It’s not just the hot spotlight in Cleveland on incumbent Brian Hoyer battling to keep the starting QB job against Johnny “Johnny Football” Manziel. The NFL has lots of intriguing quarterback plots brewing, with backups planning coups across the league. Backups always want to start, but this year may present more volatility in the starting positions than any in recent memory.
The Redskins’ beloved Robert Griffin III is being “outplayed” in the preseason by backup Kirk Cousins, says former Redskins Super Bowl champion quarterback Joe Theismann. RGIII has battled injury–and without his full complement of physical gifts the star’s aggressive, exciting style of play leaves him vulnerable. Backup Cousins is licking his chops. And it doesn’t take a seer to know that Michael Vick–who by any definition is never out of consideration–will threaten QB Geno Smith for the Jets starting spot. It’s New York after all, and one bad game will have people screaming for Smith’s demotion. Mike Freeman at Bleacher Report thinks Blake Bortles is a no brainer to take over Chad Henne’s job “by midseason” in Jacksonville. And Matt Cassel’s not going to be too comfortable in Minnesota looking over his shoulder at backup Teddy Bridgewater. Let the games begin!
