3 most overrated starting QBs heading into 2022 NFL season
Playing quarterback in the NFL is not easy. NFL fans underrate just how complex the position can be. They need to master their team's playbook, make lightning quick decisions and provide leadership inside the locker room. It's a lot for one man to handle.
Finding a quarterback who can lead your franchise to greatness is no easy task. The 2021 NFL draft saw teams put their future in the hands of Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson and Justin Fields, while the 2022 NFL draft saw only Kenny Pickett get drafted with the opportunity to start on day one.
Would Justin Fields have been the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft? @Nate_Tice thinks so. https://t.co/TUBmhIpdZl
However, the higher the stakes, the higher the rewards. Since 2007 only one non-quarterback has won the NFL MVP award, this was Adrian Peterson in 2012. Furthermore, the top 11 highest paid players in the league are all quarterbacks.
Heading into the 2022 NFL season, here are the three most overrated starting quarterbacks.
Jalen Hurts - Phildelphia Eagles
Jalen Hurts has shown that when it comes to fantasy football, he is a definite early-round pick. His ability to pass and run at a high level makes him an asset for those looking at statistics at the surface level. While his tough legs and strong arm may make him an NFL fantasy standout when it comes to real football, there are some concerning trends. He has only a 59% pass completion percentage and an underwhelming 84.7 passer rating.
The Eagles only turned their season around when they focused more on the running aspect of their team's game instead of putting the ball in Hurts' hands. The addition of AJ Brown and continued development of Devonta Smith puts more pressure on Hurts to step up his game heading into the 2022 NFL season.
“Not only is AJ Brown not elite, when did Jalen Hurts turn into a guy?”
@VochLombardi isn’t buying any of the Eagles hype ❌ https://t.co/dmecil2160
Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
It's tough putting Dak Prescott on this list. He's a tremendous quarterback who, because of his position on the Cowboys, gets put on an unnecessary pedestal.
Prescott and the Cowboys have been in NFC limbo for the past several years. Every season, they come into the league as Super Bowl contenders and find a way to fail.
Perhaps the biggest point of contention with Prescott is just how similar his stats are to perennial underachiever Kirk Cousins. Cousins is often seen as the ultimate example of "he's fine" in the NFL.
Kirk Cousins per game stats career
66.4 CMP % 260.7 YD 1.8 TD 0.7 INT
Dak Prescott per game stats career
66.4 CMP % 259.8 YD 1.7 TD 0.6 INT
Prescott will be heading into the 2022 season under more pressure than perhaps any other quarterback. If the Cowboys don't show significant progress and challenge for NFC supremacy, Prescott will have trouble climbing out of the overrated zone.
Mac Jones, New England Patriots
Mac Jones had an unbelievable NFL rookie year for the New England Patriots. He threw for almost 4000 yards and 22 touchdowns. For a quarterback class that was extremely hyped, Jones came out of nowhere as the last first-rounder chosen to have the best 2021 season.
The liklihood of that repeating in 2022 is not high. The more Jones was asked to do at the end of the year, the worse things got for the rookie. His completion percentage slipped 8-10% over his last five games and Jones found himself making numerous bad decisions. This manifested in seven interceptions in his final five games.
Heading into 2022 the Patriots traded away their starting left guard and replaced him with a rookie. They brought in DeVante Parker to upgrade the receiving corps, but his best days might be behind him. Most importantly, his offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels left for Las Vegas, leaving his future in the hands of Matt Patricia and Joe Judge.