The Jaguars players ignored all the clowns in the stands and played hard in Week 18. The Colts, like the Bills in Week 9, may have waltzed into TIAA Bank field thinking easy win, but to the Jags' credit the team viewed the game as "OUR Super Bowl" rather than mentally escaping to Cabo.

Evan Neal is a certified UNIT. ?? pic.twitter.com/Bh5Eme5Sqz

— WeAreBigGuys (@WeAreBigGuys) January 11, 2022

Some may favor the choice of high-energy, high-effort fan favorite Aidan Hutchinson here, but the team really need to "save" Trevor Lawrence, who had been showing signs of shattered confidence in the latter part of the season when the team lost 8-straight while averaging less than 12 ppg. No better way than to supply a top-notch offensive line, even if that means drafting Evan Neal with the top overall pick AND hitting incumbent LOT Cam Robinson with yet another year under the franchise tag.

What do you think?

While it didn't net many wins, Year One of the Lions' rebuild under GM Brad Holmes did produce a few encouraging signs. The O-Line appears poised to become one of the league's best, Deandre Swift is a budding star at halfback and Coach Dan Campbell is an intriguing motivator and risk-taking playcaller. But that defense! With a revolving door of injury replacements, the Lions were 30th in sacks and 29th in pressures.

Aidan Hutchinson is a PROBLEM! ??

(@aidanhutch97) pic.twitter.com/2riF4cfLAb

— Kyle Yates (@KyleYNFL) January 10, 2022

If the draft plays to expectations, the Lions will have their choice of two outstanding Edge Rushers, Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson and Oregon's Kavon Thibodeaux. Hutchinson gets the nod here, boosting the try-hard Campbell approach with his Watt-like effort level and prototypical size, and freakish athletic talent. He promises to anchor the Lions D-Line just as last year's first rounder Penei Sewell shapes up as a bedrock member of the O- Line.

As I write this on a Monday evening, David Culley is still the Houston Texans Head Coach.

However, that doesn't really mean anything either. As current head coaches fall victim to black Monday, the rumors are already swirling about whether the organization will stay put with its coaching staff as is. Current Texans passing game coordinator/Quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton is being requested to interview for offensive coordinator positions as well. So, if a change occurs, expect it to happen suddenly.

I'm gonna miss watching @kayvont destroy the Pac12 but gonna love watching him do it on Sunday's (unless it's against my cowboys). Wish we could have seen him in Lanning's defense tho. #ScoDucks #ProDucks pic.twitter.com/seSdwsffYv

— B (@ThatVegasGuy58) January 8, 2022

Of all the rookie QB's that were drafted last year, none of them were better than Davis Mills! How's that for a sentence I didn't expect to be writing last January! In fact, Davis Mills has surpassed David Carr for most touchdowns thrown by a rookie QB in Texans history by throwing for 2592 passing yards! This tentative comfort at the QB position frees Houston up to get more aggressive along the defensive line by drafting Kayvon Thibodeaux with the 3rd pick! Thibodeaux is lightning quick off the edge and uses superior hand fighting techniques to live in the backfield of opposing offenses.

- Cody Lachney, Texans Analyst

The Jets ended the season with 4 wins but I think there are a lot more positives to take away from the season than meets the eye. The Jets played more rookies than any other team in the league and a lot impressed. AV Tucker at OG looks like a solid addition as does RB Carter, and the late round CB tandem of Echols and Carter put in a very impressive first season. Moore at WR looks a dynamic threat when healthy and a late season resurgence from QB Zach Wilson, should give fans plenty of optimism heading into the off-season

The Jets will have the 4th most Cap space heading into Free Agency and while there are lots of positives, there are also things we can't overlook. One of those things is the Jets 32nd ranked defense. The Jets should be investing heavily on this side of the ball in Free Agency, perhaps an elite CB to add some experience to the young group, and an experienced Vet at Safety, should Marcus Maye not agree terms on a new deal. Kyle Hamilton would certainly solve any potential safety issue but drafting a safety this high again may cause "Jamaal Adams" type contract issues in future. Knowing Joe Douglas, I'm sure this pick and the 10th overall pick may be available to any teams looking to trade up, but for now we opt to add some more reinforcements to the D-Line, in the shape of George Karlaftis.

