2023 NFC East Preview

This division should be pretty competitive even with the defending NFC Champions in it. The Eagles are the best team in the NFC for now but the Cowboys are going to be nipping at their heels. The Giants aren’t going to be pushovers either. Brian Daboll may be working with a bunch of slot receivers but if anyone can make that work, it’s him. Washington is looking for a fresh start and they are going to let Sam Howell take a shot at the QB job, if he fails, they pivot in the off season, no harm, no foul.

Philadelphia Eagles

            The Eagles made the Super Bowl last season after Jalen Hurts balled out all year.  Then he continued his great play in the Super Bowl even though the Eagles lost to Kansas City.  They have their QB and they have surrounded him with an excellent team on offense and defense.  They need to take advantage while they can because teams like this are expensive and can’t last forever. 

            The Eagles have the best offensive line in football even with second-year man Cam Jurgens replacing veteran Isaac Seumalo at RG.  LT Jordan Mailata is a mountain of a man who moves way better than a man his size should.  LG Landon Dickerson is quickly becoming one of the better guards in football.  C Jason Kelce is 35 but he’s still arguably the best center in the NFL.  RT Lane Johnson is still the best in the game.  The team is clearly counting on this unit to enhance their running game.  They signed Rashad Penny and traded for D’Andre Swift at RB.  Neither one is the picture of health but they are complementary backs.  Hurts is probably still their most effective runner but they also have Kenny Gainwell and Boston Scott, it’s probably a committee approach.

            The passing game is where this team really developed last year.  AJ Brown was in his first year with the Eagles and he was outstanding.  He teamed with Devonta Smith to be a deadly duo.  Both players are elite talents and they really allowed Hurts the chance to show his development as a passer.  TE Dallas Goedert is also a fantastic safety valve and a good all-around TE.  If there is one problem it’s the fact that the depth isn’t great.  They signed WR Olamide Zaccheaus at WR and they still have Quez Watkins but it’s not a deep receiving group.  TE isn’t deep behind Goedert either. 

            The Eagles’ defense is definitely starting to transition from an older group to some of their younger players and their younger players have lots of potential.  Up front they have two longtime veteran stalwarts; DE Brandon Graham and DT Fletcher Cox.  Both of them will be used heavily in rotations but the younger guys are going to get more time.  At DE, they have Josh Sweat, who will start opposite Graham, Derek Barnett, who is fine but not great, and Janarius Robinson, a raw prospect.  At DT, Jordan Davis will likely start next to Cox but Jalen Carter is going to play a lot.  Carter could start just to lessen Davis’s workload.  Milton Williams will also rotate in.  They have a lot of bodies to work with.

            The LB corps is in even more transition as Nakobe Dean steps in at MLB.  Hassan Reddick returns as their outside guy who doubles as an elite pass rusher.  Reddick is the major playmaker on this defense but they need Dean to step in and stabilize this unit.  The team signed veterans Nick Morrow, Zach Cunningham, and Myles Jack to give them some options and some depth.  However, Jack announced his retirement halfway through camp and Morrow didn’t make the roster, leaving Cunningham as the third LB.  They need Dean to be his best self so Reddick can make plays. 

            The team kept their top CBs together as they re-signed James Bradberry and kept Darius Slay happy.  Avonte Maddox returns as the nickel guy, that’s the good news.  The bad news is they have two new starting safeties.  Terrell Edmunds comes in from Pittsburgh, he’s fine but he’s not great.  Reed Blankenship played in ten games last year but wasn’t a full-time starter.  The free safety job is his unless he loses it to rookie Sydney Brown, I won’t be surprised if Brown eventually takes the job.  I also wouldn’t be shocked if Justin Evans takes Edmunds’ job.  The Eagles are the best team in the NFC until someone proves otherwise.  They will get some competition within their own division. 

Dallas Cowboys

            The NFC isn’t a deep conference overall and the Eagles will find some of their toughest competition right here with them in the East.  The Cowboys have some flaws but they aren’t going to roll over and let the Eagles steamroll to a division title.  One major issue is Kellen Moore was let go as offensive coordinator and head coach Mike McCarthy will be calling plays, that’s worrisome (hiring Brian Schottenheimer as the “offensive coordinator” does not help one not worry).  McCarthy has never been seen as an innovative offensive mind and it’s been a while since he called plays. 

            Dak Prescott has been a good QB his entire career, at times it felt like he was on the cusp of being elite but he’s never quite gotten there.  The team hasn’t won anything of significance since he’s been there but then again, they haven’t won anything of significance since the mid-90s so it’s hard to fault Prescott alone.  I’m pretty sure McCarthy’s play calling isn’t the thing that will “unlock” Prescott’s greatness so he’ll have to rely on a healthier offense.  The team turned the page on the Ezekiel Elliott era and it’s Tony Pollard’s backfield now.  He’s coming off an injury and he’s only on a one-year franchise deal but he’s got more juice than Elliott had and now he’ll get the bulk of the carries, they don’t have many choices behind him. 

            For Dak and Tony’s sake they have to hope for better help up front and health would go a long way to accomplishing that.  LT Tyron Smith got hurt last year and then when he did return he ended up moving to RT out of need.  He’ll turn 33 at the end of the season and they need to squeeze one more year out of him.  LG Tyler Smith was a rookie who ended up mostly playing LT when the elder Smith got hurt and then stayed there when RT Terrence Steele was hurt and Tyron Smith had to play RT.  He was actually pretty good at LT and he is the eventual starter there but the team is better off if everyone is healthy and he can play LG.  C Tyler Biadasz isn’t great but he’s better than the alternative.  He had a high ankle sprain to end last year but should be fine now.  RT Terrence Steele can be solid but he’s also coming off an injury.  RG Zach Martin is a Hall of Fame guard who held out for the first three weeks of camp but finally got a new deal.  He’s a month older than Tyron Smith but he’s been healthy for almost all of his career.  He’s still one of the best guards in the league and they need him to stay that way. 

            One reason to feel optimistic about the Cowboys offense besides Tony Pollard’s ascension to the top RB spot is CeeDee Lamb finally has some help at WR.  Lamb is a legitimate #1 WR but he’s mostly been working without a partner to take pressure off of him.  Michael Gallup returns and he should be better another year removed from injury but that’s not who I’m talking about.  Brandin Cooks joins the Cowboys from Houston.  Cooks is on his fifth team in ten years in the league but he’s been productive everywhere he’s been.  In nine previous seasons he has six 1000-yard seasons.  He’s had productive years playing with Drew Brees and Tom Brady but he’s also had productive seasons with Jared Goff and Davis Mills as his QB.  Cooks is a talented guy and he’s going to actually be someone who takes some coverage off of Lamb.  At TE, the team has Jake Ferguson, Peyton Hendershot, and rookie Luke Schoonmaker, they aren’t great but they’ll do. 

            The defense should be excellent once again under the direction of interim-coach-in-waiting Dan Quinn (I don’t have a lot of faith in McCarthy).  This defense has been elite since Quinn took over two years ago and their plan to play Micah Parsons as a pass rusher even more should continue that trend.  Parsons is an elite play maker and he makes the rest of the front four even better.  DeMarcus Lawrence hasn’t been an elite pass rusher in a few years but he’s solid and the team has some depth with Dorace Armstrong and Sam Williams so they are fine.  First-round DT Mazi Smith is the big bodied interior presence they have needed for a few years and he should help.  Jonathan Hankins, Osa Odighizuwa, and Neville Gallimore give them a solid rotation. 

            With Parsons making the full-time move to DE they need some youngsters to step up at LB.  Leighton Vander Esch is the veteran they hope to lean on but Damone Clark and Devin Harper are guys who must step forward.  They had high hope for rookie DeMarvion Overshown but he’s out for the year with a knee injury.  Vander Esch has stayed relatively healthy the last couple of years so they hope that trend continues, they need his leadership at LB. 

            The secondary has counted on Trevon Diggs’ big play reputation in the past but he sometimes gets beat going for those big plays.  He needs to just be steady at times.  They finally might have a solution opposite him with Stephon Gilmore coming over in a trade after having a bounce back year last season.  It would be good if Jourdan Lewis could return from injury to be the nickel corner but if not, DaRon Bland played pretty well there as a rookie last year.  The safety spots aren’t elite but Malik Hooker, Donovan Wilson, and Jayron Kearse are a solid rotation who won’t get you beat.

New York Giants

            Brian Daboll did a masterful job making something out of this offense last year and allowing Wink Martindale to cut this defense loose.  I’m not sure how Daboll is planning on using Isaiah Hodgins and five slot receivers to make a passing offense but it should be fun watching him try.  He figured out how to make Daniel Jones and effective QB with a bunch of practice squad receivers last year so who am I to doubt him (I question the personnel more than Daboll).  Jones isn’t elite at anything as a QB but he’s a solid passer, a good runner, and he seems to know how to run Daboll’s offense pretty well.

