One of the hottest topics of the early season is which quarterback will get benched first? In 2023, there are multiple quarterbacks that could get the early hook if they aren’t able to live up to their expectations. A number of the best sportsbooks have already posted odds on who’ll get benched first. Let’s take a look at the options and see which player might earn the dubious distinction.
Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Odds To Be Benched First: +200
It's not entirely fair to Baker Mayfield, but the odds are that he’ll be the first benched quarterback in the NFL this season. Mayfield is a journeyman that many believe doesn’t deserve to be a starter anymore considering his recent play. However, Tampa Bay doesn’t have a better option at the moment, and plan to start him in Week 1. If Tampa Bay isn’t able to start well and Mayfield doesn’t do anything early to make him untouchable, then it’s likely that he could be benched simply as a scapegoat. Regardless, he looks like the easy bet to make in this category.
Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
Odds To Be Benched First: +600
Unfortunately, Ryan Tannehill is one bad game away from hitting the bench for the Tennessee Titans. Tannehill hasn’t exactly played out of the starting job, but the team is clearly looking to get younger at the position. They drafted Malik Willis last season and then snagged Will Levis in the second round of this year's draft. If the Titans aren’t competitive this season, fans will begin to call for Tannehill to get benched so that they can see what they have in the two younger backups. This wouldn’t be the first time that fans push for the younger quarterback option to hit the field over the veteran.
Jimmy Garoppolo, Las Vegas Raiders
Odds To Be Benched First: +1400
The veteran signal callers always seem to be on the hot seat, and Jimmy Garoppolo is no different. Garoppolo is heading down to play for the Las Vegas Raiders alongside Davante Adams and Josh Jacobs. While he should be able to keep them competitive, there’s no telling what direction this team intends to go. Young quarterback Aidan O’Connell played phenomenally during the preseason, so perhaps he entices the coaching staff to bench Garoppolo after a bad game to change things up. This is the same coaching staff that benched Derek Carr without hesitation last year, so a move like that could be possible.
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
Odds To Be Benched First: +1400
It’s incredibly hard to imagine Jordan Love getting benched this season, which is what makes him a huge longshot to be the first guy benched. However, we can’t deny the fact that he’s an unknown at the quarterback position. We’ve only seen him in limited doses oof NFL action since he’s come into the league, and there’s no telling how effective he’ll be out of the gates. The Green Bay Packers also might not be very patient with him, and multiple poor outings could force them to jump the gun on a change too early. Again, it seems unlikely, though stranger things have happened regarding the benching of young quarterbacks.
