The point has been reached in the NFL season where coaches can no longer live with their starting quarterbacks.
And when that happens, you know what it means. Some players are benched in favor of former backups. That took place with three teams on Tuesday.
Raheem Morris and the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract as a free agent. They also drafted Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. in the first round as a nod to the future.
The future is now in Atlanta and Morris will start Penix on Sunday against the Giants. It’s a luxury of sorts given how poorly the Giants have played. A great spot to give Penix some run while Cousins sits. His confidence and performance have crumbled in recent weeks and the change felt imminent even after Atlanta beat the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15.
For all his charm and the love thrown his way, Jameis Winston has been his erratic self in Cleveland. He has thrown eight interceptions in the last three games and that was enough for Kevin Stefanski to say, “Enough.”
Winston takes a seat and clipboard and he will likely be replaced by Dorian Thompson-Robinson when Cleveland plays at Cincinnati on Sunday. Thompson-Robinson won’t provide the roller-coaster ride that came with Winston but there is no guarantee the results on the scoreboard will improve.
Speaking of erratic and inconsistent, Tennessee has decided it is time to pass on Will Levis as its starter. He will likely be replaced by Mason Rudolph, who has thrown for more than 1,000 yards with six TD passes and five INTs in 2024/