            Okay, the easy part of the offense, RB Saquon Barkley signed a one-year deal to return and remain the mainstay of this offense.  Barkley is one of the most talented RBs in the NFL as both a runner and a receiver.  He’s the engine of the offense and they need him to stay healthy.  He’s running behind what should be an improving offensive line.  LT Andrew Thomas took a step towards being one the elite LTs in football last year, that’s a great place to start.  The team drafted John Michael Schmitz in the second-round and he’s an immediate starter and an upgrade at center.  Hopefully his presence will be a stabilizing force on the inside and make Ben Bredeson and Mark Glowinski at least passable at guard.  RT Evan Neal had a rough rookie year.  He was making the transition from college LT to pro RT and while it’s easy for some people, it was quite difficult for Neal and it showed.  He has the talent and size to excel at RT and the truth is, they don’t have anyone else truly worth trying at RT in his place.  He should be better this year. 

            TE Darren Waller was the headliner of the offensive players the team brought in to help this offense move forward.  They traded for him and he should become a Daniel Jones favorite if he can stay healthy.  They found Isaiah Hodgins on the Bills practice squad halfway through last year when they were desperate for bodies and now, he’s their top returning WR.  He’s the only big body they have so he gets one of the outside spots.  When I said they had five slot receivers I wasn’t joking.  Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, Parris Campbell; all guys who are probably best suited playing from the slot.  And that’s after cutting two other ones in Cole Beasley and Jamison Crowder.  Slayton can give them some snaps outside and perhaps Hyatt but he’s not great if he gets jammed at the line. 

            The defense was better last year than I think most thought they would be.  Defensive coordinator Wink Martindale unleashed his usual aggressive style and made the most of the guys he had.  Dexter Lawrence is one of the best DTs in the league and he played great ball last season.  Leonard Williams’ sack production has declined the past several years but he’s still a tough matchup up front.  They signed A’Shawn Robison to be the third guy on the three-man front and he can be a solid player. 

            Martindale’s defense can take another step forward if he can harness the pass rushing skills of Kayvon Thibodeaux and Azeez Ojulari.  They both flashed at times last season but Ojulari missed some time and Thibodeaux was a rookie.  They both have top pass rushing skills and they could be a deadly combo.  The team signed Bobby Okereke to come in to play ILB, they gave him quite a bit of money for a guy who’s solid but unspectacular, perhaps Martindale can raise his game.  Micah McFadden won the other ILB job. 

            The secondary is in for some change this season.  Adoree’ Jackson returns at CB but he might be making the move inside to the slot.  Deonte Banks was the Giants first round pick this year and he will get every opportunity to be one of the starters on the outside.  The Giants haven’t had a lot of luck drafting CBs lately but rookie sixth rounder Tre Hawkins III was making a play early in camp and getting some time with the first team.  Xavier McKinney returns at FS while Jason Pinnock is the starting strong safety for now.  They have some other players to try at both CB and safety so there could be some movement here. 

Washington Commanders

            To say this team is in a state of transition would be a massive understatement.  The team has a new owner, Josh Harris (and his group of investors).  They are going with a new QB that no one is sure about, and my guess is the Commanders name will not be sticking around forever.  Forget Harris and the name change, those are franchise issues, how about this team.  Sam Howell was a fifth-round pick last year, sat on the bench until he started the last game and now it’s his job.  Howell has talent, he’s got a good arm and can run.  New offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy comes over from the Chiefs and he will try to squeeze everything he can out of Howell. 

            The good news is this team has legitimate NFL talent at the skill positions, especially the pass catchers.  Terry McLaurin is one of the best WRs no one talks about because he’s spent most of his career with QBs who weren’t very good.  Jahan Dotson was a first round pick last year for a reason, he’s a true talent.  Curtis Samuel has always been a productive player when he can stay on the field.  TE Logan Thomas has been a very productive player when he’s healthy and usually regardless of who the QB is.  If Howell can figure out how to operate the scheme and get the ball to the play makers, this offense can be solid. 

            The running game has Brian Robinson Jr, a year removed from the gunshot wounds in his leg.  He’s a good running back and he gets the tough yards.  Antonio Gibson is still a guy who can be an offensive weapon out of the backfield.  He can run and catch the ball, they should use him for that.  The offensive line was not great last year so they made some changes.  They brought in C Nick Gates and RT Andrew Wylie.  Neither one of them are making the Pro Bowl but they are steady veterans who can be upgrades at their positions.  Charles Leno returns at LT, he’s not great but he’s serviceable.  Saahdiq Charles moves to LG and Sam Cosmi moves from RT to RG, that should help on the interior. 

            The defensive line has the potential to be incredible.  Daron Payne was re-signed to a megadeal at DT and he joins Jonathan Allen as a impressive pair inside.  Montez Sweat is an emerging player at DE and he could breakout this year.  Chase Young is the wildcard.  He’s been hurt and ineffective the last two years and they really need him to regain his promise.  If these four guys play to their potential this line is dominate, if not, this defense falls apart fast. 

            The LBs are questionable.  Jamin Davis had a productive season in his second year but some of that was because he was the only guy doing anything of note at LB.  He’s a talented guy but he needs some help.  They signed Cody Barton from Seattle to be the new MLB.  Barton is a guy you like and he was productive last season but again, that may have been a product of his environment.  Barton and Davis are young guys who could be just coming into their own or guys who aren’t as good as the stats say.  If they play a third LB it’s probably David Mayo, they shouldn’t play a third LB very often. 

            CB Kendall Fuller has been a mainstay for this team and he gets a new running mate this year.  The team drafted Emmaual Forbes in the first round of the draft and while he’s thin as a rail, he’s a playmaker.  Benjamin St.-Juste got plenty of playing time last season but he’ll be the third corner this year.  Kamren Curl is a pretty good safety and he could be even better if he gets some help on this defense.  Derrick Forrest is the other starter, for now he’s just a guy.     

This division belongs to the Kansas City as long as Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes are together and Brandon Staley is still coaching the Chargers. The Chiefs are great and the Chargers can make the playoffs if Kellen Moore can unleash Herbert. Staley has to figure out how to stop hurting his own team, that would help a lot. Denver has coaching competency now but I’m going to have to see Sean Payton fix Russell Wilson before I believe it and that’s hard to do when all your WRs are hurt. Josh McDaniels might just be one of those guys better suited to be a coordinator than a head coach and the Raiders look directionless.

Kansas City Chiefs

            This team is the Super Bowl Champions and someone is going to have to take the crown from them before I’ll pick against them.  Patrick Mahomes is the best QB in the football, there is no debate.  He lost his top WR last year when they traded Tyreek Hill and all he did was go win another MVP and another Super Bowl.  Andy Reid is a Hall of Fame coach and he’s the best in the league right now.  He has understood how to evolve with the times and continue to win (something a certain Hall of Fame coach in New England needs to learn).  Mahomes makes his job easier but Reid continues to put Mahomes in a position to win.  This team isn’t without questions it needs to answer. 

            The WR corps lost JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman but that shouldn’t slow them down.  Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore, and Kadarius Toney all return and while they hope to get more from Toney, he’s already hurt and he’s unreliable.  Richie James was signed, Rashee Rice was drafted, and they hope Justyn Ross can step up this season.  Mahomes makes the WRs better than they are but the passing offense goes through superstar TE Travis Kelce.  He and Mahomes have a special connection and Kelce is a matchup nightmare for every team.  As long as Mahomes and Kelce are playing together, the passing offense will be fine.

            The offensive line is where the real questions are on this offense.  They have the best interior offensive line group in the league.  LG Joe Thuney, C Creed Humphrey, and RG Trey Smith are three of the best at their positions and the best trio overall.  It’s the tackle spots that have some questions.  They lost Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie and they signed Jawaan Taylor to big contract and then took Donovan Smith off the scrap heap from Tampa Bay.  Smith will play LT, allowing Taylor to play at RT where he has spent his career in Jacksonville.  If anyone can make Smith look good at LT, it’s Mahomes.  Taylor should be fine at RT but it is a new system.  The running game will be handled by Isaiah Pacheco, last year’s seventh round rookie.  He’s fine, he’s not great, he’s fine.  Jerrick McKinnon had a great finish to last year and he’s their veteran insurance. 

            The defense is better than it gets credit for because Steve Spagnuolo is a fantastic defensive coach and he was smart enough to build this defense around DT Chris Jones.  Now the team just needs to give Jones a contract extension so he’s happy and on the field.  Jones is the best DT in the NFL not named Aaron Donald and he’s the engine of this defense.  Derrick Nnadi is a stout partner inside for him and George Karlaftis was pretty solid at DE as a rookie last season.  They signed DE Charles Omenihu for the other spot but he’s suspended to start the year.  They may have to rely a little more on rookie first round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah then they would like until Omenihu is back. 

