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With the draft being done and the NFL Schedule for the 2022-23 season set, the focus now turns to the rosters and who will come out as world champions at the end of the season. In achieving their objectives, each franchise will be trusting in their players to deliver for them.
However, the questions are, which players should be trusted, and who should not? While we will not know until the games begin to separate the meat from the bones, we do know some players who are being hyped, who may not be all that they are. Here, we look at players who we we believe may not live up to the hype in the 2022-23 season.
Players who may not live up to expectations in the 2022-23 season
#1 - Chase Young, DE, Washington Commanders
Chase Young was the 2020 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and made the Pro Bowl after he accumulated 7.5 sacks in 15 games. Much was expected of him in the 2021 season, but that ended prematurely after nine games due to an ACL tear. The hype and hope around him is that he has recovered for the 2022-23 season and will return to his previous form.
But what was his previous form? While his rookie year was great, he did not kick on from there in 2021, as one would expect a rookie to get better. In the nine games he played, he had only 1.5 sacks, which, over a 17-game season, would have been less than three. The effect of the injury may slow him down more, too.
#2 - Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings
When Kirk Cousins signed with Minnesota, he became the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL at the time. Much has already been expected from him, and he is certainly hyped by the team personnel who threw so much money at him. He has signed a $35 million extension for the 2022-23 season.
But his performances have been less than stellar. The Vikings have missed the playoffs completely in the last couple of seasons, and in each season, they have lost nine games and finished with a losing record. This is in a division that is historically poor, with the Detroit Lions being one of the weakest teams in the league and the Chicago Bears struggling to get going. If he cannot do it on as flat a track as this, he might not change much in the 2022-23 season.
Players who may disappoint in the 2022-23 season
#3 - Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
Everyone expects Saquon Barkley to come through in the 2022-23 season and be a savior for the New York Giants. They hark back to the time in 2018 when he was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and crossed 1,000 yards. In 2019, his production dropped, instead of increasing, with him making only 1,003 yards as compared to 1,307 yards the previous season.
He missed the majority of the 2020 season with an ACL tear and was expected to return rejuvenated last season. But in 2021, in 13 games, the same number of games that he played in 2019, he only had 593 yards. Considering the impact of the injury and that, generally, running backs have a low shelf life, it might be said that his best years are already behind him.
#4 - Mac Jones, QB, New England Patriots
It feels almost unfair to judge a rookie, but when the hype is strong, one must cut through the clutter. He is already being likened to the next Tom Brady, not through any fault of his own, and he did make the Pro Bowl last year and led the New England Patriots to the playoffs.
But doubts remain for the 2022-23 season because of his performance when the stakes are high. He had to face adverse situations twice last season, both in games against the Buffalo Bills. In the regular season, even though the Patriots won, he threw only three passes in the entire game due to the weather condition. It showed in such slimy conditions, he was not trusted with the ball. In the playoff game when it was do or die, he was completely outplayed by Josh Allen and had two costly interceptions.
#5 - Trevon Diggs, CB, Dallas Cowboys
Trevon Diggs made the First-Team All-Pro last season as a rookie, so people may say that the hype is justified. He was the interceptions leader with 11 in the regular season. But while he does contribute to the highlights reel, he is very much a famine-or-feast guy, which contributed to the Dallas Cowboys allowing the 20th most passing yards last season.
Personally, he allowed more than 1,000 passing yards, which has happened only nine times in the past 10 years. He let in 18.2 yards per catch, with around 40% of that coming after the catch. In the 2022-23 season, his boom-or-bust style may interest the fans but are enough to give palpitations to any coach.
