This is going to be the most competitive division in the league.  With the expansion of the playoffs to seven teams in each conference there’s a chance this division sends all four teams to the playoffs, it’s unlikely, but it’s possible.  I like San Francisco if they can bounce back from the ridiculous number of injuries they had last year, especially on defense.  The Rams are getting a lot of love but I have concerns about their offensive line and their running game until Sony Michel gets comfortable.  Seattle should have a very potent offense but that defense looks suspect.  As for the Cardinals, they have talent on offense and some guys to work with on defense I just don’t trust that coaching staff (mostly Kliff Kingsbury) to out coach anyone in this division.  It feels like a tight division race between the top three teams and they could end up in any order.

San Francisco 49ers

            The drafting of Trey Lance #3 overall is going to do one of two things; either Jimmy Garoppolo is going to play more than he did last year (he actually wasn’t bad when he was healthy) and he remains the starter, or he will be sitting on the sidelines watching Trey Lance take his job.  Either way, the 49ers will be getting better QB play than they got last year.  Jimmy G isn’t a bad QB, he just never stays healthy, now the 49ers have an actual plan if he’s not available.  The offense should be good with better QB play.  WR Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel aren’t Jerry Rice and John Taylor, but they are pretty good players.  It would be helpful if they find a third guy (sorry but Mohamed Sanu doesn’t count at this point) but it’s not completely necessary in this offense.  TE George Kittle needs to stay healthy, when he’s healthy he’s one of the two best TEs in football. 

            The reason they don’t need a really deep WR corps is because Kyle Shanahan knows how to design a running game.  It starts up front with LT Trent Williams, he’s one of the best in the NFL (and he’s paid as the best in the league).  LG Laken Tomlinson isn’t flashy but he does what they need him to do.  C Alex Mack is aging but he still has some tread on his tires and he should solidify a spot that has had some injury issues over the last few seasons.  RG is Daniel Brunskill’s for now but Aaron Banks may be coming for the job.  RT is manned quite well by Mike McGlinchy.  Shanahan has turned undrafted Raheem Mostert into an ultra-productive RB, the Shanahan running game has been doing that for decades.  Mostert is approaching 30 so it’s almost time for them to cycle in a new guy.  Enter draft pick Trey Sermon, he’s next in line.  San Francisco is a RB factory as long as Kyle Shanahan is running the offense. 

            The defense can’t possibly have as many major injuries this year as they had last year, they hope.  DE Arik Armstead is the only starter on the defensive line who played in 16 games last year.  The other two major pass rushers, Nick Bosa and Dee Ford, played in three games combined.  Bosa is a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate if he’s healthy.  Ford is an elite pass rusher if he can get on the field.  DT DJ Jones is an overlooked player while his new partner on the inside, Javon Kinlaw is an emerging talent.  I love Kinlaw. 

            The Niners have arguably the best MLB in football, Fred Warner.  He’s a freak and does everything extremely well.  They have a new defensive coordinator with Robert Saleh off to coach the Jets, it’s former star LB DeMeco Ryans.  Ryans knows just how valuable Warner is and he will know exactly how to deploy him the best way possible. Weakside LB Dre Greenlaw is the next guy to break out for this defense.  He was so good last year the team traded Kwon Alexander during the year just to open up playing time.  The other LB spot is a bit suspect.  Samson Ebukam was signed but there is no guarantee he’s the answer.  Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and Azeez Al-Shaair are young guys looking to break through. 

            The secondary is where things get a little tough for the Niners.  At CB, they have a bunch of twos and threes but they lack a true #1 CB.  There was a time Jason Verrett looked like a #1 CB but that was about five years and twelve injuries ago.  Emmanuel Moseley is just good enough he’s tough to replace and just bad enough you’re always trying to.  K’Waun Williams is a decent nickel back.  Ambry Thomas is a rookie they like but not enough to stop them from signing Josh Norman late.  The Norman signing is a clear sign of desperation, they need their pass rush to make their secondary look better than it is.  SS Jaquiski Tartt and FS Jimmie Ward return as the starting safety duo.  They are fine but they aren’t great.  The team is so desperate for safety depth they signed Ha Ha Clinton-Dix just to see if he has anything left, he didn’t so they cut him. 