            The LBs are a solid group now after they signed Drue Tranquill in free agency.  He’s a solid third member of the trio with two very talented young players in Willie Gay and Nick Bolton.  The team does play nickel a lot so Gay and Bolton play most of the time but Tranquill gives them more options. 

            The secondary played better last year than anyone could have reasonably expected with three rookies logging serious time.  Surprisingly, first rounder Trent McDuffie played the least because he started the season hurt.  Jaylen Watson was quite good at CB and between him, McDuffie and L’Jarius Snead, the CB position should be fine.  Bryan Cook, the other rookie who ended up a starter at SS made a very nice pairing with Justin Reid.  The Chiefs figured out how to put together a roster with some expensive pieces, you need to find starters late in the draft, and they did. 

Los Angeles Chargers (I still nearly wrote San Diego)

            There are two things that stand in the way of the Chargers making a deep playoff run; one is health, two is Brandon Staley making dumb coaching decisions at the worst possible times.  The Chargers seemed to be cursed on the health front.  They lose critical players every year and it completely undermines what they are doing.  Staley should stop trying to be the smartest guy in the room and overthinking things so much that he outsmarts himself.  He did finally make one coaching decision in the off season that was very smart.  He fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and hired Kellen Moore.  Moore’s aggressiveness should help harness the best of Justin Herbert. 

            Herbert is where this offense starts.  He’s a master processor of information and he always makes the right reads and knows what to do with the ball.  Now he has an offensive coordinator who can design an offense that lets him do more than dump it off to Austin Ekeler half the time.  Herbert has elite arm strength and now it’s time to unleash it.  WRs Mike Williams and rookie Quentin Johnston can be major downfield threats.  Keenan Allen can work over the middle as well as anyone and if Moore’s years in Dallas are any indication, TE Gerald Everett could have a big year. 

            Austin Ekeler is one of the best RBs in the NFL and he’s been the focal point of the offense for years.  He’s a great runner and even better pass catcher.  He’s the ultimate dump off weapon and screen game superstar.  They need to rely on him less and go down the field more but taking some of the load off him might make him more effective when they need him most.  The offensive line has to get healthy.  LT Rashawn Slater should return after missing last year and he can be one of the best LTs in football.  C Corey Linsley isn’t getting any younger but he’s still one of the best in the pivot.  G Zion Johnson struggled at times as a rookie but he would be better if there was more stability around him.  He was also playing on the right side and this year they are moving him to the left side where he’s more comfortable.  It looks like Jamaree Salyer will step into the RG spot, he was a forced into action as a rookie at LT last year and he wasn’t bad, he should be good at RG.  RT Trey Pipkins III also missed time last year and if he can’t find his way this season, perhaps Salyer ends up at RT.  They need some stability up front to make this unit it’s best. 

            Morgan Fox, Sebastian Joseph-Day, and Austin Johnson are the three starters on the defensive line.  They aren’t great but they don’t have any depth so those three need to stay on the field.  They need to stop the run better but some of that is on the LBs.  The edge rushers are Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack, they are the superstars.  They also have to stay healthy, which has been an issue for Bosa far too often.  When they are playing, they’re tough, but they also don’t have great depth.  They hope rookie Tuli Tuipulotu can give them something as a reserve. 

            The inside LBs have been below average for a while and that has led to this team being pretty poor against the run.  They are getting desperate so they went out and signed 31-year-old Eric Kendricks from Minnesota.  Kendricks is past his prime but he might still be better than they have had for a few years.  They are also clearly hoping he rubs off on Kenneth Murray Jr., the other ILB who has been a disappointment for years.  Murray has talent but it’s time for him to live up to it. 

            The secondary has some questions too.  The big one is what can they get out of JC Jackson?  He was a major free agent signing last year who was a total non-factor.  He didn’t fit the scheme and he played horribly when he did play.  They need him to contribute.  Asante Samuel Jr. wasn’t awesome but I still like his potential and he’s still very young.  Derwin James can be a game changer, he just has to stay healthy (it’s the theme of this team).  Alohi Gilman and JT Woods need to be solid safeties to help make Brandon Staley’s defense work.

Denver Broncos

            The Broncos are hoping Sean Payton can fix Russell Wilson and that Vance Joseph can keep the defense playing at a high level.  It would be easier for Payton if the Broncos offense has more luck when it comes to their health, they aren’t off to a great start in camp.  Joseph won’t run the defense the same way Ejiro Evero did last year but he’s an accomplished defensive mind with some good pieces to work with. 

            This offense won’t be defined by Russell Wilson, Sean Payton won’t let that happen. I don’t think Wilson is as bad as he was last year, he was a poor fit in Nathaniel Hackett’s offense.  Payton is the type of offensive mind who will design his offense to use the skills Wilson has and he’ll also understand that Wilson isn’t the player he once was.  It would help the passing game if the WRs could stay healthy but Tim Patrick tore his Achilles and is done for the year and they cut KJ Hamler because he wasn’t healthy.  That would have left Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, and rookie Marvin Mims as the top three guys.  Then Jeudy got hurt.  Jeudy played well to end the year last year and they need him back.  Sutton is in a make-or-break year.  After his breakout 2019 season, he had an injury season and then two very pedestrian years.  He has talent, he needs to show up.  Mims is a rookie they liked enough to trade up for, he has the skills and he’s going to get plenty of opportunities with all the injuries. 

            The running game needs a return to health from Javonte Williams.  Williams has elite RB ability but he’s coming off a multiple knee ligament injury and that’s never easy.  He’s participating in camp and got pre-season snaps so that’s encouraging.  He can be a superstar if he’s healthy.  They did sign Samaje Perine to hedge against Williams potential knee issues.  Even if Williams is healthy, Perine brings value as a pass catcher with upside, Payton loves pass catching backs.

The offensive line also needs a return to health from LT Garrett Bolles.  He broke his leg last year in week five and even before that, he wasn’t playing his best.  The offense was a mess and he clearly missed his previous offensive line coach Mike Munchak.  Payton cleared out the offensive staff and he brought in Zach Strief, a former offensive lineman for him in New Orleans, to coach the line.  Bolles has the talent to be a top LT, we’ll see Strief can get him back there.  They signed LG Ben Powers and RT Mike McGlinchey, two tough run blockers.  Quinn Meinerz returns to play RG with Lloyd Cushenberry III at center.  I’m not sure Payton is sold on Cushenberry but it’s his job for now. 

The team traded Bradley Chubb last year and let Dre’Mont Jones walk in free agency, they need some new guys to help get pressure on the QB.  The big free agent addition up front was Zach Allen at DE.  They generally don’t look for pass rush from the front line in a 3-4 so that’s good because Allen isn’t that guy.  DJ Jones is good on at the NT position but this team is pretty thin up front.  They signed veteran free agent Frank Clark, who has some size, but he’s more of a pass rusher than a 3-4 DE. 

They hope Clark helps with the pass rush but he’s been losing his effectiveness for years.  Randy Gregory was a big free agent signed last year but per usual, he missed a lot of games.  If you’re pinning your pass rush hopes on Clark and Gregory, it’s going to be a long year.  Lucky for them they have a couple of young guys with potential. 

Baron Browning went from being a backup ILB to playing as a pass rusher out of necessity late last year, and he looked very effective.  He has a knee issue which has him sidelined early but they hope to have him back during the season. The other guy is rookie third-round pick Drew Sanders.  Sanders played ILB at Arkansas last year but started his career as a pass rusher at Alabama.  He has the ability to be a pass rushing OLB and with all the guys at OLB having injury histories, Sanders could seize the opportunity.  At ILB the team returns Josey Jewell and Alex Singleton.  Jewell needs to stay healthy and playing since he’s the best they have.  Singleton is a solid player too.  They don’t have much depth behind them and Drew Sanders likely cross trains at both OLB and ILB just to be safe.

The secondary has two elite players and two questions in its starting lineup.  CB Patrick Surtain II is one of the elite CBs in the NFL.  He’s a shutdown guy and opponents tend to avoid throwing to his side of the field.  Justin Simmons is the longest tenured Bronco and while he doesn’t always get recognized nationally for it, he’s a great safety.  He’s the leader of the defense and he’s as tough as they come.  SS Kareem Jackson was re-signed but he’s 35 and going into season 14.  They probably want Caden Sterns to take over that spot but he’s young and makes mistakes, Jackson doesn’t.  The other CB spot has a bullseye on it because no one wants to challenge Surtain’s side of the field.  Damarri Mathis is the incumbent after playing last year as a rookie but rookie third rounder Riley Moss is going to give him a run for it.  K’Waun Williams was supposed to be the nickel guy but he got hurt, it’s Essang Bassey’s job now.

