NFL Draft 2022: Biggest Losers

Bears quarterback Justin Fields

5. Justin Fields

It's hard to believe that Tennessee wide receiver and return specialist Velus Jones Jr. (71st overall) and Baylor gadget player Trestan Ebner (203rd overall) were the only two offensive skill-position players the Chicago Bears added over draft weekend.

They made two picks in the second round—Washington cornerback Kyler Gordon and Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker. But whether it would have been Western Michigan’s Skyy Moore, as more of run-after-catch specialist and someone who’s not afraid to go over the middle of the field, or Georgia’s George Pickens, who can be a true X receiver and sideline maestro, there were players selected shortly after. Even some names that were on the board on day three could have been upgrades over what they have there right now.

Now, the Bears did go heavy on the offensive line on day three, but a couple of developmental tackles can be seen, who will get run through on passing downs if you put them out there in year one, and two interior players, who are rather better in the run game.

Fields and Allen Robinson never really clicked last season, but if you remove him, the team's two “big” additions are Byron Pringle and Equanimeous St. Brown. The only two players you add in this draft were outside the top-20 at the position in the consensus rankings.

6. Steve Keim’s usage of first-round picks

Since Steve Keim took over as general manager of the Arizona Cardinals in 2013–and he’s been with the organization since 1999 as a regional scout–these are the selections they’ve made on day one of the draft:

• Guard Jonathan Cooper, who started 11 games for them
• A role-playing linebacker in Deone Bucannon
• An average starting left tackle in D.J. Humphries
• Defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche, who didn’t record a sack for them until his third and final year in Arizona
• Outside linebacker Haason Reddick, who they decided not to pay once he finally had a productive fourth season
• Quarterback Josh Rosen, who they moved on from a year later for No. 1 pick Kyler Murray, who they can’t agree with on a contract
• Two inside linebackers: Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins, who still weren’t able to out-snap veteran Jordan Hicks, who’s about to turn 30 and is now with the Vikings after being released a couple of months ago.

In 2021, on opening night, the Cardinals traded their 23rd overall pick for Ravens wide receiver Marquise Brown and pick number 100. Considering Brown was the 25th selection three years ago, at best Hollywood has lived up to his draft status, having increased his production every season. He just cracked the 1000-yard mark this past year.

However, a large portion of the value draft picks present is their contract. Baltimore had three years of the receiver’s services for just over $8 million. With the Cardinals picking up his fifth-year option less than 24 hours after the trade, they are bound to pay him 13.4 million dollars in 2023 alone. Brown could ask for an extension well beyond that number, seeing how the market at the position looks like right now.