Cheat Sheet to Every NFL Team's Backup QBs for 2026 Season After Roster Cuts

One thing the NFL has taught us over the years is that, while backup quarterbacks are often underappreciated, they fill one of the most important roles in football.

Ideally, a team with an established starter won't need to rely on its understudy. However, injuries can't be entirely avoided, and having a good spot-starter can mean the difference between a successful season and a disaster.

Just last season, we saw the Houston Texans and San Francisco 49ers survive multi-game stretches with their backup QBs and reach the playoffs. Conversely, the Indianapolis Colts failed to adequately replace Daniel Jones and watched an 8-2 start devolve into an 8-9 finish.

Not every team enters 2026 with a high-level starter, of course, and some backups will find their way onto the field in the coming weeks based on performance instead of injury. With roster cuts complete, however, now is the perfect time to examine every team's Plan B at QB.

The Arizona Cardinals released Kyler Murray early in the offseason and have decided to make former backup Jacoby Brissett their Week 1 starter. Waiting in the wings behind Brissett, however, will be rookie third-round pick Carson Beck .

Beck looked impressive in the preseason opener and may have challenged for the starting job if the rib injury he suffered in the Hall of Fame Game hadn't sidelined him for the rest of the preseason. It feels almost inevitable that he'll make starts for Arizona in 2026.

If and when Brissett stumbles or the Cardinals fall firmly out of playoff contention, the Cardinals are going to want to get a look at what they have in their rookie.

However, journeyman quarterback Gardner Minshew is likely to be Brissett's primary backup early in the season. He has 47 starts on his resume and is well-equipped to enter a game at a moment's notice.

The Atlanta Falcons were expected to hold a quarterback competition between 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. and free-agent addition Tua Tagovailoa. However, Penix missed much of camp and the preseason while recovering from a torn ACL, so there hasn't been much actual competition.

Tagovailoa may win the Week 1 job by default, though head coach Kevin Stefanski is delaying his decision.

"Whenever they tell me I have to, when that depth chart has to be put out," Stefanski said of his timeline for naming a starter, per NFL.com's Nick Shook .

Teams are required to produce an official depth chart ahead of Week 1, so that's probably when we'll know who will get the first crack at QB1. Barring a surprise, it'll be either Tagovailoa or Penix, with the one who doesn't start slotting in as QB2.

The Baltimore Ravens have one of the NFL's best backup QB plans.

Lamar Jackson is an elite dual-threat starter who can play at an MVP level when at his best. Backup Tyler Huntley is a dual-threat signal-caller who can start multiple games and deliver multiple wins if needed.

Huntley went 2-2 for the Ravens in 2022 and was named to the Pro Bowl as an alternate for his efforts.

Obviously, Huntley isn't the same caliber of quarterback as Jackson. However, his similar playing style and experience with Baltimore's personnel mean that if he has to enter the lineup for any stretch, the Ravens won't need to make significant adjustments.

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Josh Allen was the league MVP just two years ago, and if he misses any significant time, the Buffalo Bills will be in trouble. However, the Bills do have an experienced backup in Kyle Allen.

Kyle Allen was Josh Allen's understudy in 2023 before spending the last two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Detroit Lions. The 30-year-old hasn't started a game since 2022, but he has 19 starts on his resume and a respectable (for a backup) 7-12 record.

The Bills may not be sunk if they need Kyle Allen to play a few series or even an entire game. However, he isn't likely to deliver multiple wins if Josh Allen is forced to miss an extended stretch.

The Carolina Panthers had one of the league's better backup quarterbacks in Andy Dalton. However, they traded the three-time Pro Bowler to the Philadelphia Eagles in March.

With Dalton gone, the Panthers turned to free agent and 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett.

While Pickett never established himself as an above-average starter, he does hold a 16-11 record. He also possesses a skill set—one centered around accuracy, anticipation, and pocket awareness—that isn't overly dissimilar to that of starter Bryce Young.

Pickett won't threaten Young as Carolina's quarterback of the future, but he could help the Panthers pick up a couple of wins if Young is sidelined.

