While you might want to pick a juggernaut and see how long you can take them to glory, playing with stacked teams doesn’t sound like a whole lot fun. Namely, it just sounds a little too easy. If you really want a challenge in Madden 22, you might want to take a team that’s been struggling in recent years, and try to take that squad to the top. But which teams should you try to rebuild in Madden 22? Let’s go over a few of our picks.
Jets
Let’s start off with an easy pick: the New York Jets. The Jets have not made the postseason in a decade, but they are an appealing option for a few reasons. For one, the Jets have a young quarterback in Zach Wilson. The former BYU star was taken with the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, and Wilson has the potential to either star on Broadway, or continue the Jets’ struggle to find a franchise QB.
Zach Wilson isn’t the only reason why Gang Green is such a desirable option. The Jets will have a good amount of cap space, thus increasing the flexibility you will have with roster construction. Plus, the Jets have two building blocks on the offensive line with Mehki Bechton and Alijah Vera-Tucker, and two first rounds picks in next year’s NFL Draft.
Bengals
Speaking of teams of the skids, let’s talk about the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals, much like the Jets, have struggled in recent years. However, there’s a lot to be hopeful about with this teams.
2020 NFL Draft top pick Joe Burrow played very well last season, positioning himself as a potential elite slinger. And, Burrow received some help this past April, as the Bengals picked one of his teammates from LSU, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. You will need to work with the Benglas, as most of this team doesn’t have great ratings from the start. But with Burrow, Chase and star safety Jessie Betts III already in the fold, this team could be a very worthwhile rebuild.
Saints
This choice might look a bit bizarre, especially given the success that the Saints have had over the past few seasons. New Orleans has been a perennial Super Bowl contender for quite some time, and the Saints return franchise pillars Terron Armstead, Michael Thomas, and Alvin Kamara for 2021. But what New Orleans no longer has is a top QB. as legend Drew Brees hung up the cleats after last season.
For now, the Saints have Jameis Winston at the quarterback position. This brings up an interesting dilemma: can you bring the Winston-led Saints to glory, or should you tear it down and try to re-build with a brand new team? Granted, you might not need to tear it down too much, as core players such as Thomas and lineman Ryan Ramczyk are highly-rated and relatively young. But, if you don’t feel confident with Winston at the QB spot, perhaps trying to move some pieces and accruing draft picks could be an option. This might be a good pick, especially since the NFC South could be dominated by the Tom Brady-led Buccaneers for at least the next year or two.
Eagles
Gone is the Carson Wentz and Doug Pederson reign in Philadelphia, and in is the Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni era. The Eagles have a new head coach for 2021, and Philadelphia will be hoping that former Alabama and Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts can bring the Eagles back to the postseason.
This team has a good amount of building blocks, as Hurts, 2021 first round pick Devonta Smith, and Jalen Reagor could turn into studs. Plus, the Eagles will have three first rounds picks for 2022, which gives you options. The Eagles do have some highly-rated offensive and defensive lineman, including Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox, and Lane Johnson. A good draft in 2022 can catapult your team to success in a hurry, so you could but this squad as you see fit.
Jaguars
We can’t finish this feature without mentioning the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags had a horrible 2020, but there was a saving grace. Jacksonville finished with the worst record in the NFL, affording the Jaguars the opportunity to take highly-touted QB Trevor Lawrence with the top pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
With Lawrence and fellow first-round pick Travis Etienne in fold, the Jags can have a reliable QB-RB duo in town for years to come. Plus, the Jaguars also have some young players on defense, including CB C.J. Henderson, and linebackers Myles Jack and Josh Allen. It’s going to take a while to bring a winner to Jacksonville, especially since the highest-rated player to start 2021 will be at 86 OVR (running back James Robinson). But with some terrific building blocks already in place, you should have a lot fun trying to bring Jacksonville, FL its first ever Super Bowl championship.
