Predicting When Vulnerable Starting NFL Quarterbacks Get Benched

For various reasons, about a quarter of the NFL's starting quarterbacks could be at risk of losing their jobs.

Some are struggling individually, while others could give way to younger backups amid mounting outside pressure or team-wide struggles.

Here's how I see each scenario playing out.

Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals

AP Photo/Jeff Lewis

Jacoby Brissett

The Problem: The Cardinals have lost four consecutive games, with the 33-year-old Brissett posting an ugly 81.1 passer rating during that time frame. Brissett threw three interceptions in a Week 4 loss to the Giants and was sacked five times in a Week 5 defeat at the hands of the Lions. His 44.9 passer rating on deep balls is the worst among regular starters not named Justin Herbert. 

The Primary Threat: Carson Beck, who was a third-round pick in April after tearing up the ACC at Miami in 2025, but still has to leapfrog veteran Gardner Minshew on the depth chart.

The Bench Date: Week 12 against the Commanders, which is a not-too-scary home game. Prior to that, the Cards face the Rams, Broncos, Cowboys, Seahawks, Rams again, and Chiefs. That's brutal. However, I wouldn't be surprised to see Minshew get a shot in the midst of that tough stretch.

Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Deshaun Watson

The Problem: While the Browns are competitive and Watson has bought himself some extra rope with a decent start to the season, he's averaged fewer than 5.0 yards per attempt in two of his last three starts. The Browns have the league's fifth-lowest-scoring offense and might eventually seek a spark elsewhere. 

The Primary Threat: Shedeur Sanders, who made the Pro Bowl despite struggling statistically as a rookie but has undeniable talent and is one of the most popular non-starting quarterbacks in the NFL. 

The Bench Date: Week 14 against the Falcons, simply because Cleveland will likely have slid out of contention by then. If Watson hasn't bounced back by December, a relatively safe home date with Atlanta provides an ideal spot to evaluate Sanders before the front office faces major offseason decisions.

Daniel Jones, Indianapolis Colts

AP Photo/David Dermer

Daniel Jones

The Problem: Jones is the league's third-lowest-rated qualified passer. He's thrown just three touchdown passes in five games and is just 9-for-28 with a 50.9 rating on deep attempts. Meanwhile, the Colts are 2-3 and falling well behind the first-place Jaguars in the AFC South. 

The Primary Threat: Anthony Richardson, who was a top-five draft pick three years ago and is still only 24 years old. He remains a uniquely talented quarterback, and Indianapolis needs to determine whether he still has a future there. 

The Bench Date: Week 17 at the Browns, with the Colts likely eliminated from playoff contention and facing a potentially favorable matchup. Indianapolis paid Jones in the offseason and will likely give him every opportunity to make this work before potentially giving Richardson another audition. That assumes neither quarterback is traded in the coming weeks.

Kirk Cousins, Las Vegas Raiders

AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper

Kirk Cousins

The Problem: No matter how well Cousins plays, he'll always be a bridge to rookie No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. And while the 38-year-old has generally performed well for a 3-2 team, he's been far from a model of consistency, and the Raiders have lost back-to-back games.

The Primary Threat: Mendoza, who made his NFL debut in relief of Cousins late in a blowout loss to the Patriots in Week 5. For now, head coach Klint Kubiak insists Cousins remains the starter. 

The Bench Date: Week 12 at the Browns, giving Cousins plenty of rope while allowing Mendoza sufficient time to marinate. The Raiders, who have a dreadful schedule between now and the end of November, will likely have fallen out of the playoff picture by the time they play Cleveland in that spot. 

Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins

AP Photo/Doug Murray

Malik Willis

The Problem: The experiment is not working, as Willis ranks last among qualified quarterbacks in passer rating and the Dolphins are 0-5 with the NFL's second-lowest-scoring offense.

The Primary Threat: Kyle McCord, a second-year quarterback who shined at Syracuse in 2024 before being drafted in the sixth round in 2025. Not exactly a marquee challenger, especially considering this regime paid Willis handsomely to move over from Green Bay alongside general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley.

Hafley said recently that Willis' job is not in peril, citing a lack of overall support as a significant factor in his struggles. And he's probably not wrong. 

The Bench Date: Week 18 at the Patriots, merely giving the staff a chance to see McCord in an otherwise meaningless affair. 

Jameis Winston, New York Giants

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Jameis Winston

The Problem: The full Jameis Experience is not for the faint of heart. While Winston technically has zero losses on his record since taking over for the injured Jaxson Dart, his lows usually more than cancel out his highs. We also know what the 32-year-old's ceiling looks like. 

The Primary Threat: J.J. McCarthy, who was a top-10 pick in Minnesota two years ago and was acquired by the Giants after Dart went down. The 23-year-old struggled with the Vikings but saw some change-of-pace action in Week 5. It's certainly possible he'll find his groove if given an opportunity in a fresh setting like this one. 

The Bench Date: When Dart returns in 2027 at the earliest. The Giants appear capable of hanging around all season in the fun house that is the NFC East, and Winston gives them a much better shot than McCarthy. McCarthy still needs significant development, and a potential playoff race isn't the ideal setting for it.

Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans 

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Cam Ward

The Problem: The 0-5 Titans have the league's lowest-scoring offense. Ward has thrown for at least 200 yards just once this season and has completed just seven deep passes in five games. 

The Primary Threat: Mitchell Trubisky, who hasn't started an NFL game since 2023 and would likely just take over if the team were to decide that Ward would be best served taking some time off. For what it's worth, they're standing firmly by Ward right now. 

The Bench Date: 2027, if the Titans draft or acquire a quarterback they view as an upgrade with comparable or greater upside. Until then, there's little reason to pull the plug.