Las Vegas Raiders

            The Raiders finally decided they had enough of Derek Carr, or at least Josh McDaniels did, and they replaced him with Jimmy Garoppolo.  In general, that’s a move that doesn’t really feel like it matters, however, it does change the dynamic of the offense.  Carr was a guy who liked to throw it deep, evidenced by the fact that Devante Adams had over 1500 yards last season in an offense that wasn’t very good, and Hunter Renfrow only had 36 catches.  Some of that was McDaniels design, but Carr played a certain way.  Jimmy G throws about 95% of his passes within 15 yards of the line of scrimmage (that’s a general estimate, not an actual stat).  This offense will look different, assuming Jimmy G stays healthy enough to play in more than half the season. 

            I doubt Adams is all that enthused about the switch from Carr to Jimmy G.  In two years, he’s gone from MVP Aaron Rodgers to Derek Carr to Jimmy Garoppolo.  That’s the equivalent of trading in your Lamborghini for a Buick and then trading in your Buick for a Toyota Tercel that breaks down all the time.  Adams won’t be the only WR unhappy.  Hunter Renfrow was the nearly forgotten man in McDaniels’ offense last year and then the team signed Jakobi Meyers in free agency.  Meyers is master in the slot, Renfrow’s best spot.  As a Patriots fan I wasn’t happy to see Meyers leave but the good news is that if Bill O’Brien turns around the Patriots’ offense this year and gets a head coaching opportunity, Josh McDaniels is very likely to be available for his third stint as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator.  The team also signed Austin Hooper at TE and drafted Michael Mayer in round two.  Hooper should be more reliably healthy compared to Darren Waller, who was traded to the Giants.  However, Mayer is the guy who will have to replace his production. 

            The running game was good last year because Josh Jacobs was superhuman.  He held out all of training camp until just after preseason games ended and then signed a one-year deal.  This offense would have looked a lot worse without him.  Zamir White, Ameer Abdullah, and Brandon Bolden are not going to get it done.  LT Kolton Miller is a good player, the best offensive lineman on the team.  Second-year LG Dylan Parham still has potential to be good.  C Andre James isn’t awful, but he’s not good either.  The right side of the line is bad.  RG Greg Van Roten and RT Jermaine Eluemunor are well below average. Having a bad offensive line with an injury prone immobile QB spells trouble for this offense.  The good news is their next head coach could be starting out with a new QB when this team ends up drafting Caleb Williams or Drake Maye in the 2024 draft. 

            The Raiders defense isn’t great either.  They have one great defensive player up front in DE Maxx Crosby but last year he was basically working alone.  DE Chandler Jones was their big free agent addition on defense last year and he was terrible.  They need him to rebound and bring some pass rush opposite Crosby.  They also drafted DE Tyree Wilson seventh overall but he’s coming off a foot injury that they are being extra careful with during training camp.  The DTs are Bilal Nicols and Jerry Tillery, not exactly guys who inspire confidence. 

            Just when you think the defensive line isn’t great you look over and see a truly uninspiring group at LB.  Divine Deablo is a young, athletic, undersized MLB and he’s the best of the bunch.  They signed Robert Spillane from Pittsburgh and after that it’s a bunch of guys no one has ever heard of, not that anyone has really heard of Spillane either. 

            The safety position has Marcus Epps, who they signed from Philadelphia and former second-round pick Tre’von Moehrig.  They should be fine but they aren’t game changers.  The CB spot is way worse.  They finally signed Marcus Peters just as camp opened and he immediately becomes their top CB.  Peters is a 30 and has been in decline for the past couple of years but he’s by far, the best CB on this roster.  Nate Hobbs is a solid nickel guy but that’s really all.  Duke Shelley played a lot last year because they needed him, he returns.  The other guys are Brandon Facyson, David Long Jr, Amik Robertson, and rookie Jakorian Bennett.  They seem to be giving Bennett a chance, it can’t hurt.

This division should be interesting. The Lions might be the one complete team. The Vikings should have a good offense but their defense is suspect. The Packers offense is loaded with young guys led by an unknown quantity at QB, Jordan Love. And their defense tends to underachieve. The Bears may have finally built a good offense around Justin Fields and we may see just how good he can be. The problem there is they’re going to have to score five TDs a game to overcome a terrible defense. Let’s take a look.

Detroit Lions

            The Lions’ hype train is in full force and it’s hard to argue against after they way they finished last season.  They went on a great second half run and they should be better this year. There are a few question marks but that probably still puts them ahead of everyone else in their division.  The offense returns most of their key guys and where they lost some people, they may have upgraded. 

            I can’t believe I’m saying this but Jared Goff was pretty good last year and there’s no reason to think he can’t lead this team to the playoffs.  One critical factor on offense is the return of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who passed on head coaching opportunities last year to come back to Detroit.  He’s a genius for figuring out how to run this offense to fit Goff’s skills and make due without a true outside receiving threat (the one major question on offense is the WR position overall).  Jameson Williams is supposed to be that guy this year but he’s out six games with a gambling related suspension.  If Williams can give them a legitimate outside threat, he makes this offense much better.  Amon-Ra St. Brown is a superstar slot receiver and rookie TE Sam LaPorta will give them a nice third receiving option.  They don’t have any great receivers otherwise and it’s the one thing that could be a problem on offense. 

            The running game gets a total facelift with Jamaal Williams leaving for New Orleans and D’Andre Swift traded to Philadelphia.  The team signed David Montgomery in free agency and drafted Jahmyr Gibbs 12^th overall.  Montgomery becomes the traditional power back grinding out yardage and being the short-yardage guy, a.k.a. the new Williams.  Gibbs is the replacement for Swift as the pass catcher/playmaker out of the backfield. The hope is that Gibbs is healthier and even more explosive than Swift, given his electric playmaking ability. Detroit’s offense has been at it’s best with Ben Johnson calling plays but a lot of their success can be traced to them having one the best offensive lines in football.  LT Taylor Decker, LG Jonah Jackson, C Frank Ragnow and RT Penei Sewell are all fantastic.  Sewell is quickly rising to the top of the OT position in the league while the other three are outstanding at their positions.  The RG spot had some issues last year but the team picked up veteran Graham Glasgow as insurance incase Halapoulivaati Vaitai isn’t healthy again. 

            The Detroit defense is where the question marks mostly come for this team. The defensive line is led by Aidan Hutchinson going into his second season.  He had a good first year with 9.5 sacks but I wouldn’t expect him to get more than maybe 12 in a season. The good news is the team has depth at DE and got good production from guys like James Houston and John Cominsky and they have some other guys who could contribute like Romeo Okwara, Josh Pascall and Charles Harris.  They are more than the sum of their parts. 

            At LB, the team needs rookie Jack Campbell to live up to his first-round status and there’s no reason to think he won’t.  Campbell has the size, the athleticism, and the instincts to be a legitimate starting LB.  He’s the most talented LB on the team.  I love Malcolm Rodriguez but he’s undersized and needs to be used in a way that mitigates his disadvantages.  Alex Anzalone is a nice veteran to have around but he’s not the guy you build a defense around.  Derrick Barnes is a young guy they really like and he should start outside.   

            The secondary was overhauled in the off season I’m just not sure it was enough.  This is the one area that could still kill Detroit’s chances at their division and limits their upside in the playoffs.  Emmanuel Moseley and Cameron Sutton were signed in free agency to be the new CBs, and they needed new CBs.  However, Moseley began training camp on the PUP list and remains there, they need Sutton outside at CB and he’s probably still better suited for the slot.  Speaking of the slot, they have that covered. They signed CJ Gardner-Johnson, he’s a safety/nickel hybrid who does his best work in the slot, and drafted Brian Branch, who’s also a safety/nickel hybrid who does his best work in the slot.  All this probably means the team leans on Jerry Jacobs at outside CB quite a bit again, they like him but he’s a limited player physically. 

            If I were a betting man I’m taking the Lions in this division but that’s because I like the answers the Lions have to their questions better than the other three teams in this division.  That’s not a ringing endorsement and I probably wouldn’t take the Lions in the playoffs except for the fact that the NFC isn’t stacked with great teams. 

Minnesota Vikings

            One reason I’m picking the Lions in this division is that I have many questions about the other three teams.  When that’s the case, go with the team with the known quantity at QB.  I may not like Kirk Cousins but the guy is consistent, that should go a long way in this division.  The Vikings had 11 wins by one score or less last year, that’s not sustainable, but nine or ten wins probably means second in the NFC North. 

            Kirk Cousins is the steady veteran QB who’s good enough to make you a playoff contender but not enough to make you a viable Super Bowl team.  He will be playing on a very talented offense.  Justin Jefferson is in the conversation for the best WR in the NFL (if he had an elite QB, it might not be a question).  The team replaced veteran Adam Thielen with rookie Jordan Addison.  It’s going to take Addison some time to adjust, but he’s a really talented player.  The trade for TE TJ Hockenson last year from Detroit was key.  Hockenson is one of the more talented TEs in the NFL and he’s a real threat over the middle and down the seam. 

