Buffalo Bills

The Bills have built the most complete roster in the NFL over the last several seasons and they put the finishing touches on this offseason.  It’s now or never for the Bills to make a run to the Super Bowl and they are rightfully one of the favorites to do so.  It starts with potential MVP candidate QB Josh Allen.  He has progressed every year of his career and he did everything he could do to beat Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs last season and then his defense and a coin took his victory away.  He’s ready, and so is this offense.  WR Stefon Diggs is one of the best in the NFL He and Allen are a dynamic pair.  Gabriel Davis looks poised to step up as the second option and Isaiah McKenzie was quite good when he stepped into the slot role last year.  TE Dawson Knox was a TD machine and he’s become a reliable target Allen really trusts.  The team also signed OJ Howard at TE and while he’s always been more potential than production, they hope he changes that in Buffalo. 

The running game was basically Allen or bust until the last five weeks of the season when Devin Singletary finally decided to show up.  The Bills will still be a pass heavy offense but they need to balance it out a little bit.  Singletary is a solid back and they are hoping Zack Moss can rediscover whatever it was he lost last year when he was ineffective.  They also drafted RB James Cook, probably the best pass catching RB in the draft.  He could have a huge part in this offense with his skillset.  The line returns three starters, LT Dion Dawkins, RT Spencer Brown, and center Mitch Morse.  They were clearly unhappy with the guard play as they signed veterans Ryan Bates and Roger Saffold, both should start. 

The defense collapsed last year in the last 14 seconds of the playoff game and overtime against Patrick Mahomes.  It’s hard to completely blame them, it was Patrick Mahomes after all, however, if they get a stop this team would have been playing in the Super Bowl.  Under head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier they play multiple fronts and often in nickel so they need versatility.  Enter Super Bowl Champion Von Miller.  Miller has been an elite pass rusher his entire career and even though he’s 33 he proved last year when he joined the Rams mid-season, he’s still got something left.  He brings valuable experience to a pass rushing group that is quite young.  Greg Rousseau, AJ Epenesa, and Boogie Basham are all young DEs.  The DTs are Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones.  Oliver is the smaller, quicker guy while Jones brings serious size. 

The team mostly deploys two LBs and uses five defensive backs but with Miller around he can slide back and they can use others up front if necessary.  MLB Tremaine Edmunds is big, fast, and athletic.  He does a little bit of everything and he’s a leader on defense.  Matt Milano is the other do-everything LB.  He and Edmunds are a dynamic duo. 

The secondary will welcome back CB Tre’Davious White from injury, he’s one of the better CBs in the league and fits what Buffalo does perfectly.  He’s been waiting years for an above average partner and the team spent a first-round pick on Florida CB Kaiir Elam, he is an excellent match.  Dane Jackson is listed as the starter early in camp but Elam will win this job eventually.  Elam and White are going to be a tough duo to beat.  Taron Johnson is an underrated nickel corner and he gives them three excellent cornerbacks.  The safeties are Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer.  Generally, Poyer is the SS and Hyde is the FS but, in this defense, these two are essentially interchangeable and that’s what makes them so good.  Neither gets the credit of some of the top safeties in the league but they work so well together it’s like they are one great player playing two positions.

New England Patriots

The Patriots found there new QB last year in Mac Jones and they are starting to surround him with legitimate playmakers to make him better.  The real question is whether they have the coaching staff around to help him after Josh McDaniels left for Las Vegas and took some of the offensive staff with him.  Matt Patricia (the former defensive coordinator) and Joe Judge (the former special teams coordinator) are now running the offensive staff, it’s a concerning development.  I do like the way they are building their WR corps.  The brought in DeVante Parker, he’s a big, physical X receiver.  Kendrick Bourne proved to be a good deep threat and Jakobi Meyers is an excellent slot receiver.  They are really good complements to each other.  They also drafted Tyquan Thornton (even if it was a little too high) and he adds a top-level speed threat, although he’ll miss the first half of the season with a broken clavicle.  Nelson Agholor is still around (he’s a possible trade candidate) and they like youngster Tre Nixon.  Hunter Henry proved to be a reliable target at TE for Mac Jones but they would really like to get Jonnu Smith going too, he can be a playmaker in this offense. 

The running game will be handled by Damien Harris most of the time but he tends to get banged up and that means Rhamondre Stevenson will get plenty of use.  It’s not a bad setup unless you have one of them as your fantasy running back.  James White was supposed to be the pass catching back but he retired.  They drafted Pierre Strong Jr. and signed Ty Montgomery and I think Stevenson might get some of the third-down work.    

The offensive line returns four starters but they might not all be back where they were last year.  In training camp, the team has been playing Trent Brown at LT and Isaiah Wynn at RT.  Wynn needs to stay healthy if he wants to continue his career because he’s become unreliable due to injury.  Michael Onwenu will likely move to RG to replace Shaq Mason while center David Andrews returns in the pivot.  The one new guy is LG Cole Strange, their first-round pick.  He was drafted too high (it was a theme for their draft) but they need him to start at guard.  They don’t have a lot of depth with Justin Herron as their swing tackle and James Ferentz backing up on the interior as the only sure things.  Yodney Cajuste is making a late play for Wynn’s job, I wouldn’t be against that move.

The defense had plenty of issues last season but most of them weren’t up front.  Deatrich Wise Jr., Davon Godchaux, and Lawrence Guy are three very solid players up front.  Godchaux got a little extension because he was good.  Wise and Guy know what they’re doing and that’s mostly what the team asks given the multiple fronts they run.  Guy is getting a little older but the team drafted Christian Barmore last year and he had a good rookie year.  He can play multiple spots so he’s great depth. 

The LB corps wasn’t great last season.  OLB Matt Judon started off the season well but tailed off towards the end when the defense was falling apart.  Kyle Van Noy was effective for some of the year but now he’s gone and as great as Dont’a Hightower was in his Patriot’s career he was awful last year after sitting out the 2020 season due to Covid concerns.  He’s a free agent who hasn’t signed anywhere and the team has moved on.  Chase Winovich was traded meaning they need one of the young guys to step up at OLB and it looks like they are counting on Josh Uche to be that guy.  He looked like he had potential as a rookie two years ago and then had a sophomore slump last year.  They also have Ronnie Perkins, a rookie last year who didn’t play, and Anfernee Jennings, a versatile member of the LB corps.  Any production from either of them would be an improvement over last year.  The ILBs were even worse than the OLB last year.  Hightower was awful and Ja’Whaun Bentley is simply overmatched, he’s a limited player that Belichick seems to love.  They got Mack Wilson in the Winovich trade, he adds some speed and athleticism.  Raekwon McMillan and Cameron McGrone both missed last year with injury and my sincere hope is they step up this year.  McGrone brings the type of athleticism this team has been missing inside for years. 

The secondary took a massive hit with the departure of JC Jackson in free agency.  They brought back Malcolm Butler who wasn’t looking great in camp and then went on injured reserve.  They signed Terrance Mitchell to pair with Jalen Mills and those two starting at CB is a scary thought.  Jonathan Jones is a great slot corner but no one is going to attack the slot if Mitchell and Mills are the outside corners. They are experimenting with Jonathan Jones outside and hopefully that will stick.  The team drafted two corners, Marcus Jones and Jack Jones (I know, that’s a lot of Joneses at CB), they are both undersized and I’m not counting on either to make a huge impact.  Marcus Jones could play the slot if Jonathan Jones can prove he’s solid outside.  I’m not optimistic. 

The safety position is in far better shape.  Devin McCourty may be 35 this year but he’s still excellent.  Kyle Duggar stepped up as a big safety last season and Adrian Phillips is quite good too.  They also signed Jabrill Peppers, and while he’s coming off a knee injury, he could be quite good in Belichick’s defense.  They also really like Joshuah Bledsoe, who’s having an excellent start to training camp.  Maybe they should just play five safeties and no CBs, it’s a whole new defensive approach. 

