These 6 NFL QBs could be benched or cut after two preseason games

As Week 2 of the NFL preseason wraps up, depth charts are starting to concretize. Wins and losses don't really matter in the preseason, but how an individual performs in a competitive environment — more competitive than training camp drills, at least — does matter.

When it comes to the quarterback position, most teams know their starter at this point. But there are a couple unsettled QB1 battles out there, while plenty of coaches are still trying to figure out their backup situation. GMs, meanwhile, will determine which QBs to keep and which QBs to cut. For these six quarterbacks, Week 2 of the preseason did not help their cause.

Anthony Richardson Sr., Indianapolis Colts

The Colts continue to dance around direct answers about Anthony Richardson's future with the organization. Assistant GM Ed Dobbs told reporters: "We want to have three (QBs) that can play. So, if he’s one of them, he’s gonna be here."

The "if" in that statement looms large. Richardson's stock has been in the gutter for a while now. The natural talent remains evident — few QBs can escape the pocket and deliver off-balance throws with the depth and velocity that Richardson can — but his accuracy and decision-making leave much to be desired. It seems like Daniel Jones could stick around a while, and Richardson is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Richardson, to his credit, wants to stay. He continues to say all the right things.

"If they truly believe that I still have a chance to be on this squad, then I’d love that," he told reporters in response to Dobbs' comment.

But Richardson completed 3-of-9 passes for 27 yards in the Colts' 34-6 loss to Atlanta in Week 2. There's plenty of blame to lay upon Indy's offensive line and supporting cast, and preseason games hardly ever provide the ideal environment for a quarterback. In the end, however, the Colts probably value Riley Leonard's development long term, and other QB cuts around the league could present Indianapolis with an opportunity to improve their backup situation. So, Richardson's future remains ever in doubt.

Andy Dalton, Philadelphia Eagles

After an eventful week of joint practices, the Eagles and Patriots battled to a 24-21 final score in New England's favor. Very few starters saw the field on either side, naturally, which meant Tanner McKee and Andy Dalton handled the majority of the snaps for Philadelphia. McKee threw for 173 yards and two TDs, strengthening his claim on the QB2 role.

That leaves Dalton's future up in the air. The Eagles clearly value the 38-year-old's wisdom and big-game experience, but it's been a while since Dalton was operating anywhere close to his peak. He looked broadly overmatched on Saturday, completing 3-of-10 passes for 44 yards.

Dalton lacks the mobility and accuracy someone like McKee can provide if or when Jalen Hurts is out. Moreover, the Eagles selected North Dakota State southpaw Cole Payton in the fifth round of the NFL Draft. Payton only took one throw — which he completed for 10 yards — and a sack, so he seems firmly entrenched as QB4 at the moment. But Philadelphia always values its rookies and tend to coax above-slot value out of late-round selections under Howie Roseman. Payton has some dual-threat qualities that provide a nice mirror to Hurts for playcalling purposes.

If Dalton is cooked and the Eagles feel good about McKee as the primary backup, there's little harm is bumping Payton up a spot in the depth chart and letting Dalton look for a bigger role elsewhere.

J.J. McCarthy, Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings lost to the Ravens, 13-3, in a real offensive stinker. Kyler Murray did not play, as he has already cemented his claim on the QB1 designation. Conventional wisdom has told us that McCarthy, a former top-10 pick entering just his second healthy season, would be the go-to backup. The Vikings also have Carson Wentz in the building, however. Wentz has a far more robust track record in the NFL, with a big arm that seems to fit well in the Kevin O'Connell offense.

McCarthy, conversely, can't seem to help his cause on the field. He completed 5-of-10 passes for 81 yards in the loss, with a couple ugly throws — including this wide-open whiff in the end zone.

It would be uncontroversial to call Wentz the better quarterback right now. Whether Minnesota still believes in McCarthy's development and wants to avoid sunk cost status so early in his career is another question, but the Vikings are desperate to get back to winning football games and competing for a playoff spot. It's hard to find any credible, on-field evidence that McCarthy can help them more than Wentz if Murray fizzles out or succumbs to injury.

The best front offices don't let past mistakes dictate their future. And while McCarthy probably won't end up cut or traded this early in his NFL career, the Vikings could bury him on the depth chart and decide to make a more final decision next summer, once Murray and Wentz come off the books and a strong 2027 draft class enters the picture.

Will Howard, Pittsburgh Steelers

To quote FanSided's own Cody Williams, Will Howard's "aura takes a hit" after Pittsburgh's 17-0 loss to New York over the weekend. This was only the second preseason appearance of Howard's career and the second-year QB has not logged a regular season snap. Most of Pittsburgh fans' praise for Howard has been purely speculative, based on promising clips from practice and praise from the coaching staff.

