2022 Offseason Team Needs: Bengals, Browns, Ravens, Steelers

February 16, 2022

Thanks for checking out our 2022 Offseason Team Needs previews. Consider this a primer for the goals each team has to accomplish this offseason and the resources they have to work with.

A couple of notes. Cap space projections are from Over The Cap and based on a salary cap of $208.2 million, which is the ceiling for this year. It’s also using OTC’s effective cap space, which takes into account what teams have to budget to sign their rookies and fill out the offseason 51-man roster.

Compensatory picks are also from OTC’s projections, which are historically the most accurate in the industry. Their methodology is outlined here. The comp picks from minority hires the past two offseasons are also included.

With that, let’s get into it:

Bengals

Projected Cap Space: $44,752,734

Draft Picks: 8

1st (No. 31)
2nd (No. 63)
3rd (No. 95)
4th (No. 134)
5th (No. 173)
6th (No. 208)
7th (No. 224, from NYG)
7th (No. 250)

Notable Free Agents: S Jessie Bates, CB Eli Apple, DT Larry Ogunjobi, DT B.J. Hill, TE C.J. Uzomah, RT Riley Reiff, G Quinton Spain, QB Brandon Allen, OL Fred Johnson (RFA), CB Darius Phillips, CB Tre Flowers, DT Josh Tupou (RFA), WR Auden Tate, S Ricardo Allen

Biggest Needs:

Offensive Line

This is the single most important problem for the Bengals to solve this offseason, as the playoffs and Super Bowl made clear. Joe Burrow’s breakout was fueled by an uncommon ability to deal with pressure, and that’s a heck of a trump card to play when things break down. But the laws of physics still dictate it’s hard to throw the football from your back.

Cincinnati has one starting tackle in Jonah Williams. There’s room to upgrade everywhere else. Hakeem Adeniji and Jackson Carman could develop into starters at either guard or right tackle but it would be nice to have veteran insurance. At center, Trey Hopkins should be better with another year to recover from a torn ACL, so the Bengals could get away with keeping him. It’s hard to find good tackles in free agency, but the Bengals have the cap space to make noise there if someone like Saints LT Terron Armstead is available. Re-signing Reiff and drafting a tackle isn’t a bad plan B. At the least, Cincinnati should target one or two starting interior linemen in free agency.

The Chiefs showed this past offseason it is possible to quickly revamp an offensive line. Then again, the Giants have had OL problems for the better part of the last five years, so it’s not always that simple.

Defensive Tackle

Patching the offensive line is the top focus, but there are other areas the Bengals could address to ensure this Super Bowl appearance isn’t a fluke. Cincinnati wasn’t able to pressure Rams QB Matthew Stafford in the Super Bowl even though their front obliterated the Rams’ running game. Ogunjobi was hurt but he’s also a pending free agent, along with Hill. Getting a disruptive interior presence to take pressure off of the defensive ends would be huge for the Bengals defense. Basically, they need to find another Geno Atkins.

Cornerback

The end of Apple’s season, where he trash-talked half the league and then got his comeuppance on Twitter, overshadowed what was actually a solid year of work. He’s a pending free agent and it’ll be interesting to see his market. His best bet might be staying in Cincinnati, it seems like he has more friends there than anywhere else. Regardless, the Bengals need more depth and insurance against injuries or Apple going back to his previous inconsistent ways.

Browns

Projected Cap Space: $20,101,440

Draft Picks: 9

1st (No. 13)
2nd (No. 44)
3rd (No. 78)
3rd (No. 98, comp)
4th (No. 105, from DET)
4th (No. 116)
5th (No. 154)
6th (No. 191)
7th (No. 111, from DET)

Notable Free Agents: OLB Jadeveon Clowney, S Ronnie Harrison, DE Takkarist McKinley, TE David Njoku, OT Chris Hubbard, WR Rashard Higgins, DE Ifeadi Odenigbo, CB M.J. Stewart, QB Nick Mullens, LB Malcolm Smith, DE Porter Gustin (RFA), RB D’Ernest Johnson (RFA), P Dustin Colquitt, K Chase McLaughlin

Biggest Needs:

Wide Receiver

You could make a compelling argument for quarterback here given Baker Mayfield’s struggles. They were particularly pronounced in 2021 but it’s also not the first season he’s been inconsistent, to phrase it tactfully. Ultimately, though, it feels like the Browns might be willing to chalk Mayfield’s struggles up to his health. The lack of clear available upgrades is also probably a factor.

What’s blatantly obvious is the Browns will need help at receiver. At this point, it would be a surprise if Jarvis Landry is not a cap casualty, which leaves Cleveland with a starting duo of Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz. The upcoming draft and free agency classes aren’t strong overall, but the exception is wide receiver. Cleveland will have no shortage of options to rebuild this group around Mayfield, or whoever is under center.

Defensive Tackle

The Browns tag-teamed this position in 2021 and while there were flashes, the overall results were underwhelming. For 2022, Malik McDowell is in trouble with the law again and Jackson is a pending free agent. There are some interesting developmental pieces on the roster but the Browns arguably need two new starters here.

Defensive End

If the Browns re-sign Clowney, that goes a long way toward alleviating this need. But they could still stand to add some developmental pass rushers behind Clowney and Myles Garrett. Making the defensive line the overwhelming strength of the team should protect a speedy linebacker group and a secondary that has a lot of high pick investments. It would also take pressure off the offense. Teams have shown you can get by to a point without elite quarterback play if you have an elite defensive line.

