Bills Central

Where does Bills' Mitch Trubisky rank among NFL backup QBs?

In the rare chance of injury to Josh Allen, the Buffalo Bills are trusting mediocre backup Mitch Trubisky with their Super Bowl hopes.
Richie Whitt|
Bills quarterbacks Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky high-five during position drills during the final day of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University.
Bills quarterbacks Josh Allen and Mitch Trubisky high-five during position drills during the final day of Buffalo Bills training camp at St. John Fisher University. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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For the Buffalo Bills to finally win their Super Bowl, they need Josh Allen to be Superman. And Mitch Trubisky to be ... Frank Reich?

Allen is the NFL's reigning MVP and one of the most durable quarterbacks in the history of the sport. He hasn't missed a game due to injury since his rookie season in 2018. With him in the lineup, the Bills will likely be favored in all 17 games this season.

To give him the best chance of staying healthy, head coach Sean McDermott didn't play him a single snap in the preseason.

MORE: Bills decide to run it back at backup QB spot

But what if?

The Bills cut veteran backup Mike White this week and — in a bit of a surprise — also released Shane Buechele on the heels of his impressive performance in Tampa last weekend. If Allen misses any time, Buffalo will put its faith in the hands of Trubisky.

During roster cutdown week, teams frantically play musical chairs with backup quarterbacks to give themselves the best insurance policies possible. The Las Vegas Raiders traded for Kenny Pickett, the New York Giants cut Tommy DeVito, etc. The Bills have settled on Trubisky, who threw only 26 passes as Allen's backup last season and made his only Pro Bowl with the Chicago Bears in 2018.

Most NFL analysts rank Trubisky in the bottom third of backup quarterbacks, far from the likes of Kirk Cousins (Falcons) and Jimmy Garoppolo (Rams) at the top and down in the 20-something neighborhood beside Davis Mills (Texans) and Kyle Trask (Buccaneers).

MORE: Josh Allen vs. Patrick Mahomes: ESPN Top 100 sparks debate

Reich didn't play a lot behind Jim Kelly during the Bills' run to four consecutive Super Bowls 1990-93. He only started three games, but did of course engineer "The Comeback" over the Oilers in the 1992 Wild Card.

We don't know if Trubisky can be Reich. So Allen better indeed be Superman.

Bills quarterback Mitch Trubisky throws to the end zone during route drills.
Bills quarterback Mitch Trubisky throws to the end zone during route drills. | Shawn Dowd/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Richie Whitt
RICHIE WHITT

Richie Whitt has been a sports media fixture in Dallas-Fort Worth since graduating from UT-Arlington in 1986. His career is highlighted by successful stints in print (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), TV (NBC5) and radio (105.3 The Fan). During his almost 40-year tenure, he's blabbed and blogged on events ranging from Super Bowls to NBA Finals to World Series to Stanley Cups to Olympics to Wimbledons to World Cups. Whitt has been covering the NFL since 1989, and in 1993 authored The 'Boys Are Back, a book chronicling the Dallas Cowboys' run to Super Bowl XXVII.

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