Posted by ESPN.com's Pat Yasinskas

Just got through a column in which Sports Illustrated's Don Banks ranks the league's 32 backup quarterbacks and it got me thinking about the No. 2 guys in the NFC South.

This position might be one of the division's strongest and Carolina Panthers coach John Fox will be the first to tell you the importance of having a solid backup quarterback. After starter Jake Delhomme went down early last year, the Panthers went through David Carr, Vinny Testaverde and undrafted rookie Matt Moore. The quarterback turmoil was the main reason the Panthers were a 7-9 team and not in the playoffs. This year, Carolina's in much better shape and that's because the Panthers found something in Moore late last season and that's why they didn't pursue a veteran backup.

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	Chris Redman gives the Falcons a sense of security at quarterback.

Banks has Moore ranked No. 15 and that's pretty fair. He's ranked slightly ahead of veterans like Gus Frerotte and Byron Leftwich. I might take one of those guys in a one-game situation. But if Delhomme goes down for an extended time, Moore can fill in for the long haul. Plus, he's got the upside to someday be a starter.

The lowest-rated backup in the NFC South is New Orleans' Mark Brunell at No. 18 and I won't argue with Banks on that one. Brunell is a smart veteran, and watching him in training camp I noticed he's got plenty of arm left. At Brunell's age, I wouldn't to see him have to play a full season because his body might not be able to take it. But, if anything happens to Drew Brees, Brunell could run this team smoothly for a few games.

Banks has Atlanta's Chris Redman at No. 13 and that's about right. Redman came out of premature retirement last year and ended up playing well. The team considered sticking with Redman until rookie Matt Ryan showed he was ready. But Redman showed, under some tough circumstances last year, that he's got some moxie. If Ryan stumbles, Redman's not a bad alternative.

Tampa Bay's Brian Griese is rated No. 2 by Banks and that's a solid choice, one spot behind Washington's Todd Collins. You could even make a strong statement for Griese as No. 1. He's never been a star, but he's been solid as a backup and a starter. He won't knock you over with his physical skills, but he's very efficient. Jeff Garcia clearly is Tampa Bay's starter, but I get the feeling the Bucs wouldn't miss a beat if they had to play Griese the majority of the season.