            The offensive line is pretty good.  LT Christian Darrisaw is really coming on as one of the better LTs in the league.  RT Brian O’Neill is an underrated veteran who’s steady but unspectacular.  The interior is LG Ezra Cleveland, C Garrett Bradbury, and RG Ed Ingram.  They aren’t a flashy group but they are all still young and play well as a unit.  The running game gets a new look this year with Alexander Mattison ascending to the top spot after the team cut Dalvin Cook.  Cook has been the mainstay of this offense for a while but Mattison has proven to be an affective replacement when he has been called upon.  This offense should continue to produce in Kevin O’Connell’s second year. 

            While the offense should be good the defense could be another story.  They struggled last year and the biggest addition is bringing in Brian Flores to overhaul the defense. He brings a different philosophy and style and they hope he gets more out of the guys he has.  Danielle Hunter will play on the edge in more of a LB role than a DE and he’ll have free agent addition Marcus Davenport on the opposite side.  They have three pretty non-descript linemen upfront in Harrison Phillips, Dean Lowry, and Khyiris Tonga.  There’s going to be a lot of pressure on Hunter and Davenport because there aren’t a lot of playmakers in this front seven.

            The two inside LBs should be Brian Asamoah II and Jordan Hicks, they are the definition of average.  Average would be on the high end of outcomes for the secondary.  Harrison Smith returns at safety and he’s been a good player for a long time but he’s 34, he can’t be the guy who fixes everything any more.  Cam Bynum starts opposite him, he’s fine, he’s still young.  It would help a lot if last year’s first-round pick, Lewis Cine, can come back healthy from a devastating injury that ruined his rookie year. 

            The CB position is in a major transition.  They signed Byron Murphy Jr. as the major free agent addition but they may need him to play outside when he’s best suited to the slot.  Andrew Booth Jr. is another guy who missed a ton of time last year as a rookie but unlike Lewis Cine, they need him.  Cine can ease back in, Booth can’t.  The rest of the depth chart is even more question marks.  Akayleb Evans, Mekhi Blackmon, and Joejuan Williams are not top of the line guys.  Brian Flores has his work cut out for him. 

Green Bay Packers

            Most people’s questions regarding the Packers are about Jordan Love taking over the offense from Aaron Rodgers.  I have less questions about that and more questions about why this defense isn’t better and will the youth around Love really step up.  Matt LaFleur has proven he’s a good coach and I think he’ll put Jordan Love in positions to succeed.  Love has spent three years learning on the sidelines and I think he can step in and run the offense. 

            The pass catchers on this team are really young.  WRs Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are second-year players while slot receiver Jayden Reed is a rookie.  If Reed doesn’t win the slot job it’s probably second-year man Samori Toure winning it.  The top two TEs are rookies Luke Musgrave and Tucker Craft.  Jordan Love is entering year four and he’s the elder statesman of the passing offense.  Lucky for him, he has very good RBs and a good offensive line.

            Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon are a very talented RB duo.  Dillon went through a bit of a sophomore slump last year but he should bounce back.  Either way, Jones is still one of the most well-rounded RBs in the league.  He’s a top-notch runner and a fantastic pass catcher and any time Jordan Love gets in trouble, he can look to dump it off to Jones.  The offensive line can be one of the better ones in the league if everyone is healthy, and by everyone I mean LT David Bakhtiari and LG Elgton Jenkins.  Bakhtari is one of the best LTs in football when he’s healthy and Jenkins could make the Pro Bowl at multiple positions if he stays on the field.  C Josh Myers, RG Jon Runyan, and RT Zach Tom are solid players. 

            The Packers defense shouldn’t be the problem but for some reason, they are (hint: it’s probably the coordinator).  Matt LaFleur decided to stick with Joe Barry as his defensive coordinator, he does less with more than anyone in the league.  When healthy, this defense should have seven starters who were first-round picks (DL Kenny Clark, DL Devonte Wyatt, LB Quay Walker, LB Rashan Gary, CB Jaire Alexander, CB Eric Stokes, and S Darnell Savage), that doesn’t include this year’s first rounder Lukas Van Ness.  It also doesn’t include two very good starting veteran LBs, De’Vondre Campbell and Preston Smith. 

            The defense is stacked.  The front seven includes Kenny Clark, one of the best defensive linemen in the game.  OLBs Rashan Gary and Preston Smith are a very good pass rushing duo off the edge, and now they have Lukas Van Ness as depth.  Campbell and Walker are very good at ILB.  They need Wyatt and NT TJ Slaton to play well up front to keep the LBs clean, but that’s not too much to ask when Kenny Clark is taking a lot of the focus up front. 

            The secondary has one of the best CB in the NFL in Alexander.  He can be truly special.  They need Eric Stokes to get healthy and stay that way but Rasul Douglas has done a good job stepping in.  Darnell Savage is a talented player who had his struggles last year, he needs to turn it around.  The other safety spot is a question after Adrian Amos wasn’t re-signed. Rudy Ford won the starting job there but I’m guessing they will be looking for safety help after cutdown day.

            If the Packers defense gets off to a bad start LaFleur is going to have to make the move to replace Barry.  He needs to be proactive because it’s always better to make the move yourself instead of letting the front office dictate it.  There isn’t an obvious choice on staff to replace Barry considering no one else has prior play calling experience but defensive line coach/run game coordinator Jerry Montgomery has been around awhile.  The looming shadow of former Wisconsin Badger defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard is also hanging over Barry’s head. 

Chicago Bears

            I’m picking the Bears last in this division for one reason and one reason only, this defense is going to be terrible.  I think the offense has a chance to be pretty solid but I’m not sure they can average 35 points a game so the record is going to suffer.  It took Luke Getsy a hot minute last year (okay, it was like seven games) to finally figure out how to use Justin Fields, but once he did, Fields was electric.  He has a better offensive line and actual real receivers this year. 

            Fields is one of the best athletes in the NFL, not just one of the most athletic QBs, one of the best athletes.  This leads the general football fan to think he’s just a runner at QB, that’s not true, he’s got the arm to be an elite passer.  This year he should have more time behind an improved line, DJ Moore gives him a legitimate deep threat WR1, and his receiving corps is upgraded.  Darnell Mooney and Chase Claypool are better suited to be a #2 and #3 WR which is where they line up now.  Also, don’t sleep on rookie Tyler Scott, if Mooney or Claypool faulter, Scott can step up.  TE Cole Kmet is never going to be Rob Gronkowski but if he was late-career Jason Witten catching 70 passes a year for 800 yards, that’s a good TE. 

            The offensive line got a major new piece in rookie RT Darnell Wright.  The best thing about Wright is he’s an excellent RT and there’s no wondering where he will play, he’s a RT and only a RT.  That’s actual a good thing because it clears up a few things.  Braxton Jones is staying at LT.  He had his ups and downs as a rookie last year but he’s going to be a pretty good LT, he has all the tools to do so. It also means Teven Jenkins can concentrate on being the best guard he can be.  He moves to LG with newly signed Nate Davis at RG and that also solidifies things.  Cody Whitehair is making the move back to center, he’s better than what they had there.  Late camp injuries are making the team shuffle the interior a bit but hopefully guys get back sooner rather than later.  Putting five guys in set spots and letting them gel together is a good thing.  D’Onta Foreman joins Khalil Herbert in the backfield.  It’s not the most inspiring RB duo but they can get the job done.  Herbert has ascended to the top spot but they will use Foreman.  Also, look out for rookie Rochon Johnson, he’s the do-everything RB who could steal the job eventually. 

            This defense is going to be a problem, just not for their opponents.  The defensive line is uninspiring to say the least.  They signed DeMarcus Walker at DE, he’s a nice player but he’s not scaring anyone.  They signed Yannick Ngakoue just after camp got started and he’s easily their most accomplished pass rusher.  Rasheem Green and Dominique Robinson are the other options at DE.  Justin Jones and Andrew Billings are veteran DTs but they are just guys. The two rookie DTs, Zadch Pickens and Gervon Dexter Sr., should get more and more time as the season goes on. 

            The linebacker corps is far more talented but they may get washed out a lot if the defensive line can’t hold up.  They spent a boatload of money to sign Tremaine Edmunds at MLB to replace Roquan Smith, who they traded last year.  Edmunds is a very different player, he’s long, tall, and rangy.  The Bears need him to be a steady superstar to build around.  They also signed TJ Edwards away from Philly and he’ll join Jack Sanborn flanking Edmunds.  These two aren’t the flashy guys, they do all the dirty work and they’re solid players. 

