Every NFL Team’s Most Exciting 2022 Offseason Addition

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This NFL offseason has seen a myriad of game-changing talents enter the league through the draft or change teams via free agency and blockbuster trades.

Many of these acquisitions will shape their new squad’s plans or raise the ceiling of what the team is capable of. These standout stars will be exciting to watch due to factors like their recent production, high-level athleticism and projected role in 2022.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the most thrilling offseason pickup by each of the league’s 32 teams.

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The Cardinals had one of the deepest receiving corps last year, but it took a hit when Christian Kirk left in free agency.

With Kirk gone and No. 1 wideout DeAndre Hopkins set to serve a six-game suspension to start the 2022 campaign, Arizona made a splashy move to ensure its receiver room remains one of the league’s most dangerous.

The club made headlines when it flipped the No. 23 overall pick to the Baltimore Ravens for Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and a third-rounder.

The deal landed the Cardinals a big-play wideout who put up respectable numbers but never seemed to be an ideal fit in Baltimore’s run-heavy offense that doesn’t emphasize receivers much.

Brown confirmed as much when discussing why he requested a trade, saying the system wasn’t right for him.

Arizona added a wideout who is just 24 years old and coming off a career-best season, one in which he racked up 1,008 yards and six touchdowns—the third straight season he notched at least that many receiving scores.

Expect Brown to quickly become one of Kyler Murray’s top targets, assuming a big role for the Cardinals and putting up some massive numbers to match.

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The Falcons desperately needed to revamp their receiving corps after losing Russell Gage in free agency and seeing Calvin Ridley get hit with at least a yearlong gambling suspension after he took a leave of absence last year.

They added a major piece of the puzzle near the top of the 2022 draft, securing USC wideout Drake London with the No. 8 overall pick.

London was the first receiver selected in a class that saw a record-breaking six of them come off the board within the top 20.

The 20-year-old is a big, 6’4″ possession wideout with the ability to go over the top of his defenders and consistently come up with contested catches.

London was the ideal first-round pick for a team now making the transition to a new quarterback after having Matt Ryan under center for the past 14 years.

Along with second-year tight end Kyle Pitts, London projects to be one of the team’s top targets regardless of whether free-agent pickup Marcus Mariota or rookie third-rounder Desmond Ridder wins the QB1 job.

It would be a surprise if London isn’t in the thick of the Rookie of the Year race at the end of the 2022 season due to the sheer volume of looks he’s in line to get and the big plays he is poised to make.

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The Ravens traded away one of their most exciting players in Marquise Brown, but they added a playmaker on the other side of the ball that same evening.

Baltimore pulled off one of the biggest steals of the draft when it landed Kyle Hamilton at No. 13 overall. Considered a top prospect by many—including the Bleacher Report Scouting Department, which ranked him No. 7 overall on its final big board—the Notre Dame star is one of the best players at the safety position to enter the draft in years.

Standing over 6’4″ and weighing 220 pounds, Hamilton has a rare combination of size, speed and athleticism that will make him a nightmare for opposing offenses to deal with.

He’s great in coverage and changes direction quickly, reading quarterbacks’ eyes and getting to the ball quickly to break up passes and snare interceptions. He’s strong against the run and a good tackler who will get a chance to show his stuff as an immediate starter in Baltimore.

The Ravens should boast one of the NFL’s top secondaries this year, pairing Hamilton with free-agent acquisition Marcus Williams and a pair of veteran corners in Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters.

All those defensive backs are capable playmakers, but none have as much upside as Hamilton.

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The Buffalo Bills are gearing up to make a Super Bowl run. They shored up one of the biggest areas of concern on their roster early in free agency by coming to terms with veteran pass-rusher Von Miller.

Miller has been an instrumental part of two championship teams, helping lead the Denver Broncos to a title in Super Bowl 50 before joining the Los Angeles Rams midway through the 2021 campaign and helping propel them to a Lombardi Trophy.

The 33-year-old showed he still has plenty left in the tank after missing the entire 2020 campaign with injury. He racked up 9.5 sacks during the regular season and added another four during L.A.’s postseason run, including two on Joe Burrow in the Super Bowl.

Prying Miller away from the Rams—who gave up a pair of Day 2 picks for his services—was one of the major coups of the offseason.

