NOTE: Here is that look at all the quarterbacks on opening-day rosters, practice squad or reserve. Where necessary, there are updates that reflect changes since Week 1.
The first two weeks of the NFL season is history with quarterbacks (shock, shock) absorbing much of the focus.
That makes it the perfect time to provide a team-by-team list of all the signal-callers either on the roster, practice squad or a reserve list on opening day.
The Arizona Cardinals, like most teams, had two quarterbacks on the active roster and one on the practice squad. Only 12 teams had three on the 53-man roster and 19 had a quarterback on the practice squad.
Kyler Murray is one of 23 first-round choices that started in Week 1.
The list below has the draft round for each player plus the abbreviation UDFA for undrafted free agents. Interspersed will be some noteworthy developments after two weeks.
But, first, some numbers. Everyone knows I love those!
77: Number of quarterbacks on active 53-player rosters. The breakdown by league entry is 33 first-round picks, seven from the second round, six from the third, seven from the fourth, six from the fifth, seven from the sixth, two from the seventh and nine UDFAs. Notably, 14 of the No. 1 picks are with teams different than the one that drafted them.
23: First-round choices that started in the season opener, a number that includes Pittsburgh’s Justin Fields who started with Russell Wilson injured. The remaining starters were four second-round selections, one third, two fourth, one sixth and one seventh (come on down, Brock Purdy).
19: Teams with a practice-squad quarterback on the roster. That breakdown includes two third-round picks, one fourth, four fifth, two seventh and 10 UDFAs.
12: Teams with three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster: Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, L.A. Chargers, Minnesota, New England, New Orleans, N.Y. Giants, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington. The L.A. Rams will presumably have three when the suspension of Jimmy Garoppolo ends after Week 2.
2: Teams with three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster plus one on the practice squad: Philadelphia and San Francisco.
6: Teams with two first-round choices on the 53-man roster: Buffalo, Cleveland, Denver, Indianapolis, Jacksonville and Kansas City
6: Players that opened the season on a reserve list. Two are eligible to return: Garoppolo and Washington’s Marcus Mariota, who is on injured reserve.
15: Rookies on either the 53-man roster, practice squad or reserve. Six are on the roster, seven on the practice squad, one on injured reserve and one on reserve/non-football injury. The rookies are indicated below with asterisks in front of their name.
Team-by-team quarterbacks
Arizona: Kyler Murray (D1), Clayton Tune (D5), Desmond Ridder (D3/PS)
Atlanta: Kirk Cousins (D4), *Michael Penix Jr. (D1), Nathan Peterman (D5/PS)
Baltimore: Lamar Jackson (D1), Josh Johnson (D5), Tyler Huntley (UDFA/PS)
Update: Huntley is reportedly being signed by the Dolphins after concussion suffered by Tua Tagovailoa last Thursday (Sept. 12).
Buffalo: Josh Allen (D1), Mitchell Trubisky (D1), Mike White (D5/PS), Shane Buechele (UDFA/IR)
Carolina: Bryce Young (D1), Andy Dalton (D2), *Jack Plummer (UDFA/PS)
Update: After another poor performance in Week 2, Dalton will replace Young as the starter.
Chicago: *Caleb Williams (D1), Tyler Bagent (UDFA), *Austin Reed (UDFA/PS)
Cincinnati: Joe Burrow (D1), Jake Browning (UDFA), Logan Woodside (D7/PS)
Cleveland: Deshaun Watson (D1), Jameis Winston (D1), Dorian Thompson-Robinson (D5)
Dallas: Dak Prescott (D4), Cooper Rush (UDFA), Trey Lance (D1)
Denver: *Bo Nix (D1), Jarrett Stidham (D4), Zach Wilson (D1)
Detroit: Jared Goff (D1), Hendon Hooker (D3), Jake Fromm (D5/PS)
Green Bay: Jordan Love (D1), Malik Willis (D3), Sean Clifford (D5/PS)
Update: Love suffered a knee injury in Week 1 and Willis started in Week 2 against the Colts. Clifford was signed to the 53-man roster.
Houston: C.J. Stroud (D1), Davis Mills (D3), *Kedon Slovis (UDFA/PS), Case Keenum (UDFA/IR)
Indianapolis: Anthony Richardson (D1), Joe Flacco (D1), Sam Ehlinger (D6)
Jacksonville: Trevor Lawrence (D1), Mac Jones (D1), *John Rhys Plumlee (UDFA/PS)
Kansas City: Patrick Mahomes (D1), Carson Wentz (D1), Bailey Zappe (D4/PS)
Las Vegas: Gardner Minshew (D6), Aidan O’Connell (D4), *Carter Bradley (UDFA/PS)
L.A. Chargers: Justin Herbert (D1), Easton Stick (D5), Taylor Heinicke (UDFA)
L.A. Rams: Matthew Stafford (D1), Stetson Bennett (D4), Jimmy Garoppolo (D2/suspended)
Update: Garoppolo was reinstated from his suspension Monday (Sept. 16),
Miami: Tua Tagovailoa (D1), Skylar Thompson (D7), Tim Boyle (UDFA/PS)
Update: With Tagovailoa in concussion protocol, Thompson is expected to be the starter in Week 3. Tytler Huntley was signed off the Ravens’ practice squad.
Minnesota: Sam Darnold (D1), Nick Mullens (UDFA), Brett Rypien (UDFA), *J.J. McCarthy (D1/IR)
New England: Jacoby Brissett (D3), *Drake Maye (D1), *Joe Milton III (D6)
New Orleans: Derek Carr (D2), Jake Haener (D4), Spencer Rattler (D5)
N.Y. Giants: Daniel Jones (D1), Drew Lock (D2), Tommy DeVito (UDFA)
N.Y. Jets: Aaron Rodgers (D1), Tyrod Taylor (D6), Adrian Martinez (UDFA/PS), *Jordan Travis (D5/NFI)
Philadelphia: Jalen Hurts (D2), Kenny Pickett (D1), Tanner McKee (D6), Will Grier (D3/PS)
Pittsburgh: Russell Wilson (D3), Justin Fields (D1), Kyle Allen (UDFA)
Update: Fields has started the first two games because of Wilson calf injury.
San Francisco: Brock Purdy (D7), Brandon Allen (D6), Joshua Dobbs (D4), *Tanner Mordecai (UDFA/PS)
Seattle: Geno Smith (D2), Sam Howell (D5), Jaren Hall (D5/PS)
Tampa Bay: Baker Mayfield (D1), Kyle Trask (D2), *Michael Pratt (D7/PS)
Tennessee: Will Levis (D2), Mason Rudolph (D3)
Washington: Jayden Daniels (D1), Jeff Driskel (D6), *Sam Hartman (UDFA), Marcus Mariota (D1/IR, eligible to return)
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