Trey Lance Came In Shockingly High in NFL Backup QB Rankings

The Los Angeles Chargers have one of the best quarterbacks in the league in Justin Herbert. Of course, they're working towards getting Herbert his first career playoff win, as the Bolts have been 0-3 during his tenure so far.

The Chargers are fortunate they haven't had starting quarterback debates for a very long time, as the transition from future Hall of Famer Philip Rivers to Herbert was essentially seamless. This doesn't mean they can ignore the backup spot, however. Herbert's remained relatively healthy since entering the league, missing just four games due to injury in his career.

Last offseason, the Chargers decided to create a camp battle between Taylor Heinicke and former 2021 first-round pick Trey Lance. Fast forward to the present and Lance earned himself a second contract with the Chargers, while Heinicke recently announced his retirement from football.

As training camp inches closer, Lance's time to shine will come, as the preseason is a critical time for backups across the league. Just how good does Lance stack up against the NFL's fellow backup quarterbacks? His ranking in this latest list may shock some people.

Trey Lance in better half of NFL backup QBs

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Trey Lance — Trey Lance | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Backup quarterbacks in the NFL always need to be ready in case the starter goes down. In the league today, it's common to see backups start at least 1 game per season. Lance started in Week 18 last season, going 20/44 with 136 yards and an interception in the Chargers' loss to the Denver Broncos.

Gilberto Manzano of SI ranked each backup quarterback, listing Lance at the No.15 spot.

"For a second, it seemed Lance was going to make the most of his second opportunity in the league after the 49ers traded the No. 3 pick in the 2021 draft to the Cowboys," Manzano wrote. "But Lance struggled to take the QB2 job from Cooper Rush in his two seasons in Dallas and wasn’t brought back for the ’25 season."

"However, Lance found stability with the Chargers and gained the trust of coach Jim Harbaugh after an impressive preseason last summer in Los Angeles. In four seasons, Lance has six career starts with five touchdowns and five interceptions."

It's noteworthy that Manzano mentioned Lance's stint in Dallas, as he was given the opportunity to become Dak Prescott's backup for the foreseeable future. While that didn't work out, he landed with the Chargers and could rise up these rankings with another strong summer outing.

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