NFL teams and players made some questionable decisions during the 2022 NFL off-season that didn’t work in their favor.
How is it that NFL fans know instantly when their team makes a decision? Yet NFL general managers and owners don’t — maybe they do but don’t care. Too often, NFL franchises make some head-scratching moves and explain it away as the best move for the franchise. I’m talking about you Dallas Cowboys for trading away Amari Cooper. The offense is decent as they rely heavily on the run game, but they need a No. 1 wideout. CeeDee Lamb isn’t that guy, yet. Teams aren’t alone.
Players make some crazy decisions, and they quickly learn that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Look at Davante Adams. The All-Pro wideout opted to leave the Green Bay Packers and Aaron Rodgers for Derek Carr and Las Vegas Raiders. He’s putting up great numbers, but it hasn’t worked out in terms of winning.
The worst moves made by NFL teams during the 2022 offseason
6. The Colts replacing Carson Wentz with Matt Ryan
Yes, you read the right. Last season the Indianapolis Colts were knocking on the door as a playoff contender. With Wentz under center, the Colts finished the 2021 NFL season with the No. 8 scoring offense. Wentz was also one of the better quarterbacks in terms of efficiency, finishing 9th in QBR. He tossed 27 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. Chris Ballard and Frank Reich opted to move on.
Ballard signed Matt Ryan in an attempt to push for a playoff berth. He also opted to pass on a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft. 2022 saw Matt Ryan taking the driver’s seat. The offense struggled to get anything going despite having one of the best running backs in the NFL, Jonathan Taylor.
There was no true developmental quarterback behind Ryan, so Frank Reich turned to Sam Ehlinger and soon found himself unemployed. Keeping Carson Wentz would have made sense for a team that relied heavily on the running game. Imagine the offense with Alec Pierce, Michael Pitman, and Wentz under center. The AFC South is a winnable division.
However, not having a solid quarterback hurts any chances of that happening. Jeff Saturday is now the coach of a team that can tank without making it look obvious. They wouldn’t have had to if they kept Wentz and drafted a guy like Malik Willis, Desmond Ridder, or Matt Corral would have made sense. There’s always 2023.