Slumping NFL franchises usually struggle with the same things: developing team chemistry from the front office on down, finding decent offensive line play and identifying a franchise quarterback through free agency or the draft. Those things are consistently hard to do.
So they might as well take the lay-up where they have it: finding good receivers.
They are everywhere. Just look at our list of the top 50 free agents, from ESPN's Kevin Seifert. It includes eight wideouts, and four come in the top 10. And don't forget about the past two draft classes, which have produced a combined 11 first-round receivers and saw 23 selected in the first two rounds -- good enough for 36% of the player pool. Receivers who can microwave a cold offense can be found anywhere in the draft.
And yet several teams need an infusion of talent at the position. Having talent at the position can go a long way. Just look at the four remaining playoff teams. The Bengals showed what happens when an offense has three star wideouts, and the other three teams have Deebo Samuel, Cooper Kupp or Tyreek Hill. That only deepens the intrigue for 2022 free agency, which has numerous high-end receivers, beginning with arguably the best in the game.