Miller immediately boosts a defense that already ranked atop the league in both yards allowed and scoring last year but only tied for the 11th-most sacks with 42.

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The Carolina Panthers offensive line has been shaky for years. They finally made strides toward fixing this issue by selecting Ikem Ekwonu at No. 6 overall.

The NC State product will help overhaul a Carolina offensive line that PFF ranked as the NFL’s second-worst last season, a step back from its No. 18 rating in 2020.

Ekwonu should slot in as a starter at left tackle, a position that Cameron Erving was signed to bolster last year. Erving earned a paltry 56.0 PFF grade for his efforts, allowing three sacks and taking four penalties while playing just 589 snaps before landing on IR.

The 21-year-old Ekwonu may not be the biggest tackle at 6’4″, 310 pounds, but he has long arms and plenty of power packed into that frame. He was one of the most talented prospects on the board and has the potential to emerge as one of the top young tackles in the league early in his career.

One of the knocks on Ekwonu was his tendency to get “out of control” at times, but the passionate offensive lineman plays with an edge that makes him fun to watch and will help him dominate defenders for years to come.

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The Chicago Bears landed one of the most exciting defensive prospects in the 2022 class all the way back at pick No. 39.

That’s where the organization snapped up Kyler Gordon, the Washington cornerback who was one of the more intriguing defensive back prospects on the board this year.

The Bleacher Report Scouting Department highlighted Gordon’s strength, aggression and versatility when discussing the positive traits he brings to an NFL team.

Chicago will be able to line up Gordon in the slot or outside as needed. The defensive back can make plays all over the field regardless of where he starts out.  

Gordon is already making an impact at OTAs.

According to Josh Schrock of NBCSports.com, Bears linebacker Nicholas Morrow was impressed by his new teammate’s ability to generate turnovers, saying the cornerback secured a pair of picks at his first practice.

While Gordon isn’t the most refined prospect, his ceiling is sky-high, and he’s showing that he has the potential to be a key player for a rebuilding Bears defense.

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The Cincinnati Bengals made the Super Bowl last year despite having one of the most inconsistent offensive lines in football.

The franchise worked hard to address that this offseason, drafting Cordell Volson and signing veterans Alex Cappa, Ted Karras and La’el Collins to completely revamp the offensive trenches.

Collins should be the most impactful of these offensive line acquisitions, and his presence has been sorely needed. Joe Burrow took an NFL-worst 51 sacks last season, a troubling number for an up-and-coming superstar who missed half his rookie season with a torn ACL.

After watching Burrow take 19 more sacks in the playoffs—including nine in the divisional round and seven in the Super Bowl—it was readily apparent to team brass that something needed to be done.

Securing Collins after his release from the Dallas Cowboys will reduce the number of hits the 25-year-old QB takes next year.

The stalwart right tackle allowed only two sacks across 671 snaps last year, earning an impressive 82.0 PFF grade for his efforts. It was a return to form for Collins, who missed all of 2020 with an injury but graded out at an 86.4 after giving up just two sacks over 1,000 snaps in 2019.

The 6’4″, 320-pound Collins will now lift the Bengals offense significantly, keeping rushing lanes clear and Burrow upright as the team tries to make another Super Bowl run.

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The Browns made the decision to go all-in on Deshaun Watson, the former Houston Texans signal-caller who missed the entire 2021 season and could be suspended for part of this season as the league looks into allegations from 22 women accusing Watson of sexual assault or misconduct. Cleveland traded a trio of first-rounders to land the three-time Pro Bowler.

The move instantly elevated Cleveland to a realistic Super Bowl contender. The club saw its Super Bowl odds at DraftKings Sportsbook move from 35-1 to 15-1 as soon as the trade was announced, a testament to Watson’s talent.

In his most recent season in 2020, the 26-year-old led the league with 4,823 passing yards, throwing for 33 touchdowns against just seven interceptions.

Considering he’s the first true franchise QB the Browns have had since they rejoined the league in 1999—and set to be the 32nd starter at the position for the club in that span—there is plenty of reason to be excited about Cleveland’s playoff prospects, at least while Watson remains under contract for the next half-decade.

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The Dallas Cowboys parted ways with several notable talents over the last few months, including Amari Cooper, Randy Gregory and La’el Collins. But they did add a few weapons.

One of those acquisitions is third-round rookie Jalen Tolbert, a wide receiver out of South Alabama who could be a big part of Dallas’ offensive plans in 2022.

