One of the most exciting things about the start of an NFL season is the anticipation of new players and what they will bring to the team. For veterans who have newly joined a team through trades or free agency, we already know a lot about what we’re going to get. Rookies, though, are a different story, since we’ve never seen them perform against NFL competition.

It’s reasonable to expect a Round 1 pick to contribute right away. Day 3 picks are a different story, yet fans sometimes agonize about them contributing as well, even though there’s a reason they were still on the board on Day 3. Our opinions about what should happen once the season begins mean nothing, though. (“What’s wrong with Shane Bowen, only playing Abdul Carter for 38 snaps?” was a common refrain on X this past Monday.) Al

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