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The 2021 NFL Draft is right around the corner on April 29. Franchise teams will hope to select the premium talent in the draft to stack their respective rosters ahead of the new season, which is set to commence this autumn.
Right after the free agency rush a fortnight ago, NBC Sports produced an updated NFL Power Ranking for each of the 32 franchise teams.
Judging by this list, some teams certainly have more work to do than others in the draft, and --such is the rostered strength in depth -- more than a few teams could probably skip the draft altogether and still make it to the playoffs.
But there are just a few teams that are being serially underrated by analysts: teams that perhaps struggled with injuries last season, or had some bad calls; teams that bedded in highly tipped rookies in 2020, and so on...
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These are the teams in the Power Ranking that just deserve a tad more credit, in my humble opinion.
Take a look at the 5 most underrated NFL teams heading into the 2021 NFL Draft.
5. Cincinnati Bengals
- Power Ranking: 28th
- Recalibrated Ranking: 24th
The Cincinnati Bengals addressed some key areas of weakness during the free agency period and can look forward to welcoming the No.1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Joe Burrow, back into the fold in time for pre-season training.
Burrow missed the Bengals' 2020 run-in after tearing his ACL during Wk-11.
Taylor will also be hoping for better luck regarding star RB Joe Mixon, who missed most of the 2020 campaign with a foot injury. When fit, Mixon is one of the best backs in the league, posting 1,424-yards from scrimmage in 2019 and 1,464-yards from scrimmage the year before that.
Having the 2019 Heisman Award winner and one of the NFL's elite ground weapons back on the turf in Cincinnati should not be underestimated. Burrow and Mixon -- assuming they can stay fit -- should help coach Zac Taylor's offense kick on in 2021.
The Bengals have also brought in CB Mike Hilton (Steelers) to ensure up the pass coverage unit and DE Trey Hendrickson (Saints) to replace the excellent Carl Lawson, who departed Cincinnati for the Jets. Both Hilton and Hendrickson are great additions/replacements, in my opinion; especially if Hendrickson can maintain the kind of form that saw him rack up 13.5 sacks for New Orleans last year.
OT Riley Reiff's arrival from Minnesota is a guaranteed upgrade at right tackle, too.
With a decent set of picks in the 2021 draft later this month, the Bengals have the players on their roster to be competitive in the AFC.
Burrow and co. are being underrated in my opinion.
4. New York Giants
- Power ranking: 26th
- Recalibrated ranking: 21st
The New York Giants had the NFL's eighth-best ranked defense overall in 2020. The unit was found lacking in coverage only, giving up 7.2-yards per attempt to oppose QB/WR combos.
Clearly, coach Joe Judge felt CB2 was the main problem area, and the position has since been upgraded via the addition of free agent Adoree Jackson. The former Titans spent much of last season on IR and appeared in just three fixtures. Jackson is a top talent when fit, though, and before 2020, had amassed 165 tackles, 33 PDs and two interceptions. I think Jackson has improved this already stern New York defense, and that the team is underrated as a result, and that's before I even get started on the offense...
RB Saquon Barkley is a generational talent in the New York backfield. Barkley went down to a cruel ACL tear in Week-2 of the 2020 campaign and spent the rest of the season in IR. Having a player back who posted +2,000-yards from scrimmage in 2018 and 1,745-yards in 2019 will no doubt be a huge boost to the New York offense -- Barkley's absence last year cannot be underestimated!
Add to Barkley's return the fact that the Giants also broke the bank to bring true WR1 Kenny Golladay (Lions) to New York on big wages in time for next season and, for me at least, the Giants Power Ranking seems unkind -- they are better than the 28th team in the NFL; much better!
3. New England Patriots
- Power ranking: 16th
- Recalibrated Ranking: 11th
The Patriots were the envy of the NFL during the free agency period. Perhaps riled by the success of a certain Tom Brady in Tampa, Patriots coach Bill Belichick responded by getting the checkbook out in March.
