Sam Darnold Given Better Odds to Be Next QB Benched Than Ryan Fitzpatrick, Cousins Listed at +1000

• Sam Darnold of the New York Jets is the +250 favorite to be the next NFL starting quarterback to be benched
• Miami’s Ryan Fitzpatrick is the second choice in this betting market at +350
• Daniel Jones of the Giants (+500), Washington’s Dwayne Haskins (+600) and Jacksonville’s Gardner Minshew (+800) are other leading contenders for this dishonor

Will it be Sam Darnold? Might Ryan Fitzpatrick be the choice?

Daniel Jones? Dwayne Haskins? Gardner Minshew? Kirk Cousins?

At some point this season, an NFL starting quarterback is going to be given instructions by his head coach to grab some bench. Oddsmakers view this group as the leading contenders to be that guy.

Darnold, under center for the 0-3 New York Jets, is the current +250 favorite to be the next starting QB who will be issued a benching. Fitzpatrick of the Miami Dolphins, seeking to hold off 2020 first-round draft pick Tua Tagovailoa, is right there in this betting market at +350.

Odds to Be Next NFL QB Benched

Odds as of Sept. 30th

During Week 3, Mitch Trubisky of the Chicago Bears was the first QB to be benched. He lost his starting job to Nick Foles. Foles came off the bench to engineer a fourth-quarter rally and beat the Atlanta Falcons.

Darnold Going Down With Ship?

It’s not just that the Jets are 0-3. It’s that the Jets are 0-3 and haven’t even been competitive in any of those losses.

The Jets lost those games by a combined margin of 94-37. Opponents are outscoring them 59-13 in the first half.

“The Jets don’t have a bad quarterback. The Jets have bad players around and a bad coach coaching the quarterback.”@keyshawn says Sam Darnold is NOT the problem in New York. #KJZ pic.twitter.com/1M87TZPHdM

— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) September 28, 2020

Still, it’s a stretch to try and pin all of this to Darnold’s jersey. He’s operating without #1 running back Le’Veon Bell. His receiving corps is comprised mostly of taxi squad promotions.

Darnold is also handicapped by playing under arguably the NFL’s worst head coach in Adam Gase. Supposedly an offensive guru, Gase has done little to develop the promise that that Jets saw in Darnold to make him the #3 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Darnold Not Entirely Blameless

At the same time, it can’t be overlooked that Darnold hasn’t performed like a #3 pick. He was intercepted three times in Sunday’s 36-7 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. Two of them turned into pick-sixes.

There’s just one flaw in the bench Darnold debate, however. Veteran backup Joe Flacco (neck injury) , signed to a one-year, $1.5-million deal in the offseason, still isn’t ready to play. The Jets aren’t likely to hand the keys of their offense to Mike White. He’s never taken a snap in the NFL.

Sam Darnold throws his second pick-6 of the day 😬

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/SWHzBZINHG

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 27, 2020

Besides, with both of the Jets’ starting tackles – George Fant and Mekhi Becton – ailing, Darnold could end up injured long before he’s benched.

Oddsmakers were offering +600 odds on Darnold being the first QB benched before the NFL season got underway.

Fitzpatrick Running Out of Fitz-Magic?

In Miami, Fitzpatrick is well aware that he’s just keeping things warm under center until top draft pick Tagovailoa is ready to play. But Tua time isn’t going to be right away.

Dolphins have two QBs on the active roster but have rookie Reid Sinnett on the practice squad and receivers Lynn Bowden Jr. and Malcolm Perry played QB in college. So that combo will have to take up whatever practice reps Tua Tagovailoa (illness) would have gotten today.

— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) September 30, 2020

Tagovailoa is suffering from an illness that the Dolphins insist isn’t COVID-19. He’s missed practice time but the team remains optimistic that he’ll be able to back up Fitzpatrick on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.

When the season was first getting underway, Fitzpatrick was the +225 third betting choice to be the first NFL starting QB to be benched.

Haskins Offers Value

As bad as things are for the Giants and Vikings, Jones is New York’s future. After investing piles of money in Cousins, Minnesota isn’t about to sit him down.

Jacksonville may have 99 problems but Minshew isn’t one of them.

Heading for another dismal season, there’s a Cinderella story at work in the nation’s capital.

Ron Rivera on Alex Smith: “beginning to see the rust coming off. The neat thing to watch is you start to see the arm strength coming back, start to see a fast twitch in decision making. It’s been kind of exciting.” Smith splits reps on scout team with Kyle Allen.

— John Keim (@john_keim) September 24, 2020

Alex Smith, Washington’s starting QB in 2018, is back on the club’s active roster. He suffered a horrific leg fracture that season. Smith underwent multiple surgeries to fix the damage.

Washington coach Ron Rivera indicated he’d be comfortable starting Smith if Haskins struggles. Haskins was favored to be the first QB benched at the season’s onset.

Pick: Dwayne Haskins (Washington) +600