Every single season the NFL sees huge changes. Teams that look like a complete lost cause can turn around with new coaching, new leadership,and new direction and become a playoff contender. In contrast, teams who won divisions and made playoff runs can slip to a seven win team and be on the outskirts looking lost. Consistent sustained success is rarely achieved in the NFL, frequently referenced as standing for Not For long.
Teams like the Patriots with their two decade run of dominance, felt the sting of losing the greatest football player of all time to return to mediocrity. The Mike Tomlin era of the Steelers have never had a losing season, a wonderfully blissful era. The Ravens’ front office is the envy on the football universe, moving on from arguably the greatest GM in history in Ozzie Newsome to a rising superstar in Eric DeCosta. Kansas City snagged a wonderful innovative head coach, and paired him with the most talented passer in the history of the NFL, they look poised for an incredible long term run. Seattle’s Russell Wilson age has led the team to win and win and win, and yet they’ve come away with a single title. Same can be said of the Green Bay Packers and their own Hall of Fame quarterback, and the New Orleans Saints, who watched Drew Brees ride off into a statistically significant Hall of Fame sunset.
These runs from elite teams though are all starting to see the cracks in the foundation, and it’s this difficulty to find sustained success that makes the NFL the greatest league in professional sports. A hard salary cap, a reverse progression draft, and a league where most games are decided by one play creates an atmosphere where sustained longevity and success is rare to find. However, every team is trying to build what these teams have found over the past decade plus. The seven teams mentioned above are all examples of franchises who have built something to last, and none of them are even the defending Super Bowl Champions and prohibitive favorite to win the 2021 Super Bowl Tampa Bay.
This season, though, is about the next 22 weeks, and this article isn’t about the teams most poised for a long multi year winning run. This is about what is going to happen in the 2021-2022 season and what would be considered a good season for each of the league’s 32 franchises. What these teams can expect, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. I’m going to make projections and predictions for each of the NFL’s teams and see where the chips fall at seasons’ end. Are you ready for some football, god knows I am.
NFC WEST
Los Angeles Rams
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The Rams enter the offseason with a makeover at professional sports’ most important position, quarterback. Jared Goff was my 19th rated quarterback in 2020 and Matthew Stafford was my 11th rated quarterback, the difference between these two is noticeable. Stafford can make plays and throws that almost every other quarterback in the league can’t make. That said, he hasn’t been on a winning organization since he left Georgia, and it will be a different feel for him trying to maintain wins than constantly feeling like he has to do everything himself. If Stafford can play winning football and make the transition to a sometimes game manager, the Rams could be an extremely dangerous team.
UNDER THE RADAR WORRY:
Everyone loves the Rams this offseason, but I don’t think people realize how much they lost in their secondary this offseason. John Johnson is one of the best defensive backs in the NFL and losing him to the Browns is a major blow. Add in the fact that Troy Hill went with him and you’ve lost two very good players in the back end. Yes, you still have Jalen Ramsey back there, a top 5 DB in the league, and Darious Williams is a star, but you lost Brandon Staley as your DC and the lack of continuity in the secondary is a bigger problem than I think is being talked about outside of LA.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The Rams currently are +1500 to win the Super Bowl, the 5th best odds in the NFL according to Vegas. They have star power without question at some of the games most important positions, including corner with Ramsey, quarterback with Stafford, and obviously the games’ best player in Aaron Donald. They have weapons at wide receiver including tremendous depth at the position, and they have one of the NFL’s best coaches in Sean McVay. The team has the coaching, the quarterback, and key players at key positions, they could win the Super Bowl.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The Rams also have horrible depth due to the all in approach of Les Snead. Losing Johnson and Hill is a major issue that could certainly put too much pressure on the secondary and the pass rush. Once you get away from Aaron Donald you really don’t have anyone that scares you as a pass rusher. Yes Leonard Floyd can play and he had 10.5 sacks last year, but the three years prior he only combined for 11.5 sacks, and he faces virtually no double teams when Donald is on the field. If Donald gets hurt, the defense becomes extremely weak. The linebacker position is already one of the worst units in the NFL, and the offensive line is mediocre at best. Yes the team has a Madden Like appeal with some 90s rated players, but the lack of depth and weaknesses at other positions, along with losing an extremely talented defensive play caller is going to be an issue. The Rams could end up in the most talented division in football, being on the outside looking in at the playoffs, if that’s the case Les Snead could be gone.
WHAT I PROJECT:
Honestly I can’t stand the way Snead builds football teams. The NFL is more about depth than it is about adding superstars. Great players are important, but not as important as adding loads of quality pieces. The best teams in the league year in and year out have exceptional depth and the lack of that on this team is glaring. I think the losses in the back end are going to be problematic, and the team losing Akers is a bigger blow than people think. Running back isn’t incredibly important, but the team certainly lost some juice going from Akers to Henderson/Michel. With a mediocre line, really bad linebacker play, the team is just capped at being good not great. I think the Rams end up 10-7, looking occasionally when healthy like a juggernaut but when stars miss games they look vulnerable and weak. If they can all stay healthy all year, this team would be scary, but the odds of that are increasingly slim. The top 5 talent on this team is probably the best in the NFL, but at Build The 53, we’re about building the 53, and this 53 needs work.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
CB Darious Williams -
He’s one of the best corners in the NFL, and the dude can really play. I would bet this offseason he ends up getting over $10m per season as a free agent. Nobody talks about him, but watch him play, he’s sticky as hell in man coverage and in the typical cover-6 they ran last year he was dynamic with his first step breaking on the ball. The last two seasons his passer rating when targeted with 77 in 2019 and 61 last year. The dude is a baller.
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
BIGGEST CHANGE:
By far the biggest change for the 49ers this offseason is just health. According to Football Outsiders Adjusted Games Lost metric, which by the way is an incredible tool, shout out to those guys, the 49ers lost more than 20% MORE games than the next closest team in 2020. Think about that number, that’s just insanity. The team gets back its capable quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo and its best player in Nick Bosa. Obviously going from backup and third string qb’s to a starter is a big change, but getting back your best player is a huge bump up as well. Kyle Shanahan is a genius coach but you can only make chicken salad out of chicken shit for so long and while he had a managable offense last year, they should be much improved this year. Toss in a dynamic rookie signal caller in Trey Lance, and you have the makings of a two-headed monster at quarterback. Typically the saying, if you have two quarterbacks you don’t have any is something I agree with, but if any coach in the NFL can make it work playing two dudes back there it’s Shanahan. If the 49ers can even get to league average in health, a crazy weird arbitrary stat that you can’t predict, they could easily win the NFC West and they have an outside shot at a Super Bowl.
UNDER THE RADAR WORRY:
Other than health, the biggest thing the 49ers have to worry about is cornerback play. Jason Verrett looked like the star we all thought he would be last season, but his health and availability is always going to be a big worry. K’Waun Williams is a good player when healthy but he’s only 5’9 and missed 8 games last year due to injury as well. When you get behind those guys on the depth chart you are thinning out in a big way. Bigger WR’s are going to give this team problems, and in a division with DK Metcalf and Deandre Hopkins that is going to be a problem. If the top two corners have some injury problems, which they certainly have in the past, this team is going to struggle. I think CB play is the reason this team won’t compete for a Super Bowl this year.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The CB’s stay healthy, and a dual quarterback system proves to be a huge headache for opposing DC’s. The 49ers do have a capability to go deep into the playoffs with this type of roster. They have very good lines, a deep receiving corps of weapons, and capable quarterback play. Their team has the best linebacker in football in Fred Warner, and a very good coach. This is a really good football team, however, their lack of depth and size at cornerback is a big problem, particularly in the NFC with big bodied receivers on good teams posing a problem. Down the road in the playoffs with the best teams having big receivers, like Metcalf, Hopkins, Evans in TB and Adams in Green Bay the 49ers can get all the way to maybe even the NFC Championship, but that’s the ceiling as their qb play can’t elevate the team quite enough to get to a Super Bowl, but a very successful season nonetheless.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The corners get hurt or exposed and the two quarterback system doesn’t work like they would like. The 49ers have a tough schedule and it weighs on them throughout the season. A bunch of close losses due to decent but not elite quarterback play hurts. The team is good but not QUITE good enough and loses most of their one score games. In a tough NFC West the team goes 7-10 and John Lynch is on the hot seat.
WHAT I PROJECT:
This is a really good team with good lines, a very good coach, and they simply can’t have the same injury impact they had last season. I think eventually Trey Lance gets the reigns here and it likely leads to some growing pains but the team still plays well. I think they go 10-7 and tie for the Division lead. While I think they could both be quite a bit better than that and quite a bit worse depending on when he plays and how they do in one score games, this is a good building block year for the 49ers who move on from Jimmy G after the season, when the cap number is tiny to move on, and the Trey Lance era comes in full force in 2022 making this team a scary bunch and a favorite next year.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
RB Raheem Mostert
Everyone knows about his speed as he’s been clocked as the fastest ball carrier in the NFL per next Gen Stats. What most people don’t know is that for his career he averages an insane 5.6 yards per carry. If Mostert can ever stay healthy, he’s a threat to lead the NFL in rushing, he’s that good and that talented. If he can stay on the field for 15 games this year, he’s a lock for 1200 rushing yards, minimum.
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The biggest change of this offseason for the Seattle Seahawks is going to Shane Waldron as the new offensive coordinator. The Hawks have struggled to “let Russ Cook” over the last few seasons with a head coach committing to running into stacked boxes while they have a top 5 player at quarterback. Despite a weird system and a conservative coach Wilson has thrown for at least 31 touchdowns in his past 4 seasons, and 5 of his past 6. The question is going to be if Waldron’s complex system can help unleash Wilson and turn him into an MVP candidate like he was the first few weeks of 2020.
BIGGEST WORRY:
The team always has offensive line worries, and this season is no different. Duane Brown is still a very good player at left tackle, but a hold-in type situation is brewing with him and he’s nearing 40. Grabbing Gabe Jackson was a tremendous move for the Hawks and he’s certainly an upgrade, other than that though, this is a poor offensive line. Ethan Pocic is well below average at center, which in my mind is the most important offensive line position. Damien Lewis showed promise last season, but needs a big jump to be a positive on the line, and Brandon Shell is at best a swing tackle but is starting on the right side. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if day 3 pick Stone Forsythe ends up starting games for this team before years’ end.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
Look this team doesn’t have losing seasons under Russell Wilson and they won’t start this season. Wilson and Waldron connect instantly and he goes off for Seattle, earning his first MVP award and leading Seattle to an NFC West Title. The team can’t quite overcome their mediocre line and extremely weak corners in the playoffs but Wilson tosses well over 40 TD’s and the Hawks win a playoff game.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The Waldron and Wilson connection takes a while to heat up and by that point the other really good teams in this division have buried the Hawks. The line gets thoroughly beaten up and the corners end up as one of the worst trios in the league, regularly giving up 30 plus points per game. While the Hawks don’t completely dismantle they don’t play well enough to keep Wilson’s winning streak alive and they end up a disappointing 7-10
WHAT I PREDICT:
If you have a really bad offensive line and a really bad secondary, you can’t win big in the NFL and that’s what Seattle has. We’ve been over their line but their starting corners are in the bottom 4 of the NFL. While Wilson has routinely pulled rabbits out of his hat throughout his tenure in Seattle, the lack of depth and quality options at those two levels is too much to overcome this year. While Seattle has an extremely talented air attack, the lack off pass rush, pass defense, and o-line play is too much in a good division. Wilson is incredible, but even he’s not enough this year. The Hawks go 9-8 and miss the playoffs.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
S - Quandre Diggs
Diggs is an exceptional safety and yet when people are talking about the elite he’s rarely mentioned. I get that everyone loves Jamal Adams but there’s a case to be made that Diggs is actually the better player. In 5 seasons of playing meaningful snaps Diggs WORST year in passer rating against was 92, while he has a 62 graded season on his resume. Earlier in his career he wasn’t as good of a tackler but last season he missed less than 10% of his attempts. Diggs should challenge for $10m per season as a safety and his versatility and coverage ability is a tremendous compliment to Adams.