The Chicago Bears have their franchise quarterback in 2025 breakout star Caleb Williams. They also have a backup they love in Tyson Bagent. The 2023 undrafted free agent out of Shepherd went 2-2 as a starter the year before Williams was drafted and has a skill set well-suited for Williams' understudy.

Bagent isn't a true dual-threat, but he can buy time in the pocket and scramble, as evidenced by the 109 rushing yards and two rushing scores he produced in his five 2023 appearances.

The Bears should feel good about their ability to pick up a win or two if they need to rely on Bagent as a spot-starter—and they obviously do. Chicago signed Bagent to a two-year, $10 million extension last offseason.

Cincinnati Bengals starter Joe Burrow had another injury-hampered season in 2025, and the Bengals traded for aging veteran Joe Flacco to help navigate it. While the former Super Bowl MVP only went 1-5 as Cincinnati's starter last season, that had more to do with an atrocious Bengals defense than Flacco's ability.

Flacco quickly meshed with top targets Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and finished his six-game stint with 13 touchdown passes and a 91.0 QB rating.

Even at 41, Flacco has the arm talent needed to fit right into Zac Taylor's offense. He isn't Burrow, of course, but the Bengals know that they can still field a potent offense with Flacco at the helm.

And now that Cincinnati has finally put some effort into reloading its defense, it can probably expect to play winning football if Flacco has to replace Burrow for another stretch.

The Cleveland Browns held an offseason quarterback competition between Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders. While neither competitor truly seemed to take a firm hold on the QB1 job, new head coach Todd Monken named Watson as the Week 1 starter after Cleveland's second preseason game.

However, this doesn't mean Sanders won't make starts in 2026. The simple reality is that if the Browns struggle early, pivoting to a young quarterback will be easier to justify than pivoting to a veteran who has largely disappointed with the franchise.

This also doesn't mean Sanders won't ultimately outperform Watson when he gets his opportunity. Watson's uneven play for the Browns, however, could give Cleveland reason to consider a change if it struggles early.

Neither Watson nor Sanders is going to make Cleveland a title contender or prevent the franchise from battling for 2027 draft positioning late in the season. And given the Browns' recent habit of starting multiple QBs, fans can probably expect to see some of Dillon Gabriel and/or Taylen Green before this transition year is over.

Technically, the Dallas Cowboys may not have a clear-cut backup behind Dak Prescott. Joe Milton III filled that role in 2025 but battled Sam Howell for the QB2 job during the summer with no clear winner.

"That's one that we may just split the difference and have two backup quarterbacks here," team owner Jerry Jones said, per ESPN's Todd Archer .

Dallas kept Milton and Howell on the initial 53-man roster, and both made the highlight reel during the preseason. Head coach Brian Schottenheimer may feel comfortable turning to either signal-caller if Prescott is forced to miss time.

However, Milton is the incumbent and will likely get the first nod if a backup is needed.

Denver Broncos starter Bo Nix has fully recovered from offseason ankle surgery and, after seeing limited preseason action, should be a full-go for Week 1. If Nix suffers another injury, though, the Broncos will be able to turn to a backup with playoff experience.

Jarrett Stidham took the reins for last year's AFC Championship game after Nix suffered a fractured ankle late in the divisional round victory. He didn't play well enough to put Denver in the Super Bowl, but he kept the team competitive during its 10-7 loss to the New England Patriots in wintry conditions.

Stidham can also keep the Broncos afloat if he's forced to start a game or two during the 2026 season. He obviously lacks Nix's physical ability, but the Auburn product has five total starts on his resume and has spent the last three years in Sean Payton's offense.

In March, the Detroit Lions brought back Teddy Bridgewater for another run as Jared Goff's backup. However, he decided to retire in August, forcing the Lions to turn to Joshua Dobbs.

The good news is that, even if Dobbs wasn't Detroit's first choice for a backup, he's a good one. The 2017 fourth-round pick out of Tennessee has bounced around the league in a variety of roles but has also made 15 starts and performed well when given a strong supporting cast—he went 2-2 as the Minnesota Vikings' starter in 2023.

