One of the biggest questions a coach or front office has to face is what to do with their quarterback position. It gets even more complicated when that quarterback goes down and the backup plays well. A decision needs to be made and sometimes keeping the former starter on the bench is the tough call that needs to be made. The Patriots did it with Drew Bledsoe and Tom Brady. The Eagles won a Super Bowl with Nick Foles but gave the team’s keys back to Carson Wentz. Each situation is different, and we will look at the quarterbacks who are playing now but could lose their job when the starter comes back. If they keep on playing well, it would be tough for the coach to take them out.
Kyle Allen, Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton is one of the better quarterbacks of his generation. He’s never been accurate but he’s never had to be because he’s an athletic freak who knows how to win games. He’s been an MVP, All-Pro, and Pro-Bowler. He’s made it to a Super Bowl. Normally that means he would get his job back.
Except he’s no longer the Cam Newton that won all those accolades. He’s banged up and hasn’t been the same the past two years. Newton may not just lose his job for the rest of the season, he may lose his spot in Carolina permanently.
Kyle Allen hasn’t lost a game in his NFL career. He hasn’t put up spectacular numbers but he is showing he knows how to win games. He gave the Panthers an identity. Simply put, he’s better and cheaper than a banged-up Newton.
Allen has the ability. He was the No. 1 quarterback recruit in the country when he committed to Texas A&M. He has physical skills otherwise he wouldn’t have been ranked that high going into college. He had a weird journey to the NFL, but he can make all the throws and he’s not a normal backup quarterback.
It would be near-impossible for Ron Rivera to make the switch back to Newton after the bye-week even if he is healthy. Allen should keep the job unless he starts losing games. That may not happen. Newton could be hitting the free-agent market if Allen proves himself the rest of the year.
Gardner Minshew, Jacksonville Jaguars
For all the hype around Minshew, he is 2-3 as a starter this year. He’s beloved on the internet, but that doesn’t equate to keeping his starting job.
The Jaguars have to be a little bit on the fence about this. Foles was placed on injured reserve and won’t return until Week 11 of the season. Jacksonville has some time before making a decision.
That means Minshew has some time to impress. He has a chance to get some wins. The concern going into the draft was that Minshew didn’t have the arm strength to make it in the NFL. That concern has proven to be wrong. He has no issue making most/all of the throws. He understands John DeFilippo’s offense. He has found a connection with D.J. Chark. Minshew magic is real, but it’s not turning into wins.
The decision may come down to a few things. If the Jaguars are in the playoff race, they may want to lean on a quarterback who has been there before. That only happens if Jacksonville is on the fringe and they feel that Foles will put the team over the top. The Jaguars could also see what they could get for Foles in the trade market. The Bears could be interested if Mitch Trubisky’s injury keeps him out longer than expected — or the Bears think Foles is simply a better option for a win-now team. If the Jaguars are out of the playoff race, they might as well play Minshew to see if he’s the future, but if they are out of the playoff race they may know he’s not the answer.
Teddy Bridgewater, New Orleans Saints
Bridgewater has been brought along slowly, but he played pretty well against the Bucs. He followed up that game by helping the Saints score exactly 13 points against the Jaguars.
This is a pretty easy decision. New Orleans simply isn’t as explosive on offense when Bridgewater is in versus Drew Brees. They rely on their defense to carry the team. They lean heavily on Alvin Kamara who is now dealing with an ankle injury. Michael Thomas seems like an afterthought when Bridgewater is running the offense.
Bridgewater is winning games, but it’s not pretty and he’s not as important to the team’s identity as the other two quarterbacks mentioned. This will be an easy decision for Sean Payton and company.
Chase Daniel, Chicago Bears
Mitch Trubisky wasn’t exactly great during the early part of this season. Chase Daniel looked somewhat competent when he replaced Trubisky against the Vikings. He looked less impressive against the Raiders in Oakland.
The question here is whether the Bears want to trade for more quarterback help if Trubisky and Daniel isn’t the answer. There also needs to be consideration for the floor and the ceiling. The Bears have a lower floor with Daniel. They have a higher ceiling with Trubisky. Mitch should get his job back.
Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
Tannehill probably shouldn’t be on this list. The Titans have already made their decision to move on from Mariota and move to the former Dolphins quarterback.
The real question is whether the Titans should do the quarterback shuffle or not. At this point, whether Tannehill performs or not, the damage may be done with Mariota. It’s tough to give him his job back even if Tannehill loses the next two to three games. Tennessee wouldn’t even be in the playoff race at that point.
It looks like Mariota’s time with the Titans is over. He might not even find a starting job next year.
