Several recent and highly-touted NFL draft picks have had enough opportunities with their current clubs to put it together. It hasn’t panned out, and it’s time to move on.
Let’s dive into 10 recent NFL draft busts who could revive their careers on a new team.
Can these ten recent draft busts revive their NFL careers?
Anthony Richardson: Cleveland Browns
No, the Indianapolis Colts aren’t ready to give up on Richardson. They used the No. 4 pick on him two years ago in the 2023 NFL Draft, and all but four games of his rookie year were wiped out by injury. You can’t give up on a guy after 17 starts over two seasons…or can you?
Richardson was once regarded as the ultimate boom-or-bust prospect. His supreme athleticism was never in question, but his accuracy and decision-making were always red flags. And so far, no cigar.
In 11 starts last season, Richardson completed a paltry 47.7 percent of pass attempts for 1,814 yards, eight touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. And don’t blame his supporting cast. This guy has Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, AND a rock-solid offensive line in front of him.
We don’t at all hate the Colts signing Daniel Jones as a potential reclamation project and competition for Richardson. But what if Indy traded Richardson now and just handed Danny Dimes the starting gig for 2025?
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The Browns are bound to cut Deshaun Watson and his toxic contract next year. 40-year-old Joe Flacco isn’t the answer. If Kenny Pickett couldn’t succeed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, why would he become the guy in Cleveland?
Looking at the QB-needy teams around the league, the Browns make the most sense for Richardson.
Kevin Stefanski got the most out of Kirk Cousins way back when in 2019 as the Minnesota Vikings’ offensive coordinator. He got the pre-Tampa Bay Buccaneers version of Baker Mayfield to lead the Browns to the playoffs in 2020. He got Joe “freaking” Flacco to get this group back into the postseason in 2023!
So yeah, we think Stefanski could get the most out of Richardson here. The Browns are a rush-first offense anyway, and they have one of the league’s best o-lines led by Jack Conklin, Wyatt Teller, and Joel Bitonio.
Throw in their deep set of pass-catchers, and Cleveland is the ideal landing spot for Richardson to get a fresh start and put it all together. And if Jones flops in Indy, he’ll just help their chances of tanking for Arch Manning anyway! Win-win!
Tyree Wilson: Detroit Lions
The Las Vegas Raiders selected Wilson with the No. 7 pick in 2023, hoping he’d form a dynamic pass-rushing tandem alongside superstar Maxx Crosby. So far, however, the results have been disappointing.
Wilson only played 44 percent of the Raiders’ snaps as a rookie in 2023. Though he got increased playing time in 2024, Wilson was only a starter for four games. And through his first two seasons, Wilson has just eight sacks.
Wilson finished with a “meh” Pro Football Focus grade of 66.7 in 2024, including a disappointing pass-rush grade of 57.2. In other words, he’s a replaceable-level player.
Remember, new minority owner Tom Brady, GM John Spytek, and head coach Pete Carroll weren’t here when the last regime selected Wilson. If the Raiders don’t think he can contribute, why not pull the plug early?
The Detroit Lions would be a great landing spot for Wilson. We all saw how terrible their pass-rush was in 2024 when Aidan Hutchinson suffered a season-ending injury, and Dan Campbell could welcome Wilson as a depth piece.
Detroit could throw Wilson into a starting role and see if he can hit his stride in Motor City. Since Campbell’s arrival in 2021, few coaches have done a better job of getting the most out of their players. Just saying!
Evan Neal: San Francisco 49ers
You may recall that Neal was once considered an early favorite to be the first-overall pick in what was considered a weak 2022 NFL Draft. Though the class has turned out to be better than expected, Neal has easily been the biggest disappointment thus far.
Two picks after taking Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux, the New York Giants took Neal with the No. 7 pick, having acquired the selection in a deal with the Chicago Bears a year earlier.
However, Neal was limited to 29 games over his first three seasons because of injury. He also only made 14 total starts over the 2023 and 2024 campaigns.
According to Pro Football Focus, Neal committed six penalties in 2024 and finished with a brutal 49.6 pass-blocking grade, placing him 111th among 140 graded tackles.