ARIZONA CARINDALS
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Honestly not much has changed with the Cards this offseason except they decided to go out and try to surround Kyler Murray with big name veterans. Bringing in a broken down AJ Green was a strange move to say the least. JJ Watt definitely still has something left in the tank but he’s not nearly the player he was a couple of seasons ago, and obviously durability is a major issue there. It’s the biggest swings the team made in the offseason, but health is going to be an issue.
BIGGEST WORRY:
We’re going to have a reoccuring theme here in the NFC West with cornerback being by far the biggest worry. The Cardinals are going to run out some really weak options on the outside to start their season with Robert Alford, who hasn’t played a game since 2018, and Byron Murphy who has allowed 68% completions against him so far in his career, although he did improve last season. Pair that with Marco Wilson, a late round rookie being their third option and it will be extremely difficult for the Cardinals to stop anyone through the air.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The Kyler Murray experience shows up in a big way and the Cardinals free agent acquisitions really show up. Watt and Green discover the fountain of youth and Murray learns to play better from the pocket. The Cardinals win a bunch of close shootouts and Murphy takes another step forward in year 3. While the team doesn’t exactly dominate, they win enough games in a crowded division to win the entire thing at 10-7 with the help of some tiebreakers. Murray also helps win some fantasy league titles by combining for more than 40 TD’s and while they get beat early in the playoffs its a big step forward for Steve Keim and Kliff Kingsbury.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Kyler struggles to improve from the pocket and the AJ Green move doesn’t move the needle. The secondary gets torched regularly and despite scoring a lot of points, the Cardinals don’t take a step forward. Kyler’s size and interceptions become a talking point as he relies too much on his legs and misses a few games after getting beaten up a bit. The wheels fall off leading to an exodus with Kinsbury and Keim fired and a 5-12 record.
MY PROJECTION:
I’m on record saying I think Kyler is a tremendous athlete but he’s a decent but not great NFL quarterback. His inability to read the defense beyond his first read and his lack of size to stay in the pocket limits what he can do. A team with a good pocket pusher up front causes him serious problems. I’m also not a Kinsbury fan as he’s never won at any level where he’s coached in a big way. I think this season this is a fairly talented team but this roster has serious holes and Kyler is an overrated player except in fantasy or Madden, but in real football too many missed throws and too much reliance on his legs and Nuk leads this to being a disappointing season. Arizona goes 7-10 and Kinsbury and Keim get let go.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
OT - Kelvin Beachum
This dude is a very good pass protector and while he never gets the credit he deserves he’s a quality player. Teams kind of let him sit out there every year and yet year in and year out he does the job. In 2020 he was third among tackles in pass block win rate according to ESPN and last year the Cards were third in that category in big part to Beachum.
AFC WEST
Kansas City Chiefs
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The Chiefs were embarrassed in the Super Bowl on their offensive line as Patrick Mahomes ran for his life. Brett Veach and company said the hell with that and went out and remade their line for 2021. The Unit traded for Ravens stud tackle Orlando Brown to man the left side of the line. Then they went out and grabbed one of the more consistent players in the NFL from New England in Joe Thuney. They return Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, although he looks to be a backup at this point and drafted Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith, two former big time recruits. Lucas Niang comes back from opting out last year and Mike Remmers provides a multi position backup. The team could realistically start 5 new players on their line, including 3 de facto rookies in week 1.
BIGGEST WORRY:
Well it’d be easy to say the offensive line gelling but I think we have to look a bit deeper here. There are 3 teams that are obvious Super Bowl favorites and the Chiefs are one of them. The only really fear here is that after their top two receivers, KC really needs to find a quality third option. Obviously Kelce and Hill are incredible but can Mecole Hardman step up into that WR2 spot? If not, good secondaries can really do their best to contain the top two and try to put pressure on Mahomes with a young offensive line. If Hardman can step up though, this offense may be borderline unstoppable.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The obvious best case scenario here is that this team goes out and wins the Super Bowl. KC has everything you’d need to be a great team. They have continuity on their coaching staff, the best quarterback in the game, elite weapons offensively, and big time playmakers on defense with Mathieu, Jones, and Clark. If their line can get it figured out and get better play from their youngsters this team is scary. I think their lack of studs at linebacker and their lack of a #2 weapon keep them from going undefeated but in a best case scenario the team goes 15-2, gets back to the Super Bowl, and takes home the Lombardi for the 2nd time in 3 seasons.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
I can’t see this team having a rough year, but Mahomes has had some minor injury scares in the past and their offensive skill depth isn’t what it once was. An injury to any of their top 3 players on offense or defense could cause some issues. The Broncos are up and coming and I’d be careful of the Chargers as well in those powder blues. While the team doesn’t struggle, a top heavy roster and some missed opportunities cause them to only win 10 games, and a surprise Chargers team wins the division.
WHAT I PREDICT:
The Chiefs start a bit slower than you’d think because the line is young and therefore the offense isn’t quite as good as they eventually will be, but by years’ end they are cooking. Mahomes throws for close to 5000 yards and Hardman becomes a real weapon as a third option. The addition of Reed to the defensive line is an underrated move of the offseason and by years’ end the Chiefs look like they’re really rolling. A 13-4 season is capped off by a trip to the Super Bowl where unfortunately they lose for the second time in a row.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
CB Charvarius Ward
It’s hard to find someone nobody talks about on one of the most talked about teams in the league. Ward isn’t exactly an elite player but he’s a damn solid starting cornerback on a team that is almost always ahead, so he should get tested. Last year though teams only threw his direction 4 times per game. Over the past two seasons he’s only allowed 51% of throws at him to be completed. He’s a feisty physical player who plays a lot of man coverage, and gives up very little. Underrated performer, not to mention his past two seasons he’s missed a COMBINED 7 tackles.
Los Angeles Chargers
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Obviously moving away from the perennial unprepared clock manager Anthony Lynn and going with a super young head coach in Brandon Staley is going to be the biggest change. This Chargers team went 7-9 last season but managed to lose 7 games by a combined 32 points, mostly due to inane clock management by Lynn. Staley is going to bring a new and improved defense to the Chargers, mostly with an intriguing cover 6 heavy look that gave offenses fits last year with the Rams. The team also returns superstar Derwin James and brought in big time help for a weak offensive line with one of the top centers in the game in Corey Linsley, a first round pick at left tackle in Slater,and a perennially underrated Matt Feiler. The Chargers might be a force in 2021.
BIGGEST WORRY:
Other than the fact the Chargers are almost always injured, football wise there are some issues that need to be addressed. They did an excellent job of upgrading their offensive line this offseason, now it looks formidable. The team actually doesn’t have any real gigantic holes, the big worry will be special teams. They let go of Michael Badgley and are giving Tristan Vizcainio a go at the kicking job. Their returners don’t really scare anyone and for a team that consistently finds itself in one score games in the past, if they lose games they should win early does that snowball into bigger issues.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
I’m going to preface this with saying I did put some money on the Chargers to win the Super Bowl at 35:1 so me saying they’re best case scenario is Super Bowl Champs is a bit self serving. That said, there is a way for these guys to hoist the Lombardi. Second year quarterbacks over the past few years have taken a leap and Justin Herbert might do the same. Their offensive line is much improved over last season and they get back a healthy Austin Ekeler. With Bosa and James back healthy, and a better defensive coach the Chargers win quite a few of those close games and get into the playoffs somehow managing to beat the underachieving Chiefs at 12-5. They run through the playoffs with really good team balance and manage to get to the Super Bowl, where Herbert leaps into Super stardom leading the long-shot to the Championship.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The Chargers continue to get bitten by the injury bug and Staley looks a little over his head as a rookie head coach. The special teams’ unit that has always been an issue rears its’ ugly head early in the season and the team starts to wonder if it can win close games. Derwin James gets injured again, putting real doubt into whether he can ever stay healthy and a decent but not great cornerback room gets beaten by the top receivers they face. They plod along all year and finish about where they did the year before as Herbert regresses a bit in year two. They go 8-9 and settle into mediocrity.
MY PREDICTION:
I’m extremely bullish on the Chargers. I think this team could really go places in 2021 and think if you’re buying stock on an NFL team right now this would be a good place to put your money. Herbert is the real deal and the team had to get better coaching and on the offensive line and went out and did both very well. I think they take a big step forward and get to 11 wins and into the playoffs where they are a dangerous out. I don't’ know if they win the Super Bowl, but at 35:1 odds you should definitely buy a ticket as this is one of the most complete teams in the NFL this year.
BEST PLAYER THAT NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
CB Michael Davis
This guy is going to be a breakout star in this defense this season. The 6’2 corner allows only about 60% completions against him and a passer rating against in the 70s each of the past two seasons. League average is about 95. This defense is tailor made for Davis who may end up being a pro-bowl caliber player in Staley’s defense. This could be the year he breaks out. The three year 25.2 million deal he signed this offseason is going to be an absolute steal and was one of the best moves of the offseason across the NFL.
Denver Broncos
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The Broncos had a good old fashioned quarterback competition this offseason and went with Teddy Bridgewater to lead the team. Bridgewater was let’s just say uninspiring last season with the Panthers, struggling to put the ball in the endzone. That said he does what he does best which is take care of the football and with an elite Broncos defense that could be enough to push this team to the brink of a playoff birth. Drew Lock is much more talented but Vic Fangio is a defensive coach and he was looking for a game manager and Bridgewater is very good at taking care of the ball.
BIGGEST WORRY:
Can they score enough points? Bridgewater is certainly going to take care of the ball, and the defense is going to be great. The issue with Teddy Two Gloves though is that he doesn’t have the arm talent to squeeze the bal into tight windows. That is the biggest problem with him in the redzone and the scariest part of starting him versus someone else. In the 43 games that Teddy has started as the undisputed starter in his career he has a grand total of… 43 passing touchdowns. That stat just isn’t good enough. Now he has a ton of talent around him this season, the issue is he probably needs to improve that number from 1.0 per game to closer to 2.0 per game for the Broncos to score enough points.. Can he do that?
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
This team does exactly what they did on their way to the Peyton Manning / Brock Osweiler Super Bowl and rely on an insane secondary that’s the best in the NFL and a tenacious pass rush to win games. They win close ones with KC and the Chargers to get to 10 wins and sneak into the playoffs as a Wild Card team. They win a first round game 13-10 with crazy defense and a two headed rushing attack but can’t score quite enough points in round two but it’s a good step forward for new gm George Paton and helps build the foundation for the team moving forward.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Bridgewater is as ineffective at putting up big points here as he was in Carolina and while the defense is very good it’s not elite. Too many field goals leads to some close games but ultimately more losses than wins. The team goes 7-10 and Vic Fangio is back to coaching defense again only this time next year as Paton wasn’t the guy who brought him in anyway. The Broncos make a huge push this next offseason though as all is certainly not lost as Aaron Rodgers starts at Mile High Week 1 of 2022.
MY PREDICTION:
This team is going to be a nightmare to play against. They have a solid offensive line, a really deep group of weapons, and by far the best secondary in the NFL. They’re going to play an insane amount of close games and it wouldn’t shock me if they figure out how to get into the playoffs. That said, Bridgewater doesn’t put up enough points to win anything real. The team ends up 8-9 despite being really scary and tough to play and they win some games against really good teams throughout the season. They make a HUGE push in the offseason though and end up with either Aaron Rodgers or Deshaun Watson and they become a favorite in 2022.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
NB - Bryce Callahan
I think Mike Hilton is the best nickel in the game, but Callahan is a damn close second. He’s elite from that spot and last year allowed an absurd 48 passer rating against from the slot. The only issue with BC is that he consistently misses games with injuries. Nickel is the most underrated important position in the game, and he’s a top 3 player at that spot when he’s healthy.
4. Las Vegas Raiders
BIGGEST CHANGE:
In a move that literally nobody that has any football sense in the world understands the Raiders got rid of their best feature this offseason, jettisoning their offensive linemen. Rodney Hudson, one of the best centers in football now resides in Arizona. Gabe Jackson a rock solid guard went north to the Seahawks. The oft injured big money right tackle Trent Brown went back to the Patriots where I’m sure he’ll thrive. They were replaced by Andre James, Denzelle Good, and rookie Alex Leatherwood. How in the hell did Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock think this was a good idea?
