It’s one thing to make it to the National Football League and another to actually earn a starting spot. Also, this being a quarterback’s league more than ever, starting QBs come and go and there’s not much patience to develop them.
This season won’t be the exception to that rule. As per usual, some up-and-coming prospects seem ready to take the reins of the offense and beat their not-so-impressive competition for a starting job.
A poor start to the season could cost multiple players their spot on the depth chart. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the three quarterbacks at the most risk of losing their starting job mid-season.
NFL News: 3 Quarterbacks Who Could Lose Their Starting Spot Mid-Season
3. Mitch Trubisky
Mitch Trubisky’s overall numbers were solid with the Chicago Bears, but his poor play cost him his job once. He’s now looking to redeem himself after backing up Josh Allen. However, the Pittsburgh Steelers have already drafted their future franchise QB.
Even Head Coach Mike Tomlin acknowledged that he wouldn’t be surprised if Kenny Pickett started for them this season. Trubisky’s margin for error will be close to zero with the prized rookie lurking in the shadows.
2. Marcus Mariota
Marcus Mariota failed to live up to the expectations of being a top-2 pick. The Tennessee Titans eventually benched him in favor of Ryan Tannehill of all people, which should tell you enough about how poorly he performed.
After a brief stint with the Las Vegas Raiders, the Atlanta Falcons are now trusting Mariota as their next QB. But Desmond Ridder has already vowed to take over, and the Falcons are a young team who could benefit from letting their prospect grow through his mistakes.
1. Sam Darnold
Sam Darnold proved that the only problem with his game wasn’t his scenery. He was as bad with the Carolina Panthers as he was with the New York Jets, and all signs point that he’s not an NFL-caliber quarterback by any means.
The Panthers already benched him once, and they’re reportedly looking to trade for another replacement. If not, rookie Matt Corral could also get an opportunity if (when) Darnold starts ‘seeing ghosts’ again.