Ex-GM Dave Gettleman did the team a favor by "retiring" from the team rather than face the axe from team owners John Mara and Steve Tisch. For now it appears that HC Joe Judge's job is safe (edit: Joe Judge has been fired) despite reports that he's "lost the locker room". Where other doormat teams (Jags, Lions) rose to the occasion in Week 18 with "this is OUR Super Bowl" performances, the Giants limped into the offseason with an uninspired finale. Heck even the Jets had Bills' fans sweating well into Q4.


Onto the draft, the Giants need to find a new GM with a proven track record of successful talent evaluation when applied to both the Draft and Free Agency. For now, we'll take the safe route and continue to build the offensive line with Charles Cross here. Andrew Thomas recovered nicely in his second year after a disastrous rookie year, but there's still a weakness on the right side as well as the interior.

The Carolina Panthers are the first team in NFL history to start their season with 3 straight victories, only to end up 5-12.

This is embarrassing on a number of fronts especially when you consider that Panthers Head Coach Matt Rhule is 0-5 against NFL coaches that got fired today (so far). Panther fans are as embarrassed about Sam Darnold as owner David Tepper reportedly is and Matt Rhule would even put Cam Newton in the game on a measly 4th and inches to end his career the right way. Needless to say, Coach Rhule doesn't currently have many friends here in Charlotte.

Matt Rhule was asked why the team felt compelled to sign Sam Darnold's fifth-year option as quickly as they did.

Here's his response: pic.twitter.com/yg0S7iciP8

— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) January 10, 2022

Carolina Panthers front office knows how bad the offensive line is. They have neglected it for the better part of a decade and MUST fix the LT position once and for all. Brady Christiansen showed some promise playing LT this year, but Matt Rhule hates his "T Rex" arms. So instead, the Panthers will draft professional people mover, Ikem Ekwonu from NC State! Don't forget to check out the C3 Carolina Cat Chronicles podcast Tuesday nights at 9 PM to hear us discuss all the latest in Panther Nation!

- Cody Lachney, Panthers Analyst

The Giant need an edge, as in EDGE defender. But so does everyone else - so desperate are the Jets that we've got them picking EDGE-3 (currently George Karlaftis) at pick #4. Does the team reach for David Ojabo with the Bears pick here at #7? Or pick between a high upside CB who hasn't played much in two years in Derek Stingley, or a ""safe"" CB (Ahmad Gardner) with a sterling career who lacks the raw skills of Stingley? The new GM can also be tempted (in this mock) with the draft's highest-rated player (S Kyle Hamilton), the WR-1 (pick among the 3 best), or reach for a need position on the interior offensive line (Linderbaum). Giant's fans tell me what you'd do here at #7:

The esteemed Chris Mortenson reports that Atlanta will be keeping Matt Ryan under center in 2022 . Given their actions last draft passing on a new passer, this seems foreordained. Arthur Smith wants Ryan as his QB, now Ryan and GM Terry Fontenot have to make the money work with a team friendly extension.

Once Ryan's cap hit is smoothed out, work must begin on making both lines stouter and adding playmakers all over the defense. Prominent free agents that Atlanta should try to bring back include Foye Oluokun, Russell Gage, Younghoe Kim and especially Cordarelle Patterson . One big contract they might move on from would be Deion Jones who has struggled in Dean Pees' defensive system.

Smith has started to change the Falcons' culture, but the roster needs to add a lot of talent this offseason. Adding one of the top three talents in the draft in Kyle Hamilton is a good start.