            The secondary has the most potential but at this point it’s far more potential than production.  Safety Eddie Jackson is the one guy who’s a truly accomplished NFL player, he’s good and he’s the leader of the unit.  He’s joined at safety by Jaquan Brisker who’s a very good young player.  Brisker has a high ceiling and he could have a breakout sophomore year.  CB Jaylon Johnson has been a steady but not spectacular presence for the past several years.  Still waiting for him to really step into a lead role.  The team drafted Kyler Gordon last year and then followed that up with Tyrique Stevenson this year.  Gordon has his rookie issues but he’s a talented player.  I’m not a huge Stevenson fan but he’s an elite athlete who could be very good if his head is on strait and they coach him up.  I have a feeling this defense is going to get this team into many shootouts and while the offense will be much improved, I’m not sure they will be enough to really make difference.   The offense is going to be much improved I’m just not sure how much better the team will be overall with a weak defense.   

The Iowa Hawkeye football season could go a few different directions and they all depend on how the offense performs. The defense is going to be elite; they have the talent and depth to be one of the best defenses in the country. The offense is going to depend on three things; the health of QB Cade McNamara, the play of the offensive line, and the play calling of Brian Ferentz (and Kirk Ferentz’s insistence on sticking with the same old same old). Iowa addressed the talent deficiencies on the offensive side of the ball when it comes to personnel. They added two QBs, two WRs, a TE, a fullback (who was a TE) and two offensive linemen. For good measure they grabbed a new starting LB just the defense didn’t feel neglected. Let’s look at the new and hopefully improved offense and the amazing defense.

OFFENSE

Quarterbacks
Starter: Cade McNamara
Backups: Deacon Hill, Joe Labas

It’s clear that this offense is going to rely on Cade McNamara if it wants to be at its best. He’s the clear leader of the team, he commands the offense like no one else and his skill set is important. McNamara isn’t a running QB but he has mobility to escape the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield and making plays. His rollout game is light years ahead of where last year’s QBs were. McNamara seems to have recovered from a quad strain from a camp and is practicing leading up to week 1. Hill and Labas are still competing for the backup job but if McNamara goes down, this offense really suffers.

Running Backs/Fullback
Starters: Kaleb Johnson, Hayden Large
Backups: Leshon Williams, Jaziun Patterson

Kaleb Johnson has the skills and ability to be the best RB at Iowa since Shonn Greene. He’s an electric runner with balance and vision. He has the size to finish runs falling forward when he needs the tough yards and the speed to pull away if he gets some daylight. Johnson earned every yard he got last year behind an offensive line that was mostly terrible. His talent is undeniable, now it’s up to the line to give him a chance to showcase it.

Leshon Williams will be the backup who gets some carries to take some of the wear and tear off Johnson. Williams a talented back who runs hard and will get the tough yards too. Jaziun Patterson is the smaller pass catching back who can be a game breaker. He looked good in very limited action last year and he brings a different skill set than Johnson and Williams. Hayden Large is the one fullback for now. He came to Iowa as a walk-on TE from Dordt College but the TE position is more than full and the team needed a fullback. Large moved to the position and while Iowa might not use the position very much this season, they have an option.

Wide Receivers
Starters: Nico Ragaini, Diante Vines, Seth Anderson
Backups: Kaleb Brown, Jarriett Buie, Dayton Howard

Iowa is not usually a three-receiver set type of team and they are more likely to start the game with two WRs and two TEs than three WRs and one TE but I’m listing three because which two start may depend on the play. Ragaini is the most experienced receiver which makes sense since he’s a sixth-year senior. He’s also best in the slot and as long as Iowa has options on the outside, they should leave Nico there. Diante Vines has talent but he just hasn’t been able to stay healthy enough to get a lot of playing time. He seems to be healthy now and he has an actual QB so we may get to see exactly what he is. Anderson is a transfer who had a great year at Charleston Southern last year and has looked good in camp. He was an important addition to the unit because he has a complementary skill set to Vines and Ragaini and he has actual college experience.

The three guys backing up at WR are three guys who are young but have lots of potential and bring different skills this team may need. Everyone was excited when Kaleb Brown transferred from Ohio St. and it’s easy to see why. He has elite speed and the ability to add a vertical threat this team hasn’t had. He may end up a starter and he probably has more raw talent than any other WR on the roster. He’s underdeveloped and inexperienced at the moment and that will matter to Kirk. Buie and Howard are big receiver who can play as the tradition big, physical outside receivers who can win with their size. Iowa hasn’t had that in a while either.

Tight Ends
Starters: Luke Lachey, Eric All
Backups: Addison Ostrenga, Steven Stilianos

Luke Lachey returns after having a pretty good year playing complementary football with Sam LaPorta. Now that LaPorta is off to Detroit, Lachey gets a new running mate in Michigan transfer Erick All. Lachey and All are both big, athletic freaks who are matchup problems for every team they face. Lachey knows the offense well but All has a previous on-field connection to Cade McNamara. If there is one thing Iowa has proven over the years it’s that two TEs can both flourish in this offense. Lachey and All both have All-Conference talent and NFL futures.

Addison Ostrenga is the next guy in line and he should be an excellent third TE this season. Steven Stilianos was a transfer last year who took some time to get up to speed with Big Ten football but he’s had a good camp and give the team great depth.

Offensive Line
Starters: LT Mason Richman, LG Connor Colby, C Logan Jones, RG Nick DeJong, RT Daijon Parker/Gennings Dunker
Backups: OT Jack Dotzler, G Beau Stephens, C/G Rusty Feth, G Tyler Elsbury, OT Parker/Dunker

I’m going off my gut a bit here and not what we’ve been told through depth chart updates and what was seen at practice. The only sure things are LT Mason Richman and C Logan Jones are starting and starting at those positions. After watching the second half of last season I have a hard time believing Connor Colby won’t be the LG, he really stabilized the left side when he moved there mid-season. If someone is better than he was last year, Iowa is in good shape there. The right guard spot was a problem all last season which is why the staff took Rusty Feth as a transfer. Feth could get the job but Kirk Ferentz has been praising fifth-year senior Nick DeJong a lot. Now, DeJong has not been good the past few years when he has had to play and I’ve been very tough on him. The one thing he has going for him is Ferentz has a history of taking guys who have struggled and turning them into solid players their fifth year, DeJong could be that guy. He also has T/G versatility so he could end up the backup at multiple spots. Gennings Dunker is a young guy who has all the tools to be an OT but he looks inconsistent because he hasn’t played much due to injury. Parker has been battling injury since he showed up as a transfer in the spring. If Dunker can’t find consistency and Parker gets healthy, he could take the job. He transferred from Saginaw Valley St but he has a lot of playing time under his belt. If Parker was healthy, I think his experience would give him an advantage over Dunker’s inconsistency. For now, I’m expecting them both to play once Parker can get out there.

The backups are mostly going to be whoever doesn’t start at guard between Colby, Feth, DeJong, and Beau Stephens. Stephens was in over his head last season but he could take a leap and compete for a starting spot. The problem is the other three have more experience. Tyler Elsbury is versatile but so far that has meant he just hasn’t found one spot to excel. Feth was also brought in incase Logan Jones continued to struggle at center but he looks better. Feth will back up the spot just incase of emergency. Jack Dotzler is still a young guy trying to get physically ready to play at OT but he’s there if needed. DeJong or Parker can swing over to LT if Richman goes out. This unit must play better or nothing else will matter on offense.

DEFENSE

Defensive Line
Starters: DE Deonte Craig, DT Logan Lee, DT Yahya Black, DE Joe Evans
Backups: DE Max Llewellyn, DE Ethan Hurkett, DT Aaron Graves, DE Chris Reames, DE Brian Allen, DT Jeremiah Pittman, DT Anterio Thompson

Even without Noah Shannon this is the deepest position on the team and probably the most talented. Shannon being suspended for the year sucks for the Hawkeyes but they will be fine. DE Deonte Craig is a major breakout candidate after he had 6.5 sacks last year as backup, rotational player. He is a talented player and with more opportunities he’ll be even more productive. Joe Evans starts at the other DE spot after coming back for his sixth season. He’s always been a bit undersized but there is no quit in his pass rush. Iowa will rotate in plenty of guys at both DE and DT so there’s always fresh legs up front.

The DT rotation got a little thinner without Shannon but I’m not sure anyone will notice. It means more snaps for Yahya Black as he becomes the starter next to Logan Lee. Black is a huge man and gives Iowa a massive player at DT. Lee isn’t a big guy but he wins with leverage and technique and he never quits either. These guys are talented and impressive but they won’t be alone up front.

The backup DEs are Ethan Hurkett and Max Llewellyn. They haven’t played a ton because of injury and because Iowa has been stacked at the position. They are well built players with years in the system and are very good athletes. Chris Reames has barely played but he’s a senior who’s stuck it out so he might get some snaps. Brian Allen is a talented redshirt freshman who could surprise by earning some playing time.

