The 2023 NFL season noticed a excessive variety of backup quarterbacks take over, both due to accidents or lackluster performances.
Now, two groups within the hunt for a Tremendous Bowl title will likely be led by backup quarterbacks within the playoffs.
However the rise of second- and third-string quarterbacks taking up isn’t only a pattern.
George Pickens (14) of the Pittsburgh Steelers celebrates after scoring a landing with teammates Mason Rudolph (2) and Allen Robinson II (11) in the course of the third quarter of a sport in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium Dec. 23, 2023, in Pittsburgh. (Joe Sargent/Getty Photographs)
Based on legendary NFL agent Leigh Steinberg, the backup quarterback spot is a place NFL groups ought to severely contemplate investing in shifting ahead.
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“Given the important nature of the quarterback place and the necessity for groups to have a franchise quarterback as a starter — somebody you possibly can construct round for 10 to 12 years, who you possibly can win due to and who, in important conditions, can elevate his stage of play — arguably, the second most dear participant on a crew’s roster is the backup quarterback,” he advised Fox Information Digital in an interview this week.
Not less than 66 completely different quarterbacks have began in an NFL sport this season, based on ESPN’s Adam Schefter. That’s simply two fewer than final season’s 68, which was the very best of any non-strike season.
That’s a telling determine, based on Steinberg.
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“That tells you that it’s nearly inevitable that, sooner or later or one other, the starter goes to overlook time — within the worst case for a complete season, like Aaron Rodgers; in the perfect case, for a sport or two. However given how shut the playoff races are, it’s fairly clear that, for many groups, they’ll find yourself having to play a number of quarterbacks.”
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick, proper, forces a fumble by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in the course of the first half of the NFC championship Jan. 29, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Picture/Seth Wenig)
The San Francisco 49ers are a crew that involves thoughts. Throughout final 12 months’s NFC championship sport, rookie quarterback Brock Purdy, the Niners’ third beginning quarterback that season, injured the elbow of his throwing arm early on.
He was changed by backup Josh Johnson, who was later dominated out with a concussion, forcing Purdy again in.
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“It could be time for groups to start out pondering of that second quarterback and that third quarterback as additionally irreplaceable, as a result of inevitably the burden will go on their shoulders,” Steinberg stated.
The legendary agent recommended a dynamic just like what the 49ers used within the late Eighties with Joe Montana and Steve Younger (minus the controversy) of getting a backup quarterback who has the power to be a beginning quarterback elsewhere.
“A sensible view of the hazard and threat right here goes to drive groups to assume very severely concerning the high quality of the second quarterback and investing the cash to make a quarterback, who in any other case might be a starter, content material to sit down there. Particularly with a profitable crew, as a result of historical past is replete with examples of the place groups with out that nice quarterback merely don’t fare effectively within the playoffs nor make it to the Tremendous Bowl.”
Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers warms up previous to the NFC championship in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Monetary Subject Jan. 29, 2023, in Philadelphia. (Kevin Sabitus/Getty Photographs)
However the league would want to make modifications to permit this to occur, Steinberg added.
“I believe, from the standpoint of cap, there must be a brand new caponomic method, and one suggestion I might make is that the league permits a cap exception for the second quarterback.”
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The 2023 season has been known as the 12 months of the backups. Steinberg stated he anticipates this influencing the draft, and much more quarterbacks will likely be taken within the first three rounds. He believes extra groups with franchise quarterbacks may even be available in the market for younger signal-callers they will develop for the long run.
Cleveland Browns quarterback Joe Flacco (15) runs the ball within the second half of a sport in opposition to the Chicago Bears in Cleveland Dec. 17, 2023. (AP Picture/Sue Ogrocki)
On Saturday, Tremendous Bowl champion and MVP Joe Flacco finds himself again within the playoffs, this time with the Cleveland Browns as they tackle the Houston Texans. The Pittsburgh Steelers, led by Mason Rudolph, will face off in opposition to the Buffalo Payments in a wild-card sport Sunday.
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