The Cowboys needed to bolster the receiver’s room after they traded Cooper to the Cleveland Browns and lost Cedrick Wilson Jr. on the open market. While the organization retained Michael Gallup, the veteran wideout suffered an ACL tear late in the 2021 campaign.

CeeDee Lamb remains the unquestioned No. 1 in Dallas, but Tolbert and free-agent pickup James Washington should see plenty of action for the club this year.

Tolbert may not have played top-flight competition on a weekly basis during his time with the Jaguars, but he dominated SEC defensive backs during a matchup with Tennessee last year, torching the Volunteers for 143 yards and a score on seven catches.

The 23-year-old finished the season with 1,474 yards and eight touchdowns, the second straight year in which he breeched the 1,000-yard mark and scored eight times.

At 6’3″, 190 pounds, Tolbert has great size to complement his smooth athleticism and excellent work ethic. He appears ready to answer the call if and when Dallas needs to lean on him and looks to be one of the more exciting rookie wideouts to watch in 2022.

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The Denver Broncos made perhaps the biggest move of the offseason when they pried Russell Wilson away from the Seattle Seahawks.

With one trade—which only cost Denver a pair of first-round picks in addition to a pair of Day 2 picks and several veteran players—the Broncos were able to shore up the weakest point on their roster and jump into the Super Bowl contender discussion.

Denver’s odds of lifting the Lombardi Trophy skyrocketed following the deal, moving the club from a +2500 mid-tier contender to a +1200 front-runner at DraftKings.

Wilson is a proven winner who led the Seahawks to one Super Bowl title, two NFC championships and eight postseason appearances in his 10 seasons as Seattle’s starter. He’s made nine Pro Bowl appearances and has racked up 292 touchdowns against just 87 interceptions over the past decade.

The 33-year-old is joining an offense that has been waiting for a QB of Wilson’s caliber to unlock its potential. The team has an exciting young running back in Javonte Williams gearing up for a breakout sophomore season and a deep receiving corps featuring the likes of Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick.

Although it will be tough to win a stacked AFC West, the Broncos are a contender for at least a wild-card spot and could even win it all with Wilson leading the way in 2022.

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The Detroit Lions accelerated their rebuild in a big way by drafting Aidan Hutchinson at No. 2 overall.

The franchise may still be lacking an elite option under center, but Detroit brass was wise to pass up rolling the dice on the flawed QB prospects available in the 2022 class. Instead, the Lions ended up with an edge-rusher who instantly improves a pass rush ranked among the NFL’s worst over the past few seasons.

Detroit recorded a meager 30 sacks last year—the NFL’s third-fewest—and notched even fewer in 2020 (24).

2018 was the last season in which the Lions racked up more than 40 sacks. One would have to go all the way back to 2015 to find the most recent instance of Detroit ranking in the top 10 for sacks.

Hutchinson amassed 14 sacks himself last year, setting a Michigan school record in the process.

He may not have the upside of Travon Walker—the Georgia edge-rusher selected at the top of the 2022 draft—but Hutchinson is a slam-dunk pick who should pile up double-digit sack totals on a yearly basis for the foreseeable future.

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The Green Bay Packers defense received a boost in the form of first-round pick Quay Walker. The Georgia linebacker adds an athletic dimension that this unit has been lacking in the middle.

With the pick—the first off-ball linebacker taken on Day 1 by the club since it made A.J. Hawk the No. 5 overall selection in 2006—the Packers now have a starter to pair with unexpected breakout star De’Vondre Campbell.

Brian Gutekunst was excited about Walker’s versatility and the scheme options that have opened for his defense following the selection. “It’s been a while since we’ve been able to stay in certain packages with two inside ‘backers and handle everything in run defense and the passing game,” the GM told reporters. “This really gives our defense a ton of flexibility.”

Walker’s presence allows the Packers to remove a defensive back from the field on many occasions thanks to his speed—he ran a 4.52 40-yard dash at the combine—and athleticism.

Already a top-10 defensive squad last year, Green Bay’s ceiling is much higher in 2022 thanks to this pick.

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The Houston Texans found themselves in the enviable position of having every prospect in the 2022 draft aside from the two top pass-rushers available when they were on the clock. With so much talent to choose from, the Texans ultimately decided in favor of upside by taking Derek Stingley Jr.