With the firing of Vic Fangio, I think it opens up the possibilities of who could end up going to Denver at nine. Had Fangio returned, I would have locked in on this pick being spent on a quarterback in some form or fashion. Still, a new coach may take a more patient approach, especially if there are going to be scheme changes. Once we the Broncos have named their man, predicting who will be selected here will be a bit easier.

Look at these NFL throws from Matt Corral pic.twitter.com/N5qDZeg97m

— @ (@305hollywood) January 2, 2022

However, considering they are picking ninth for the second-straight year, they may have to take advantage of this spot. This roster has a solid core of young talent on the offensive end, and watching them continue to struggle with consistency is tied to who is starting under center. At the end of the day, Corral is the best combination of physical gifts and production in this class, and that may too difficult to pass on for George Paton and the new head coach.

~Austin Smith, DraftTek Senior Analyst

Speaking of things we can't ignore, the Blocking of the O-Line against the Bills was nothing short of abysmal. The Jets gave up 9 Sacks in the final game to bring their season total to 53, 4th worst in the NFL. Add to that, the Jets could only rush for 48 total yards, showed this group may have finished their season before this game started. Yes they were dealing with injuries but it's another reminder that unless you have the foundation of a solid O-Line, moving the ball, scoring points and winning games, are all a struggle.


Jets GM Joe Douglas has already drafted O-Line in RD 1 of two consecutive drafts but I see no reason why he should not make it the trifecta, and take Tyler Linderbaum, the best interior lineman in the Draft. Adding Linderbaum to a line already consisting of the youthful Tucker and Becton, should reap rewards as they gain experience together. We also add the best RB in the draft, Breece Hall in RD 2 of this CMD to pair with Carter. With Wilson and Moore, that's a big nucleus of young players that should help the Jets continue to progress in the right direction. With the right FA additions, the Jets could improve quicker than most expect.

The WFT is set to unveil its new name, logo, and likeness on February 2nd, and while that may energize a few fans, many are tired of the same-ol, same-ol with this franchise. For those frustrated fans, Groundhog day is the perfect day for this franchise of persistent up-and-downs to unveil its next distraction from the never-ending mess it represents. For both of those sets of fans, however, there is reason to be optimistic.

Many have asserted that the end of last year's season came with more promise, but I disagree. Yes, the 2020 WFT made the playoffs and put up a fight against the eventual Super Bowl Champions, but that team had a shocking lack of depth and the defense benefitted from one of the worst slates of opposing quarterbacks in the history of the league. This year was uglier on the field, but with the unbelievable amount of injuries, COVID posities, and other tragedies that befell this roster, it was amazing to see a competitive team (almost) every week this season. It's clear that Ron Rivera still has a hold on this team, and as long as his leadership develops leaders in the locker room, this franchise will always have hope.

Clearly, the only thing that matters this offseason is finding a quarterback. The front office has put together an above-average set of weapons and paired it with an above-average offensive line (even when 2nd and 3rd stringers are playing). Assuming Curtis Samuel returns next year, this offense truly is ready for a QB to be dropped in. In the offseason, I believe the focus will be on the following positions, in order of importance; QB, MLB, CB, OG, DE depth. I also wouldn't be surprised to see a WR/TE weapon be added to finish the skill-position assembly.

Expect an exciting ride between now and whenever the Washington Commanders land their first starting QB!

-Kennedy Paynter, Senior Draft Analyst (@Kennedy_Paynter on Twitter)

The 2021 season has come to an end for the Vikings and they have fired Rick Spielman and Mike Zimmer. The new regime will inherit a team that is over the salary cap by 9.1M. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has a $45M cap hit and is in the last year of his contract. He will be 35 years old when any extension begins. Also, Danielle Hunter, who has played 6 games the last two seasons, has a $26M cap hit with a $18M roster bonus due the fifth day of the new league year.