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are one of the teams who made major improvements to their offensive personnel in order to find out if the QB they have is the QB they should keep.  They also got a new head coach who’s bringing in a new offensive system.  Mike McDaniel comes from Kyle Shanahan coaching tree in San Francisco so we have some idea of the type of offense he’ll run.  It should be a bit more run heavy but they didn’t go out and trade for WR Tyreek Hill to use him as a decoy.  Hill joins Jaylen Waddle and free agent signee Cedric Wilson in a rebuilt WR corps.  Add in TE Mike Gesicki and Tua Tagovailoa has no reason to fail at QB.  He hasn’t been good his first few years but that may have been due to the offensive coaching staff’s failures.  As good of a head coach and defensive mind as Brian Flores was in Miami, he never had a settled offensive staff and that works against a young QB.  Hill is a game breaker, while Waddle was excellent as a rookie last year.  He already has a good chemistry with Tua.  Cedric Wilson is a very solid third WR. 

The other thing working against a young QB is an inconsistent running game behind a poor offensive line.  You can’t say the Dolphins haven’t been trying to put together a good o-line, they just haven’t been successful at it.  Enter LT Terron Armstead, a truly excellent LT if he’s healthy.  He allows them to move some other pieces around.  Liam Eichenberg can move inside to LG while they try Austin Jackson at RT.  They also signed Connor Williams from Dallas and they plan to install him at center, a new position for him.  That leaves guys like Solomon Kingsley, Robert Hunt, and Michael Deiter to fight for the RG spot.  The team also signed RB Raheem Mostert from San Francisco (McDaniels’ old team) along with Chase Edmonds and Sony Michel to built an almost entirely new RB corps.  Myles Gaskin returns but if they wanted Myles Gaskin to be the RB, they wouldn’t have signed three free agents.   

The defense was excellent under Brian Flores and his defensive coordinator Josh Boyer so Mike McDaniel did the smart thing and he kept Boyer around.  They return most of the defense and the scheme so they should be pretty good.  Zach Sieler, Raekwon Davis, and Christian Wilkins make a really solid trio up front.  Wilkins is the tone-setter and he probably doesn’t get the recognition he deserves as a playmaker.  Emmanuel Ogbah had another good year at OLB and Andrew Van Ginkel is solid on the other side.  Rookie Jaelen Phillips was excellent as a pass rushing specialist and he should only get better.  They also signed Melvin Ingram III to get some more depth.  Jerome Baker is quite good at ILB and Elandon Roberts is fine but he’s not great. 

The secondary features two of the most expensive CBs in football, Xavien Howard and Byron Jones.  The spendy duo do a great job and they make things easier for the rest of the defense.  However, the CB spot isn’t very deep as Nik Needham is their only real depth.  At safety, Brandon Jones and Jevon Holland have taken over, they are a young but talented pair.  Eric Rowe is the depth; I don’t like Rowe but I guess they still do.

New York Jets

The Jets are one of the other teams trying to surround their QB with talent to give him the best opportunity to succeed.  The difference is, they didn’t wait very long, Zack Wilson is only in year two.  Wilson has all the physical talent you could want, now he just has to put it all together with this offense.  That process hit a snag when he injured his knee in the preseason but he shouldn’t be out too long.  Corey Davis is a solid veteran to rely on.  Elijah Moore got off to a slow start last year as a rookie but he really came on in the second half of the season.  They added Garrett Wilson in the draft to complete the trio and they all fill a role quite well.  Davis is the big, outside guy, Moore can dominate in the slot but also flip outside if needed, and Wilson is dynamic on the perimeter and can also dominate in the slot.  The team knew they needed to get Wilson a nice security blanket too so they signed TE CJ Uzomah from the Bengals, he’s pretty good. 

Speaking of security blankets for young QBs, nothing is better than a good RB, especially one who can catch out of the backfield, enter Breece Hall.  He’s the perfect back for the zone running scheme the Jets use and he’s a natural pass catcher who knows how to get yardage once he has the ball.  Hall is the immediate starter and makes Michael Carter the backup, a better role for him.  The offensive line is where things get interesting.  They wanted to flip-flop OT Mekhi Becton and OG Alijah Vera-Tucker from the left side to the right side.  Only half of that is happening because Becton was lost to an injury for the season, that sucks for this team.  Vera-Tucker moves because the team signed Laken Tomlinson in free agency and they want him at LG.  George Fant played LT after Becton got hurt last year and they planned to give him the job until Becton got hurt this year.  They signed veteran Duane Brown after Becton’s injury and he’s a LT so Fant will go back to RT.  Connor McGovern is the center; they hope he isn’t the weak link. 

The Jets defense was pretty rough last year.  The secondary was a mess, they had some key injuries, and they just didn’t have enough talent.  Up front they lost their big free agent pass rusher Carl Lawson before the season even began.  He’s back and that should help a lot.  John Franklin-Myers did a solid job but he was mostly working alone.  Now they also added Jermaine Johnson in the draft and he’ll really juice the pass rush.  Quinnen Williams is underappreciated inside and Sheldon Rankins is solid too. 

At LB, CJ Mosley finally played after injuries and Covid knocked him out for almost two seasons.  He’s still a tackling machine and they need his leadership.  Quincy Williams mans the other usual LB spot and the team just signed Kwon Alexander hoping to add some talent at the position.  Lamarcus Joyner technically returns but he only played in one game last year and Ashtyn Davis will compete with him for the SS spot, he really hasn’t distinguished himself so far.  The rest of the starting lineup is new.  CB Sauce Gardner was added in the draft, while CB DJ Reed comes in as a free agent along with FS Jordan Whitehead.  Gardner has #1 traits and Reed is a very talented #2.  This pushes Bryce Hall and the other Michael Carter (not the RB) down the depth chart, that’s a good thing.  Hall can play but he’s miscast as the top CB on any team. 

Cincinnati Bengals

It’s hard to pick against the defending AFC Champions when the other three teams in the division have Lamar Jackson coming off an injury, Mitchell Trubisky trying to hold off Mason Rudolph and a rookie, and the Deshaun Watson dumpster fire as their QBs.  The Bengals have Joe Burrow, the best collection of skill position talent in the league, and three new starters on the offensive line.  If you want a blueprint for building your WR corps, it looks exactly like the Bengals.  Ja’Marr Chase is a true #1 WR who’s a great deep threat, Tee Higgins is the big-bodied outside jump ball/red zone killer, and Tyler Boyd is the great slot guy who can move inside to out with Chase to get the best matchups.  They lost CJ Uzomah at TE but Hayden Hurst is a solid starter.  RB Joe Mixon is one of the most underrated RBs in the NFL and don’t sleep on backup Chris Evans, he can have a role in the passing game too. Joe Burrow is an awesome QB with a ridiculous collection of playmakers around him. 

The offensive line was a serious problem last year and this team still made the Super Bowl.  They return LT Jonah Williams, the only guy who wasn’t a travesty last season.  Jackson Carman got his feet wet as a rookie but he likely gets the LG job all to himself this year.  The rest of the line got a complete overhaul.  C Ted Karras comes over from New England, he’s never making a Pro Bowl but he’s an upgrade for this team.  RG Alex Cappa was a free agent expenditure coming over from Tampa Bay where he won a Super Bowl ring a couple years ago.  RT La’el Collins was let go by the Cowboys and now he’s a pretty good RT with a giant chip on his shoulder.  This line is going to be light years ahead of last year’s line simply by showing up.  Imagine what Joe Burrow can do if they keep him upright. 

