3 NFL teams that will likely finish with less than 5 wins in 2022

These 3 NFL teams could struggle to surpass five wins in 2022
These 3 NFL teams could struggle to surpass five wins in 2022

Not every NFL fanbase should be heading into the 2022 campaign with supreme confidence. Yes, every new season is the start of something new, but not every team is embarking on a fresh journey to contention.

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The following NFL franchises are in that boat. Though the draft and free agency have come and gone, improvement doesn't appear on the horizon, given the improvement of their peers.

These 3 NFL teams will likely finish with less than 5 wins in 2022

The Jaguars run the risk of having the No. 1 pick for the third year in a row
The Jaguars run the risk of having the No. 1 pick for the third year in a row

#1 - Jacksonville Jaguars

It's not a good thing when more NFL fans are talking about the Jaguars having the No. 1 overall draft pick again than they're talking about Jacksonville breaking through to the postseason in 2022. If the Jags were to, somehow, be in the unfortunate position of having the league's worst record again, they'd be the first franchise to ever have three consecutive top draft picks.

That's no place to be in, especially when the team invested a wealth of resources into improving the offense around 2021 No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence. Jacksonville added WR Christian Kirk, TE Evan Engram, and WR Zay Jones in free agency to give the Clemson product a capable core of pass-catchers.

If Lawrence and co. can't get off the ground running with a new and improved offense, there'd be too much pressure placed on a defense that was the only unit to force single-digit turnovers in 2021.

The Texans have plenty of holes on their roster
The Texans have plenty of holes on their roster

#2 - Houston Texans

The Texans had both an offense and defense that finished near the bottom of most statistical totem poles in 2021, and neither unit improved markedly enough to feel confident about their 2022 prospects.

Part of Houston's problem is their all-in approach with Davis Mills as their starting QB. Mills was not spectacular at Stanford and was handed the keys to the offense last season, delivering a decent 89 QB rating but also leading his team to a 2-9 record as a starter.

Texans HC Lovie Smith is seemingly married to Mills as the starter, recently saying this to media heads:

“He’s our quarterback. When you’re the leader, you’ve got to be visible. It’s been documented on what I think of Davis. I think he’s going to be an excellent quarterback in the NFL for a lot of years, but it’s about this year.”

That stubborn resistance to considering any alternative -- and there's plenty available with Baker Mayfield on the outs with the Browns and Colin Kaepernick working out with teams posturing for a potential return -- could mean the Texans suffer in the AFC South cellar, just like the Jaguars. Those two teams may get a good percentage of their 2022 wins against each other.

The Lions have lost less than five games twice in the last three years
The Lions have lost less than five games twice in the last three years

#3 - Detroit Lions

For two of the last five years, the Lions have ended up with less than five wins. Three to be specific. That is the epitome of brutality, and a sign that this franchise has issues beyond the talent on the field.

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The NFL is a league comprised of 32 teams with 53-man rosters (with 16 extra practice squad spots), so it takes more than just one man, a group of players, or even an entire offensive or defensive unit to determine a team's success over multiple seasons. That Detroit has won fewer games the past three seasons than the Chiefs, Titans, Cowboys, Rams, Packers, and Buccaneers won last season alone is one of the most damningly pathetic stats one can muster to describe the Lions' losing ways in recent times.

Jared Goff, the 2016 No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick, is on the roster, and he just had his best season since his NFC Championship season in 2018. A repeat outing probably won't move the needle this season, indicating just how dire things are in Detroit.

What changes things in the Motor City is unclear, but Aidan Hutchinson isn't going to singlehandedly change the defense. Without a single impact free-agent signing, the Lions are charging toward another miserable year.

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Edited by Windy Goodloe