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.
5. Washington Commanders trading for Carson Wentz
Teams are always looking to improve, especially at the quarterback position. So, General Manager Martin Mayhew and head coach Ron Rivera decided Taylor Heinicke wasn’t enough. So, they brought in Carson Wentz to help take the team to the next level. Wentz is the opposite of Heincke in terms of size, arm talents, and athletics. However, in his first six games as a Commander, Wentz completed 62% of his passes, 10 touchdowns, and six interceptions — they were 2-4.
After a season where he tossed 20 touchdowns and 15 interceptions with a 7-8 record as a starter, Rivera turned to Taylor Heinicke again.
Heinicke changed life for the Commanders offense. The team looks in sync, and it shows with their 5-1 Records since Heinicke took over. He’s made some big plays when the offense needed it, especially in the final moments. It doesn’t show up in the box score, but it jumps off the screen. The Commanders have a couple of division wins under their belt and a 5-1 record.
What more does the 29-year-old quarterback have to do to prove he’s good enough to lead the Commanders? There’s no reason for Rivera to name Carson Wentz the starter.
4. Tom Brady coming out of retirement
Bruce Arians stepped down and passed the torch to Todd Bowles. With Arians out of the way, Tom Brady thought he had a team that could dominate as he looked to add his eighth Super Bowl Championship — he was wrong. It all starts up front with a depleted offensive line. A combination of retirement, free agents, and injuries have Brady playing behind one of the worst offensive fronts in the NFL.
His weapons aren’t the same either. There isn’t any AB, and Chris Godwin is just getting his legs back under him. Mike Evans is still that guy, but he’s a year older and the only dependable target. The running game is non-existent. Leonard Fournette leads the way with 3.4 yards per carry. Maybe he’s waiting for the playoffs to shine so he can live up to the name Playoff Lenny.
The defense is holding up their end. Despite some free agent departures, they are surrendering just 18.5 points per game. Unfortunately, the offense averages 18.2 points per game. Luckily the Bucs are in a terrible division, and he did beat the injury-riddled New Orleans Saints. Playing until 45 is an admirable goal, but I’m sure Brad might kicking himself for coming back to the Bucs.
3. The Tennessee Titans trading AJ Brown
There was no reason for the Tennessee Titans to trade AJ Brown. Their offense was tailor-made for a guy with Brown’s skillset. So much so, they went out and drafted a guy with Brown’s skillset in Treylon Burks. The Titans’ offense doesn’t have the same spark and big play ability they had with Brown as their No. 1 target. Teams can load up the box to stop Derrick Henry with little fear.
Paying AJ Brown should have been the Titans’ top priority. Ryan Tannehill isn’t the type of quarterback that can carry a team — Henry isn’t enough. Even if the Titans win the AFC South, they’ll do so despite their lackluster offense.
Meanwhile, AJ Brown is dominating in Philadelphia with the Eagles. Brown and Jalen Hurts have an excellent connection. Through his first 11 games, Brown managed seven touchdowns, putting him on pace for a career-high. He’s benefited from a team with a strong running game as a guy who continues to exploit coverage as a deep threat. Brown is vying for a Pro Bowl spot on a team that is the best in the NFL.
Meanwhile, the Titans are struggling with the pass. After he cooked them in week 12 for 119 yards and two scores, I’m sure they regret not paying and keeping Brown.
2. Los Vegas Raiders firing Rich Bisaccia
Last season, Derek Carr helped lead the Las Vegas Raiders into the playoffs. The impressive feat came after Jon Gruden got fired. You’d think the team would flame out after losing their head coach, but not the Raiders. Rich Bisaccia took over as intern head coach and made the playoffs. Unfortunately for the Raiders, making the playoffs wasn’t enough. Bisaccia moved on to Green Bay as their special team’s coach. Mark Davis opted to hire Josh McDaniels. Under McDaniels, the Raiders look different — in a bad way.
Carr regressed as a quarterback and it’s not for lack of weapons. Sure, there are some built-in excuses like the injuries to Hunter Renfrow and Darren Waller. Given the other options available that’s no excuse for the offensive guru that is McDaniels. Davante Adams is enough especially when you have a bell cow running back in Josh Jackson’s. You’d think that McDaniels would make some of what he did in New England work in his new home.
However, it appears his rumored deep and complex playbook is too much for the Raiders. The Raiders are in a bad spot. They won’t make the playoffs and it doesn’t appear that Carr and McDaniels are a good match.
1. The Denver Broncos trading the house for Russ
Let’s be honest, there was no worse decision than Russell Wilson demanding a trade from the Seattle Seahawks. As a Seahawk, Wilson often found himself in the argument as one of the five best quarterbacks in the NFL. So, Denver, a team that hoped to land Aaron Rodgers, instead traded the house for another Super Bowl-winning quarterback. In Hindsight, the Broncos probably have buyer’s remorse.
Let us not forget what they traded for Wilson; the 2022 No. 9, No. 40 overall pick and a fifth-round pick, a 2023 first-rounder and second-rounder, tight end Noah Fant, quarterback Drew Lock, and defensive end Shelby Harris.
Since arriving in Denver, it appears to have fallen off a Colorado-sized cliff. A year after throwing 25 touchdowns to six interceptions, Wilson is on pace to throw 16 touchdowns. There’s a built-in excuse after Javon Williams’ injury, but the Broncos’ offense doesn’t lack weapons. Courtland Sutton and Jerry Jeudy are solid weapons to have. Yet the Broncos’ 13.8 points per game has them dead last in the NFL. In fact, they are on pace for the worst scoring offense in the last 10 years.
Meanwhile, Pete Carroll’s Seahawks are in good hands with Geno Smith. Smith is having a career year while the Seahawks are fighting for a playoff spot. Russ was supposed to cook in Denver. The nine-time Pro Bowl quarterback was supposed to cook in Denver — he can’t turn on the stove.