4 NFL backup quarterbacks from 2019 who deserve another chance to start
We saw Ryan Tannehill become a viable starter last year after being a backup in Tennessee. I look at four QBs who deserve another shot at the starting gig.
Not all backup quarterbacks in the NFL are created equal. Some are projects that the team hopes will develop into a franchise signal-caller. Some are street free agents that the team uses just to fill out the depth chart. Some are veterans who’ve played in the league long enough to take on a mentoring role for a young starter.
Yet, there are multiple current backups who were once viable starters in the NFL. While their success was often short-lived, due to either injury or reaching their ceiling, a change in scenery with another NFL team may allow them to resurrect their careers and realize renewed success as a starter.
It’s not uncommon in the NFL to see backup quarterbacks take the reigns from the QB1 and prosper in their new role. This past season, Ryan Tannehill was the backup to Marcus Mariota before the Tennessee Titans began their season. After a mediocre stretch in Miami, where Tannehill went 42-46 as a starter and threw for 20,000 yards, 123 touchdowns, and 75 interceptions, the Dolphins elected to send him packing in exchange for a mid-round pick.
The rest of the story is well-known, as Tannehill took the starting job from Mariota in Week 7 and went 9-4 as a starter, including two upset playoff victories on the road in Foxborough and Baltimore. While it is yet to be seen whether or not Tannehill can maintain his success with the Titans, it is a prime example of how former starters could flourish once again with a new opportunity.
By my estimation, there are four quarterbacks who played the reserve role in 2019 that could succeed if given another starting opportunity. They may not be long-term solutions or lead a team to a Super Bowl, but they can produce positive results if put back in the starting lineup for a season. If a team needs a bridge quarterback to play while a rookie develops, these passers may prevent them from suffering a lost season.