SI ranks NFL's backup QBs 1-32

SI ranks the NFL's 32 backup quarterbacks. Ryan Fitzpatrick comes in 19th out of 32. That's about where I'd put him.

over 2 years ago Dyl 12 comments 0 recs |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Surprised that Henne is so high on the list. He’s thrown 12 passes.

by Dyl on Aug 20, 2009 1:28 PM EDT reply actions

It’s all hype. All of it.

Captain of the "Promote Bob Sanders to Deffensive Coordinator" band wagon.

by CanadianBillsFan on Aug 20, 2009 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Interesting, way off in my opinion, but ranking back-ups is subject to ridiculous amounts off speculation and hype

My top 10 back-ups from this list are:

1. Jeff Garcia
2. Matt Leinart
3. J.T. O’Sullivan
4. Sage Rosenfels
5. Derek Anderson
6. Troy Smith
7. Chris Simms
8. Kellen Clemons
9. Jon Kitna
10. Brodie Croyle

Ryan Fitzpatrick would probably come not too far after in my mind.

by thejimbo on Aug 20, 2009 2:41 PM EDT reply actions

Quick question: why Leinart so high? He hasn’t ever really had any success.

"I know I'm a true receiver..." Roscoe Parrish, Buffalo Bills - May 2009
"In my heart, I know I'm funny." Lt Steven Hauk, Good Morning Vietnam - 1987

by thefourwinds on Aug 20, 2009 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Purely speculation, as I said, that’s alot of what ranking back-ups comes down to. The only year he played substantial time was his rookie year, which was pretty bad. But as of lately (granted I saw him once in preseason last year and once last week) I thought he looked good. But looking back at how bad his stats were (which I just did now), you’re certainly right, he hasn’t ever really had any success…so yeah, that is too high.

by thejimbo on Aug 20, 2009 5:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Be fair to Rosenfels, he has only been the back up for a few hours!

Football. Bloody Hell!!

by gregeng on Aug 20, 2009 5:37 PM EDT up reply actions

haha, I really do feel bad for that guy. I think he’s a decent quarterback, but after that Indy fiasco last year and then this year expecting to have a chance to start for the Vikes, ouch!

by thejimbo on Aug 20, 2009 5:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Leinart?

Kellen Clemens?!?!

Brodie Croyle?!?!?!?!?!?!!!?!?

I think we should try to make a trade for Tyler Thigpen. If he’s just their 3rd QB, he is being wasted….

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on Aug 20, 2009 7:14 PM EDT up reply actions

I hear you, Leinart was a bad call. I was impressed with Thigpen last year too, but I used guys who were back-ups on his list. Word is Croyle is beating out Thigpen and even challenging Cassel for the top spot.

by thejimbo on Aug 21, 2009 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions

I have to say O’Sullivan being that high on your list is a bit of a shocker to me. I didn’t think many people thought him capable enough to play #2, much less start. He was abyssmal with Detroit for a good while and didn’t get much better in San Francisco. Another one of those prototype-looking QBs that can’t get the job done.

Let’s not forget B. Volek in San Diego or T. Collins in Washington. I think Collins has gone unmentioned so far because it is still a bitter taste in Buffalo Bills fans’ collective mouth. Fact is, at this point in his career, Collins is probably up there with Jeff Garcia when talking about the best backups in the league.

by Dyl on Aug 20, 2009 11:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Too bad they didn’t just rank them by head size, he’d be #1 by a longshot.

New York City Buffalo Bills Backers
www.nycbbb.com

by BillsNYC on Aug 20, 2009 8:08 PM EDT reply actions

It is really, really tough to rank something like back up players. So I have to commend SI for trying. If I were coming up with this ranking based on who I wanted to be my backup QB and not who would be the best starter, these SI choices stand out:

Michael VIck – Not to start another Vick debate, but I disagree with Banks and I don’t think that Vick would be taking all the snaps if McNabb misses time. I would say that either Kolb or Feeley are solid, maybe even top 10 backups. Vick will miss a bunch of games and good luck trying to get him on the same page as the WRs and the offensive playcalling.

The rest of the top 7 is really solid. It’s a bit of a shame that Collins and Volek are ranked where they are because they are as solid as they come. Specifically Volek has every single attribute I would look for in a backup.

What’s with the love for Simms? Is it because he has a crappy starting QB ahead of him or because he’s actually good? He was having a hard spot finding a job as a #3 just a couple years ago. He’s not a bad backup, but he’s far from ideal.

Chad Henne – Maybe he’s good, maybe he’s not. I love this line:

But the reality is, no one has ever seen him deliver in the NFL, so we’re just projecting him as an upper tier backup.

Awesome. And my single favorite thing to point out to Dolphin fans:

This is the list of QBs taken within 20 picks of Henne (in either direction) since Jake Plummer was drafted almost 20 picks ahead of where Henne was taken 12 years ago:

Charlie Batch
Shaun King
Brock Huard
Giovanni Carmazzi
Chris Redman
Quincy Carter
Marques Tuiasosopo
Charlie Frye
Andrew Walter
Kellen Clemens
Tarvaris Jackson
John Beck

My guess is that Henne is more likely to bust than to amount to anything.

I like Troy Smith as a backup.

Sorgi is tough to rank because he’s a pretty bad player, but he knows Indy’s offense and players so well and that’s more important in Indy than other teams. So despite the fact that his arm stinks, he’s a solid backup for his specific team. Tough to rank.

Matt Flynn is interesting because Brian Brohm entered his senior season as the top prospect and just a few years later, he’s behind a QB who doesn’t really have an NFL arm on the depth chart.

I’d have Matt Leinart higher. I think he could come in and it’s still one of the better offenses in the league. He’s a fringy top 10 to me.

Alex Smith really deserves to be where he is and so does Luke McCown. I think an unknown like Flynn could have been on the bottom, but Banks did a good job with the bottom 6 or 7 guys.

by kaisertown on Aug 21, 2009 1:39 AM EDT reply actions