When an NFL team makes a bad offseason decision, it doesn’t take long for them to own their error and move on.
Last week, two teams orchestrated trades to get rid of marquee acquisitions from the 2022 offseason: the Chicago Bears, who released Chase Claypool after only 10 games from a wide receiver for whom they traded the No. 32 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, and the Denver Broncos, who traded pass rusher Randy Gregory to the San Francisco 49ers just 19 months after signing him to a five-year, $70 million contract.
That started us thinking about which recent moves are already causing problems.
Two bad Ezekiel Elliott decisions in NFL
Ezekiel Elliott summed it up nicely… twice. In 2022, seven of his 12 touchdowns for the Dallas Cowboys came from one yard out, and all of them came in the red zone. However, he was not re-signed in the offseason by a team that was reportedly committed to rushing the ball – and which is presently converting 37% of its red-zone opportunities. Zeke did sign a one-year, $3 million contract with the New England Patriots, a team that desperately wanted to add energy to its offense – and we’d argue that a heavily utilized 28-year-old running back doesn’t exactly qualify. On this one, hindsight was 20/20: Dallas should have kept Elliott, and the Pats should have found a dynamic weapon for their floundering attack, says Nate.
The Patriots’ apathy
Not attempting to entice Tom Brady to return to the New England Patriots. I’m not serious about another TB12 unretirement. I believe. When it comes to Bill Belichick’s failure in nfl to better New England’s quarterback position, he’s not kidding. If not for TB12, B.B. may have pursued Baker Mayfield, who is doing well (3-1) as Brady’s replacement with the Bucs. Then there were two others, Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett, who could have been persuaded to return to Foxborough. Instead, Belichick used Mac Jones as his starting quarterback, leading to a 1-4 record and the league’s 26th-ranked offense. Jones has the NFL’s third-worst passer rating (74.2).And it gets worse when Zach Wilson and Daniel Jones are the only two quarterbacks ranked lower in efficiency. When compared to the offensive Matt Patricia-Joe Judge experiment, Belichick’s choice to bring back Bill O’Brien to lead the offense appeared to be a wise move. However, O’Brien must demonstrate that he is a miracle worker. When a young quarterback regresses with no credible alternatives available, you have what the Patriots have: a heated mess, says Jarrett Bell’s.
The Sean Payton problem
The Denver Broncos trading for Sean Payton and not allowing him to start over. Instead, the team is embroiled in one of the most heinous stretches in franchise history. It was evident from the start that Russell Wilson and Payton would not get along off the field. Maybe they can work it out on the field? That, too, has not been the case thus far. And Payton exacerbated matters by insulting former coach Nathaniel Hackett, who lasted only one season. Denver traded a first-round pick in the 2023 draft (and with a second-round pick in 2024) to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for Payton’s services.Hiring Payton and giving him one of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches is a long-term strategy. However, the Wilson-Payton pairing was a miscalculation that set the franchise back another year, says Christopher Bumbaca.
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The Giants are all in on Daniel Jones in NFL
In March, the Giants committed to Daniel Jones by signing him to a four-year agreement worth $160 million ($82 million guaranteed). To start the season, Jones had only two touchdowns and six interceptions. Jones’ 176 throwing yards per game average is the lowest among NFC East starters. Jones’ 71.7 passing rating is the lowest among NFL starting quarterbacks. Jones is far from the only issue in New York. The Giants have a shaky offensive line and a mediocre receiving corps. However, the Giants paid Jones like a franchise quarterback. Franchise quarterbacks are expected to boost their respective teams. Jones has not been successful.
Maybe the Giants are now realizing what many of us already knew: Jones isn’t a franchise quarterback. The Giants should have given priority to running back Saquon Barkley, who received a one-year contract extension in July, over Jones. Barkley is frequently injured, but when he’s on the field, New York’s offense goes through him, says Tyler Dragon’s.
The Chiefs’ high-priced issue
Jawaan Taylor’s four-year, $80 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs stood out as one of the few truly contentious transactions during a very quiet offseason. That is, after all, the going salary for top offensive tackles these days. However, Taylor, 25, has yet to establish himself in that class, so this was a significant wager on his growth potential. That wager has already failed in the early stages. Taylor had a commanding lead as the NFL’s most penalized player after five weeks, with nine accepted flags. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid have rallied to the right tackle’s rescue, claiming that referees are unfairly targeting him. Aside from the penalties, Taylor hasn’t been a good enough Mahomes protector.The margin for mistake in the competitive AFC is razor thin, especially with the youthful receiving corps still finding its way. Things can still be salvaged, but a substantial leap will be required for Taylor’s contract not to be remembered as one of the franchise’s biggest blunders in recent memory, Middlehurst-Schwartz, says Michael.
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