For Dolphins fans, Tua Tagovailoa’s unfortunate concussion situation has put a spotlight on the team’s need for a high-level backup quarterback. Given Tua’s issues to date, not having one is basically roster malpractice, but this issue cuts across the entire NFL.
Every team now needs a high-end backup quarterback. It’s becoming increasingly obvious now that the schedule has been expanded to 17 games, and all it takes is one Brock Purdy-type injury scenario to ruin a potential championship season.
The fortunate few
At this point it’s actually easier to identify the teams that haven’t needed a backup than it is to flag the NFL teams whose season hasn't been marred or ruined by the lack of a competent QB.
This is a very short list—the Bills with Josh Allen, the Lions with Jared Goff, Houston with CJ Stroud, and maybe Seattle with Geno Smith. There are other names and teams you could add to the list (e.g., Baker Mayfield), but the risk level goes up accordingly.
The teams on that list aren’t bullet-proof, either. Allen is a perfect example. He suffered what many thought was a concussion a couple of weeks ago against the Texans, and his physical style of play makes that possible on just about any play. The other teams on this list are basically relying on luck to at least some extent.
Every other NFL team is vulnerable
There are two issues that come with carrying a high-level backup: (1) money (2) the belief system around adding a player who ideally won’t see the field. Most teams want to get away with paying a maximum of $3 million a year for a backup QB, and even that number gets questioned for being too high.
But some teams have been successful by being willing to ignore or fudge that number. The Vikings, for example, have been successful by giving Sam Darnold a prorated signing bonus of just over $6 million to go with a salary and roster bonus combination of just over $3 million. They’ll take a cap hit of $5 million this year, but so far Darnold has allowed them to thrive despite the loss of rookie J.J. McCarthy to a season-ending knee injury.
The Steelers, meanwhile, have come up with a unique low-end solution. They’ve taken a class value-add approach, adding two retread quarterbacks in Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, and both have played remarkable well so far. It’s not a long-term solution by any means, but the Steelers have solved availability issue and the budget problem by doing this.
The ultimate overpays: Atlanta and Dallas
At the other end of the spectrum, the Atlanta Falcons blew up their budget to make sure their quarterback situation is covered. They signed Kirk Cousins to a high-end contract, then drafted Michael Penix to sit and watch while on a rookie contract that cost Atlanta $14 million up front, with a cap hit of just over $4 million dollars.
Similarly, the Cowboys are paying Trey Lance $5 million not to play, knowing that Cooper Rush will be the primary choice if Dak Prescott goes down. Owner Jerry Jones has been questioned for gambling on a distressed asset when he already has a reliable backup, but that’s Jones’ m.o. in a nutshell. He often waits as long as possible to make what ends up being an impulsive decision, and Lance is one of his riskier ones.
Thinking outside the box
There’s no good solution to this problem right now, and every owner/GM/coach combination is willing to spend different amounts of money and take the risks that come with how they choose to manage their QB depth chart. But roster philosophy goes out the window very quickly when an expensive, high-end quarterback goes down with a long-term injury.
The fundamental goal is to avoid being where the Dolphins are right now. They were horrible without Tagovailoa, and while he looks set to return this week, he’s become so fragile that his entire career could end at any minute. It’s important for teams to build in roster layers to their QB coverage, and the Dolphins prove what can happen when this isn’t done properly.