Tag: backup QB

Alex McGough joins Packers’ 3-player backup QB competition behind Jordan Love

It’ll be Danny Etling vs. Sean Clifford vs. Alex McGough competing to be the top backup behind Jordan Love at Packers training camp.

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The backup quarterback competition behind Jordan Love will be a three-player race entering Green Bay Packers training camp: rookie fifth-round pick Sean Clifford, 2018 seventh-round pick Danny Etling and now USFL MVP Alex McGough, who was signed on Wednesday.

Interestingly enough, Etling and McGough were back-to-back picks in the 2018 draft: Etling went No. 219 to the New England Patriots, while McGough came off the board to the Seattle Seahawks one pick later at No. 220. Now, the two will compete in Green Bay with Clifford, 149th overall pick in the 2022 draft, to be the top backup behind Love.

Like Etling and Clifford, McGough has never appeared in a regular-season NFL game. He spent time with the Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans before eventually starring in the USFL, where he put his name back on the NFL radar with a ridicously good 2023 season. He created 25 touchdowns (league-high 20 passing) over 10 regular season games and then powered the Birmingham Stallions to the USFL title with nine total touchdowns in two playoff games.

McGough has plenty of experience in the NFL training camp setting. He spent camp in 2018 with the Seahawks, camp in 2019 with the Jaguars, camp in 2020 with the Texans and camp in 2021 back with the Seahawks.

Maybe McGough, who is now 27 years old, is ready to take off after revitalizing his football career in the USFL over the last two seasons. The Packers will give him a chance to prove he’s NFL ready this summer.

Green Bay is a good spot in terms of opportunity at quarterback. Clifford played in 51 games over five seasons at Penn State, but he’s a rookie learning a brand new offense. Etling spent one week in Green Bay during the 2021 season and then returned in 2022, when he spent all of training camp in Green Bay and all of the regular season on the Packers practice squad.

A question for Matt LaFleur: How will the Packers split training camp and preseason reps with two young, inexperienced quarterbacks? Three can be difficult enough, even with a veteran starter. Now, the Packers must get Love enough reps while also attempting to both develop three other young passers and identify a capable backup.

Even with four quarterbacks on the roster, the Packers will have three backup quarterback options with exactly zero games of regular season experience behind an expected starter with 83 regular-season passing attempts and one start. It’s nothing if not an interesting depth chart construction of the game’s most important position. If none of the three are up to the challenge, the Packers will have to pick through a shallow group of available veteran quarterbacks before Week 1.

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Finding a backup quarterback now added to Packers’ offseason to-do list

Who will back up Jordan Love in 2023? The Packers only have Love and Danny Etling on the roster. Expect the team to add one or two more in the coming months.

Aaron Rodgers has declared that he’s ready to join the New York Jets, although we don’t know when a trade between the Jets and the Green Bay Packers is expected to take place. Once official, adding a veteran backup quarterback to the roster will become another item on Brian Gutekunst’s offseason to-do list.

Without Rodgers, the only quarterbacks on the Packers roster right now are Jordan Love and Danny Etling. From a pure numbers standpoint, Green Bay will want at least three quarterbacks on the roster for OTAs, mini-camp, and training camp, and potentially even four. With 90 players on the roster and preseason games to be played, there are a lot of reps to go around, which is why depth is needed.

In addition to just needing more arms, there is also value in having experience on the practice field, in the film room, and on the sidelines during games as Love navigates his first season as a starter. In no way is this veteran backup in Green Bay to compete with Love or even to push him if things are rough – rather, he will be another resource or extra pair of eyes for Love to lean on if needed. Let’s give him a few months to be the guy in Green Bay before making him answer questions about who else is in the quarterback room.

Since the NFL’s legal tampering period opened on Monday, 15 quarterbacks have already agreed to new contracts, several of which are earning $4-plus million per year, with the high-end of the non-Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo deals being at $10 million for Jacoby Brissett.

In no way should the Packers be spending $4 million or more on the quarterback position. For one, the limited cap space that they do have can be better prioritized elsewhere, and two, given that they are looking specifically for a backup, they should be spending not much more than the league minimum. Cooper Rush, Marcus Mariota, Tim Boyle, Drew Lock, and Gardner Minshew are a few of the names still available that could fit what the Packers are looking for.

