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The 2022 NFL season is approaching quickly. Several of the biggest storylines coming into the season will, of course, be about quarterbacks. Some are expected to shine again and others are looking to bounce back. Some, though, are under a ton of pressure as they enter what could be a make-or-break campaign.
Of course, not every pressure-packed situation is the same. Deshaun Watson will face a lot of pressure when he hits the field in the regular season but his massive guaranteed contract will buy him plenty of time to prove himself with the Cleveland Browns. Teams quarterbacked by Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and the other elite QBs face high expectations but have the talent to live up to them and the pedigree to fall back on if they fall short.
At the end of the day, pressure manifests in the form of job security. It can change throughout the year but many QBs are already facing some uncertainty about their future with their current team and/or in the league overall.
For the signal-callers that don't have a history of success or a big contract to fall back on, they are fighting for their career's future. Here are the five NFL quarterbacks facing the most pressure in the 2022 NFL season.
NFL Quarterbacks under most pressure in 2022
5. Jared Goff
In his first season with the Detroit Lions, Goff looked like the ultimate system QB. He looked abysmal without Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams. He has a few more years left on his contract, so he could land on a team with a vacancy at the position if he improves.
Goff should be better this season. Amon-Ra St. Brown, D'Andre Swift and T.J. Hockenson are being joined by Jameson Williams and DJ Chark, giving him plenty of weapons. He is too old to be the team's quarterback of the future but he should be able to look like a solid player before he either hits the open market in 2025 or gets traded to a team in need of a QB.
Goff, still just 27 years old, should still be able to find work after his Lions stint. Before he likely becomes a backup, he will try to show that he is still starting caliber.
The Tennessee Titans are looking to prove they are more than just champions of the regular season. The most obvious upgrade they can make is at QB, though they remain steadfast in their Ryan Tannehill commitment. The 34-year-old has to reward their faith, though.
The Titans added rookie quarterback Malik Willis in the draft, giving them another option under center for the future. The threat of Willis taking Tannehill's job does not seem to be serious just yet but it could if Tannehill has a poor year. The Titans could also try to land another veteran QB to lead them in this window of playoff contention.
Tannehill should be able to serve as a backup for a few more years but may be out of Tennessee's starting job soon. Although he has several more years on his contract, his successor may already be on the roster. He will face tons of pressure to stay ahead of him on the depth chart in the 2022 NFL season.
3. Daniel Jones
Daniel Jones' time with the New York Giants has just been one big laugh for those who aren't loyal to Big Blue. Dave Gettleman's most infamous roster move has been a disaster with very little hope of getting fixed. The pressure is on for the pending free agent.
One thing working in Jones' favor is that the Giants' roster is still very bad. No other young quarterbacks, save for those that are already stars, would be reasonably expected to thrive with the pieces they have in place. This could earn him the benefit of the doubt in front offices across the league and in New York.
However, the expectations for Jones aren't even that high. All he has to do is get marginally better, which should be easier with two coaches who have experience molding star quarterbacks (head coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka) along with a better offensive line. If Jones still looks lost in the pocket, he may become a journeyman (or out of the league) very soon.
2. Carson Wentz
After flaming out with the Indianapolis Colts, the Washington Commanders threw Carson Wentz another lifeline. He has a lot to prove in the 2022 NFL season.
The Commanders are trusting Wentz to help them get back into playoff contention. He was so close to doing so with the Colts before engaging in some gnarly self-sabotage. Washington doesn't have as good of a level of infrastructure around him, so he is not being asked with dragging them back to the postseason. But he does have to show he can be a competent QB.
The reason Wentz is not number one is that the expectations for him are not too high. Washington just wants someone who is solid, not necessarily their future. He also has two more years on his contract worth $20 million each, which could persuade the Commanders to keep him for a bit longer. Trying to flip him again after one year will not land them any significant value in return.
Because of his brutal inconsistency on top of some toxic leadership traits, Wentz may not get another NFL job if he doesn't succeed with the Commanders.
Everyone will be keeping an eye on the Miami Dolphins. More specifically, they will be monitoring Tua Tagovailoa to see whether he enjoys a breakout season. He is the quarterback under the most pressure in the 2022 NFL season.
The Dolphins spoiled their young QB this offseason with the additions of Tyreek Hill, Terron Armstead and many more. The pressure to become a truly good quarterback after two disappointing seasons is all the way on. Hill (on many, many occasions) and new head coach Mike McDaniel are showering Tagovailoa with praise this offseason, driving his hype train at full speed.
Although there is some reason to be optimistic about how Tagovailoa can grow with his new supporting cast, his body of work so far in the NFL is far from reassuring. Miami is in a window of playoff contention and can't wait around for Tua to develop. He will either prove to be the future or be sent away in a matter of a few years.
Tagovailoa currently has one more guaranteed year on his contract. Miami will decide next offseason whether to extend his contract. The ‘Fins could either accept or decline his fifth-year option or sign him to a long-term deal. His performance this season will set the trajectory for his entire career, becoming either the Dolphins' franchise guy or a placeholder until they find one.
