Ranking the 5 worst performing NFL QBs through Week 4 of the 2022 season

The quarterback is arguably the toughest position in the NFL. Winning often depends on them, and when results aren’t going well, they are the first to be blamed. The start of the 2022 NFL season has produced some sensational QB play across the league. However, this hasn’t necessarily spread to every team.

Several quarterbacks have struggled in the 2022 campaign. Whether it be through lacking rhythm with a new team or being out of their depth, some players are letting their teams down.

Here are the five NFL quarterbacks who have struggled the most in the first four weeks:

#5. Russell Wilson - Denver Broncos

The grass away from Seattle has been far from green for Russell Wilson

Russell Wilson has had average numbers in the opening four weeks of the NFL season. But when you look at how dismal the Denver Broncos’ offense has been, it’s difficult to not judge Wilson harshly. He was expected to come into the team as the missing piece. Denver have been a QB short of a deep NFL playoff run for years. Wilson, though, has yet to find his connection with the team.

Nathaniel Hackett as a coach is mostly to blame for this. He isn’t a good offensive play-caller and has given Wilson few opportunities to succeed. This partnership isn’t blossoming and may become an issue for the Broncos’ front-office before the end of the season. Wilson isn’t being allowed to play as freely as he wishes and his performances have suffered.

#4. Justin Fields - Chicago Bears

Justin Fields is teetering dangerously close to the black hole that Chicago QBs have inhabited for years

Justin Fields has endured a testing start to the 2022 NFL season. He is a fundamental cog within an offense that lacks playmakers. Receiver Allen Robinson hasn’t been replaced and Fields just hasn’t had the targets to throw to. As such, his play has been erratic as he's trying to force passes. He is scrambling too much, taking sacks, and rushing throws as he panics under the pressure of a collapsing pocket.

Fields has a lot of natural talent and the Chicago Bears were high on him in the draft for a reason. However, they haven’t recruited the supporting cast to help him thrive. Fields hasn’t thrown a touchdown since Week 1. Furthermore, he has thrown a total of four interceptions this season.

#3. Baker Mayfield - Carolina Panthers

Baker Mayfield has been wildly inaccurate in his 4 games as a Panther

The Carolina Panthers look like one of the worst teams in the NFL after four games. They are 1-3 and have yet to get anything going with Baker Mayfield under center. It was an offseason of change in Carolina and the trade for Mayfield wasn’t made till quite late. He missed most of mini-camp and is looking like he needs more time to adjust to the offense.

Despite having thrown a single touchdown pass in every game so far, Mayfield’s accuracy has been abysmal. He has thrown a total of 117 passes and completed just 64 of them. That is around 54%. He has also fumbled the ball six times in four games. You’re not going to win many games in the NFL with a quarterback putting up numbers like this. It just doesn't happen.

You can’t necessarily put too much blame on the offense around him in Carolina. The reality is that Mayfield simply hasn’t settled and is playing exceedingly poorly.

#2. Davis Mills - Houston Texans

Second season syndrome has hit Davis Mills hard

The opening four games of the 2022 NFL season have been a test for Davis Mills. He impressed in a difficult 2021 campaign for the Houston Texans, showing flashes of brilliance. However, he hasn’t been able to carry that momentum into the new season.

Defenses seem to have worked him out. You always fear for QBs that come into the league without much college hype. It rarely works out for them unless they are a generational talent. Mills earned a lot of plaudits in 2021 simply for being a calm head in a chaotic franchise who could throw safely and make gains.

Talk of him being a long-term replacement for Deshaun Watson now seems premature. Mills is suffering now because his 2021 performances gave people expectations that were greater than his talent. His completion percentage stands at 57. Defenses know that to stop Mills, you just rush the pocket and make him panic. He doesn’t have the requisite vision to defeat this style of defense and it’s going to be a long season for the Texans.

#1. Mitchell Trubisky - Pittsburgh Steelers

Trubisky can't replace Big Ben in Pittsburgh

Mitchell Trubisky pips Davis Mills to the unwanted top spot in this list due to the fact that the former Bears QB does have NFL talent. He’s never going to be a solid starter in a contending team, but if Kirk Cousins can have an NFL career, then there's no reason why Trubisky can’t.

This career, though, won’t be with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Having already been usurped by Kenny Pickett, Steelers fans will be hoping they’ve seen the last of Trubisky. Two touchdowns and two interceptions in four games is hardly a glowing stat line. His performances just give no confidence to the offense around him and the Steelers shouldn’t be performing this poorly with their current roster.

Trubisky has been part of the problem. He can’t lead an elite offense as he struggles to make plays under pressure and takes too many unnecessary hits when he can release the ball sooner.

It was an experiment worth trying by Mike Tomlin after Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement. They didn’t know which quarterbacks would be around in the draft and had to get someone with experience in the league. Trubisky hasn’t surprised anyone or exceeded expectations and can expect to find a different franchise in 2023.