Who to trust off the bench The NFLs top 10 backup quarterbacks

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During his time as head coach of the , legendary offensive guru Mike Holmgren had a simple philosophy for selecting his backup quarterback.Holmgren wanted someone who could move in that role, because if the backup was in, that meant there were injuries along the offensive line and other positions on offense. As a result, the backup would have to scramble to make plays.That's why Holmgren kept a mobile quarterback like Seneca Wallace around in Seattle behind starter Matt Ha selbeck for seven seasons.But it's not just mobility that backup quarterbacks need to be succe sful. It's also an experienced command of the offense and the ability to make quick decisions on the run. Todd Frazier Jersey ADVERTISEMENT  Last year, 66 different quarterbacks made a start in the NFL. In 2022, 68 made starts. So, it's certain that several backup quarterbacks will see time as the starter this season. That means teams expecting to make a deep postseason run may need to have someone in the quarterback room they trust to run the offense and win games should the starter find himself in the training room.With that in mind, we've ranked the top 10 backup quarterbacks heading into the 2024 season. (Stats are courtesy of FOX Sports Research.)1. Joe Flacco, Indianapolis ColtsAge: 392024 Compensation: $4.5 millionCareer W-L record: 103-82Postseason record: 10-6Career pa ser rating: 87.9Career completion percentage: 61.6%Pa sing first downs (2023): 60 (T-34th)Tight window completions (2023): 13 (T-28th)Total pa s EPA (2023): -15.08 (53rd)Draft status: First-round selection (No. 18 overall) of the in the 2008 draft.Why he's on the list: Flacco has a Super Bowl victory and Super Bowl MVP to his credit. He earned Comeback Player of the Year in 2023 after coming off his couch midseason to replace an injured , leading the to the playoffs. Now, Flacco will serve as a mentor and understudy for a young, developmental prospect in for the Colts. But make no mistake, head coach Shane Steichen knows that if Richardson goes down again with an injury, Flacco can lead Indianapolis to some wins.2. Michael Penix Jr., Atlanta FalconsAge: 242024 Compensation: $14.26 millionCareer W-L record: 37-8 in FBSPostseason record: 1-1 in FBSNCAA pa ser rating: 157.1 (20th in FBS)NCAA completion percentage: 65.4%Pa s touchdowns per attempt: 6.5% (28th in FBS)Completions of 20-plus yards: 74 (1st in FBS)Total pa s EPA: 191.37 (5th in FBS)Draft status: First round selection (No. 8 overall) by the in the 2024 draft.Why he's on the list: Penix would be a starter on a lot of teams but will sit behind for the Falcons. A Heisman Trophy finalist last season, Penix led to an undefeated 13-0 regular season, setting a school single-season record and leading the NCAA in pa sing yards with 4,903. A pure-pocket pa ser with good mobility, Penix still must show he can lead a team and win games in the NFL, but his arm talent and poise under pre sure should serve him well once he hits the field.3. Justin Fields, Pittsburgh SteelersAge: 252024 Compensation: $3.23 millionCareer W-L record: 10-28Postseason record: NACareer pa ser rating: 82.3Career completion percentage: 60.3%Pa sing first downs (2023): 121 (23rd)Tight window completions (2023): 15 (T-25th)Total pa s EPA (2023): -22.21 (61st)Draft status: First round selection (No.11) overall by the in the 2021 draft.Why he's on the list: The product is one of the most dynamic athletes at the quarterback position. Fields rushed for 1,143 rushing yards over the past two seasons, tops in the NFL. But there's a reason the Bears moved on from Fields for the higher ceiling of : Fields remains an inconsistent pa ser. He's now embroiled in a quarterback competition with for the starting quarterback job for the . Fields could be the better fit in Pittsburgh offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's system, which would knock him off this list.Mike Tomlin: 'Very much a competition' between Ru sell Wilson, Justin Fields       4. Jimmy Garoppolo, Los Angeles RamsAge: 322024 compensation3.2 millionCareer W-L record:43-20Postseason W-L record:4-2Career pa ser rating:97.6Career completion percentage:67.4%Pa sing first downs (2023): 60 (T-34th)Tight window completions (2023): 11 (T-33rd)Total pa s EPA (2023): -11.13 (50th)Draft status:Selected in second round (No. 62 overall) by the in the 2014 draft.Why he's on the list:Garoppolo struggled with the last season, but now finds himself back in a more quarterback-friendly offense with Sean McVay and the Rams. And Garoppolo has proven more than capable of leading a team when playing in a Kyle Shanahan-McVay system. Garoppolo has played in the Super Bowl and two NFC championship games. But he'll start the year on a two-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. With 36-year-old starter already dealing with hamstring i sues, Garoppolo's services could be needed early in the year.5. Andy Dalton, Carolina PanthersAge: 362024 compensation: $4 millionCareer W-L record: 83-78-2Postseason W-L record: 0-4Career pa ser rating: 87.6Career completion percentage: 62.5%Pa sing first downs (2023): 17 (54th)Tight window completions (2023): 0Total pa s EPA (2023): +6.73 (22nd)Draft status: Selected in the second round (No. 35 overall) by the in the 2011 draft.Why he's on the list: Nicknamed "the Red Rifle," Dalton can still run an offense and is a great mentor for 2023 No. 1 overall pick , especially in new head coach Dave Canales' version of the West Coast offense. A three-time Pro Bowler, Dalton gives the Panthers a chance to be competitive in the event Young suffers an injury this season. And he still has the mobility needed to make plays off structure in case he's playing behind a makeshift offensive line.6. Jameis Winston, Cleveland BrownsAge: 302024 compensation: $4 millionCareer W-L record: 34-46Postseason W-L record: 0-0Career pa ser rating: 87.0Career completion percentage: 61.2Pa sing first downs (2023): 10 (T-62nd)Tight window completions (2023): 4 (T-44th)Total pa s EPA (2023): -5.70 (44th)Draft status: First-round selection (No. 1 overall) by the in the 2015 draft.Why he's on the list: Watson has struggled to stay on the field the past two years, so there's a good chance we'll see Winston at some point in 2024. And while it was surprising that the Browns did not bring back Flacco, Winston certainly can play winning football for Cleveland should Watson suffer an injury.7. Cars  David Wright Jersey