The 2022 NFL season was one of the wildest ever, with transactions around the league across the board. While the wide receiver market was buzzing with signings and trades, the quarterback market was in a frenzy thanks to the Denver Broncos acquiring Russell Wilson in a blockbuster with the Seattle Seahawks.
Once the Wilson trade happened, franchises were aggressive to upgrade at quarterback and make a Super Bowl run of their own. Most of the franchises that acquired a quarterback didn't get the Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford effect. Instead, those franchises ended up being the worst in the NFL.
The quarterback moves certainly dominated the list of poor offseason moves. Here's the worst of the worst.
5. Raiders sign Chandler Jones
The Raiders certainly didn't think Jones would have just 0.5 sacks through 11 games when they signed him to a three-year, $51 million deal this offseason. Jones was supposed to team with Maxx Crosby to form the best pass rushing duo in football, but only Crosby has held up his end of the bargain.
On pace for his lowest sack total in a full season, Jones has just 4.5 sacks (three of which came in one game) with 15 quarterback hits and one forced fumble (had 14 combined in his two previous full seasons). Jones does have 46 pressures (one off his total from last season), but the sacks just aren't there for him like in previous years.
The Raiders have just 25 sacks this season, which is 29th in the NFL. That was supposed to be significantly higher with Jones in the fold. The sacks just haven't happened.
4. Colts acquire Matt Ryan
Ryan has been a disaster for the Colts, who was the fifth different quarterback to start in Week 1 for the franchise in the last five seasons. Unlike Carson Wentz the year prior, the Colts only needed seven games to determine the Ryan trade was a mistake.
The Colts fired their head coach and offensive coordinator because of Ryan's play at quarterback, only to bring him back and allow him to start five more games before benching him again. Ryan has completed 67% of his passes for 3,057 yards with 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions this year (83.9 rating). He leads the league with 13 interceptions and 15 fumbles, as the turnovers have played a significant role in the Colts compiling a 4-7-1 record in Ryan's 12 starts.
Of the 33 qualified quarterbacks, Ryan is 28th in touchdown percentage (3.0), 29th in interception rate (2.8), 27th in yards per attempt (6.6), and 28th in passer rating. The Colts gave up a third-round pick for Ryan in the process.
Ouch.
3. Panthers acquire Baker Mayfield
How bad was this trade? Mayfield is currently on another team after being waived by the team that acquired him this offseason.
The Panthers wanted an upgrade at quarterback and settled on Mayfield, hoping a change of scenery would benefit him -- parting ways with what ended up being a 2024 fifth-round pick. While the risk was low, Mayfield was brutal in his seven games (six starts for Carolina).
Mayfield completed 57.8% of his passes for 1,313 yards with six touchdowns and six interceptions and a 74.4 passer rating with the Panthers. He was benched after just five starts, which ultimately led to Matt Rhule's firing in Carolina. Interim head coach Steve Wilks inserted Mayfield back into the lineup for two games before benching him for good -- and the Panthers ultimately waived him.
Mayfield is finishing out his 2022 season with the Rams, the fourth quarterback starting for Los Angeles this year. He's completed 60.7% of his passes and has an 82.5 passer rating in his two starts.
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2. Rams sign Allen Robinson
Robinson was supposed to be the No. 2 wide receiver that made the Rams offense even better than it was last year. The Rams offense has been a disaster since the start of the season, while Robinson has been the worst free agent signing of the offseason.
Having just nine catches for 95 yards and a touchdown in his first four games, Robinson had only 33 catches for 339 yards and three touchdowns (10.3 yards per catch) in 10 games before being lost for the season with a foot injury. Robinson isn't the culprit of the Rams' offensive woes, but he was supposed to take the pressure off Stafford and Kupp in the passing game.
The Rams signed Robinson to a three-year, $46.5 million deal, and he failed to amass more than 50 yards receiving in eight of the 10 games he played (never topping 63 yards). General manager Les Snead missed the mark with Robinson in 2022.
1. Broncos acquire Russell Wilson
Wilson was supposed to be the piece who wasn't going to just end the Broncos' six-year playoff drought; they were considered Super Bowl contenders with him at quarterback, especially with one of the best defenses in the NFL on the other side of the ball. That defense has held its end of the bargain; Wilson clearly has not.
The Broncos are 3-9 in Wilson's 12 starts this season, the worst record of his career. The offense is last in scoring at 15.6 points per game, the culprit being Nathaniel Hackett's coaching paired with Wilson's play. Wilson has completed just 60.4% of his passes for 2,805 yards with 11 touchdowns to six interceptions (85.0 rating), with the completion rate, passer rating, and touchdown percentage (2.8) all the lowest of his career.
Of the 33 qualified quarterbacks, Wilson ranks 31st in completion percentage, 30th in touchdown percentage and 26th in passer rating. That's not what the Broncos gave up five draft picks (including two first-round picks and two second-round picks) and three players for.
