Which Teams are the Top Contenders?

[Loyal]

Media has been all over the Chargers this offseason. I've seen crowns thrown around for both the team and the QB. Maybe they're right too, but just saying the Raiders have built one hell of a roster and are virtually ignored.

Renter lover!

 

[Merlin]

BOWL CUT Renter lover!

FIFY.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

The Bills' Defense was indeed taken to the wood-shed in the Divisional Round against the Chiefs but they were the #1 Defense in the NFL during the 2021 Regular Season (Scoring and Yardage). It's a strong defense.

They played a pretty easy schedule too

 

[Ram65]

The Rams also lost critical parts of the roster, as Robert Woods, Odell Beckham Jr., Sebastian Joseph-Day and Von Miller now play elsewhere. The Rams added Allen Robinson and Bobby Wagner to help offset those losses, but there’s a good chance that, at best, they have taken a sideways step in an offseason where several contenders got better.

The Rams going sideways comment is most interesting. I don't think they are done but, either way I see them getting better. Stafford to Robinson could be unstoppable as Stafford to Kupp. I see the offensive line and running game making a big move up.

Wagner gets the defense set right, Him and Jones solidify the short middle which has been a problem area. Holland, TLew and Chris Garrett rotate in to ease the loss of Von Miller. AD, Gaines, and A'Shawn get better as a unit with a healthier Floyd on the Edge. The secondary takes a step up with solid depth.

The Rams created a healthy co9mpetitive environment for young players to develop. They have a nice list of second and third-year players waiting to prove themselves. They still have some cap space to make another move.

Earlier season rankings are just for entertainment purposes. These seem to be as good as any. The Bills getting Miller shifted the early rankings. Let's see what happens after week one results are final.

 

[Rambitious1]

Here are PFF’s top 14 teams…

Which teams do you drop out of the top 14, and who do you move up?

They have 7 AFC and 7 NFC as the top 14.

Who are your top 14 teams?

NFL power rankings ahead of the 2022 season

PFF's Sam Monson reveals his power rankings of all 32 NFL teams, which includes the Buffalo Bills occupying the top spot.

www.pff.com

1. BUFFALO BILLS

It’s tough to look beyond the Bills as the single best roster in football. They didn’t even make it to the AFC Championship last season, but they were 13 seconds and some suicidal defense away from doing so at the end of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Josh Allen proved that his breakout year was no fluke, and the Bills has been able to add luxuries such as Von Miller to try and put them over the top.

2. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Until we see real evidence of Tom Brady‘s decline, we have to assume that he will remain as one of the truly elite quarterbacks in the game, which makes the Bucs immediate contenders every year he is at the helm. Brady’s un-retirement paved the way for several other players that were scheduled to hit free agency to return, and the team patched up the holes that did appear in the draft. Adding a receiver such as Russell Gage, who was an underrated weapon in Atlanta and averaged 1.96 yards per route run last season, could make a real impact on the offense.

3. LOS ANGELES RAMS

The defending Super Bowl Champions are already being disrespected! Before we go overboard, remember that the Rams were the No. 4 seed a year ago and needed Matthew Stafford to up his play from an 80.7 regular season PFF grade to 89.5 in the postseason to go on the run that they did. The Rams also lost critical parts of the roster, as Robert Woods, Odell Beckham Jr., Sebastian Joseph-Day and Von Miller now play elsewhere. The Rams added Allen Robinson and Bobby Wagner to help offset those losses, but there’s a good chance that, at best, they have taken a sideways step in an offseason where several contenders got better.

4. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

With the rest of the NFL’s contenders in an arms race, the Chiefs chose to trade away one of the most potent weapons in the NFL in Tyreek Hill. They look to replace him not with any one player but in the aggregate with the Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Juju Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore additions, and while that may be the best thing for the long-term cap health of the roster, it’s tough to argue that the Chiefs won’t take a small step backward initially. Nonetheless, as long as Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback, the Chiefs will be amongst the real contenders.

5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Few teams were as aggressive this offseason as the Chargers, who seem determined to capitalize on the talent they have at quarterback in Justin Herbert. Far from regressing, Herbert’s second season built on his stellar rookie campaign, so the Chargers spent a ton of money to surround him with talent. Adding a player such as Khalil Mack should improve everything up front, and J.C. Jackson adds to a secondary that has a lot of ball skills as a unit. Drafting Zion Johnson should ensure that the line in front of Herbert remains solid.

6. GREEN BAY PACKERS

Sure, when the Packers have Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, they are perennial contenders, but they have had problems against the best teams deep in the playoffs, and that was with the best receiver in the game (Davante Adams) in the lineup. This offseason, the Packers lost Adams and replaced him with Sammy Watkins and a pair of rookies — Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, who were the seventh and 19th receivers selected, respectively. To the Packers’ credit, their defense may be better than it's been in years, and they are getting players such as David Bakhtiari back, but that receiving corps could be a terminal problem.

