NFL Teams Turn to Bargain Backups With High-Priced QBs Sidelined
NFL teams will have used 47 starting quarterbacks through 9 weeks.
The NFL is increasingly utilizing backup quarterbacks this season as star players are sidelined with injuries. On Sunday of Week 9, Joe Milton III, Gardner Minshew II, and Shedeur Sanders are set to start in the Eagles, Cardinals, and Browns respectively. Seattle's Drew Lock is making his fourth fill-in start. Carson Wentz is set to start for the Vikings on Monday night.
With the trade for Jacoby Brissett from the Cardinals to the Ravens, Baltimore will have four different starters. This season, 47 different quarterbacks will have started for the 32 teams, the highest since 2019. The NFL places a high value on healthy star quarterbacks for fan appeal and viewership, with 13 of the league's highest-paid players being quarterbacks.
Injuries, such as Lamar Jackson's thumb injury and Jalen Hurts' blood clots, have forced teams to rely on backup quarterbacks. The Eagles, Ravens, Giants, Bears, and Cardinals are among the teams using multiple starters this season.
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