1 Starter Every NFL Team Must Replace in 2022

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When 22 different starters take the field each week, every position can't be adequately filled. Weak links emerge, and opponents try to take advantage of them. 

No roster is perfect, hence why the NFL's 32 general managers are constantly working to improve their teams through free agency, the draft, trades and the waiver wire. 

Constant attention is necessary. Otherwise, a lineup will start to show multiple flaws. It falls on each coaching staff to highlight the strengths of the lineup and try to minimize the weaknesses. 

As the 2021 regular winds down, thoughts of next offseason's additions are already flitting through every general manager's mind. A forward-thinking approach allows a GM to know where the team's primary needs will be. 

The following starters need to be replaced because of poor play, their contract status or others pushing them out of their current spots.   

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A single person can't be identified for the Arizona Cardinals because the team needs help at right guard, with two different players flailing in the role. 

Josh Jones, whom the organization drafted in the third round last year, opened the season as the starter only to be benched for Max Garcia. Neither has adequately filled the slot, thus creating problems for quarterback Kyler Murray.

Aaron Donald's dismantling of Garcia on Monday in the Cards' defeat to the Los Angeles Rams further highlighted how weak Arizona is at the position. To be fair, Donald is otherworldly. At the same time, the Cardinals play him twice a year in the NFC West and need someone who isn't constantly exposed. 

Arizona is relatively set along its offensive front with veteran D.J. Humphries, Justin Pugh, Rodney Hudson and Kelvin Beachum Jr. all under contract through at least 2022. But a front five is only as good as its weakest link, and right guard is a problem.   

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Atlanta Falcons head coach Arthur Smith built his reputation as an offensive coordinator by building his scheme around Derrick Henry, who captured two rushing titles under the coach's supervision. 

But Smith couldn't bring Henry with him to Atlanta, nor could he build the same offense with any other ball-carrier. 

"And really Derrick, it was a practicality. Derrick is the outlier," Smith told The Cris Collinsworth Podcast in June (h/t Mike Moraitis of Titans Wire). "The number of carries he had, and when he gets going, it's impressive to watch. So, it all kind of jelled together."

However, a consistent threat out of the backfield would surely help the Falcons offense. Currently, Atlanta's ground game ranks 27th overall. Mike Davis is averaging 3.4 yards per carry. While the team caught lightning in the bottle with Cordarrelle Patterson, he's not an every-down back.

The Falcons don't need Henry. But they do need better options than what they have. 

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Prior to the start of the 2017 campaign, Baltimore Ravens nose tackle Brandon Williams signed a five-year, $52.5 million contract extension. 

Williams hasn't exactly lived up to his hefty financial status.

Firstly, he's never been a full-time player as a massive interior defender. Secondly, the veteran defensive tackle never developed as expected when the Ravens wanted him to play alongside Michael Pierce and become a more disruptive force. Thirdly, Williams hasn't played a full 16-game slate since 2018. Finally, the nose tackle is now 32 and less of a factor at the point of attack as part of Baltimore's run defense. 

The ninth-year defender is a free agent after this season. Baltimore will likely move on and try to infuse some youth into their defensive front instead of relying heavily on Williams, Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe, who is on injured reserve with a hip issue.

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Devin Singletary's numbers are fine. The 24-year-old ball-carrier has averaged 4.8 yards per carry throughout his three-year career. He's a solid, young running back. 

But quarterback Josh Allen is the most consistent running threat out of the Buffalo Bills' backfield. 

Allen has the build to take on herculean efforts on a weekly basis and move the offense when a play must be made. It's the front office's job to make the quarterback's life easier by placing better talent around him. 

Singletary is a quality piece of the backfield puzzle. He's never been in a featured role, though. His 419 attempts through 41 career games show he's a role player, not a starting-caliber running back. 

A real commitment to the running game can help the entire Bills offense. Buffalo is in the bottom half of the league in rushing attempts per game. Obviously, everything operates through Allen, which is perfectly fine. But another legitimate threat in the backfield would make a top-10 total offense even more dangerous.  

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The Carolina Panthers could put Sam Darnold, Cam Newton or P.J. Walker under center. It wouldn't matter. None of them is the answer at quarterback. 

Newton and Walker are non-factors from this point forward since both are free agents after this season. 