Dobbs also spent part of 2023 with the Cardinals, playing under offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, who now holds the same title in Detroit. He has looked extremely comfortable in Petzing's offense during the preseason and should be well-prepared for spot duty in the off chance the Lions call on him.

Goff has started all 17 games in each of the past four seasons.

Whenever Jordan Love was sidelined over the past two years, the Green Bay Packers were able to count on backup Malik Willis.

After going 2-1 with a 134.6 quarterback rating, though, Willis landed a three-year, $67.5 million contract from the Miami Dolphins in free agency.

With Willis gone, the Packers turned to veteran Tyrod Taylor as Love's backup. Taylor does not have the same physical upside as Love or Willis, but his similar playing style should allow Green Bay to make a seamless schematic transition if Love misses a game or two in 2026.

Taylor also has the experience needed to be a locker-room leader and, possibly, even a mentor to Love. The 37-year-old has appeared in 100 games with 62 starts and has posted an 87.7 passer rating. While Taylor hasn't been a regular starter since 2017, he holds a 29-31-1 record and remains one of the league's top backups.

The Houston Texans have yet to commit to starting quarterback C.J. Stroud with a lucrative second contract. However, they did commit to backup Davis Mills with a one-year, $7 million extension in 2025.

Mills has proven himself to be a capable spot-starter for the Texans, even if he didn't deliver many wins early in his career. Thrust into a starting role as a rookie, the 2021 third-round pick went just 5-19-1 in his first two seasons with Houston.

Of course, the Texans were a struggling team then. As a three-game starter this past season, Mills went undefeated while throwing for 915 yards with five touchdowns and an interception.

Mills isn't going to threaten Stroud's job security, but he can keep the Texans on track for a deep playoff run if he needs to start a handful of regular-season games or even a postseason contest.

To be fair, this is another instance where a team may have two backups instead of one defined understudy. The Indianapolis Colts kept Anthony Richardson and Riley Leonard on their initial 53-man roster, but they're both listed in the second-team slot on the early unofficial depth chart .

Leonard saw playing time after Daniel Jones' season-ending Achilles injury, but it's worth noting that Richardson was on injured reserve with an orbital fracture. Richardson also out-played Leonard during the preseason, though that hasn't led to any official announcement of him earning the backup job.

Richardson's combination of arm strength and scrambling ability might make him the best option to enter a game for a series or two, as he could keep a defense off-balance temporarily. However, the Colts are unlikely to win a stretch of games with either quarterback if Jones goes down—Indy went 0-4 without him last season.

Ideally, though, it's an issue that will never emerge. Jones has recovered and is ready to start in Week 1.

The Jacksonville Jaguars appear to be betting heavily on Trevor Lawrence's ability to stay healthy in 2026.

Jacksonville had a seasoned backup in Nick Mullens last season, but the Jaguars recently traded for Miami Dolphins backup Quinn Ewers. Mullens was subsequently released.

Ewers was a 2025 seventh-round pick out of Texas and went 1-2 with an 85.5 QB rating in three starts for the Dolphins last season. He may possess more long-term upside than Mullens. However, his lack of experience could lead to a lot of QB questions if Lawrence misses a significant stretch this season.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is making his way back from a torn ACL, but he was cleared in time for training camp and will be behind center in Week 1.

If Mahomes is forced to miss time, though, fans can expect to see Justin Fields filling in.

Rookie seventh-round pick Garrett Nussmeier impressed during the preseason, and there's a good chance that he'll become Mahomes' understudy for the long term. However, Fields offers a blend of experience and athletic ability that makes him an intriguing potential spot-starter.

Fields, a first-round pick of the Bears back in 2021, has appeared in 59 games with 53 starts. He could keep the Chiefs offense rolling for a few series or even a full game, and his elite scrambling ability may give Andy Reid some change-of-pace options.