Los Angeles Rams

            The Rams off season is defined by the trade of Jared Goff to the Lions for Matthew Stafford.  Stafford is one of the more physically gifted QBs in the NFL when it comes to his ability to throw the ball.  Now, after 12 seasons, we will see what Stafford can do for a competent NFL organization.  Sean McVay is the best coach Stafford has played for in his professional career and this team gives him an opportunity to show how good he can be.  Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp give Stafford the best set of WRs he’s had since Calvin Johnson retired and this team also has Van Jefferson, DeSean Jackson and rookie Tutu Atwell, that’s a pretty deep receiving corps. Tyler Higbee is a legitimate playmaker at TE and while the depth there is suspect it should be fine.

            The issues arise when you start looking at the offensive line and the running game.  The running game took a major hit when Cam Akers was lost for the season before training camp.  Darrell Henderson is slated to replace him but he was so suspect during camp the team traded for Sony Michel from the Patriots.  Michel is an injury risk too but once he learns the playbook he will take the starting job from Henderson, he’s a better back.  Stafford never had a competent running game while in Detroit and now he’s hoping McVay can piece something together for the year.  The line is what concerns me.  LT Andrew Whitworth will be 40 in December and he missed time last year when he tore his MCL and PCL in his knee, that’s not ideal.  They have no viable backup for him either.  David Edwards and Austin Corbett or underwhelming players at guard and this team needs to protect Stafford.  Brian Allen steps in at center with Austin Blythe departing and he’s not great either.  RT Rob Havenstein is solid but that’s one out of five and that doesn’t make me feel good.  Stafford is going to have to raise the play of the guys around him, at least this time he has a coach who can help him do that. 

            Aaron Donald has been a one-man wrecking crew for the past several years, unfortunately, he’ll have to continue to be if the Rams defense is going to be good.  Donald is an undersized defensive lineman who turned 30 this year so the team needs to get hm some help.  Instead, they traded his long-time linemate Michael Brockers and they are planning on A’Shawn Robinson finally stepping up, a dubious plan if I’ve ever heard one.  The rest of the defensive line options are just as suspect as Robinson and they are counting on Sebastian Joseph-Day at NT.  Last year, Brandon Staley did a wonderful job a scheming up the defense to make it greater than the sum of its parts. This year Staley is the head coach of the other LA team, the Chargers, and they are turning the defense over to Raheem Morris.  Morris has been a good defensive coach in his career but it’s a lot to ask. 

            The LB corps returns Leonard Floyd at OLB and he finally lived up to his potential as a pass rusher, he finally broke double digits in sacks after six years in the league.  If Morris can coax that out of him again, that would be wonderful.  They lost Samson Ebukam on the other side and are counting on either Justin Hollins or Ogbonnia Okoronkwo to step up.  They have options at ILB with Kenny Young, Troy Reeder and rookie Ernest Jones.  They’re pretty non-descript but they do the job. 

            The secondary took some major hits with CB Troy Hill and S John Johnson III leaving in free agency.  They still have arguably the best cover corner in football with Jalen Ramsey.  Ramsey can line up on any WR or TE and never backs down from facing the other team’s top pass catcher.  Darious Williams will line up opposite him and he has to step up because teams will throw his way just to avoid throwing at Ramsey.  They need a nickel back to step up because that was Hill’s specialty and everyone needs three CBs.  Taylor Rapp and Jordan Fuller are two young safeties the team is counting on.  They are talented guys who have always had a veteran or two around to bail them out but now it’s just them.  The good news is Raheem Morris was a secondary coach by trade and he should be able to push their development forward.  The Rams’ defense was the best in the NFL last year and they have a lot to live up to this season.  The offense should help them out more but they can’t afford to take to far of a step back.    

Seattle Seahawks

            As long as the Seahawks have Russell Wilson at QB their offense will be effective.  That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try to get better and they made a couple of moves to try to help him.  Wilson made it abundantly clear he wanted offensive line help and the Seahawks mostly ignored him but they did make one significant move, they traded for RG Gabe Jackson.  Jackson just turned 30 so he’s a bit older but he’s still a very good guard and he’s a huge upgrade for Seattle.  He should stabilize a position that has been quite inconsistent for years.  The team hopes Damien Lewis, a second-year guy, can step up at the LG spot and be a consistent player too.  The team needs Brandon Shell to be good enough at RT because Cedrick Ogbuehi starts the year on IR.  LT Duane Brown has been good since he came over years ago from Houston but he wants a contract extension and the team doesn’t want to pay him.  He’ll be 36 soon and there’s reason to believe he won’t last much longer.  You can see why Wilson complains about the offensive line. 

