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Jun 9, 2022; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles participates in a press conference during mandatory mini camp at AdventHealth Training Center. Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN writer ranks Buccaneers as best overall team headed into regular season

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 8/19/22

Their starting quarterback may still be MIA , but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still ranked as the top overall team heading into the 2022 by ESPN's Mike Clay.

Clay released his "NFL position group rankings for 2022" on Friday morning and in the "overall outlook," the Bucs narrowly edge out the likes of the Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Chargers. Despite being the defending Super Bowl champions, the Los Angeles Rams are placed seventh in the overall rankings.

"The overall unit grades show what is essentially a five-way tie at the top, but the Buccaneers ended up just a few tenths of a point over the Chargers, Bills, Bengals and Packers. Unlike this time last year, Tampa Bay isn't returning all 22 offensive and defensive starters, but on paper, the team remains loaded," Clay wrote. "Tom Brady leads an offense that added Shaq Mason and Russell Gage as de facto replacements for Ali Marpet and Antonio Brown. Lavonte David, Shaquil Barrett, Vita Vea, Antoine Winfield and Carlton Davis III are among the standouts on a defense that added Akiem Hicks and Logan Ryan. The Buccaneers have won 23 regular-season games and a Super Bowl during Brady's two seasons and are well positioned for one more run in 2022."

Clay's project included a position-by-position ranking of all 32 NFL teams in the 10 "key" offensive and defensive positions. The overall ranking is a "weighted consensus based on positional importance."

Tampa Bay's positional rankings are as follows:

Quarterbacks: 3
Running backs: 20
Wide receivers: 2
Tight ends: 28
Offensive lines: 7
Interior defensive lines: 12
Edge rushers: 14
Off-ball linebackers: 4
Cornerbacks: 10
Safeties: 17

Ranked no better than 20th in any of the 10 categories, the Houston Texans were placed 32nd in the overall outlook.

"Houston was in this same position last season and proceeded to post a 4-13 season -- its second straight four-win campaign. Unfortunately, the roster isn't looking much better for 2022, with all 10 units ranking below league average. Perhaps second-year QB Davis Mills will make a big leap, but it's hard to expect much with no standout, proven targets behind Brandin Cooks and a very shaky offensive line led by Laremy Tunsil, who is coming off an injury-plagued 2021," Clay wrote. "The defense is in a similar spot, with Day 1-2 rookies Derek Stingley Jr., Jalen Pitre and Christian Harris positioned to play substantial (if not every-down) roles immediately. Jonathan Greenard, Christian Kirksey, Maliek Collins and 34-year-old Jerry Hughes are the team's top veteran defenders. The rebuild continues ..."

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