The defense was better than the sum of its parts.  DE Trey Hendrickson was a great free agent pickup and gave them the elite edge rusher they have been looking for.  His 14 sacks made him one of the most productive pass rushers in the NFL and with Sam Hubbard rebounding to a solid 7.5 sacks, the team got the pressure they needed.  DJ Reader isn’t really the stat-stuffing kind of DT, he’s just the foundation the front four is built on.  BJ Hill actually did put up some nice numbers, including his 5.5 sacks.  He’s the backfield disruptor making things rough for the opposing offense. 

The LBs are about as non-descript as you can get.  Logan Wilson, Germaine Pratt and Akeem Davis-Gaither aren’t making the Pro Bowl any time soon but these guys did a nice job last year.  They do their job and that’s about the most you can say about them.  They have some nice skills but nothing I would consider elite. The secondary is going to be interesting this season.  The best player is FS Jessie Bates III but the team franchise tagged him, they didn’t come to a contract agreement, and Bates says he’s not playing under the terms of the tag.  For now, he’s not in camp and it doesn’t look promising.  Vonn Bell is the other safety, he’s solid but not spectacular.  Eli Apple returns after his less than stellar Super Bowl, they don’t have anyone at the moment to replace him so he’s the starter.  Chidobe Awuzie is the other CB, it’s not a great pair but it’s what they have.  They did draft Dax Hill from Michigan.  Hill can play CB, safety, and nickel so they will find where he’s best, for now, he’s probably replacing Bates.  Keep on eye on Cam Taylor-Britt, their other rookie CB.  He’s probably as talented as the guys they’re starting he just doesn’t have the experience they do. 

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens went 8-9 last season with Lamar Jackson missing significant time.  With him back healthy this team should give Cincinnati a run for the division but I still have some questions.  Jackson makes the offense go but the team isn’t giving him a ton of help at WR.  They’re clearly counting on Rashod Bateman to step up as the top WR with Marquise Brown traded.  It’s Bateman, Devin Duverney, and James Proche II at the top of the WR group, that’s rough.  Obviously, they will lean heavily on TE Mark Andrews and they hope Nick Boyle gets back healthy.  They drafted two TEs, Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely.  Kolar is having surgery on a sports hernia at the start of camp so he’s going to be behind to start the year.  Likely could get some time as a pass catching TE. 

The team usually can count on their running game, at least they did for years before injuries struck hard last year.  They are hoping JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards can return from their injuries and re-establish the running game.  They signed Mike Davis as veteran insurance and drafted Tyler Badie.  They don’t want to get caught shorthanded like they did last year.  It won’t matter who’s running the ball if they don’t get better play up front.  LT Ronnie Stanley basically hasn’t played in two years but when he’s healthy, he’s one of the best LTs in football.  They were extremely short at OT last year when injury struck so this year, they signed RT Morgan Moses to be their starter, they drafted Daniel Faalele, and they still have Ju’Wuan James, the veteran they signed as a stopgap last year.  The interior of the line will have veteran Kevin Zeitler at RG and rookie 1^st rounder Tyler Linderbaum at center, those two should be solid.  The LG spot will be a battle between Ben Powers, Tyre Phillips, and maybe Patrick Mekari.  This line can be good if everyone is healthy.  They can’t possibly have as many injuries as they had last year, it has to be a statistical impossibility.   

The defense gets a new voice as Wink Martindale moved on and Mike Macdonald returns after a year as Michigan’s defensive coordinator.  Macdonald was a Raven’s assistant before his year at Michigan so he knows this defense and he doesn’t have to make major changes.  DE Calais Campbell returns at 36 and while he’s not as effective as he once was, he’s still solid.  Michael Pierce returns after a short stay in Minnesota and he gives them a veteran NT in the middle.  They also drafted Travis Jones after he slipped to round three and he’ll give them some more beef inside.  They really need Justin Madubuike to step up at the other DE spot. 

The pass rush comes from the OLB spot.  Odafe Oweh had a promising rookie year and Tyus Bowser had a solid year until he tore his Achilles.  They are hoping to have Bowser back but they re-signed Justin Houston as insurance.  The ILB spots are manned by Patrick Queen, a promising youngster they like, and Josh Bynes, a veteran everyone tries to replace wherever he is but he just keeps on starting.  Bynes is never great but he’s never terrible either.  The team would love for Malik Harrison or even Kristian Welch to beat out Bynes but it just never happens. 

The secondary is one of the best in the NFL, if they are all healthy.  CB Marcus Peters isn’t as good as he thinks he is but he’s better than most people want to give him credit for.  CB Marlon Humphrey is one of the best in the game but he missed five games last year, they need him on the field.  They gave FS Marcus Williams a huge free agent contract, they drafted Kyle Hamilton in round one to be their new SS, and they already have a good SS in Chuck Clark.  They also signed veteran Kyler Fuller to give them some CB depth and they really like what Brandon Stephens gave them last year as a rookie.   

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers made the playoffs last year with the ghost of Ben Roethlisberger running the show.  Whether it’s Mitchell Trubisky, Mason Rudolph, or Kenny Pickett at QB this offense should actually be better.  The skill position talent is there and they hope they upgraded the offensive line a little.  Trubisky has the QB spot to start training camp and someone is going to have to prove they are clearly a better option for him to lose the job.  Diontae Johnson is the most established WR at this point and if his drops weren’t such a concern, he would be a certifiable #1 option.  He has to be more consistent holding onto the ball.  Chase Claypool wasn’t as effective catching TDs as he was as a rookie and he didn’t take a major step forward like many thought he should.  It didn’t help that he’s a good deep ball receiver and he was playing with a QB that couldn’t throw it more than eight yards.  The X-factor could be rookie George Pickens.  He’s a ridiculous talent who fell to the second round in the draft because he played last season coming back from a knee injury. The team signed guys like Miles Boykin and Gunner Olszewski for depth but keep on eye on rookie Calvin Austin III, he could make some noise.  TE Pat Freiermuth proved to be very effective last year; he’s not going to be confused with Travis Kelce but he’s pretty good. 

The running game is in the more than capable hands of second-year RB Najee Harris.  He had 307 carries and 74 catches last season, that’s insane.  Harris is built to carry a heavy load but if they keep up that pace, he won’t see past year five of his career.  Unfortunately, Benny Snell Jr. and Anthony McFarland Jr. haven’t proven to be effective backups. This team is ripe for a veteran backup RB signing.  The offensive line isn’t made up of household names but they like some of their young guys and signed a couple of veterans to stabilize things.  LT Dan Moore Jr. has some potential and they are going with it for now.  RT Chukwura Okorafor is solid but not spectacular. They are going to give Kevin Dotson another chance to prove he’s starting guard material at LG.  They signed James Daniels to be their RG, he’s their “big” free agent signing on the line, and Mason Cole comes in at center.  Cole has yet to lock down a starting center job for good in multiple places he’s been and here he is going to have to hold off Kendrick Green, a young guy who needs some development. 

The Steelers defense has been their calling card since the 70’s.  Teryl Austin steps in as the new defensive coordinator with Keith Butler retiring.  He should bring some new ideas and play calling even though he’s just moving up from coaching the secondary.  They always have a solid three-man front and this year is no different.  Tyson Alualu and Cameron Heyward both return, they are stalwarts.  They signed Larry Ogunjobi after his bigger free agent deal with the Bears fell through due to a foot issue.  They needed him after Stephon Tuitt announced his early retirement.  If Ogunjobi is healthy, he’s a very solid addition.  Alualu is 35 and Heyward is 33 so this team needs some young guys to start stepping up.  Montravius Adams, Isaiahh Loudermilk, and DeMarvin Leal all have an opportunity to step up. 

