5 Dark horse NFL teams to challenge Buccaneers for 2022 Super Bowl

Super Bowl 2022 dark-horse NFL contender No. 1: Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns playing in a Super Bowl might break the internet — or at least NFL Twitter. They have long been a laughingstock of the league and a punching bag for jokes. But after what they showed this past season, that’s no longer the case.

Not only did the franchise break a long-standing playoff drought this past season but they were able to shed even more baggage as they ran through the Steelers in the Wild Card Round and then almost knocked off the Chiefs in the Divisional Round. This is a team that finally is living up to their potential. But the most interesting aspect of the team is that they have tremendous potential to improve moving forward.

For starters, the offense should get wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. back in the 2021 season. While his role in the gameplan was heavily criticized prior to his torn ACL, with a full offseason and a positive culture in the locker room, he could be a great boost for the offense. Moreover, the team has the draft capital and some cap space to be aggressive in improving their defense.

Most importantly, Baker Mayfield finally seemed to come back into his own after his massively disappointing sophomore campaign. When you take all of this into account, this is a team primed to take another step forward. And in doing so, the Browns could insert themselves into the Super Bowl mix.