Matt Ryan, the greatest player in history of the Falcons, came to grips with the fact that his work in Atlanta and at the $1.5 billion Mercedes-Benz Stadium was done.
The next Bengals? Five NFL teams that could make a surprise run in 2022.
Jacksonville Jaguars
— 2021 record, finish: 3-14, last in AFC South
— Super Bowl 57 odds: 125-to-1 (via Caesars Sportsbook)
— Reason for optimism: Quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The 2021 No. 1 overall pick has been a star since high school, when he was the top-ranked recruit in the country. Then he won a national championship as a true freshman to kick-start a record-setting career at Clemson. He struggled as a rookie, throwing a league-leading 17 interceptions while getting little help from his offensive line and wide receivers, but he’s still the same elite prospect that was considered one of the best to enter the league since Andrew Luck. With 11 draft picks, including No. 1 overall, plus nearly $60 million in salary cap space, the Jaguars have the resources to get Lawrence the help he needs to succeed. Not to mention, replacing Urban Meyer with former Super Bowl champion Doug Pederson might be the biggest head coaching upgrade of the offseason.
— Reason for skepticism: A porous defense. The Jags’ unit finished 31st in Football Outsiders’ DVOA rankings, ahead of only the New York Jets. Outside of edge rusher Josh Allen and cornerbacks Shaquill Griffin and Tyson Campbell, there aren’t many building blocks here. The Bengals brought in seven new starters in 2021 to help fix one of the league’s worst defenses. Jacksonville might need a similar overhaul to compete for a playoff spot in 2022.