7. DENVER BRONCOS

Denver catapulted itself into the contenders by trading for Russell Wilson, giving them their first legitimate championship-caliber passer since Peyton Manning. Denver now has to craft an offense that gets the most out of Wilson while doing so without running into the same issues that the Seattle Seahawks had. Can Wilson be unleashed to be the best version of himself without eschewing too much of the quick, routine passes to make the offense among the league’s best?

8. CINCINNATI BENGALS

Ranking the Bengals this low seems harsh given they were close losers of last year’s Super Bowl, but there was an acknowledgment that the team overachieved last year. They were the AFC’s No. 4 seed before going on their playoff run, and even though they have done an excellent job attacking the weaknesses on the roster this offseason, it seems unlikely that they repeat that kind of improbable sequence of results this season. Cincinnati absolutely has the firepower to contend if things break its way, but the Bengals don’t quite have the overwhelming roster strength that some teams do.

9. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

One of the few teams that have a real chance of winning a championship without an elite quarterback, the 49ers have the ability to dominate because of Kyle Shanahan’s offense and the playmakers within it. Jimmy Garoppolo is still on the roster and may very well be the starter again this season. His play has proven to be good enough for this team to win when he is healthy, and Trey Lance may represent the contingency plan for the likely injury to Garoppolo rather than the 2022 starter.

10. CLEVELAND BROWNS

So much of Cleveland’s success hinges on Deshaun Watson‘s availability, which remains completely up in the air as the NFL works toward the conclusion of its investigation into his sexual assault accusations. Even without Watson, the Browns should be a playoff team. They almost made it last season with Baker Mayfield playing from Week 2 on with a badly injured shoulder. A healthy Mayfield this season raises the floor a lot, and Watson for the entire season likely makes them real contenders.

11. BALTIMORE RAVENS

Few teams were as ravaged by injuries as the Ravens last season, and it propelled them from the top seed in the AFC at one point in the year to outside of the playoffs by the end of the season. Just getting healthy again makes the Ravens a real playoff team once again, and they can go on stretches of dominant play that scares any team in the league.

12. DALLAS COWBOYS

Dallas had a curious offseason where every problem it faced seemingly caught the franchise by surprise. The team traded away Amari Cooper because it was upset that he wasn’t providing the kind of value his contract suggested. Cedrick Wilson also departed in free agency. They thought they re-signed Randy Gregory, but he became upset at some contract language, so he took the same offer from Denver, leaving Dallas scrambling to replace him. Overall, this team likely spun its wheels in the mud this offseason while other teams improved, but they are still a good team overall.

13. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

I’m not sure any franchise had a better offseason than the Eagles when all is considered. Trading for A.J. Brown gives them the No. 1 receiver they have been searching for, and it also allows DeVonta Smith to concentrate on doing what he does well as the No. 2. Adding Haason Reddick and Jordan Davis reinforces a defensive front that was eroding from its peak, and grabbing James Bradberry late in the day is a really shrewd signing that could make a real difference. Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean could also prove to be one of the biggest steals of the draft if he’s the same player in the NFL that he was in college.

14. ARIZONA CARDINALS

The Cardinals somehow made a big splash move over the offseason and still may have lost ground to their rivals. Marquise Brown was acquired in a trade for their first round pick, but Brown has to replace DeAndre Hopkins as the team’s No. 1 receiver for the duration of Hopkins' suspension (six games) before he can add value relative to last year’s offense. The team also lost Christian Kirk and Chandler Jones — two important players at key positions. Arizona’s success relies on it finding a way to not tail off again as the season progresses.

---

THE REST OF THE PACK:

15. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

In a tough spot after a failed Carson Wentz experiment last season, the Colts somehow managed to upgrade at quarterback this offseason without a franchise-altering cost. Matt Ryan may be a declining force, but he still ranked eight places higher than Wentz in PFF grades last season and is at his best in a dome. The Colts were a Wentz disaster away from the playoffs a season ago, and they should have their sights firmly set on playoff football again this year.

16. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

The rest of the AFC West became loaded with contenders this offseason, so after hiring a new general manager and head coach, the Raiders took a beat and decided to join the party, trading for Davante Adams and adding Chandler Jones. Adams teams up with Derek Carr, his old college quarterback, to give this offense the No. 1 target it needs, and Jones should add formidable pass-rush opposite Maxx Crosby. The offensive line remains a major area of concern for the Raiders, as is the brutal division they play in.

17. TENNESSEE TITANS

The No. 1 seed in the AFC a season ago, the Titans did not have an offseason for the ages. Acquiring Robert Woods was a nice move, but they also traded away A.J. Brown rather than give him the big-money contract he deserved. Rookie Treylon Burks is now under huge pressure to replace Brown. The Titans will be a good team again, but they lost ground to the rest of the contenders that clearly upgraded this offseason, so they will likely struggle to repeat last year’s finish position.

18. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

The Patriots were never likely to be big free agent spenders two years in a row, and while they made some quiet additions in the veteran marketplace, their draft was curious. Cole Strange was seen as a major reach in the first round, and he replaces a proven Pro-Bowl caliber player in Shaq Mason, who was traded away for a fifth-round pick. New England’s fortunes rest on the development of the young players or last year’s additions after spending a year in the system. Can Mac Jones, in particular, take a big step forward in his sophomore season?