The strength of the Steelers defense is always the LBs.  It starts with reigning Defensive Player of the Year TJ Watt.  He had 22.5 sacks last season and he’ll be 28 this year, smack dab in the middle of his prime.  Watt draws the lion’s share of the attention from offenses, the other OLB spot needs to take advantage.  Alex Highsmith is a solid player and maybe if Watt wasn’t getting 22.5 sacks, Highsmith may have managed more than six.  It would be helpful if they had a third pass rusher, the OLB spot isn’t deep.  Devin Bush has a been disappointing after being a first-round pick a few years ago and the team didn’t pick up his fifth-year option, that’s troubling.  They did go out and sign Myles Jack from the Jaguars, he’s a pretty good ILB. 

The secondary features FS Minkah Fitzpatrick, one of the top three safeties in the NFL (arguably the #1 safety).  They are lucky to have him because he covers for the underwhelming nature of the other three spots.  His safety mate is Terrell Edmunds, a very good athlete who has never quite lived up to his billing as a first-round draft pick four years ago.  He’s fine, he’s not elite.  They signed Levi Wallace at CB to replace the aging Joe Haden, Wallace is solid, nothing more.  Ahkello Weatherspoon came over in a trade from Seattle during last season, he’s fine, that’s all, he’s just fine.  Nickel back Cameron Sutton is pretty good in the slot.  It’s a good thing TJ Watt generates so much pass rush and Minkah Fitzpatrick can cover up so much of the field because otherwise this secondary could really get exposed. 

Cleveland Browns

The Deshaun Watson fiasco finally has a resolution, even if it’s an unsatisfactory one for most. The truth is, the outcome was never going to satisfy people.  I’m glad he’s on the Browns because I don’t care about the Browns, I don’t watch the Browns. It would have been great if they would have banned him from the league and given his $230 million contract to his victims but that was never going to happen. Now we move on, as unsatisfied as we knew it would be when we finally got a resolution. That said, from a football perspective, his 11 game suspension hurts the Browns a lot, but it might not kill their season. With Jacoby Brissett set to start for most of the year, this team is going to have problems until Watson is back. 

This is a run-based offense behind Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt (are we really surprised this is the team that took Watson after they got Hunt a few years ago).  They are a frighteningly good duo but they are going to see a lot more eight or nine guys in the box with Jacoby Brissett at QB.  The offensive line is very good with LT Jedrick Wills Jr., LG Joel Bitonio, RG Wyatt Teller, and RT Jack Conklin.  Conklin has had some injury issues and he needs to work through those.  Nick Harris was supposed to step in at center but he went down with an injury early in training camp.  Ethan Pocic steps in for now, he’s a stopgap solution at best.    

The passing game has plenty of questions, beyond Jacoby Brissett at QB.  Amari Cooper comes over from Dallas and is a legit #1 WR.  He didn’t have a great year in Dallas but that wasn’t all his fault.  The problem is who’s #2?  Donovan Peoples-Jones is more projection than production.  They drafted David Bell, whom I love, but he’s starting training camp with an injured foot and he can’t afford to be any slower or not be able to run his routes effectively.  The team gave TE David Njoku a big contract extension and they better hope he has better chemistry with Brissett and eventually Watson because he’s never had more than 56 catches in a season and that was four years ago.  They have some speed with Anthony Schwartz but I’m not sure he’s actually any good.  As much as I hate to say it, this offense needs Watson. 

The Browns defense might be their saving grace.  Myles Garrett is one of the best pass rushers in the game, Denzel Ward is a top cover corner, and they have a deep secondary, all good things to have.  It starts up front with Garrett being a monster on one side.  They re-signed Jadeveon Clowney for the other DE spot and while I’ve never been a fan, he’s a solid player.  I never liked the idea of Clowney as your pass rushing alpha but as the complement to Garrett, he’s pretty good.  They brought in Taven Bryan from Jacksonville to line up inside with Jordan Elliott, Bryan isn’t great but he’ll do.  They also drafted Perrion Winfrey, whom I like a lot.

They use Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah at one LB spot, he’s undersized but he’s got speed to burn.  Anthony Walker mans the middle but he may have to hold off Jacob Phillips.  They don’t use a third LB all the time but they have Sione Takitaki if needed.  The secondary is talented and deep.  Denzel Ward is one of the best CBs in football.  They also have Greg Newsome, Greedy Williams, and now rookie Martin Emerson Jr., that’s some solid size and depth.  John Johnson III is an underrated safety playing deep and they have Grant Delpit and Ronnie Harrison at SS.  If the offense can find a little success without Deshaun Watson, it’s possible the defense keeps this team viable for a playoff spot until he returns, unless he doesn’t adhere to the rules of his settlement and Goodell ends up suspending him for the year, that’s right folks, it might not actually be over yet.                  

Philadelphia Eagles

I am decidedly in the camp of believing that Jalen Hurts isn’t an elite QB and clearly the Eagles are planning on finding out one way or the other.  They went all in for WR AJ Brown during the draft to make sure Hurts has no excuses left, it’s sink or swim time.  Brown takes over as the #1 WR with DeVonta Smith a seriously talented #2.  They also have Quez Watkins, veteran free agent Zach Pascal and Jalen Reagor, if he can find the talent that made him a first-round pick two years ago. TE Dallas Goedert is also a great safety valve for a young QB.

The running game needs to be more effective and the first step would be for the coaching staff to actually use the talent they have, try handing the ball off a little more.  Miles Sanders is a talented back and yet Jalen Hurts had more carries last year, that’s a bad plan.  Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott are solid backup guys, especially Gainwell.  Use the running backs to run, not the QB.  The offensive line needs to have all five guys healthy and that especially includes RT Lane Johnson.  He’s 32 years old but when he’s healthy, he’s still one of the best RTs in the game.  LT Jordan Mailata was a development dream, a seventh-round pick who has become a top-notch starting LT.  Jason Kelce is still manning the middle and the team even drafted his potential eventual replacement in Cam Jurgens, that gives them some insurance inside.  Landon Dickerson was great at LG and Isaac Seumalo is fine at RG. 

The Eagles have some new blood coming in on the defensive side but they are still counting on a number of players who are 30 or older, that’s a dangerous game to play.  DE Brandon Graham is 34 and missed most of last season.  They re-signed Derek Barnett but he’s the definition of a middling pass rusher.  They need Josh Sweat to continue to develop into an every-down DE and be a pass rushing force.  Fletcher Cox returns at a cut rate because he’s 31 and not as effective as he used to be.  Javon Hargrave is solid inside next to Cox but he’s 29 this year so they need to prepare for the future.  Enter first-round pick Jordan Davis.  He’s 6’6, somewhere between 340 and 360 lbs. depending on the day, and he’s an athletic marvel.  He’s the future inside. 

The team realized they don’t have much pass rushing outside of Sweat so they signed Hassan Reddick who’s coming off back-to-back double digit sack season (one in Arizona, one in Carolina).  He’ll play LB but they can’t afford to waste his pass rushing skills.  They also finally realized they needed more talent at LB, they signed Kyzir White and drafted Nakobe Dean.  Dean fell in the draft largely because of some supposed injury issue but if I were TJ Edwards, the starting MLB, I wouldn’t get too comfortable. 

The secondary has some veterans they are really counting on.  CB Darius Slay has fended off father time and is still pretty good.  They signed Jaquiski Tartt to be SS and they have the overrated Anthony Harris at FS.  They also signed Giants’ castoff James Bradberry, he’s a solid addition.  Avonte Maddux is a good nickel corner.  This is the definition of team that is pushing all in, their window to win is right now.  They have to really hope Jalen Hurts is the guy they want him to be. 