Of course, Fields has never been particularly consistent as a passer. If Mahomes were to miss an extended stretch, Kansas City might consider making the pivot to Nussmeier.

The Las Vegas Raiders added veteran Kirk Cousins before they used the No. 1 overall pick on Indiana product and reigning Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza . The plan all along has been to let Mendoza sit and learn from Cousins, and that plan still appears to be in effect.

According to CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz , the Raiders are indeed expected to name Cousins their starting quarterback.

This should push Mendoza into the QB2 role. He is the future, and Las Vegas will want every chance it can get to work on his development in practices. If the Raiders need a QB replacement in-game during the regular season, however, they may first turn to the more experienced Aidan O'Connell.

O'Connell has made 17 starts in his three seasons with Las Vegas.

In Week 1, the Los Angeles Chargers' quarterback room will probably look a lot like it did in 2025. Justin Herbert is the unquestioned starter, and last year's backup, Trey Lance, remains in the fold behind him.

2025 undrafted free agent DJ Uiagalelei, who spent last season on the practice squad, should again be the emergency option. Lance isn't a particularly experienced NFL quarterback, having made just six starts since being drafted third overall in 2021. However, he has elite athletic potential and could give the Chargers a fighting chance if forced into the lineup.

The Chargers won't be contenders if they have to play an extended stretch without Herbert, but, fortunately for them, Herbert has been a durable starter and more likely than not to play through injury.

The Los Angeles Rams just used the 13th overall pick on Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson despite having the reigning MVP in Matthew Stafford. Naturally, this means Simpson will be Stafford's primary understudy in 2026, right? Actually, he probably won't.

Simpson may be the long-term heir to Stafford in L.A., but he's still a bit of a project. Stetson Bennett IV, a 2023 fourth-round pick, appears more prepared to play now if needed.

Bennett stepped away from the Rams during his rookie season in 2023, later saying the absence related to his mental health. He has since spent two years learning Sean McVay's offense. Bennett performed well during the preseason and did not play in L.A.'s preseason finale as the Rams evaluated rookie Ty Simpson in the backup-quarterback competition.

McVay runs a QB-friendly offense and Los Angeles boasts a stacked roster, so the Rams might be able to win a game or two if Stafford misses time. However, neither Bennett nor Simpson has NFL starting experience, so the Rams can't expect a seamless transition if the MVP goes down.

To be fair, the Dolphins don't know exactly what they have in new starting quarterback Malik Willis. The Liberty product showed a tremendous amount of ability as a spot-starter in Green Bay, but he has just six starts on his resume.

Miami largely won't know what to expect if Willis can't stay healthy in 2026, either, though new head coach Jeff Hafley has brought in another familiar face.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter , the Dolphins have acquired Kyle McCord from the Packers in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick.

McCord never appeared in a regular-season game for Green Bay. However, he did impress in the Packers' preseason finale, throwing for 226 yards and four touchdowns. He also has some experience with Hafley, who came to Miami after serving as the Packers' defensive coordinator.

The Minnesota Vikings' quarterback competition between free-agent addition Kyler Murray and 2024 first-round pick J.J. McCarthy was a short one.

The Vikings named Murray the starter relatively early in training camp, which left McCarthy vying for the backup role.

It would appear that Minnesota would prefer the veteran presence of Carson Wentz filling the QB2 job.

"McCarthy's comfort (or lack thereof) with being QB3 could dictate his future in Minnesota," Alec Lewis of The Athletic wrote after the Vikings' preseason finale, in which McCarthy did not play.

McCarthy did make the initial 53-man roster, but going with Wentz is the sensible move if the Vikings view themselves as contenders. He's a former Pro Bowler with 99 starts and an 89.1 quarterback rating. He isn't going to threaten Murray's status as QB1, and he can provide a steady hand if Murray misses time.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was the NFL MVP runner-up last season, and the Patriots obviously hope that he can stay healthy for the entire season. If Maye does have to miss a bit of time, however, New England should be able to stay competitive by turning to Tommy DeVito.