19. MIAMI DOLPHINS

The Dolphins made a sequence of huge, needle-moving changes to the team and still may be struggling to make the playoffs. Tyreek Hill changes the way defenses play on every snap he is on the field, and the team added offensive linemen Terron Armstead and Connor Williams to bolster a historically bad offensive line. New head coach Mike McDaniel brings an exciting system with him, and this Dolphins team should now be very fun to watch, but did the team do enough to make the Dolphins real contenders?

20. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

So much of the Saints' success over the last 15 years was built on Drew Brees and Asshole Face's shoulders, neither of whom are now in the building. However, the roster is still in pretty good shape. Jameis Winston is a real unknown factor. One of the most volatile quarterbacks in the league, Winston was playing a much more controlled brand of football last year before getting hurt, posting the lowest turnover-worthy play rate of his career while still making frequent big-time throws.

21. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The Steelers have been perennial contenders for the duration of Ben Roethlisberger’s career. Their quarterback since 2004, Big Ben retired this offseason after never finishing a season with a losing record. Now, Pittsburgh needs to sustain that success with a combination of Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett at quarterback. Either player will massively change the offense that had the fastest average time to throw in 2021.

22. MINNESOTA VIKINGS

The Vikings have won between seven and 10 games for the last four seasons, prompting ownership to make a change and hire a new general manager and head coach. The moves this offseason have been all about maintaining course though, which leaves the team stuck in the same narrow band of outcomes as before. Unless Kevin O’Connell does a fantastic job as head coach in Year 1 or Kirk Cousins has an equally inspired season at quarterback, this team likely wins between seven and 10 games again.

23. WASHINGTON Commodes

Hitching your wagon to a player that is being thrown out of his previous employer's building after just one year as the answer at quarterback is a risky strategy, but that was Washington’s answer to a disappointing season in 2021. Carson Wentz ranked 23rd in the NFL last season in overall PFF grade and was at his worst in the crunch period of the season with the playoffs on the line. Washington will be hoping he is enough of an upgrade over Taylor Heinicke that it can return to the playoffs, but that may just be optimism at this point.

24. DETROIT LIONS

The rebuild project in Detroit still doesn’t have its quarterback of the future, but the rest of the roster is coming together very nicely, and Jared Goff has shown the capacity to be a better-than-average quarterback in the right environment. The Lions are still relying on the development and growth of young players that they added a year ago, but if things go as planned, Detroit could make more noise this season than people expect.

25. NEW YORK JETS

The Jets have done a fantastic job of building around Zach Wilson, but now, they need to see some signs of life from last year’s No. 2 overall pick. Additions such as Laken Tomlinson continued to add strength to an offensive line than finished last year ranked 11th in the NFL. Adding Garrett Wilson in the draft should improve the entire receiving corps, allowing Corey Davis to avoid the attention of a true No. 1 receiver. The defense also saw some reinforcement with cornerback additions in both free agency (D.J. Reed) and the draft (Ahmad Sauce Gardner).

26. NEW YORK GIANTS

The biggest additions the Giants made were at general manager and head coach, and Brian Daboll, in particular, could have a real impact on Daniel Jones at quarterback. Jones was a top-five graded quarterback in the league through the first month of the season in 2021 before the wheels fell off as the offense disintegrated around him. The Giants did what they could on the offensive line, and the receiving corps staying healthy would be a big boost for the team overall. The Giants offense could be a surprise unit in 2022.

27. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Jacksonville were big spenders this offseason, but it’s tough to discern a strategy to that spending beyond simply paying big money to players the team could convince to come to Jacksonville. Brandon Scherff and Christian Kirk were big investments on the offensive line and receiving corps, but even with them, neither unit should be above league average. The draft was all about rolling the dice on talent, and so there’s a real chance that the Jaguars are relying simply on the upgrade from Urban Meyer to Doug Pederson to boost Trevor Lawrence‘s play in Year 2.

28. HOUSTON TEXANS

The Texans were able to finally start their rebuild by trading away Deshaun Watson for a huge haul of draft picks. That move happened too late in the day for them to be big players in free agency, so the project really started in the draft. Davis Mills flashed some surprisingly good play as a rookie, and he’ll get, at least, another season to show he can be a future starter, but this project has really only just begun.

29. CAROLINA PANTHERS

The Panthers may have done well to emerge from the draft with a rookie quarterback without spending the sixth overall pick on him, but that still leaves a starting battle between Sam Darnold and a player the rest of the NFL didn’t want for over 90 picks. Matt Corral ran a very RPO-heavy offense in college (over 40% of snaps), so his ability to translate to the NFL is a big unknown. Overall, Carolina made some nice moves this offseason, but its quarterback situation could be crippling.

30. ATLANTA FALCONS

Atlanta jumped into the bidding war for Deshaun Watson only to come up short and effectively end relations with Matt Ryan as their starter. Trading him away creates a devastating blow to the salary cap in terms of dead money, but it represents the start of a franchise reboot. Marcus Mariota is a fine stopgap at quarterback and the team had a very good draft, but we may be a year away from these moves paying real dividends.

