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The 2026 NFL season has begun with an unprecedented wave of quarterback injuries, forcing six teams to rely on their backups in just the first two weeks. The Atlanta Falcons opened the year with Cooper Rush under center after Tua Tagovailoa suffered a back injury before Week 1. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings turned to Drew Lock and Carson Wentz, respectively, after Sam Darnold (glute) and Kyler Murray (concussion) went down in Week 1.
In Week 2, the Chicago Bears and Washington Commanders handed the reins to Tyson Bagent and Marcus Mariota following injuries to Caleb Williams (hamstring) and Jayden Daniels (elbow). The New York Giants also joined the fray, finishing their Monday night loss to the Los Angeles Rams with Jameis Winston after Jaxson Dart sustained a potentially season-ending knee injury.
With Kyler Murray set to return for the Vikings and Michael Penix Jr. back for the Falcons, four teams are expected to start their backups in Week 3. Below is a ranking of those four quarterbacks, along with a look at the top free-agent options available.
Ranking the Week 3 Backup Quarterbacks
4. Jameis Winston, New York Giants
Winston is a beloved figure in the Giants' locker room, named to the team's leadership council before the 2026 season and wearing a captain's 'C' on his jersey despite being Dart's backup. However, his relief appearance against the Rams was shaky: he completed just 41% of his passes for 111 yards, an interception, and a passer rating of 37.7, while being sacked twice. The Giants managed only six points. They'll need a much better showing from Winston this Sunday against the Titans if they hope to secure their second win, especially given the severity of Dart's injury.
3. Tyson Bagent/Case Keenum, Chicago Bears
The Bears caught a break when Caleb Williams' injury turned out to be only a hamstring, but they still have a capable backup in Tyson Bagent. The 26-year-old former undrafted free agent from Division II Shepherd signed a two-year, $10 million extension in August 2025 and has drawn praise from head coach Ben Johnson, who called him one of the best 32 quarterbacks in the NFL. Unfortunately, Bagent suffered a concussion in Sunday's loss to the Vikings and is in the league's concussion protocol. If he can't play Monday night against the Eagles in Philadelphia, 38-year-old Case Keenum will likely start. Keenum has played for eight different teams since 2012 but hasn't appeared in a game since 2022. The uncertainty lands the Chicago duo at No. 3.
2. Marcus Mariota, Washington Commanders
Mariota started eight games for the Commanders in 2025 while Daniels was sidelined, leading the team to a 2-6 record while completing 61.2% of his passes for 1,695 yards, 10 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The No. 2 overall pick in 2015, Mariota was known for his mobility at Oregon, where he rushed for 29 touchdowns and won the Heisman Trophy in 2014. Now 32, he has scored just twice on the ground since his last full season as a starter with the Falcons in 2022. Mariota played well in relief on Sunday, going 11-of-16 for 111 yards and a touchdown with a passer rating of 109.1 in Washington's 37-20 loss to the Cowboys. He'll face a tough Seahawks defense in Week 3.
1. Drew Lock, Seattle Seahawks
Lock made his first start as a Seahawk since 2023 on Sunday in place of Darnold and excelled. The 29-year-old led Seattle to a 31-7 victory over the Cardinals, throwing for 235 yards and three touchdowns—all to reigning Offensive Player of the Year Jaxon Smith-Njigba. A second-round pick of the Broncos in 2019, Lock is in his second stint with the Seahawks and finally looks comfortable at the NFL level. He has helped Seattle start 2-0 in its Super Bowl title defense and will once again start on Sunday when the Seahawks face Mariota and the Commanders in Washington.
Top Free-Agent Quarterbacks Available
Brandon Allen
Allen is a 10-year NFL veteran who has spent time with the Jaguars, Rams, Broncos, Bengals, 49ers, and Titans since being drafted by Jacksonville in 2016. He has started 10 games in his career, going 2-8 with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions. While his raw numbers aren't impressive, Allen has played most of his career in the McVay-style offense, making him a seamless fit for teams running a West Coast-adjacent system.
Jake Browning
Browning knows a thing or two about being thrust into action. After not taking a regular-season snap in his first four seasons, the University of Washington product stepped in for the Bengals in 2023 and 2025 when Joe Burrow went down. Browning went 4-6 as a starter across those seasons, accounting for 22 total touchdowns and coming one win shy of leading Cincinnati to the playoffs in 2023. He spent the 2026 offseason with the Buccaneers but was released during final cuts.
Jimmy Garoppolo
Garoppolo spent the past two seasons backing up 2025 NFL MVP Matthew Stafford with the Rams. He made just one spot start in 2024, a Week 18 loss to the Seahawks, and has considered retirement, though reports in early August indicated he was open to playing in 2026. A second-round pick of the Patriots in 2014, Garoppolo has played in systems called by some of the league's best play-callers, including Josh McDaniels, Kyle Shanahan, and McVay. He could provide a steady presence for a team seeking depth.
Bailey Zappe
Zappe was released from the Jets' practice squad on Tuesday in favor of Will Levis and is now free to sign with any team. The 27-year-old started eight games for the Patriots across 2022 and 2023, going 4-4 with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He made one start for the Browns in 2024—a loss to the Ravens in which he became the 40th starting quarterback for Cleveland since 1999. Zappe also spent time on the Chiefs' practice squad in 2024 and 2025.
Mike Kadlick is a senior NFL news writer for Sports Illustrated. He also covers the New England Patriots for CLNS Media, hosting the Patriots Daily podcast and reporting from Gillette Stadium. Before joining SI, Kadlick worked at WEEI sports radio in Boston. He holds a master's degree in public relations from Boston University. Follow him on Twitter @mikekadlick.