At DT, Aaron Graves is more than a backup, he could start and he’ll be used heavily in the rotation with Lee and Black. Graves could also log time at DE but that seems unnecessary. Junior college transfer Anterio Thompson probably benefits the most from Shannon being out because he will get a little more time. The coaching staff also likes Jeremiah Pittman. Both Thompson and Pittman can play but they may have to wait their turn with Lee, Black, and Graves ahead of them.

Linebackers
Starters: MLB Jay Higgins, WLB Nick Jackson, Cash Sebastian Castro
Backups: Kyler Fisher, Karson Sharar, Jaxon Rexroth

Jay Higgins gets the unenviable task of replacing Jack Campbell at MLB for the Hawkeyes while Virginia transfer Nick Jackson gets Seth Benson’s old spot. Those are big shoes to fill but Higgins and Jackson look ready to do it. If you think it’s not possible to replace a legend like Campbell, just remember, Campbell replaced Josey Jewell who was also a legend. That’s setting the bar pretty high for Higgins but he doesn’t have to be a legend, he just has to be good, and he’ll be good. Jackson was extremely productive at Virginia and I would say he’ll fill Benson’s shoes quite well. Sebastian Castro took over the Cash role last season when Cooper DeJean had to move to CB and he was quite good. He found his spot and I think he’ll only get better at it.

Kyler Fisher is a former walk-on the coaches trust quite a bit. Karson Sharar is a young guy the coaches like a lot, he just needs to stay healthy. Jaxon Rexroth is an athletic guy who was a safety at one point but grew into a LB, he has plenty of athleticism to compete. Higgins and Jackson will get most of the playing time and the team will probably use the Cash plenty because it gets their best defensive players on the field together.

Defensive Backs
Starters: CB Cooper DeJean, CB Jermari Harris, SS Xavier Nwankpa, FS Quinn Schulte
Backups: CB Deshaun Lee, CB TJ Hall, S Koen Entringer

The starting group is really good and has one transcendent talent in Cooper DeJean, he was chosen as preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and he’s a likely first-round draft pick next year, assuming he leaves early. Jermari Harris finished the 2021 season very strong when he was pressed into starting duty, then he missed last year with an injury, which is one of the reasons DeJean moved to CB full-time. Now Harris is back and looking to have a great year. There are some rumblings that Harris might miss some time to start the year and that would hurt because the backup CBs don’t have much experience.

Xavier Nwankpa was a five-star recruit who spent most of last year as a backup to Kaevon Merriweather and as a special team’s guy, then he finally got to start in the bowl game. He was excellent and he’s only going to get better with experience. Phil Parker normally takes walk-ons at safety and turns them into All-Conference guys, imagine what he can do with a guy with Nwankpa’s talent. Speaking of former walk-ons Parker has turned into top players, Quinn Schulte should quarterback this secondary from his FS spot and he’s really good. Parker loves a safety who knows what he’s supposed to do, where he’s supposed to be, and where everyone else should line up, that’s Schulte.

The backups are a little thin, the team’s depth will be tested if there are any injuries or if Harris misses significant time. Deshaun Lee has really shown up in camp and might be the third corner after overtaking TJ Hall. Hall played some last year when injuries struck and he struggled a lot in the Nebraska game. He’s a talented guy he just lacks experience. He should be fine eventually but this team just isn’t deep in the secondary unless some true freshmen really step up. Koen Entringer is the third safety and Sebastian Castro can also line up at SS if needed. Entringer is a guy the coaches like but Castro has more experience. Nwankpa has the versatility to move to FS if needed too. Also, DeJean can probably play any position on defense except maybe DT, I say maybe because I don’t want to underestimate him.

Specialists
Kicker: Drew Stevens
Punter: Tory Taylor
Punt Returner: Cooper DeJean
Kick Returner: Kaleb Johnson

Stevens was really good as a freshman and he should only get better. Tory Taylor is the best punter in the country and was our best offensive player last year (only slightly kidding). DeJean is a terror as a punt returner, no team wants to let him get his hands on the ball, ever. Johnson might not be the full-time kick returner considering he’s the starting RB but he wouldn’t be the first starter to return kickoffs for the Hawkeyes. That’s all I know about special teams, luckily LeVar Woods knows far more than most.

Arizona Cardinals
(6) Paris Johnson Jr. OT Ohio St.
(41) BJ Ojulari Edge LSU
(72) Garrett Williams CB Syracuse
(94) Michael Wilson WR Stanford
(122) Jon Gaines II OL UCLA
(139) Clayton Tune QB Houston
(168) Owen Pappoe LB Auburn
(180) Kei’Trel Clark CB Louisville
(213) Dante Stills DL West Virginia

Immediate Impact: OT Paris Johnson Jr, CB Garrett Williams

Johnson is going to start somewhere on this line. He has the versatility to play guard if they want. They have DJ Humphries at LT, he’s fine but Johnson will be better and will take that job eventually. For now, maybe he plays RT, Kelvin Beachem is 34, maybe he plays LG, they aren’t stacked at guard. It’s too bad he’s not a center, they still need one of those. Williams is a projection by me. He’s coming off an ACL tear from last October, that would be the only thing that could stop him from taking a starting CB job on this defense. When healthy, he’s better than every corner they have.

Best Value: OT Paris Johnson Jr.

This one takes a little explaining. The Cardinals traded back from three to twelve and picked up extra picks from Houston including the Texans’ first-round pick next year and a second-round pick this year (plus more). They took the twelfth pick and the extra second round pick and traded back up to get Johnson, they guy they wanted all along. That’s a smart move by new GM Monti Ossenfort. In one draft, with two moves, he proved he’s better at this than Steve Keim ever was. That extra first-round pick gives them a ton of options moving forward and Johnson gives them a new LT for the next decade. Well played Mr. Ossenfort.

Sleeper: CB Kei’Trel Clark

There’s a decent chance they don’t have to wait long to see this “sleeper” pay off. Clark could be their slot corner from day one. They use Isaiah Simmons as a nickel guy but Clark is your more traditional nickel corner. He’s good enough to be their third corner immediately. If their top three corners next season are rookies Garrett Williams and Kei’Trel Clark with Marco Wilson, it wouldn’t be surprising at all.

Overall Analysis

Monti Ossenfort did a solid job overall by getting solid players and grabbing more picks for next season. The Cardinals are probably not going to be very good next year with Kyler Murray missing a lot of the season with his knee injury. If things go really bad the team will have the option to draft a new QB, send Kyler on his way, and start over, not a terrible idea. Johnson will be a solid starting LT, he many never be Trent Williams, but he’s at least as good as DJ Humphries. Edge rusher BJ Ojulari is a solid pass rushing prospect who probably needs a little time to get better, this team can give him that time.

If Williams gets back from his knee injury, he’s got starter potential. WR Michael Wilson is a guy who was injured a lot at Stanford. He looks the part of a big, physical WR but he just didn’t stay on the field. He could also be a core special team’s guy if he stays healthy. I almost picked Jon Gaines II as my sleeper, he played all five positions at UCLA and he might just compete for the center job if they let him. I really like the Clayton Tune pick at QB. With Murray injured it looks like Colt McCoy will be the starter and Tune might be the backup. With McCoy’s injury history, Tune might get a shot at some point.

The last three picks were used on defensive players. Often, players taken this late are for depth or just training camp bodies but these guys might make a difference on this bad Cardinals defense. I think Clark can win the nickel job. LB Owen Pappoe is a gamer. He can compete with Zaven Collins and Kyzir White at ILB, he has some skills they can use. DL Dante Stills might not start but he’s built to play end on their three-man front line and they don’t have much depth.

Los Angeles Rams

(36) Steve Avila G/C TCU
(77) Byron Young Edge Tennessee
(89) Kobie Turner DL Wake Forest
(128) Stetson Bennett QB Georgia
(161) Nick Hampton Edge Appalachian St.
(174) Warren McClendon OT Georgia
(175) Davis Allen TE Clemson
(177) Puka Nacua WR BYU
(182) Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson CB TCU
(189) Ochaun Mathis Edge Nebraska
(215) Zach Evans RB Mississippi
(223) Ethan Evans P Wingate
(234) Jason Taylor II S Oklahoma St.
(259) Desjuan Johnson DL Toledo

Immediate Impact: G/C Steve Avila, Edge Byron Young, P Ethan Evans

The Rams roster is decimated, especially on defense, so there are going to be rookies playing all over. If you go look at their depth chart, the second team is just rookies everywhere. Avila has a chance to start at guard but with Brian Allen’s injury history, Avila might be needed at center. He seems like a strange scheme fit but he’s a mauler and this team needs some toughness on the line. Young is an underdeveloped pass rusher who’s really athletic but doesn’t finish plays all that well. That won’t matter in LA, this team needs pass rushers badly. If the Rams offense is anywhere near as beat up as it was last season, they are going to need a good punter. Evans is a big dude from a small school, I hope his leg has stamina.