31. CHICAGO BEARS

New general manager Ryan Poles inherited an ugly situation in Chicago and has done what he can to set the team on the right track in his first offseason. The only issue is that very little of that has had an immediate impact on the short-term prospects of quarterback Justin Fields, who flashed big talent as a rookie but has pass protection and a receiving corps that rank among the league’s worst on paper. Fields also had his own issues in Year 1, so this could be a painful year for Chicago as it tries to put solid foundations in place for the future.

32. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

When you remove Russell Wilson from the equation in Seattle, it becomes immediately apparent how bad the situation around him had become over the years, with Wilson’s play hiding the true extent of the damage. It doesn’t help that the quarterback competition between Drew Lock and Geno Smith represents the worst quarterback situation in the league. We have become accustomed to thinking of Seatte as a playoff contender, but that was only a constant as long as their quarterback was elite, and that’s far from the case now.

OBJ is playing elsewhere?
When did this happen?
I didn’t hear of him signing with another team.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Moving OUT of my Top 14;

BALTIMORE RAVENS
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
CLEVELAND BROWNS

Ravens - Just because I had to make room.

Eagles - The Eagles punted the Jalen Hurts decision another year. Not sure I am buying.

49’ers - I think if Lance struggles, the team will implode.

Browns - Things are too weird with Watson and Mayfield for 2022 to be a good year.

I move up;

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
TENNESSEE TITANS
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Colts - I think Ryan pulls a Rivers and plays well.

Raiders - I almost don’t trust moving these guys up, but McDouche probably takes the offense up a notch.

Titans - I think Derrick Henry remains a game changer at 28. Vrabel always churns out a tough team. They lack WR’s though… after Woods its like, yikes!

Patriots - Hard to see year 2 being a step back for Mac Jones. Then again, the Pats do not have an OC listed on their staff… does the unusual committee approach work?

TOP 14
BUFFALO BILLS
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
LOS ANGELES RAMS
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
GREEN BAY PACKERS
DENVER BRONCOS
CINCINNATI BENGALS
DALLAS COWBOYS
ARIZONA CARDINALS
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
TENNESSEE TITANS
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

THE REST OF THE PACK:
BALTIMORE RAVENS
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
CLEVELAND BROWNS
MIAMI DOLPHINS
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
WASHINGTON Commodes
DETROIT LIONS
NEW YORK JETS
NEW YORK GIANTS
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
HOUSTON TEXANS
CAROLINA PANTHERS
ATLANTA FALCONS
CHICAGO BEARS
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

 

[So Ram]

Thinking Tampa & Green Bay both have an easy road to have the best records because of the weak divisions.

Detroit Goff & Homes I think are underrated.

If not Minnesota Vikings as well with Kevin O’Connell

 

[Merlin]

Titans - I think Derrick Henry remains a game changer at 28. Vrabel always churns out a tough team. They lack WR’s though… after Woods its like, yikes!

Yeah losing Brown sucks and I think I read his replacement was lost in OTA's. But they also took the UCLA WR who runs some pro routes.

Gonna be interesting to see how Tannehill plays this year without his top guy and the rook sitting behind him though, no doubt.

 

[den-the-coach]

Yeah losing Brown sucks and I think I read his replacement was lost in OTA's. But they also took the UCLA WR who runs some pro routes.

Treylon Burks was not available because of his Asthma, hopefully, they will be able to get that regulated for him.

Earlier during his rookie offseason, concerns over Burks' conditioning came into question. Burks failed to finish one of his first practices with the team. Burks was seen using an inhaler during the said practice in May, and was pulled out from individual drills at one point to have ice placed on his neck, in concerns raised by The Tennessean.

Arkansas standout Treylon Burks 'unavailable' at Tennessee Titans minicamp

...

247sports.com

 

[dang]

I personally do not want the Rams crowned as the best team in the NFL before the season starts. I prefer them having to show their OL is solid, Robinson is the real deal at WR, ILB is massively improved and they can have a successful edge rush without Miller. However, I do want them crowned the best after they win their second SuperBowl in a row.

 

[LARAMSinFeb.]

OBJ is playing elsewhere?
When did this happen?
I didn’t hear of him signing with another team.

Yeah that was weird--I thought he must've signed somewhere this morning!

 

[RamFanInPC]

Here are PFF’s top 14 teams…

Which teams do you drop out of the top 14, and who do you move up?

They have 7 AFC and 7 NFC as the top 14.

Who are your top 14 teams?

NFL power rankings ahead of the 2022 season

PFF's Sam Monson reveals his power rankings of all 32 NFL teams, which includes the Buffalo Bills occupying the top spot.

www.pff.com

1. BUFFALO BILLS

It’s tough to look beyond the Bills as the single best roster in football. They didn’t even make it to the AFC Championship last season, but they were 13 seconds and some suicidal defense away from doing so at the end of the game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Josh Allen proved that his breakout year was no fluke, and the Bills has been able to add luxuries such as Von Miller to try and put them over the top.

2. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Until we see real evidence of Tom Brady‘s decline, we have to assume that he will remain as one of the truly elite quarterbacks in the game, which makes the Bucs immediate contenders every year he is at the helm. Brady’s un-retirement paved the way for several other players that were scheduled to hit free agency to return, and the team patched up the holes that did appear in the draft. Adding a receiver such as Russell Gage, who was an underrated weapon in Atlanta and averaged 1.96 yards per route run last season, could make a real impact on the offense.

3. LOS ANGELES RAMS

The defending Super Bowl Champions are already being disrespected! Before we go overboard, remember that the Rams were the No. 4 seed a year ago and needed Matthew Stafford to up his play from an 80.7 regular season PFF grade to 89.5 in the postseason to go on the run that they did. The Rams also lost critical parts of the roster, as Robert Woods, Odell Beckham Jr., Sebastian Joseph-Day and Von Miller now play elsewhere. The Rams added Allen Robinson and Bobby Wagner to help offset those losses, but there’s a good chance that, at best, they have taken a sideways step in an offseason where several contenders got better.

4. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

With the rest of the NFL’s contenders in an arms race, the Chiefs chose to trade away one of the most potent weapons in the NFL in Tyreek Hill. They look to replace him not with any one player but in the aggregate with the Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Juju Smith-Schuster and Skyy Moore additions, and while that may be the best thing for the long-term cap health of the roster, it’s tough to argue that the Chiefs won’t take a small step backward initially. Nonetheless, as long as Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback, the Chiefs will be amongst the real contenders.

5. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Few teams were as aggressive this offseason as the Chargers, who seem determined to capitalize on the talent they have at quarterback in Justin Herbert. Far from regressing, Herbert’s second season built on his stellar rookie campaign, so the Chargers spent a ton of money to surround him with talent. Adding a player such as Khalil Mack should improve everything up front, and J.C. Jackson adds to a secondary that has a lot of ball skills as a unit. Drafting Zion Johnson should ensure that the line in front of Herbert remains solid.

6. GREEN BAY PACKERS

Sure, when the Packers have Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, they are perennial contenders, but they have had problems against the best teams deep in the playoffs, and that was with the best receiver in the game (Davante Adams) in the lineup. This offseason, the Packers lost Adams and replaced him with Sammy Watkins and a pair of rookies — Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, who were the seventh and 19th receivers selected, respectively. To the Packers’ credit, their defense may be better than it's been in years, and they are getting players such as David Bakhtiari back, but that receiving corps could be a terminal problem.

7. DENVER BRONCOS

Denver catapulted itself into the contenders by trading for Russell Wilson, giving them their first legitimate championship-caliber passer since Peyton Manning. Denver now has to craft an offense that gets the most out of Wilson while doing so without running into the same issues that the Seattle Seahawks had. Can Wilson be unleashed to be the best version of himself without eschewing too much of the quick, routine passes to make the offense among the league’s best?

8. CINCINNATI BENGALS

Ranking the Bengals this low seems harsh given they were close losers of last year’s Super Bowl, but there was an acknowledgment that the team overachieved last year. They were the AFC’s No. 4 seed before going on their playoff run, and even though they have done an excellent job attacking the weaknesses on the roster this offseason, it seems unlikely that they repeat that kind of improbable sequence of results this season. Cincinnati absolutely has the firepower to contend if things break its way, but the Bengals don’t quite have the overwhelming roster strength that some teams do.

9. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

One of the few teams that have a real chance of winning a championship without an elite quarterback, the 49ers have the ability to dominate because of Kyle Shanahan’s offense and the playmakers within it. Jimmy Garoppolo is still on the roster and may very well be the starter again this season. His play has proven to be good enough for this team to win when he is healthy, and Trey Lance may represent the contingency plan for the likely injury to Garoppolo rather than the 2022 starter.

10. CLEVELAND BROWNS

So much of Cleveland’s success hinges on Deshaun Watson‘s availability, which remains completely up in the air as the NFL works toward the conclusion of its investigation into his sexual assault accusations. Even without Watson, the Browns should be a playoff team. They almost made it last season with Baker Mayfield playing from Week 2 on with a badly injured shoulder. A healthy Mayfield this season raises the floor a lot, and Watson for the entire season likely makes them real contenders.

11. BALTIMORE RAVENS

Few teams were as ravaged by injuries as the Ravens last season, and it propelled them from the top seed in the AFC at one point in the year to outside of the playoffs by the end of the season. Just getting healthy again makes the Ravens a real playoff team once again, and they can go on stretches of dominant play that scares any team in the league.

12. DALLAS COWBOYS

Dallas had a curious offseason where every problem it faced seemingly caught the franchise by surprise. The team traded away Amari Cooper because it was upset that he wasn’t providing the kind of value his contract suggested. Cedrick Wilson also departed in free agency. They thought they re-signed Randy Gregory, but he became upset at some contract language, so he took the same offer from Denver, leaving Dallas scrambling to replace him. Overall, this team likely spun its wheels in the mud this offseason while other teams improved, but they are still a good team overall.

13. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

I’m not sure any franchise had a better offseason than the Eagles when all is considered. Trading for A.J. Brown gives them the No. 1 receiver they have been searching for, and it also allows DeVonta Smith to concentrate on doing what he does well as the No. 2. Adding Haason Reddick and Jordan Davis reinforces a defensive front that was eroding from its peak, and grabbing James Bradberry late in the day is a really shrewd signing that could make a real difference. Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean could also prove to be one of the biggest steals of the draft if he’s the same player in the NFL that he was in college.

14. ARIZONA CARDINALS

The Cardinals somehow made a big splash move over the offseason and still may have lost ground to their rivals. Marquise Brown was acquired in a trade for their first round pick, but Brown has to replace DeAndre Hopkins as the team’s No. 1 receiver for the duration of Hopkins' suspension (six games) before he can add value relative to last year’s offense. The team also lost Christian Kirk and Chandler Jones — two important players at key positions. Arizona’s success relies on it finding a way to not tail off again as the season progresses.

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THE REST OF THE PACK:

15. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

In a tough spot after a failed Carson Wentz experiment last season, the Colts somehow managed to upgrade at quarterback this offseason without a franchise-altering cost. Matt Ryan may be a declining force, but he still ranked eight places higher than Wentz in PFF grades last season and is at his best in a dome. The Colts were a Wentz disaster away from the playoffs a season ago, and they should have their sights firmly set on playoff football again this year.

16. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

The rest of the AFC West became loaded with contenders this offseason, so after hiring a new general manager and head coach, the Raiders took a beat and decided to join the party, trading for Davante Adams and adding Chandler Jones. Adams teams up with Derek Carr, his old college quarterback, to give this offense the No. 1 target it needs, and Jones should add formidable pass-rush opposite Maxx Crosby. The offensive line remains a major area of concern for the Raiders, as is the brutal division they play in.

17. TENNESSEE TITANS

The No. 1 seed in the AFC a season ago, the Titans did not have an offseason for the ages. Acquiring Robert Woods was a nice move, but they also traded away A.J. Brown rather than give him the big-money contract he deserved. Rookie Treylon Burks is now under huge pressure to replace Brown. The Titans will be a good team again, but they lost ground to the rest of the contenders that clearly upgraded this offseason, so they will likely struggle to repeat last year’s finish position.

18. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

The Patriots were never likely to be big free agent spenders two years in a row, and while they made some quiet additions in the veteran marketplace, their draft was curious. Cole Strange was seen as a major reach in the first round, and he replaces a proven Pro-Bowl caliber player in Shaq Mason, who was traded away for a fifth-round pick. New England’s fortunes rest on the development of the young players or last year’s additions after spending a year in the system. Can Mac Jones, in particular, take a big step forward in his sophomore season?

19. MIAMI DOLPHINS

The Dolphins made a sequence of huge, needle-moving changes to the team and still may be struggling to make the playoffs. Tyreek Hill changes the way defenses play on every snap he is on the field, and the team added offensive linemen Terron Armstead and Connor Williams to bolster a historically bad offensive line. New head coach Mike McDaniel brings an exciting system with him, and this Dolphins team should now be very fun to watch, but did the team do enough to make the Dolphins real contenders?

20. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

So much of the Saints' success over the last 15 years was built on Drew Brees and Asshole Face's shoulders, neither of whom are now in the building. However, the roster is still in pretty good shape. Jameis Winston is a real unknown factor. One of the most volatile quarterbacks in the league, Winston was playing a much more controlled brand of football last year before getting hurt, posting the lowest turnover-worthy play rate of his career while still making frequent big-time throws.

21. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The Steelers have been perennial contenders for the duration of Ben Roethlisberger’s career. Their quarterback since 2004, Big Ben retired this offseason after never finishing a season with a losing record. Now, Pittsburgh needs to sustain that success with a combination of Mitchell Trubisky and Kenny Pickett at quarterback. Either player will massively change the offense that had the fastest average time to throw in 2021.

22. MINNESOTA VIKINGS

The Vikings have won between seven and 10 games for the last four seasons, prompting ownership to make a change and hire a new general manager and head coach. The moves this offseason have been all about maintaining course though, which leaves the team stuck in the same narrow band of outcomes as before. Unless Kevin O’Connell does a fantastic job as head coach in Year 1 or Kirk Cousins has an equally inspired season at quarterback, this team likely wins between seven and 10 games again.

23. WASHINGTON Commodes

Hitching your wagon to a player that is being thrown out of his previous employer's building after just one year as the answer at quarterback is a risky strategy, but that was Washington’s answer to a disappointing season in 2021. Carson Wentz ranked 23rd in the NFL last season in overall PFF grade and was at his worst in the crunch period of the season with the playoffs on the line. Washington will be hoping he is enough of an upgrade over Taylor Heinicke that it can return to the playoffs, but that may just be optimism at this point.

24. DETROIT LIONS

The rebuild project in Detroit still doesn’t have its quarterback of the future, but the rest of the roster is coming together very nicely, and Jared Goff has shown the capacity to be a better-than-average quarterback in the right environment. The Lions are still relying on the development and growth of young players that they added a year ago, but if things go as planned, Detroit could make more noise this season than people expect.