With all this strengthening via the free agency market, the Patriots defensive depth chart now looks truly frightening: the likes of Chase Winovich, Stephen Gilmour, and the returning D'onta Hightower (COVID opt-out in 2020) will be joined by the likes of Matt Judon, Jalen Mills and the returning Kyle Van Noy, who spent 2020 seasons with the Dolphins. With these defensive stars operating in a classic Bill Belichick/Matt Patricia defense, the Patriots have the ability to completely shut up shop on teams if they click, and that's why I think they should be ranked higher than they are.
The offense is also likely to see big improvements in terms of production in 2021: the free agency signings of TEs Hunter Henry (Chargers) and Jonnu Smith (Titans), along with deep threats Kendrick Bourne (49ers) and Nelson Agholor (Raiders), should provide a-second-year Cam Newton with plenty more options when he lines up under center come autumn.
I'm also one of those guys who firmly believes that Cam Newton is in line for a major leap in production next year now that he knows the playbook better. Not to mention the fact that the former Panther will finally get a preseason under his belt, and his damaged shoulder will have had another eight months to heal by the time we get underway.
Watch out for Bill Belichick's new-look New England Patriots in 2021. If they click, the roster has the potential to go deep in the playoffs.
2. Washington football team
- Power ranking: 21st
- Recalibrated ranking: 15th
Like the New York Giants, Ron Rivera's Washington outfit boasts one of the league's best defensive units.
Led by Defensive Rookie of the Year Chase Young, the football team allowed opposing QBs a stingy 6.4-yards per pass attempt in 2020 (2nd in NFL; Rams 1st).
William Jackson lll has been brought in to replace the departed Ronald Darby (Broncos) in the cornerback position. Personally, I think Jackson will prove to be an upgrade to what was already a lower-tier-one secondary.
Meanwhile, the offense will see former Ohio State WRs Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel reunite behind new QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in the backfield, gifting Scott Turner's offense with the No. 6 and No. 24 wide receivers for yards after a catch in 2020, respectively. On paper, the Washington offense looks better than it did last season, and will no doubt be aided by sophomore RB Antonio Gibson, who I believe is set for a breakout 2021 season (not that his rookie year was bad either, mind!)
Plus, people seem to forget that Washington made it all the way to the wildcard round last season where they were beaten by a single score by eventual Super Bowl winners, the Bucs... and yet now the Power Rankings have them ranked four places beneath the Raiders!?
No!
For my money, Ron Rivera's team should be ranked much higher than 21st!
1.New Orleans Saints
- Power ranking: 13th
- Recalibrated Ranking: 9th
When your legendary, record-setting, Super Bowl-winning franchise QB retires, it's obvious that this news will be accompanied by a slight dip in the Power Rankings.
The Saints at No. 13 doesn't sit well with me, however.
Here's why:
Saints fans may have had to watch a mass exodus of players since the offseason got underway: Drew Brees, Jared Cook, Trey Hendrickson, Alex Anzalone, Malcolm Brown, Janoris Jenkins, Kwon Alexander, and Emmanuel Sanders, et al. But most of these players already had a solid alternative option positioned ahead of, or close behind them on the New Orleans' depth chart: Jameis Winston will take over from Brees as the new QB, for instance; sophomore TE Adam Trautman will take Jared Cook's place, and so on -- coach Sean Payton and GM Mickey Loomis deserve credit for letting go of the right players and getting New Orleans back under cap.
Given the excellent roster management, I personally don't think the Saints starters in 2021 will be significantly worse than last year; just different.
Plus, it'll be interesting to see how Payton factors in Winston's ability to launch the ball deep into the play calling.
Looking through some of the talents on the roster: Alvin Kamara, Ryan Ramczyk, Michael Thomas, Cam Jordan, Marshon Lattimore, etc., the Saints still look like a top 10, first-tier ranked team to me. It's going to be a different style of offense like it was when Taysom Hill went 4-1 last year (remember that!); not a worse one.
The Saints will still take some beating come autumn.