While Stingley has been struggling with injury and inconsistency over the last two seasons, no defensive back had a more intriguing combination of measurables, testing and tape than the LSU product.

The 20-year-old burst onto the scene as a true freshman in 2019, showcasing everything an NFL team could hope to get out of a No. 1 cornerback in a hyperathletic, 6’0″, 190-pound package. Stingley displayed uncanny athleticism, explosiveness and coverage skills from the jump before injuries limited him to just 10 games over the past two seasons.

It’s easy to see why Houston was willing to overlook the defensive back’s decrease in production. What Stingley put on tape in 2019—when he recorded 38 tackles, 15 passes defensed and six interceptions while allowing a ridiculous 6.5 completion rate in 554 coverage snaps—was more than enough to earn his place as the top cornerback off the board in a deep 2022 class.

If Stingley can get and stay fully healthy, he’s a great bet to emerge as a rare lockdown cornerback. Having a player who can be trusted on an island will help this rebuilding team get competitive again.

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The Indianapolis Colts rushing attack emerged as one of the league’s most fearsome behind Jonathan Taylor’s breakout season in 2021. The club has been using the 2022 offseason to better round out the rest of the offense, notably bolstering the passing attack after the Carson Wentz-led unit sputtered out down the stretch.

With Wentz now in Washington and Matt Ryan the new Indianapolis starting quarterback, the team is in a much better place than last year. It already has an up-and-coming wideout in Michael Pittman Jr. and may have found him a perfect complement by selecting Alec Pierce in the second round.

Pierce gives the Colts another big-bodied wideout, one who ran a 4.41 40-yard dash at the combine. He showed off his leaping ability with a 40.5-inch vertical jump and projects to play both a deep threat and possession role right out of the gate in Indianapolis.

The Cincinnati product has the frame and catch radius to get an edge on contested balls, but he’s also adept at finding soft spots to make easy grabs. He should draw plenty of targets right away and will only see more if he can improve his release and route-running capabilities.

With Pittman drawing plenty of defensive attention and the opposition’s top cornerback, Pierce should rack up plenty of catches and scores as a mismatch-creating weapon in this offense.

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The Jacksonville Jaguars have been desperate for serviceable pass-catching tight ends.

They tried Tim Tebow—who had been out of football for the past decade—as an option last offseason and swung a trade to bring in Dan Arnold from the Carolina Panthers early in the 2021 campaign.

Arnold quickly became one of rookie QB Trevor Lawrence’s most targeted weapons but went down in Week 12 with a season-ending MCL sprain. He should be back and a steady option in 2022, but Evan Engram offers more upside.

Although he’s not in the upper echelon of playmaking tight ends, Engram has flashed elite potential during his first five years in the league and could benefit heavily from a change of scenery.

The former New York Giant never put it all together after the squad selected him No. 23 overall in 2017. He hasn’t surpassed his rookie year marks of 64 receptions for 722 yards and six touchdowns, but he did have 63 catches and 654 yards in a Pro Bowl 2020 campaign.

Engram should see enough volume to surpass those figures in 2022. If he can get his drops under control and establish a rapport with Lawrence, he may be one of the better value free-agent pickups of the offseason.

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It’s not often an undrafted free-agent signing even makes headlines, let alone possesses the potential to become a big part of a perennial contender’s offense. Justyn Ross could break the mold after he became one of the more notable UDFA signings in recent history.

Although teams stayed clear of the Clemson product during the draft due to concerns about his extensive injury history, the wideout managed to catch on with the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s a perfect spot to start his career, given the club employs a superstar QB in Patrick Mahomes and was in the market for receiving help after trading away superstar Tyreek Hill.

Ross is now attempting to become the first known player with a congenital fusion in his spine to make the NFL. He was cleared by Kansas City’s team doctors and is now set to compete with 16 other wideouts—including second-round draft pick Skyy Moore and free-agent pickups JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling—to be one of the several to make the 53-man roster. 

At his best, the 22-year-old has the chops to not only make the roster, but also emerge as a major piece of the Chiefs’ offensive plans. Ross posted a 1,000-yard freshman season in 2018, scoring nine times on his 46 catches that year before going on to finish his tenure at Clemson with 20 touchdowns in 38 games.