25. NEW YORK JETS

The Jets have done a fantastic job of building around Zach Wilson, but now, they need to see some signs of life from last year’s No. 2 overall pick. Additions such as Laken Tomlinson continued to add strength to an offensive line than finished last year ranked 11th in the NFL. Adding Garrett Wilson in the draft should improve the entire receiving corps, allowing Corey Davis to avoid the attention of a true No. 1 receiver. The defense also saw some reinforcement with cornerback additions in both free agency (D.J. Reed) and the draft (Ahmad Sauce Gardner).

26. NEW YORK GIANTS

The biggest additions the Giants made were at general manager and head coach, and Brian Daboll, in particular, could have a real impact on Daniel Jones at quarterback. Jones was a top-five graded quarterback in the league through the first month of the season in 2021 before the wheels fell off as the offense disintegrated around him. The Giants did what they could on the offensive line, and the receiving corps staying healthy would be a big boost for the team overall. The Giants offense could be a surprise unit in 2022.

27. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Jacksonville were big spenders this offseason, but it’s tough to discern a strategy to that spending beyond simply paying big money to players the team could convince to come to Jacksonville. Brandon Scherff and Christian Kirk were big investments on the offensive line and receiving corps, but even with them, neither unit should be above league average. The draft was all about rolling the dice on talent, and so there’s a real chance that the Jaguars are relying simply on the upgrade from Urban Meyer to Doug Pederson to boost Trevor Lawrence‘s play in Year 2.

28. HOUSTON TEXANS

The Texans were able to finally start their rebuild by trading away Deshaun Watson for a huge haul of draft picks. That move happened too late in the day for them to be big players in free agency, so the project really started in the draft. Davis Mills flashed some surprisingly good play as a rookie, and he’ll get, at least, another season to show he can be a future starter, but this project has really only just begun.

29. CAROLINA PANTHERS

The Panthers may have done well to emerge from the draft with a rookie quarterback without spending the sixth overall pick on him, but that still leaves a starting battle between Sam Darnold and a player the rest of the NFL didn’t want for over 90 picks. Matt Corral ran a very RPO-heavy offense in college (over 40% of snaps), so his ability to translate to the NFL is a big unknown. Overall, Carolina made some nice moves this offseason, but its quarterback situation could be crippling.

30. ATLANTA FALCONS

Atlanta jumped into the bidding war for Deshaun Watson only to come up short and effectively end relations with Matt Ryan as their starter. Trading him away creates a devastating blow to the salary cap in terms of dead money, but it represents the start of a franchise reboot. Marcus Mariota is a fine stopgap at quarterback and the team had a very good draft, but we may be a year away from these moves paying real dividends.

31. CHICAGO BEARS

New general manager Ryan Poles inherited an ugly situation in Chicago and has done what he can to set the team on the right track in his first offseason. The only issue is that very little of that has had an immediate impact on the short-term prospects of quarterback Justin Fields, who flashed big talent as a rookie but has pass protection and a receiving corps that rank among the league’s worst on paper. Fields also had his own issues in Year 1, so this could be a painful year for Chicago as it tries to put solid foundations in place for the future.

32. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

When you remove Russell Wilson from the equation in Seattle, it becomes immediately apparent how bad the situation around him had become over the years, with Wilson’s play hiding the true extent of the damage. It doesn’t help that the quarterback competition between Drew Lock and Geno Smith represents the worst quarterback situation in the league. We have become accustomed to thinking of Seatte as a playoff contender, but that was only a constant as long as their quarterback was elite, and that’s far from the case now.

Lame write up to say the least. Smells almost as bad as a bleacher report article. Author focuses on the negative in the Rams section while only the positive in many others. Mentions losing SJD but not big Whit. SMH

 

[blackbart]

Someone sucking Brady’s dick still. Wilson isn’t making Denver good.
Miller isn’t going to make a huge difference in Buffalo and losing him isn’t going to hurt the Rams much.

Rams
Dallas
Bucs (because their division sucks)
Vikings
GB
Eagles
SF???

Bills
Chefs
Chargers
Bengals
Titans
Colts
Raiders

 

[Merlin]

Someone sucking Brady’s dick still.

 

[LouisvilleRam]

Saints gave up 19.7 ppg with an offense that was shit after Winston got injured (they finished 35% on third down). That's hard to do and speaks to the quality of their defensive roster. I know most here don't think much of Winston but he was trending up with some really nice outings vs good opponents before he got hurt last season. Here's his outings from 2021.

View attachment 54674

Most also dismiss them due to Asshole Face walking out. But they have the same long-time OC still in place and the replacement head coach has experience failing with the Raiders and is behind their defensive excellence.

They're my darkhorse in the NFC. Looked hard at Carolina, who also had some bad luck with roster injury last year, but I think Corral is a year out so they'll be busy shitting the bed behind Darnold for half the season before they make the smart call to play the kid.