In addition to adding a veteran in free agency, I also expect the Packers to add to the quarterback position in the draft with one of their 10 selections. Maybe Gutekunst proves me wrong again, but my guess is that this would be a Day 3 pick, meant to build the depth of the position rather than spending an early-round pick on a quarterback and adding competition for Love in his first year as a starter.

Although there are differences between Gutekunst and his predecessor Ted Thompson, there are similarities as well, and it’s worth keeping in mind that back in 2008, Rodgers’ first year as a starter, Thompson spent a second-round pick on Brian Brohm and a seventh-round pick on Matt Flynn. That isn’t to say Gutekunst will take the same approach, but this isn’t uncharted waters for the Packers as an organization either.

This offseason, we know that the Packers have to add to their quarterback room. At a minimum, it’s an undrafted rookie signing or two. But more realistically, they’ll either bring in a free agent, spend a draft pick on the position, or both.

‘I put it all out there,’ says Cowboys QB2 hopeful Will Grier; was it enough to win job?

The ex-Panther waited almost a year to get in a game for the Cowboys; did Friday’s 2-TD performance win him the QB2 job behind Dak Prescott?

Will Grier had to wait almost a full calendar year to show the Dallas Cowboys what he could do in a game.

He got exactly 32 throws, over two preseason exhibitions.

It remains to be seen if he did enough with them to earn the right to stay.

The former third-round draft pick out of West Virginia has been in the building and on the practice field with the team for over eleven months, but Friday night’s preseason finale against the Seahawks may have been Grier’s last- and best- chance to win the job backing up Dak Prescott in Dallas.

He represented himself well, finishing Friday with 12 completions on 22 attempts for 88 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and even adding 26 rushing yards for good measure in the 27-26 win.

The highlight of his night, though, was delivering an end zone ball that Brandon Smith managed to snare for a balletic toe-tap touchdown. The second-year man out of Iowa showed incredible footwork and control, but Grier’s downright surgical placement of the pass is what made it possible.

“I’m aggressive and want to try to make those throws,” Grier said afterward, “and he made a huge play.”

With a 6-of-10 night for 98 yards against the Chargers in the week prior as his only other game film with the club, Grier knows that those outside the Cowboys organization didn’t get a long look at what he brings to the table, so making a splash was important.

“I think with a greater sample size,” he explained, “you’d be able to see more. But at the end of the day, I put it all out there, and that’s all I can do.”

Grier has just two starts on his NFL resumé, both coming as a rookie in late 2019 with Carolina. He didn’t play at all in 2020 and was cut at the end of the Panthers’ camp in 2021. The Cowboys claimed him the next day, and he’s been waiting ever since.

A groin injury kept Grier out of the Cowboys’ 2022 preseason opener in Denver, allowing Cooper Rush and Ben DiNucci to take an early lead in the QB2 competition. Both are already known commodities in Dallas, each having previously started a regular-season game for the club.

DiNucci, a seventh-round draft pick in 2020, was thrown into the fire as a rookie on a Sunday night in Philadelphia. It didn’t go particularly well, but the James Madison alum has hung around in Dallas, seemingly as a deep-bench project of sorts for head coach Mike McCarthy.

Rush was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cowboys in 2017 and has been with the organization since, apart from a short 2020 stint on the Giants’ practice squad. He famously started last Halloween’s game (exactly 364 days after DiNucci’s lone start) and led the team to an improbable primetime win over Minnesota.

While Rush has remained in the running for the backup job this year, the Dallas coaching staff no doubt already knows what it has in him. He was given the start Friday versus Seattle but pulled after one possession to make way for Grier.

“One series is one series. It is what it is,” a seemingly disappointed Rush told reporters Friday night. “You just play the plays and you analyze those plays and just kind of move on. You’re not going to find a great rhythm.”

Now it’s up to the coaches, who will deliberate for the next couple days before making final cuts to get the roster to 53 names by Tuesday.

In what appears to be a one-or-the-other situation between Grier and Rush, it could come down to whether the Cowboys want an aggressive and athletic “gunslinger” (Grier) or a steady and safe “game manager” (Rush) behind their $40 million man.

