The 2022 NFL season was supposed to be the year that the loaded 2021 quarterback class arrived. Justin Fields and Trevor Lawrence had new coaches, the 49ers gave Trey Lance the keys to Kyle Shanahan’s Maserati, Zach Wilson got more weapons, and Mac Jones was the leader in the clubhouse after a sterling rookie season.
The second season is usually when quarterbacks take a significant step forward. Some, like Josh Allen, wait until Year 3, but there should at least be tangible progress during the second season.
That hasn’t really been the case for the vaunted 2021 class, though, and Monday night’s Week 7 matchup between the Bears and New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium.
On one side, there’s Fields. The Bears’ second-year quarterback ranks last in the NFL in completion percentage, passing yards, passing touchdowns, and passing first downs of any quarterback that has started all six games. He has made only three big-time throws, per Pro Football Focus, but has nine turnover-worthy plays.
The Bears’ patchwork offensive line and limited receiving group have let the 23-year-old down. Fields has been sacked 23 times, the second most in the NFL, and has been pressured on 46 percent of his dropbacks this season. The Bears’ receivers, led by Darnell Mooney, are among the worst in the NFL in creating separation.
Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy’s scheme was supposed to unlock Fields’ potential by playing to his strengths. The plan, as it was explained, was to build an offense centered around what Fields wants to be as a quarterback: an elite athlete who attacks down the field with his big arm.
Through six games, the Bears’ offense has been a far cry from the vision that was pitched when Getsy was brought on board. The passing attack has been rickety, and Fields has been pummeled behind one of the worst pass-blocking lines in football.
NFL
That’s not to say Fields is absolved of any wrongdoing. He has missed open receivers and continues to hold onto the ball too long, especially given the line that has been put in front of him.
The passing game has been a disaster, and Fields’ development is at risk.
Things aren’t much sunnier on the other sideline, where fourth-round pick Bailey Zappe has entered for an injured Jones (high ankle sprain) and won his first two starts.
Naturally, this led to a supremely rational belief among a sect of Patriots fans that Bill Belichick should bench and trade a healthy Jones, who is coming off a tremendous rookie season, in favor of Zappe.
The Zappe Fever that is sweeping New England is two-fold. First, the Patriots are 2-0 with Zappe under center after the rookie slayed two bum-level defenses in Detroit and Cleveland. Those wins have the Patriots back to 3-3 and trending in the right direction.
But it’s also that Zappe, while shaky at points, hasn’t cost the Patriots wins as Jones did with turnovers against the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens. Now, a quick look at the tape shows that the Patriots have Zappe run the same run-heavy, dink-and-dunk offense Jones ran to perfection last season, while Jones took more chances down the field during the first three games of the season.
The downfield shots are inherently going to involve more risk. But if the Patriots want to contend in the AFC with the likes of Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Joe Burrow, they need Jones to evolve into a guy who can threaten defenses vertically.
The kicker is that Jones did that pretty well. He had six big-time throws in three games and had one of the best games of his career against the Ravens in Week 3 before being injured. Now, he also had six turnover-worthy plays, but that’s baked into the vertical attack.
Zappe has zero big-time throws in two games but only one turnover-worthy play.
Jones is clearly the more talented quarterback and has more upside than Zappe. The Zappe Fever sweeping New England is merely a reaction to a 1-2 start under Jones that was a product of an offensive brain trust still finding its footing and Jones working to evolve as a passer.
The Zappe craze has unsurprisingly led to rumors that Jones and the Patriots’ relationship has “gone sideways” and that Jones has an “ego” problem. Numerous Patriots beat reporters have squashed those rumors.
Fields’ struggles and Zappe Fever illustrate how tough a year it has been for the class of 2021.
Lance was washed away by the Bears in Week 1 and then suffered a season-ending injury in Week 2. After missing the first three weeks of the season, Wilson returned but is completing just 56 percent of his passes so far. He has thrown only one touchdown pass and two interceptions while recording a three-to-one turnover-worthy play-to-big-time throw ratio (six to two).
Lawrence has faired the best of the first-round five, but the Jaguars signal-caller has still had his issues.
The Clemson product has thrown for 1,402 yards and nine touchdowns while completing 65.5 percent of his passes. But he has thrown four interceptions and fumbled four times. He has made only seven big-time throws compared to eight turnover-worthy plays.
What was supposed to be a year of massive progress for the great quarterback class of 2021 has so far led to questions, frustrations, and a faux quarterback controversy in New England.
RELATED: Fields, Bears must use Lamar's blueprint to beat Patriots
If Jones is under center Monday in New England on Monday night, he and Fields will face off, each trying to steady a ship. Fields will be searching for consistency. Jones looking to make a statement about New England’s future at the quarterback position.
The 2021 quarterback class arrived to praise and acclaim. But, a year-and-a-half later, mountains of questions now surround them.
Questions that will take much longer to answer than it did for them to be uttered.