2022 NFL Superstar Club: Justin Herbert and Ja'Marr Chase hop in; Kyler Murray and Julio Jones fall out

To say Burrow delivered on his promise in Year 2 would be the understatement of the year. The 2020 No. 1 overall pick stacked huge numbers with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, proved he was all the way back after the terrible knee injury that prematurely ended his rookie season, and nearly brought the damn Lombardi Trophy to Cincinnati. Not a bad start to a career. The Bengals -- smart enough to see they have a transformational franchise stalwart on their hands -- put their offseason focus on pouring resources into an offensive line that allowed the golden boy to absorb a staggering 51 sacks in his sophomore season. Concerns about long-term health count as the only red flag, but Burrow has already established himself as a stone-cold superstar as he enters his prime years.

It's been a hell of a run for Matty Ice, who established himself as the greatest passer in Falcons history during a 14-season run in Atlanta. From a career-health standpoint, we love the move to Indianapolis, but that team's run-heavy scheme and lack of impact playmakers in the receiving game make me think the 37-year-old version of Ryan will be put in game manager mode. The MVP gunslinger days of his younger years are gone. In real football terms, that's fine: Ryan can still thrive with the Colts in a more controlled offensive system. It just seems unlikely he'll be the focal point of his own offense. (We'll discuss that individual in just a bit.) Ryan remains a solid starter you can trust; he's just no longer the difference maker he once was. No shame in that.

As a rookie in 2020, Herbert broke a number of records, most notably logging 31 touchdown passes. He was even better in Year 2, crossing 5,000 passing yards with 41 total touchdowns. But Herbert's value goes beyond his gaudy counting stats. The 24-year-old is simply different -- he makes throws the vast majority of NFL passers can only dream of. He's the master of the 35-yard "turkey hole" shot, the king of the scramble and 60-yard heave, the expert of the 10-yard sandwich coverage dart. In a golden age at the position, no quarterback has delivered more "Wow!" plays over the past two seasons. Frankly, I'm annoyed I waited an extra year before inviting him into the club. Big ol' dummy.

After granting Murray access to the club last July, I'm invoking my right to opt-out following the one-year probationary period. It's not an easy call (and frankly, not a great look for The Superstar Club), but another sour end to a Cardinals season -- punctuated by an embarrassing playoff loss and unflattering offseason contract drama -- makes me think I jumped the gun here. Does Murray have the ability to lift his game and take his place among the best five or so players in the sport? Of course! He's got mobility, pocket presence, a big arm and a flair for the dramatic -- he checks many of the most important boxes in this conversation. Questions about his durability and leadership ability need to be answered in 2022, however. I hope Murray lights the world on fire in 2022 and I have to write about him once more next July.

Taylor has it all. Breakaway speed, elite vision, quick burst, lateral movement -- and at a chiseled 226 pounds, he can run you over, too. Taylor won the league's rushing title in his second season, an especially impressive feat considering the underwhelming state of Indy's passing game and an offensive line that was consistently unsettled due to injuries. He'll enter his age-23 campaign with a better quarterback (Matt Ryan) and a healthier blocking front that can be one the league's best. Given Frank Reich's tendencies, a run at 2,000 yards is well within reach. This was an easy call.

Last year, I wrote that Barkley gave me pause because of his injury history and slow recovery from reconstructive knee surgery. And yet, I granted him another year in The Superstar Club because those dominant stretches in his early years with the Giants still felt recent and attainable. It's hard to say that after a forgettable 2021 season in which the former No. 2 overall pick averaged just 3.7 yards per carry. Yes, Barkley was trapped in a terrible offense run by [checks notes] Joe Judge and Jason Garrett (oof), but he also lacked the explosiveness he showcased before his knee injury. The version of Barkley who came out of Penn State could turn doomed plays into huge gainers. The guy we watched last fall in the Meadowlands rarely got more than what the defense gave him. Still just 25, Barkley gets a fresh start with a great offensive mind in new head coach Brian Daboll. We're hopeful, but Barkley needs to prove himself again.