Carolina must figure out what it can do with Darnold and his contract after foolishly picking up his fifth-year option instead of letting him play out this season before investing in him as the franchise's new figurehead. Darnold's salary escalates to a fully guaranteed $18.9 million next season. 

Basically, the Panthers are stuck with Darnold, but he doesn't need to be the starter in 2022. Instead, the organization could invest in another quarterback via trade or the draft to provide some stability and improve upon the league's 24th-ranked scoring offense.

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Since this article is about replacing one starter from every team, quips about the Chicago Bears replacing head coach Matt Nagy will not be included starting now. 

Interestingly, the Bears have potential at three of the four premium positions in quarterback Justin Fields, left tackle Teven Jenkins and cornerback Jaylon Johnson. Edge defenders Khalil Mack (30) and Robert Quinn (31) may be aging but they're still highly effective when healthy. 

This roster isn't a disaster despite a 4-9 record. 

An interesting juxtaposition can be found in the middle of Chicago's defense. Roquan Smith is one of the game's best off-ball linebackers. His range and ability to finish are exceptional. Alec Ogletree falls on the opposite side of the spectrum. Ogletree is athletic, but he takes poor angles, doesn't play a physical brand of football and can be exploited in the passing game. 

Maybe Danny Trevathan will take his spot back depending on how the 31-year-old's recovery from a season-ending knee injury proceeds. 

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The Cincinnati Bengals feature one of the NFL's most explosive offenses, but issues still exist along the team's front five. 

While the group is better than last season, it's still not close to being good enough. Joe Burrow has been sacked 41 times this season, which is the most of any quarterback. 

The Bengals front office did address the position group this offseason with the free-agent signing of veteran Riley Reiff, who took over at right tackle, and Jackson Carman's draft selection in the second round. But those moves weren't enough then and certainly aren't now. 

Carman has already been demoted. Center Trey Hopkins has struggled. And Reiff is a free agent after this season. A real commitment to building the front five to properly protect Burrow should be the Bengals' only concern next offseason. 

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The Cleveland Browns invested a lot in their defense this past offseason, but it's not quite finished. 

The additions of Jadeveon Clowney, John Johnson III, first-round rookie Greg Newsome II and second-round linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah have been positive.

The front office's decision to move forward with the 31-year-old Malik Jackson and Malik McDowell, who had been away from the game for three years, as the starting defensive tackles was misguided. 

Initially, the return from the defensive tackles was positive, but their level of play slowly declined to the point where the Browns are Charmin soft along their defensive interior.

McDowell is only 25 with plenty of upside. He should be part of the Browns' rotation a year from now. Jackson, meanwhile, is playing under a one-year deal, and he's no longer an every-down player. 

The Browns need reinforcements so their defense isn't controlled at the point of attack.   

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The Dallas Cowboys already started renovations in the linebacker room when the organization released Jaylon Smith in October. 

Leighton Vander Esch is likely the next to go. The 2018 first-round pick looked like a star-in-the-making when he tallied 140 total tackles as a rookie and earned Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro nods. 

The linebacker required surgery to fix a nerve issue in his neck. Vander Esch hasn't been the same player since, whether that's because of the injury or not. He's still a solid starting option. He's just not one of the league's best young linebackers anymore. Plus, the 25-year-old defender is a free agent after this season. 

The Cowboys would be better off re-signing Keanu Neal this offseason and letting Jabril Cox take over as a starter when he returns from a torn ACL, while letting Micah Parsons roam as a hybrid linebacker/edge defender. 

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There's nothing wrong with Teddy Bridgewater starting for a team, as long as the organization accepts the fact he's never going to be counted among the league's best signal-callers.

Bridgewater is an efficient operator who tends to stay away from crucial mistakes. At the same time, the 29-year-old lacks the arm talent and athleticism to be a major threat when compared to other quarterbacks in the league. 

The Broncos have unwittingly placed themselves in NFL limbo. They're a competitive team with a competent quarterback. They're simply not good enough with Bridgewater behind center to be anything other than a mediocre squad vying for one of the last playoff spots. 

By moving on from Bridgewater when he becomes a free agent after this season and going all-in with another quarterback, the Broncos will have a much better chance of becoming relevant. 

