Under pressure: These QBs need to produce in 2022 or they could lose their jobs

We’re inching closer and closer to NFL training camps and eventually the regular season starting in September. Heading into all that there are quite a few quarterbacks around the league that have some lofty expectations to live up to and others who are on the hot seat and in danger of losing their starting positions. This list highlights the 10 QBs under the most pressure to produce in 2022. 10. Daniel Jones source: Getty Images For Danny Dimes, it’s time to show something. Anything. Average would be acceptable at this point. Following a promising rookie campaign in 2019 (24 TDs, 3,027 passing yards), Jones has regressed since and finds himself on the verge of wearing that ‘bust’ label we often hear with high draft picks, especially QBs. If Jones can’t produce more than he’s done in the last two seasons, he’ll undoubtedly be replaced by the Giants, who declined his fifth-year option, in the 2023 draft. This next QB class is expected to be deep and with New York likely having another top 10 pick — this mock draft has Big Blue taking Florida QB Anthony Richardson at No. 9 — Jones could be in a new location this time next year. Short of a miraculous turnaround, it’s hard to imagine Jones avoiding the inevitable. 9. Lamar Jackson source: Getty Images League MVP, an All-Pro selection, and a two-time pro bowler in his first four years of NFL service. So, why the hell is Jackson still so disrespected in the league? Before he suffered that ankle injury last year, the Ravens were well on their way to another AFC North title. Lamar’s postseason struggles are well documented, but he got his first playoff win two years ago. Everyone speaks poorly about his passing ability, but he did throw a league-leading 36 TDs in his 2019 MVP campaign. Jackson attempted over 400 passes that season and hasn’t touched that since. Sometimes scheme and play calling can hold a QB back from reaching his full potential. When healthy, Jackson is a bad boy on that field and can do things we’ve rarely seen a QB do in the NFL. I’m sure he hasn’t forgotten about ESPN’s Top 10 QBs list he was recently excluded from. The pressure for Jackson is showing m’fers that they need to put some respect on his name. Like Roy Jones once said, “Y’all must have forgot.” In 2022, Jackson will remind everyone just how bad he can be. 8. Sam Darnold source: Getty Images You’re probably wondering why Darnold is on this list. Oddly, he’s about to lose the job in Carolina to a QB that flew into town a few weeks before the start of training camp. Baker Mayfield may not be great, but he’s probably the better option when healthy. Panthers’ GM Scott Fitterer says it’ll be an “ open competition” between Darnold and Mayfield. This is like the battle to avoid bust status. Sam needs to come out and wow Matt Rhule’s staff if he hopes to start Week 1 against Baker’s old team. Seeing how game one of the season is against the Browns, I’d be surprised if we see Darnold named the starter. Some have already labeled both guys a bust, but the loser of this battle will surely have to wear that tag moving forward. 7. Joe Burrow source: Getty Images OK, I know what you’re thinking. Yes, the Bengals are coming off a season where they played in the Super Bowl for the first time in over 30 years. Burrow isn’t in danger of losing his job by any means, and he’s at the opposite end of the bust spectrum. Burrow needs to make sure Cincinnati doesn’t fall off the map after their surprise season. There weren’t many folks picking the Bengals to do much of anything this time last year. Even midway through the season, there wasn’t much buzz around the Bengals making a Super Bowl run. The AFC North should be one of the toughest divisions again, so it won’t be easy for Cincy to repeat as champions of the division. As long as the Bengals don’t revert back to only winning five or six games, Burrow is good as gold. 6. Kyler Murray source: Getty Images K1 wants a contract extension. He’s seemingly played well enough to garner a new deal, but his maturity level hasn’t exactly matched up to his play on the field. It’s not just about skills on the field once you make it to the NFL; it’s also about being a pro. This offseason battle between Murray and the front office wasn’t a good look. Wide receivers are always the first to be labeled “divas,” but the QB position has seen its share of dramatic players over the years, whether they’d earned that or not. Reports out of Arizona are that Murray and the Cardinals could come to an agreement before the start of training camp. 5. Jalen Hurts source: Getty Images Improving as a passer should be the highest priority next to winning for Jalen Hurts. He passed for over 3,100 yards overall, though slightly less than 210 yards per game, in his first full year as the starter. That must improve