Backup quarterback is arguably the most underrated position in the NFL. Quarterback is the most important position on the roster, and fans will understandably shine the biggest spotlight on the starter.<\/p>\n
However, the reality of this physical sport is that the backup quarterback is just one hit away from becoming the starter.<\/p>\n
The NFL isn\u2019t expected to see major turnover across the league among starting quarterbacks. The Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and Las Vegas Raiders are the only teams guaranteed to have a different primary starter in 2026 than in 2025. Other teams, such as the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns, have question marks at starting QB but could return the incumbent. The Kansas City Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts might have a different starter in Week 1, but there\u2019s no question who QB1 will be for them when the starter returns to good health.<\/p>\n
The year-over-year change among starting quarterbacks is expected to be fewer than 10. The backup quarterback position is a different story. Over half the league might have a new No. 2. With the NFL Draft later this month, the veterans still available \u2014 like Russell Wilson or Jimmy Garoppolo \u2014 and the roster churn following cutdowns in August, depth charts could still change between now and September.<\/p>\n
But we do know which teams will have a new backup, and a good idea of who that might be, so let\u2019s take a look around the league at the guys who are a play away from the spotlight.<\/p>\n
Arizona Cardinals<\/p>\n
Out: Jacoby Brissett<\/p>\n
In: Gardner Minshew<\/p>\n
The Cardinals have gone through a big change at quarterback, parting ways with longtime starter Kyler Murray. That means Jacoby Brissett, last year\u2019s backup, is penciled in as the starter, hence his being \u201cout\u201d as the backup.<\/p>\n
The Cardinals added journeyman Gardner Minshew, who has 23 starts over the past three seasons with three different teams. Most came with the Colts and Raiders in 2023 and 2024, respectively, plus one start last season after Patrick Mahomes went down for the season before Minshew himself suffered a season-ending injury.<\/p>\n
Atlanta Falcons<\/p>\n
Out: Kirk Cousins<\/p>\n
In: Tua Tagovailoa\/Michael Penix Jr.<\/p>\n
Kirk Cousins was signed to be the starter a couple of years ago, then became the league\u2019s most expensive backup after the Falcons drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round and benched Cousins midway through 2024. Penix went 3-6 last year in his second season before suffering a season-ending injury. He could be the Falcons\u2019 starter, though he will face competition<\/a> from Tua Tagovailoa, who is coming off a fall from grace in Miami.<\/p>\n Buffalo Bills<\/p>\n Out: Mitchell Trubisky<\/p>\n In: Kyle Allen<\/p>\n The last couple of years, the Bills have had a backup quarterback with some draft pedigree in Mitchell Trubisky, the No. 2 pick in 2017. Following Trubisky\u2019s departure, the Bills have swung hard the other way, signing Kyle Allen this offseason.<\/p>\n Allen went undrafted in 2018 and has been on five different teams the past five seasons, including the Bills in 2023. Allen has two starts in that span and 19 starts in his NFL career overall. Shane Buechele is the other backup on the roster. Superstar starter Josh Allen has the league\u2019s longest active streak of consecutive starts at 139 (including playoffs), so the Bills haven\u2019t had to count on a backup recently.<\/p>\n Carolina Panthers<\/p>\n Out: Andy Dalton<\/p>\n In: Kenny Pickett<\/p>\n The Panthers have had former Cincinnati Bengals starter Andy Dalton entrenched as the backup since they drafted Bryce Young No. 1 in 2023. After trading Dalton to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Panthers will now have Kenny Pickett serving as the backup.<\/p>\n Pickett started in Pittsburgh for his first two NFL seasons but has bounced around the league the past two, spending time with the Eagles and Browns before making two starts in Las Vegas last year in place of Geno Smith.<\/p>\n Cleveland Browns<\/p>\n Out: Shedeur Sanders\/Dillon Gabriel<\/p>\n In: Shedeur Sanders\/Dillon Gabriel\/Deshaun Watson<\/p>\n In typical Browns fashion,<\/a> the entire quarterback situation is a question mark. Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders all got starts last year, with Gabriel and Sanders carrying a chance to be the starter in 2026.<\/p>\n Deshaun Watson is now over a year removed from his Achilles injury and could factor into the conversation in some capacity, whether as a starter or backup. If Watson ends up as the backup, the Browns will have a new backup from last year, but if he takes the starting job, they don\u2019t fall in the category of teams with a new backup.<\/p>\n Dallas Cowboys<\/p>\n Out: (potentially) Joe Milton<\/p>\n In: (potentially) Sam Howell<\/p>\n The Cowboys have been playing an interesting game of musical chairs at backup quarterback in recent years, having some mix of Trey Lance, Cooper Rush and Joe Milton. Lance and Cooper left the team last offseason, and Milton, despite carrying some promising tools, has been underwhelming. Dallas signed Sam Howell, who started 17 games for the Washington Commanders in 2023 before moving into an invisible backup role the past two years. Howell will compete with Milton for the top job behind Dak Prescott.<\/p>\n Detroit Lions<\/p>\n Out: Kyle Allen<\/p>\n In: Teddy Bridgewater<\/p>\n You probably haven\u2019t considered the backup quarterback much in Detroit, as Jared Goff has started all 17 games in each of the past four seasons. After Kyle Allen left the team this offseason, the Lions brought in Teddy Bridgewater for his second stint with the organization.<\/p>\n Green Bay Packers<\/p>\n Out: Malik Willis<\/p>\n In: Desmond Ridder<\/p>\n The Packers had to test their backup quarterback situation late last season in a playoff run, and that game and a half \u2014 plus two victorious starts in 2024 \u2014 got Malik Willis a starting opportunity this offseason in Miami. That leaves the Packers in a more delicate situation at backup quarterback, as Desmond Ridder steps into the top spot behind Jordan Love. Ridder has one start over the past two seasons and was underwhelming when he had his shot as a starter in 2023 with the Falcons.<\/p>\n Kansas City Chiefs<\/p>\n Out: Gardner Minshew<\/p>\n In: Justin Fields<\/p>\n The Chiefs might have Mahomes back for the season opener, but that remains a question mark. Justin Fields has been viewed as some semblance of a starter in each of his first three stops in the NFL, but he\u2019s now clearly the backup in Kansas City. Fields is capable of delivering a winning performance every now and then, but there\u2019s no consistency. The Chiefs have to hope he can find that version of himself if Mahomes misses time.<\/p>\n Las Vegas Raiders<\/p>\n Out: Kenny Pickett<\/p>\n In: Kirk Cousins\/Fernando Mendoza<\/p>\n There\u2019s no question who the starter will be in the long haul for Las Vegas, but the front office and coaching staff have openly discussed<\/a> not throwing expected No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza into the lineup as a starter to begin his rookie season. The top two quarterbacks on the depth chart will be some version of Kirk Cousins<\/a> and Mendoza, but the order is yet to be determined. Either way, both spots will look different than in 2025.<\/p>\n Los Angeles Rams<\/p>\n Out: Jimmy Garoppolo<\/p>\n In: Stetson Bennett<\/p>\n Jimmy Garoppolo, a former NFL starter, is still a free agent, and a reunion with the Rams shouldn\u2019t be dismissed. With Matthew Stafford back for another year, the Rams are in win-now mode, and Garoppolo offers more clarity than Stetson Bennett. But if Garoppolo does not return, Bennett is in line to be the backup to Stafford.<\/p>\n Minnesota Vikings<\/p>\n Out: Carson Wentz<\/p>\n In: Kyler Murray\/J.J. McCarthy<\/p>\n