We’d like to see Neal get a change of scenery, and the 49ers might be the best landing spot here. The 49ers have a void on the o-line after losing standout guard Aaron Banks to the Green Bay Packers in free agency, for starters.
Secondly, Neal might benefit from learning behind one of the all-time great offensive linemen in Trent Richardson, who’s nearing the end of his Hall of Fame career. Neal could line up at tackle or guard, and maybe an offensive wizard head coach like Kyle Shanahan and his staff could help Neal get comfortable at home.
In Neal’s defense, the Giants’ o-line has been one of football’s worst over the past decade. But with a better supporting cast around him, Neal might hit the ceiling. His strength has always been run-blocking, and the 49ers excel in that department more than just about any other club.
Neal could do a lot worse than blocking for Christian McCaffrey!
Myles Murphy: Washington Commanders
Woof, did the Cincinnati Bengals ever strike out after taking the Clemson defensive end with the No. 28 pick in 2023?
So far, Murphy has produced zero starts and three sacks — all from his rookie season. He played 28 percent of Cincy’s defensive snaps in 2023 and only 40 percent in 2024. Last season, PFF had his run defense grade down at 48.6. Absolutely atrocious, we know.
The Bengals should quit while they’re ahead and trade Murphy. If he hits the block, the Commanders should come calling.
Commanders head coach Dan Quinn has a rich history of developing random dudes into stud pass-rushers, dating back to his time as the Seattle Seahawks’ defensive coordinator in the Legion of Boom era. Maybe he could help Murphy turn a corner and form a scary pass-rushing tandem with Daron Paye.
Jahan Dotson: Denver Broncos
Looking for a capable No. 2 receiver to complement Terry McLaurin, the Commanders took the Penn State wideout with the No. 16 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Dotson showed promise as a rookie with 35 catches for 523 yards and an impressive TD total of seven, but that was peak Dotson in DC. After catching 49 passes for 518 yards and four touchdowns in 2023, the Commanders decided to give up and trade him to the NFC East rival Philadelphia Eagles ahead of the 2024 campaign.
Dotson didn’t do much on the Eagles despite winning a Super Bowl 59 ring, catching just 19 passes for 216 yards in the regular season. Clearly, it ain’t working in the NFC East.
Hey, the Denver Broncos need more pass-catching depth behind veterans Courtland Sutton and Evan Engram. And Broncos head coach Sean Payton is one of the best offensive-minded coaches ever, so who says he couldn’t unlock Dotson’s potential with rising star QB Bo Nix?
Worth taking a flyer if you’re Denver…assuming the Eagles are ready to give up on him.
Trevor Penning: Los Angeles Rams
The Saints got ultra-aggressive at the 2022 NFL Draft. For starters, they gave up their 2023 first-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles as part of a package to pick up an extra 2022 first-round selection.
They also moved up via the Washington Commanders to take Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave at No. 11 overall. For the most part, that move has panned out nicely.
But with the No. 19 selection via the Eagles, the Saints took Northern Iowa offensive lineman Trevor Penning. At the time, New Orleans already had a top-tier o-line led by Ryan Ramcyzk and Erik McCoy.
So far, however, the Penning selection has been a disaster. He missed all but six games in his rookie year to injury and only made five starts in 2023, thanks to his struggles in the blocking game.
Penning finally became a regular starter in 2024, but the results were lackluster at best: A 60.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus and a woeful 51.6 pass-blocking grade that ranked 104th among 140 offensive tackles.
Penning also committed 13 penalties and allowed five sacks. In other words, it’s just time to move on already.
The Los Angeles Rams jump out as the ideal landing spot for Penning. Since Sean McVay arrived in 2017, the Rams have developed a reputation for churning out quality offensive linemen year in and year out.
The Rams traded Jonah Jackson to the Chicago Bears, and veteran Rob Havenstein is entering his age-33 season. This feels like a good opportunity for the Rams to take a flier on Penning and see if their world-class coaching system can unlock his potential once and for all.