If he can get to full strength and avoid another major injury, this immensely talented prospect will help fill the void left by Hill, complementing a Kansas City passing attack that has just one productive incumbent—Mecole Hardman—returning to the fold in 2022.

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The Las Vegas Raiders punched up last year and made a surprise playoff appearance. Expectations will be even higher this year after the team brought in Josh McDaniels as head coach and added some massive piece in the offseason.

The most exciting acquisition is unquestionably Davante Adams. The Raiders swung a blockbuster trade with the Green Bay Packers to get the star receiver, shipping over first- and second-round picks to facilitate the deal.

Tight end Darren Waller has been the team’s most reliable pass-catcher in recent years. The emergence of possession wideout Hunter Renfrow has been a pleasant surprise, but Las Vegas’ offense has been missing a true No. 1 option to round out the passing attack.

No wideout has been more productive than Adams over the last five years. He’s accumulated nearly 6,200 yards and 57 touchdowns in that span, at least seven more than anyone else.

Adams’ presence shores up an offense that ranked sixth in passing yards last year, potentially making it the league’s best in 2022. He will also boost the scoring numbers after Vegas notched a meager 23 passing touchdowns last year, the only top-nine passing squad to have fewer than 36 TDs.

The rapport should be apparent from the get-go between Adams and quarterback Derek Carr after the two were teammates at Fresno State. They get to work together competitively for the first time since entering the league as second-round picks in 2014, and it should be one of the NFL’s most thrilling tandems to watch.

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There are no weak quarterbacks in the AFC West. The Los Angeles Chargers were certainly aware of the competition when they made the move to bring Khalil Mack over from the Chicago Bears this offseason.

It’s not easy to face Patrick Mahomes, Derek Carr and Russell Wilson twice each in a season, so the Bolts brought in one of the league’s top pass-rushers to counter them.

L.A. got a great deal for Mack, sending over second- and sixth-round picks to Chicago in exchange for his services. The club now gets to pair him with Joey Bosa, another perennial Pro Bowl edge-rusher, to bring endless waves of pressure against opposing QBs.

While Mack struggled to stay healthy last year, he still made his presence known when he was on the field. He recorded six sacks in seven games, a better sack rate than in 2020 when he made the Pro Bowl after tallying nine sacks in 16 games.

It won’t be enjoyable for quarterbacks to face off with the Bolts this year, but fans will surely revel in watching Mack and Bosa dominating the trenches together.

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Few players had as disappointing of a 2021 campaign as Allen Robinson II. The wideout was franchise-tagged by the Chicago Bears following his second straight season with at least 1,100 receiving yards and six touchdowns.

Unfortunately, the veteran failed to establish any chemistry with rookie quarterback Justin Fields. He had his worst season as a pro (excluding his 2017 season in which he played one game), catching just 38 passes for 410 yards and one touchdown.

The Los Angeles Rams are banking on the 28-year-old Robinson having something left in the tank. They pulled off a similar career rehabilitation last year when they brought in Odell Beckham Jr. following his release by the Cleveland Browns.

While Beckham had a fantastic run in Los Angeles that included scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl, he suffered a torn ACL in the contest and remains an unsigned free agent. The Rams needed a healthy wideout to replace him, turning to Robinson to pair with Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson.

With Kupp fresh off winning a rare receiving Triple Crown and set to draw the opposition’s top cornerbacks, Robinson will have a fantastic opportunity to capitalize on softer matchups that quarterback Matt Stafford can exploit.

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After falling painfully short of a playoff berth in each of the last two seasons, the Miami Dolphins swung for the fences by trading for Tyreek Hill.

The costly move—the ‘Phins gave up five draft picks including a first-rounder to get Hill from Kansas City and subsequently signed him to a four-year, $120 million contract—provides Miami with one of the league’s best wideouts.

The six-time Pro Bowler was an instrumental piece for a Chiefs team that made four consecutive AFC Championship Games and won a title. He put up over 6,630 yards and caught 56 touchdowns in six seasons, making All-Pro teams in 2016, 2018 and 2020.

It’s an upgrade that cannot be overstated, considering the Dolphins had just one 1,000-yard receiver in the last two seasons. Jaylen Waddle had a promising rookie campaign—he caught 104 balls for 1,015 yards and six scores—but had little support.

Hill isn’t the only addition to Miami’s receiving corps, which received an overhaul with the signing of Cedrick Wilson Jr. and drafting of Erik Ezukanma in the fourth round.

