It may still feel like the start of the regular season is far in the distance, but all that’s left to do is training camp and the preseason. The draft and free agency are in the rearview, and for the most part, rosters won’t undergo many more changes.
As a result, it’s easier to predict which teams will be among the best in the league, and which others will be competing for the first overall pick in the draft again.
Pro Football Focus ranked every team in tiers heading into the 2022 season for their latest power rankings, and the Los Angeles Rams were ranked near the top. PFF put the Bills and Bucs at the top, with the Rams ranked third in the “true contenders” tier.
The defending Super Bowl Champions are already being disrespected! Before we go overboard, remember that the Rams were the No. 4 seed a year ago and needed Matthew Stafford to up his play from an 80.7 regular season PFF grade to 89.5 in the postseason to go on the run that they did. The Rams also lost critical parts of the roster, as Robert Woods, Odell Beckham Jr., Sebastian Joseph-Day and Von Miller now play elsewhere. The Rams added Allen Robinson and Bobby Wagner to help offset those losses, but there’s a good chance that, at best, they have taken a sideways step in an offseason where several contenders got better.
The Rams may not look as good on paper as they did last season after losing Von Miller, Darious Williams and possibly being without Odell Beckham Jr., too, but this is still one of the best teams in the NFL. With Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey all returning, as well as Allen Robinson and Bobby Wagner joining the mix, the Rams are loaded with talent.
The road to a repeat won’t be easy, however, with the NFL’s toughest schedule.