DeVito entered the NFL as a 2023 undrafted free agent out of Illinois, but he became a rookie sensation with the New York Giants when pressed into action due to injuries. He was claimed off waivers by New England last offseason and was moved up the depth chart in the spring.

The Patriots signed DeVito to a two-year, $4.4 million deal and released former backup Joshua Dobbs.

While DeVito has gone just 3-5 as an NFL starter, he has played mostly well (88.4 QB rating) and has flashed enough dual-threat ability to be an appropriate backup for Maye. Seventh-round rookie Behren Morton also made the initial roster.

Tyler Shough cemented himself as the New Orleans Saints' starter late in his rookie season. Entering Year 2, there are no questions about his job security. However, the Saints still have some questions about who their primary backup will be.

Spencer Rattler opened last season as the starter and has a full season in head coach Kellen Moore's offense. However, free-agent addition Zac Wilson is a former first-round pick who has 33 starts on his resume. It appears that New Orleans will carry both into Week 1.

"Both these guys are capable of playing and being really successful quarterbacks," Moore said, per Schuyler Dixon of the Associated Press. "Spencer and Zac are going to provide excellent depth for us."

Rattler should be Shough's chief understudy because of his experience in New Orleans. However, he has a 1-13 record as the Saints' starter, and Wilson (12-21) has never been a dependable QB1.

In other words, New Orleans had better hope that Shough can stay on the field.

The New York Giants' hope is that second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart will avoid the blue medical tent in 2026 and improve upon his promising rookie season. If the Mississippi product does miss time, however, New York will have a very experienced quarterback to take the reins.

Jameis Winston, who joined New York on a two-year, $8 million deal last offseason, was the first overall pick in the 2015 draft. He has 89 starts on his resume and has thrown for 24,792 yards and 156 touchdowns.

Winston can keep New York's offense humming and can deliver a win or two if Dart is forced to miss multiple games. The problem is that he remains a bit reckless with the football and could just as easily cost the Giants games with turnovers.

Back in 2019, Winston reached 30 touchdown passes and 30 interceptions in the same season.

The Giants are unlikely to see a major drop-off if Winston has to start for a stretch in 2026, but they aren't going to see him spark a deep playoff run either.

The New York Jets are banking on Geno Smith, a quarterback they originally drafted back in 2013 and who they re-acquired this offseason in a trade. While Smith didn't perform well in Las Vegas last season, he's a two-time Pro Bowler who has shown he can be a high-end game manager.

Smith can provide some reliability at quarterback, but if he misses time, the QB position in New York will become far more volatile. The Jets released veteran Bailey Zappe, leaving rookie fourth-round pick Cade Klubnik as New York's primary insurance policy—at least for now.

While Klubnik had a few flashes in the preseason, he didn't wow, and he obviously has no NFL starting experience. The Jets may eventually turn to Klubnik to see what the rookie can do, but no one should be surprised if they look to add a veteran backup in the coming days.

After all, the Jets did consider adding Russell Wilson as Smith's backup early in the offseason.

The Philadelphia Eagles' backup situation is a bit murky, as there is no clear-cut backup to starter Jalen Hurts. Presumably, it'll be either Tanner McKee or Andy Dalton, and Philly may try to flip one of the two in a trade before Week 1.

McKee was the Eagles' backup in 2025, but he's entering the final year of his rookie contract and drew trade interest early in the offseason, according to Cayden Steele of NJ.com. Dalton was acquired in a trade in March.

Philly kept both backups on the initial roster, along with fifth-round rookie Cole Payton .

The Eagles may still be sorting out who will be QB2 and/or seeing if one of their backups has trade value. However, none of the quarterbacks sitting behind Hurts are likely to string together more than a couple of wins if the starter goes down.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have Aaron Rodgers as their starter for one more season. It appears that they'll have Mason Rudolph, second-year man Will Howard, and rookie third-rounder Drew Allar waiting in the wings behind him.

"I've been saying it for quite some time, and they've showed it on the field," head coach Mike McCarthy said, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor . "We got two veterans that we can win with, and we got two young guys that we're excited about the future."