These pieces will help the ‘Phins determine if Tua Tagovailoa is the long-term answer under center. The young QB has had a polarizing start to his career but has won 13 of his 21 starts and kept Miami competitive despite limited weapons.

With Hill and the rest of the revamped receiver’s room in place, the odds are in Miami’s favor to have a successful 2022.

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The new-look Minnesota Vikings are fresh off some major changes, canning GM Rick Spielman and head coach Mike Zimmer after long tenures.

The new regime made some splashy acquisitions right away, the biggest being a three-year, $42 million deal with edge-rusher Za’Darius Smith.

Smith was a dominant force during the first two years of a three-season stint with the Green Bay Packers. He made Pro Bowls in both 2019 and 2020, racking up an impressive 26 sacks and five forced fumbles to go with 107 tackles.

Unfortunately, he suffered a back injury that kept him out between the opener and Green Bay’s playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

The Vikings hope Smith can return to his Pro Bowl form as he prepares for his eighth campaign. The pass-rusher is still just 29 years old and could provide the spark that Minnesota’s defense needs after it ranked second with 51 sacks last year but gave up the third-most yards.

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The New England Patriots may not have pulled off as many headline-making acquisitions as their AFC East rivals, but they still improved.

One of the more underrated pickups came on a one-year, $2 million “prove-it” deal for safety Jabrill Peppers. If any head coach can get the most out of Peppers, it’s Bill Belichick.

The defensive back entered the league in 2017 as a first-round pick by the Cleveland Browns. There were concerns about the Michigan product being a tweener—concerns that proved valid when the Browns struggled to find a way to deploy him effectively.

The New York Giants had a little more luck, getting a career year out of Peppers in 2020 when he accumulated 91 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception. He couldn’t replicate that production last year, however, playing in just six games because of a hamstring injury and then a season-ending ACL tear.

New England is a perfect place for Peppers to rejuvenate his career. He’s still just 26 years old and likely hasn’t reached his ceiling as a super athletic talent capable of playing multiple positions.

While he likely won’t start, he’ll be an ideal backup behind Devin McCourty and Adrian Phillips and have a chance to see the field regularly in certain packages.

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The New Orleans Saints had few ways to improve outside the draft because of salary-cap constraints, and the team landed one of the best receivers in the 2022 class.

Chris Olave became the third wideout off the board this year when the Saints snatched him at No. 11. New Orleans gave up a pair of middle-round picks to move up five spots to ensure the selection.

Olave’s already forging a connection with projected starting QB Jameis Winston, who is coming back from a season-ending ACL tear.

The signal-caller told Katherine Terrell of The Athletic regarding the rookie: “Smooth as the other side of the pillow. Just real smooth. He can get in and out of breaks very well. Electric, and smart, man. He’s a guy that’s always asking questions. He’s a guy that wants to know how you want it, and I really respect that.”

Olave should make an instant impact. He’s coming off a big campaign with the Buckeyes, racking up 936 yards and 13 touchdowns on 65 catches, the second year in which Olave posted at least 840 yards and 12 scores.

While the receiving corps could be a touch crowded with Michael Thomas making his long-awaited return from an ankle injury and Jarvis Landry in the fold, Olave has the talent to stand out in New Orleans.

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The New York Giants had an incredible draft, headlined by a pair of potential No. 1 overall picks in Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal.

The G-Men landed Thibodeaux at No. 5, and the Oregon edge defender could single-handedly elevate the team’s pass rush into the league’s upper echelon.

Standing 6’4″, 254 pounds and possessing high-end speed and athleticism for someone of that size, Thibodeaux is ready to take the NFL by storm. He’s a long-armed, technically sound rusher who already has a variety of tools in his bag and has the potential to add plenty more early in his career.

He has been drawing high praise early in OTAs and should only get better as he gets comfortable.  

His position coach, Drew Wilkins, said he received plenty of texts from the rookie on a Saturday night asking for playbook and coaching tips. Wilkins also said Don Martindale, the Giants defensive coordinator, couldn’t create a more perfect edge-rusher “in a lab” for his system than Thibodeaux.

Given his skills and projected usage, it would hardly be a shock to see Thibodeaux post double-digit sack numbers and establish himself early as one of the league’s top defensive rookies.