Which player they could expose to waivers and realistically get back for the practice squad may also be a factor. There may not be much fighting over Rush; it’s thought that Grier would be more likely snatched up by a team looking to upgrade its QB depth.

Friday night’s game at AT&T Stadium, then, may have been Will Grier’s real make-or-break moment as a Cowboy hopeful.

“I thought Will did some really good things,” McCarthy said from the podium after the win. “He struggled early, missed some throws. I think once he settled in, he made some plays, made some plays with his feet. It was just great to get him out there. He was having a really good camp. I thought he had some really good practices before the injury. He definitely gave us a lot to look at and a lot to evaluate.”

Grier would like to have given the coaches a little bit more to look at.

Now he can only hope he gave them enough.

“I thought I played well,” Grier allowed. “I started slow, but overall, played pretty well. Took care of the ball, moved the ball down the field, scored, gave us a chance.”

He may have also just given himself a chance, at the backup job in Dallas.

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Vikings not ruling out bringing in another backup QB

The Vikings might not be done at quarterback.

When the initial depth chart was released on Wednesday, the backup quarterback position stood out right away.

Kellen Mond and Sean Mannion have both been listed as the backup quarterbacks going into Sunday’s preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Unfortunately, neither player has had a good camp. Mannion has performed exactly as you would have expected after his start last season against Green Bay. Mond, after struggling all of last year, has not shown much improvement during training camp thus far.

Where does this leave the Vikings? It could have them searching for a new backup quarterback. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert said as much on KFAN Thursday morning.

The timing feels right, as the new regime hasn’t had an opportunity to get a sense of these players. Now that they have, this isn’t much of a surprise.

Who could they target? Outside of Jimmy Garoppolo and Sam Darnold, both of whom are firmly on the trade block, there aren’t many likely options via trade.

There are a few names on the free agent market that could be enticing, including Cam Newton, Mike Glennon, AJ McCarron, Garrett Gilbert and Kyle Sloter.

If Mond and Mannion both struggle to make a case, don’t be surprised if the team adds another veteran.

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Is Chiefs backup QB Chad Henne getting enough respect?

Where would you rank #Chiefs’ Chad Henne among backup quarterbacks in the NFL?

The Kansas City Chiefs have one of the best quarterback situations in the NFL and that trickles down to their depth. K.C. re-signed Chad Henne on a one-year deal which practically guarantees he’ll be rostered for a fifth season with the team.

Pro Football Network’s Mike Kaye recently ranked the top-32 backup quarterbacks in the NFL. Henne’s ranking (No. 18) suggests that the 13-year veteran might be underappreciated among backup quarterbacks in the league. Of the players listed ahead of him, only Taylor Heinecke (1), Nick Foles (4) and Joe Flacco (9) have seen an equal level of success when the games matter most — the playoffs.

It wasn’t long ago that the Chiefs called on Henne to fill in for Patrick Mahomes in the divisional round of the 2020 playoffs. Leading the Cleveland Browns by just nine points, Henne was thrust into action with the goal of keeping the lead to help the team advance in the playoffs. He’d help the team down the field to set up a 33-yard field goal by Harrison Butker, extending the team’s lead to 12 points.

After a Kareem Hunt touchdown in the fourth quarter made it a one-score game, Henne put the team on his back multiple times to ensure the win. First was a diving run on third-and-long, which set up fourth-and-inches for his team.

That play, of course, set up this legendary play call from Andy Reid. It featured perfect (and fearless) execution from Henne and former Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill.

Maybe Henne shouldn’t be regarded as the top backup quarterback in the league. There are certainly guys with higher upside, who could probably win more games should they be forced to start for an extended period of time. At the same time, there is plenty of evidence that he should be regarded among those top backups.

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With JT Daniels battling injury, Carson Beck might get the start: Who is he?

JT Daniels is reportedly battling an upper-body injury. If he misses Saturday’s game, expect Carson Beck to get the start. Here’s some info on the redshirt freshman passer.

Georgia quarterback JT Daniels is reportedly dealing with an upper body injury that has escalated his status to “questionable” for Saturday’s home-opener against UAB.

