The NFL Quarterbacks with the most to lose in 2021

After a frantic NFL off-season, at least 10 out of the 32 franchises will be lining up with a different starting quarterback in 2021 to the one that saw out the end of the 2020 campaign. The pressure will be on these new arrivals to hit the ground running as more teams than ever eye up a realistic shot at reaching the Super Bowl, while a number of veterans entering the twilight of their careers could be facing one final shot at glory before either their body or their team gives up on them. As last year's rookies embark on the highly-scrutinised second seasons of their fledgling careers and several others reach the familiar third-year crossroads, there are very few quarterbacks who can approach the upcoming season with little pressure on their shoulders. Here's a look at the quarterbacks with the most to lose, and the most to prove, in 2021. 

Firstly, there are those whose teams debated whether or not to get rid over the summer but decided to give them another chance this season. The most notable in this category is the Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger, who at 39 is entering his 18th season in Pittsburgh. Such an outcome did not look particularly likely around March when reports emerged the Steelers were looking to cut their talisman to avoid paying his monster $38m salary after the franchise suffered a humiliating play-off defeat to the Cleveland Browns in January as a result of Roethlisberger throwing 4 interceptions. Having led the Steelers to 2 Super Bowl wins in 2005 and 2008, 'Big Ben' may have a lot of credit in the bank with the Steelers fanbase, but if his talent continues to wane in 2021 then ownership will have no choice but to replace him for 2022. Another veteran under considerable pressure is the New England Patriots' Cam Newton, who after being given the unenviable task of replacing Tom Brady in Boston failed to impress in 2020, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns and looking set to be without a job in 2021. However, a failure by the Patriots to find anyone else who wants the gig means Newton is back for another year, and will have a lot more weapons at his disposal this time after WR Nelson Agholor and TE's Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith were brought in in free agency. After failing to reach the playoffs for the first time in 11 years, legendary coach Bill Belichick will likely accept nothing less than an AFC East title if Newton is to keep his place, an achievement which is possible if the former Carolina Panther rediscovers the form that saw him crowned NFL MVP in 2015.

While Roethlisberger and Newton may have the most to lose in terms of their jobs and the legacy of the careers, there are a number of quarterbacks heading into the new season with an awful lot more to prove after being involved in headline-grabbing trades. The biggest of these was Matthew Stafford's trade from the Detroit Lions to the LA Rams, with Jared Goff being unceremoniously dumped in the opposite direction. Stafford had been the shining light at a woeful Detroit ever since he was drafted first overall in 2009, but his failure to win a playoff game being excused by the weakness of the players around him will simply not cut it now as he joins a star-studded roster in Los Angeles. With the Rams also giving Detroit two future first-round picks and a third-round pick as part of the trade, they have put all their eggs in one basket. The 12-year veteran must now adapt quickly and shed the losing mentality associated with Detroit if he is to navigate his way through a murderous NFC West division containing the Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Arizona Cardinals, all Super Bowl challengers in their own right. The man on the other end of the trade, Goff, was the 2016 draft's No. 1 Pick and led the Rams to the Super Bowl in 2018, and will be extremely motivated to prove the doubters wrong after being shipped off to the Lions less than 18 months after signing a four-year extension in LA. Unfortunately for Goff, his new roster is far from Super Bowl-worthy and is likely to endure yet another losing season, while a repeat of last year's performance, where he threw 13 interceptions, could be terminal for his NFL career. Another quarterback on the precipice is Carson Wentz, who in his fifth season in the league last year had his worst season yet, turning the ball over 19 times in 12 games for Philadelphia before being benched and eventually traded to the Indianapolis Colts where he will link up with former Philly co-ordinator Frank Reich, who will be hoping he can return Wentz to his 2017 form which saw him throw for 33 touchdowns.

While the younger quarterbacks of the league may feel they have more time on their side than these veterans, the NFL is a cut-throat world and with a new crop of elite college quarterbacks emerging like clockwork every year, there is no room for complacency. The most vulnerable of these newbies are New York Giant Daniel Jones and the Denver Broncos' Drew Lock, both of whom have failed to set the world alight since being drafted by their respective organisations in 2019. Jones has shown glimmers of hope through his aerial prowess but both he and Lock's tendency to be loose with the football has proved costly for their teams and will prove costly for them if they do not step up in 2021. The Giants seem to have faith in Jones and have signed TE Kyle Rudolph from Minnesota to offer him more support, whereas the rumour mill in Denver this summer linking the Broncos with a new quarterback would suggest Lock's days are numbered. The Miami Dolphins may also have a decision to make despite only drafting supposed 'golden boy' Tua Tagovailoa from Alabama State in April 2020, but Tua's failure to live up to expectations to the extent that he was linked with a trade to the ailing Houston Texans earlier in the year means the pressure is on. The Hawaii-born pass-thrower has at least publicly taken responsibility for his surprisingly low numbers last season, and given his untapped potential is likely to be given at least two seasons to prove his worth, a luxury rarely afforded to under-performers in the NFL. The lack of assurances many of the league's stars will have that their place in the squad is secure should make for an exciting campaign, with Week 1 of the season in early September likely to provide a telling indication for the course of many of these quarterbacks' careers.