Dallas Cowboys

I can’t say I’m overly convinced the Cowboys will be all that good this year but the other two teams in the division are led by Daniel Jones and Carson Wentz, I’ll take Dak Prescott over those two.  The Cowboys are far from a sure thing, if things go right, they could be good but they have plenty of questions to answer and not a lot of things to count on.  Dak Prescott is solid but his pass catching group is getting a little thin.  WR CeeDee Lamb is ready to be the legit #1 WR but after him they have Michael Gallup coming off another injury and not much else.  They signed James Washington from Pittsburgh, maybe he’s better with Dak throwing to him but he promptly injured his foot.  Right now, rookie Jalen Tolbert is the #2 WR, that’s not good.  TE Dalton Schultz was good last year as a pass catcher, he’s the next best passing game weapon after Lamb. 

The team will have to use their running backs in the passing game and luckily Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard are both good there.  Statistically, Elliott wasn’t bad last season overall but it’s clear he isn’t the elite player he once was, not surprising considering his career workload.  Pollard should be used more in the run game.  The offensive line was a major strength a few years ago but age and injury have taken a toll.  LT Tyron Smith is elite when he’s healthy and available, two things he hasn’t been often enough the last few years. Rookie Tyler Smith was drafted to start at LG (and probably eventually replace Tyron Smith at LT), he comes from a smaller school but he should be fine.  C Tyler Biadasz is overmatched, he’s the weak link up front.  RG Zack Martin can still be elite but he has to be healthy and stay that way.  RT Terrence Steele finally played well last year and he’s the reason the team felt confident letting La’el Collins go.  He might be the most stable piece right now. 

The defense is much like the offense, a number of really good players and an equal number of question marks.  DE DeMarcus Lawrence renegotiated his contract but he hasn’t been a great pass rusher in three years, he was injured most of last season, and he’s 30.  They had to keep him because they are very thin up front but they need a bounce back season from him, badly.  They lost Randy Gregory in a contract dispute so they signed the very well-traveled Dante Fowler Jr.  They also drafted Sam Williams, and have Tarell Basham and Dorance Armstrong, not an impressive group at DE.  The top three DTs are Neville Gallimore, Carlos Watkins, and Trysten Hill, an even less impressive group. 

The LB group is led by second-year star Micah Parsons. He’s the best defender they have.  He’s a chess piece that Dan Quinn moves all over the formation, he’s pass rushing star, and he’s the leader they need.  Leighton Vander Esch is back, he stayed healthy last year but the jury is still out on him overall.  They will use Jabril Cox and Luke Gifford as their third LB when needed. 

The secondary is led by CB Trevon Diggs, he’s a turnover machine.  He’s big and rangy and gets his hands on a lot of passes.  He gambles a bit much for some but the team needs his playmaking in a secondary that is devoid of difference makers.  Anthony Brown and Jourdon Lewis are the other top CBs.  Malik Hooker and Jayron Kearse man the safety spots, these guys don’t keep offensive coordinators up at night. 

Washington Commanders

 As much as I don’t want to give the team credit for having Carson Wentz, the did win seven games last year with Taylor Heinicke at QB and I do like their roster better than the Giants at the moment.  If they get back a few key players from injury, they won’t be too bad.  Wentz will have Terry McLaurin, one of the more underrated WRs in the NFL, as his top target.  They drafted Jahan Dotson in round one and he specializes in making tough catches, a skill that will serve him well playing with Wentz.  If Curtis Samuel can get healthy, a huge if, he’s a talented playmaker. TE Logan Thomas was hurt much of last season, getting him back would be big. Wentz likes to use the TE spot. 

The offensive line isn’t great but it’s passable.  LT Charles Leno Jr. isn’t winning any awards but he gets the job done.  RT Samuel Cosmi should be better in year two. The interior of the offensive line isn’t stellar but veteran additions Andrew Norwell and Trai Turner are professional blockers who can hold their own.  If Chase Roullier or Tyler Larsen can be healthy at center, they shouldn’t be terrible up front.  Antonio Gibson is a talented playmaker who isn’t your typical full-time back and he has a propensity to fumble.  That is not endearing him to his coach.  He’s probably better in the passing game and they should look to get him his touches in space more.  JD McKissic does a lot of that work too which is why they drafted Brian Robinson out of Alabama.  He’s a guy they should look to use as much as possible.  If Wentz can just not screw it up, I actually think this can be a decent offense.  The line may end up holding them back but they have plenty of skill position talent. 

The defense is built off of their front four and it would really help if Chase Young gets healthy and lives up to his true potential.  Young can be a superstar pass rusher and his presence on one side would make Montez Sweat that much more affective on the other side.  Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne are a great duo inside and Allen is a true disruptive force in the backfield.  The team drafted Phidarian Mathis to eventually replace Payne so they don’t have to pay all these guys but for now, Mathis is just really nice depth inside.

Cole Holcomb and Jamin Davis don’t set the world on fire at LB but they are young guys who are coming along.  They will use David Mayo when they use a third LB, he’s okay.  The secondary is full of veterans who are good enough to start but aren’t good enough to make you any good.  CB Kendall Fuller, CB William Jackson III and safety Bobby McCain do just enough that you can’t hate them but you don’t love them.  Kamren Curl is still young enough (23) that he could breakout and be a star at some point.  They don’t have any great depth to speak of. 

New York Giants

The Giants have one major question that will define their season, is Saquon Barkley good?  Just kidding.  Can Brian Daboll turn Daniel Jones into a legitimate NFL QB?  That’s the question on everyone’s minds.  Jones hasn’t been all that good so far in his career but it’s pretty easy to make the argument that the franchise has failed him with the coaching they have surrounded him with so far.  Daboll is an accomplished QB developer and play caller.  Even if Daboll gets Jones going he’s going to need the WRs to step up.  Kenny Golladay was bad in his first year with the Giants.  Sterling Shepard is coming off an injury, isn’t he always?  Kadarius Toney is a wildcard after a tumultuous rookie year.  Darius Slayton might be his best bet for a productive WR if he can recover after being forgotten by the staff last season.  WR Wan’Dale Robinson is a rookie they hope does something along with free agent TE Ricky Seals-Jones.

They may have finally fixed their offensive line problems now that Andrew Thomas is set at LT and they drafted RT Evan Neal in round one.  Neal is an immediate starter to go with free agent guard Mark Glowinski and C Jon Feliciano.  There will be some competition at LG and maybe center but this line will be much improved no matter who starts.  That should be good news for Saquon Barkley if he’s healthy.  He’s a talented back who started his career like gangbusters but his last two years have been awful.  If Daboll can use his myriad of skills both running and receiving behind this new offensive line, they may actually resurrect his career. 

The defense will also undergo another change and they get a very accomplished coordinator to run things too.  Don “Wink” Martindale from Baltimore comes in and they gave him a shiny new pass rusher to use in first round pick Kayvon Thibodeaux.  There were questions about Thibodeaux’s commitment to football but with Martindale running the defense you’re about to see the full Thibodeaux experience, he’s coming for your QB.  He joins last year’s rookie Azeez Ojulari at OLB and Martindale will build his defense around those two pass rushers.  Ojulari had eight sacks last year in a limited role.  Blake Martinez and Tae Crowder will be the ILBs, they are solid starters but not stars in this defense. 

Up front the Giants have Leonard Williams, a truly disruptive force at DE.  Dexter Lawrence, the immovable object in the middle and then likely a guy like Justin Ellis, a free agent who came over from Baltimore who knows Martindale’s defense.  Three tough players up front who make the LBs better. The secondary lost James Bradberry for salary cap purposes and Jabrill Peppers left in free agency.  That leaves Xavier McKinney and Julian Love to man the safety spots and Adoree’ Jackson as the top CB.  They are going to need guys like Aaron Robinson, Darnay Holmes, Rodarius Williams, or rookie Cor’Dale Flott to step up at CB.  Dane Belton was looking like he would get some playing time at safety until he had an injury that will set him back. 

