We are now reaching the point of the 2023 NFL season in which teams will start making some wholesale lineup decisions. This is to say, select players will be fighting to keep their job.
Though this is a reality at every position, it’s most notable when looking at the NFL’s current crop of starting quarterbacks. Some signal-callers are underachieving mightily to expectations. Others might be on the verge of getting benched as someone returns from injury. Meanwhile, a select few could see themselves tabled as their teams look to improve their odds of landing atop the 2023 NFL draft order.
It is these situations that will be our focus for this batch of NFL props. And fortunately for us, there are 2023 NFL props betting lines exactly for this scenario. Here are the latest online NFL betting odds for which starting quarterback will be benched first:
Definitely make sure to double-check these NFL online betting odds until you actually submit your wager. Our NFL betting odds for this category are accurate as of Wednesday, October 18. Since the 2023 NFL regular season won’t end until December, this gives the best NFL online betting sites plenty of time to alter their lines. It also gives them the runway to add additional starting quarterbacks to the field.
At present, though, which QB1 is most likely to find themselves riding the pine for anyone else? Is it Mac Jones (+150) of the New England Patriots? Could it actually be Russell Wilson (+1200) of the Denver Broncos? Or how about Zach Wilson (+3300) of the New York Jets? Let’s make some NFL props magic!
Could the New England Patriots Bench Mac Jones as Early as NFL Week 7?
Mac Jones skyrocketed up to the top of this list following New England’s Week 6 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Now, as they prepare to face the vaunted Buffalo Bills defense in Week 7, NFL.com is reporting that head coach Bill Belichick will have Jones will be on a “short leash.”
It’s not hard to see why. At 1-5, the Patriots’ season is largely over. So, in some ways, it might not matter who’s calling the shots. Especially when Jones’ primary backups are Malik Cunningham and Bailey Zappe.
Still, New England’s offense needs a shot of adrenaline. They are 31st in points scored per game and 27th in net yards per passing completion. Jones is at the center of the problems, having turned in more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (five). His days as the QB1 could be numbered.
Will the Denver Broncos Look to Shut Down Russell Wilson to Improve their 2023 NFL Draft Position?
Despite boasting a 1-5 record, the Broncos have been competitive. Only one of Denver’s losses this season have come by more than 11 points, and they’ve had half of their games decided by three or fewer points.
For his part, Russell Wilson has not been the biggest issue. Inconsistency issues remain, but he’s completing over 65 percent of his passes, and the Broncos passing offense hovers around the league average or better in most categories.
That’s not much consolation when looking at the rest of this season. The AFC West Division is unforgiving, and Denver has now fallen too far behind the Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) and Las Vegas Raiders (3-3) to have a real shake at the 2023 NFL playoffs.
Benching Wilson feels inevitable. The Broncos will either want to preserve his health or improve their draft position so they can select his heir apparent. The real question: Will Denver make this call soon or try to stretch out their season for another few weeks?
Will the New York Jets Look at Benching Zach Wilson?
The Jets are already on their second quarterback of the season. Aaron Rodgers was injured just a couple of drives into Week 1, and the one-time franchise cornerstone hopeful Zach Wilson is now taking reps in his stead.
Whether they stick with the young signal-caller remains to be seen. New York has pieced together a 3-3 record, but that’s on the back of a strong rushing attack and defense. The Jets are third in net yards per rushing attempt, and only one team has forced more interceptions on defense.
New York’s passing game, meanwhile, is a disaster. Wilson has more interceptions (five) than touchdowns and has yet to throw for more than 228 yards in a single game. Not surprisingly, the Jets offense is in the bottom of both net yards per passing attempt and total passing touchdowns.
With the stakes on this season suddenly higher, New York could decide to make a change. At .500, they are still in the 2023 NFL Wild Card hunt, even though they are third in the AFC East Division.
This raises the question: Why did Wilson have such long odds to be benched? Most likely because the Jets don’t have a great alternative. Tim Boyle is the primary backup right now. But if you believe New York will trade for another QB by the deadline or pick one off the waiver wire, these 33-to-1 odds are especially enticing.
Official Prediction for Which NFL QB1 Will Be Benched First
While the odds on both Zach Wilson (+3300) and Russell Wilson (+1200) have us drooling, we ultimately don’t think they will be pulled until at least Week 10 or later.
Mac Jones (+150) is the safer choice, for obvious reasons. But there’s another option catching our eye: Joshua Dobbs of the Arizona Cardinals (+300).
Multiple NFL insiders believe that franchise quarterback Kyle Murray will return from his ACL injury “very soon.” He will certainly be guaranteed his starting job once healthy enough.
Yet, it all comes back to the timeline. Entering Week 7, Murray hasn’t yet started practicing.
Jones is ultimately more intriguing because he’s actually playing—and because the Bills defense may force the Patriots into benching him as soon as this week.
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