BIGGEST WORRY:
Other than trading out a great offensive line for one that’s below average? The team is long in the tooth at multiple positions and their secondary has not played well at all the entire time Gruden has been there. Jonathan Abram looked like a star early and then got destroyed last year, giving up a passer rating against of 111. They needed more help in their secondary so they brought in Casey Hayward who looked like he had lost a step last year despite his analytics numbers looking solid, he’s going into his age 32 season. They have nobody to play nickel either. They are going to give up a lot through the air.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The Raiders young weapons develop quickly on the outside and Bryan Edwards who has been getting accolades everywhere throughout camp proves worthy of the noise. Henry Ruggs takes the top off the defense with regularity. Renfrow continues to pick up every third down and Hayward and Abram make big improvements as Moehrig helps stabilize the secondary. The team wins some close games and Carr continues to play high quality football. The youth movement on the offensive line shows up and the team figures out a way to win 9 games and ends up with a winning record saving Gruden and Mayock.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The young receivers don’t develop and the youth movement at the line looks even worse in hindsight. Leatherwood looks exactly like the third round grade we had on him and the secondary and lack of pass rush ends up leading this team down a bad path. In a tough division they get beat up on my the top tier teams and end the year 5-12. Carr is on his way out as his Mayock.
MY PREDICTION:
If you look at this team they don’t really seem to have an identity. I think Carr has played really good football and yet they don’t win many games because well, they’re terrible defensively and they don’t develop their players well. They’re in a brutal division and simply don’t have the talent to make up for that, they had a great line and now it’s well below average. I think this team ends up in the bottom third of the league and goes 6-11 and Mayock gets shown the door even though Gruden is clearly the problem.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
DE Maxx Crosby
The dude is a really really good pass rusher and yet, you never hear his name mentioned. He has 17 sacks the past two seasons despite playing with nobody that generates consistent pressure across from him. He also has 30 TFL over those two years and hasn’t missed a game, he’s a building block and arguably Mike Mayock’s best draft pick for the Raiders.
NFC NORTH
Green Bay Packers
BIGGEST OFFSEASON CHANGE:
Well the biggest change this offseason for the Packers is probably the fact their quarterback wants out of Wisconsin. However, that issue got pushed back one more season and this year we’ll see a Last Dance situation with Aaron Rodgers. The biggest change though for the Packers comes on the offensive line. David Bahktiari, the best pass protecting left tackle in the NFL is out the first 6 weeks. Corey Linsley, a top 3 pass protecting center, is on to the Chargers. The team instead has two rookies in their place, and while as Stephen Duval, a writer and scout for me, has pointed out the Packers are incredible at finding late round line talent, these are two huge changes for arguably the best pass blocking line in the NFL over the past half decade.
BIGGEST WORRY:
This hasn’t changed from last season. Obviously the new look line is something to pay attention to but ultimately the Packers have two worries that come up. Number one is number two, meaning the team still doesn’t have a number two weapon to throw the ball to other than Davante Adams. In my estimation Adams is the best WR in the NFL but their secondary weapons leave much to be desired. In big time games, teams are simply going to put two or even three guys on Adams and dare the Packers to beat them with the other guys. The same thing is true on the defensive side of the ball. Jaire Alexander is an absolute superstar at corner, but Kevin King is not a starting corner. He was annihilated in the playoffs and for some reason Gutey decided it was a good idea to bring him back and pay him $5 million dollars to do so. They added Stokes in the draft to compete for that spot, and one of those guys will have to step up or the WR2 and the CB2 spots will doom the Packers once again.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
This is a team that can win the Super Bowl if all goes right. Rodgers is still absolutely an elite player and the team has a lot of the recipe for success in the NFL. Their biggest asset though is they play in a very weak division, with the Lions looking like the NFC’s worst team, the Vikings with holes throughout their roster, and the Bears losing pieces in their talented secondary and starting Andy Dalton at quarterback with a below average coach. The team could win 10 games and still win the division getting them into the playoffs. Stokes turns out to be a capable number two corner and Valdes-Scantling makes some big plays at wide receiver. Bahktiari comes back healthy and the rookies on the line are viable starters. Rodgers continues to play at a high level and Brady declines as old age finally punches back on TB12. The Packers get to the Super Bowl, Rodgers wins his second and the Packers end up making him the highest paid player in the NFL this offseason as he finishes his career in Green Bay.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The line isn’t quite what A-Rod is used to and the lack of secondary options on the outside on both offense and defense is problematic. While the Pack wins plenty of games they aren’t dominant or nearly as scary as other teams think. They struggle against zone running teams and while they end up making the playoffs at 10-7 they lose in round one as a disgruntled Rodgers looks disinterested partway through the season. Rodgers leaves in the offseason as Jordan Love takes over. Gutey stays on as GM despite the pleas of desperate Packers fans to get him out.
MY PREDICTION:
The Packers easily win the NFC North because it’s not a good division and they are clearly the best team. I do think the problems pointed out above are real problems though. Rodgers may not have had great weapons with him his entire career but his offensive line has always been great, and this year that may not be the case. I think they win 12 games by going 5-1 in division and make the playoffs but they really didn’t solve the issues that cost them last year and they lose in the playoffs because someone double teams Adams from the opening kickoff and against a zone running heavy team in the playoffs like San Francisco, Minnesota, or the Rams they can’t get off the field. Rodgers leaves next offseason but they recoup multiple first round picks for him ushering in the Jordan Love era with extra depth.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
OL - Elgton Jenkins
I’m not even kidding if you are building a team from scratch like in a Madden Franchise Draft, I think there are maybe only 5 or 6 linemen you’d rather have in the entire NFL than Jenkins. He’s a superstar guard, a really good center, and is an excellent tackle. Are you kidding me? He’s the best 5 position OL in the NFL and that is saying a lot. I know people respect his game but he might be the most versatile player in the NFL today and is an absolute superstar, yet most people have no idea who he is.
Minnesota Vikings
BIGGEST CHANGE THIS OFFSEASON:
Mike Zimmer may want to draft a corner in the first round every single season, but he freaking better hit on one soon. I love Rick Spielman as a GM but their track record drafting corners is rough and the corner room here in Minnesota is weak to say the least. They paid big money to bring in Patrick Peterson this offseason but Peterson the last two seasons has allowed about ⅔ of the passes thrown in his direction to be caught and he’s much more of a CB2 at this point in his career. Bashaud Breeland is a solid if unspectacular player at the other spot, and both are improvements over last season. Mackenzie Alexander is a solid slot corner. These guys are certainly improvements over last season.
BIGGEST WORRY:
They upgraded at corner, although it’s not a great corner room all in all. Darrisaw will eventually start at left tackle which will improve the line a bit, and getting Hunter back as well as a healthy Michael Pierce and Sheldon Richardson will help the line a bunch. The biggest worry though is and will continue to be whether Kirk Cousins can elevate his play against good teams. While playing against teams with winning records is obviously more difficult than playing against sub .500 teams, duh, Cousins has been historically dreadful in these situations going 7-35. In context there are only 6 quarterbacks active right now with more than 10 games against teams with winning records that have winning records and guys like Aaron Rodgers (36-41) Deshaun Watson (7-19) and Josh Allen (7-10) also have losing records. That said 7-35 (.166%) is brutal and it’s something that needs to improve if a team will ever win big with Kirk Cousins.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
Minnesota has a pretty damn good roster if you look at it across the board. If Darrisaw can be as good as I think he can be at left tackle, the offensive line is okay. They have an elite wide receiver duo and one of the league’s best running backs. Their D-Line could be very good and obviously they are really good at linebacker. Their secondary is improved and they have a superstar in Harrison Smith at safety. Let’s say they split with Green Bay and sweep the other two poor teams in the division. If that happens and they simply go 6-5 the rest of the way Minnesota wins 11 games and gets to the dance, as a division winner. They win in round one with an insane Dalvin Cook game and everything turns up roses in round two and they get to the NFC Championship game. That’s when they run out of steam though, they don’t quite have the horses at corner and with only one real pass rusher they struggle to generate heat. Cousins can’t elevate everyone and that’s as far as their capable of going.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The line doesn’t quite come together and the mixture of average players in their secondary struggles to hold teams down. Cousins doesn’t take the leap and he shows that he simply is what he is. The team plays okay but not great and scares nobody and kind of limps and meanders their way to another meh season leading to the dismissal of Mike Zimmer as they go 7-10.
MY PREDICTION:
I actually like Minnesota as a sleeper team this year. I think they have just enough at corner and on their line to be dangerous and I think Cousins is a better quarterback than people think. When Kendricks, Barr, and Hunter all play it’s a scary defense on paper. They aren’t as good as Green Bay so they can’t catch them but I think they win 9 or 10 games, and I’m going to go with 10 because they can win 3 or 4 against the other two bad teams in the division. They make the playoffs but they don’t quite have the firepower to do much while there. Losing Smith was a big blow at tight end as he was poised to have a huge year in my opinion.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
QB Kirk Cousins
I know everyone hates him and he sucks and he’s garbage… that’s an easy thing to say but you don’t watch as much tape as me. Cousins is an extremely accurate quarterback. Yeah he’s got a mediocre arm but for his entire career he’s a 67% completion guy. He’s thrown for at least 25 touchdowns in 6 straight seasons, and has a QBR above 56 in each of those seasons. He’s rock solid. If he didn’t get paid all that money guaranteed he wouldn’t be seen as this horrible player, becuase let’s be honest he’s not a bad football player. I think he’s somewhere around the 13-16 range in the league and yet he’s treated like he’s in the bottom tier.
Chicago Bears
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Well obviously the biggest change here was going from Mitch Trubisky to a mixture of Andy Dalton and eventually Justin Fields. The team is “committed” to Dalton as the starter for at least week 1 but it won’t be long until Fields trots out there to be the next savior for the Bears.
BIGGEST WORRY:
Dalton isn’t the long term answer anywhere so obviously quarterback is the biggest worry but to me for the 2021 season the big worry should be on the offensive line. Charles Leno is a really good player and they let him walk to draft Teven Jenkins, an obvious right tackle, to move him to the left side. Then he promptly got injured and will miss the season. So they went out and got Jason Peters who is about 1100 years old to play the left side. Scary. Sam Mustipher is penciled in as the starting center right now. It sounds like someone I made up. Germaine Ifedi is the other tackle. This is going to be one of the weakest units in the NFL and the three really important OL spots are made up of three very weak options.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
Regardless of record this year the best thing that could happen to Chicago is if Justin Fields looks like the second coming. This team hasn’t had good quarterback play since Sid Luckman and they desperately need someone to come in and be the man. If Fields can show he can really play the team has a chance to win 9 games or so and it might be enough to save Matt Nagy’s job and create a ton of positive momentum heading into next season when they get Jenkins back as well.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The offensive line is so bad that no quarterback can be successful. Allen Robinson is tired of the losing and quietly forces his way out as well. The Nagy run has ended so has Ryan Pace as the team struggles to find footing. A Thanksgiving Day loss to the Lions ends that era as both are let go. The team stumbles to a 5-12 finish all the while Justin Fields struggles and looks overwhelmed.
MY PREDICTION:
This is not a well put together football team and while I love that they got Fields where they did, this line is bad. They lost Kyle Fuller which is an underrated huge loss for them, and outside their top two receiving options their offense is weak. David Montgomery is my man, I love him but he’ll have zero room to operate. Nagy is over his head as a head coach and the weak cornerback play coupled with a declining Khalil Mack doesn’t show up well. The Bears win 6 games and we don’t know anything about Fields as he runs for his life, and the Nagy-Pace era mercifully ends.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
CB Jaylon Johnson
I think he’s going to be a star as early as this season as he’s a huge breakout candidate. He started the year strong last year before fading a bit down the stretch but he’s a rock solid corner. He gave some up last year but also broke up 15 passes and plays a physical tough brand of football that shows how good he can eventually be.
