Top BACKUP QBs in the NFL per ESPN - Jets see some ol' friends on the list

[Gas2No99]

1/5 of that list was DRAFTED by the Jets in the last 10 years and we are directly connected to 3 of the List's QBs.  

 

 

 

Ranking the NFL's top backup quarterbacks

 

Late last week, both Super Bowl participants upgraded their backup quarterback spots.

 

The Seahawks re-signed Tarvaris Jackson, a much needed move because Pete Carroll was getting through OTAs with R.J. Archer as Russell Wilson's No. 2. And just in case Tom Brady's four-game suspension isn't overturned, the Patriots picked up Matt Flynn to be Jimmy Garappolo's backup.

The league-wide thought on a quality backup quarterback is that they can win you three games once they get on the field, but if you play them six, they could lose you three. Going from an elite starter to a good backup takes a top team from 11 or 12 wins to eight or nine. That reflects in offensive scoring. An elite starter usually averages between 24 and 28 points per game. A top backup can get between 20 and 22 points.

Assuming Brian Hoyer (Browns), Matt Cassel (Bills), Josh McCown(Browns) and Geno Smith (Jets) end up with starting jobs this season, let's run down the list of top No. 2s. 

 

 

1. Ryan Fitzpatrick, New York Jets

Bill O'Brien got the most out of Fitzpatrick last season in Houston. He went 6-6 in his 12 starts, while the offense averaged 24 points per game. His Total QBR ranked 16th in 2013 (when he was in Tennessee) and 20th last season. He'll be waiting in the wings if Smith stumbles out of the gates.

 

2. Mark Sanchez, Philadelphia Eagles

Surprised? You shouldn't be. The case for Sanchez is two-fold: He has averaged 22.4 points per game as a starter, and has a 37-33 career record. In Chip Kelly's offense, he's averaged 30 points per game.

 

3. Matt Hasselbeck, Indianapolis Colts

Even though he's 39, Hasselbeck is still a quality quarterback. This might be his last year, but he's the perfect option if something happens to Andrew Luck.

 

4. Matt Schaub, Baltimore Ravens

After he flamed out as the Texans' starter and failed to win the job in Oakland last season, Schaub is trying to re-establish himself as a backup. As a starter, he averaged 23.7 points per game during his career, and his 52.5 Total QBR equates to a nine-game winner.

 

5. Tarvaris Jackson, Seattle Seahawks

He's the perfect backup to Russell Wilson. He's 17-17 in starts and averages 22.5 points per game, which would be more than enough to pile up wins with Seattle's elite defense.

 

6. Mike Glennon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Glennon, who now finds himself sitting behind Jameis Winston, has averaged 19.9 points per game in his two NFL seasons -- and that's with very little supporting cast of note. 

 

7. Shaun Hill, Minnesota Vikings

Hill went 3-5 last year in St. Louis, proving he's a good -- not great -- No. 2 option. Now 35, his age is a bit of a concern, but he can still get you 22 to 24 points per game.

 

8. Christian Ponder, Oakland Raiders

Ponder makes the list because he's averaged 23.5 points per game during his starts. He falls behind Glennon because he had the benefits of having Adrian Peterson in the Vikings backfield.

 

9. Matt Moore, Miami Dolphins

He's thrown just 29 passes in the three seasons since Ryan Tannehillarrived, but he went 6-6 as a starter in 2011, which is part of the reason the Dolphins re-signed him to a one-year deal this offseason.

 

10. Kellen Clemens, San Diego Chargers

He went 4-5 with the Rams in 2013 as a starter. His fourth-quarter-comeback ability has made him a coveted No. 2 over the last few years.

One last note: You might have noticed that very few of the guys on this list are up-and-comers. If you count Hoyer, Cassel, McCown and Smith as backups -- as their skill level would suggest -- that'd mean nine of my top 14 backups are in the 30s. You have to wonder where teams will get competent No. 2 quarterbacks in a few years.

[JohnnyLV]

Glennon lovers wont like this article too much

[Warfish]

Kellen Clemens making a Frank Reich-style career.  Good for him.  Always felt he was better than given credit, and (a repetitive theme in NY) not given a good/fair shake by our Coaches.

[RutgersJetFan]

glennon at 6? lol whatevs hes still worth a 2nd rounder

[TNJet]

Kellen Clemens making a Frank Reich-style career.  Good for him.  Always felt he was better than given credit, and (a repetitive theme in NY) not given a good/fair shake by our Coaches.

 

+1. I always liked this guys arm strength and toughness. Got a raw deal by Rex's lame ass. Kellen could start on a good team and win games.

[Villain The Foe]

Glennon lovers wont like this article too much

 

 

glennon at 6? lol whatevs hes still worth a 2nd rounder

I like the article. They confirmed that the guy has averaged 20 points per game with virtually no support (Bottom rushing offense, bottom offensive line, WR with 12th most drops in the league, literally 0 YAC on TD passes, below average defense, franchise hellbent on squandering his talent etc.) I've been making that point all offseason.

 

Mike Glennon is by far the best QB on that list and would be a quality starter on a team build like the Jets (Top 3 defense, top 5 rushing, solid Oline in comparison, Marshall/Decker/Amaro is better than Jackson/Evans/Jenkins. 

[FSU_Jet]

Kellen Clemens making a Frank Reich-style career.  Good for him.  Always felt he was better than given credit, and (a repetitive theme in NY) not given a good/fair shake by our Coaches.

 

Exactly, just like how our coaching stuff ruined Tebow and Sanchez.

 

Guarantee that if you put Tebow on a decent team with good QB coaching, he'll win you games on a consistent basis.