The new GM will have some immediate decisions to make. Owner Mark Wilf said "I don't want to get into a full rebuild conversation. The point is we have high expectations for this football team and we believe we can be super competitive in 2022". Does that statement portend an extension for Cousins? They'll need cap space in order to rebuild the defense which was ranked 30th in yards and 24th in points allowed per game.


Considering the cap space and the fact that the team only has 4 young cornerbacks under contract for next season, the team may not be able to sign enough free agents to strengthen the position. They will have to look to the draft as well.

Ahmad Gardner is one of the top Cornerbacks in the 2022 draft and would help solidify the position immediately. He never allowed a touchdown in coverage during his UC career and didn't allow more than 20 receiving yards in a game this season.

The Vikings add some Sauce to their secondary!

Mark P, Vikings Analyst - DrafttekVikings@Gmail.com

Please visit our Vikings team page where you can see all the team's picks in the 7-round mock and more.

A year after the Browns finally busted out of the ages-long slump to get a playoff win, Cleveland found out just how hard it is to stay near the top when the underdog tag has been removed. This season was one packed with injuries, inconsistency and a bit of turmoil that surrounded the passing attack. With Andrew Berry reassuring every one of his confidence in Baker Mayfield moving forward, I am backing off on the idea of them drafting a signal-caller.


Still, that doesn't mean that this pick shouldn't directly affect the quarterback's job. I continue to sing London's praises, as he is the most quarterback friendly receiver in this class. He's a big receiver that runs terrific routes for his size, giving off vibes of a young Michael Thomas. In a play-action heavy offense, I'm not sure there could be a better fit than London, though this is a strong, diverse group of receivers.

~Austin Smith, DraftTek Senior Analyst

No playoffs for the beleaguered Ravens. 6 straight losses, the last 5 without Lamar, put an end to the season in brutal fashion. 5 of those games were lost by 3 points or less and a total aggregate of 8 points. Tyler Huntley kept the games close, but he couldn't produce in the clutch. Fully healthy, this is a playoff team. That doesn't mean much now, but it does when we look forward to 2022.

No need for a rebuild here, but there may be a large turnover of players. The Offensive Line could be good in 2022 with just one solid addition and continuity with the starting 5. Defensively, upgrades are needed at all positions. Eric DeCosta must target a Safety and an Interior Defensive Lineman in the Draft. DeMarvin Leal would be an excellent, versatile selection at #14.

- David Payne, DraftTek Senior Analyst

Please visit our Ravens Team Page where you can see all the team's picks in the 7-round mock and more. Please also visit our Facebook Page for additional content.

It took an extra game this year, but the Eagles have now won 9 games and earned a playoff berth in 3 of the 4 seasons since their Super Bowl LII victory. As Philadelphia looks forward to future playoff appearences, finding ways to keep their pass rush fresh will be a part of their 2022 draft strategy. In this mock, they land Michigan Edge David Ojabo.

Playing across from top prospect Aidan Hutchinson, Ojabo developed into a QB nightmare in his own right. Ojabo has excellent explosion and bend off the edge, with good length and flashes of technique, particularly in his ability to slash and chop at QBs arms to force fumbles as he takes them down, but he's still developing. With the Eagles, Ojabo can be taken under the wing of a fellow former Wolverine, Brandon Graham (who missed this season with a torn achilles), and continue to push towards his full potential.

With five catches (on seven targets) for 84 yards and a TD in the season finale, Quez Watkins continues to show he's earned a role in this Eagles offense moving forward. But given that the TD was Watkins first and Jalen Reagor's never quite made the year two jump many hoped for, Philadelphia will likely find themselves in the market for another WR to pair with Devonta Smith. While this addition could come through free agency we are all about the draft here and there are likely to be some enticing options when the Eagles go on the clock with their second RD1 pick.


This time around it's Ohio State's Garrett Wilson. Wilson has outstanding agility and acceleration which he uses to make opposing DBs look silly. His route running is less precise than fellow Buckeye Chris Olave's, but he is electric with the ball in his hands.