I agree I would have them in the 11-14 range

 

[BonifayRam]

NFL roster rankings for all 32 teams for 2022: Strengths, weaknesses and X factors for every starting lineup​

By Ben Linsey/Jun 30, 2022

Updated NFL roster rankings for all 32 teams for 2022: Strengths, weaknesses and X factors for every starting lineup

PFF stacks the most complete rosters from top to bottom after the preseason, with Super Bowl contenders leading the way.

www.pff.com

A wild offseason filled with surprising trades shook up rosters from coast to coast. The lineups of both Super Bowl participants lost some key elements, and consequently neither the world champion Los Angeles Rams nor the AFC champion Cincinnati Bengals sit atop the annual PFF roster rankings for 2022.

Where do the Rams and Bengals rank? Which team has ascended to No. 1? Which teams are ready to pounce, and which look like they'll fall by the wayside?...................................

4. LOS ANGELES RAMS​

Biggest strength: Here's a list of the five highest-graded defensive seasons in the NFL since Aaron Donald was drafted in 2014: Donald's 2018 season, Donald's 2017 season, Donald's 2020 season, Donald's 2019 season and Donald's 2021 season. There's no player in the league who has come close to his level of dominance. He and Jalen Ramsey are the best players in the league at their respective positions. The ability to move two players like that around and be confident that they'll perform at a high level regardless of alignment is a luxury that few defensive coordinators have.

Biggest weakness: The Von Miller loss on the edge isn't an easy one to stomach for the Rams. The pass-rushing trio of Donald, Miller and Leonard Floyd played a massive role in their postseason run. Now, the Rams are one Floyd injury away from starting Justin Hollins and Terrell Lewis or Chris Garrett on the edge. Those three have combined for just 61 quarterback pressures in six NFL seasons. For reference, Miller recorded 54 quarterback pressures in his 12 games with the Rams.

X factor for 2022: As last season progressed, the Rams were starting to lean heavily on Odell Beckham Jr.‘s ability to win one-on-one matchups on the outside. That's the role that Allen Robinson II steps into coming off a down 2021 campaign with the Bears. Robinson's 38 receptions for 410 yards were the fewest in any season of his career, excluding the 2017 campaign that lasted only a few snaps for him. Prior to that, he profiled as one of the league's top wide receivers, consistently producing despite bottom-tier quarterback play. With no Beckham or Robert Woods, the Rams need Robinson to get back to being that player in 2022.

2022 Rams​

OFFENSE	DEFENSE
QB Matthew Stafford (86.1)	DI Aaron Donald (93.5)
RB Cam Akers (75.7*)	DI Greg Gaines (69.8)
RB Darrell Henderson Jr. (69.3)	DI A'Shawn Robinson (77.7)
WR Cooper Kupp (93.0)	Edge Leonard Floyd (73.8)
WR Allen Robinson II (66.9)	Edge Justin Hollins (64.3)
WR Van Jefferson (58.5)	LB Bobby Wagner (71.8)
TE Tyler Higbee (69.1)	LB Ernest Jones (61.4)
LT Joe Noteboom (77.7)	CB Jalen Ramsey (84.3)
LG David Edwards (68.4)	CB Troy Hill (60.1)
C Brian Allen (74.8)	CB David Long Jr. (60.8)
RG Logan Bruss (82.5**)	S Jordan Fuller (74.3)
RT Rob Havenstein (83.4)	S Nick Scott (57.0)

 

[VARAM]

TOP 14

BUFFALO BILLS
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
LOS ANGELES RAMS
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS
GREEN BAY PACKERS
CINCINNATI BENGALS
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
CLEVELAND BROWNS
BALTIMORE RAVENS
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
ARIZONA CARDINALS
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS
TENNESSEE TITANS

THE REST OF THE PACK:
DALLAS COWBOYS
DENVER BRONCOS
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
MIAMI DOLPHINS
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
WASHINGTON Commodes
DETROIT LIONS
NEW YORK JETS
NEW YORK GIANTS
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
HOUSTON TEXANS
CAROLINA PANTHERS
ATLANTA FALCONS
CHICAGO BEARS
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

 

[tklongball]

Yea, it is odd to count Woods & OBJ as two losses when they never played together. Should be counted as 1 loss, as OBJ Replaced Woods. So Allen Robinson, is a nice replacement for the 2 half losses. Also, still a good chance to get OBJ for the end of Season and Playoffs. Losing VM Sucks, but the addition of Wagner will transform this defense. I think the D takes a sizeable step forward.

 

[André]

I actually don't begrudge being placed third, and think it is fair to say we have likely moved sideways while some other teams have added a lot. What I don't like/understand is is behind the Bucs. They got worse, Brady got older and we have owned them the last few years. Just seems stupid.

 

[Tano]

Looked hard at Carolina, who also had some bad luck with roster injury last year, but I think Corral is a year out so they'll be busy shitting the bed behind Darnold for half the season before they make the smart call to play the kid.

New York Jets are the team to go to if you want to ruin a QB. I thought Darnold would be a good QB but the Jets just ruined him. He is done now.

And Fields is not long behind him.