Teams with best depth at quarterback

he common NFL wisdom — which usually comes in the form of a cliché — when talking about depth at quarterback, typically goes something like this: “If you have two, you actually have none.”

But, clearly, the resuscitators of that saying never bet on NFL preseason games.

Let’s face it: If you have two seasoned quarterbacks at this time of year — and some teams even have three — then you’ll have a decent chance at winning these meaningless games. And for a summer bettor looking for an edge in the treacherous water that is NFL preseason football, that knowledge can go a long way, folks.

So, without delay, let’s take a look at the teams with the most depth at quarterback, teams almost assured to have experience under center from the first to the fourth quarters.

Tennessee Titans

Jeff Fisher may not have the most upstanding citizens under center, but what they lack in character, they make up for in depth.

Vince Young, fresh off a bizarre strip club incident, Chris Simms, fresh off an even more bizarre marijuana incident, and Kerry Collins, who may need to counsel his counterparts now that his life is long since turned around, combine to form the league’s most experienced preseason trifecta.

Young, Simms and Collins — like all of those below in this entry — have been NFL starters before. In fact, with a total of 170 starts, they get top billing here. But what separates them from the pack, in addition to their off-the-field incidents, of course, is the fact that they’ve all started playoff games, as well, nine to be precise, including a Super Bowl.

Washington Redskins

None of these guys were on the team last year. They didn’t draft a single one of them. And the jury, moving forward, is clearly out on all three.

But the Redskins’ cluster of Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman and John Beck make this cut because when the likes of Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen, and Colt McCoy are running for their lives in the fourth quarter of these exhibition games, we do believe Washington will have some poise in the huddle.

McNabb, Grossman and Beck fall just under the Titans’ total, with 169 starts. Who knows if the latter two will even make the final roster. But for now, ride that experience.

New York Jets

Mark Sanchez and Kellen Clemens — and the HBO cameras, for that matter — had to make room two weeks ago for Mark Brunell. And while that wasn’t particularly good news for Clemens, who may be released, make no mistake: The signing was noticed by preseason bettors.

Listen, clearly, Brunell’s days of topping 3,000 yards — like he did six times — are long gone. But he can still move a tad, he can still find a receiver or two — especially if Braylon Edwards and Santonio Holmes remain on the field when the veteran lefty takes the huddle, and he can still mount scoring drives … or Rex Ryan wouldn’t have signed him.

Combine Brunell’s 141 starts, with Clemens’ nine and Sanchez’s 15, and the Jets can give the Titans and Redskins a run. That’s 165 starts. And those, as you know, do not grow on trees.

Pittsburgh Steelers

OK, so we know that Ben Roethlisberger — speaking of quarterbacks with issues — won’t begin the regular season. But that doesn’t matter now, right? We’re talking preseason, baby.

And Pittsburgh can trot out an impressive trifecta in their own right. Roethlisberger, keep in mind, is allowed to play in the preseason, and once he’s relieved, Byron Leftwich and Dennis Dixon have each spent time as his backup already.

All told, there are 136 starts in that Steelers’ tripod, which should give bettors pause when they consider going against them.

Baltimore Ravens

It’s not often you find a 22,000-yard passer on the June scrap heap, but that’s exactly what Baltimore did, when it landed Marc Bulger, who will back up Joe Flacco.

Bulger has been in the league 10 years, he’s only 33 and has 122 career touchdown passes. So, when Flacco finishes up his three or four series, prepare for Bulger to step in and air it out.

And then, you can rest assured knowing that Troy Smith — the former Heisman Trophy winner at Ohio State who may lose his job — will make good use of every snap he gets in garbage time.

All told, these three signalcallers have 113 starts. Not bad for a team that usually has quarterback questions.