{"id":1038089,"date":"2026-10-27T01:42:27","date_gmt":"2026-10-27T01:42:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/1038089\/"},"modified":"2026-10-27T01:42:27","modified_gmt":"2026-10-27T01:42:27","slug":"the-raiders-colts-and-4-nfl-teams-better-off-starting-their-backup-qb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/1038089\/","title":{"rendered":"The Raiders, Colts and 4 NFL teams better off starting their backup QB"},"content":{"rendered":"

There isn’t a more important position in all of sports than quarterback<\/a>. Games can be won and lost due to good and bad quarterback play<\/a>; we see countless examples of this every week. The four teams below don’t have the best quarterback situations and need to make a change for a variety of reasons.<\/p>\n

Whether it’s because their team is bad, their current starting quarterback is playing poorly or because they used a high draft pick and need to see what they have, there are four teams around the NFL that would be better off turning to QB2 on their respective depth charts.<\/p>\n

Las Vegas Raiders\"Las<\/p>\n

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

The Las Vegas Raiders<\/a> used the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but also signed Kirk Cousins, giving them an insurance option in the event Mendoza wasn’t ready right away. Cousins earned the starting job and, to his credit, helped lead the Raiders to a 3-0 start. Their last win was nearly a month ago, though, as the Raiders have dropped four in a row to fall to 3-4.<\/p>\n

Cousins hasn’t been bad in those losses, but now that they’re 3-4 and have a tough upcoming schedule, what is the point of continuing to start him? The playoffs feel like a pipe dream for the Raiders this season, so why not see what the guy they drafted No. 1 overall can do? It’s important to not lose sight of the fact that Cousins was signed to be a stopgap and Mendoza was drafted to lead the franchise long-term. Even while Cousins has played well for the most part, if Mendoza is ready \u2014 and there’s no reason to believe he isn’t \u2014\u00a0it should be his time to shine.<\/p>\n

The best thing for the Raiders organization right now is to start Mendoza<\/a> and watch what he can do with offensive centerpieces like Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers. This won’t happen<\/a>, at least not yet, with head coach Klint Kubiak saying the team will stick with Cousins under center. But that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t.<\/p>\n

Indianapolis Colts\"Indianapolis<\/p>\n

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

Daniel Jones played the best football of his career with the Indianapolis Colts<\/a> last season before tearing his Achilles, ending his year prematurely. The Colts opted to re-sign him despite the major injury and his subpar track record, and have subsequently watched Jones play arguably the worst football of his career. He’s completed less than 60 percent of his throws for under 200 yards per game and four touchdowns so far, along with seven interceptions in seven games.<\/p>\n

This kind of performance aligns with what Jones has been for the vast majority of his career<\/a>, which is a frustrating reality but one the Colts need to accept \u2014\u00a0even if Shane Steichen, for whatever reason, refuses to. At this point, why not bench Jones in favor of Anthony Richardson Sr.?<\/p>\n

Will Richardson be an upgrade? Who knows. What I can tell you is that he has far more upside than Jones, and with the Colts now at 2-5 and having already fired GM Chris Ballard, upside is what they should be shooting for. Who knows, perhaps Richardson can play well and be a guy the Colts hand the keys to under center, as they had envisioned a few years ago? They should know by now that Jones is not that guy. What does Indy have to lose?<\/p>\n

Arizona Cardinals\"Arizona<\/p>\n

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

The Arizona Cardinals<\/a> are currently 2-5 with an NFL-worst -66 point differential. By just about every metric, this is one of the worst teams in the NFL, poised to not even come close to sniffing the playoffs. Just about the last thing that teams in the Cardinals’ position should be doing is starting a 34-year-old journeyman quarterback on an expiring contract.<\/p>\n

Starting the year with Brissett was fine, and it’s not like he’s the main reason why the team is bad. But he also isn’t lighting the world on fire, either. It’s clear that he isn’t long for the starting quarterback job in Arizona, so why not hand the keys to someone who might be, like Carson Beck?<\/p>\n

The odds are certainly against Beck, a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, succeeding as a starting quarterback on a team whose best wide receiver is Michael Wilson. But why not at least give him a look if you were willing to use a fourth-round pick on him? The Niners made Brock Purdy Mr. Irrelevant and have watched him develop into an MVP candidate. I’m not saying that’ll be Beck’s trajectory, but you never know until you try. In the best-case scenario, Beck shows signs that he might be their franchise quarterback. Worst case, he flounders, and the team continues to stockpile losses. Is getting a top pick really the worst thing when you’re in the Cardinals’ position? I’d say no.<\/p>\n

Philadelphia Eagles\"Philadelphia<\/p>\n

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect<\/p>\n

The Philadelphia Eagles<\/a> were dealt a season-defining blow<\/a> when Jalen Hurts was ruled out for the season with blood clots in his lungs. Tanner McKee took over for Hurts in Week 6 and struggled mightily, completing 26 of his 45 passing attempts for only 215 yards in a 25-14 defeat against the Panthers. McKee is slated to face another vulnerable defense in Week 7 (the Cowboys), but with no DeVonta Smith and a weak offensive line protecting him, it’d be foolish to expect much of anything.<\/p>\n

Evaluating McKee, a player who has been in the organization for several years now, does make sense, but might it be worth seeing what Joe Milton can do? The Eagles signed him from the Cowboys’ practice squad over a week ago, and while he needs some time to adjust to his new organization, it feels like he offers far more upside than McKee.<\/p>\n

Milton’s athletic ability will, at the very least, force opposing defenses to worry about him taking off, which can make the Eagles more difficult to defend, and he also has a rocket of an arm. Accuracy can be a major issue, but if the goal is to win games the rest of the way, I think an argument can be made that Milton is the better option. He has much more all-around upside than McKee.<\/p>\n

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