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Kalif Raymond's inclusion isn't an indictment of the individual's performance. The roster issues run far deeper when Raymond is the team's top outside wide receiver. 

In an optimal world, Raymond would be the Detroit Lions' third or fourth wide receiver. 

Quarterback Jared Goff has a couple of weapons in tight end T.J. Hockenson and slot receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. But everyone knew the Lions went into this season with the league's worst wide receiver corps. Players like Raymond were forced into bigger roles. 

Raymond responded with a career-high 39 receptions for 443 yards in 13 games. He could very well return after this season if the Lions chose to re-sign him. Though he shouldn't be viewed as a starter moving forward.

An emphasis should be placed on finding capable targets to complete the offense for whoever is starting behind center. 

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Krys Barnes is one of those players who every team wants on its roster but doesn't necessarily prefer to have playing a significant role. 

The former undrafted free agent started 19 games (and counting) in his first two seasons. 

De'Vondre Campbell's performance during his first campaign with the Packers has been outstanding as the team leader with 115 total tackles. Campbell's retention next offseason after only signing a one-year deal will likely be an organizational priority. 

Part of the reason behind the importance of Campbell's play and possible re-signing is the fact Green Bay's roster lacks another quality off-ball linebacker. Byrnes and Oren Burks are capable, but merely average. The team will have more pressing issues, like Aaron Rodgers' fate and multiple key free agents on offense, but a more athletic, every-down option to play alongside Campbell would help complete an already outstanding defense. 

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Tyrod Taylor is an excellent bridge quarterback. At his two previous stops, the 32-year-old veteran became a placeholder while the franchise decided when to play its top-10 draftees. Baker Mayfield and Justin Herbert both experienced plenty of success, particularly during their rookie seasons. 

Taylor sort of paved the way for the next Houston Texans quarterback, too. Right now, Davis Mills is behind center to see what he can do. But the third-round pick won't prevent the Texans from making a significant investment in the quarterback position this offseason. 

How the organization goes about achieving that goal is entirely up in the air. 

Currently, no quarterback prospect is viewed as a top-five option, where the Texans are currently slated to pick. Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson certainly don't want to play for a rebuilding franchise. Maybe general manager Nick Caserio makes a play for one of his old New England Patriots quarterbacks if the San Francisco 49ers are willing to move Jimmy Garoppolo. 

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The days of Xavier Rhodes being a Pro Bowl-caliber cornerback are long gone. The 31-year-old veteran did experience somewhat of a career revival during his first season with the Indianapolis Colts. Though his second campaign hasn't gone quite as well, and that's OK because he's basically a short-term Band-Aid. 

Rhodes re-signed with the organization this offseason to a meager one-year, $4.77 million deal. Due to his age and recent performance history, the Colts weren't going to make a major investment to bring the nine-year veteran back. Rhodes took the deal to play another season, which will likely be his last in Indy. 

The Colts still have Kenny Moore II and Rock Ya-Sin under contract after this season. The Colts could prioritize a top prospect and free-agent signing to replace both Rhodes and fellow veteran T.J. Carrie. In doing so, Indianapolis' secondary can get younger and more athletic.

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Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Urban Meyer admitted why the organization chose to place the franchise tag on left tackle Cam Robinson this season: It didn't have a better option. 

As The Athletic's Andy Staples relayed, "It's a rough year in free agency for left tackles. Franchising Robinson gives them a serviceable-or-better guy there and allows them to decide whether to spend big money next year."

The decision to pay an offensive tackle $13 million because he's serviceable is ludicrous. Robinson is the league's second-highest-paid left tackle this season despite being a replacement-caliber performer. 

Considering the Jaguars' highly paid front five has been a disappointment in Meyer's first year, Robinson's retention beyond this season is unnecessary (as it was last year). 

The Jaguars must do everything in their power to build around Trevor Lawrence and start by finding a long-term left tackle option. 

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The Kansas City Chiefs defense has played extremely well as of late after a historically bad start to the 2021 campaign. 

Willie Gay Jr.'s return from injured reserve certainly helped, because the second-year defender brings a different level of athleticism compared to the other linebackers on the roster. Gay flies all over the field and shows tremendous range. He doesn't always make the play and can be a little reckless yet still creates a different dynamic for the entire unit. 