Kupp won the NFL's triple crown at wide receiver in 2022, leading the league in catches, yards and touchdowns. He punctuated that stellar regular season with an epic playoff run capped by an iconic performance on the Rams' game-winning drive in Super Bowl LVI: five touches, 46 yards, a touchdown and forever franchise immortality. Kupp, who will be flanked by free-agent acquisition Allen Robinson in the upcoming season, should continue to dominate with Matthew Stafford.

Thomas injured his ankle in the 2020 season opener and his career hasn't been the same since. In the two seasons before the injury, Thomas compiled an astounding 274 catches for 3,130 yards and 18 touchdowns. He was limited to just seven games in 2020, missed the entirety of the 2021 campaign, and his playing status remains murky after being held out of practices during the Saints' offseason training program. Throw in the exit of Sean Payton and the uncertainty that surrounds Jameis Winston, and I don't see Thomas reaching the dizzying heights of his early-career success. I hope I'm wrong.

A Day 1 superstar, Chase continued the recent league trend of highly touted college wide receivers entering the pros and immediately establishing themselves as elite playmakers. Chase's quick-twitch ability and penchant for turning 8-yard slants into 80-yard scores added a game-changing dimension to the Bengals' offense. And there's no reason to believe he'll be anything less than dominant once again in 2022. Chase and Burrow: Tied together at LSU, the Bengals and now ... The Superstar Club Class of 2022.

Perhaps there's nothing more damning to Julio's Superstar Club prospect than the very obvious fact that he doesn't currently have a team to play for in 2022. He remains on the free agent wire, coming off a season in which he underwhelmed for a Titans team that expected more when it sent a second-round pick to the Falcons to acquire the seven-time Pro Bowler. Jones dealt with the now-customary nagging injury issues that kept him off the field for stretches, but his 2021 season also featured spells when Jones was in the lineup but was largely invisible in the Tennessee attack. Jones can still be a solid contributor in the right setup, but his days of terrorizing opposing secondaries appear to be over. Hell of a run.

I absolutely should have put Jefferson in this club after his fantastic rookie season. Lesson learned (as you see above with Ja'Marr Chase). When a young wideout enters the league and immediately eviscerates the competition, it ain't gonna be a one-hit wonder situation. Jefferson was once again transcendent last season with Kirk Cousins, setting career highs in catches, yards and touchdowns en route to his second Pro Bowl selection. Like everyone else in Minneapolis, Jefferson is excited to be part of a modern Kevin O'Connell-run offense that should lean more heavily on the passing game than what we saw during the dying days of the Mike Zimmer regime. Yep, Jefferson could get even better in Year 3.

UNICORN ALERT. Samuel was a dominant player as a wide receiver and running back in 2021 -- a unique deployment by Kyle Shanahan that maximized Samuel's playmaking ability while also seemingly leaving the young star deeply annoyed (his trade request from San Francisco still stands, according to a recent report.) Per Pro Football Focus, Samuel was one of just four wideouts to earn an "elite" PFF grade above 90.0. He averaged nearly 11 yards after the catch per reception (best in the NFL) and broke 14 runs of 10-plus yards in a season that delivered 14 touchdowns for a Niners offense that would be lost without him. That is called leverage, my friends.

Yeah, I'm doing it. Tucker is 1-of-1, an automatic All-Pro and indispensable piece of a legit AFC contender in Baltimore. His unmatched résumé, mastering the sport's most pressure-filled and relentlessly scrutinized position, should make him a first-ballot Hall of Famer one day. Now ... I understand there's a philosophical aspect to this conversation that touches on what it means to be a "superstar"; how it's about elite production, sure, but also presence, charisma, a certain je ne sais quoi that -- to this point in football history -- no kicker had ever possessed. Well, I'm here to tell you that Justin Tucker possesses that je ne sais quoi. And if you ever try to take it from him, that man will kick you 66 yards ... straight down the middle ... off the crossbar and over, of course.