Image source: Instagram/@brock.purdy13
In a surprising turn of events, the New England Patriots released quarterback Bailey Zappe on Tuesday. With this move, only two quarterbacks from the 2022 NFL Draft remain with the teams that originally selected them. Out of the nine quarterbacks drafted in 2022, just Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers and Skylar Thompson of the Miami Dolphins have endured.
Notably, these two were the last quarterbacks picked in the draft, yet they have achieved the most success with their original teams.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler highlighted how all other quarterbacks from that class failed to make it past two seasons with their initial teams.
Tuesday also saw Desmond Ridder, a 2022 Atlanta Falcons draftee, making headlines. He was waived by the Arizona Cardinals after being traded there earlier this offseason.
As for the rest of the 2022 draft class, they’ve either been traded or cut before the recent deadline. Kenny Pickett, the only first-round quarterback that year, was traded by the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Philadelphia Eagles ahead of the 2024 season.
Meanwhile, Malik Willis was picked up by the Green Bay Packers in a trade with the Tennessee Titans just this Monday. Sam Howell, who started for the Washington Commanders last season, was traded to the Seattle Seahawks during the offseason.
Some quarterbacks from the 2022 class are still without a team for the upcoming season. Matt Corral, who was cut by the Minnesota Vikings, is now on his third team since being drafted. Chris Oladokun, who spent last season with the Kansas City Chiefs, is currently not on any roster.
In a year that started with nine hopeful quarterbacks, only two remain with the teams that took a chance on them. Their perseverance in the face of a rapidly changing NFL landscape speaks volumes about their potential.
