18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
With Tom Brady calling it a career, things could get very interesting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They don’t have a bad roster but the fact is, they couldn’t make the playoffs in 2019 and then Brady came in and they won it all in 2020. While they didn’t repeat this past season, they still remained one of the top teams all season long.
As of now, the projected starter is Kyle Trask who is a major unknown at this point (they did have Blaine Gabbert in 2021 but he’s a free agent right now). They also have some key free agents including Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, and Jason Pierre-Paul.
After two seasons in a row with one of the best rosters in the NFL, Tampa Bay suddenly looks to be a question mark heading into 2022.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers
From one veteran retirement to another. Ben Roethlisberger also decided it was time to call it a career and for the first time since 2003, the Pittsburgh Steelers will go into the season without No. 7. They do have some in-house options including Mason Rudolph but it feels like he might not be someone they believe in long-term.
They should stay competitive as constructed now, but they’re also a team to watch in some of the quarterback musical chairs that could go on. If they improve there, they could contend in the AFC North once again.