Detroit Lions
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Well the coaching staff and front office changed, the team traded Matt Stafford to the Rams ending that era, and in one of the most bizarre and entertaining news conferences I’ve ever seen we learned about biting knee caps. Let’s just say this is going to be different. It almost feels like the bigger change instead of coaches and front office is Stafford being dealt. The Ford Family did him a solid and got him out of their so they could start over, which was 100% the correct move for a team that hasn’t won a playoff game.
BIGGEST WORRY:
Lack of talent. The team has the weakest receiver corps in the NFL right now and it’s not particularly close. They have nobody at cornerback over the age of 25. The team seems committed to trying a 5-2 type defense with huge OLB’s, something that I actually think is super entertaining and interesting as I’m a big Aaron Glenn believer. Ultimately the team just lacks playmakers on offense or defense and while I love that they are truly committed to building a bully long term, you have to have playmakers to win in the NFL and they don’t have many yet. Hockenson may end up leading the league in targets, and I don’t just mean for a tight end.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
They aren’t going to win many games, but if the team buys into the tough and physical identity it’ll be a big step in the right direction. The team has a big strong phyiscal offensive line and the 3 man front with 2 hybrid edge defenders should be difficult to move. If the team can commit to this style of football moving forward they should be a tough team to play week in and week out and even if they only win a handful of games, finding pieces to build around and cornerstone guys throughout this season, all while securing a high draft pick for next year and establishing an identity would be a huge success.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Dan Campbell proves to be more of a joke than his press conference. The team isn’t competitive because they went too young in the secondary and their receivers can’t create any separation. They don’t have a developmental quarterback so Jared Goff is a sacrificial lamb back there. Sewell doesn’t figure out the right side and looks lost as a rookie and somehow three teams are worst than them so they don’t get their pick of a top 3 quarterback.
MY PREDICTION:
This is going to be a really bad team but they do have strong offensive line play and I’m an Aaron Glenn guy so I think defensively by years’ end they’ll find some playmakers and figure some stuff out. You have to have people to throw to in the NFL though and this team will try to play college type offense and shorten games but they are going to be overmatched throughout the season. Roster wise this is the second worst team in the NFL and it’s a transition year. They go 3-14 but find some pieces to build around Okudah and Sewell start to really figure it out by years’ end and Hockenson looks like an All-Pro potentially. Campbell is weird, but you can start to see the vision.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
DE- Trey Flowers
I know he got this huge contract but he’s still quietly a really good player. He’s never going to be someone who will fill up the stat sheet as a sack artist but he’s damn good. He’s solid against the run, stacks super well, maintains his gap and can get pressure with push. He’s not worth 18 million a year but he’s a really good player. I’m super interested to see how he transitions to this hybrid role this season, I think it may help him have a really good season.
AFC NORTH
Cleveland Browns
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The biggest change for Cleveland this season was becoming a place where Free Agents wanted to go as John Johnson, one of the best free agents available, turned down more money to go to Cleveland. Troy Hill, his Rams teammate, came over with him as well, helping to overhaul a secondary that now looks extremely formidable. Jadeveon Clowney comes in to take some pressure of the guy I think will be the DPOY this season in Myles Garrett. Andrew Berry may end up taking the crown as the best GM in football, as the Browns are a joke no more.
BIGGEST WORRY:
Baker Mayfield is the biggest worry on this team. While Mayfield certainly looks like a decent NFL quarterback for this team to achieve what they want, he has to take a step forward and become a top tier player. I’m not sure he’s capable of doing that though. For everyone saying how accurate he is, for his career he’s completed a bit less than 62% of his passes and has averaged almost 1 INT per game. His career yards per attempt is a decent but not good 7.4, and that includes a 7.7 YPA number from his rookie season. He’s kind of plateau’d the last two seasons and Kevin Stafanski creates wide open throws in a really impressive scheme. Mayfield has to become someone who can put up huge numbers to keep up with the Patrick Mahomes’ Josh Allen’s of the world or the team is simply capped on how good they can be.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
In year two of the Stefanski system Mayfield figures it out and with a healthy Odell Beckham he sets career highs in touchdowns and YPA while taking that step out of decent quarterback to really good. The roster is a top 5 roster and with an exceptional line and two headed monster at running back the team looks downright nasty in winning the AFC North. They manage a first round bye going 14-3. After KC slipped up the Browns play the Bills in the AFC Championship and behind an incredible 200 plus rushing yards again the Browns make the Super Bowl. The team is one of a few that can win a Super Bowl and in this scenario their insane roster wins out, leading them to their first Lombardi trophy. Myles Garrett becomes the first defensive player since LT to win the MVP on his way to setting the sacks record as well.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Despite a tremendous roster, Mayfield is just too ordinary. They win games but can’t really get much going outside of that. Their linebackers aren’t great and they give up too many rushing yards against good teams like Baltimore and Tennessee and Mayfield proves that he can’t keep up with the stars of the position, falling even farther behind guys like Justin Herbert. The team isn’t sure what to do with an extension for him and despite winning 9 games and having a winning record, there’s more questions than answers in Northeast Ohio.
MY PREDICTION:
The Browns roster top to bottom is scary good. They have key depth and I like Stefanski as a coach. That said, Mayfield is just too average to score enough points against great teams and while they win 12 games and the division, they get to the playoffs and can’t beat anyone great. The questions of whether or not to extend him become problematic as he becomes the next in the line of good but not great, and whether the team commits to him or not is the biggest question of the 2021 offseason.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
OL Joel Bitonio
He’s rock solid and his ability to create movement in the run game and pass protect one on one is paramount to the team’s success. He could probably play tackle or center if you need him to but he’s a really good guard whose football IQ and recognition skills are exceptional. He’s paid well, and he should be, he’s a damn good player.
Baltimore Ravens
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Not a ton of changes here for the Ravens other than they tried to overhaul their receiving corps a bit to help improve things for Lamar Jackson. It seems like they needed to improve their ability to throw the ball from the pocket if they wanted to take the next step. Drafting Rashod Bateman, a perfect fit for the scheme, and getting Sammy Watkins seemed like a good step but both guys are injured now. If those two can get healthy though, it goes a long way to helping the team improve on their passing game.
BIGGEST WORRY:
Just touched on this but the team has to be able to throw when teams know they are going to throw the football. It’s not that the Ravens aren’t effective throwing at all, as Lamar Jackson threw for 7.8 YPA and then 7.3 YPA the last two seasons and New Era 8 tossed 62 TD’s over that time, but most of it was schemed up. When you get to the playoffs the team has to have more options than RPO’s and long deep crosses off of play action. They have to be able to line up in 11 personnel if they fall behind and zip the ball. They couldn’t do it against Tennessee two years ago and the Bills completely tied them up holding them to just 3 points. If they can’t figure out how to be more dynamic through the air, their ceiling will be that of a great regular season team.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
This is a team that can win the Lombardi. Lamar Jackson takes the next step in his evolution by winning some games from the pocket. Bateman and Watkins provide the upside and down the field and intermediate throws that you need to make as the team improves by leaps and bounds on third and long. The Ravens win the division and head to the playoffs where they avenge their game against the Bills and take on the Chiefs in the AFC Championship. They jump out to an early lead in the game, and pound the Chiefs on the ground while Wink Martindale confuses KC’s young offensive line. They go to the Super Bowl where their ground and pound attack controls the game from the outset. Watkins makes a big downfield play late in the half and 4 Justin Tucker Field goals lead to a Lombardi as the league takes notice that Lamar is now impossible to stop.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Any time you have a team that relies on a running quarterback this is a possibility that Lamar gets hurt. Not only that but the team is starting the season with virtually no healthy pass catchers and they stumble out of the gates. In a hyper competitive AFC they end up not being able to catch up as Lamar misses a few games. The team doesn’t have quite enough pass rush as Odafe is a project and the offensive line takes a step back. Villanueva continues to struggle as he did in the preseason and the loss of Orlando Brown stings. Queen looks lost in coverage again in year two and the Ravens don’t look the same stumbling to 8-9 as Lamar misses a handful of games.
MY PREDICTION:
The Ravens line and pass rush just aren’t as good as they were the last two seasons. I loved the Bateman move but they don't have anyone healthy early in the year. Losing Dobbins was a big blow although I think Gus Edwards is a star waiting to happen. I also think this is the third year of the Lamar Jackson experience and the league is going to catch up just a bit to that style of play this season. The team is good and wins more than they lose but they just aren’t quite what they were. They go 10-7 and are a good team.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
RB Gus Edwards
This dude if healthy is going to run for 1200 yards this season. There’s a chance that Edwards ends up as a top 6 fantasy running back in standard leagues. He’s someone who averages over 5 yards per carry for his entire career and has some of the best vision and power in the NFL. He’s going to breakout this year and everyone is going to take notice. The contract he signed is going to be an absolute steal for Baltimore.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The biggest change this offseason in Pittsburgh was their offensive line reshuffle. Gone are stalwarts Pouncey, Feiler, and Vilanueva and in are a bunch of unproven players. The team essentially will be sporting the league’s most unproven line in 2021, with a rookie running back and a 40 year old quarterback. It’s going to be much different looking for the Steelers in 2021.
BIGGEST WORRY:
I think Pittsburgh is going to have the worst offensive line in the NFL in 2021. Chuks Okorafor at left tackle is a swing tackle and should be a 3rd tackle for most teams, he’ll be the starter on the left side. Joe Haeg is penciled in right now as the right tackle, a journeyman who struggles on a consistent basis. Trai Turner is coming off one of the worst seasons in the NFL at guard, he’s got a pedigree as a stud, but last year on tape he was seriously awful. Right now JC Hassenaur is the starting center. The team is going to play a bunch of rookies and hope that Turner can regain his form from a few seasons ago. If this unit doesn’t play much much much better than they are on paper, it’s going to be an exceptionally long season.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The Steelers are still going to have an excellent defense. TJ Watt continues his dominant form and Melvin Ingram and Hightower combine for a dozen sacks on the other side. Cameron Sutton is a stud and Minkah Fitpatrick continues to ball hawk. Joe Schobert proves to be a steal from Jacksonville and the Steelers boast a top 5 unit in the NFL. The line battles all year and the team runs the ball a ton behind 300 carries from rookie Najee Harris and the Steelers continue their streak of winning season behind Mike Tomlin who wins coach of the year. In a tough division the Steelers with the North with 10 wins and battles into the playoffs in Big Ben’s last hurrah.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The offensive line is awful and Ben’s regression from last season proves even worse in 2021. The team can’t push the ball down field even when Ben gets time to throw. The loss of Nelson and Hilton in the secondary cause problems and Devin Bush doesn’t take the step forward they were hoping for, leading to a good defense, but not a dominant one. In a tough division the team can’t gain footing and Ben’s last season looks eerily similar to some of the others who fall off a cliff in their last year.
MY PREDICTION:
It’s a good defense, but not one that is as good as they’ve been in the past. Watt is a superstar and so is Minkah but Haden is really getting up there in age and Hightower and Ingram aren’t Bud Dupree. The offensive line is going to be a huge issue, you simply can’t win in the NFL with an awful line and that’s what they have there. I think the issues from the end of the season are going to be even worse and Big Ben just isn’t the guy anymore. They have their first losing season under Mike Tomlin and go 7-10. They head into next season looking for their answer at quarterback and they go out and spend big money to fix the line.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
DB Cameron Sutton
I wouldn’t have let Nelson walk away but they did because they believe in Sutton. In the last two seasons his passer rating against is 54 and 79. He’s a tough physical player who is one of the best in the NFL at getting in a players’ space. He’s played just over 800 snaps the past two seasons and allowed just 48 receptions for 500 yards… in two years. He’ll break out this year in a more full time roll.
Cincinnati Bengals
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The biggest change this year for Cincy is them swapping out players on defense. The team lost a great player in Carl Lawson, to replace him with Trey Hendrickson. They ended up losing a really good player in Williams Jackson, and yet returned Trae Waynes from injury. Mackenzie Alexander went back to Minnesota and they got a star slot in Mike Hilton. It was a year of swaps for the Bengals defense and while they spent money again, it’s tough to know whether they’ll be better or worse defensively.
