Ranking all 32 NFL backup quarterbacks: Drew Lock? Jameis Winston? Michael Penix Jr.? Russell Wilson?!?

Backup quarterbacks are the least important person on an NFL game-day roster ...

until they become the most important.

Just ask the 2023 Jets , who lost Aaron Rodgers after four snaps and stumbled from serious contender to 7-10.

But having the right No.

2 guy could mean the Lombardi Trophy (see: Nick Foles and the 2017 Eagles ).

How much teams decide to invest in their backup quarterback is an interesting team-building exercise.

In general, my view is that backup QBs are underrated and represent value in the free agent market.

Even if a team feels it can't survive for the long term without its starting signal-caller, there are plenty of scenarios where the No.

2 needs to step in for a few games.

Competent play in those situations can mean the difference between success or failure in pursuing a playoff berth.

Some teams -- such as the Packers and Dolphins -- have already had to put their backups to work in 2024 , and more will surely follow in the coming weeks.

So who is well positioned to weather a quarterback injury (or poor performance) storm? I ranked the current backup quarterbacks from 1-32.

The error bands are much larger here than for starters -- many of these players are being judged on a very limited sample of actual football.

But teams have to make calls on which backups they want, so it's only right we also make a judgment.

This list consists of current backup QBs, season-ending injuries excluded -- so Nick Mullens (not J.J.

McCarthy ) is considered Minnesota's backup.

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