The quarterback position is the most important position in the NFL — and maybe even all of professional sports. Some teams are fortunate enough to have a long-term answer at the position; others are still searching. Brock Purdy and Mac Jones are still figuring out which side they fall on.
NFL Hot Takes: Brock Purdy, Mac Jones could lose starting jobs in 2023
Those teams’ quarterbacks might begin the season as starters, but they are not guaranteed anything. Whether it is due to poor play or the coaches just wanting to get a look at another option, they could be benched.
Here are five starting quarterbacks who could lose their jobs in 2023.
No. 1: Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Baker Mayfield has pieced together an odd career, leading him to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason. The former No. 1 overall pick was traded to the Panthers around this time last year and began the season as the starting quarterback. Unfortunately, he wound up being benched a few times.
In total, Mayfield started six games for the Panthers, passing for 1,313 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions. He was released later in the season and subsequently picked up by the Rams. With Los Angeles, the journeyman signal-caller made four starts at the end of 2022. Mayfield threw for 850 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions during this stretch with the Rams.
This was enough for the Buccaneers to take a flier on Mayfield with a one-year deal worth up to $8.5 million. Similar to his time in Carolina, it feels like Mayfield will begin the season as the starting quarterback but will have a relatively short leash. The Buccaneers could want to see what they have in 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask.
No. 2: Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Mr. Irrelevant in the 2022 NFL Draft, Brock Purdy only started five games in year one but finished third in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. This is due to how well he played in that short time as the starter. Purdy threw for 1,374 yards and 13 touchdowns in the regular season and was playing very well in the playoffs before injuring his elbow.
Purdy required surgery to repair his UCL in March, but it seems like he should be ready for the start of the season. And all reports indicate that he is the starter if he’s healthy.
The 49ers, however, are in a spot where they have to go with whoever the best option is, as they are firmly in win-now mode. If Purdy struggles because of the injury, they might have to go in a different direction.
The 49ers signed Sam Darnold to a one-year deal worth up to $11.5 million as insurance in case the former Iowa State star is not ready to go. Between Darnold and Trey Lance, the 49ers have a couple of interesting options ready to go behind Brock Purdy.
No. 3: Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
Ryan Tannehill has been the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans for the past four years and has witnessed a good amount of success over that time. However, he is getting older and missed time last season after needing ankle surgery.
In the 12 games that he did start, Tannehill threw for 2,536 yards and 13 touchdowns, but the Titans missed the playoffs for the first time since Tannehill joined the team in 2019.
Tannehill will begin the 2023 season as the starter, but with 2022 third-round pick Malik Willis and 2023 second-round pick Will Levis waiting in the wings, it would not be surprising if the Titans opted for one of them to start games this season.
No. 4: Mac Jones, New England Patriots
After an impressive rookie season, Mac Jones struggled in his second year. In 14 starts, Jones threw for 2,997 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
He missed some time due to an ankle sprain, but in those games he missed, rookie fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe was impressive. In four games last season, Zappe threw for 781 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions.
Jones was benched in Week 7 in favor of Zappe, although the WKU product did not do much better. As a result, Jones was the starter for the rest of the season.
Mac Jones will be the starter again this season, but it is certainly possible the Patriots will give Zappe another look if they do not like what they see from Jones.
No. 5: Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
This one is probably a little bit more far-fetched than the others, but it should not be ruled out. Jared Goff is coming off his best season in years. He revitalized his career last season, leading a high-powered offense. The former Ram threw for 4,438 yards, 29 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.
However, it was just two years ago that Goff had the worst season of his career in his first season with the Lions. The Lions are a much better team than they were back then, so he shouldn’t regress back to that. But if he does, Detroit will have a difficult decision to make.
After just missing out on the NFL playoffs in 2022, the whole organization is going to be striving to get there next season. They certainly have the talent to do so. If the coaching staff feels that Goff is holding them back from that, then a change could very well take place.
The team did use a third-round pick this past April on Hendon Hooker, who, despite an ACL tear last November, should be cleared for the start of the 2023 season. As mentioned, this is the least likely of the candidates listed, but it could be something to monitor late in the season if the Lions aren’t where they want to be.