Ryan Mallett led the Baltimore Ravens to an upset victory over the rival Pittsburgh Steelers eight months ago. He has a 99.5 quarterback rating and a 74 percent completion rate through two preseason games.

Despite that success, Mallett could lose the backup quarterback job to surprisingly electric journeyman Josh Johnson, according to coach John Harbaugh.

In Baltimore's 19-18 preseason win at the Indianapolis Colts, Johnson led the team in passing and rushing, showing great touch on his throws and the ability to scramble for yards. His best moment came when he directed a near flawless two-minute drill before halftime, driving the Ravens 79 yards with poise and hitting Jeremy Butler for a 12-yard touchdown.

"[Johnson] is making a case to make this team," Harbaugh said after the game. "There is a competition for that spot. It's been on-going through training camp."

The story said it's been long assumed that Mallett is the primary backup to Joe Flacco. He took all the first-team reps in the spring when Flacco was sidelined while recovering from knee surgery, and he started both preseason games.

Bills Inactives
Stefan Charles DT
Dan Herron RB
Gabe Ikard C
Josh Johnson QB
Randell Johnson LB
Cyrus Kouandjio T
Kyle Williams DT

Todd Bowles provided clarity Monday on the ever-changing quarterback depth chart. Sort of.

Commenting for the first time since the New York Jets made their final cuts, releasing veteran quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Josh Johnson, Bowles revealed the reason they signed the two veterans was because starter Ryan Fitzpatrick "wasn't totally healthy."

Wait, what?

"Just being nicked up, just normal injuries," Bowles said. "You didn't want anything to happen to him, so you have to have a contingency plan and you bring in some other guys."

Fitzpatrick's health bears watching because he broke his left leg last December while playing for the Houston Texans and had a steel rod surgically implanted into his lower leg. So if he's banged up after a couple of quarters of preseason work, spread out over two games, it's something to keep an eye on.

The New York Jets are down to two healthy quarterbacks.

Matt Flynn and Josh Johnson were among the Jets' cuts Saturday as they pared their roster to the mandatory 53-player limit.

Flynn and Johnson were signed this summer to compete for a backup role behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, who became the starter after Geno Smith had his jaw broken on Aug. 11 by a punch from then-teammate Ikemefuna Enemkpali. Smith was expected to miss at least the first four games of the regular season.

The Jets' only other healthy quarterback is rookie Bryce Petty, a fourth-round pick out of Baylor.

One day after their 25-11 loss at Tampa Bay, the Cincinnati Bengals cut a trio of reserves as they start whittling their way down to the regular season's 53-man roster limit.

Third-team quarterback Josh Johnson was the player with the most name recognition, released outright to free agency.

After receiving 57 snaps in the preseason-opening win over the New York Giants, Johnson didn't get on the field Monday. Part of that was the product of the Bengals struggling to get into an offensive rhythm with starting quarterback Andy Dalton at the helm. In order to get him to end his night on a positive a note, the Bengals left their first-team offense in the game until it finally moved the ball for a field goal just before halftime.

AJ McCarron, the No. 2 quarterback who spent nearly all of last season on injury lists with a shoulder ailment, played the entire second half. Johnson's release appears a clear sign the Bengals are planning to go with Dalton and McCarron as their two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.

For the fourth time since free agency opened last month, the Bengals have re-signed a player who had left and gone away. On Thursday it was Josh Johnson, quarterback Andy Dalton’s backup from 2013, after he signed a one-year deal that figures to be for near the minimum.

The Bengals were thought to be interested in re-signing 2014 backup Jason Campbell, but there was talk he has been considering retirement and the Bengals moved back to Johnson, a seven-year veteran turning 29 next month.

All signs have been pointing to A.J. McCarron still getting dibs on the backup spot that has been manned by three different players under Dalton.