Treylon Burks: Cincinnati Bengals
The Titans made a giant mistake by trading AJ Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles at the 2022 NFL draft…then believing they could replace him by using the No. 18 pick on Treylon Burks.
Burks’ career has been a letdown thus far. Injuries have held him to 27 games over three seasons, and he’s only mustered 53 catches for 699 yards and a touchdown – the bulk of those coming in his rookie season.
Time for the Titans to wave the white flag and give Burks a new home. And if he’s ever to flourish in the NFL, he sure as heck better be paired with an elite QB — something he never had in Tennessee.
Hey, the Bengals have the league’s best receiving tandem in Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. But they’re still searching for a reliable No. 3 receiver to fill the shoes Tyler Boyd left behind a year ago…
The big-bodied 6-foot-2, 225-pound Burks might find his game with Joe Burrow slinging him the ball. Burks’ size could help him draw winnable matchups — especially in the red zone — with opposing defenses mostly focused on Chase and Higgins..
Quay Walker: Buffalo Bills
The Green Bay Packers surprised everyone when they traded star wide receiver Davante Adams to the Raiders in 2022. Armed with a pair of first-round picks now, everyone thought they’d address the receiver position.
But nope, they doubled down on defense with their first-round selections by taking Georgia linebacker Quay Walker and his Bulldog teammate, defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt.
The Packers usually hit on their first-round picks, but Walker has not at all come as advertised. He has just 6.5 sacks and one interception in three seasons. And according to Pro Football Reference, Walker has allowed a 70.1 completion percentage and passer rating of 86.5 when targeted. So much for being a do-it-all linebacker.
With plenty of depth in their front seven, the Packers can afford to cut ties with Walker. And we can’t help but get excited at the idea of him reviving his career with the Buffalo Bills.
Sean McDermott is one of the game’s best defensive-minded coaches, but Buffalo’s defense hasn’t been the same since it lost Pro Bowl linebacker Tremaine Edmunds to the Chicago Bears in 2023 free agency.
Might a change of scenery and the chance to play alongside veteran stalwart Matt Milano save his career? We could certainly see it.
Christian Watson: Kansas City Chiefs
The Packers thought they were getting their new No. 1 receiver after the Davante Adams trade when they selected the 6-foot-4 speedster with the No. 34 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Welp, so much for that.
The North Dakota State product missed three games in his rookie year but still caught 41 passes for 611 yards and nine total touchdowns. Watson was limited to eight games in 2023, but 2024 was truly a down season with a 29-620-2 stat line.
With Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs emerging as the top two receivers in Green Bay, it’s clear Watson won’t be a No. 1 in Titletown. So why not give Watson a fresh start and send him to the Kansas City Chiefs?
Travis Kelce is nearing retirement, and we still don’t know what KC has in Xavier Worthy. Trade for Watson and see if he can be another playmaking weapon for Patrick Mahomes, who still hasn’t had a No. 1 receiver since Tyreek Hill’s departure.
Will Levis: Las Vegas Raiders
With Cam Ward headed to Tennessee, Levis’ time in Music City is officially 100 percent up.
For the Titans, it was worth taking a chance on Levis when he slipped out of round one and into their hands at No. 33 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Remember, many projections had him being a top-10 pick behind fellow QBs Bryce Young and CJ Stroud.
But it’s hard to like what Levis produced over his first two seasons: A 5-16 record with 21 touchdowns, 16 interceptions, and an average of 185.7 passing yards per game. Hence, why the Titans took Ward.
No NFL team is rushing to get Levis and make him a day-one starter. But the Raiders stand out here as a landing spot for Levis for multiple reasons.
Vegas just acquired former Seattle Seahawk Geno Smith and signed him up for a two-year extension. But he’s entering his age-35 season and isn’t a long-term guy, nor is there a guarantee he’ll repeat his success outside of Emerald City.
With Tom Brady the GOAT, and Pete Carroll, a Super Bowl-winning head coach, Levis would be in a good spot to put it all together. Learning behind Smith for a season or two wouldn’t hurt, and sign us up for Levis throwing darts to Brock Bowers.