If the Steelers' season goes awry, they may want to get a look at one or both of their young signal-callers. However, Rudolph is the logical gameday backup behind Rodgers because of his experience.

Rudolph has shown that he can be a capable placeholder or spot-starter. He has 20 total starts on his resume and has even started a playoff game for Pittsburgh.

Do the San Francisco 49ers have the best backup QB in the league? That's debatable, but they have the perfect backup for Kyle Shanahan's system and a signal-caller who would upgrade a few QB rooms around the NFL—and San Francisco knows it.

According to The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt , the 49ers want a second-round pick for Jones.

Jones started eight games last season while Brock Purdy was out with a toe injury and went 5-3 with a 97.4 QB rating. He isn't quite as good as San Francisco's starter, who went 7-2 with a 100.5 QB rating last season. However, the 49ers won't fall out of playoff contention if Purdy has another extended absence.

The Seattle Seahawks found a quarterback they can win with when they signed Sam Darnold in 2025 free agency. The 2018 Jets first-round pick had his second straight Pro Bowl campaign last season while helping Seattle win Super Bowl LX.

While the Seahawks certainly hope they don't have to try winning without Darnold in 2026, they have an experienced understudy in Drew Lock. The 2019 second-round pick was with Seattle in 2023 and returned last season to provide backup duties.

While Lock has never established himself as a quality starter, he has 28 starts on his resume and an 81.0 quarterback rating as a Seahawk. Seattle also has 2025 third-round pick Jalen Milroe, who remains a project but who could complement Lock as a package player.

Seattle isn't likely to return to the Super Bowl if Darnold goes down for an extended period, but it is positioned to navigate a handful of absences.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers haven't needed to rely on a backup quarterback since Baker Mayfield took over in 2023. If Mayfield does miss time in 2026, though, Tampa will turn to a promising undrafted free agent.

On Sunday, the Bucs named rookie Jalon Daniels as the backup.

"He's shown a lot," head coach Todd Bowles said, per ESPN .

Daniels did indeed flash during the preseason, and the Kansas product had his fair share of bright moments in college, too. He appeared in 49 games over six seasons and finished his 2025 campaign with 2,531 passing yards, 404 rushing yards, and 26 combined rushing and passing touchdowns.

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward didn't have overly impressive numbers as a rookie in 2025, but he isn't in danger of being benched in Year 2. He flashed some very intriguing upside while also playing with one of the league's worst supporting casts. The Titans and new head coach Robert Saleh will want to see what Ward can accomplish with a better group.

If Ward is forced to come off the field this season, though, Tennessee has a strong backup plan. It signed Mitchell Trubisky to a two-year, $10.5 million deal in the offseason in order to provide insurance and some mentorship to the offense.

Trubisky has 57 starts on his resume, a 31-26 record, and an 86.9 career quarterback rating. He also has experience with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll after playing under him as Buffalo's backup in 2021.

Ward has a much higher ceiling than Trubisky at this point in their respective careers. However, Tennessee probably wouldn't experience much of a drop-off if forced to turn to Trubisky as a spot-starter this season.

Two years ago, the Washington Commanders reached the NFC title game with then-rookie Jayden Daniels at quarterback. Unfortunately, injuries limited Daniels to seven starts in 2025, and Washington finished with a 5-12 record.

Backup Marcus Mariota went just 2-6 in his eight starts last season before he was sidelined by injuries of his own. However, all of Washington's quarterbacks were hampered by a bad defense and other injuries to the offensive supporting cast.

While Mariota has dealt with a sprained MCL in the preseason, head coach Dan Quinn has been optimistic about his ability to be available in Week 1, according to ESPN's John Keim .

Mariota, who has 82 starts on his resume, is actually one of the league's best backups. He holds an 89.7 career QB rating and possesses a dual-threat skill set that meshes with any game plan Washington has crafted for Daniels. If the Commanders' roster is truly playoff-caliber this season, they can win a few games with Mariota if necessary.