NFL 2022: Every AFC team’s biggest need and free agent fix
4. Cincinnati Bengals: Offensive Line
The 2021 Bengals jelled at the right time. The club reached the playoffs for the first time since 2015 and the Super Bowl for the first time since 1988. But second-year quarterback Joe Burrow took a beating – sacked a total of 70 times in 19 total overall outings.
Zac Taylor’s squad will have to get better offensive line play if they are to hold off the other teams in the AFC North. And this savvy veteran can line up at both left and right tackle if called upon.
Sign: T Trent Brown (New England Patriots)
3. Buffalo Bills: Defensive Line
The Bills lost twice as many games during the regular season as they did in 2020. And for the second straight year, their Super Bowl hopes ended at Arrowhead Stadium. Sean McDermott’s talented club finished with the number-one ranked defense in terms of yards allowed and also gave up the fewest points in the NFL.
But in the playoff loss to the Chiefs, Buffalo was rocked for 552 total yards and 42 points in the overtime loss. Help wanted on defense.
Sign: DE Akiem Hicks (Chicago Bears)
2. Kansas City Chiefs: Linebacker
When Andy Reid’s team captured Super Bowl LIV, Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive unit got hot in the second half of 2019 and carried that momentum into the playoffs. Since then, this group has been very erratic.
Now combine the club’s turnover issues this past year and the failure to beat the eventual AFC champion Bengals on two occasions. The Chiefs have their share of potential free agents on defense and recently released linebacker Anthony Hitchens.
Sign: LB Leighton Vander Esch (Dallas Cowboys)
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1. Tennessee Titans: Wide Receiver
Mike Vrabel was the NFL Coach of the Year in 2021 and the Titans finished as the AFC’s top seed in the playoffs. However, quarterback Ryan Tannehill had a miserable afternoon against the Super Bowl-bound Bengals in the divisional playoffs.
Tennessee prevented its best pass rusher, linebacker Harold Landry, from hitting the free-agent market via a new contract. But standout wide receiver A.J. Brown could be more dangerous with some help.