The typical job of a second string NFL quarterback during a typical game includes wearing a headset over a baseball cap and holding a sheet of potentials plays to be run. The backup QB also performs a very important job week in and week out that often goes overlooked, being ready to step into the game at a moments notice. Apparently that quality is highly sought after this season in the NFL.

The frenzy began when former Indianapolis Colt Jim Sorgi tore a capsule in his right shoulder in the New York Giants preseason opener against the cross town rival Jets, leaving the Giants with second year QB Rhett Bomar out of Sam Houston State at backup.

Apparently Bomar's inconsistent play was cause enough for concern in the Giant's front office. Before the roster cut down at the end of the preseason, New York reached an agreement with the Minnesota Vikings to acquire QB Sage Rosenfels and kick returner Darius Reynaud for draft picks in the 2011 and 2012 drafts. Shortly after the deal was struck the Giants announced that Bomar would be cut when the rosters reduced at the end of the preseason.

The move bumped Minnesota QB Tarvaris Jackson into the backup role behind Brett Favre and rookie Joe Webb out of Alabama-Birmingham into the third string position. As for the Giants, Eli Manning now has experienced veteran Rosenfels and rookie Dominic Randolph out of Holy Cross in his rear view mirror.

The Giants are not the only team with injury concerns at the backup QB position.

In the windy city, the Chicago Bears second string gunslinger Caleb Hanie injured his throwing shoulder on a hit sustained against San Diego in the preeason. The Bears responded by signing former New England Patriot Matt Gutierrez to a one year deal to bolster the QB position, only to release Gutierrez 11 days later. The Bears also signed former Washington Redskin Todd Collins.

Cutler is still expected to remain the starter, but Collins leapfrogged rookie Dan LeFevour and third year man Brett Basanez into the second string role.

Meanwhile, in the mile high city that Cutler formerly called home has second string drama brewing.

Behind starter Kyle Orton, two inexperienced young signal callers—former Cleveland Brown Brady Quinn and rookie Tim Tebow—are vying for the second string job. The problem is that neither have even a small wealth of experience at the QB position in the NFL and selecting one over the other would be a crap-shoot. No formal announcement has been made yet regarding which young QB would assume the backup role, although speculation is Tebow will likely be the backup.

Elsewhere in the middle of steel country, the backup role has taken on an entirely different flavor.

With starter Ben Roethlisberger suspended four games for violating league conduct policy, the Pittsburgh Steelers are forced to use a backup as a starter for the first quarter of the season. However, the selection of temporary starter has been reduced to two potential candidates due to a torn MCL Byron Leftwich sustained in the final preseason game.

The injury leaves Dennis Dixon and veteran Charlie Batch to fight for the temporary starter role. All indications out of Pittsburgh point to Dixon getting the start Week 1, but nothing has been confirmed yet. If the young man from Oregon can't get it together, don't be surprised to see Batch take action.

Typically all the buzz surrounding a QB is regarding the starter, but not this season. Welcome to the year of the backup in the NFL.