Howard 10-of-15 passes for 74 yards in Friday's loss, throwing two interceptions — against a Jets defense that did not record a single interception all of last season. Howard came into camp as the projected third-string QB behind Aaron Rodgers and Mason Rudolph, but there was hope he could potentially take over as starter next season, once Rodgers retires.

But Pittsburgh selected Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, three rounds higher than Howard was taken a year ago. And so far, Allar has outshined Howard at every turn. The rookie wasn't especially sharp on Friday, but he delivered several standout throws, showcasing his ability to stretch the defense vertically and convert on broken plays. Allar is a uniquely gifted athlete. Mechanical consistency held him back at Penn State, but he already looks much more refined under the guidance of Mike McCarthy and Pittsburgh's new offensive staff.

Allar very much looks the part of a future starting QB, and there's an argument he should be the clear-cut QB3 — perhaps nipping at the heels of Mason Rudolph for primary backup reps. That is a bridge the Steelers won't cross unless Rodgers is forced to miss time in the regular season, but Allar's ascent is happening and Howard appears ill-equipped to stop it.

Tua Tagovailoa, Atlanta Falcons

Tua Tagovailoa did not play in Atlanta's 34-6 victory over the Colts on Saturday, but he still took a hit (from several directions) in his attempt to claim the starting job. Undrafted rookie Jack Strand was unbelievable in the Falcons' win, completing 12-of-17 passes for 212 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 22 yards and an additional score.

Strand was more or less a no-name coming into the week, but suddenly he has captured the attention — and imagination — of football fans across the country. And especially in Atlanta, where milquetoast quarterback play has been the norm for far too long. The Falcons quarterback room is unsettled enough for someone like Strand to come out of left field and make a real impression.

Additionally, Michael Penix Jr. has finally been cleared for full-contact, 11-on-11 drills in practice. Penix was already viewed as the favorite to start at QB before he could even fully participate in practice, much less take the field in an actual game. The Falcons invested the No. 8 overall pick in Penix a couple years ago and benched Kirk Cousins on a nine-figure deal to give Penix his chance.

While Penix hasn't done much to cement his claim these past two years, the youth and arm talent gives him a much higher ceiling than Tagovailoa, who ended up in Atlanta on a minimum contract because the bottom-feeding Dolphins thought it was better to start seventh-round pick Quinn Ewers — then pay top dollar for a comparatively unproven QB in Malik Willis.

Tagovailoa, who memorably fumbled his first snap in Week 1 of the preseason, has become a turnover machine in recent years. He's so dependent on timing; if he isn't getting the ball out quickly with a bubble around him in the pocket, the offense tends to go awry. It's probably not fair to call Tagovailoa a Mike McDaniel merchant, but not having Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, two extraordinarily fast receivers who can get open quickly and pile up yards after the catch, figures to make life more difficult.

If Penix shows any remote promise over the next two weeks, he probably starts. Meanwhile, Strand's sudden ascent could put pressure on Tagovailoa to even maintain a QB2 designation.

Deshaun Watson, Cleveland Browns

A chorus of boos rained down upon Deshaun Watson on Saturday as he struggled in the Browns' 31-7 loss to Buffalo. Watson completed 5-of-12 passes for 36 yards, plus an interception. Shedeur Sanders, by comparison, completed 9-of-11 passes for 74 yards, a touchdown and an interception. While neither quarterback has thrived necessarily in these first couple weeks, it feels like Sanders' youth and upside far outweigh whatever Watson can provide on the wrong end of multiple knee surgeries.

After the game, Watson was critical of Browns fans for booing, offering up an incredibly tone-deaf soundbite. He called it "personal" and "disrespectful."

Head coach Todd Monken responded more practically and, methinks, accurately. He said winning and playing well would solve the problem, which is true. Yes, Browns fans are (rightfully) tired of Watson for off-field reasons, but they're also tired of watching Cleveland's annual procession of mediocre quarterbacks.

Watson's contract would make it difficult for Cleveland to stomach actually benching or cutting him, but Sanders is a better quarterback with more of a future in the league — even if he's not without his own significant shortcomings. The Browns also have Dillon Gabriel in the building, and while Gabriel's brief NFL exposure has raised plenty of doubts, he's a second-year QB with room to grow.

Watson struggled for three years in Cleveland before undergoing back-to-back Achilles surgeries. He has now torn up his knee thrice in the NFL. At a certain point, one needs to accept the reality. And for the Browns, that reality involves moving on from their ill-fated $230 million investment.

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