Kansas City Chiefs

The AFC West has gotten a lot stronger this offseason while the Chiefs lost Tyreek Hill and Tyrann Mathieu but someone is going to have to beat them before I bet against Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.  The offense lost a major piece with the trade of Hill but they brought in JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marques Valdez-Scantling, and rookie Skyy Moore to join Travis Kelce.  They may not have the one star like Hill but that’s a better overall WR group than they had last year.  They still like Mecole Hardman too, I’ll have to see more from him before I believe in him.  Kelce is the star and Mahomes’ favorite target but he’s going to love JuJu in the slot, MVS outside, and I think they will find Moore to be pretty good too. 

Clyde Edwards-Helaire only played in ten games last year and they need more out of him.  They did sign Ronald Jones from Tampa Bay but he’s not having a great camp. Rookie Isiah Pacheco looks like he’s taking the backup job.  The offensive line was much improved last season with Orlando Brown Jr at LT, Joe Thuney at LG, and rookies Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith at center and RG.  Brown wants a new contract but he’s going to have to settle for playing on the franchise tag this year or sit out. They better hope he plays because they don’t have the OT depth to cover him.  It’s already crapshoot at RT between Andrew Wylie, Lucas Niang, and potentially rookie Darian Kinnard (but that doesn’t look promising at the moment). 

The defense was pretty rough last season.  Frank Clark has never been the pass rusher they are paying him to be but last year he played 14 games and had 4.5 sacks, that’s awful.  Chris Jones was playing out of position at DE out of necessity until they traded for Melvin Ingram.  Jones is better inside at DT and they need to leave him there.  They drafted DE George Karlaftis, and while he’s not a flashy speed rusher, he’s an effective guy off the edge who never quits. They also signed veteran Carlos Dunlop.  Derrick Nnadi is quietly an effective DT next to Jones. 

The Chiefs will use mostly two LBs with five defensive backs which is good because Nick Bolton and Willie Gay are the only two really good LBs they have.  They do have undersized Jermaine Carter and oversized rookie Leo Chenal as depth.  Justin Reid was signed to take over at safety for Mathieu.  He doesn’t have the same name recognition but he’s a talented player (and apparently he’s a kicker too).  Juan Thornhill lines up at the other safety spot, he’s solid.  CB L’Jarius Snead stepped up last year, they have Rashad Fenton on the other side, they could use an upgrade.  Rookie first round pick Trent McDuffie is really good and he should excel as the slot corner at the very least.  He could become their top CB in the near future.    

Los Angeles Chargers

The biggest obstacle the Chargers have now is overcoming Brandon Staley making more questionable coaching decisions.  They added enough talent on defense to compete with the best teams in the AFC and they have very few questions on their roster now.  QB Justin Herbert looks like a superstar that can take this franchise to a Super Bowl and he has a lot of talent around him on offense.  They re-signed WR Mike Williams and Keenan Allen is as reliable as ever.  It would help if Josh Palmer or Jalen Guyton or anyone could add a deep speed element to the passing game but it’s not required.  Gerald Everett is a solid pickup at TE and he should give them a reliable target over the middle. 

The running game has Austin Ekeler, who is one of the most dynamic runner/receiver combos in the league.  He has had to carry a lot of the load for this team so they drafted Isaiah Spiller, a guy who can really help them in the running game.  The offensive line found a gem in LT Rashawn Slater last year and free agent pickups C Corey Lindsley and LG Matt Feiler were excellent.  They drafted RG Zion Johnson in round one this year, leaving only the RT spot a question mark.  It wasn’t great last year because Bryan Bulaga was injured and Storm Norton isn’t a starter.  This year it looks like they will try Trey Pipkins and Storm Norton again for now.  Keep on eye on Jamaree Salyer, I like him, he can play.  They team may look for a stop-gap veteran if they don’t like their options.  This team is going for broke and if they think the RT spot is a problem, they should address it. 

The reason I say this team is going for it this year is their additions on defense.  They spent a ton of money to sign CB JC Jackson and they traded to get Khalil Mack from the Bears.  You don’t trade for a 31-year-old pass rusher and spend a fortune on a top CB if you don’t think you’re close to competing for a Super Bowl.  The veteran additions didn’t stop there.  The team’s run defense was terrible last year so they got defensive linemen Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson (they join Jerry Tillery or Morgan Fox up front) to beef up the middle of the defense and hopefully make their ILBs more effective. 

Mack joins Joey Bosa as their edge rushers and they could be quite the dynamic duo.  Mack isn’t getting any younger and Bosa’s had some consistency issues year-to-year.  Hopefully, being a tandem will bring out the best in them.  Drue Tranquill and Kenneth Murray Jr are the two young guys they hope can step up at ILB but they clearly aren’t sure about them.  They signed veterans Kyle Van Noy and Troy Reeder to push the youngsters and they also have Nick Niemann, a guy they seem to like. 

The secondary has their new #1 CB in JC Jackson but they also need Asante Samuel Jr to step up and it would help if Bryce Callahan can be productive in the slot.  Derwin James is a star if he can stay healthy and Nassir Adderley is better than he gets credit for.  The team also drafted JT Woods because Brandon Staley likes the idea of using three safeties and being able to move James around like a chess piece.  I like the fact that Staley is an aggressive coach but it’s a fine line between being aggressive and being reckless.  With a few smarter decisions, this team is a force to be reckoned with.    

Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders won 10 games and made the playoffs last year with an interim coach after the Jon Gruden debacle and the Henry Ruggs situation happened during the season.  Now they have a new coach, Josh McDaniels, a new top WR, Devante Adams, and some actual help on defense, hello Chandler Jones.  Derek Carr got a new contract and is reunited with his buddy Adams, giving him his first legitimate #1 WR.  The passing game should be in good shape with Adams, Hunter Renfrow and TE Darren Waller.  Adams is arguably the best WR in football, Renfrow is a master in the slot and one of the most reliable receivers in the league.  Waller is a monster at TE when he’s healthy.  It would be good if Keelan Cole or Demarcus Robinson could become a threat on the outside opposite Adams.  Josh Jacobs and Kenyan Drake have the running game in solid hands. 

The biggest questions for the offense come on the line.  LT Kolton Miller has become a very good player at the most important position but he needs some help.  John Simpson is slated to start at LG.  Andre James will be trying to fend off Dylan Parham, assuming Parham doesn’t win the RG job which belongs to some guy named Lester Cotton, Sr.  For now, Alex Leatherwood is penciled in at RT although Brandon Parker is an option there.  I would even consider Thayer Mumford (another rookie) over Leatherwood.  Leatherwood would probably be better off at RG than RT but someone has to show they can handle RT to move him.  This is all to say, Josh McDaniels will have his hands full trying to figure out his best lineup on the offensive line and that could lead to some early issues if they can’t figure it out.  I would go Miller, Simpson, Parham, Leatherwood and Parker but that’s just my quick assessment. 

The defense improved last year and they went out and got Chandler Jones to join Maxx Crosby as their pass rushing duo and they can build the defense off of them.  Clelin Ferrell is a bust at DE from a few years ago but Crosby was a steal later in that same draft.  He and Jones can be one of the best pass rushing duos in the league.  Jones was an expensive free agent but he’s worth it if they can get this defense to move at least close to the top 10 in the league.  Jonathan Hankins and Bilal Nichols are the DTs who will be tasked at plugging up the middle, keeping the LBs clean and allowing Jones and Crosby to wreak havoc. 

The LBs still leave a bit to be desired but Denzel Perryman came over last season in a trade and did what he’s always done, he tackled everything in sight.  They brought in Jayon Brown from Tennessee and they have Divine Deablo who is a converted safety in his second year.  All three guys are undersized but bring speed to the position so they clearly have a type.  It’s also why Hankins and Nichols are key up front, these LBs aren’t built to take on big blockers. 

