The Next Josh Johnson? Backup QBs Destined to Call NFL Home for Years to Come
As the cliche states, the backup quarterback is the most popular player on an NFL team.
Josh Johnson must be the most popular player of all time, because he's always found a home somewhere. The 37-year-old Johnson re-signed with the Baltimore Ravens on Monday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
The 2008 fifth-round pick already set an NFL record by playing for 14 different teams (not including a stop with the now-defunct United Football League's Sacramento Mountain Lions and being the first overall draft pick for the Alliance of American Football, though the QB never played a down for the San Diego Fleet).
Johnson's career is a testament to his perseverance and always being ready to help a team. It's an admirable spot, even if most backups aren't viewed as anything more than what they are. At the same time, their popularity ebbs and flows based on how well the offense is performing. The unknown is always attractive, when a fanbase sees what's happening on a down-by-down basis.
With NFL owners approving a new bylaw to keep a third quarterback without using an actual third roster spot, stories like the one Johnson provides on a yearly basis should become more regular.
Successful careers can be built as a long-term backup quarterback. Five specific signal-callers drafted over the last five years stand out as those capable of building extensive resumes as QB2, while playing for numerous teams before their careers are finished.
Gardner Minshew II, Indianapolis Colts
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Gardner Minshew wasn't even supposed to play high-level college ball, let alone find his way into the NFL and onto three different rosters.
Minshew had decided to transfer to Alabama, where he'd serve as a backup and eventually work his way into being a graduate assistant for the Crimson Tide before the late, great Mike Leach called and gave the quarterback an opportunity to start for Washington State.
Minshew threw for 4,779 yards during his final season on campus then heard his name called in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL draft. In four seasons, Minshew has already started 24 games. His intelligence, creativity and toughness are strong selling points, though he's limited athletically.
Now, he's in a situation where he can serve as the right-hand man for Indianapolis Colts head coach Shane Steichen, who previously worked with Minshew in Philadelphia, and help develop this year's fourth overall draft pick, Anthony Richardson.
"Whatever Gardner is doing, whatever his job is at that time, I have confidence in him," quarterbacks coach Cam Turner said, per JJ Stankevitz of the Colts official site. "Starter, backup, whatever it might be. You get to know Gardner, you'll buy in and you'll believe in him, that's for sure."
The next four to five years should be set for Minshew's career path.
Jarrett Stidham, Denver Broncos
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Some NFL backups piece together long careers because they're reliable and solid in a pinch. Others keep getting opportunities because they flash when provided with opportunities.
Jarrett Stidham falls into the latter category.
Stidham entered the collegiate ranks as a 5-star recruit and the nation's top-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the 2015 class. At each of his stops, glimpses of significant potential can be seen. The Denver Broncos are the latest to bank on Stidham's upside.
"We like the player," new Broncos head coach Sean Payton told reporters. "I think he played well in the two starts he had (last season)—if you study closely the San Francisco game, he's smart at the line of scrimmage. There were a couple directions, really, with that position. There were a handful of No. 2s that either I had worked with or we felt comfortable with, but in this case, I think it's a No. 2 (where) his arrow's moving in a direction where we feel like he can become an NFL starter in our league."
Payton added, "So the evaluation was pretty crystal clear for all of us. I think he's someone that's gonna be great in the room. He's smart. And so, quietly, that was an important (signing) for us."
The Broncos are still relying on Russell Wilson to return to form. The coach's previous comment about starting aside, Stidham provides a safety net.
Davis Mills, Houston Texans
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Davis Mills spent his first two seasons primarily as a starter, after the Houston Texans selected him 67th overall in the 2021 NFL draft.
Mills wasn't supposed to immediately take the reins. At the time, Deshaun Watson was still on the roster and the Texans signed Tyrod Taylor in free agency to serve as an experienced bridge option.
The rookie became the starter by Week 3. In two seasons at the helm, the former 5-star recruit threw 33 touchdowns compared to 25 interceptions on a squad that won seven total games.
Obviously, Mills' performance wasn't good enough and the franchise used this year's second overall draft pick to select Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud.
"Personally, I think that my best football days are still ahead of me," Mills told reporters during his end-of-season press conference. "There are always going to be questions, and I don't have full control over that decision. I want to continue developing as a player and as a person."
Starting opportunities won't be plentiful, if any are actually available. But the experience he gained early in his career can prove beneficial.
The 24-year-old signal-caller still has two years remaining on his rookie contract. A willingness to help Stroud should be invaluable, as other teams possibly look to Mills as a long-term backup or even bridge starter.
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Bailey Zappe, New England Patriots
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Bailey Zappe left college football as its all-time leader with 5,976 passing yards in a single season. He jumped ahead of names such as B.J. Symons, Graham Harrell, Joe Burrow and Case Keenum. One of those is not like the others, and it's not Zappe.
Burrow turned out differently compared to the others who played in Air Raid schemes. Zappe doesn't have the natural pocket presence, anticipation or ball placement of Burrow (not many do). However, he's an instinctive and natural thrower, with some physical limitations.
As last year's 137th overall pick enters his sophomore season, he'll get an opportunity to compete for a starting job. Though ownership may lean toward incumbent Mac Jones.
"I'm a big fan of Mac. He quarterbacked his rookie season and did a very fine job, I thought," New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in March. "We made the playoffs. I think we experimented with some things last year [coaching wise] that frankly didn't work when it came to him, in my opinion. I think we made changes [this year] that I think put him in a good position to excel."
Even if Zappe does win the job, the situation would serve as an indictment of the 2021 15th overall draft pick more than anything.
Zappe is closer to Keenum's mold. He can start and even play well for stretches, but he lacks traits to consistently lead an entire franchise.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Cleveland Browns
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Quality depth is important at every position, especially behind center. The Cleveland Browns understand this, even with Deshaun Watson on the roster.
According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto, the Browns had this year's 140th overall pick, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, graded as a top-five quarterback prospect behind this year's likely suspects. Cleveland envisions him growing into a "better version" of current backup Joshua Dobbs.
Clearly, Thompson-Robinson's selection is a long-term play and a smart one. The team will have a backup on a fourth-round rookie contract for four years. But its more than a financial decision.
The two-time second-team All-Pac-12 performer brings athleticism and a promising developmental curve.
Thompson-Robinson runs a 4.56-second 40-yard dash. He accumulated 1,254 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns over the last two seasons. While his athletic profile provides the floor, the 23-year-old signal-caller also showed improvement in each of his five seasons in the UCLA Bruins offense.
During the 2022 campaign, Thompson-Robinson set career-highs in completions (266), pass attempts (382), completion percentage (69.6), passing yardage (3,169), passing touchdowns (27) and quarterback rating (157.4).
"I don't know if there's anybody that's as competitive when you watch him play, the way he throws his body around," UCLA head coach Chip Kelly said, per the Los Angeles Times' Ben Bolch. "You know, his combination of competitiveness and his toughness, I think is kind of unmatched."
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