ESPN believes the New England Patriots will enter the 2022 NFL season as a top-10 team in the league.
The Worldwide Leader published a "way-too-early" power ranking for the upcoming season Tuesday, less than 48 hours after the Rams beat the Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Super Bowl LVI. Both Los Angeles and Cincinnati find themselves outside the top two spots, which are held by the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills, respectively.
The Patriots, meanwhile, come in at No. 9. New England reporter Mike Reiss explained what New England can do this offseason in hopes of improving its standing.
"The Patriots need to build around rookie quarterback Mac Jones -- possibly by giving him a No. 1 option like the Bengals did for Joe Burrow with Ja'Marr Chase -- and fix the defense that didn't force the Bills to punt in each of the last two games against them in 2021," Reiss wrote. "Oh, and get their special teams back to its usual dominant standing."
Checking off everything on that to-list obviously is much easier said than done. But who would put it past Bill Belichick to put together a grade-A offseason and have the Patriots back in Super Bowl contention later in the calendar year?