The secondary needs Trayvon Mullen Jr. to get healthy or they’re in trouble.  The got Rock Ya-Sin in a trade but beyond those two the CB position is paper thin.  Mullen is coming off an injury, they need him back.  SS Jonathan Abram is in a make-or-break year, he needs to prove he’s more than a one-dimensional box safety.  FS Tre’von Moehrig looks like a keeper early in his career. 

Denver Broncos

The Broncos made the biggest move in the division with their trade for Russell Wilson and they paired it with a new coaching staff.  One of the reasons I’m picking them last in the division is because of all that change.  Wilson, in a new offense, a first-time head coach, a first-time defensive coordinator, a first-time offensive coordinator, that’s a lot of newness in a division as stacked as this one.  I think Wilson will find this offense to his liking with Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, and Albert O (I’m not spelling out his last name) as his pass catchers.  They will miss the injured Tim Patrick.  Having Javonte Williams and Melvin Gordon to hand off to should also make him feel pretty good.  It’s been a while since he had that reliable of a running game.  He’ll miss DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett but his pass catching group should be solid. 

Wilson played behind some rough offensive lines the last few years in Seattle; this Denver group should be better than that.  It will be interesting how it shakes out with a new offensive system and they moved on from Mike Munchak as the offensive line coach, he did an excellent job.  Will this unit take to the new offense or not?  LT Garrett Bolles owes his career to Munchak, he turned him around from a rough start to his career.  They signed Billy Turner to be their RT, he’s not great but he played in this offense in Green Bay last year so he should be fine.  The interior of LG Dalton Risner, C Lloyd Cushenberry, and RG Quinn Meinerz can be good if they take to the new scheme. 

The Denver defense has a solid three-man line with DJ Jones, Dre’Mont Jones, and DeShawn Williams but they don’t scare anyone.  DJ Jones was a solid pickup in free agency after some good years in San Francisco. McTelvin Agim is a young guy they hope comes along and Mike Purcell is a veteran who knows this defense.

 They signed Alex Singleton at LB to give them a dimension they didn’t have, he has some coverage skills their other LBs don’t possess. He’ll play while Jonas Griffith is sidelined.  They need Josey Jewell to come back strong after missing almost all of last season because he’s the high-level tackler at ILB.  OLB Bradley Chubb has been good when he’s on the field but he has trouble staying healthy.  It seems to be an every other year sort of issue so they can hope he keeps up his streak of playing most games in even years.  They spent an awful lot of money on Randy Gregory to be Chubb’s new pass rushing partner.  He’s also not the most reliable player but he’s good when he’s on the field.  Malik Reed has proven to be a solid third pass rusher and they drafted Nik Bonitto; they may need both of them if Chubb and Gregory can’t stay on the field. 

The Broncos’ secondary is the strength of the defense.  Patrick Surtain II proved to be outstanding as a rookie and he’s quickly becoming one of the better CBs in the league.  FS Justin Simmons is near the top of his position too and he’s one of the best ballhawks in the league.  Those two alone make the group elite.  SS Kareem Jackson is 34 but he’s still getting it done.  CB Ronald Darby is a good veteran opposite Surtain and the team signed K’Waun Williams from the 49ers to be their nickel corner.  Caden Sterns is a nice young safety who’s coming along nicely too. 

Green Bay Packers

            The Packers offense suffered a major loss with the trade of WR Devante Adams so they are betting on the talent of Aaron Rodgers to lift a young WR corps to fill the gaps.  They need one of the rookies (Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Samori Toure) or second-year man Amari Rodgers to step up.  Preseason hype seems to be favoring Romeo Doubs and I can’t say I’m surprised.  He’s a more refined receiver than Watson and that will matter to Aaron Rodgers.  Allen Lazard steps into a much bigger role and the team is hoping veterans Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb can still get the job done while the youngsters develop.  TE Robert Tonyan returns from injury and the need him to be a weapon.  The passing game will come down to what Rodgers can get out of the new guys. 

            The offensive line needs David Bakhtiari and Elgton Jenkins to get healthy and lock down the tackle spots.  With a compromised WR corps, Rodgers is going to need all the time he can get in the passing game.  The interior of the line should be fine even with the loss of Lucas Patrick in free agency.  C Josh Myers, LG Jon Runyan and RG Royce Newman can handle things.  The running game is in really solid shape with Aaron Jones leading the way and AJ Dillon emerging last season.  Jones will likely become an even bigger part of the passing game with Adams gone as Rodgers will look to the guys he knows he can trust.

            Rodgers may be pushing 40 but he was the MVP last season and he’s still one of the five best QBs in the league, even without Adams to throw to.  He and coach Matt LaFleur have had quite a bit of success in the regular season and now are just looking to get over the hump in the playoffs.  If you need a reason to believe the Packers will win the NFC North, I’ll give you three.  Kirk Cousins, Justin Fields and Jared Goff, those are the starting QBs of the three other teams in the division.  I wouldn’t bet against Rodgers against those guys, or this team’s defense. 

            That’s right, the Packers biggest advantage in the division may be Rodgers but their defense is a close second. The Packers needed some help up front and they got it with veteran free agent signing Jarran Reed and first-round draft pick Devonte Wyatt.  Reed isn’t flashy but he’s solid and Wyatt was the overshadowed member of Georgia’s defensive line but he’s a very versatile guy up front.  He brings some youth and depth to a defensive line that needed both. 

            The linebackers also got an influx of talent and youth in the draft with Quay Walker.  He wasn’t the biggest star on Georgia’s defense either but he’s a very talented LB.  He’s big, he’s fast, he has great instincts, and he’s exactly what the Packers needed inside next to breakout star De’Vondre Campbell.  Campbell was a beast last year and he should be even better with Walker next to him.  Preston Smith and Rashan Gary have to stay healthy and bring the pass rush from the edge if this defense is going to fulfill it’s potential.  There isn’t much depth beyond these two outside so the team will be looking for some help during training camp. 

            The true strength of the Packers defense is the secondary.  CB Jaire Alexander got paid like a superstar in the off season and when he’s healthy, he is one.  Rasul Douglas found a home in Green Bay and played really well for the Packers so they brought him back.  Eric Stokes was a good draft pick two years ago and he allows the team to play three CBs and let Alexander spend a lot of time in the slot where he’s excellent.  Adrian Amos is the veteran leader at strong safety while Darnell Savage is the emerging star at free safety.  The team will continue to look for depth, like every team in the league does in the secondary, but this team’s starters are arguably the best in football. 

Minnesota Vikings

            While I’m not a Kirk Cousins fan, he is the next best QB in this division and the Vikings offense should be quite good under new head coach Kevin O’Connell.  Cousins has plenty of firepower to work with in the passing game and one of the best RBs in the league.  Justin Jefferson is emerging as one of the top WRs in football, Adam Thielen can still get it done even as he’s getting a bit older and KJ Osborn and Ihmir Smith-Marsette give the Vikings some nice youth.  Throw in TE Irv Smith Jr, if he can get and stay healthy, and the passing game should be ready to roll. 

            The offensive line should benefit from having Christian Darrisaw at LT all year after he started late last season after an injury.  C Garrett Bradbury has been the weak link on the line, the team is hoping the offense will help him but I wouldn’t be optimistic.  They are looking for alternatives. RT Brian O’Neill is one of the better RTs in the league and that means the edges are secure.  Veteran Jesse Davis and rookie Ed Ingram were added to compete inside with Ezra Cleveland to make the interior of the offensive line better.   That would help Dalvin Cook be even better running the ball and he’s already one of the best.  The Vikings are one of the better running teams in the league because Cook is elite and his backup, Alexander Mattison, is pretty good too.  This team has the offense to compete for a playoff spot, it’s up to the defense to hold their own. 

