A poor showing in their season opener has many Giants fans wondering: will Daniel Jones get benched? The sixth-year quarterback signed a four-year, $160 million contract in 2023 to stay with the Giants. Since signing the deal, though, Jones’ play has regressed.
Jones is the favorite in the latest NFL odds at top football betting sites to be the first quarterback benched. However, other maligned quarterbacks with slow starts are also on the hot seat. This free guide will discuss the latest odds for this NFL future, and I will give my predictions for the first quarterback benched this year.
SWERTE99 Sportsbook provided the following odds for the first quarterback benched this season.
Who Will Be the 1st Quarterback Benched in 2024?
- Daniel Jones (+100)
- Bryce Young (+150)
- Deshaun Watson (+400)
Giants’ quarterback Daniel Jones is the even-money favorite to be the first starting quarterback benched this season. Panthers QB Bryce Young is a close second at +150, and Browns’ QB Deshaun Watson rounds out the top three at +400.
All three quarterbacks in this futures wager struggled in Week 1 blowout losses. However, Young is only in his second year, and Watson has a fully guaranteed contract. Jones has had plenty of time to prove himself, and the Giants could save money by moving off of his contract this offseason.
Daniel Jones (+100)
New York hired Brian Daboll as its head coach ahead of the 2022 season. In his first year at the helm, Daboll took the Giants to the playoffs and won Coach of the Year at the NFL Awards. Jones also had the best year of his career in Daboll’s first season, posting the following stats:
- 9-6-1 record in the regular season
- 3,205 passing yards
- 67.2% completion percentage
- 3:1 TD to INT ratio
- 708 rushing yards
- 7 rushing TDs
The 2022 season is also the only year that Jones has finished with a winning record as a starter. He went 1-5 last season before tearing his ACL and missing the rest of the season. If the Giants do not return to their 2022 form, and fast, then Daniel Jones could be benched.
On the other hand, Jones still has the support of arguably the only person who matters: Giants owner John Mara. With Mara in his corner, it will be near impossible for Jones to lose his starting gig mid-season.
Bryce Young (+150)
The starter with the next-best odds to be the first quarterback benched is Carolina’s Bryce Young. He was the first overall pick in the 2023 Draft, but Young’s career has had a less-than-stellar start.
Young is just 2-16 in his career as a starter and has 11 passing TDs to 12 interceptions. His new head coach, Dave Canales, is also the -175 favorite to be the last first-year head coach to win a game this year.
If Young continues to struggle, it could be better to sit him before the damage to his confidence becomes irreparable. The team around Young would be hard for anyone to win with, and Carolina barely looked like an NFL team in its 47-10 loss to the Saints in Week 1.
Deshaun Watson (+400)
Another quarterback on the wrong end of a season-opening blowout is Deshaun Watson. Cleveland lost 33-17 at home to Dallas, and Watson finished with just 169 passing yards and one passing TD. He also completed just 53.3% of his passes and threw two interceptions.
Watson and company face a formidable opponent in Week 2 when they travel to Jacksonville. After that, though, their schedule gets more manageable with games against the Giants, at the Raiders, and against the Commanders.
I doubt the Browns will pull the plug on Watson early in the season if they can start at least 3-2. The bigger question is whether Watson’s newest allegations will interfere with his playing time this season.
First Quarterback Benched Prediction
All three of the quarterbacks above are at risk of losing their jobs, but only one can be the first quarterback benched. You could make a case for Jones, Young, and Watson to all lose their starting spots after Week 1, but I think Jones will be benched first.
Watson has the longest odds, and I think he is the least likely player to be benched first. With his contract and the talent of the team around him, I think Watson is safe from being the first quarterback to lose his starting job.
That leaves Jones and Young to compete to keep their respective jobs the longest. Young is in just his second season, and the team will add rookie running back Jonathon Brooks when he returns from IR. His inexperience could give Young a longer leash.
Jones, on the other hand, is in his sixth season with the Giants and his third year in Daboll’s system. If his struggles continue, the team could be forced to turn toward Drew Lock to try and salvage their season.
- Prediction: Daniel Jones +100
What Week Will Daniel Jones Get Benched?
- Before Week 11 bye (-250)
- After Week 11 bye (+170)
SWERTE99 also has player-specific wagers for the quarterbacks above. For instance, you can bet on when Daniel Jones will be benched, with the over/under being 10.5 weeks. Jones is a -250 favorite to be benched before the team’s Week 11 bye.
Some pundits are already calling for Jones to be benched after just one game. However, for now, the front office seems to still be behind Jones.
New York’s schedule has several tough opponents before the bye, including the Cowboys, Eagles, and Steelers. If the Giants suffer more embarrassing losses and are out of playoff contention by midseason, I believe Jones will be benched.
- Prediction: Before Week 11 Bye -250
When Will Bryce Young Be Benched?
- Before Week 11 bye (-120)
- After Week 11 bye (-120)
Likewise, the late bye could work against Carolina’s Bryce Young. The team’s next nine games are challenging, including matchups with Cincinnati, Atlanta, and a rematch against New Orleans.
Carolina’s schedule worsens after their bye with games against the Chiefs, Eagles, and Cowboys. With the way the rest of the Panthers team looked in the opener, it may be better to bench Young to preserve his viability for next season.
There is also the chance that Panthers’ owner David Tepper will pull the plug on Young altogether. Tepper bought the team in 2018 and has built a reputation for having a quick trigger. Canales is the fourth head coach, seventh if you count interim coaches, since Tepper bought the team.
Between Tepper’s impatience and the team’s overall lack of talent, I think the Panthers will continue to struggle. Considering that, I do not believe Young will make it to Week 11 as the team’s starter.
- Prediction: Before Week 11 Bye -120
Will Deshaun Watson Be Benched?
- No (-150)
- Yes (+110)
Cleveland’s bye is also in the second half of the season, Week 10, but Deshaun Watson’s contract makes him more challenging to bench. A unique situation calls for a unique futures bet. SWERTE99 allows you to wager on whether Watson will be benched at any point this season.
Watson is a -150 favorite to avoid being benched this year. However, his job security could erode quickly if Watson continues struggling like he did in Week 1.
Another concern for Watson is the presence of Jameis Winston. The former first-overall pick is already giving pregame speeches to the team and could be the spark the Browns’ offense needs. As we saw last season, Head Coach Kevin Stefanski can win with just about anyone at quarterback.
Cleveland faces a tough Jaguars team in Jacksonville in Week 2, but then the Browns’ schedule gets easier. If Watson can rack up wins in the soft part of the Browns’ schedule, he should solidify his status as the starter. However, given his poor play in the opener and new legal issues, I think it is worth taking the “yes” option in this wager.
- Prediction: Yes +110
Do You Think the Giants Will Bench Daniel Jones?
The 2024 NFL season is only a week old, and people are already asking, will Daniel Jones get benched? Other starting quarterbacks with poor performances in Week 1, like Bryce Young and Deshaun Watson, are also at risk of losing their jobs. I think Jones will be benched first and that he will be benched before the Giants’ Week 11 bye.
You can find my predictions for Jones, Young, and Watson above. After reading my picks, sign up at SWERTE99 Sportsbook to bet on the future of these three starter quarterbacks. New members of SWERTE99 can use the No Strings Welcome Offer to get up to $250 in free bets.