Three NFL starting quarterbacks who belong on the bench

There are 32 NFL starting quarterbacks, and by simple math, a few teams must talk themselves into players they probably wish they could replace.

That does not mean every struggling quarterback should immediately be benched. Sometimes the backup is worse. Sometimes the rookie needs time. Sometimes a team just does not have another reasonable option.

For these three teams, “reasonable option” may be doing a lot of work.

3. Jacoby Brissett, Arizona Cardinals

Jacoby Brissett did not play badly last season. That almost makes the Cardinals' situation harder to judge.

He threw for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 12 starts last season. His 94.1 passer rating was respectable. The Cardinals also went 1-11 with him behind center.

That record cannot be dumped entirely on Brissett, but it cannot be tossed in the trash, either. He is 20-45 as a starter during his career. At some point, constantly playing decent football during losses becomes its own problem.

Arizona guaranteed Brissett $15.5 million, so he will get the first chance. If the losses return, third-round pick Carson Beck should not spend the entire season watching them.

2. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Let’s be fair to Bryce Young. He improved last season.

Carolina finished 8-8, won the NFC South and reached the playoffs. Young also established career highs with 3,011 passing yards and 23 touchdowns. After his first two seasons, that represented real progress.

He has now completed three NFL seasons, though, and some of the same questions are hanging around.

Young averaged 188.2 passing yards per start and 6.3 yards per attempt in 2025. His 47.6 QBR ranked 22nd among qualified quarterbacks. Those numbers are not awful. They are also underwhelming for a former No. 1 overall pick entering his fourth season.

The Panthers were right to keep him as their starter. He earned that much. This cannot be another year when improvement alone is treated as the finish line.

Young must show he can become more than a quarterback Carolina can get by with.

1. Geno Smith, New York Jets

Geno Smith’s comeback with the Seattle Seahawks was terrific. It should not earn him lifetime starting privileges.

He went 2-13 with the Las Vegas Raiders last season, throwing a league-high 17 interceptions while taking an NFL-high 55 sacks. His 34.1 QBR ranked 27th, and his passer rating fell to 84.7.

Naturally, the Jets saw that and decided a reunion was in order. What could possibly go wrong?

New York can blame Las Vegas’ offensive line and supporting cast for some of Smith’s collapse. It cannot explain all of it away. Smith produced 23 turnover-worthy plays and only 14 big-time throws.

He will begin the season ahead of rookie Cade Klubnik. That is understandable. Allowing him to keep the job regardless of performance would not be.

Smith is a good comeback story. The Jets need a good quarterback. Those are no longer automatically the same thing.