            The defense will be playing a base 3-4 look as the team gave Danielle Hunter a new deal and signed Za’Darius Smith from Green Bay to be their pass rushing OLBs.  It’s a gamble given the injury history of both players and the fact that Smith is coming off a lost season and is about to turn 30.  This team is looking to win now and they need these two to be elite pass rushers for this defense.  They signed Jordan Hicks to sure up the other ILB spot next to Eric Kendricks and their LBs need to be the strength of the defense.  The defensive line has NT Dalvin Tomlinson, who’s pretty good in the middle, but he’s flanked by some fairly non-descript DEs like Harrison Phillips, Armon Watts, and Jaylen Twyman.  3-4 DEs are usually non-descript but these guys don’t move the needle at all. 

            The secondary needs a couple of old guys to continue to play well and a couple of young guys to step up.  CB Patrick Peterson isn’t what he once was but he still gets the job done but 32-year-old CBs are rare for a reason.  He could fall off a cliff at any moment.  He’s not even the elder statesman of the secondary, SS Harrison Smith is 33 and still plays at a high level, they need him to stay there.  Cam Dantzler is a solid CB but it would be nice if Andrew Booth Jr, the rookie from Clemson, can stay healthy and play up to his potential.  FS Lewis Cine is another Georgia defender taken in round one and he should be a starter immediately.  The team did sign nickel corner Chadron Sullivan from Green Bay, he’s a nice pickup. 

Detroit Lions

            I have to say, I actually really like almost all of the Lions’ offense.  Plenty of it is based on potential but they have a high upside group on that side of the ball.  Amon-Ra St. Brown was really good as a rookie last season and they went out and got him some help.  DJ Chark is coming off an injury as a free agent addition who is looking to prove himself.  He’s a talented guy and should be a nice complement as big WR outside.  They team drafted Jameson Williams; he’s coming off an injury too and he is likely to miss at least the first half of the year.  He’s really good and he’ll be a fantastic deep threat once he’s healthy.  Williams, Chark and St. Brown make for a very complementary trio given their skillsets, if they ever get on the field together, they will be dynamic.  The team also has a rising TE in TJ Hockenson.  He’s big, he’s fast, he’s athletic, and he could really break out this year. 

            The offensive line has a chance to be one of the better lines in the league.  LT Taylor Decker and RT Penei Sewell are really good.  C Frank Ragnow is one of the better centers in football and Jonah Jackson and Halapoulivaati Vaitai are solid at guard.  RB D’Andre Swift is a talented RB both running and receiving and if they focus a little more on getting him going on the ground it should help their offense overall.  Jamaal Williams is a very good backup.  That leaves the one issue for the offense being QB Jared Goff.  He’s not an awful QB but he doesn’t raise the game of anyone around him and he’s just keeping the seat warm until the Lions can find a long-term solution.  When I said I liked “almost” all of their offense, Goff is the guy holding me back. 

            The talent on defense is still lacking but they are building something.  Guys like Aidan Hutchinson and Malcolm Rodriguez were added in the draft and they bring a hardnosed, grinder mentality just like their head coach.  Hutchinson is a serious pass rushing upgrade for the Lions but he wins as much with his relentless motor as he does with his talent and technical skill.  He’ll start at one DE with Charles Harris likely at the other end.  Romeo Okwara will give Harris a run for his money though.  Alim McNeil and Michael Brockers bring the beef at DT to hopefully free up the ends to make plays. 

            The LBs are Chris Board, Julian Okwara, and Alex Anzalone for now.  None of them scare anyone and I wouldn’t bet against Rodriguez stealing a job early.  He’s not the biggest LB you’ll find but he’s a maniac.  There’s also a good chance they play nickel a lot and only play two LBs.  The secondary has some question marks too.  Number one being CB Jeff Okudah, he hasn’t come anywhere close to being the player he was expected to be.  He’s had injury issues and performance issues and they need him to step up.  Amari Oruwariye played well last season and they need him to continue to develop.  They signed Mike Hughes to be their third CB, maybe the third team is the charm for him.  At safety, they signed DeShon Elliot to pair with Tracy Walker.  Elliot missed most of last season so it’s a shot in the dark if he makes it back.  Don’t count out rookie Kerby Joseph, he could be a player for them. 

Chicago Bears

            The Bears finally moved on from Matt Nagy and Ryan Pace but they hired the equally unproven Matt Eberflus and Ryan Poles to the head coach and GM roles.  Looking at the overall roster and it’s clear this team is in for multi-year rebuild.  They have a QB to build around and some nice young pieces in the secondary but beyond that, it’s mostly hope for the best.  Justin Fields has a world of talent but he’s not going to get a ton of help from this offense.  WR Darnell Mooney had a really good year last year but when he is far and away your best WR, that’s a problem.  He should be Fields’ favorite target this year but that’s by default, he’s good, he’s not a true #1 WR.  Byron Pringle was their big free agent addition, that’s rough.  Velus Jones Jr. was their big draft pick pickup, not ideal.  They signed Equanimeous St. Brown and traded for N’Keal Harry, hardly game changers.  If I’m a Bears fan I’m crossing my fingers Dazz Newsome can develop into something.  They have a good RB group led by David Montgomery, he’s not necessarily elite but he’s very good and they should rely on him more.  Khalil Herbert is a pretty talented backup too.  TE Cole Kmet is a guy they hope breaks out this year but that might be tough if the offense is as inconsistent as it looks like it could be. 

            The offensive line is the biggest reason to believe the offense could stutter and be inconsistent this season.  If the blocking for your second-year QB in his first year in a new offense is suspect, things can get dicey.  They signed Lucas Patrick to come in and take over at center, he promptly got hurt and is missing time in camp, not ideal for a new guy.  Cody Whitehair is entrenched at LG, after that, the line is a mystery.  At LT, rookie Braxton Jones stepped in during minicamp and he’s the best bet for long-term success at the position.  He’s having a good training camp giving everyone hope he’s the real deal.  Jones comes from a small school so there’s going to be an adjustment period, he could struggle early.  The good news is this team isn’t looking for immediate success this year, they are looking to develop their youth.  Teven Jenkins and Larry Borom are two young guys they thought they could develop, that looks less likely now.  The team was so unconvinced of those two they signed veterans Riley Reiff and Michael Schofield and for now they are the right side of the line.  Borom seems to be the swing tackle and maybe an OG backup but Jenkins may be the odd man out.  That’s a precipitous fall for last year’s second round pick.   

            Even in some of their leanest years, the Bears usually had a good defense, I wouldn’t count on that this season.  Their best defender up front is DE Robert Quinn and they should really trade him to take advantage of his great year last year while he still has trade value. Quinn is expensive and he’s 32, that means he’s not going to be around when this team might be good again.  Getting draft capital for him would be wise.  Even with Quinn this defensive line is going to struggle.  Trevis Gipson, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Justin Jones, Mario Edwards Jr, Khyiris Tonga, and Angelo Blackson are the other names on the depth chart.  They aren’t scaring anyone but Bears’ fans. 

            Roquan Smith is a fantastic MLB who tackles everything, he’s good and he should be the leader of this defense.  However, the team hasn’t given him a contract extension, he’s unhappy and has requested a trade.  That’s not a great thing for a defense looking for an identity.  Nicolas Morrow and either Matt Adams or Joe Thomas are slated to flank him, not the most intimidating unit.  The secondary can be the strength of this defense, although that’s not setting the bar very high.  CB Jaylon Johnson is a talented second-year player while Eddie Jackson is a steady veteran at FS.  The team drafted SS Jaquan Brisker and CB Kyler Gordon in the second round of the draft and they both should start this year.  Tavon Young is the nickel corner while Kindle Vildor and Thomas Graham Jr. are a couple of young guys they can develop for depth.