Is it too early to panic? That is the question facing several NFL fanbases after Week 3. There's so much football left to be played, but there's a thin line between necessary patience and catastrophic lateness. You can't wait too long to initiate changes. There are so few games on an NFL schedule; every Sunday counts.
There is no more drastic change than benching (or cutting) a quarterback. Here are the signal-callers on the hot seat after dour performances in Week 3.
Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns
The Browns are, somehow, 2-1 in the Todd Monken era. Deshaun Watson led an impressive game-winning drive in the fourth quarter, aided by Shedeur Sanders, who stepped in for a single play after Watson got his bell rung, so to speak.
With back-to-back narrow victories over NFC South opponents, the Browns are probably content with their current setup. Of course, the NFC South is fool's gold. Tampa Bay and Carolina are not good teams. Watson had his moments on Sunday, but he finished with a middling stat line, completing 16-of-30 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns. He's still relegated to dink-and-dunk passes, averaging 4.8 yards per attempt. Cleveland's defense has proven its mettle, but there's untapped potential offensively.
Watson's limitations are well documented at this stage. Two uneasy wins won't flip the narrative completely. While the Browns can't feel great about Sheduer Sanders either, there's at least more upside with the second-year QB, who consistently outperformed Watson in camp — and whose rapport with Cleveland's playmakers is far superior, by all appearances. Cleveland needs to cut bait with Watson eventually. It's a matter of when, not if at this point.
Jameis Winston, New York Giants
Jameis Winston's first start after Jaxson Dart's season-ending knee surgery left much to be desired. The Giants still won, 12-7, in a rock fight with the Titans, but New York's 2-1 record is pure deception. This team clearly won't compete sans Dart, especially if Winston — now well past his prime at 32 years old — is the week-in, week-out starter.
Winston completed 14-of-22 passes for 118 yards, taking three sacks and inadvertently tackling Cam Skattebo in what is easily the funniest lowlight of the NFL season to date. While there's something to be said for Winston's borderline reckless confidence, he just can't execute big throws like he used to. He's a tremendous leader and a valuable presence in the Giants locker room, but his days of leading a viable offense are behind him.
New York is reportedly exploring external options. Among them are free agent Jimmy Garoppolo and trade candidates J.J. McCarthy and Mac Jones. The Giants would be wise to get a younger quarterback in the building, just to see if there's any latent magic dust. McCarthy is a former top-10 pick. Jones, too, coming off a great 2025 campaign as the pinch-starter in San Francisco.
The Giants should absolutely keep Winston around for depth and personality reasons, but he should not be QB1 for much longer.
Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans
All due respect to Cam Ward, who was dealt a horrific hand, but it's time for the Titans to at least start thinking about alternatives. Tennessee was held to seven points in another miserable loss on Sunday, now 0-3 in the Robert Saleh era. Ward completed 23-of-36 passes for 181 yards, with a touchdown and a game-sealing interception in the end zone on their final play.
The Titans' issues stretch far beyond Ward, but his vision is off and he's not testing defenses downfield like he did in college, which is was the primary reason Tennessee made him the No. 1 overall pick a couple years ago. Ward can't play this scared, this out of sync, and expect to get the starting nod every Sunday on the basis of pedigree alone.
Mitch Trubisky is the Titans' only backup option right now, which does not inspire much confidence. Tennessee could, perhaps, take a page from the Giants' playbook and look to free agency or trades to find a more suitable option — or at least to light a fire under Ward. Yes, the offensive line is a mess. No, his receivers aren't carrying their weight. But Ward is at risk of getting complicit in his own mediocrity. Somebody needs to breathe life into these Titans.
Malik Willis, Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins, predictably, fell to 0-3 with a 24-10 loss to the Chiefs on Sunday afternoon. Miami has kept their games more competitive than expected, but the defense is leaky and the offense can't seem to execute in the red zone. Even when Malik Willis manages to march the football up the field, drives stall. He completed 20-of-36 passes for 210 yards; he threw an interception, but he did not take a sack and he added 56 yards on the ground.
Talent-wise, Willis has every tool in the toolkit. He's equally powerful and evasive as a runner, with the coordination to scramble and deliver tough throws on the move. He can put touch and velocity on deep throws, although his accuracy has proven a tad inconsistent so far.
The Dolphins' current alternatives are Kyle McCord and Brady Cook, neither of whom present clear upgrades. In reality, the Dolphins are committed to Willis until the wheels fall off — especially since their struggles are more the result of a makeshift roster around him. That said, Willis lacks the track record and the steady-handed nature to guide the Dolphins through this dark period. It's starting to feel like he's a stopgap, rather than the solution. If Miami keeps losing, eventually outside options will be considered.
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