since those are pedestrian numbers in today’s NFL. The team even brought in Gardner Minshew — and his magnificent mustache — last year as insurance but didn’t need him much as Hurts played well enough to lead Philly to the postseason. Hurts went 8-7 but needs to improve on his 16 TD passes. If he can do that and get that completion percentage above 65 — 61.3 last season — then the Eagle might just steal this division. But their success will be heavily determined by the strides Hurts makes with his arm. 4. Carson Wentz source: Getty Images Wentz could be on his last opportunity to prove he’s a viable starting QB in the NFL. With Wentz, it hasn’t always been his play that’s been questioned. It’s his attitude and leadership qualities or lack thereof. Not many people expect much out of Washington this season, but in the NFC East, you never know. (There hasn’t been a repeat division winner since the Eagles finished atop from 2001-04). I expect Philadelphia to take that division followed by Dallas, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Washington sneak up on them in the East. If Wentz can somehow become the leader the Eagles and Colts needed him to be, he might be alright and keep this job for more than a year. After all, Wentz did pass for over 3,500 yards last year in Indianapolis with 27 TDs to just seven INTs. Where things fell apart were the last two games of the season against Jacksonville and Las Vegas, with a playoff berth on the line. If Wentz can’t have the Commanders in a position to contend in the NFC East, he might be looking at a career backup role after this year. 3. Russell Wilson source: Getty Images Tom Brady left New England after 20 years and went to Tampa Bay only to bring them a Super Bowl in year one. Last year we saw Matthew Stafford do the same thing, getting the Rams over the hump after he’d toiled away for 12 years in Detroit. Wilson left Seattle this offseason after a decade of success, two Super Bowl appearances, and one Lombardi Trophy (should’ve been two). The success of Brady and Stafford the last two years puts a lot of pressure on Wilson to come in and do the same. Peyton Manning also came from a franchise where he’d played for over a decade, and while he didn’t win the big one immediately, he was able to help Denver make two Super Bowl appearances in four years, winning the latter. Denver has a good defense and some weapons on offense. Now they also have Pro Bowl, Super Bowl-winning QB under center. The AFC West will be a gauntlet, but Russ is used to playing in a beastly division coming over from the NFC West. Anything less than a spot in the AFC championship game will be viewed as a failure. 2. Baker Mayfield source: Getty Images Let’s keep it 1,000 percent. If Baker can’t beat out Sam Darnold, he’s pretty much done in the NFL as a starter. Most believe Mayfield will win the starting job over Darnold, and I agree. While Baker is the better option, the gap isn’t necessarily a valley between them. Week 1 Baker will be pumped and ready to go against the Browns after what transpired this offseason. But after he gets up for that, hopefully, he’ll have enough money to last another 16 games. Mayfield’s ego took a big hit with the way things ended in Cleveland. The franchise went and traded for DeShaun Watson, then said they wanted an adult leading their team. As little sense as that makes, it happened, and both sides were left with no choice but to move on. I think 90 percent of the NFL world expects Baker to win the starting job in Carolina since it’s an “open competition,” but I’m not sure that same group feels he can play well enough to change anyone’s mind on the overall Mayfield package. 1. Tua Tagovailoa source: Getty Images This feels like the biggest no-brainer on the list. The Dolphins have surrounded Tagovailoa with everything a young QB needs to be successful. Miami has drafted well at the wide receiver position recently, and they went out and got Tua an All-Pro threat in Tyreek Hill in the offseason. Miami brought in a young offensive-minded head coach who worked with Jimmy Garoppolo the past couple of years and played a large part in Deebo Samuel’s break-out year in 2021. Tua improved by one win last season and increased his TD total to 16. Tua’s 7-5 record wasn’t bad, but a postseason appearance will be expected after all the offseason changes. These changes were made to help Tagovailoa, who also needs to stay healthy, be as successful as possible. This organization passed on Justin Herbert for Tua. It’s time to show the world why. If he can’t get it done this year, he won’t be a Dolphin much longer. Relatedsports betting calculatorsmoneyline parlay calculatormoneyline odds calculatorhalf points in online bettingcalculate kelly criterionhedge calculatorspread in bettingbetting on overssports parlaysround robin bettingexpected value in bettinghedging sports wagers