Daniels may end up playing. He played the entire Clemson game with the injury apparently — DawgNation is reporting that Daniels suffered the injury in the preseason during Georgia’s second scrimmage.

Daniels’ status is questionable for this Saturday’s game. He could very well end up starting and playing, as DawgNation’s Mike Griffith reports that Daniels first picked up the injury during Georgia’s second scrimmage.

But it’s UAB. Is it worth the risk? 

I don’t think it is and I have a feeling the Georgia coaches would agree. No matter who UGA puts at quarterback, the Dawgs should have no issue winning this game. The smart thing to do would be to sit your superstar quarterback. It’s a long season.

If Daniels is to sit this one out, expect Carson Beck to get the start at quarterback. If you follow recruiting closely you are already familiar with Beck. But for those who are just now learning of the backup quarterback, here’s some information to get you up to speed.

Dec 12, 2020; Georgia QB Carson Beck (15) takes a snap against Missouri: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Carson Beck, Quarterback (No. 15):

Class: Redshirt Freshman

Height: 6-4

Weight: 215 pounds

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

High School: Mandarin High School

As a recruit:

Beck enrolled early at the University of Georgia. He was a four-star recruit in the class of 2020 out of Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Florida.

Beck ranked as the nation’s No. 234 overall player and the No. 5 ranked pro-style passer.

Additionally, before coming to Athens, Beck competed at the prestigious 2019 Elite 11 camp.

Freshman season:

Beck picked up a redshirt as a freshman. He played late against the Missouri Tigers in 2020, but did not have a chance to throw a pass. We expect to see him more often this year, even if he does not make the start against UAB.

Played well at G-Day:

Redshirt freshman quarterback Beck got the majority of the reps for the Black team in the spring game. Beck gained valuable experience and played pretty well, finishing the contest with 236 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He went 22 of 31 on his passing attempts.

“I’m pleased with his progress. I think he got better,” Smart said following G-Day. “Carson didn’t always have the focus he needed last year as a freshman in terms of preparation, academics, on the field, off the field, in the meeting room.

“Now since we started this spring, he’s taken notes, he’s got command of it better. He’s doing better academically in the classroom. He’s trying to take a step forward and do some good things.”

Cowboys claim ex-Panthers QB Will Grier off waivers

Grier was a third-round draft pick by Carolina in 2019; he’s played in 2 regular-season games, with 0 TDs and a 53% completion percentage. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys continue to tweak their roster less than 24 hours after getting down to the required 53 names. As expected, the team has zeroed in on the backup quarterback position as an area of need with just over one week to go until the season opener.

Using the tenth spot in the waiver wire order, the Cowboys claimed Will Grier on Wednesday. Grier was released by the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday.

The former West Virginia passer started his collegiate career at Florida, where he was under Cowboys quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier, who was the Gators’ offensive coordinator and QBs coach then. After transferring to West Virginia and starting for two seasons, Grier was drafted by Carolina in the third round of 2019’s draft. He started the team’s final two games of the regular season that year, going 28-of-52 for 228 passing yards and four interceptions over those appearances, his only stats as a pro.

The 26-year-old had been competing in camp this summer with the Panthers’ high-profile offseason addition Sam Darnold and XFL passing yards leader P.J. Walker. Walker survived final cuts in Carolina; Grier did not.

Twenty-seven players were plucked from the waiver wire on Wednesday, with successful claims made by 18 teams; Grier was the only quarterback taken.

None of the Cowboys’ cuts were claimed by any other teams.

According to David Helman of the team website, Dallas will temporarily cut punter Bryan Anger in order to make room for Grier. Anger will be re-signed later after more roster maneuvers have been completed.

 

Grier now joins Cooper Rush as the depth behind starter Dak Prescott, with Ben DiNucci and Garrett Gilbert being cut by Dallas this week. Rush is expected to be the primary understudy for Prescott to start the season while Grier gets acclimated to Kellen Moore’s offense.

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Cowboys moving forward with Cooper Rush as QB2… for now

Garrett Gilbert and Ben DiNucci are out, leaving Cooper Rush as the Cowboys’ only backup while Cam Newton’s name has popped up on cut day. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys’ backup quarterback situation has been resolved. Or has it?

