Quarterback is arguably the most important position in all of professional sports. If a team has an elite starting quarterback, it can fix many other issues.
However, only a handful of teams are lucky enough to find one. Due to the importance of the position, we often see teams bench their starting quarterbacks when things start to get rough.
A handful of signal-callers lose their jobs every year. Let’s examine a few starting quarterbacks who could lose their jobs during the 2024 season.
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Daniel Jones - New York Giants
Jones was coming off a career year in 2022 that saw him post career highs in passing yards and passer rating. It appeared he had turned a corner under head coach Brian Daboll.
Daniel Jones to Daniel Bellinger for a Giants touchdown! pic.twitter.com/obxLHMg6NN
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) January 15, 2023
Unfortunately, Jones came crashing back down to earth in 2023. He subsequently tore his ACL in Week 8 and would miss the rest of the season. The Giants contemplated selecting a quarterback with the sixth pick in April’s draft before ultimately settling on receiver Malik Nabers. The team also has an out in Jones’ contract after this season. It can move on and replace him with a different quarterback of its choosing if it wishes.
With Daboll’s job reportedly in jeopardy, the leash on Jones may not be very long. The team acquired former Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks signal-caller Drew Lock this offseason. The Giants could eventually turn things over to him if Jones continues to struggle this season.
Geno Smith - Seattle Seahawks
After an out-of-nowhere breakout 2022 season that culminated with winning the Comeback Player of the Year Award, Smith regressed big time in 2023.
Geno picks off Geno!
Geno Stone adds to his league-leading INT total.
📺: #SEAvsBAL on CBS
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/d4RDZpcMkc pic.twitter.com/KMDCc2JvKh— NFL (@NFL) November 5, 2023
New head coach Mike Macdonald has no ties to Smith. Seattle has an out in his contract after the 2024 season. The team also acquired former Washington Commanders starter Sam Howell via trade and spoke highly of his abilities. If Smith struggles, Macdonald may not hesitate to bench him, and he could even be outright released after the season.
Russell Wilson - Pittsburgh Steelers
After a failed stint with the Denver Broncos, the Steelers signed Wilson to a one-year contract to take over as their starter. While Wilson had a better statistical year in 2023, he was still overreliant on his fading athleticism. His failure to evolve and play on script led to his Broncos departure.
Pittsburgh also acquired former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields. It is hoping that Wilson can regain his previous form but have Fields waiting behind him as a plan B. Fields has struggled as a passer, but he offers more upside than Wilson does at this stage of his career.
The Steelers have RotoBaller’s third-hardest schedule in 2024. Ownership has made it known it wants to start seeing better results in the postseason. If Pittsburgh stumbles out of the gate, it could turn to Fields to give the offense an extra spark.
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