BIGGEST WORRY:
The Bengals had a god awful offensive line in 2020, and it led to their superstar getting hurt. They didn’t really improve the line much in 2021 either and passed up a potential superstar lineman in Penei Sewell to go get another weapon with Jamar Chase. It’s going to be seen whether or not that was the right move but I’m here to tell you that was a huge mistake. The team had good weapons on the outside but one of the worst lines in football in a division with the Ravens pass rush, TJ Watt, and Myles Garrett. This was a terrible move. Jackson Carman in round two was a huge reach and it looks like he’s not even ready to start at guard. The Bengals are doing what they do, mismanaging the team en route to finishing last in the division again.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
Jonah Williams and Riley Reiff stay healthy and form a good enough pair of bookends it allows Burrow to thrive. Chase begins to get more comfortable as the season wears on and he looks like a true RB1. Defensively the accumulation of talent starts to take shape a bit as a talented secondary shows up and makes its share of big plays. Burrow takes off right where he left off last season but hits more downfield throws this year with the addition of Chase. They fight hard all year and really show quite a bit even though they only go 8-9, it looks like a bright future in Cincy.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The makeshift offensive line never gets Joey B a chance and Zac Taylor gets canned 7 games into the season. While the defense has talent the linebacking corps is weak and they get picked on all year. Burrow gets hurt again a few games into the year and ends up missing multiple games because he gets the shit kicked out of him on a weekly basis. In a tough division they can’t even squeak out a win and the 0-6 in division spirals. Burrow durability questions pop up again as they win 3 games.
MY PREDICTION:
The offensive line is too bad for them to be very good. Zac Taylor isn’t the right coach and in a really tough division I can’t see them even getting close to a playoff birth. Based on what I saw in the preseason Burrow isn’t right and he’s not back from the injury. I think he’s going to be a bit gun-shy and Chase looked really rusty in the preseason. I think Taylor doesn’t survive the season and they win 5 games.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
CB Mike Hilton
Hilton is the best slot corner in the NFL and he provides a physicality and toughness that is rare in defensive backs. He is in the pocket of opposing slot receivers every play and is one of the best blitzers as a DB in the league. This was a super underrated signing this offseason and the Bengals trio of corners is going to be solid.
NFC SOUTH
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The biggest change here is that there was absolutely no change, and I don’t mean that in hyperbole. The team returned all its main coaches and its starting 22 from the Super Bowl Championship team. A weakness for the team last year, running back receiving was remedied with the underrated addition of Gio Bernard, who may absolutely blow up in this offense. They added a talented edge defender in Joe Tryon who looks like a beast in the preseason. The Bucs didn’t have any chance and come back as the favorites to win the Championship.
BIGGEST WORRY:
The only real worry here is Tom Brady’s age. At some point Father Time rears his ugly head and TB12 will regress, but based on how he threw the ball last year I can’t see that being the case this year. He’s still got a cannon for an arm and now he’s got the safety valve that he didn’t last yera coming out of the backfield. Apathy or a regression from the GOAT may be on the only thing stopping this team from repeating.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
Nothing changes from the previous season and the Bucs, in a mediocre division completely runs away with the NFC and is hosting games all the way to the Super Bowl. The team continues to play well and with Vea back and the addition of Tryon their d-line depth overwhelms teams. Brady continues to play at an elite level and their third down conversion rate ticks up with Gio Bernard and OJ Howard back healthy. The Bucs get to the Super Bowl and Brady’s experience once again pays big dividends as they go back to back. They have the best odds to win the whole thing in my opinion.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
We finally begin to see the Brady regression that we’ve been waiting for for a decade. The team tries to push the ball down the field too much and interceptions keeps teams in games that shouldn’t be there. A talented but inconsistent backfield let’s some leads slip late as well and despite winning the division they aren’t as good in the playoffs and a sneaky team pulls off a fast one, knocking out the Bucs and starting questions about whether we’ve finally seen the last of Tom Brady.
MY PREDICTION:
This is the most complete team in the NFL and they should absolutely run away with the NFC South. Bernard was a big pickup for the team, and nobody is talking about the fact that they get Vea back. He’s an absolute star and will make an incredible defense even better, while Tryon adds yet another rusher in dime situations. OJ Howard also comes back healthy and he looked like an emerging star before he got hurt. The team is going to be even better than last year, and it’ll be the second season for Brady in this system. The Bucs roll through the weaker NFC, host playoff games all the way through and win the Super Bowl again. I think they go 15-2 on the way to doing it.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
CB - Carlton Davis
He’s going to get known about quickly because he’s a free agent after this season and he’s going to get a massive contract. Davis is a physical tough corner who never backs away from an opponent’s number one option. He might be a top 10 corner in the league and it’ll be tough for Tampa to keep him and Godwin after this season.
New Orleans Saints
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Well this is an easy one as the Saints finally have moved on from Hall of Famer Drew Brees. The last two seasons with Brees were a bit tough to watch as although never known for his arm, he was captain checkdown the last two years. With an elite offensive line and a super underrated defense the Saints were able to win a lot of funky games the past few years. This year however, Jameis Winston takes over the keys to the Sean Payton Ferrari. Winston has elite arm talent and he can really sling the ball. Payton has proven over the past few years that he can win with whatever at quarterback, going 8-1 without Brees the past two years with Bridgewater and Hill starting games. Can he continue to do that this year with Jameis? If he can Payton has a chance to be the Coach of the Year.
BIGGEST WORRY:
This is a glaring weakness here as Marquez Callaway and Tre Smith are the starting wideouts until Michael Thomas gets back from IR. While Alvin Kamara is obviously one of the best in the league, he’s going to face more stacked boxes than he’s ever faced before. If these guys can’t figure out how to win one on one matchups consistently, it’s going to be a very difficult year for New Orleans.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
Sean Payton figures out how to best utilize Jameis and he turns in a great season of quarterback play. One of the best offensive lines in the league rise up to the challenge and they control games up front. While the Saints have some question marks on defense, including at tackle and corner opposite Lattimore, someone steps into those roles like Paulsen Adebo and the Saints continue to win games. They beat up on the two weaker teams in the division and battle it out to 11 wins and a playoff birth. They just have a few too many holes though down the road and their lack of weapons eventually costs them. However, a rock solid season and big time play from Winston shows they may have found their answer at quarterback.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Winston throws too many picks still and Payton’s lack of weapons cause some issues. They start slow and with Kamara held in check by 8 man boxes, they struggle to score a ton of points. Weakness at all three levels of defense including DT, CB2, and WLB lead to giving up a few more points than they’re used to there as well. Some close losses snowball and the team ends up a super disappointing 7-10.
MY PREDICTION:
This is going to be a bit of a weird team and they still have a good roster and while I think Jameis plays well, he has no targets. Michael Thomas is a good player but looked very mediocre last year before his injury. Teams are going to Marshall Faulk / Patriots type game plan for AK and it’s going to be tough for them to score enough points. I think they lose some close games and while they still are scary to play against they need an influx of talent at some key positions. They go 9-8 and Winston earns an extension, but they need to hit on some draft picks in 2022.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
C - Erik McCoy
He’s a rock solid player in the middle and one of the reasons I didn’t understand why the team drafted Cesar Ruiz. McCoy can move, has power, and can anchor, showing a good combination of agility and power. This team has arguably the best line in the NFL and they’ll need it to win some tougher closer scoring games in 2021.
Carolina Panthers
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The Panthers really decided to take a swing at the quarterback position, but they did so not through the draft but in finding a talented cast off in Sam Darnold. While I’m personally still a believer in Darnold, he’s certainly had his share of issues. He’s got the most talent around him he’s ever had by far in Carolina though and with an excellent young OC, he’s got a chance to succeed. Worst case scenario he has a much higher ceiling than Bridgewater and I think he shows enough to be the starter moving forward.
BIGGEST WORRY:
The Panthers are not good on the offensive line right now. Taylor Moton is a really good player at right tackle and Matt Paradis is an above average starting center, but other than that wow that’s rough. Cam Erving at left tackle is a liability and Elfein at left guard is rough. While I don’t think Miller is awful, nobody is excited he’s your starting guard. I’d be really surprised if Brady Christensen doesn’t see playing time this year because this unit is rough and probably a bottom 5 OL in the NFL.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The team somehow gets competent play out of their line and Sam Darnold shows the talent that got him drafted top 5 in the NFL Draft. The weapons they have are elite and they play better redzone offense than last year, helping them win some of those close games. Jaycee Horn’s physicality and toughness gives them a really impressive CB duo and the young playmakers on defense start to take a big step forward. They win some close games and figure out a way to get to a winning record, with great momentum taking over in Carolina.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Sam Darnold’s turnover woes follow him to warmer climates and he struggles behind a bad O-Line. The youngsters on defense still struggle to contain the run and tackling issues run rampant leading to the team struggling to win games consistently. The lack of high end players on the roster starts to show up and they hee and haw their way to only 6 wins and the team is still in search of a long term answer at quarterback.
MY PREDICTION:
Darnold plays fairly well behind a bad offensive line and they score quite a few points. The defense is dynamic and makes some plays but also gives some up. I think they probably struggle against really good teams but they can beat some mediocre ones and Darnold shows enough to be the long term answer. While I don’t think they are great, they score some points and are fun to watch. They win 7 games and Darnold looks like he may be the answer if they can get him some protection.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
WR - DJ Moore
He’s played essentially every type of receiver role you can play through his three seasons and he’s produced at an extremely high level in all three years. His first year he was more of an underneath guy and still was extremely productive as a rookie. In 2019 they used him primarily as an intermediate route guy and sent him on crossers and had him win one on ones, and he got over 1100 yards. Last year they sent him deep and had him be a ball tracker and he once again had over 1100 yards. He’s a do it all receiver and while people know he’s good, I don’t think they get just how good. He could be a top 10 WR in the game, and this year he could break out even more as he’s a threat to finish top 5 in the league in receiving yards.
Atlanta Falcons
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The Falcons got rid of some bad coaching and added someone I’m extremely high on in Arthur Smith. Dan Quinn’s defense had way too many breakdowns over the past seasons and it was time for a change there. Obviously they contemplated keeping Raheem Morris but this was the best choice as Arthur Smith was arguably the top coach on the market this offseason along with Robert Saleh. Even if Smith is competent as a head coach, it should be a significant improvement in Atlanta.
BIGGEST WORRY:
This defense still really has some big holes, notably I’m not sure how they’re going to pressure the quarterback. Grady Jarrett is an absolute stud but other than that they have nobody that scares you coming after you. With a mediocre at best secondary, the team is going to give up big games through the air. If they can’t figure out how to manufacture a pass rush via creative and exotic blitz packages, they are going to really struggle to slow down opposing offenses.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The Falcons do figure out how to pressure opposing quarterbacks and it leads to the defense being middle of the pack. That situation along with a power running game that Smith brought along, and a OROY season from Kyle Pitts leads the Falcons to doubling their win total from 2020 from 4 to 8. They get solid seasons from Fabian Moreau at corner and AJ Terrell improves in his sophomore campaign.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Dmitroff left this team with a cupboard almost completely bare and in cap hell. This was a really rough job to take over for the incoming GM Terry Fontenot. The defense is going to be absolute garbage as they have nobody to rush the passer or defend the pass in the back end other than Grady Jarrett. This could end up being the worst defense in the NFL if they can’t figure out how to control the ball offensively. The offensive personnel isn’t quite what Smith needs to succeed and they end up needing one more year to rebuild before they can go where they need to after winning only 4 games again.
MY PREDICTION:
They just don’t have enough talent to compete, particularly on defense. While Ridley and Pitts is an insanely good 1-2 punch offensively, their line is good not great and Ryan no longer can elevate players to the next level. They still lost Julio Jones this offseason and while it was the right move, it hurt them in the short term. Dmitroff left this team in dire straights and they’ll continue to struggle. They win 5 games but really need another offseason to get the cap situation and roster back up to snuff.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
DL Jacob Tuioti-Mariner
I know you’re going to be like who the hell is this? He’s one of the best special teams players I watched last year and in limited snaps on the defensive line he was tough, physical,and athletic. I think if given enough snaps he could end up being a high quality defensive lineman and could even stick as a solid starter. I hope they give him a shot here because there is talent here that on tape really jumped out last year.
