There could be some bold quarterback moves made during the 2024 NFL Season. Could these three passers end up getting benched? Last year, the Denver Broncos made quite the bold move to bench Russell Wilson late in the 2023 season. I don't think teams are hesitating to make aggressive moves, even at QB.
Frankly, no matter the player or position, underperforming players should get benched. NFL teams go as their quarterbacks go, and there might only be five truly elite passers in the NFL. Everyone else at the position is just a guy, honestly. Could these three QBs shockingly get benched in the 2024 NFL Season?
3 quarterbacks who could shockingly get benched in the 2024 NFL Season
Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints do have an out with Derek Carr's contract next offseason, believe it or not. The 2025 season is when his cap number also jumps to more than $50 million, and while the Saints would have to eat a ton of dead cap, they'd still have net savings if they cut Carr. Derek Carr is an interesting player.
In the beginning of his career, he was truly a problem for opposing defenses, but since then, he's not been great and frankly has been average at best. He is one of the 32 best QBs in the NFL, but teams aren't going to win a ton of games with Carr. The Saints might want to cut ties at the end of the 2024 NFL Season if they again fail to make the postseason.
They also drafted Spencer Rattler, so the Saints could want a early look at their rookie QB.
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
Deshaun Watson's contract is the worth in sports, and I'm not sure it's even close. Watson has been awful since arriving in Cleveland and just does not look like his old self. In 2023, the Browns had some interesting QB situations, as Watson missed a bulk of the season, and they were still able to make the playoffs with Joe Flacco under center.
It's clear how good this defense is, and honestly, Watson could end up holding this team back in 2024. Jameis Winston is the backup, and he's a perfectly capable one. Frankly, he might be better than Watson at this point, and it would make no sense for the Browns to leave Deshaun Watson in the lineup if he's not improved.
Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks
Would this be a surprise? Maybe. The Seattle Seahawks saw Geno Smith regress a bit in 2023, and they weren't able to build on their breakout 2022 season. Defensively, the unit is simply underperforming, so they decided to bring in Mike Macdonald as the new head coach. For Seattle, I'd expect them to use 2024 as an evaluation year to see what players might fit Macdonald and his vision for the team.
Being that Geno Smith is well into his 30s, isn't good, and isn't a franchise QB, the Seahawks could most certainly see what someone like Sam Howell has, who they traded for. Howell also isn't good, but he's much younger and may have a higher ceiling than the veteran Smith.