2022 NFL Draft Notebook: Preseason All-Underrated Offensive Team
By John Blair
- Despite spending two draft picks on the position in the 2021 NFL Draft it would not be a shock to see the San Francisco 49ers draft another corner on day two of the 2022 NFL Draft. This is due to the fact the team has several questions with its starting corners including K’Waun Williams and Emmanuel Moseley having disappointing years last season and Jason Verrett only being on a one year contract. It would not be a shock if third-round pick Ambry Thomas won one of the starting corner jobs this season, and it would almost be a surprise if he wasn’t in the starting lineup in 2022. However, fifth-round pick Deommodore Lenoir is going to have to surprise people this year if the team is to count on him earning significant playing time next year.
- A team that could be looking to add a center in next year’s NFL Draft is the Miami Dolphins since it is one of the team’s biggest concerns going into the season. Currently, the battle for the starting job is between Matt Skura who has had trouble consistently delivering shotgun snaps and former third-round pick Michael Deiter who is best served as being a backup at both guard and center. It is also worth pointing out that Skura only signed a one year contract, which is another reason the Dolphins would be wise to strongly consider a center in the 2022 NFL Draft.
- Another team that could be looking to address the offensive line next year is the Pittsburgh Steelers. While the team is happy with its current starting offensive tackles Chukwuma Okorafor and Zach Banner, depth at this position could be a major concern. The team currently has two veterans competing for the number three tackle job in Joe Haeg and Chaz Green. Unfortunately, neither of these players should install much confidence from the coaching staff as Haeg has seen his play slip the past few years, and Green had a poor season with the Indianapolis Colts last year. The team did spend a fourth-round pick on Dan Moore Jr. in this year’s draft, but he graded out as a sixth-round pick on NFL Draft Notebook’s board.
- The recent surgery on Michael Thomas’s ankle shines a light on how little depth the New Orleans Saints have at the wide receiver position. The team currently only has two healthy receivers with more than 26 career receptions in Tre’Quan Smith and Chris Hogan and neither one of these players is anything close to a number one wide receiver. The team also does not have any young promising players with the only healthy receiver on the roster drafted before the seventh round is Smith. One receiver who would make a lot of sense for the team is Ohio State’s Chris Olave who the team could likely get with their first-round pick.