2022 PRE DRAFT NFL POWER RANKINGS

BY ADAM GREENE

Most of the big free agency moves have gone down, but what set this offseason apart is the wild trades that came in a barrage. What the Los Angeles Rams started a year ago, other teams have continued with wild and unpredicted player movement like we’ve never seen.

With that in mind, it’s a good time to arbitrarily judge each team’s offseason so far, see who got better, who got worse and who might just be wasting all of our time. And we’re doing it all before teams start adding players in the draft.

1. LOS ANGELES RAMS

The Rams opened last season as the league’s best team, suffered some injuries, added some players, made it through a No-Win November to end the year as the NFL’s best team. They lost Von Miller, but gained Bobby Wagner, lost Robert Woods, but gained Allen Robinson. There’s still every indication they’ll bring back Odell Beckham Jr. once Aaron Donald’s new contract is finalized and are rumored to be in the Tyrann Mathieu and Stephon Gilmore hunts. I would say it’s a situation where the rich get richer, but these guys are going to cost a lot of money. Last season: Super Bowl LVI Champions, NFC West Champions

2. CINCINNATI BENGALS

This seems to be the highest most writers have the Bengals on their postseason power rankings, but this was a team that was three points away from tying the Super Bowl. They led it nearly all the second half. Cincinnati has done nothing but significantly improve its weakest position, the offensive line, this free agency period and should continue that trend in the amateur player selection meeting. Last Season: AFC Champions, AFC North Champions

3. BUFFALO BILLS

Buffalo already had its franchise quarterback, head coach and a loaded offense. By bringing in Von Miller, they might have the one missing ingredient to get the past the Kansas City Chiefs. Of course, the Chiefs weren’t the team blocking the road in the AFC last season. Last season: AFC East Champions

4. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

Tom Brady’s flirtation with retirement and all the drama surrounding his return looks like it cost Bruce Arians his head coaching job, though no one wants to admit it. I’m not sure Todd Bowles changes anything at that position strategy wise. But a happy Tom Brady is a Super Bowl winning Tom Brady and Tampa wants that, even though the rest of us are a hard pass. Last season: NFC South Champions

5. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

The Chiefs remain one of the best teams in the league and will stay that way as long as Patrick Mahomes is healthy. But they took an undeniable talent hit with the loss of Tyreek Hill. They do have a ton of picks in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft to add starters, but that’s all imaginary right now. Last season: AFC West Champions

6. CLEVELAND BROWNS

With no suspension of Deshaun Watson yet on the table (and depending on the outcome of his civil cases, there’s no telling when that will change), the Browns have now caught the best teams in the league in talent. The only people that can throw a wrench in that is Roger Goodell, and Watson himself if these civil cases go south. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

7. DENVER BRONCOS

Like the Browns, the Broncos were not content to sit on a playoff roster and waste it with an underperforming quarterback. Unlike the Browns, the Broncos shouldn’t have to deal with any potential QB suspension as the only thing Russell Wilson could be guilty of is cringey posts with his wife on social media. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

8. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

Like the Bills, the Chargers already have their quarterback and are even more loaded on offense. They needed some help on defense and got it with the addition of Khalil Mack, acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bears. This team won nine games last year and nearly made the playoffs. The AFC team that won the Super Bowl won 10. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

9. GREEN BAY PACKERS

No “good” team from last season did more damage to its roster than the Packers, who lost two of their top three wideouts to trades and free agency. Aaron Rodgers is now “immunized” from leaving the team thanks to a new contract, but he’s lost Devante Adams, one of the three best wide receivers in the NFL. Last season: NFC North Champions

10. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS

Speaking of Adams, the Raiders are his new home and Derek Carr, his old college QB, is now his NFL QB. The Raiders were a play away from tying the eventual AFC Champions in the Wild Card round without Adams and without Josh McDaniels, their new head coach. Both should make a real difference. How much that matters in a grindhouse AFC now is anyone’s guess. Last season: AFC Wild Card

11. TENNESSEE TITANS

The problem for the Titans isn’t that they got worse. Robert Woods is probably a better fit for their offense than Julio Jones and a full season from a healthy Derrick Henry is all a plus. Their issue is that so many other AFC teams got significantly better, including the Indianapolis Colts in Tennessee’s own division. Last season: AFC South Champions

12. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

The addition of Matt Ryan to the Colts immediately makes them not only a contender for the AFC South, it makes them a contender for the whole AFC. Indianapolis put more players in the Pro Bowl last year than any other team, they need some help at receiver on offense, but boast one of the best defenses in the league. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

13. DALLAS COWBOYS

The NFC is a four team race and, somehow, the Cowboys remain one of those four teams. I feel like this is a lost year for Dallas unless they do manage to win the Super Bowl. Mike McCarthy is walking the Green Mile and Sean Payton is waiting to pull the switch. Last season: NFC East Champions