Ravens

Projected Cap Space: $3,685,262

Draft Picks: 10

1st (No. 14)
2nd (No. 45)
3rd (No. 76)
3rd (No. 99, comp)
4th (No. 108, from NYG)
4th (No. 117)
4th (No. 126, from ARI)
4th (No. 138, comp)
4th (No. 140, comp)
6th (No. 195, from MIA)

Notable Free Agents: C Bradley Bozeman, CB Anthony Averett, DL Calais Campbell, DE Justin Houston, FB Patrick Ricard, DT Brandon Williams, WR Sammy Watkins, LB Josh Bynes, DT Justin Ellis, S DeShon Elliott, CB Jimmy Smith, RB Latavius Murray, RB Devonta Freeman, TE Eric Tomlinson, LB L.J. Fort, CB Chris Westry (RFA)

Biggest Needs:

Defensive Line

The Ravens have gotten old here in a hurry, and with Campbell and Williams on expiring deals plus a season with zero contributions from Derek Wolfe, Baltimore is looking at a hard reset.

Campbell wants to play another season, so it seems like the Ravens could work something out. But they need more youth and disruption so they’re not in a position where they have to lean on the 35-year-old vet so much. Justin Madubuike is the only building block here. Look for the Ravens to address this in the draft given their lack of cap flexibility.

Offensive Line

This is broad, but how the Ravens answer a few key questions will allow them to focus on one or two positions. The line needs to be the strength of the team for the Ravens to have success on offense the way they’re built, and they didn’t meet that standard in 2021.

In a perfect world, Ronnie Stanley and Ja’Wuan James are a strong duo at tackle. Neither have been healthy for most of the past two seasons, however, so the Ravens need insurance. Alejandro Villanueva won’t be back, either as a cap cut or retirement.

If Baltimore doesn’t re-sign Bozeman, can they trust Patrick Mekari or Trystan Colon-Castillo to step in at center? Kevin Zeitler was an excellent signing and Baltimore’s best offensive lineman last year, but he’ll be 32 before the start of Week 1. Can the young guards they’ve drafted in recent years step up?

Outside Linebacker

2021 first-round OLB Odafe Oweh flashed his natural physical gifts as a rookie, and if he took a big step in his development in his second season, that’d be huge for the Ravens. They still need pass rusher help, especially with Tyus Bowser tearing his Achilles in Week 18. He could be back for Week 1 but the goal for the Ravens should be to be in a spot where they’re not hurt too much if Bowser isn’t fully recovered or Oweh doesn’t progress. Having more quality pass rushers is never a problem.

Steelers

Projected Cap Space: $27,938,681

Draft Picks: 6

1st (No. 20)
2nd (No. 52)
3rd (No. 84)
4th (No. 137, comp)
7th (No. 223, from NYJ)
7th (No. 239)

Notable Free Agents: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, S Terrell Edmunds, CB Joe Haden, CB Ahkello Witherspoon, G Trai Turner, QB Dwayne Haskins (RFA), OT Chukwuma Okorafor, TE Eric Ebron, WR James Washington, DE Taco Charlton, DT Montravius Adams, WR Ray-Ray McCloud, LB Robert Spillane (RFA), OL B.J. Finney

Biggest Needs:

Quarterback

The Steelers’ ethos is to always push to compete. But there are a lot of holes that need to be patched on this roster, with the biggest obviously being finding a successor for Ben Roethlisberger.

The Steelers are talking up Mason Rudolph and Dwayne Haskins as their in-house options, and given the conservative way the franchise tends to do business, it is honestly believable they could roll with one of them. The whole situation has a similar feeling to when New England spent a summer talking up Jarrett Stidham as the heir to Tom Brady, though.

I wouldn’t rule out some kind of trade-up in the draft for a particular quarterback if the Steelers’ brass falls in love. They have become more aggressive in recent years, particularly with trades for S Minkah Fitzpatrick and LB Devin Bush. As for who that could be, the obvious connection is to the guy who has played in the same stadium the past few seasons and has an early lead as the 2022 class’ top passer: Pitt QB Kenny Pickett. But it’s worth noting how closely team brass paid attention to Liberty’s Malik Willis at the Senior Bowl, and how HC Mike Tomlin has talked up mobility as an asset at the quarterback position.

Secondary

Pittsburgh is slated to lose three of five starters in their defensive backfield which was already a bit of a weak spot in 2021. Even if they bring back Witherspoon or Haden, they need some long-term solutions at corner. The Steelers have had some struggles drafting that position, so perhaps they look to free agency. They do have enough cap space to make some noise here, though that’s not usually their style.

At safety, they’ll need a replacement for Edmunds, but that’s a position where they can get away with a stopgap veteran and perhaps a mid-round draft pick.

Offensive Line

Again, there are a lot of needs. Pittsburgh needs youth and reinforcements on the defensive line, they need a starting inside linebacker and they also need to look ahead at wide receiver with Smith-Schuster on an expiring deal and Diontae Johnson entering a contract year.

Many of the Steelers’ struggles in 2021 trace back to the offensive line, though. Pittsburgh completely revamped the unit and was relying on a combination of young players with little experience and stopgap veterans. They exited the season with potential future starters in 2021 fourth-round LT Dan Moore and third-round OL Kendrick Green (he played center but the Steelers seem to think guard is a better fit). There are question marks and plenty of room to upgrade everywhere else.

With the uncertainty at QB, it’s likely the Steelers rely even more on RB Najee Harris as the engine of the offense. That makes the offensive line even more important. Even if they want to develop Moore and Green further, they need at least another starting-caliber center, guard and tackle. It’s a decent draft for tackles, but if the Steelers have to spend a top pick on a quarterback, that’s a challenge to work around. Guards and centers at least can be found in free agency and the middle rounds.