#Five teams who have potential for Super Bowl 2022 turnaround

Tom Brady turned the Buccaneers from also-rans into a Super Bowl team in one season. The Brady signing has to be one of, if not the, most impactful free agency signings ever.

No Hall of Fame quarterback is expected to shake free this offseason, but is there a team that was not in the playoffs this year who could be a Super Bowl contender next year? We decided to take a look at the teams that failed to qualify for the playoffs and see if any make sense for a run to Super Bowl 2022. Remember, they had to miss the playoffs. So, teams like the Brown and the Rams, who could be trendy preseason picks next year don’t qualify for this exercise.

1. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys went 6-10 this season in the worst division in memory, the NFC East. That division should not be markedly better next year, but the Cowboys should be. Dak Prescott is expected to be back under center and that will be like a free agent acquisition for Dallas. Prescott is scheduled to become a free agent in March, but the Cowboys are expected to either sign him to a long-term deal or use the franchise tag on him again. Prescott was having a great season before breaking his ankle in Week 5 this season. 

2. San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers are just a year removed from playing in the Super Bowl. Injuries all over the roster led to a 6-10 season this year. If they can get healthy and get quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo rolling again, they will be contenders in the NFC. Their biggest loss this offseason may be defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, who left to become the head coach of the Jets. General manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan have shown a great ability to build a winner in San Francisco and there is no reason not to expect them to get back on track next year. 

3. Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers might have had the most attractive head coaching opening this offseason. The team fired Anthony Lynn after a 7-9 season and hired former Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. He takes over a team that has a lot of talent on it, starting with quarterback Justin Herbert, who just won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award. The talent extends beyond Herbert, though, with Keenan Allen, Joey Bosa and Derwin James on the team. If the Chargers can stay healthy and Herbert can keep improving, they could challenge the Chiefs in the AFC West. 

4. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins just missed the playoffs this season, finishing 10-6. That is a better record than anyone else on this list, but there are still major questions. The biggest one is at quarterback. Tua Tagovailoa was underwhelming as a rookie and the team won a lot of games with veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick, who is not expected back, starting. That is why there are a lot of rumors about the Dolphins exploring other options at quarterback. Miami played great defense in 2020 and the combination of coach Brian Flores and GM Chris Grier made all the right moves to build the team. Can they do it again in 2021? The Dolphins have the No. 3 overall pick thanks to a trade with the Texans so they can land an impact player in the draft. 

5. Deshaun Watson’s team

The story of the 2021 offseason will have major implications on the 2021 regular season and postseason. Watson has requested a trade from Houston and the Texans so far have said they are not dealing him. If they do trade him, Watson could make his new team an instant Super Bowl contender. This is the closest version to Brady to the Buccaneers we’ll get this year. Not every team will be a Super Bowl contender with Watson immediately (sorry, Jets), but if he goes to a team like the Raiders or Broncos, they would be. The Dolphins could increase their chances by swapping out Tagovailoa for Watson. Then, there are the Texans. If new GM Nick Caserio can somehow patch things up with Watson and bring in more talent around him, particularly on defense, the Texans can make a big leap from their 4-12 record this year. Remember, this team had a 24-point lead over the Chiefs in the playoffs just a year ago. It’s not crazy to think Watson could lead an improved team to SoFi Stadium in a year.