14. BALTIMORE RAVENS

Baltimore nearly made the playoffs last season with Lamar Jackson missing more than a month. And that was in spite of the inept playcalling of Greg Roman, who they have inexplicably not fired yet. With a healthy Jackson, the Ravens are a contender. Unfortunately, the way Roman calls a game, keeping a healthy Jackson will continue to be a problem. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

15. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

For a week there the Steelers had to be feeling pretty good about adding Mitchell Trubisky. And then every good quarterback in the universe was traded to the AFC. Last season: AFC Wild Card

16. ARIZONA CARDINALS

The Cardinals early offseason drama with Kyler Murray got blitzed out of the news cycle thanks to the plethora of QB trades. Murray is still unhappy and wants a new contract and is being a real Kyler Murray about it. Arizona rightly doesn’t want to give him one yet. If they’re smart, they won’t buckle. The kid’s played well, but he hasn’t won anything yet. Last season: NFC Wild Card

17. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

Much to our civilization’s detriment, the Patriots returned to the playoffs last season. It was a brief stay as they were steamrolled by the Bills in the Wild Card round. Thanks to a loaded AFC, getting back will be even tougher this year, but New England could find a way to do it, if for no other reason than to make the rest of us miserable. Last season: AFC Wild Card

18. MIAMI DOLPHINS

Miami spent the offseason doing its best to save Tua Tagavailoa’s young career, hiring Mike McDaniel as their new head coach and bringing in Tyreek Hill. McDaniel’s offenses haven’t needed elite QB play, but that kind of system, with the pressure off, could allow Tua to finally live up to his draft position. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

19. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

Dennis Allen’s first season is going to look a lot like Sean Payton’s last, with very little change to the roster outside of Terron Armstead walking in free agency. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

20. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

The Eagles are the sixth best team in the NFC and probably guaranteed a playoff spot unless Jalen Hurts takes a major step back. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

21. MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Kevin O’Connell takes over the perennially underperforming Vikings with their perennially underperforming quarterback, Kirk Cousins. Like the Eagles, they’re probably a playoff team, but that has more to do with playing a weaker NFC than anything else. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

22. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Trey Lance could turn out to be a legit pro quarterback, but he’ll be a downgrade from Jimmy Garoppolo this coming season. Trading that much for a new QB when the one you’re replacing got you to a Super Bowl and then another NFC Championship is the kind of move that can bite you in the ass for years. Not to mention Jimmy G owned the Super Bowl Champion Rams and only lost to them once in his entire time with the Niners. Last season: NFC Wild Card

23. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

With the opportunity to add Marcus Mariota or Jimmy Garoppolo, the Commanders decided that Carson Wentz was their best option and, like the last two teams that made that call, will suffer the consequences. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

24. ATLANTA FALCONS

Speaking of Mariota, the Falcons could be a nice surprise with the former first round QB under center this year. Seven teams have to make the NFC playoffs and most will immediately lose in blowouts to the Rams, Bucs, Packers and Cowboys, so Atlanta might as well be one of them. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

25. CHICAGO BEARS

Matt Eberflus takes over for Matt Nagy and with the help of new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, will try to get Justin Fields’ and the Bears back on track. They’ll have to do it without Khalil Mack, who they traded to the Chargers. They aren’t that far removed from the team that made the playoffs two seasons ago and thanks to a shallow NFC, could see a return soon. Last season: Did Not Make Playofffs

26. DETROIT LIONS

The hapless Lions didn’t look so hapless at the end of the season. There’s some question that they’ll take a QB in the draft in the first round, but none of these guys coming out could beat out Jared Goff. They might as well stick with him another year and see how it goes. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

27. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

With Urban Meyer’s stink still evaporating from the team, Doug Pederson takes over. The Jags pick at No. 1 overall again and should add some protection for Trevor Lawrence so the guy that’s the best prospect since Andrew Luck doesn’t turn into Andrew Luck. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

28. NEW YORK GIANTS

If Daniel Jones can be turned into an NFL starter, Brian Daboll will give him the shot. Jones has a lot of the tools, and is surprisingly athletic. New York probably won’t finish with a winning record, but they should be a hell of a lot more fun to watch. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

29. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Plenty of pundits have Malik Willis going to the Seahawks, but I don’t see why Drew Lock can’t hand the ball off on first and second down in Pete Carroll’s preferred offense just as good, if not better, than the incoming rookie. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

30. CAROLINA PANTHERS

Speaking of Willis, there’s every chance the Panthers are coming out of this draft with a new quarterback and coming out of next season with a new head coach. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

31. NEW YORK JETS

The Jets’ issue is, there’s nothing to hang your hat on. There’s no elite player on offense or defense. Neither unit is good. They could make a huge leap in talent and ability this season and still just win six games. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

32. HOUSTON TEXANS

Houston got its king’s ransom for Deshaun Watson and will spend the next few drafts completely wasting it. Last season: Did Not Make Playoffs

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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