[nycdan]

Exactly, just like how our coaching stuff ruined Tebow and Sanchez.

 

Guarantee that if you put Tebow on a decent team with good QB coaching, he'll win you games on a consistent basis.

 

That could be said about almost every backup QB in the league. 

[Villain The Foe]

Exactly, just like how our coaching stuff ruined Tebow and Sanchez.

 

Guarantee that if you put Tebow on a decent team with good QB coaching, he'll win you games on a consistent basis.

Dude....lol

 

Oh man you made me laugh with this sh_t here. 

[drdetroit]

Sanchez isn't a backup

[drdetroit]

Exactly, just like how our coaching stuff ruined Tebow and Sanchez.

Guarantee that if you put Tebow on a decent team with good QB coaching, he'll win you games on a consistent basis.

Clemens has a blessed life. He is horrible nfl qb but he gets paid hundreds of thousands for of dollars for 9 years to hold a clipboard and live in San Diego just cuz.

[FSU_Jet]

Clemens has a blessed life. He is horrible nfl qb but he gets paid hundreds of thousands for of dollars for 9 years to hold a clipboard and live in San Diego just cuz.

 

Some guys just have it made. He doesn't even get paid to be good, but to suck just enough to not have to play. That's the dream right there.

[kelticwizard]

It'll be funny if ends up having a career as long as Chad's.

[Jet9]

Exactly, just like how our coaching stuff ruined Tebow and Sanchez.

Guarantee that if you put Tebow on a decent team with good QB coaching, he'll win you games on a consistent basis.

He sat out for a an entire season and no one came calling.

[New York Mick]

Kellen Clemens making a Frank Reich-style career. Good for him. Always felt he was better than given credit, and (a repetitive theme in NY) not given a good/fair shake by our Coaches.

I thought we finally found a real qb for a minute.

[drdetroit]

Some guys just have it made. He doesn't even get paid to be good, but to suck just enough to not have to play. That's the dream right there.

Give me Kellen Clemens' job. Suck horribly at being a nfl qb, never get hit, warm a bench get paid to travel and watch games on the sideline.

[drdetroit]

I thought we finally found a real qb for a minute.

Lol at the frank reich comparison. Clemens couldn't tie Reich's cleats.

[BallinPB]

Sanchez isn't a backup

I think it'll be very interesting to see how that QB competition plays out.  I'm rooting for Sanchez, I think he is a stand up guy.

[drdetroit]

I think it'll be very interesting to see how that QB competition plays out. I'm rooting for Sanchez, I think he is a stand up guy.

Bradford is done and Tebow is a joke. I'd be amazed if Sanchez didn't start all 16 games next year.

[BallinPB]

Bradford is done and Tebow is a joke. I'd be amazed if Sanchez didn't start all 16 games next year.

I won't count Bradford out just yet.  He does have the talent and wasn't the number one pick for nothing.  But if that guy steps on a crack he a may be out for the season.

[drdetroit]

I won't count Bradford out just yet. He does have the talent and wasn't the number one pick for nothing. But if that guy steps on a crack he a may be out for the season.

He's done, even his Dr says his knee didn't heal correctly from surgery.

Bradford is trying desperately to stick around because of the $13 mil due to him next season.

[RutgersJetFan]

I like the article. They confirmed that the guy has averaged 20 points per game with virtually no support (Bottom rushing offense, bottom offensive line, WR with 12th most drops in the league, literally 0 YAC on TD passes, below average defense, franchise hellbent on squandering his talent etc.) I've been making that point all offseason.

Mike Glennon is by far the best QB on that list and would be a quality starter on a team build like the Jets (Top 3 defense, top 5 rushing, solid Oline in comparison, Marshall/Decker/Amaro is better than Jackson/Evans/Jenkins.

Down with the Titanic he goes...

[CanadaSteve]

+1. I always liked this guys arm strength and toughness. Got a raw deal by Rex's lame ass. Kellen could start on a good team and win games.

Imagine if we let Clemens start with a real OL (not Adrien Clarke getting him killed), we stay put and draft Clay Matthews in the first and Lesean McCoy in the 2nd (which would have been feasible for both).  But no, we had to go and draft a USC QB who was 21 years old with 1 year of starter experience in college, AND start him.

[sackdance]

Kellen could start on a good team and win games.

 

Ahem.

[TNJet]

Imagine if we let Clemens start with a real OL (not Adrien Clarke getting him killed), we stay put and draft Clay Matthews in the first and Lesean McCoy in the 2nd (which would have been feasible for both).  But no, we had to go and draft a USC QB who was 21 years old with 1 year of starter experience in college, AND start him.

 

Yep, and I knew he wasn't ahead of Clemens after training camp. There was no way Mark had time to know the Schotty system better than Clemens in one offseason. Kellen had been in the system 4 years before he got here. Pure Rex BS.

[Villain The Foe]

Down with the Titanic he goes...

LIKE A BOSS! 

 

[jgb]

Geno will have some friends when he joins this list next year

[SouthernJet]

Geno will have some friends when he joins this list next year

Geno only hope IMHO is Jets D plays so lights out, that 17 pts will get us a lot of Ws. It wont be pretty, like Rex's 1st 2 years  actually. In that way I assume he keeps job if we are racking up Ws. If we are 1-4 losing 20-17 then expect a change. But 4-1 with Ws of 17-13 etc keeps him in job no matter how bad he will look. I think Fitz would get 4-8 [pts game more than Geno, but who knows, his leg may be bothering him more than Jets letting on. Unless Petty pulls a Russ Wilson in camp/preseason, its Geno unless he implodes in preseason at a crazy ass horrific pace.