Anthony Hitchens is the veteran playing middle linebacker who continues to plug away despite a noticeable decline in performance. After this season, the Chiefs can save $8.5 million by releasing Hitchens and moving forward with Gay and Nick Bolton, who currently leads the squad with 88 total tackles, as the squad's primary linebackers. 

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Las Vegas Raiders general manager Mike Mayock and previous head coach Jon Gruden miscalculated when they chose to redistribute the assets found along their offensive front by moving dependable blockers in Rodney Hudson, Gabe Jackson and Trent Brown. 

Instead, the organization signed left tackle Kolton Miller to a long-term extension—which has been warranted—and drafted Alex Leatherwood in the first round to take over at right tackle. 

Leatherwood's time at right tackle was a complete disaster before the coaching staff moved him to right guard, where he has previous playing experience. With Leatherwood no longer playing tackle, Brandon Parker stepped into the starting lineup and disappointed. The Raiders drafted Parker in the third round of the 2018 draft. Every time he's given an opportunity to secure a spot, he never looks comfortable.

Parker will enter free agency after four seasons, and the Raiders will go into the next offseason once again looking for offensive line help. 

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Jalen Guyton adds a speed element to the Los Angeles Chargers. His very specific skill set helps to open up the offense since his swiftness coupled with Justin Herbert's big arm can challenge every blade of grass against opposing defenses. 

Even so, Guyton shouldn't be more than a fourth option within the scheme. Yes, he brings a trait that helps. But he's also limited. Considering Mike Williams is a pending free agent and Keenan Allen turns 30 next year, Guyton shouldn't be viewed as an option for an expanded role in the Chargers' 11 personnel. 

The Chargers already feature three wide receivers on 63 percent of their snaps, according to Sharp Football's Warren Sharp. A more well-rounded option can be brought in to complement the team's top targets. Or, the Chargers staff can expand Josh Palmer's role since the team drafted him in this year's third round. He also brings a vertical element to the table. 

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When healthy, Sebastian Joseph-Day is the Los Angeles Rams' starting nose tackle. His status will likely change in the coming months. Currently, Joseph-Day is on the injured reserve list with a torn pectoral muscle. A possible return this season remains in question.

Joseph-Day's potential replacement isn't based on performance. The Ram tied for first in run-stop win rate prior to his injury, per ESPN Analytics. The bigger question involves the team's allocation of resources. Joseph-Day is a free agent after this season. Meanwhile, Los Angeles ranks among the bottom five in projected salary-cap space for the 2022 campaign, per Spotrac. 

Though the Rams aren't in the red, general manager Les Snead must consider how to spread the wealth when Von Miller, Odell Beckham Jr., Austin Corbett, Brian Allen and Darious Williams are also pending free agents. 

Joseph-Day won't be a priority, especially with how well Greg Gaines has played in his absence. 

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The Miami Dolphins offensive line is atrocious. The group probably lays claim to being the league's worst. Austin Jackson's lack of development is a significant reason why. 

Of the five offensive tackles drafted in last year's Top 20, Jackson is the only one not thriving. To make matters worse, he's not even playing left tackle anymore. The Dolphins coaching staff converted Jackson to left guard in Week 5. 

His underwhelming performance is a microcosm for the entire unit. Miami has significantly invested in its front. Jackson, Liam Eichenberg, Michael Deiter and Robert Hunt all heard their names called during their respective drafts' first or second days. The Dolphins also extended right tackle Jesse Davis two years ago. 

Yet the caliber of play seen from Miami's front five means none of the current starting options are safe, starting with Jackson if he continues to struggle. 

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D.J. Wonnum may have expected to take on a bigger role this fall after his rookie campaign. He couldn't know he'd turn into the Minnesota Vikings' primary edge-rusher. 

Between Danielle Hunter and Everson Griffen, the two veteran defensive ends missed 10 games this season. Even so, Wonnum only has three sacks despite playing significantly more snaps than both. 

Wonnum should continue to develop. However, Vikings general manager Rick Spielman shouldn't rely on him alone. Hunter's history of injuries is now piling up after missing all of last year with a neck problem and tearing a pectoral muscle this year. Griffen, who turns 34 next week, is a free agent after this season. 

