Top 3 underperforming quarterbacks so far in the 2021 NFL season

While the greatest NFL quarterbacks are celebrated on a daily basis, the league's underperforming quarterbacks can often slip under the radar.

There's a theory that if your team has a top 10 quarterback, you have a chance of winning the Super Bowl. Not every passer can perform at the level of a Patrick Mahomes or Aaron Rodgers, but a certain standard of play is required for a franchise to stay in the hunt for championships.

In this article, we look at quarterbacks whose performances have not been up to scratch through four games. The rookie quarterbacks get a pass because year one is often a steep learning curve, so here are three veteran quarterbacks that may end up costing their teams dearly come the postseason.

Which 3 quarterbacks are underperforming the most in the 2021 NFL season?

#1 – Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger

All the signs are pointing towards this being Ben Roethlisberger's 18th and final year as the Pittsburgh Steelers' starting quarterback.

In a contract year, Roethlisberger is hardly putting up the sort of numbers that demand an extension. A leaky offensive line has meant the Steelers' running game is non-existent.

Big Ben has pitched the third-most pass attempts in the NFL, and has taken 10 sacks in four games.

Roethlisberger is 17th in total passing yards and 22nd in completion percentage, passing for only four touchdowns in four games. A career's worth of hits seem to be taking their toll, leaving Roethlisberger unable to scramble or avoid pressure.

This 1-3 Steelers team will be going nowhere near the playoffs in 2021 and head coach Mike Tomlin will be seeking a new plan under center in 2022.

#2 – Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield

For the Cleveland Browns to be successful, they do not need Baker Mayfield to be great – but the contribution they are getting from their quarterback may not be enough.

You have to have some sympathy for Mayfield because it's not entirely his fault. It looks like the fifth-year passer will struggle through the season with a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski's high-powered ground attack gives the Browns' Super Bowl-ready roster a good chance of making the postseason.

However, problems will emerge when Mayfield is engaged in a shootout. It's an issue for a Browns organization that is looking to extend Mayfield beyond this season. This was set to be a 'prove it' year for Mayfield to show he deserved a franchise QB contract.

The jury is still out on his big-game mentality, but the Browns must make a decision on Mayfield based an injury-troubled year, or franchise tag in 2022.

#3 – Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo

Trey Lance gets the opportunity to stand in for the injured Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 5 and if the number three overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft is competent, there's every chance he'll remain as the starter.

Garoppolo was traded to the San Francisco 49ers with high expectations, leaving his post as the heir-apparent to Tom Brady in New England, and went 5-0 to finish the 2017 season. He battled through injuries and came within one play of winning a Super Bowl, but his rapid rise ultimately exposed his limitations.

Kyle Shanahan's offense will always lean on a running game elevated by creative play concepts, but the Niners still need a quarterback to make big plays in key moments. Garoppolo did little to convince the franchise that he was the future through the first three-and-a-half games of 2021.

PFF rates him as the 30th best quarterback this season, so the writing is on the wall for the Garoppolo era in the Bay Area.