Brace for Underwhelming 2022 NFL Products

Card Ladder
Dec 7, 20223 min read

The reality of the situation has become that we are going to have to deal with delayed releases (up to 12 months) across all Panini produced products. Pairing that reality with the 2022 quarterback class has us on track for the most underwhelming product year since 2013. To give 2013 a little credit, Geno is a top 5 statistical quarterback this season and his products were released on time. In this article, we will be looking at the top quarterbacks from the 2022 NFL draft class and where they are and how they are doing.

Kenny Pickett: 20th overall pick
Record: 2-4
Touchdowns: 3
Interceptions: 8
Yards Per Game: 200
Rating: 73.5
QBR: 46.2

Pickett was the first quarterback selected and the first quarterback from this class to become a full time starter. Taking Mitchell Trubisky's job, the Steelers on paper had a playoff talent team all while going through a rebuild at quarterback. To casual fans, and most fans are casual they just look at the numbers on the surface and unfortunately for Pickett his numbers to not stand out. In fact they are actually pretty bad if you judge him by his TD/INT ratio. While he of course has potential, it is clear he is not Watson, Herbert, Kyler, Dak, or any other quarterback who exploded on the scene their rookie seasons. Pickett has the tools for what it takes to become a viable quarterback but is clearly a project, which investors do not seem to want. In a down market, it seems they want young talent that is good to go immediately.

Desmond Ridder: 74th overall pick
(Has not played)

Selected in the third round, Ridder is currently backing up Marcus Mariota and unlike Ridder has not taken the job from Mariota. Take that as you will... In Ridder's defense Mariota has been really good at times and really bad. In reality, Ridder is a third round pick, so it will be hard to see people put big money into a third round quarterback opposed to a first rounder from 2019-2021.

Malik Willis: 86th overall pick
Record: 1-1
Touchdowns: 0
Interceptions: 1
Yards Per Game: 67.5
Rating: 41
QBR: 3.7

With Tannehill going down, Malik Willis who many thought was the best quarterback from the class would get his first two starts. Aaaaaand well, remember when people were saying Lamar Jackson was a running back who could not throw the ball? Malik Willis seems to be what Lamar Jackson critics thought Lamar was, as his quarterback play is reminiscent to a skill position player in wildcat. The Titans defense and rushing attack deserve a medal for winning a game with Willis at quarterback. Willis seems to be a phenomenal human being and I do not mean to be mean to him but he is hard on the eyes to watch at quarterback.

Bailey Zappe: 137th overall pick
Record: 2-0
Touchdowns: 5
Interceptions: 3
Yards Per Game: 195.3
Rating: 100
QBR: 32.6

The Jeremy Lin of the NFL for lack of a better comparison but man oh man Zappe mania was real. In the two games he started, he threw for the same amount of touchdowns as Pickett did in 6 games. With Mac Jones back from injury, Mac was announced starter for week 7 against the Bears. After a bad first two drives by Mac, Zappe came in and drove the Patriots down field for a touchdown. Would this be the second coming of Brady? No, it would not... Zappe proceeded to throw two interceptions and got benched for Mac. Mac Jones is now officially the full time starter for the Patriots.

Matt Corrall: 94th overall pick (IR) & Sam Howell: 144th overall pick have yet to play in a game.