Spielman should pursue multiple additions at a premium position while fleshing out the defensive front and Wonnum taking a slight step back from the current setup. 

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Dont'a Hightower is the league's most physical linebacker. He's almost limited in what he contributes.

A 6'3", 260-pound linebacker isn't meant to cover tight ends, running backs or even wide receivers in space. Hightower isn't made for today's game, though he found a niche as a thumper in Bill Belichick's scheme. 

Even so, his time with the New England Patriots could very well be coming to an end. Hightower turns 32 before free agency starts. Outside of New England, the nine-year veteran won't hold much value. His status will fall at the feet of the Patriots and what the organization decides to do. 

Hightower could very well return for another season. But the Patriots shouldn't bring him back with the intention of staying a starter. New England should look to add more athleticism at the position. 

The recycling of Hightower and Jamie Collins Jr. isn't good for the roster's health. 

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Drew Brees isn't walking through that door. The New Orleans Saints now reside in limbo after 15 years of Hall of Fame-level play from the quarterback position. 

New Orleans' first attempt at replacing Brees hasn't gone particularly well. The Saints are 6-7 with the combination of Jameis Winston, Trevor Siemian and Taysom Hill leading the way. 

To be fair, Winston played relatively well when he opened the season as a starter. But his season ended with a torn ACL and he's set to be a free agent. 

Like Winston, Siemian isn't under contract beyond this season. 

Hill is what he is. He's a talented offensive weapon capable of playing quarterback but he's not the answer at the position. 

At this juncture, Winston should be considered be a fallback plan while the Saints pursue the possibility of trading for a proven veteran like Russell Wilson or Aaron Rodgers.

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The New York Giants can be mercifully put the Evan Engram experiment to bed this offseason. 

New York originally chose the tight end prospect with the 23rd overall pick in the 2017 draft. Since then, Engram experienced a roller coaster of emotions as a first-round disappointment, who's been booed by fans for drops, to making the Pro Bowl last season. 

Whatever the case, Engram's inconsistency has been maddening. He's never developed into the consistent mismatch the Giants envisioned when they used a first-round pick on the outstanding athlete. 

Originally, Engram looked like an offensive weapon a team could build a passing attack around. He brought 4.42-second 40-yard-dash speed to the tight end position, which opened eyes. Instead, he's never accumulated more than 722 receiving yards, which came during his rookie campaign.

Engram is a pending free agent, and a fresh start would be good for all parties. 

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The New York Jets aren't getting much from the tight end position. 

Ryan Griffin is seventh on the squad with 25 receptions and eighth with 222 yards. For comparison, 32 other tight ends have more receiving yards this season. 

Griffin is solid as a blocker. However, rookie quarterback Zach Wilson could use a security blanket in the passing game. That type of threat simply doesn't exist among the Jets' tight ends. Griffin may be the most capable but he's a replacement-level performer. 

The 31-year-old still has a year left on his current deal. He could and should be retained to help whoever is brought in to replace him in the starting lineup, particularly if the Jets invest a high-round draft pick in the position. A year from now, Griffin shouldn't be playing nearly as many reps as he has this season.

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Free-agent signings are a gamble. Some work out beautifully, while others don't meet expectations. 

Anthony Harris had been one of the game's best safeties during the previous three seasons. In fact, Pro Football Focus had him graded as the top performer at his position during that stretch. 

Yet, Harris signed a one-year, $4 million contract to join the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. The lack of investment both in length and compensation showed some uncertainty whether Harris could continue his previous level of play or start to decline after turning 30. The latter appears to have happened. 

The veteran defensive back registered 104 tackles last season. He made only 61 so far this year. His one defended pass is a disappointment after getting his hands on 24 during the previous three seasons. 

The Eagles gave it a shot. Now, they can move forward after this season and rework the safety position. 

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The Pittsburgh Steelers understand it's time to move on from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The 39-year-old signal-caller knows his time as the starter in the Steel City is coming to an end, too. 

Sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter that those within the organization are acting as if these are the final games of his career. 

Roethlisberger isn't under contract beyond this season. He reworked his deal and took a major pay cut to give it one last go. Right now, the Steelers are a mediocre team and they're no longer made better with Big Ben orchestrating the offense. 