Best Value: DL Kobie Turner

Turner isn’t a household name because he played defensive line at Wake Forest, however, this team’s defensive line outside Aaron Donald is horrid. There’s an outside shot Turner ends up starting on the line with Donald. He has the size and is a scheme fit on their front and there isn’t much in front of him. Turner was a late third-round pick and he might end up a starter, good value.

Sleeper: RB Zach Evans

The Rams top two RBs are Cam Akers and Kyren Williams. Williams was banged up last year and Akers nearly quite football because he didn’t want to play for Sean McVay anymore. McVay eventually needed Akers so he ended up playing but Evans is a great fit for the Rams offense. He’s a one cut and go runner. Evans was a major recruit coming in to college and just never found the right fit at TCU or Mississippi. If McVay can harness some of that natural running ability, Evans will certainly outplay his draft slot.

Overall Analysis

This is a huge class which is strange for a team that was saying “Fuck them picks” just a couple of years ago. This roster is in bad shape and its paper thin, usually I would say a team with 14 draft picks is dumb because there’s no way 14 rookies make a roster, that’s not true here. I’m not saying all 14 will make the opening 53-man roster, but 11 or 12 isn’t inconceivable. Avila, Young, Turner, and Evans could be day one starters. I’m not a big fan of Stetson Bennett but he’s a friend of Matt Stafford and his competition for the backup job is Brett Rypien, I’m not betting against him as the backup QB.

Edge rusher Nick Hampton might struggle to make other teams’ rosters but this team has no edge rushers worth mentioning so he’s in. OL Warren McClendon was a solid starter at Georgia, this team has zero depth on the o-line, as everyone who watched them last year can attest to, he’s on the roster. TE Davis Allen might not make the roster but only because they picked up Hunter Long in the Jalen Ramsey trade and they will feel dumb is he’s not at least their third TE behind Tyler Higbee and Brycen Hopkins. Allen ends up on the practice squad.

Puka Nacua is an unspectacular WR, he’s going to fit right in behind Cooper Kupp with guys like Van Jefferson, Ben Skowronek, and Tutu Atwell. Tre Tomlinson (aka Tre’Vius Hodges-Tomlinson) might end up the starting slot corner. He’s really small but he’s LaDainian’s nephew so I’m not betting against him, oh and his competition is some dude named Cobie Durant. Ochaun Mathis is an edge rusher, I already covered this, all new edge rushers are making the team. Zach Evans is coming for Cam Akers’ job and Ethan Evans (no relation) is the new punter.

CB Jason Taylor II isn’t related to the former Dolphin’s great but that doesn’t matter, this defense can’t turn down any help. DL Desjuan Johnson is a defensive end from Toledo who may only be a pass rush specialist, he would be the fifth rookie as an edge/defensive end player. He still has a chance to make the roster, it’s that rough.

San Francisco 49ers

(87) Ji’Ayir Brown CB Penn St
(99) Jake Moody K Michigan
(101) Cameron Latu TE Alabama
(155) Darrell Luter Jr CB South Alabama
(173) Robert Beal Edge Georgia
(216) Dee Winters LB TCU
(247) Brayden Willis TE Oklahoma
(253) Ronnie Bell WR Michigan
(255) Jalen Graham LB Purdue

Immediate Impact: K Jake Moody

The 49ers didn’t have a first or second round pick and this is a pretty good roster so finding guys to contribute immediately is tough. That said, they used one of their third-round picks on a kicker and they don’t have a kicker so it’s Moody’s job. He’s a good, consistent kicker who isn’t going to set any distance records but he’s going to be pretty automatic inside 50 yards.

Best Value: None

There really wasn’t a great value pick. They have multiple sleepers but no one who went way lower than they should.

Sleepers: CB Darrell Luter Jr, WR Ronnie Bell

Luter is a small school guy from South Alabama who has plus athleticism and good size for a boundary corner. The 49ers are good at uncovering these lesser-known corners and getting the best out of them. Luter has a chance to become one of those guys. Bell had some injury issues at Michigan that may have sapped his explosiveness a bit but he’s a yards-after-the-catch type of WR and that’s what San Francisco majors in. They love a guy who gets the YAC and Bell could stick on the end of the depth chart initially and then when others get older and more expensive, he’s in place to get some playing time.

Overall Analysis

The 49ers traded away their first and second round picks so they were starting from behind, however, they had three third-round picks, that’s not nothing. One problem, they had a glaring hole at RT (for now it’s Colton McKivitz’s job) and they didn’t address RT. They used three picks on a DB, a kicker, and a TE, no RT. Here’s the OTs that went in round four they could have had; Nick Saldiveri, Blake Freeland, Dawand Jones, Sidy Sow, Braeden Daniels, and Carter Warren. Not all of those guys are scheme fits, but all of those guys could beat out McKivitz.

As for the guys they took in round three. Ji’Ayir Brown is a versatile DB who could replace Jimmy Ward, solid choice. Jake Moody is a kicker; I would have waited. TE Cameron Latu was probably a reach and you could have had a comparable TE later in the draft, oh wait, you did with Brayden Willis in round seven. In the fifth round they bet on some good athletes. Luter has some promise and Robert Beal was an underutilized guy at Georgia (it’s Georgia, the other guys were better but that doesn’t mean he’s bad).

Dee Winters and Jalen Graham aren’t world beaters but they give them some young depth at LB, they should also help on special teams. TE Brayden Willis and WR Ronnie Bell are just depth pieces on offense and may never really pan out but they could be useful in limited roles for now.

Seattle Seahawks

(5) Devon Witherspoon CB Illinois
(20) Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR Ohio St
(37) Derick Hall Edge Auburn
(52) Zach Charbonnet RB UCLA
(108) Anthony Bradford OG LSU
(123) Cameron Young DL Mississippi St.
(151) Mike Morris Edge Michigan
(154) Olusegun Oluwatimi C Michigan
(198) Jerrick Reed II S New Mexico
(237) Kenny McIntosh RB Georgia

Immediate Impact: CB Devon Witherspoon, WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Edge Derick Hall, RB Zach Charbonnet

The Seahawks had a great draft last year and this one has a chance to be just as good if not better. Witherspoon isn’t the physical profile we are used to seeing in Seattle but he’s more than his physical profile. Witherspoon brings the attitude the Seahawks are looking for on defense in addition to his considerable coverage skills. He starts opposite Tariq Woolen and it’s Woolen who will be the CB2. Smith-Njigba is the perfect complement to Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. JSN is the quintessential slot receiver and that’s exactly what this offense needs. He plays the inside better than most and he completes the passing offense for Geno Smith.

I wasn’t the biggest Derick Hall guy, but he’s a player for this team. They need some juice on the outside of their pass rush and he can give them that. Charbonnet doesn’t look like a huge impact guy at first glance with Kenneth Walker being the starter. However, Walker is a boom or bust type of runner while Charbonnet is a more consistent player who almost always gets positive yards.

Best Value: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba

This might be a questionable pick considering JSN was a first rounder but it’s the value he brings to the offense as a whole. He’s the missing piece of the passing game. The Seahawks have been trying to find the third guy in the passing game for years. They tried Dee Eskridge, he wasn’t it, they tried TE Noah Fant, he’s not it either. JSN is the slot receiver they need to take coverage away from DK Metcalf going deep and Tyler Lockett in the intermediate area.

Sleeper: OG Anthony Bradford

An offensive guard drafted in the fourth round would definitely be a sleeper. The interior of the Seahawks offensive line leaves a bit to be desired and Bradford is a pretty solid guard prospect. He could win the right guard job pretty early. He’s a mauler and he would be an improvement over Phil Haynes and could really help solidify the offensive line.

Overall Analysis

The first four picks were exceptional, all of them will contribute in a big way. Bradford was the fifth choice and I think he has a chance to start too. DT Cameron Young isn’t a flashy player but you rarely get that in a big-bodied nose tackle. He has the beef this team needs inside on the defensive line. DE Mike Morris is built to be an end in a 3-4 defense because he too has the beef they need up front. Morris is never going to be a pass rush star but he’s a tough guy up front.

Center Olu Oluwatimi isn’t my favorite center prospect; I think he’s athletically limited and isn’t as great as he gets credit for. That said, he could win the center job in Seattle as they aren’t stacked at that position. Evan Brown doesn’t present a big roadblock as the penciled in starter right now. Jerrick Reed II might stick around as a nickel corner. RB Kenny McIntosh is a nice depth piece. After losing both Rashad Penny and Travis Homer in the backfield, they needed to replenish their depth. McIntosh played at Georgia and while he was never the bell cow back, he can be a useful player.