Ben DiNucci and Garrett Gilbert were among the team’s early cuts on Tuesday, hours ahead of the deadline to get to 53 names on the active roster. Both played significant roles last season in relief of Dak Prescott and Andy Dalton for Dallas. But moving forward- at least for the time being- Cooper Rush will be Prescott’s understudy for the 2021 season, even as some A-list names surface around the league.

Rush signed with the Cowboys in 2017 as an undrafted free agent out of Central Michigan. After a midseason release that year of then-backup Kellen Moore, Rush ascended to the No. 2 role behind Prescott. He saw time late in a Week 7 blowout win over the 49ers, where he went 1-for-2 passing for two yards. He also had a lone incompletion versus Philadelphia in Week 11 that season.

Rush was waived in spring 2020 upon the signing of Andy Dalton; he was claimed by the Giants the following day, reuniting him with his former coach Jason Garrett, the newly-hired offensive coordinator in New York. The Giants released Rush three weeks later. A month after that, Dallas brought him back for depth as the team dealt with Prescott’s extended absence.

He was largely considered the third option among the backups (at least to those outside the organization) until a strong showing against Houston in the third preseason game. Days later, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones went so far to say of the team with Rush at the helm, “We can do everything. We can do our complete portfolio as far as our offense is concerned with Cooper Rush. He’s a little different, but still, we can do everything.”

Now with the release of Gilbert and DiNucci, he may have to, should something happen to Prescott. That undoubtedly causes some concern with Cowboys fans, the notion of turning over the reins to a offense that’s projected to be among the NFL’s elite to a quarterback who- despite his familiarity with Moore and the team’s playbook- has completed just one career regular-season pass for two yards.

Jones and the coaching staff are apparently undeterred.

“I think that you’ve got to assume that- with his knowledge of what we’re doing offensively, what we’re doing with the existing personnel that we’re going to be opening with- you’ve got to assume you’ve got a pretty high bar here, in terms of what’s the most effective way to play if you didn’t have Dak now,” Jones said Tuesday morning, according to the team website.

Of course, just as the Cowboys are thinning their roster, so are 31 other teams. That means at least a handful of capable quarterbacks will suddenly be on the open market. Much of Cowboys Nation jumped at the Tuesday morning announcement, for example, that the Patriots had released former league MVP Cam Newton.

Would the 2010 Heisman Trophy winner, top overall draft pick, and three-time Pro Bowler be an upgrade over Rush? In a pure skills competition, almost assuredly. But Newton’s stats have dropped off considerably as of late, and his lightning-rod personality may be more drama than Cowboys coaches want to introduce into the locker room during Prescott’s comeback season. Plus, his unvaccinated status adds a wrinkle that’s at least worth noting for a team that’s already been hit hard by COVID-19 in recent weeks.

Cowboy Cam seems… unlikely. But never say never.

There will be other noteworthy names in the coming hours and days. Gilbert and/or DiNucci could even end up back on the Cowboys’ practice squad. Rush isn’t guaranteed anything beyond being the only quarterback behind Dak Prescott as of Tuesday.

And Tuesday’s not over yet.

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Jerry Jones says Cowboys ‘can do everything’ with Cooper Rush at QB

Cooper Rush has taken over the lead for the QB2 role, and Jerry Jones believes the Cowboys offense can operate it’s plan just fine with him. | From @StarConscience

One of the biggest questions this offseason for the Dallas Cowboys has been the backup quarterback spot. At first, it seemed like it was a foregone conclusion Garrett Gilbert would win the job, but that took a twist last Saturday against the Houston Texans. Cooper Rush completed 10 of his 12 passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns with a quarterback rating of 139.9. That trumped Gilbert completing three out of his five passes for 30 yards.

The offense flowed more fluently with Cooper at the helm, and it earned him the chance to start the Cowboy’s final preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Rush has the support of team owner Jerry Jones who feels the team’s offense can still operate its plan with Rush under center.

“It’s great though to have a quarterback, for instance in Cooper Rush, that understands the game,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan on Tuesday.