But the organization didn't have a choice. It didn't plan properly to acquire and nurture an obvious heir apparent. Mason Rudolph hasn't been the answer since he floundered as the starter in 2019 when Roethlisberger required major elbow reconstruction to his throwing arm.

Two years later, the Steelers still don't have a plan other than waiting to see how Roethlisberger's career comes to a slow, painful end. 

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The San Francisco 49ers traded three first- and third-round draft picks to the Miami Dolphins for the opportunity to select a quarterback with this year's third overall slot. The Niners chose Trey Lance to be the face of the franchise. 

Lance has barely sniffed the field in his rookie season with five appearances and one start. He's completed 52.1 of his passes with a three-to-one touchdown-to-interception ratio. 

Head coach Kyle Shanahan hasn't backed off Jimmy Garoppolo being the guy to lead the offense. Maybe the veteran does give the team a better chance to win. At the same time, the 49ers are a mediocre squad at 7-6, though they currently hold the NFC's sixth playoff seed. How much is Garoppolo really helping? He's been solid but nothing special. 

The investment San Francisco already made in Lance with this potential to exceed Garoppolo's production and expand the offense should make him the logical choice to lead the offense in 2022.

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Maybe Russell Wilson's biggest beef with the Seattle Seahawks organization is how the front office didn't do enough to properly protect the quarterback. 

The organization didn't exactly ignore its offensive line, though. Duane Brown's acquisition is the best example of the Seahawks making a legitimate move to upgrade its front five. 

However, the deal came before the 2017 campaign when Seattle sent cornerback Jeremy Lane, along with second- and fifth-round draft picks, to acquire the Pro Bowl-caliber blindside protector. 

Issues persisted, even if Brown served as the unit's anchor at left tackle. Now, Brown's play is starting to dip, as it usually does for most 36-year-old veterans. With Brown set to enter free agency and Russell Wilson's status in the Emerald City in question, the Seahawks may want to make another significant investment in the premium position. 

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Jason Pierre-Paul proved to be a wonderful addition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster when the pass-rusher joined the team prior to the 2018 campaign. 

Pierre-Paul captured 33 sacks in his four seasons with the franchise, went to one Pro Bowl and won a Super Bowl (so far). 

But the Buccaneers have already prepared for the veteran edge-defender's inevitable departure. Pierre-Paul turns 33 next month. He's also a pending free agent. 

With this already in mind, general manager Jason Licht drafted Joe Tryon-Shoyinka with the final pick in this year's first round. Licht did an amazing job of keeping the Buccaneers' roster intact after the franchise captured its second-ever championship. The chances of doing so for a second-straight offseason are slim to none. 

Pierre-Paul has been great. The Buccaneers are poised to move on, though. 

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Isaiah Wilson's first-round selection in the 2020 NFL draft literally set the Tennessee Titans back years at the right tackle position. Wilson was supposed to replace Jack Conklin. 

Instead, the rookie's unprofessionalism and lack of dedication frustrated the team, thus leading to a trade less than a year after making the offensive lineman the crown jewel of last year's draft class. 

Since Wilson's selection, the team has cycled through two starters. Dennis Kelly manned the position last season. David Quessenberry is holding down the fort this fall. Neither has been considered the long-term solution. 

Maybe Dillon Radunz, whom the organization drafted in this year's second round, will be ready to take over the position next season. If not, the Titans will once again be searching to complete their front five. Either way, the 31-year-old Quessenberry won't be the answer as the organization prepares for a new right tackle for the third straight year. 

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Taylor Heinicke's ascension as the Washington Football Team's starting quarterback provides a wonderful underdog story for everyone to get behind and support.

Great stories don't make great situations, though.

Heinicke is a capable option who's not overwhelmed in the moment. Even so, he falls short of being anything other than a short-term solution since he's making the most of his opportunity despite a limited skill set. The former undrafted free agent, who once played for the XFL's St. Louis BattleHawks, ranks among the bottom half of the league in competition percentage, passing yards per game, passing yards per attempt, interceptions, QBR and quarterback rating.

Washington failed to address the game's most important position with a satisfactory addition this past offseason. (No, Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't the answer, either.) The organization will go into the new league year trying to improve behind center and take full advantage of a talented surrounding cast.