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As soon as the final name was called in the 2022 NFL Draft, teams and fans immediately started looking towards the new season.
Achievements and failings from last year are now put in the rear-view mirror, with the focus now falling on just how best to succeed in the new campaign. For many teams, the 2021 NFL season was a success as they outmatched their initial goals. Some of those franchises even made the playoffs.
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However, as the offseason has progressed, it has become evident that not all of those who entered the postseason in 2021 will do so this season. Personnel changes can have a dramatic impact, and there are certain NFL franchises that will feel the pinch more than most.
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Who are the 5 NFL playoff teams that won’t be back in 2022?
#1 Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles snuck into the Wildcard round in 2021 as a nine-win team, but will likely not be able to repeat their success in the 2022 NFL season.
In fairness, the Eagles drafted well and managed to select Jordan Davis and Nakobe Dean, two of the premier defensive players in the class. But it’s amazing how far Dean has fallen and there is a feeling in Philadelphia that the team won’t start feeling the benefits of those picks until year 2.
A.J. Brown’s arrival was a shock and gave them a star receiver, but there are just too many doubts over Jalen Hurts after only one year as a starter. His performances in 2021 were inconsistent, despite throwing for 16 touchdowns and 3,144 yards.
Hurts will have to improve if Philadelphia are to return to the postseason, and it’s difficult to see that coming to fruition until his defense gels.
This is by no means a knock on the Eagles. They bounced back from the awful contract given to Carson Wentz and restarted their building process ahead of 2021. They overachieved in reaching the NFL playoffs last year, but other teams will simply be better than them in 2022.
#2 Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger’s retirement probably came at the right time for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Whilst they narrowly scraped into the playoffs in 2021, the signs of decline have been there for a while now.
Big Ben was no longer winning games for the team. Additionally, the sheer exodus of offensive talent in recent years had left Mike Tomlin looking slightly vulnerable midway through the 2021 NFL season.
The Steelers made their move in the first-round of the draft, selecting Kenny Pickett to be their quarterback of the future. Tomlin has already confirmed that he will battle with Mitch Trubisky to take the starting job in 2022. But neither of the players will fill anyone with confidence of hitting the ground running.
JuJu Smith-Schuster departed in the offseason and that also makes it hard to argue that the Steelers are a stronger team in 2022 than last year.
Nevertheless, T.J. Watt is still a game-changer on defense and you can never count out Tomlin, who has never had a losing season as an NFL Head Coach. But 2022 will likely be the year the Steelers drop out of the postseason.
#3 New England Patriots
Mac Jones had a great rookie year, but there are concerns that he doesn’t have the skillset to lead a team deep into the playoffs.
Having qualified in 2021 after a fine run of mid-season form, the New England Patriots fell way short of the mark in the postseason. They were embarrassed by the Buffalo Bills in the wildcard round.
The NFL offseason was supposed to be a period of reloading for the New England franchise, but the overriding feeling was that Bill Belichick missed a trick. Selecting Cole Strange in the first-round when he was given a second or third-round grade was bizarre. However, Belichick has earned enough credit in the bank to make those decisions.
J.C. Jackson leaving for the Chargers will hurt their secondary, and it doesn’t appear that the Patriots have the players to win right now. Unless Jones dramatically improves his ability to carry a team, and not just do the simple things when the water is calm, the Patriots won’t progress in 2022.
#4 Arizona Cardinals
If there is a team that should be looking at the 2022 NFL season with hope, then it would be the Arizona Cardinals. They have a young roster who has gelled and steadily improved from the indignity of picking first in the draft just a few years ago.
Yet, the 2022 NFL season will begin under a cloud in the desert, simply because there is so much uncertainty around Kyler Murray.
Does Murray really want to play for Arizona anymore? Does he just desperately want to be paid more money quickly? Only he can provide answers to those questions, but his behaviour this offseason has undoubtedly created anxiety within the Cardinals franchise.
This will undoubtedly impact how they start the NFL season, and if there are doubts over your quarterback’s commitment, it could all collapse like a house of cards.
The Cardinals need to make a decision on this and get an extension sorted before week 1. Otherwise, they could slip out of the playoff reckoning when they should really be closing the gap on their rivals.
#5 Las Vegas Raiders
This choice could have just as equally been the Tennessee Titans, given the mistakes made by Ryan Tannehill. Derrick Henry’s body may also be starting to feel the impact of his years of devastating runs in the NFL, leaving the Titans at a disadvantage.
However, the Las Vegas Raiders just edged them out in terms of falling short in the playoffs, simply because of how strong their division is going to be in the 2022 NFL season.
The Denver Broncos have brought in one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL in Russell Wilson. Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Chargers reloaded on defense with Khalil Mack and Kyle Van Noy to go with Joey Bosa. This and more means the competition in the AFC West may prove to be too much for the Raiders.
They’ve added Davante Adams as a blockbuster receiver for Derek Carr, but is that enough? It’s difficult to envisage it being so, especially given Carr’s propensity for turnovers and mistakes.
At a time when their divisional rivals have invested in absolutely core positions, it feels like the Raiders have perhaps spent too much on adding a play-finisher. They probably should have gone for someone who can wreck games in the NFL on a regular basis.
Standing still in the NFL is as good as moving backwards, and 2022 will likely show that as far as the Raiders are concerned.
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