NFL 2020 PRESEASON POWER RANKINGS PART 4

BY ADAM GREENE

We’ve reached the end of the Power Rankings road, with what, at least early on, looks like the dregs of the league. As is often the case, one of these squads will not only surprise us before year’s end, but maybe even compete for the ultimate prize.

21. Arizona Cardinals (last season: 5-10-1)

By the end of last season, the Cardinals could lay claim to being the best bad team in the NFL. With the additions made in the draft and in trading for DeAndre Hopkins, arguably the best wide receiver in football, I don’t think anyone will be able to say that this year.

22: Denver Broncos (last season: 7-9)

Is Drew Lock the guy? John Elway has been searching for, drafting and signing guys non-stop since Peyton Manning hung up his six-gun back in 2015. If he isn’t, the Broncos don’t have anyone behind him as a replacement. They’re all in, good or bad.

23: Las Vegas Raiders (last season: 7-9)

Speaking of bad, Jon Gruden has been paid $20 million over the last two seasons to win all of 11 games. I’m no math expert, but that’s almost $2 million a win and I don’t think Mark Davis should be too excited about that. People talk about Derek Carr and how maybe this is the end of the road for him while letting Gruden’s ineptitude off the hook. Maybe ESPN is smart not to hire a permanent replacement on Monday Night Football after all.

24: Jacksonville Jaguars (last season: 6-10)

The Jaguars will be better this season, but that might not reflect on the roster. This is one of the weaker squads in the league, but they’ve acquired the draft capital to get better. They just have to muscle through a tough year to use it.

25: Cleveland Browns (last season: 6-10)

The Browns, roster-wise, should not be this low. The problem is, they’re the Browns and until theyprove otherwise, this is where they start.

26: Miami Dolphins (last season: 5-11)

With all the questions surrounding the upcoming NFL season, COVID-19 and all, one of the most depressing is that we’ll probably see Ryan Fitzpatrick taking snaps under center for the Dolphins while Tua Tagovailoa plays Fruit Ninja on the sidelines.

27: Los Angeles Chargers (last season: 5-11)

We’ve played this game with Tyrod Taylor as the starter before and it always ends the same way. With Taylor on the bench replaced by a better player.

28: Carolina Panthers (last season: 5-11)

The Matt Rhule era begins in Carolina with a team that no one expects to win, though they do have a player in Christian McCaffrey that will bring home plenty of fantasy hardware across the country.

29: Detroit Lions (last season: 3-12-1)

Matt Patricia should have been fired after last season. If Matthew Stafford can’t will this team across the finish line every week, Patricia won’t make it to the end of this season.

30: Washington (last season: 3-13)

After winning the early offseason with their head coaching hire (Ron Rivera) and their draft (Chase Young, et, al.) Washington was hit hard off the field with corporate pressure to change their racist mascot/team name and sexual harassment allegations. No team is more ready for actual football to start.

31: Cincinnati Bengals (last season: 2-14)

Drafting Joe Burrow will change the eventual fortunes of this franchise. I think they’ve got the right coach too in Zac Taylor. Now they’ve got the quarterback. But it’s not going to happen overnight.

32. New York Giants (last season: 4-12)

The Giants have an 0-16 roster, the worst in football across the board. If this was your franchise on Madden, you’d replace nearly every skill position starter outside of Saquon Barkley with free agents. Which begs the question, why didn’t GM Dave Gettleman actually do that?

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