AFC SOUTH
Tennessee Titans
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The biggest change here for Tennessee could be the addition of Julio Jones to replace Corey Davis. It could be losing Jonnu Smith, a very talented tight end to New England. However, the biggest change this team had in the offseason is even bigger than that as they lost brilliant offensive coordinator Arthur Smith to the Falcons. The power run game and open looks they created made playing quarterback a lot easier for Ryan Tannehill and now without a really talented YAC tight end the team may take a step back offensively even with the addition of Jones.
BIGGEST WORRY:
The team is not good defensively and they are going to give up points. Janoris Jenkins is a decent player and Kristian Fulton should help but those two are not scaring anyone at corner. They lost Adoree Jackson and Desmond King who were their two best corners. Adding Denico Autry and Bud Dupree will surely help their pass rush, but while Dupree is talented he is coming off an injury and doesn’t have TJ Watt across from him anymore. The team gave up 27 points per game last year and honestly they could be in the same boat in 2021.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
Kristian Fulton comes into his own in year two and becomes a CB1. Bud Dupree is back from his injury at full strength and Harold Landry balls out in a contract year, creating a viable pass rush with Jeffrey Simmons and Denio Autry inside. They get some turnovers and despite giving up some points, they are able to stay in the game every week. Derrick Henry goes back-to back-to back in rushing titles and they are able to shorten games. Julio turns back the clock again and gives the team enough big plays opposite AJ Brown to put them once again at 30 points per game. In a weak AFC South they win 12 games and get to the playoffs. After upsetting a team in round one they run into a buzz saw and defensively can’t hold up. They win the division and a playoff game but their lack of corners and difference makers on defense shows up and they have a successful albeit shorten season.
WORST CASE SCENARIO;
The defense really proves to be problematic and Dupree looks like a massive overspend in free agency. The wear and tear on Henry begins to show up as he doesn’t quite have the same dominant games he used to have. Julio plays well but isn’t on the field enough as he misses 7 games agaiBn. Tannehill regresses a bit without Smith and the team loses both games to Indy. Despite a decent season at 9 wins, they miss out in a competitive AFC and end up a disappointing 8th in a 7 team race.
MY PREDICTION:
I’m not in love with the roster and I think they overspent on Dupree this offseason. Letting Jackson go was a mistake and they’re going to give up some points this year. Being aggressive and going after Jones was a bold move but losing Davis and Smith for a 32 year old Jones is at best a push and probably a net loss. That said they are in a weak division and have the best options and path to win the division. They win 10 games and look decent but Henry starts to slow a bit and they get beat in some shoot outs losing in round one of the playoffs. Losing Arthur Smith is a bigger blow than people think.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
QB Ryan Tannehill
I know, everyone talks about quarterbacks so this one was kinda weird, but hear me out. In his 26 starts with Tennessee the dude is 18-8 with 55 touchdowns and only 13 picks. He’s got a better than 4:1 TD to INT ratio and he’s averaged almost 8.5 YPA. In 2020 he had a 78.3 QBR and on top of it has tremendous athleticism for the position running in 7 TD in 2020 alone. He might not be in the crazy elite tier of quarterbacks along with Mahomes and Allen, but he’s right there. He’s extremely underrated and is a reason this team will win the AFC South again.
Indianapolis Colts
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The team going from Phillip Rivers to Carson Wentz is a pretty big swing. Rivers played decent football in his final NFL Season but he wasn’t going to elevate any of his players at that point in his career. Wentz is a few seasons removed from being in the lead for the NFL MVP award and people with short memories seem to forget that. In a season that was completely lost in Philly Wentz imploded. It looked like the QB competition got to him and his history of injuries and turnovers last year led to his ouster. He played his best football under Frank Reich who believes in the talent that Wentz has. If Wentz can get back his 2017 form where he had a 78 QBR and 33 TD in just 13 games, the Colts could dominate the AFC South. If he plays like he did last year, they could be in the running for a top 10 pick.
BIGGEST WORRY:
Well obviously the big worry here is that Wentz plays like he did last year and the Colts are left looking for a QB. Wentz threw 15 picks and was sacked 50 times in 12 games last season en route to a 49 QBR. If he can play at a high level the Colts have a fairly good roster. Matt Eberflus is one of the best DC’s in the game and will get quality play out of his defense. Taylor is an up and coming elite back and should be able to shorten games behind a tremendous offensive line. The team is extremely high on Micahel Pittman and think he could take a big leap. The worry is whether Wentz can manage the game and lead the team to an AFC South Title.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
Wentz regains most of his form and looks the part. With a fairly weak schedule the Colts play good football with Frank Reich and crew playing well in all three phases. Taylor leads the NFL in rushing and Wentz plays complementary football with enough big time throws that the Colts win 12 games, including most of their one score contests. Sweeping the Titans was huge and led to another AFC South Title. They don’t quite have the horses in the secondary to challenge the top teams in the AFC but the surprise and win a playoff game and Wentz looks like the answer at quarterback. Another good draft and the Colts can be contenders.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Carson Wentz is broken and the team struggles to find traction. Paye looks like the real deal as a rookie and Buckner is a stud but they lack another big time playmaker up front. Too many turnovers from Wentz and stacked boxes lead to a mediocre offense and a good but not great defense and the Colts only win 8 games, mostly on the shoulders of Matt Eberflus keeping them in games defensively. The Colts are looking for a DC in the offseason as well as a QB as they miss the playoffs and lose Eberflus to the Bears.
MY PREDICTION:
Wentz plays much better than he did in Philly with better coaching and behind a better offensive line. That said the playmakers in Indy aren’t exactly inspiring and so his numbers are solid if unspectacular. Taylor turns in a huge season and challenges for the rushing title but it’s not quite enough to turn heads. The team wins 9 games and fights hard but lacks elite play at corner, pass rush, and receiver and with Wentz being solid if not spectacular they just can’t beat the elite teams. They lose some one score games and get beaten by double digits sometimes to the great teams. The do they stick with Wentz question in a draft that looks full of QB options is their biggest question headed into 2022.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
SS Khari Willis
The dude is one of the best safeties in the game. He’s an elite tackler, only missing 4 on 85 attempts last season. Then on top of that he allowed a passer rating against him of 59 in 2020. He quietly goes about his job but is one of the best defensive players on one of the best defenses in the NFL. He’s a quiet star.
Jacksonville Jaguars
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Where do we even start here? The question is if the biggest change is an entirely new coaching staff and regime in the front office or is it getting a once a decade prospect at quarterback? Here I’m going to go with adding Trevor Lawrence at the signal caller position, mostly because I think Meyer only lasts a few seasons in Jacksonville as he wasn’t the right guy for the job. Lawrence is the second best prospect I’ve ever evaluated at quarterback after Andrew Luck and is well positioned with a good group of skill position players to make noise his rookie season.
BIGGEST WORRY:
The team simply doesn’t have enough talent on it yet to be a real playoff contender. They have some nice pieces to build around including Brandon Linder at center, Josh Allen coming off the edge, and Myles Jack at linebacker, that said nobody on this team is a truly elite player and without some big time pieces and a clear lack of depth, the entire roster is a bit of a worry.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The best thing that could happen to the Jags is finding out that Trevor Lawrence is the right guy at quarterback. The team could overachieve and maybe get to 8 wins or something along those lines but it’d take a ton of close wins and some injuries to opposing quarterbacks to make that happen. In reality the biggest thing Jacksonville could take out of this season would be if Lawrence makes good progress all year and shows an ability to make big time plays. If he ends up looking like a cornerstone guy at the most important position, the 2021 season is a win.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Well obviously the worst case scenario is Lawrence struggles behind a mediocre offensive line and Urban Meyer’s system doesn’t work in the NFL. Getting hit over and over and facing constant pressure Lawrence struggles to find much of a rhythm all season. Even if he survives and plays all 17 games there are really serious growing pains. The team only wins 4 games but doesn’t end up with a top 3 pick as three other teams wind up beating them out for tie breakers. Meyer looks lost on an NFL sideline and the Jags don’t make any progress. More questions than answers follow the team into year two of the Urban era.
MY PREDICTION:
I think this is going to be a rough year for both Meyer and Lawrence as they aren’t used to losing games. I can see them being better than they were a year before and they aren’t exactly in a terrifying division. Shenault is an up and coming stud, and could have a breakout year and they’ve got a few pieces on defense and offense that could surprise some people. That said despite showing some things, Meyer isn’t the right guy for this job and there will be quite a bit of frustration there. Lawrence is going to get hit a lot and the short quick passing game will take over to try to keep him healthy. The Jags win 6 games and show enough sprinkling of talent to feel somewhat upbeat going into 2022.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
C- Brandon Linder
There’s a case to be made that Linder is the best pass protecting center in the NFL. He has the best pass block win rate in the NFL over the past two seasons and is an athletic anchor at the pivot. He’s not an elite run blocker but he’s decent there but he’ll be a huge asset to a young up and coming quarterback who is learning protections at the NFL level.
Houston Texans
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Well the whole damn roster and front office and coaching staff and well pretty much everything. Bill O’Brien may go down as the worst GM in the history of the NFL when it’s all said and done so Nick Caserio had to come in and burn it all to the ground. It was the right move even if it’s painful as hell for Texans fans to endure for the next 1000 days or so. The team essentially rolled over about 30 roster spots and with the lowest amount of draft capital in the league, Caserio went with a shotgun approach to team building. I actually like the idea but it’s going to be a VERY long season in the Lone Star State.
BIGGEST WORRY:
I’m personally a gigantic Texans fan and my biggest worry is that the team is really bad but not bad enough to get the first overall pick. It’s not that we necessarily have to have pick one, but we have to have a pick in the top 3 to have a top choice of quarterbacks in a draft where there will be some serious options up top. The Texans are going to be awful, but the worry is they will be really really bad but not among the bottom tier in the league, if you’re going to suck… you need to REALLY suck.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The best case for the Texans this season would be showing sustained improvement, playing hard each game, finding a dozen really quality players to build around and still ending up with a super high draft pick. Even if everything went dead perfect in almost every game this team could top out at 8 wins and that’s if every ball bounced right for Houston. If the team could show improvement throughout the year, Davis Mills and Nico Collins could emerge as quality high upside players down the stretch and Houston could trade Watson after the year for 4 or 5 high quality future picks and players all while nabbing a top pick in the draft. That’d be the best thing that could happen.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The Texans figure out some way to win 6 games and end up with about pick 7 in the draft. It’s too far back to get one of the 3 elite defensive players in the draft, or what it looks to be this early in Hamilton, Stingley, or Thibadeaux and too late to get one of the top 3 signal callers either. This would be the nightmare Texans scenario for 2021. The team also doesn’t really grow or build and instead plays veterans even when the year looks lost and the Texans don’t really figure out which young players can help them in the future.
MY PREDICTION:
This is by far the worst roster in the NFL along with possibly Detroit. The odds are the team wins 3 games and finishes with the worst record in the NFL. Taylor plays the first 10 games of the year and hangs in there but playing from behind all the time isn’t his forte and the team really struggles. Mills takes over but isn’t ready to be an NFL quarterback yet, although he shows some moxy and some big time throws while looking overwhelmed. The Texans finish with the worst record in the NFL and gain the number one pick, they also are able to flip Deshaun Watson although they don’t get all 5 early picks they want, they get 2 firsts, a second, and a quality young player back from Denver for him.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
DE Charles Omenihu
Look no he hasn’t played great yet, and this could have easily been Justin Reid or Zack Cunningham who are both currently better players. However, Omenihu has real talent and he’s going to break out this season. Lovie Smith’s defense is a much better fit for him and there’s a chance CO ends up with double digit sacks this season for Houston and proves to be a building block moving forward.
NFC EAST
Washington Football Team
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Well probably the biggest change this year for WFT is that Ryan Fitzpatrick comes in and randomly provides a big improvement at quarterback. The team struggled at the position last year but Fitzmagic comes in after playing really good football for the Dolphins in 2020. He’s going to turn the football over here and there but this may be the best supporting cast that Fitzpatrick has ever played with. McLaurin, the addition of Dyami Brown and Curtis Samuel, Logan Thomas, and Antonio Gibson along with an impressive offensive line means that this could be a really good team in 2021.
