The NFL quarterback carrousel never stops spinning. Not really. It's only Week 2 of the NFL season, but there are several signal-callers whose stock in down and whose jobs may not be secure for much longer.
It generally takes at least a few weeks for a coach to admit defeat and change up the game plan at quarterback, but it's never too early to point out those who are underperforming and who might replace them in a just, merit-based society.
Not all of these benchings will come to fruition — in fact, it might be none — but there comes a point, even in Week 2, when the NFL's worst quarterbacks achieve unbearable levels of fraudulence.
Last week we discussed Tua Tagovailoa and Russell Wilson. Both bounced back with tremendous performances on Sunday. Spencer Rattler probably deserves a shout again, but the Saints are purposefully bad and I cannot, in good conscience, write about starting Tyler Shough like it's the solution for a team that has at least remained competitive in back-to-back games.
So here are a few new quarterbacks on the ol' hot seat.
Justin Fields, New York Jets
The New York Jets lost a 34-32 thriller to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1. It might be the most fun game we get to watch all season, with that Bills-Ravens shootout being the only challenger so far. Justin Fields dealt countless blows to a weak Steelers defense and looked like a true franchise quarterback, confidently zipping passes through tight windows and creating extra opportunities with his standout athleticism.
Flash forward to Week 2, and that whole game reeks of fool's gold. The Jets didn't exactly get an easy bounce-back opportunity against Buffalo, but fans were probably hoping for a more valiant effort. The Bills cruised to victory, 30-10. Justin Fields completed only 3-of-11 passes for 27 yards and failed to engineer a touchdown drive before he entered concussion protocol in the fourth quarter.
Tyrod Taylor came in, completed 7-of-11 passes for 56 yards and a garbage time touchdown, and at least let the Jets end the game on a more dignified note. Fields' health is the paramount concern here, but he was quite bad on Sunday afternoon. It was the kind of performances that dredges up old concerns and puts his future in question.
Fields' résumé is still extremely spotty. He ended on a strong note in Chicago, he flashed briefly in Pittsburgh, but Fields has never led a winning season front to back. He's too gun-shy. A lot of those throws he was connecting on last week just did not manifest against a more stout defense. Another performance like this, especially with a proven entity like Taylor behind him on the depth chart, could put Fields out of a starting job before long. Aaron Glenn and the Jets aren't going to wait around to pull the trigger as New York falls behind in the standings.
Jets QB replacement: Tyrod Taylor
Joe Flacco, Cleveland Browns
Joe Flacco put up a solid effort in the Cleveland Browns' Week 1 loss to Cincinnati, but he found it much tougher sledding against Baltimore this Sunday. The Ravens' defense is an absolute unit, so Flacco probably deserves a bit of slack. Then again, Buffalo dropped 41 points on the Ravens seven days ago, so we don't need to act like Baltimore is an infallible juggernaut.
The 40-year-old completed 55.5 percent of his passes for 199 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He took two sacks. It was a lousy display all around for the Browns. Dillon Gabriel came in late and delivered a garbage-time touchdown drive, which is perhaps a sign of things to come for Cleveland.
Flacco still has a canon, but he's such a flawed player. There's a reason his run as Indianapolis' starter flamed out so quickly last season. He can't move around anymore; he's basically a stationary target for the opposing pass rush. Factor in an unhealthy ambition for generating the big play, and Flacco can endanger the offense with risky, off-target throws.
He's not really a game-manager type, despite the reputation of most quarterbacks who stick around as long as Flacco has. He doesn't settle for the simple play to move the chains and keep the offense on the field. It's all or nothing with Flacco; he wants to blow the doors off of the opponent. What that doesn't work, you are left with a vulnerable, stiff-in-the-knees pocket presence and a ton of stalled drives.
There will be calls of Shedeur Sanders, of course, but Gabriel was the higher draft pick and the better preseason performer, so he's the clear next man up.
Browns QB replacement: Dillon Gabriel
Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Okay. We need to have the Caleb Williams conversation. A 52-21 loss to Detroit killed all optimism around the Ben Johnson era. We realistically shouldn't panic after two weeks, but the Chicago Bears look just as inept and aimless as ever. The offense has a bit more pizzaz under Johnson, sure, but Williams just can't execute. He doesn't process the field quickly enough. He's not accurate. He doesn't throw with touch.
Just ask Colts fans who have dealt with the brief highs and bottomless lows of Anthony Richardson. Williams isn't quite that erratic, but it takes more than a powerful arm and plus-plus athleticism to thrive at the quarterback position in the NFL. You can't freestyle on every possession. You need to run the offense as it's called, get throws out quickly, and execute the intermediate game with poise and precision. Plays like this will put the former No. 1 pick on the hot seat far sooner than fans ever thought possible.
Caleb Williams is Jameis Winston for a new generation pic.twitter.com/NTJlrhEdMj
— Chuck Bass (@ChuckFBass) September 14, 2025
The Bears are going to exercise patience with the former No. 1 pick. Williams is ostensibly the reason Ben Johnson hand-picked the Bears, the reason this team was celebrating the Bryce Young trade like it was highway robbery. The hopes and dreams of so many downtrodden Bears fans are riding on Williams figuring it out.
That said, Johnson runs a notoriously aggressive and complex scheme — one that clearly does not align with Williams' strengths and weaknesses right now. Chicago's backup QB situation is not the most inspiring in the league, but base-level functionality is a must. Right now, Williams feels like an untenable erratic variable — one that Chicago needs to prepare to reckon with.
As for who would replace him if he gets benched, it's probably Tyson Bagent, whose scant NFL starts have delivered truly mixed results. Case Keenum in another option. The 37-year-old certainly has a robust track record and the IQ to execute Johnson's play calls, but he's also 37 and hasn't set foot on an NFL field since 2023. So... take your pick!