Commanders' Marcus Mariota disrespected in new backup QB rankings

The Washington Commanders made it clear they wanted Marcus Mariota to return for a third season in 2026 as Jayden Daniels‘ backup. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the 32-year-old Mariota has appeared in 104 games over his 11-year career, including 82 starts. He’s also started in two playoff games, winning one.

Since signing with Washington to serve as a mentor/backup for Daniels, Mariota has appeared in 14 games, making eight starts. Mariota is not only close to Daniels but also respected by all his teammates and valued by the coaches. He’s once again set to be one of the NFL’s highest-paid backup quarterbacks in 2026, after signing a one-year deal worth $8 million in March.

Yet one NFL analyst doesn’t think Mariota is among the league’s better backup quarterbacks.

Gilberto Manzano of Sports Illustrated recently ranked all backup NFL quarterbacks, from 1 to 32. He ranked Mariota 18th. Here’s his explanation:

Similar to the setup in Baltimore with Jackson and Huntley, the Commanders also prefer the benefits that come from having a starter and a backup with similar skill sets. While Mariota isn’t as fast as he once was, he still has enough mobility to run a playbook tailor-made for Jayden Daniels.

But Mariota was asked to play too much last season and delivered erratic performances in his eight starts while filling in for the injured Daniels. In 11 seasons, the 2015 No. 2 pick has made 82 career starts with a 36–46 record.

Similar to the setup in Baltimore with Jackson and Huntley, the Commanders also prefer the benefits that come from having a starter and a backup with similar skill sets. While Mariota isn’t as fast as he once was, he still has enough mobility to run a playbook tailor-made for Jayden Daniels.

But Mariota was asked to play too much last season and delivered erratic performances in his eight starts while filling in for the injured Daniels. In 11 seasons, the 2015 No. 2 pick has made 82 career starts with a 36–46 record.

Did Mariota have to play too much last season due to Daniels’ injuries? Absolutely. He played well at times, including an amazing performance in a Sunday night overtime loss to the Denver Broncos, one of the AFC’s best teams. He was erratic at times, too.

Let’s look at the 17 QBs ranked ahead of Mariota.

• 1. Joe Flacco, Bengals

• 2. Mac Jones, 49ers

• 3. Tua Tagovailoa, Falcons

• 4. Jameis Winston, Giants

• 5. Fernando Mendoza, Raiders

• 6. Spencer Rattler, Saints

• 7. Tyson Bagent, Bears

• 8. Justin Fields, Chiefs

• 9. Jarrett Stidham, Broncos

• 10. Anthony Richardson, Colts

• 11. Davis Mills, Texans

• 12. Shedeur Sanders, Browns

• 13. J.J. McCarthy, Vikings

• 14. Gardner Minshew, Cardinals

• 15. Trey Lance, Chargers

• 16. Tyrod Taylor, Packers

• 17. Drew Lock, Seahawks

Two things stand out here: Tyrod Taylor and Mariota were completely disrespected. You could argue that Taylor is the NFL’s best backup. There’s really no arguing with Flacco at No. 1, though. He’s been remarkable for multiple teams as a backup in recent years. But how in the world is Mariota (and Taylor) behind players such as Rattler, Fields, Richardson, Sanders and McCarthy? Has he seriously watched some of these guys play?

Mariota is better than Winston and Tagovailoa, too. Winston couldn’t beat out Russell Wilson in 2025, while Tagovailoa is a turnover waiting to happen. Fields is not a capable passer despite being given multiple opportunities, Richardson can’t play, and McCarthy is well on his way to joining Richardson. And what has Sanders actually accomplished at the NFL level in one year? Additionally, Mendoza has not played one NFL snap yet.

For what it’s worth, former NFL quarterback and co-host of Pro Football Talk on NBC Sports, Chris Simms, ranked 43 quarterbacks ahead of the 2026 NFL season. He ranked Mariota at No. 35. These weren’t backup QB rankings; he was included in all rankings. That seems much fairer.

This is the point where we remind you, as we often do, that rankings are subjective. One thing that most NFL teams would probably agree on, though, is that there aren’t 17 better backup quarterbacks than Marcus Mariota.