            Wilson can’t complain too much about his skill position talent though.  WR DK Metcalf is an ascending talent and his physical dominance makes him a matchup nightmare. Tyler Lockett is a fantastic route runner and Wilson’s most trusted playmaker.  He isn’t the physical specimen Metcalf is but he beats defenses with his intelligence and innate receiving skills.  They want rookie D’Wayne Eskridge to become a third weapon at WR, they don’t have much else there to count on.  They signed TE Gerald Everett and while no one is going to confuse him for Travis Kelce or George Kittle, he’s an effective player.  He also makes Will Dissly a more helpful player as a second TE instead as the top guy.  RB Chris Carson is back and he can be extremely effective in this offense but he has to stay healthy, he’s really bad at staying healthy.  They don’t have a good backup for him, Rashaad Penny has proven to be a bust.  The rest of the RB group leaves a lot to be desired. 

            The offense is going to have to carry this team because this defense has some major issues.  They have a pupu platter at DE; Carlos Dunlop is 32 and hasn’t had double digit sacks in a season since 2015, LJ Collier has three sacks in two years, Rasheem Green has seven sacks in three years, Kerry Hyder and Benson Mayowa are both better served to be backups.  And that’s the good news on the defensive line.  Poona Ford starts at one DT spot, he’s fine but he’s still undersized.  Somehow, they lost Jarran Reed after inexplicably cutting him and not getting him re-signed.  They signed 34-year-old Al Woods, who opted out of 2020 and he has to be the other starter because there are no other options, there’s just no depth.  Bobby Wagner returns as the heart and soul of this defense at MLB but it feels like he’s working alone.  He’s 31 and not getting any younger, he needs help.  Jordan Brooks started six games as a rookie last year and he has potential but there will be growing pains with him.  At times he looks incredible but sometimes he gets lost.  Cody Barton, Ben Burr-Kirven or someone else will be the third LB. 

            The secondary has its strengths and weaknesses, that’s the nice way to put it.  SS Jamal Adams came over in a trade and recently Seattle gave him his big contract extension.  He needs to play like a star because he’s the best thing the secondary has going for it.  Quandre Diggs should be the starter at FS and while he makes some big plays, he can also give some up.  Marquise Blair is coming off a knee injury and he’s looking for playing time.  At CB, DJ Reed started eight games last year and he probably starts this year.  He’s undersized but his competition is lacking.  The team let Shaquill Griffin leave in free agency and instead signed Ahkello Witherspoon and Pierre Desir hoping one of them can play well enough to be the starter.  They trade Witherspoon after the preseason and cut Desir, not optimal outcomes.  They signed Jets castoff Blessuan Austin and traded for Sidney Jones, dubious moves to say the least.  Tre Flowers is still around but he was demoted last year from his starting role so he has to turn things around if he wants to play.  They drafted Tre Brown in round four hoping to find a mid-round gem like they have in the past, he might start. 

Arizona Cardinals

            Kliff Kingsbury has his QB Kyler Murray, he’s stocked up his WR group, and he’s ready to throw the ball all over trying to win with his pass happy offense.  Murray is a fantastic playmaker at QB and he helps bailout a sometime suspect offensive line and he’s a major part of the running game whether he wants to be or not.  Last year they made the big trade to get DeAndre Hopkins in the theft of the century.  This year they signed an aging AJ Green to replace an even older Larry Fitzgerald on the outside opposite Hopkins.  They also drafted Rondale Moore hoping he can stay healthy and either push Christian Kirk or simply replace him.  Kirk is a favorite of the coaching staff but with Hopkins, Green, and Moore, targets will be hard to come by.  Andy Isabella made the roster as the fifth WR.  The team doesn’t really use the TE spot but Maxx Williams has made himself useful within Kingsbury’s system. 

            The team let Kenyan Drake leave in the off season and Chase Edmonds returns as the new top guy.  Edmonds is a good receiver out of the backfield, making him perfect for this offense.  They did need to find someone to help get the tough yards so they signed James Connor to be their big back.  The offensive line mostly has to worry about pass blocking and they do it fairly well.  Murray’s athleticism and elusiveness come in handy when things break down.  LT DJ Humphries does well on the blindside.  The team traded for Rodney Hudson from Las Vegas at center and while he’s no spring chicken, he stabilizes the inside which was sorely needed.  RT Kelvin Beacham is fine and had arguably his best season last year.  LG Justin Pugh and RG Justin Murray are fine inside and should be better with Hudson playing the pivot.  The offense is certainly counting on some aging players (Green, Hudson, Beacham, Pugh) but also has some good players in their prime.  If all goes well the offense can be fine.

