One Bold Prediction for Each NFC Team Entering 2022

Los Angeles Rams

Bobby Wagner & Allen Robinson Find the Fountain of Youth

Bobby Wagner is among the names that constantly get thrown around for the Mount Rushmore of linebackers. He still has plenty left in his Hall of Fame tank to show up big for the Los Angeles Rams. It should be illegal to have Wagner in the middle of a defense that features Aaron Donald up front and Jalen Ramsey on the backend. Speaking of veterans with something left in the tank, Allen Robinson is slated to be the No. 2 pass-catching option in the Sean McVay system. He had a disappointing 2021 season on all fronts, but those poor stats were produced under the worst of circumstances. Now, the script is flipped and Robinson will prove that he is still one of the best at the position in the NFL.

San Francisco 49ers

Trey Lance Leads the Team in Rushing Yards & Touchdowns

This will probably read as an insult to Elijah Mitchell, but that is simply not the case. Mitchell dealt with injuries as a rookie and is already dealing with some now, as he’s expected to miss the remainder of the preseason. Behind Mitchell, youngsters Trey Sermon and Tyrion Davis-Price, along with veterans Jeff Wilson Jr. and JaMycal Hasty compile the depth chart. They could always give Deebo Samuel some time in the backfield, but I suspect they won’t expose him to the wear and tear as much as they did before. Forgive me for not being overly optimistic about the team having a bell-cow running back. They do, however, have a new quarterback that thrives as a runner. The read option is going to be a lethal weapon in San Francisco with Trey Lance eclipsing the 1000-yard mark and recording double-digit touchdowns on the ground. If Lance can live up to the expectations that Kyle Shanahan has for him, there’s a high likelihood that the gifted quarterback will earn MVP votes as well.

Arizona Cardinals

Marquise “Hollywood” Brown Puts Up Video Game Numbers

The Arizona Cardinals acquired Marquise “Hollywood” Brown from the Baltimore Ravens on the night of the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Brown enters a wide receiver room that features fellow speed demon Rondale Moore, aging veteran AJ Green, and superstar DeAndre Hopkins. The latter will be serving a six-game suspension to open the 2022 season, so you can look for Hollywood to produce some ridiculous numbers during that span. He is reunited with his former college quarterback, Kyler Murray, which is an exciting thought. The team exercised his fifth-year option for 2023, so Brown likely won’t be distracted by any contract talks. A big year is on the horizon.

Seattle Seahawks

Tariq Woolen & Coby Bryant Both Claim Starting Roles at Cornerback in 2022

The Seattle Seahawks are ushering in a new era after trading franchise legend, Russell Wilson, to the Denver Broncos. General manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll are still calling the shots from a front office standpoint, which should give the fan base a great amount of confidence. The team also lost starting cornerback DJ Reed in free agency, but do not fear, the rookies are here! Fourth-round pick Coby Bryant and fifth-round pick Tariq Woolen have both been making waves this offseason. Both have excelled in training camp and practices alike. Bryant is more of the technical archetype, while Woolen is as “traitsy” as they come. Veterans Artie Burns and Sidney Jones are still expected to start, but neither has been healthy enough to see much action this offseason. It may not happen in week one, but both of these guys should find their way into the starting lineup at some point in 2022.