled to stay healthy. But he does everything serviceably, and his 53 career starts, plus a playoff run, give him an edge in legit experience.

Technically battling rookie C.J. Stroud for the top job, Mills was in an almost-impossible spot during his first two seasons, working with a makeshift, rebuilding offense. Turnovers have bitten him at the wrong times, but he still stands tall and boasts a solid arm.

The former fourth-rounder never caught on as a Tom Brady successor in New England, but he came alive in brief work replacing Derek Carr in 2022, showcasing on-the-move confidence. Sean Payton likes him a lot as Russell Wilson’s well-paid backup plan.

The ex-Bears starter is just a bit too off-the-mark in tight spots to maintain a full-time gig, but he’s a good athlete who can move a good supporting cast if given the chance, making him a rock-solid emergency plan behind Kenny Pickett in Pittsburgh.

Injuries and turnover sprees have temporarily halted his days as a QB1, but Winston still has unteachable size and arm talent. When healthy, as he showed in his first half-year starting under Sean Payton, he can also take care of the ball for a winning team.

His previously underrated track record as a starter took a slight hit in 2022, when he went 0-2 for an injured Jalen Hurts, but Minshew is never lacking for grit and downfield touch. He could still open as a bridge to rookie Anthony Richardson in Indy.

Whether in Tennessee, Las Vegas or Atlanta, Mariota has never been truly consistent through the air, requiring strong ground support. Yet his own legs remain a big weapon, and behind Jalen Hurts in Philly, he’s poised to be even more comfortable.

Still well-liked in Washington for his spunky leadership, Heinicke’s gung-ho mentality lends itself to mercurial passing. But like longtime journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick, he’s perfect as long as he’s coming off the bench, providing energy like a relief pitcher.

Set to open 2023 behind the young Sam Howell, Brissett has historically been a bit too conservative and prone to untimely picks to last as a QB1. But he’s also been a calm, collected presence in several extended emergency spots, like Indy and Cleveland.

An improbable Pro Bowl pick for his relief of Lamar Jackson in 2022, Huntley has thrown more INTs (7) than TDs (5) in just 15 career games, but at 25, with above-average dual-threat traits, he’s already proven capable of guiding a path to the playoffs.

Long the model for “just-good-enough” starting QBs, Dalton has endured backup stops that were both OK (Dallas), poor (Chicago) and surprisingly strong (New Orleans). At 35, however, he’s still got solid touch, and there isn’t a more accomplished veteran No. 2, considering his 162 career starts and five winning seasons as the top guy. Carolina couldn’t have done much better finding a respected veteran voice for behind No. 1 pick Bryce Young.

Both these vets are technically in the mix for the Day 1 starting job alongside Brock Purdy, 2022’s star rookie. Purdy is the perceived front-runner if/when he’s recovered from elbow surgery, however, leaving either Lance or Darnold to man the backup gig. The former is more of an unknown, making just four starts in two years due to injury, but his floor is relatively high considering his natural athleticism and rushing ability. Darnold, meanwhile, has been spotty in 55 career starts, albeit for rebuilding organizations, and figures to showcase his own arm in a more QB-friendly system. There probably isn’t a QB room with more simultaneous question marks and collective upside than this one, and yet we trust whomever mans the No. 2 job to make noise in some way.