It doesn't take a genius to recognize the best teams in the NFL entering 2020.
The Kansas City Chiefs just won the Super Bowl, so naturally, they're at the top of the list. Then you have clubs like the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots (unless the wheels come off this offseason), Green Bay Packers, etc.
We get all of that.
But how about the clubs that could end up being pretty good next season in spite of no one really talking about them?
Here are five NFL sleeper teams who could potentially make some noise in 2020:
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This one entirely depends on what the team does with its quarterback situation. However, there is quite a bit to like about the Buccaneers going into next year.
First of all, Tampa Bay has a dynamic group of receivers led by Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Tight end O.J. Howard is also very talented in spite of his rather rough 2019, and young running back Ronald Jones showed some promise at the end of this past season. Plus, the offensive line is really good.
Defensively, the Bucs are a work in progress, but they weren't terrible in 2019, ranking 15th in the NFL. Think about this for a second: the Buccaneers also ranked third in offense.
Clearly, there is talent here, and if Tampa Bay can fix its problems under center this offseason (could the Bucs possibly land Tom Brady?), it could potentially do some damage in what should otherwise be a relatively weak NFC South division.
4. New York Giants
Just hear me out for a second.
Yes, the Giants have largely been bad since 2013. Yes, they went just 4-12 this past season. Yes, their offensive line needs work, and they have a plethora of holes on the defensive side of the ball.
But there is no denying that New York has a wealth of young talent at the skill positions, and in an NFC East that may very well be the weakest division in the NFL, anything is possible.
With Daniel Jones, Saquon Barkley, Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton and Evan Engram, the Giants have a rather enviable group of young offensive talent, and they also own the fourth overall pick in the draft, which they can use to bolster their offensive line or add a defensive player.
In addition, New York will have over $70 million in cap room to spend in NFL free agency, so Big Blue could potentially bring in some more pieces over the next couple of weeks.
The Giants won't be contending for a Super Bowl in 2020, but don't be shocked to see them make things interesting in the NFC East.
3. Buffalo Bills
Part of me wanted to put the New York Jets somewhere on this list, but they just have too many holes and too much uncertainty. So, I decided to pluck out the Bills as my AFC East club to watch.
Buffalo's success in 2020 will largely be dependent on what happens in New England this offseason (does Brady leave?), but even if the Patriots remain dominant next season, the Bills should be solid.
After all, this is a Buffalo squad that won 10 games and actually pushed the Pats for the division crown this past year. The defense is really good, and while I am not entirely sold on Josh Allen, I do like Devin Singletary a heck of a lot, and the Bills have a ton of cap space to bring in some more offensive firepower (which is sorely needed).
Do I think Buffalo will seriously be competing with the best of the best in the AFC in 2020? No, but with the right moves this offseason, the Bills can actually be a pretty formidable opponent next year.
But yeah. I need to see more out of Allen. We all do.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars
I like this team. A lot.
No, this isn't the same Jaguars squad from 2017 that relied almost exclusively on its defense to beat opponents up and take their souls.
Gone are the days of Sacksonville. Gone are the days of Jalen Ramsey running his mouth. Jacksonville has also lost numerous other defensive pieces in addition to Ramsey since 2017, such as Dante Fowler, Malik Jackson and, most recently, A.J. Bouye.
However, the Jags are very interesting going into 2020 because of their offense. Yes, their offense.
I love Gardner Minshew under center, and it was encouraging to see Leonard Fournette have a terrific bounce-back year in 2019. Plus, the receiving trio of DJ Chark, Dede Westbrook and Chris Conley is one of the best in the NFL.
Admittedly, the Jaguars' offensive line needs considerable work, and the defense is suddenly a work in progress, but in a very winnable AFC South division that doesn't have a clear-cut No. 1 team, Jacksonville will have a chance in 2020.
At the very least, the Jags will be an exciting team to watch.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
Generally, the words “Steelers” and “sleeper” do not belong in the same sentence, but after missing the playoffs for the past couple of years and essentially being rendered tertiary to the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns (for some reason) in the AFC North, that is exactly what the Steelers are entering 2020.
Let's keep something in mind here: Pittsburgh went 8-8 and nearly made the playoffs this past year in spite of rotating between Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges under center with Ben Roethlisberger sidelined.
Now, Roethlisberger is back, and while legitimate questions remain about how much he has left in the tank at the age of 38, especially after essentially missing an entire season, the Steelers likely feel a heck of a lot more comfortable with Big Ben taking snaps than Rudolph or Hodges.
Pittsburgh has a good defense, as it ranked fifth in the league in that category in 2019, and with James Conner, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson, it has enough weapons on offense to at least be passable on that side of the ball.
This is a team that could possibly win the division next year if everyone stays healthy, so watch out for the Steelers in 2020.
Follow Us
Subscribe