3 QBs who should be benched after Week 11 and who would replace them
It's Week 11 of the NFL season, which means if your quarterback continues to pop up in this column, your season probably isn't going to plan. We don't see very many midseason QB changes in the NFL, and even fewer are done for the right reasons (lookin' at you, Indianapolis). Oftentimes the delineation between starter and backup is concrete.
That said, there are a few teams who can't quite seem to get a grasp on the whole quarterback thing. At a certain point it's better to just lose games and reset for next season, but the best programs still play hard and look to build sustainable, positive habits during periods of drought. Just because your team is losing, that doesn't mean your team can't lose with dignity, with a sense of pride.
As such, here are a few QB changes that are worth considering around the NFL after a hectic afternoon slate on Sunday.
3. Will Levis continues to disappoint for the wayward Titans
Here lies the issue with "benching" your quarterback in Week 11. What are the alternatives? We've already seen Mason Rudolph in four starts this season and the Tennessee Titans were itching to get back to Will Levis by the end of it. And yet, Levis continues to underperform in his own right. He struggled to mount sustained drives against a stout Vikings defense on Sunday.
Sometimes you just tip your cap and wait until the NFL Draft to select your next quarterback, but after trading Malik Willis for pennies on the dollar, Tennessee has spent most of this season wishing Willis was still on the roster. There is another option beyond Levis and Rudolph — practice squad QB Trevor Siemian, a 32-year-old with 40 NFL appearances (33 starts) under his belt.
Siemian has never been the most exciting quarterback talent, thus his profile as a career backup, but he's a proven commodity with plenty of corporate knowledge to lean on. If the Titans don't feel like Levis is developing good habits or helping them win games, perhaps there's a case for breaking the seal on Siemian, just to see what happens. The Titans have nothing to lose at this point.
Odds are this will be Levis' job until the end of the season, and oftentimes change for the sake of change can lead teams astray. That said, there is mounting evidence that Levis is not starting material in the NFL. It is what is it.
2. Raiders can't keep running into same wall with Gardner Minshew
Gardner Minshew was benched last week in favor of Desmond Ridder, but the Las Vegas Raiders went back to the jort-wearing, mullet-sporting quarterback in Week 11, much to the disappointment of fans. The Raiders lost 34-19 to the previously three-win Dolphins, with Minshew completing 30-of-43 passes for 286 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception.
It wasn't his worst game of the season, but Minshew was unable to generate the explosive plays necessary to keep up with the Dolphins' spritely offense. The interception, combined with a few costly sacks, served as a microcosm of Minshew's campaign. He's not talented enough to operate with a genuine margin for error, which means every misstep is amplified.
Aidan O'Connell is hurt and we know what Ridder's track record says, but there's just no benefit to sticking with Minshew moving forward. We've seen this team's peak with Minshew and it's nowhere close to a competitive ceiling. At least there is still an air of mystery left with Ridder, whose lack of experience outside of Arthur Smith's highly restrictive scheme in Atlanta could mean there is untapped potential.
At this point, without much of a path to the postseason, the Raiders might as well see if Ridder can restore his value and give the Raiders a reason to keep him around next season. Minshew feels like dead weight destined for summer trade rumors.
1. Mac Jones brings absolutely nothing to the Jaguars offense
The Jacksonville Jaguars started Mac Jones for the second week in a row and, well, it resulted in a 52-6 loss to the Lions. Obviously Jones can't be held responsible for Jacksonville's ghastly defense, but he is directly linked to the lack of points on the scoreboard next to the Jags logo. Jones completed 17-of-29 passes for 138 yards and an interception, averaging a paltry 4.8 yards per attempt.
Maybe Bill Belichick was on to something.
The former first-round pick just doesn't have it, folks. There's something to be said for giving a once-promising young talent a second chance in a new environment, but Jones has failed that test miserably. Jacksonville probably wasn't the ideal landing spot for a quarterback in need of stability and schematic competence, but at the end of the day, most of Jones' shortcomings rest on his shoulders. He's just not making the necessary throws and his decision-making isn't up to par with starting QBs around the league.
Jacksonville is locked into Trevor Lawrence long-term, but Jones shouldn't be the primary backup. C.J. Beathard, the 31-year-old journeyman with 32 appearances and 13 starts under his belt, is currently listed as Jacksonville's QB3. The Jags aren't exactly looking to win games at this point, but the offensive process with Beathard couldn't possibly be worse. Jacksonville can't trot Jones out for another shellacking next week if it comes to that. Lawrence has made positive progress toward a return, but Jones should be out of sight, out of mind no matter how next week's injury report shakes out.