NFL Power Rankings: Tier 2 | Playoff contenders
Every team in Tier 2 should compete for the playoffs in 2022. However, only 14 teams can punch their tickets to the postseason.
17) Tennessee Titans
Tennessee took a step back during the NFL Draft weekend, allowing the Colts to jump them in the divisional pecking order. While Treylon Burks is a fine receiving prospect, Tennessee hopes he can be 90% of what A.J. Brown is as a receiver right now. Roger McCreary was a fine selection from a talent standpoint, but where does he fit in the secondary? Nicholas Petit-Frere has a very long way to go in his development. Falling into Malik Willis could be the best thing that happened to them, and that’s a future prospect.
16) Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis didn’t have any high-end draft capital, but they still went out and crushed the four picks they made on Day 2. They needed receiving help and got it with Alec Pierce. Then they found value with selections of Jelani Woods, Bernhard Raimann, and Nick Cross. While tight end wasn’t a dire need, safety and tackle were. Raimann has plenty of starting upside, and Cross should compete for starting reps immediately.
15) Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals have forged their own incredibly complicated path to follow. They traded the 23rd overall pick away for Marquise Brown and a third-round pick. While receiver was a need, there were far more significant issues with the roster that remain today. There’s a legitimate chance they run out Marco Wilson and Jeff Gladney at cornerback in 2022. That’s an insufficient group, especially without an elite pass-rushing unit.
Trey McBride is a good player, but they just re-signed Zach Ertz to a three-year deal. Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders make up different pieces to the EDGE puzzle, but they’re not necessarily big-time immediate contributors.
14) Philadelphia Eagles
Arguably nobody improved as much during NFL Draft weekend as the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles traded for A.J. Brown, injecting a legitimate alpha receiver to a group with DeVonta Smith and Quez Watkins. They drafted Jordan Davis, who is one of the best players in the draft but plays a position traditionally undervalued by the league. And then Philadelphia selected their center of the future in Round 2 and crushed on the defensive side of the ball again with Nakobe Dean, who fell because of an unresolved injury.
Their season will hinge on the progress of Jalen Hurts and the ability to address the cornerback spot opposite Darius Slay.
13) Green Bay Packers
The Packers watched the Georgia defense from this past season and simply said, “gimme.” With their two first-round picks, they drafted Quay Walker and Devonte Wyatt. Wyatt will take over Dean Lowry’s role, and Walker can grow mentally alongside De’Vondre Campbell, one of the most cerebral linebackers in the league.
Green Bay traded up to secure Christian Watson for Aaron Rodgers and then took Sean Rhyan from UCLA. Rhyan is an offensive lineman with the positional flexibility Green Bay covets.
12) Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders desperately needed offensive line help, and they got what could be an instant contributor in Dylan Parham. Las Vegas had already done their damage by making the blockbuster trade for Davante Adams. They also grabbed Rock Ya-Sin from the Colts, addressing a need before the draft.
11) Cleveland Browns
The Browns didn’t have a lot to work with in the draft, but they addressed a few needs with the picks they had. David Bell didn’t test well, but his game is somewhat similar to Jarvis Landry. He could play as a big slot who wins underneath with physicality. Perrion Winfrey has monster potential on the interior, which was a sore spot for Cleveland heading into the weekend.
10) Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys created needs at guard, defensive end, and wide receiver during the offseason. So in the first three rounds, guess where they went?!
Tyler Smith has a ton of upside, but he must fix technical issues with his hands in pass protection before he can rid himself of penalty problems. Sam Williams is the Cowboys’ traditional “red flag” pick in Round 2, but he also possesses great upside. Jalen Tolbert will fill in nicely as the team’s WR3 alongside CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup.
9) Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens had the best NFL Draft, which got them creeping back up in the NFL Power Rankings. Kyle Hamilton, Tyler Linderbaum, David Ojabo, and Travis Jones were part of several Top 50 big boards around the Draft Twitter sphere.
They’re still a bit shy at receiver after the departure of Marquise Brown, but the Ravens are a run-first team at their core. Ojabo might not play in 2022, but he’ll be an instant contributor off the edge in 2023 alongside Odafe Oweh.
8) Denver Broncos
Denver addressed two of their most significant needs with their first two selections and picked a few darned good players in the process. Nik Bonitto is a versatile EDGE who can also play off-ball linebacker. Meanwhile, Greg Dulcich is a long, athletic tight end who could round into a fantastic target for Russell Wilson in the future. That is if Wilson ever decides he likes throwing to tight ends.
7) San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers hardly had any significant draft capital, so they remained pretty static in the NFL Power Rankings. Drafting Drake Jackson was an outstanding decision by the organization. He has high upside opposite of Nick Bosa and the prettiest ghost move in the class.
But after that, we have questions. Tyrion Davis-Price doesn’t make sense. The team drafted Trey Sermon in Round 3 a year ago, and Elijah Mitchell was productive as a sixth-round pick as well.
6) Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers only had two picks inside the first two days, but they made good selections at both spots. Zion Johnson will immediately insert at right guard and help protect Justin Herbert. JT Woods provides even more depth in the defensive backfield. After a busy offseason, only right tackle remains a sore spot on offense, and the defense has improved drastically.
Tier 1 | Super Bowl contenders
The five best teams in the league are too close to separate. While the Bills look to be without flaws, the Bengals are hot on their tails on paper.
5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Trading for Shaq Mason was a fantastic offseason move, and the Buccaneers rode that into the NFL Draft. Logan Hall fits perfectly beside Vita Vea as a slashing 3-technique. Luke Goedeke is a college tackle that projected best as a guard and could be the starter on the other side of Mason. Then, they went out and drafted Rachaad White, who is a perfect Tom Brady fit.
4) Los Angeles Rams
Nothing the Rams did during the NFL Draft would have been enough to move the needle. They certainly didn’t get worse, and it’s not why they dropped a spot in the NFL Power Rankings. The Chiefs got appreciably better since we last saw them trading away arguably the best receiver in the game and letting one of the best safeties walk.
The Rams needed help on the interior offensive line, and they attacked that by drafting Wisconsin guard Logan Bruss. His athleticism could limit his upside, but he has the power to play at the NFL level.
3) Kansas City Chiefs
Trent McDuffie, George Karlaftis, Skyy Moore, Bryan Cook, and Leo Chenal could all wind up being instant contributors for the Chiefs. McDuffie, Karlaftis, and Moore will almost surely start. Meanwhile, Cook can play rotationally with Justin Reid and Juan Thornhill. Chenal can play off the ball, but also adds an element as a rusher that few linebackers bring. He’s a freak athlete at either position, and he has the production to back it up as well.
2) Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati can get out of Chidobe Awuzie’s contract after this season, and Eli Apple is a replaceable asset. Or at least, that’s how the Bengals must be looking at their situation. Jessie Bates III is also on the franchise tag. Thus, they drafted Daxton Hill and Cam Taylor-Britt in Rounds 1 and 2. Hill can play safety or cornerback. Taylor-Britt, meanwhile, needs to become more cerebral but has all the tools necessary to be a starting cornerback.
1) Buffalo Bills
The Bills only really had one dire need heading into the 2022 NFL Draft, and they addressed it by drafting Kaiir Elam in the first round. He’ll pair nicely with Tre’Davious White.
They also needed some juice at running back. A receiving weapon out of the backfield is something Josh Allen could use to take another step forward in his insane progression. They got that with James Cook. Terrel Bernard simply adds depth to an already ridiculous group of linebackers.