NFL power rankings reshape league rosters after the 2022 draft (post-free agency rank in parentheses):
1. Rams (1): Had they been able to reel in ol Cole Strange with that 104th pick, we would have crowned him the Super Bowl 57 champs. Alas… LA’s championship core remains largely intact, despite some major losses (OLB Von Miller, WR Odell Beckham Jr.?) and some intriguing additions (LB Bobby Wagner, WR Alan Robinson). Also notable, they are the only team in the NFC West without a quarterback or any sort of major offseason play.
2. Bengals (2): If they had next season’s offensive line up for last season’s Super Bowl, Cincinnati is probably hoisting its first Lombardi Trophy. The Bengals should remain among the AFC’s elite after a deeply consolidating draft, although it appears the rest of their division is closing the gap.
3. Bill (3): Miller may be the person who tops them. So maybe a first round CB Career alum or a second round RB James Cook. It won’t be rookie Matt “Punt God” Ariza, because he won’t play much.
4. Buccaneers (4): Judgments are still awaited on free agents Rob Gronkowski and Ndamukong Suh, although the draft provided insurance for each, most notably second-round DL Logan Hall. The way to NFC’s No. 1 seed may be via Tampa… or Munich.
5. Packers (5): They were never going to replace WR Davante Adams’ production by one stroke and were wise not to reach a wideout in Round 1. Perhaps a reinforced defense could propel a team that wins 13 games each year, but it doesn’t seem to need 15 or 16 to win the Super Bowl.
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6. Ravens (12): Baltimore, who started 2021 5-1 with victories over the Chargers, Chiefs and Colts, had an annual stellar draft and should see the AFC rise again with an influx of new talent and depth that will better defend this roster in 2022. Do.
7. Chargers (6): One of the league’s more talented teams certainly seems to have filled some gaps at the end of last season. And Bolt was already good enough to go toe to toe with Kansas City before the departure of WR Tyrek Hill.
8. Head (7): Like the AFC’s version of the Packers, replacing Hill required defensive upgrades rather than stacking foreign expectations on first-round wideouts. (But second-round gem Skye could have done a lot of damage in place of Moore Hill.)
9. Saint (17): Let’s not forget how close San Francisco came to getting to the Super Bowl courtesy of a stacked roster that could endure the quarterback game. After a statement draft and the signing of hometown S Tyron Matthews, New Orleans may have a better roster than those 2021 Niners – and QB Jameis Winston showed a lot of promise before his ACL tear. But the main question remains how this outfit adapts to the departure of Sean Peyton.
10. Colts (8): He had a pretty good draft on the heels of getting QB Matt Ryan and CB Stephen Gilmore and may have erased the gap on the Tennessee squad that appears to be in transition.
11. Raiders (9): If trading wasn’t enough reminder for Adams, his decision to decline fifth-year options on all three of his 2019 first-rounders was a clear sign that Silver and Black are under new management. Watch Round 4 RB Zamir “Zeus” White to eat in the touch of Josh Jacobs.
12. Eagles (19): The captivating team built on last year’s playoff run with the acquisition of WR AJ Brown and two Georgia defenders (DT Jordan Davis, LB Nakobe Dean), but could also make for an interesting QB pivot in next year’s draft .
13. Patriot (10): How to reconcile their “weird” draft? A team that couldn’t develop early-round receivers took one in Round 2 from the school — Baylor — that doesn’t produce NFL-caliber receivers.
14. 49ers (14): We think Trey Lance will be QB1, though it’s unclear how ready he is. We think all-pro Deebo Samuel will remain on the roster, though it’s not clear how much of a distraction he will be. We think this team will be good enough, although it is unclear how many off-field issues coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch will have to manage, especially if QB Jimmy Garoppolo remains in the background.
15. Brown (13): Given the prospect of QB Deshaun Watson’s suspension and the lack of resolution surrounding his predecessor, Baker Mayfield, there is still turmoil to navigate. But if Cleveland can still run water until Watson is ready to play — assuming he integrates effectively — this team must be dangerous.
16. Titans (11): He drafted some impressive players, but tackled Brown and took Malik Willis as QB Ryan Tanhill’s supposed successor – and whatever that comes with it – hinted at taking Tennessee into a cocoon before doing something different. can be visited.
17. Vikings (16): New GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has quietly but intelligently advanced the 30th rank defense since the opening of free agency, and that could be enough to row this franchise into a dark horse postseason berth.
18. Broncos (18): Can they arrive after the season for the first time since 2015 with a new coach and the new quarterback trying to navigate the AFC West gauntlet? could be possible. It could even be a divisional playoff sweep if these four teams don’t beat each other very much.
19. Cowboy (15): The 2004 Eagles are the last team to repeat as NFC East champs… and that streak is likely to last as it looks like Dallas will be cut from the draft and free agency given the limited impact.
20. Steelers (22): First-round QB Kenny Pickett could be an upgrade with a dwindling play from now-retired Ben Roethlisberger. Yet Pickett may not upgrade from Mitch Trubisky at all, and neither can Willis’ long-term impact. It will be interesting to see how it unfolds.
21. Dolphins (21): With Hill, Jaylen Waddell, and Cedric Wilson, Miami’s three-receiver set could be better than anyone. But can QB Tua Tagovailoa take advantage of this enough to elevate this team as something more than the best for not qualifying for the playoffs?
22. Cardinals (20): The six-game suspension to WR DeAndre Hopkins, whose absence coincided with the team’s collapse at the end of last season, explains the dubious deal for the WR Hollywood Browns.
23. Jet (25): By all accounts, he “won” the draft, capitalizing on the remaining picks taken from the Jamal Adams and Sam Darnold trades. Now, can a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs in 12 years nor topped .500 in seven really win some football games?
24. Lion (26): After last year’s winless start with a 3-3 finish, Detroit is loading up well and should be ready to move on from kneeling to deliver some body blows.
25. Seahawks (24): Quick history lesson – last season (2011) Pete Carroll didn’t have QB Russell Wilson or Wagner… he still had a hungry, young team that defended a top-10 and led 7-9 with the Tarvaris Jackson threw most of the passes.
26. Commander (23): Their draft haul complements what a really good hub of talent is. It’s hard to predict what will happen next for a team with such a huge X-factor component in quarterback, a situation where fifth-rounder Sam Howell could add to the mix this season.
27. Jaguar (27): With Doug Pedersen Shots and RB – not slot receiver – Travis Etienne prepares to make his NFL debut, it’s almost as if DE/OLB Travan Walker and LB Devin Lloyd are both potential after he got four first-round picks this year. Getting choice Defensive rookie of the year candidates.
28. Panthers (30): Healthy and first-round LT Iki Ekwonu with his skill players stabilized the offensive line… Darnold and, quite possibly, coach Matt Roulette are much more than excuses when it comes to securing further progress.
29. Giants (29): Speaking of further progress and excuses, the table is also well set for QB Daniel Jones in Year 4… even if there isn’t a fifth-year contract option on the menu.
30. Texans (32): Headed by No. 3 overall pick Derek Stingley Jr., this draft class’ first six selections could provide a Week 1 start for Houston, who appears to be out of dry dock as the franchise eventually moves on from the Watson controversy and former coach Bill O. Is. ‘Bryan’s strong roster mismanagement.
31. Bear (28): There’s no problem reimagining your identity and potentially setting the stage for a big move in 2023. But can’t we do more to fuel the growth of QB Justin Fields in 2022?
32. Falcon (31): GM Terry Fontenot already admitted they’re “taking it on the chin this year,” and a draft full of players suggests Atlanta is playing a long game.
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