“We can do everything. We can do our complete portfolio as far as our offense is concerned with Cooper Rush. He’s a little different, but still, we can do everything. That’s good. I’ve seen the time when the backup quarterback didn’t allow you to do everything you wanted to do. That’s really good there. We’ll see how this game checks out with the competition here and then we’ll make a decision this weekend.”

Rush was Dak Prescott’s backup from 2017 to 2019 but only completed one of his three passes over that span for a minuscule three yards. He was waived on May 4, 2020, after the Cowboys signed veteran Andy Dalton to backup Prescott but was claimed by the New York Giants a day later. After being waived and signed to the practice squad, Rush was released in September.

Once Prescott went down with a season-ending ankle injury last October, the Cowboys signed Rush to their practice squad and elevated him to the active roster in November.

Now that he’s taken over first-team snaps in practice, Rush is focused on earning his roster spot which is nothing new to him.

“It’s always an uphill battle,” Rush said. “You’re competing every game. You’re always hanging on. You’re always trying to get a roster spot, get the two spot. That’s kind of the mentality for every guy in here and me especially. Just try to get in there, get your reps and capitalize on those reps in games or practices and always out here just trying to make the team.”

Rush didn’t just outplay Gilbert on Saturday he’s done so for the entire preseason. While Gilbert has gone 19 of 34 (55.8%) for 214 yards, Rush has completed 25 of his 38 passes (65.7%) for 256 yards. Another strong performance by Rush against the Jaguars and the backup role to Prescott looks to be his for 2021.

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Stephen Jones offers clues on who will be Cowboys’ backup QB

The Cowboys’ EVP left out a current QB in talking about the backup job behind Dak Prescott, and hinted at possibly acquiring a new player. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The backup quarterback is always an important- some say the most important- position on any NFL team. For the 2021 Dallas Cowboys, there’s an extra sense of apprehension about who would take the reins should something happen to starter Dak Prescott. Last year’s lesson was a hard one for everyone involved.

The irony, of course, is that Dallas was in a better spot heading into 2020 than in recent memory, having signed veteran Andy Dalton in the spring. Dalton took over for Prescott in Week 5, but didn’t last long. Before Week 7’s game was over, the Cowboys had turned to the backup’s backup, Ben DiNucci. And by Week 9, the backup’s backup’s backup- Garrett Gilbert- was starting under center.

Cooper Rush was re-signed to the Cowboys late last season as an insurance policy. Dalton has since moved on to Chicago. That leaves the Cowboys to anoint a new QB2 behind Prescott.

Team executive vice president Stephen Jones was non-committal when asked on Friday about who had the upper hand in the camp battle. But his answer did offer some clues as to how the organization might be thinking about the backup spot with less than three weeks to opening night.

“I think Gilbert and Cooper have got to continue to work, and they’re fighting for that Number Two spot,” Jones said on 105.3 The Fan. “Obviously, Gilbert’s got a little advantage there, but they’re obviously working to hold on to that role there.”

DiNucci was notably absent from Jones’s answer. The second-year passer out of tiny James Madison was thrown into the fire as a rookie, but it’s possible he’s being viewed as little more than a long-term practice-squad project at best right now.

But that doesn’t mean it’s either Gilbert or Rush. Jones hinted that Prescott’s primary backup may well be a quarterback who’s not even in the building at this point.

“As I’ve said time and time again, player acquisition is 365 days a year,” he continued, “and we’re always looking to get better. They’re not only competing against each other, but they’re competing against other people in the NFL, just as other people at other positions on our football team are doing the same thing.”

Saturday’s preseason tilt against the Texans could go a long way in helping the staff decide between Gilbert or Rush… or perhaps prompting them to shop around for the proverbial player to be named later. There will likely be a surprise cut or two in someone else’s camp before long, or a more serviceable passer that the team feels it could land in a trade.

What’s clear is this: the job of backing up Prescott will come with some added pressure this year.

Prescott supposedly healed fully from his catastrophic ankle injury… only to suffer a shoulder strain in training camp. When Week 1 rolls around, Prescott will have been banned from throwing for a fair portion of the team’s offseason work, taken exactly zero snaps in four preseason games, and gone 333 days without seeing live-fire action against an opposing team.

All of which makes the backup quarterback a position of great interest once again in Dallas.

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