Is your favorite NFL team’s starting quarterback for the 2024 season about to be benched soon? Although there are plenty of top veteran QBs entrenched in top jobs across the league, a handful of teams are bound to go through multiple starters.
Before looking at that list of quarterbacks on shaky footing in the pocket, let’s first look at the teams that don’t have this worry, assuming their No. 1 passer stays healthy.
In the NFC, the 49ers, Cardinals, Rams, Lions, Packers, Bears, Saints, Buccaneers, Cowboys, and Eagles are 10 teams that all have their guys. In the AFC, the Chiefs, Chargers, Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Colts, Texans, Jaguars, Bills, Dolphins, and Jets are 11 more set teams.
Among rookie first-round QBs, the Commanders’ Jayden Daniels and the Broncls’ Bo Nix have the best chance to start right away along with the Bears’ Caleb Williams. That leaves nine teams whose quarterback situations are up in the air, from training camp through the regular season.
Here’s ranking them by their unofficial odds to be benched at some point in ’24.
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Ranking the NFL quarterbacks most likely to be benched
1. Sam Darnold, Vikings
Darnold has gotten rave reviews so far in his initial offseason workouts with his new team, maximizing his connection with quarterbacks coach Josh McCown. He has the early edge to be the bridge vs. Minnesota rolling with first-rounder J.J. McCarthy. However, given Darnold’s recent history with the Panthers and 49ers, we know there’s a big difference when he is on the field in actual games.
McCarthy also has looked solid so far and will keep pushing Darnold. The veteran might be in the lead to be out there Week 1 vs. the Giants, but expect him to create a short hook for himself by the time he struggles against his former team, San Francisco, in Week 2.
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2. Jacoby Brissett, Patriots
Brissett has been a bridge-for-hire in various offenses since being traded from the Patriots to the Colts, starting 16 games with the Dolphins and Browns and appearing in three with the Commanders. Now, the 31-year-old who can absorb playbooks quickly comes full circle to the team that drafted him in the third round in 2016.
Given the Patriots’ limited overall offensive support and rookie coach Jerod Mayo seeing that rookie Drake Maye needs a lot of work, they might not rush the No. 3 overall pick into action. Brissett can be OK in a run-heavy, defensive-minded game plan, but at some point soon, New England needs to go trial by fire with Maye.
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3. Daniel Jones, Giants
Daniel Jones is expected to be ready to start Week 1 after his 2023 season was curbed by a major knee injury. Drew Lock was signed behind him, giving New York a little more experience over Tommy DeVito.
Although the team has tried to make it clear Lock is a backup only, between him and DeVito, there’s enough of a starting alternative should Jones struggle. The Giants didn’t draft another first-round QB to replace Jones, but they sure gave plenty of strong indications that they might. They won’t hesitate to spin away from DJ should he keep losing his groove.
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4. Gardner Minshew, Raiders
Minshew or Aidan O’Connell? The Raiders replaced Jimmy Garoppolo with Minshew but didn’t draft a youthful competitor to the 2023 fourth-rounder, despite bringing in former Bears coordinator Luke Getsy.
Minshew likely will get the first crack, a la Jimmy G ahead of AOC early last season, but Minshew also was shaky for the Colts filling in for Anthony Richardson in 2023. The Raiders will likely want to get one last long look at O’Connell before officially moving on with a true franchise QB in 2025.
5. Will Levis, Titans
The Titans upgraded left tackle, center, and the wide receiver corps plenty, all with lifting the second-year, second-round signal-caller in mind. Levis also will get to play in a more pass-heavy offense under coach Brian Callahan and coordinator Nick Holz. The Titans are expecting Levis to make a big leap as a starter, but he also could fizzle. If that happens, like the Steelers with Kenny Pickett last season, Tennessee will pivot to Mason Rudolph.
6. Geno Smith, Seahawks
Smith has a different QB behind him following Lock’s signing with the Giants. The Seahawks made it clear when they traded for former Commanders fifth-rounder Sam Howell that he wasn’t competition for Smith.
Smith, however, faded a bit to follow his delayed 2022 breakout after getting a new contract in 2023. That also was under former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, who, along with former assistant Dave Canales, helped revive Smith’s career.
Now, he’s working in a new, pass-happy offense under former University of Washington OC Brian Grubb. That opens the door for a new QB, such as Howell, to fare better. Smith seems safe on the surface, but don’t be surprised if Seattle’s new coaches want to see what Howell could do in the system.
7. Bryce Young, Panthers
The Panthers, much like the Titans with Levis, did plenty to set up the 2023 No. 1 overall pick for much-improved play in 2024 by upgrading receiver, offensive line, and tight end under their new coach, Canales, and coordinator Brad Idzik. Carolina will truly find out if Young is a bust or has a Jared Goff-like Year 2 turnaround.
Should Young continue to stumble, however, and cost the Panthers winnable games, they can go back to bridging with Andy Dalton to try again at QB in the 2025 draft.
8. Kirk Cousins, Falcons
Cousins is on natural high alert with his new team ahead of turning 36 in August and coming off a torn Achilles. The money owed to Cousins would say the Falcons are committed to him as a big veteran QB upgrade. The high first-round drafting of future franchise passer Michael Penix Jr. would say otherwise.
Cousins should be OK with the offensive transition in a similar, Rams-adjacent offense under Zac Robinson after playing for Kevin O’Connell. However, if Cousins shows a sudden decline from age and wear that causes Atlanta to fade again in the NFC South playoff race, it won’t hesitate to turn the page to Penix earlier than expected.
9. Russell Wilson, Steelers
Wilson has a different kind of “competition” from a young first-rounder. The 35-year-old is hoping to be rejuvenated as the perennial Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion he was with the Seahawks. Should he show more of his Broncos disappointment instead of delivering for Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith, the Steelers can make a quick pivot to Justin Fields.
Fields is 10 years Wilson’s junior and carries more long-term upside in his reboot from the Bears. Should Wilson play outside the system, Fields and his dynamic rushing might end up being a better fit in what should be a frequent 12-personnel, run-often offense under Smith. Fields would make sense in the short-term, too, with winning most on Pittsburgh’s mind.