Baker Mayfield and other NFL players who could lose their starting position in Week 7

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield
Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield

Week 7 of the 2021 NFL season is here and there are some interesting scenarios with starting quarterbacks. NFL players lose their starting jobs due to various factors such as performance and injuries. Team situations can also play a big role. Week 7 features three quarterbacks who have started most or all games for their teams in 2021 but could be on the bench.

Week 7 quarterback dilemmas

#3 - Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns

Baker Mayfield will miss Week 7 due to an injury. The Cleveland Browns are set to take on the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football. Case Keenum has already officially been named the starter. Baker Mayfield joins a long list of key injuries for the Browns in Week 7 including Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. The Browns will also be without starting offensive tackles in Week 7.

Offensive line issues are not ideal for a Week 7 matchup with the Broncos, who have excellent pass rushers. The back-ups will have their hands full with superstar Von Miller and company. Case Keenum will make his first start for the Browns and try to steal a much-needed win on Thursday night. He and Kevin Stefanski had some success together when they were both with the Minnesota Vikings in 2017.

Week 7 quarterback dilemmas

#2 - Davis Mills, Houston Texans

Week 7 could be the end of Davis Mills' run as the starting quarterback of the Houston Texans. The rookie quarterback out of Stanford was drafted in the third round by the Texans to be more of a project. He was never really supposed to start in 2021, but between the Deshaun Watson situation and veteran Tyrod Taylor being injured, his opportunity came sooner than expected.

Coming into Week 7 his numbers have been pretty decent, all things considered. They haven't been too far behind the rest of the rookie quarterbacks for the most part. If Tyrod Taylor is healthy enough to return in Week 7, it is likely that he will get the starting quarterback job back, for now. The Houston Texans are going nowhere this year, so Davis Mills may get another opportunity at some point.

#1 - Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers continue to have one of the most interesting quarterback situations in the entire NFL. If both Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance are healthy in Week 7, it is still unknown which of the two will be given the start. Lance started the first game of his career in the 49ers' last game, but Garoppolo was injured.

Garoppolo is the "safer" option while Lance has much more upside. Garoppolo is a veteran who can win games but is an average quarterback. Lance is an unproven rookie with impressive athleticism and a ton of potential. It will be interesting to see who starts in Week 7 if both are healthy. If Lance gets the opportunity, the job could be his for the rest of the 2021 NFL season.

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