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Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner was not the first cornerback taken in the 2022 draft, but he’s a great bet to be the top rookie defensive back and only improve from there.

The New York Jets had to be thrilled when Gardner was still on the board at No. 4. The Cincinnati product provides everything a team could want from a modern cornerback.

Gardner has a long-limbed, lengthy 6’3″, 200-pound frame that will allow him to go toe-to-toe with almost any wideout. He’s fast enough—he ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the combine—to match his mark stride for stride, and he has the confidence to rival his athletic abilities.

Robby Sabo of Jets X-Factor reported that Gardner has already been working with the first team and locked up several wideouts during his first practices. He appears to be a perfect fit in Gang Green’s system.

While there’s still room for Gardner to pack on some muscle, and his footwork could get better, the 21-year-old is ready to emerge as a legitimate star early in the 2022 campaign.

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After struggling with largely underwhelming wideout performances, the Philadelphia Eagles will enter the 2022 season with two of the NFL’s best receivers.

GM Howie Roseman swung a blockbuster deal that brought A.J. Brown over from the Titans during the 2022 draft. Philadelphia gave up the Nos. 18 and 101 picks before inking the 24-year-old to a four-year, $100 million extension.

Brown has been one of the NFL’s elite wideouts over the last three seasons, tallying 185 catches for 2,995 yards and 24 scores since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2019.

Although Brown took a step back after making his first Pro Bowl in 2020—he failed to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the first time and only scored five times following an 11-TD campaign—and missed four games with injury, his best years are likely still to come in the City of Brotherly Love.

Brown had little support from his fellow wideouts in Tennessee. The Titans tried by acquiring Julio Jones, but the veteran struggled to stay healthy and never seemed to be a fit when he was available.

That won’t be the issue in Philly, not after DeVonta Smith’s breakout rookie campaign. The 2020 Heisman Trophy winner posted 916 yards and five scores last year and should only see that production improve with Brown taking some heat off.

With Brown locked up through the 2026 campaign and Smith’s rookie deal keeping him around until at least 2024 with a team option for 2025, the Eagles have to feel great about their receiver room for the next few seasons.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers learned an important lesson during the lean years between Terry Bradshaw’s retirement in 1983 and Ben Roethlisberger’s emergence as a rookie in 2004.

The team failed to contend consistently in the two decades that bridged the careers of those franchise quarterbacks. Twelve signal-callers started for the club in that span, a stretch in which the organization made just one Super Bowl appearance and won zero championships.

The wait for another title in the post-Roethlisberger era may not be nearly as long thanks to Pittsburgh’s selection of Kenny Pickett at No. 20 this year.

The local product is familiar with Heinz Field and the area after serving as a four-year starter for the Pittsburgh Panthers. He is coming off a fantastic 2021 in which he racked up 4,319 yards and 42 touchdowns while completing 67.2 percent of his passes.

While some scouts knocked his hand size and perceived limited upside compared to prospects such as Malik Willis, the Steelers saw Pickett as a player with all the tools, experience and intangibles to become a franchise QB.

It’s unclear if Pickett will beat out Mitchell Trubisky for the QB1 job as a rookie. The Steelers brought in the veteran on a two-year, $14.3 million deal, but head coach Mike Tomlin is letting the two plus incumbent backup Mason Rudolph battle it out in camp for the starting gig.

Considered by many to be the most pro-ready QB in the 2022 class, the rookie is a great bet to emerge as the Steelers starting signal-caller, a job he should hold for the foreseeable future.

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The San Francisco 49ers were hamstrung by poor special teams performances during the 2021 campaign and subsequent playoffs.

The team addressed that glaring issue with a single signing, adding return specialist and part-time wideout Ray-Ray McCloud.

He should instantly rejuvenate a special teams unit that Football Outsiders (h/t the Associated Press) ranked as the least efficient on kick returns and below average on punt returns last year.

Since entering the league in 2018, the 25-year-old has bounced between the Buffalo Bills and Carolina Panthers before spending the last two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In that span, McCloud amassed nearly 3,000 return yards. He posted career highs with 38 punts returned for 367 yards and 35 kicks returned for 776 yards last season.

While McCloud has yet to score a return touchdown as a professional, it will come given his talent.

Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan should also get some value out of McCloud as a wideout. He saw his most usage in that role last year, drawing 66 targets and catching 39 of them for 277 yards, and he could see it expanded further in San Francisco’s high-powered attack.

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The Seattle Seahawks are in a state of transition as they prepare for life without Russell Wilson for the first time since 2011. While the quarterback situation isn’t stable, the running back platoon is shaping up to be one of the NFL’s most dangerous.

The team already had a healthy Rashaad Penny show his immense talents during an incredible five-game stretch to close out 2021 and only got deeper at the position with the addition of rookie Kenneth Walker III.

Walker was considered by many to be one of the top backs in the class—including the B/R Scouting Department, which ranked him No. 44 overall and the second-best back on their final big board—and he’ll get a ton of chances to show his stuff as a rookie.

Expect Seattle to lean heavily on that platoon. Two underwhelming quarterbacks in Geno Smith and Drew Lock are fighting for the starting job, a role that will likely see plenty of handoffs to Penny, Walker and Chris Carson this season.

Walker could evolve into a true three-down back. He showed that during his lone season at Michigan State, going off for 1,636 yards and 18 touchdowns on 263 totes while adding 89 yards and a score on 13 catches.

He’ll almost certainly split time to start his pro career, but Walker will have ample opportunity to earn more work if he can make the most of his touches.

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Starting with Kevin Faulk early in his New England Patriots career, Tom Brady has regularly turned third-down backs such as Shane Vereen and James White into highly productive weapons.

The future Hall of Fame quarterback hasn’t had a high-caliber pass-catcher out of the backfield during his stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Until now. The team drafted Arizona State’s Rachaad White in the third round, securing the best third-down back on the board.

Sure, Leonard Fournette played a much bigger role in the passing game for Tampa last year, seeing his target, reception and receiving yardage numbers increase significantly from the 2020 to 2021 seasons. But while Fournette did well with the increased usage, he’ll likely take a back seat to White in passing situations.

White has drawn Alvin Kamara comparisons after he tested well at the combine and put some impressive highlights on tape. The B/R Scouting Department noted that the 6’0″, 214-pound back has good balance, body control and hands, which only bolster his rep as a pass-catcher.

White is also a capable and willing blocker, an asset that will help him get on the field and earn Brady’s trust as a rookie.

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The Tennessee Titans didn’t wait long to select A.J. Brown’s replacement after they made the controversial decision to trade their top wide receiver during Day 1 of the draft.

The club used the No. 18 pick it received from the Philadelphia Eagles for Brown to select Arkansas wideout Treylon Burks. He rated among the top receiving prospects in an exceedingly deep class and will help fill Brown’s void.

The rookie has ideal size and a solid frame for a No. 1 receiver. The 22-year-old stands at 6’2″, 225 pounds with long arms and big hands, giving him a huge catch radius and the ability to reel in anything thrown in his vicinity.

He’s used to being the offensive focal point after lining up all over the field for the Razorbacks. Burks posted an impressive 2021 that saw him put up 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns on 66 receptions and 112 yards and a score on 14 carries.

If Burks can tighten his route-running technique and give more effort on blocking, he’ll become one of the NFL’s most complete wideouts. He’s already poised to become a Rookie of the Year candidate while assuming a huge role in a Tennessee offense that direly needs talented pass-catchers.

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While the Washington Commanders didn’t secure a franchise quarterback in the 2022 draft—though they did throw a fifth-round dart at developmental prospect Sam Howell—they landed another immensely talented young wideout.

Washington drafted Jahan Dotson 16th, adding one of the most intriguing playmakers in the class to their growing arsenal.

At just 5’11”, 182 pounds, Dotson is not the largest wideout, but he’ll be one of the NFL’s most dangerous players with the ball in his hands. He showcased game-breaking abilities during his time at Penn State, scoring 13 touchdowns in 12 games as a senior last year.

Few wideouts possess the type of burst and quickness that Dotson displays. He’s one of the smoothest athletes out there and uses that agility and speed to create separation from his defender. He’s made plenty of highlight-reel grabs in traffic as well, including a one-handed catch against Ohio State in 2020.

After that game, in which he scored three times, Dotson told reporters: “I approach that as a million dollars. It’s a million dollars in the air. If you want it, you go get it. Every time the ball’s in the air, it’s a chance to make a name for yourself.”

With that attitude and his elite skills, Dotson will pile up the millions.