By Lucy Coleman November 2, 2022
We know it might be a bit too early to judge the 2022 NFL draft class. However, if the reports circulating the media lately are true, then some teams are already having one or two regrets about some of their chosen players. What could be the reason for the regrets of choosing these players? You see, some of these teams are notably struggling now due to a poor decision they made while on the clock with a valuable selection and probably picked a player with little to contribute to the team while letting a potential star player slip by. While it is agreeably too early to write off these prospects as ‘underwhelming’ and ‘regretful’, these players must show improvements and more relevance to their respective clubs by 2023 to avoid being written off and relegated to the background. When it comes to the NFL draft, it is common knowledge that there are no such things as do-overs when it comes to the selection of players. However, some clubs would grab at any opportunity for a do-over if it was ever possible. Here are some of the clubs listed below ;
Chicago Bears: Velus Jones Jr.
When the Chicago Bears drafted Velus Jones Jr. in the third round, the intention was to fill the club’s void at kick returner while the player also contributes largely as a wideout. Unfortunately, Velus Jones Jr. has proven to be a non-factor on offense who is struggling to perform his limited special teams’ duties at an acceptable level, scoring a mere 55.5 PFF grade for his rookie season so far. The start of his career wasn’t exactly convincing with two punts in his first three games. Jones Jr. had an abysmal start to his career, muffing two punts in his first three games. After these crucial mistakes, the team decided to deactivate him and made him a healthy scratch in Weeks 9 and 10. Upon his return in Week 11, it seemed he was turning a corner with a 55-yard kickoff return. However, his issues with the ball resurfaced again during the weekend game against the Philadelphia Eagles which saw Jones Jr. try a fumble on an end-around that led to a brutal 25-20 defeat. Jones Jr. still has three games left on the season and has only tailed four receptions for 27 yards with more rushing yards than he does receive and has only gotten 35 yards on five punt returns in addition to his 349 yards on 13 kick returns. Fans understandably want to see Jones cut loose after his latest mistake, and judging by head coach Matt Eberflus’ response during a post-game interview, it wouldn’t come as such a shock for that to happen. Unless there’s a rapid turnaround here—which is unlikely given Jones Jr. has already turned 25 years old—he might be remembered as Chicago’s worst pick in the 2022 draft.
Dallas Cowboys: Jalen Tolbert
The truth is, Jalen Tolbert was one of the most hyped rookies of 2022. But has he been able to live up to the expectations of shining for the Dallas Cowboys? The stark reality is no. Due to the number of injured Cowboys, the team’s receiving corps went into the campaign with little in the way of proven pass-catchers behind star wideout CeeDee Lamb. Although Tolbert had a rare opportunity to grab the No. 2 position with his only competition being inconsistent veteran Noah Brown, Tolbert failed to even get into the field in the season-opener. When he was asked for the reason why the 23-year-old was benched and why Tolbert didn’t have his dress until Week 3, head coach Mike McCarthy listed missed training camp reps as the foremost reason for his decision to bench Tolbert. Tolbert has seen action in eight games and caught two of his three targets for 12 yards. While he has only 16 percent of offensive plays while active, he has contributed to a higher percentage of special teams’ plays at 25 percent. While he’s remained healthy and injury-free, Tolbert has made almost no impact on the team this year which is disheartening for the club. The 10-4 Cowboys may be doing fine without much production from Tolbert but they could have addressed a suspect run defense—a unit that allowed the Jacksonville Jaguars to rack up 192 yards on 27 carries in a tough 40-34 defeat this past Sunday—with the No. 88 pick.
Minnesota Vikings: Ed Ingram
While the Minnesota Vikings have enjoyed one of the biggest (and surprising) successes of the 2022 season, their rookie department has had little or no impact on the success of the team so far. The rookie class has done little to receive any credit for the team’s success. After several highly drafted rookies were out due to major injuries, 23-year-old Ed Ingram became one of the few first-year players regularly playing and seen on the field for the club this year. While he was a four-year starter for LSU, Ingram seemed to be unable to translate his success for the Tigers into quality professional play demanded on the field. The second-round pick has been a massive liability in pass protection, allowing nine sacks across his 967 offensive snaps, the most among all guards. PFF has already graded Ingram out at a concerning 55.4, a mark that has to improve if he wishes to remain a first-string lineman on the team. At the start of December 2022, Ingram had allowed a league-worst 44 pressures, with no other offensive lineman conceding more than 35. The Minnesota Vikings allow the eighth-highest pressure rate in the league mostly due to Ingram’s notable incapacity and inability to protect his quarterback. Presently, it is obvious that Ingram is only taking regular snaps because the Vikings do not happen to have any other feasible alternatives at the left guard position.
At this point, it is hard to imagine the team wouldn’t opt for another player on the pick if they were given a chance.