BIGGEST WORRY;
Can Fitzpatrick take care of the football? Yes there is a lot of talent around him on this team, particularly on defense, but Fitzpatrick has always struggled to take care of the ball. He averages well over a turnover per game when he starts and some of these are rough throws and decisions. His toughness and ability to make big time throws is never in question but on a team where he’s a complementary piece and they should be in every game, can he play a different role than he has in the past?
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
This team has one of the deepest and best rosters in the NFL. Fitzpatrick helps a good offense on paper figure it out and score more points than they’ve been used to and he keeps his turnovers down more games than not. The defense explodes becoming a top 3 unit in the NFL led by the league’s best defensive line and Chase Young earns DPOY with nearly 20 sacks. Antonio Gibson breaks out in a big way as they let him do his thing and he turns into a Christian McCaffrey type player in this offense. They run away with the division, and get all the way to the NFC Championship game before Fitzy throws a couple bad picks and the magic wears off on a charmed season.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
The defense is still good but a poor linebacking corps leads to some breakdowns and some points given up they shouldn’t have. Fitzpatrick’s style doesn’t really mesh as well as it should and despite putting up some points they also turn it over too often and float through the season. A weak division helps them keep afloat but two losses to Dallas costs them as they finish with a 7-10 record and are left looking for a quarterback to push them over the top next season.
MY PREDICTION:
I love the Chargers in the AFC and the WFT in the NFC. I think this team wins the division and at least one playoff game this year and they are someone I would be willing to toss some money on down to win the Super Bowl as a longshot. WFT has a tremendous defense and a supremely underrated secondary and offensive line. They have a plethora of offensive weapons and Ryan Fitzpatrick may have a Rich Gannon type resurgence to his career. Washington wins 11 games and the NFC East and they battle in the playoffs but ultimately fall a bit short of the big game.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
WR Terry McLaurin
Yes people talk about him but they don’t talk about him enough. McLaurin has had horrible offenses around him his first two seasons in the league and has had a ton of bad balls thrown his way, while he’s typically the other team’s primary concern. All he’s done is rack up over 2000 yards the past two seasons all while only dropping 7 passes in two years combined. He could break out this year in this offense and if he doesn’t get injured I’d say he could end up with 1300 yards or more in 2021.
Dallas Cowboys
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Getting Dak Prescott back healthy is probably the biggest change this team had in the offseason. When Dak is healthy this is an incredibly difficult offense to stop. They have arguably the best wide receiver trio in the game and Dak plays the game like a true point guard, figuring out when to call his own number, hand it off to Zeke or dial it up to one of the trio of elite route runners. When he’s not healthy and this defense is still well below average, it’s tough for them to win many games. Getting him back, could put this team in position to do some damage in the NFC.
BIGGEST WORRY:
Other than Dak’s health it has to be the porous defense. Yes, they went out and got the guy that I think will end up winning DROY in Micah Parsons but they still aren’t good rushing the passer, their secondary is very weak particularly at the corner spot, and they’re still going to have trouble stopping the run. They’re going to score a lot of points, but asking them to do it constantly week in and week out is going to be a problem. This is probably going to be a defense that finishes in the bottom third of the league, particularly against the pass.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The Cowboys rookie trio of Parsons, Odigizuwa, and Wright prove to be all positive additions and Malik Hooker comes in and ends up being a healthy and welcome addition to the secondary. The team uses more of a hybrid approach with 4 or even 5 linebackers out there at once in passing situations, causing confusion and creating some turnovers. They aren’t good defensively but they are opportunistic enough to keep them in games. Dak looks healthy and with his O-Line back ready to go they show a good balance and work their way to 11 wins with Dak in the MVP conversation throughout the year. They win the NFC East and sneak up on someone in round one of the playoffs before their lack of pass rush and elite DB’s costs them. It’s a huge step in the right direction though and Jerry Jones feels like they may just be one or two defenders away from that elusive next championship.
WORST CASE SCENARIO;
Dak isn’t all the way back healthy and with a bad defense they can’t quite keep up. They struggle to get pressure when they don’t bring a ton of blitzes and it leaves their corners on islands where they get picked on throughout the year. Zeke has clearly started to slow down and that contract looks like an anchor around their necks. McCarthy does a poor job for the second year in a row but for some reason despite only winning 7 games Jerry keeps him around for 2022.
MY PREDICTION:
It takes Dak a few weeks to look like himself but he finally does, but at this point it’s a bit too late to get back into the division race. They have a good team and while Zeke puts up solid numbers, he isn’t what he used to be and you can tell he’s slowing down. They can’t afford to pay all three wide receivers so Gallup leaves in free agency making their best position weaker. Parsons ends up looking like a star at the linebacker spot allowing them to move on from Jaylon Smith. McCarthy’s style isn’t working in today’s NFL and he’s let go following an 8-9 uninspiring season and they go out and make a big time college coach like Lincoln Riley the highest paid coach in the NFL.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
RB Tony Pollard
Pollard honestly would probably put up the same numbers if not better than what Elliott does if he got the chance to play and get 250 touches. The last two seasons he’s averaged 4.8 yards per carry when he’s been given the ball. He runs with good power and has excellent vision and burst. Last season he had one game where he ended up with more than 50% of the snaps and he turned in 132 yards and 2 touchdowns from scrimmage that game. Want a piece of good fantasy advice, draft him in about round 11 and if Elliott gets hurt, he’s the best backup in the NFL.
New York Giants
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The biggest change from last year to this year was revamping the weapons around Daniel Jones. The Giants seem like they believe in Jones and are trying to put him in the absolute best position to succeed. In order to do that they went all in on trying to get him weapons. The team went out and snagged big time down field threat Kenny Golladay, paying him a boatload to be the WR1. They drafted Kadarius Toney in round one after a brilliant trade back, and then bringing in the player with the highest catch percentage in the NFL over the past 4 seasons, Kyle Rudolph. The team is not devoid of weapons particularly when they get Saquan Barkley back.
BIGGEST WORRY:
A recurring theme among the bad teams in the NFL with biggest worry is offensive line. The Giants are no different. Where there are some bad offensive lines scattered throughout the NFL, this one could potentially be the worst. Nate Solder may be the best player on the line and he’s not even assured of starting over 4th round sophomore Matthew Peart. Nick Gates battled his ass off at center last year while Shane Lemieux and Will Hernandez ended up with very mediocre grades last year and two starting spots at guard. Andrew Thomas was awful the first 6 games of 2020 before starting to figure it out, but he has to improve dramatically to even be league average. This could be a bottom 3 or 4 offensive line in the league… or worse.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
I’m a Joe Judge fan personally and I think this is going to be one of the better defenses in the NFL in 2021. Daniel Jones really blossoms into a capable starting quarterback behind a line that although not great, isn’t the liability you’d think on paper. It takes a week or two but Saquan comes back with a vengeance and helps open up big time throwing lanes to the insane amount of offensive weapons around Jones. While they don’t light the world on fire, they win a bunch of close games and battle constantly behind a top 5 defense in the league. They don’t win the division but they end up getting to 9 wins and winning a tie-breaker to sneak into the playoffs. Jones doesn’t look like a star, but he looked capable and he made enough plays to cement confidence in him moving forward.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Kenny Golladay’s injury woes keep him only available here and there and the offensive line looks indeed like the worst unit in the league. Despite a good looking defense on paper, they don’t get enough pressure on the quarterback and they end up only league average. The biggest blow though is that Daniel Jones continues to struggle despite all the help around him. He ends up with a bottom third QBR again and is clearly not the answer. Judge battles to keep them in games but they still only manage 6 wins. Gettleman gets fired and the new GM let’s Judge go even though it was the wrong move.
MY PREDICTION:
I actually love this defense and think this team is going to be scrappy and tough as hell. I’m a big fan of Judge as a coach and think he got that team playing hard and disciplined football in all three phases late in the year. They have good weapons offensively and a really excellent secondary. If Ojulari can provide a spark as a pass rusher they could be a top tier defense in 2021. I’m not a Daniel Jones fan but if he uses his legs a bit more and can figure out how to hang onto the ball he has a good enough arm to put up some points. In a wide open division they have a chance to make some noise. I don’t think they’re quite there yet, but they battle hard. They need a couple more OL and I’m not a Jones believer but in 2022 they could be a tough out. They go 8-9 but there’s more promise here than there has been in a while. They’ll only get where they need to go if they fire Dave Gettleman though.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
LB Blake Martinez
Yes he got paid quite a bit and all of that but this dude is a 100% tackling machine. In all the analytics guys in the world can talk about whatever they’d like but ultimately football is still a game of blocking and tackling, and almost nobody in the NFL tackles as well as Martinez does. Over the past 4 seasons Martinez has AVERAGED 148 tackles per year. That’s absolutely ridiculous. He’s a damn good player and a perfect Joe Judge guy on this defense.
Philadelphia Eagles
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Yet another scenario where this could be quarterback with the team moving on from former number 2 overall pick Carson Wentz, or coach. I’m going to go with the coach here as they moved on from Doug Peterson who at the end was doing some strange things I’ll admit. Nick Siriani was a bit of a strange hire all things considered but the Eagles wanted to do things their own way. How they elect to move forward with the offensive personnel they have and Jalen Hurts at quarterback is going to be an interesting thing to watch in 2021.
BIGGEST WORRY:
Honestly the thing that is going to bother me the most is whether or not Jalen Hurts can be the guy. I think he’s going to have a really good fantasy year as they will likely be behind most of the year, but I’m not sure he’s the man at quarterback. The team needs him to elevate a weak unit of weapons. We’ll see if he’s up to the challenge. Worry 1B though has to be how bad this linebacker group is… it could be the worst linebacking corps in the NFL.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
Look I don’t think this team can get to a playoff game this year due to lack of overall talent at a few key spots. That said if they can get to 8 or 9 wins and Jalen Hurts can show that he’s the guy at quarterback moving forward, Eagles fans should be thrilled. In this scenario Hurts looks like a top 12-14 guy in the league at quarterback, picking up tough third downs with his arms and his legs and he elevates Devonta Smith into a true WR1 even as a rookie. While the team struggles week in and week out they pull out some gutsy wins and the team looks like they have found their franchise coach and quarterback.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Hurts doesn’t have the weapons he needs and Reagor struggles to emerge in year two and Ertz is frustrated by the TE2 role. The older offensive line can’t stay healthy as they’re on the wrong side of 30 and soon Hurts is scrambling on what seems like every other play. The rookie coach already is hearing the boo birds in Philly as the fans’ have thin patience after the first few ugly losses. Hurts wins enough and battles but the horrible linebackers give up way too many rushing yards as they finish 30th in the NFL against the run. Hurts is more of a question mark than an exclamation point after the season as the Eagles only win 5 games.
MY PREDICTION:
The team has too many older players and the injury bug is going to be a problem. They need a veteran wide receiver presence and they don’t have one right now and that’s going to create problems against really good secondaries. Hurts is going to run for about 800 yards but it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see Minshew get a run at it part way through the season, once it seems pretty clear the season is lost. Despite playing in a pretty bad division, the bad linebackers lead to too many conversions and the team’s starters miss too many games to injury. Philly ends up 5-12 and looking for a quarterback in the 2022 draft.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
TE Dallas Goedert
He’s going to end up as one of the highest paid tight ends in the league but he’s a star and should get paid like that. Nobody talks about him much because his stats aren’t crazy playing second fiddle to Zach Ertz but this guy is the second best all around tight end in the game behind George Kittle. Goedert is a star run blocker and in only 9 starts last year he had over 500 yards. He’s the rare tight end that if he gets that offense all to himself as the only tight end, he could challenge for 1000 receiving yards, all while being one of the best run blockers in the game at his position.
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Not a whole hell of a lot has changed from the AFC Championship game last season other than the Bills went out and tried to add some pass rush via the draft. The team returns mostly intact even adding Gregory Rousseau and Boogie Basham to rush the passer and help get after Patrick Mahomes and company in the AFC.
