NFL Backup QB Rankings Sparks Outrage: Tyson Bagent Snubbed, Case Keenum Ignored

Tyson Bagent's back story and his two wins in four starts during the 2023 season to help the Bears get beyond an injury to quarterback Justin Fields made him one of the team's more popular reserves.

Apparently this didn't win the Bears QB much respect when compared to other backup quarterbacks around the NFL.

A rating of the NFL's backup quarterbacks by Sports Illustrated's Gilberto Manzano turns up Bagent as the 31st best backup quarterback. Of course, there are only 31 backups but in this case it's not even clear Bagent is the Bears backup. He's involved in battle for that spot with Case Keenum.

"We're going to continue to mix up the reps over the course of the preseason and then at some point in training camp we'll make a decision with who has earned that No. 2 job and we'll go with it," Ben Johnson said this past week.

Considering Davis Mills is ranked 30th, one spot ahead of Bagent, maybe the Bears should have had two QBs on this list. In 2023, the Texans turned to Keenum to start over Mills when C.J. Stroud was out and he got the job done. Last year they didn't need to use a replacement starter.

"Bagent is remembered for his four consecutive starts as an undrafted rookie filling in for the then-injured Justin Fields two years ago," Manzano wrote. "Bagent had a few impressive flashes, but the lows made it clear that he’s better suited as a spot starter."

It seems a proper assessment of Bagent, anyway. That is, until you look at the rest of the list.

The problem here isn't so much Bagent or Keenum but the entire basis for these rankings. It's supposed to be a ranking of the best backup QBs but too many of the descriptions of players mentions the strength of their team.

For example, Manzano ranks Hendon Hooker of Detroit 15 spots better than Bagent at 16th and obviously well ahead of Keenum, who did  not even get ranked. Hooker has thrown nine NFL passes and his play has been poor enough in what he has shown that the Lions resorted to bringing back Teddy Bridgewater as their backup after he retired and was coaching high school ball.

"Hooker hasn’t played much since being viewed as a top quarterback prospect in the 2023 draft," Manzano correctly wrote. "The third-round pick missed his rookie season due to a torn ACL and had only nine passing attempts as Jared Goff’s backup last year. "

Then he added: "Hooker lacks experience, but he does have the benefit of leaning on a stacked offense in case he’s needed to fill in for Goff in 2025."

Wonderful, so this is measuring who the best backup quarterback whose team is best?

That's not how it's billed. It's said to be best backup quarterback. If we're measuring who has the best team, then shouldn't Tanner McKee be the NFL's best backup? Of course not, but that's the kind of result this ranking seems to support.

Mitchell Trubisky is ranked 29th, but obviously has extensive starting experience and considering he's Buffalo's backup, shouldn't he be at least as good as Hooker and his nine career passes thrown?

The logic, if not the purpose of the rankings, is murky.

There is no substitute for experience. As long as a QB isn't collecting social security, a veteran who can still throw the ball should rank well ahead of someone who has to be shown which player hikes him the ball.

This list does make Andy Dalton No. 8 and well it should. He's a veteran who can step in with tons of starting experience. The same respect was accorded Washington's Marcus Mariota, who was seventh. Well then, what is it, experience counts or are reputation and popularity more important?

Kenny Pickett is rated 23rd, behind Joe Milton and rookie Jalen Milroe. Milton is an urban myth at this point and Milroe hasn't taken a training camp snap.

Pickett has 25 starts, including 15 wins, and you're saying the better backup quarterback is either a rookie or a QB with one start. I'll take the one who isn't wide-eyed and has that 1,000-mile stare as he's looking over the defense in his first or second start any day.

Now, if you're asking who is the better project QB to be a future starter, Milton and Milroe easily rate high. But they are not better backup quarterbacks at this point.

The better backup is the guy who can come in under pressure after suddenly being called upon without reps and produce a victory with the starter gone.

A veteran like Pickett, or someone like Joe Flacco was, before he had to be Browns starter, would be ideal backups because they have stood across from NFL defenses repeatedly and know what it's like.

Even Bagent at least has four starts to his credit. And not having Keenum on the list after he had 66 career starts and the Minneapolis Miracle to his credit is a total oversight.