BIGGEST WORRY:
Well the team struggled with Spags’ exotic blitz looks in the AFC Championship game but Allen from all reports has worked on it all offseason and looks more prepared already for that. The big question I have for them is who is going to be the number two cornerback. Levi Wallace and Taron Johnson are battling for that spot now but in an elite secondary, having one weak link can set you up for massive failure. One of those guys has to step up or beating teams with deep receiving corps could be problematic.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
This is one of 4 teams with a really strong chance of winning the Super Bowl and I have Buffalo third on my preseason power rankings. The Bills cakewalk through the regular season without much pressure, winning 14 games and taking down the coveted first round bye. After KC is upset early in the process, the Bills roll through the rest of the AFC setting up a showdown in the Super Bowl with the Packers who avenged their loss last season to TB. Aaron Rodgers swan song in Green Bay isn’t a remarkable tune as Josh Allen and company carve up any corner for Green Bay that isn’t Jaire Alexander. The Bills defense doubles Davante Adams for most of the game and triples him in the redzone, leading to too many field goals for the Pack. Buffalo wins its first Super Bowl as Josh Allen wins MVP.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
I can’t see this happening but the Chiefs give other teams a blue print on how to pressure Allen and he takes a small regression this year. The team struggles to get a running game going and with weak CB2 and CB3 play they give up a couple of late leads. An ascending Dolphins team ends up winning the division and the Bills head to the Wild Card game where they match up with the Browns who use the exotic blitz look to mystify Allen. The Bills are knocked out early and the Bills are left wondering how they fix their playoff issues.
MY PREDICTION:
This team is extremely well put together and should have a ton of success. Despite improvements from Miami and definitely New England this year, Buffalo is the class of the AFC East and they win the division with 13 wins, but barely miss out on the bye. They win their first two playoff games before getting another crack at KC. Despite a much better effort this time, the lack of running game costs them. They are in third and long too often and despite picking up some, KC just outscores them. They head into the offseason frustrated but end up coming out with a really good running back in the draft, and sign the best free agent corner, coming into 2022 as a top 4 favorite once again.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
S Jordan Poyer
Micah Hyde is a really damn good player but so his Hoyer. They’re hidden up in Northern New York but they may be the best and most versatile safety duo in the NFL. Poyer can really cover and he’s not afraid to hit or tackle, and while he may not make the constant splash plays, ask Leslie Frazier how good this guy is. He’s an unsung hero for the Bills.
Miami Dolphins
BIGGEST CHANGE:
The biggest change this team had this offseason could be committing to Tua full time but they really did that last year. The big change though was really trying to get him some more weapons. Will Fuller is a big time player when he’s healthy, and he’s one of the most efficient per target players in the NFL. Add on top of that going and getting one of the fastest players in the draft and Tua’s former teammate in Jaylen Waddle and you have a serious group of weapons for the second year quarterback.
BIGGEST WORRY:
I know most would say whether Tua can take the next step forward but for me it’s whether or not they can protect him. Tua is a game manager, although he can be an elite one, he’s not an elevate every player around him type guy. He’s a really good point guard, the issue here is whether or not they can get him time to distribute the ball. Eichenberg has struggled in camp so they may kick him inside to guard. Austin Jackson was a huge reach last year and that could easily be a mistake at left tackle. Robert Hunt could end up being a solid piece but he’s not there yet. Why they let Matt Skura go I’ll never know. Overall right now this line is well below average and they made a mistake not adding more pieces to provide Tua the time to thrive.
BEST CASE SCENARIO;
Tua really does take the leap forward and looks like he’s knocking on the door to being a top 10 quarterback. He’s able to do this in large part due to the young offensive line meshing together and the team continuing to give him short fields by winning the turnover margin. The Bills don’t have the dominant year most expect and a season in which the Dolphins play all three phases complementary better than most teams in the league leads to a division title. They win a playoff game in a hard fought low scoring affair but get knocked out in round two. That said, it's clear they have their quarterback of the future and a great young head coach.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Tua still can’t throw the ball into tight windows and they kick a ton of field goals. He checks it down too much and despite having a ton of downfield speed he rarely challegnes defenses unless it’s in one on one situations. Teams aren’t scared of the Dolphins running so Tua sees cover two and shell defenses all season long and the Fins lack any real explosiveness. Tua being a game manager looks like his ceiling as they sputter to an 8-9 record. They go out and try to make a big push for Aaron Rodgers or Deshuan Watson but miss out on both as they go to the Eagles and Broncos and they win too many games to end up with a top 3 guy in the draft. The Dolphins are officially in purgatory.
MY PREDICTION;
Brian Flores is a really good football coach and while I don’t think this team wins the turnover margin like they did the year before, it’s a quality team. I think the OL is a major issue and it will likely cost them any chance they have of really doing damage this year. Tua is a good football player, he’s not going to dominate and make insane throws but he can make plays and play winning football. I think he got a ton of negative pub last year but his tape wasn’t bad, they were winning games and he was taking care of the ball as a rookie. I think he improves this year but looks solid if unspectacular. A regression to the mean on turnovers hurts and they get 10 wins again.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
DL Adam Butler
He’s a really good interior pass rusher and I know for some reason analytics sites don’t like him but he flashes on tape. The past two years he has combined for 10 sacks from the inside despite only playing 47% of the snaps. I could see him with better edge pressure in a more unique system ending up with something like 7 or 8 sacks this year and really emerging as an interior rusher.
New England Patriots
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Well the biggest change here could be Mac Jones instead of Cam Newton, but to me the real change is this team going out and spending big money on free agents. Matthew Judon at 13.6 million per year, Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry both at 12.5 million per year, Agholar at 11 million, and even Godchaux at 7.5 million per season. The Pats built through the draft for 20 years and got vets to come chase rings at a discount. When TB12 left this last year though that stuff fell hard, and that along with a ton of opt outs finally caught up with New England. Robert Kraft opened up the checkbook and Belicheck took out the biggest pen he could find and the Pats brought in some much needed reinforcements.
BIGGEST WORRY:
Anytime you start a rookie quarterback in week 1 it’s going to be a worry. Mac Jones may be very ready to play in the NFL, and he has a good offensive line in front of him and an excellent group of diverse skill players, but he’s still only about 9 months removed from playing against frat guys. Jones is going to be put in a position to succeed, but there’s going to be real growing pains.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The Pats play excellent complementary football and end up as one of the best running teams in the NFL. Their two tight end sets are tough to match up against and the play action style suits Jones' game to perfection. He ends up as the OROY and ushers in a new post Brady age with ease. The team can’t quite catch Buffalo for the division lead but a good defense with an improved pass rush and solid three phase football gets them to 11 wins and into the playoffs again. They run into the Chiefs and can’t get out of round one but it’s a successful campaign as it’s clear that Jones is a franchise guy.
WORST CASE SCENARIO;
The Pats spent about a quarter billion dollars this offseason but the moves don’t really pan out. They are still clearly behind Buffalo and a surging Dolphins franchise. Jones has some good games but he’s limited as a passer and without truly elite weapons on the outside they don’t score a ton. Judon looks more like a system guy as a pass rusher and Gilmore never looks like a CB1 again. They want to trade him after a tag in the offseason but they get no takers. An 8-9 season, and back to back Tampa Bay Super Bowls confirms the theory that the Pats dynasty was a Brady dynasty and Belicheck was the fortunate recipient.
MY PREDICTION:
Jones has some good and some bad and when the team is ahead or close he manages the game well but if they fall behind he struggles to catch up. While the pieces they added help they aren’t really elite tier one players and the depth is better than it was but nobody is blown away or scared of the weapons. Judon was a decent add but their secondary isn’t as good as it was. Chung was a good player who is gone, Gilmore didn’t look the same last year even when he was healthy and McCourty is going to age at some point. They will be a good hard nosed football team who will run it a lot and keep games close but while they improve they only get to 9-8. Jones shows some promise as a rookie though and although he’s not going to wow you ever, he’s a really good fit for what they want to do in Foxborough.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
CB JC Jackson
Everyone talks about Gilmore but if I think Jackson right now today is the guy I’d rather have the next three seasons. I don’t get how PFF gets their ratings, because last year was his “worst” year analytically in the NFL and he gave up 59% completions but had 9 interceptions to go against 5 TD. The year before his passer rating against was 34.1 for the entire season, where he had 5 INT and gave up a grand total of 0 TD. He’s a CB1 and one of the top 10 corners in the NFL and yet nobody mentions him ever. Pff graded him out as a 69.5 last year, don’t get me started on how much that website is a joke though. He’s an elite player and if he leaves New England after this season he should command $15m per season, at a minimum, he’s that good.
New York Jets
BIGGEST CHANGE:
Well the Jets changed just about everything but their biggest one was getting the gem of the 2021 NFL Head coaching recruiting class in Robert Saleh. It may take a couple of years but Saleh will get this thing turned around as he is excellent at what he does. Obviously adding what looks to be an extremely talented rookie class will help things along, and the development of Zach Wilson will be key, but Saleh will get it going and the Jets are going to make the AFC East a very formidable division soon.
BIGGEST WORRY:
I’m honestly not worried about Wilson as the starter in week 1. He’s going to go through some growing pains but the kid is the real deal and he’s going to make some seriously big time throws. They have some weapons there to help him out and while he needs more help long term, particularly along the offensive line, he’s going to battle and make some huge plays. The big fear here is they have the worst cornerback group in the NFL. Anyone who knows me knows my philosophy on team building is that cornerback is the second most important position in the NFL after QB. This team is just god awful out there. Saleh’s system makes corners look better than they are, but it’s not a magic system. Brandin Echols a 6th rounder and Isaiah Dunn a UDFA right now are in line to play huge snaps for the Jets. Javelin Guidry is going to start and Bryce Hall, a 5th rounder last year is the veteran and highest drafted player in the group. This is going to be bad.
BEST CASE SCENARIO:
The young corners develop throughout the season and with an excellent defensive line they manage to get pressure, particularly from the interior. While they give up a lot of points, Wilson manages to put up more than 20 on a consistent basis for the offense, who gets a huge boost from Elijah Moore and 4th round running back Michael Carter. The team loses some games down the stretch and needs to learn how to win but they battle hard and manage 7 victories with Wilson showing some major improvements throughout the year. They find a couple gems at corner to build on and look to be a team on the rise.
WORST CASE SCENARIO:
Not only do the corners prove to be a major liability, giving up the league’s most passing yards, the offensive line doesn’t ever mesh and Wilson doesn’t get a chance to develop. Without the threat of the run in a ton of third and long situations, Wilson has to heave the ball up a lot, leading the NFL in INT through 14 weeks before he’s mercifully shut down. They try to add a veteran corner late in the season but it’s lost. They try to shell out some vets at the deadline for draft capital but Jamison Crowder only nets them a 6th and the questions surrounding Joe Douglas are starting to risk in the Big Apple after a 4 win campaign.
MY PREDICTION:
There is going to be some good and bad this year. Wilson is the real deal I think and he’s going to make some highlight level plays. That said, this is a REALLY bad DB group and they’re going to give up a ton of points and yards. Early in the season they may look historically bad against the pass. The line isn’t great on offense either and Mehki Becton doesn’t exactly fit the outside zone running scheme. Wilson is going to get sacked on the regular. They find some good pieces but the lack of elite players hurts. Carl Lawson was going to be a hugely important piece and with a lack of a pass rush and terrible CD’s it’ll cost them too many games. They give up close to 30 a week and win 5 games.
BEST PLAYER NOBODY TALKS ABOUT:
DL Folorunso Fatakasi
Fatakasi is one of the best run stoppers in the entire NFL. He absolutely holds his own on double teams and creates major pileups on a constant basis. He’s never going to be someone who fills up the stat sheet, but he’s going to create problems for interior offensive players. I know it’s a passing league, but having a good player to help stop inside runs is still hugely important and he’s really good at doing just that.
OVERALL PROJECTIONS:
SUPER BOWL: Tampa Bay over KC - again
AFC Championship: KC over Buffalo - again
NFC Championship: TB over GB - again
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