            The defense is a different story.  The team gave JJ Watt $23 million guaranteed over two years after the Texans let him go.  The Texans have made some back decisions but letting Watt go wasn’t one of them.  He hasn’t exactly been the picture of health over the past five years or so, he’s 32 and he hasn’t been an elite player in a while.  The Cardinals needed help up front but they paid a lot for a guy that isn’t guaranteed to give it to them.  For now, he starts opposite Leki Fotu at the other end position with Rashard Lawrence at NT.  That’s not great.  The LB group offers a lot more hope except star OLB Chandler Jones, their most effective pass rusher, wants out of Arizona.  That’s not ideal.  He was hurt last season and their pass rush was subpar.  Markus Golden is the other OLB and he only had 4.5 sacks.  In the middle, they need to figure out how to use Isaiah Simmons, last year’s rookie.  He’s an amazing talent but was poorly deployed in this defense.  They also drafted Zaven Collins in the first round to pair with Simmons inside, hopefully they figure out the best way to use both of them. They may have to use Collins as a pass rusher if Jones gets his way and leaves town.    

            The secondary has one superstar, FS Budda Baker.  He’s one of the best in the NFL and he deserves to play with better players than the Cardinals will have around him.  Jalen Thompson missed most of last year and he returns at SS, he’s not great.  The team has Byron Murphy returning at CB and he’s best suited for the nickel role.  Because of that the team signed 32-year-old Robert Alford, 31-year-old Malcolm Butler and soon-to-be 30-year-old Darqueze Dennard.  Alford is coming off an injury and ended camp on the Covid list, Butler retired for personal reasons and Dennard is starting the year on IR.  It looks like sixth-round rookie Tay Gowan will start opposite Murphy with fourth-round rookie Marco Wilson the third CB.  Even if they get a great pass rush out of Chandler Jones, Markus Golden and JJ Watt, I’m not sure it’s enough to save this secondary in a division against Russell Wilson, Matthew Stafford, Jimmy G and Trey Lance.    

            The Bills went 13-3 last season, finished first in the division, ended the Patriots hold on the AFC East title and they return essentially everyone this year.  Every team in the division besides the Bills should improve but the Bills have quite a lead going into the season so they should repeat.  The Dolphins had 10 wins and that was with some significant issues with their offensive line and their QB play being inconsistent.  If Tua can be consistent without Ryan Fitzpatrick around to bail him out they will be good, if he struggles, they struggle.  The Patriots had seven wins and while that’s hugely disappointing after two decades of success, my take was that it might have been Bill Belichick best coaching job.  The Patriots roster was trash last season, free agent defections (not just Brady), Covid opt outs, and injuries decimated the roster.  The Patriots spent money like drunken sailors in the off season and they get lots of key people back.  They will be in the playoff hunt this year, if they have a QB.  The Jets are still at the bottom but at least now they aren’t anchored to it by Adam Gase.  Robert Saleh, a new coaching staff, and a shiny new QB Zack Wilson gives them hope.  They won’t be great but they won’t be embarrassing either. 

Buffalo Bills

            The offense is under the direction of offensive coordinator Brian Daboll who didn’t get a head coaching job in the off season.  His loss is Buffalo’s gain.  QB Josh Allen raised his game last year and was a legit MVP candidate.  He gets his entire offense back around him with the exception of WR John Brown but the Bills signed veteran Emmanuel Sanders to replace him.  They also really like second-year WR Gabriel Davis so the passing offense shouldn’t miss a beat.  Stefon Diggs was nearly unstoppable last year and he and Allen should scare the hell out of the rest of the league.  Diggs is in his prime and he’s one the best in the league.  They would like TE Dawson Knox to take a step forward and be more productive in the passing game but that would be more of a luxury not a necessity. 

            The offensive line returns intact with a couple of solid developmental additions from the draft to help with depth.  They aren’t flashy up front but they are tough.  The running game could be a bit more dynamic but Devin Singletary and Zack Moss can be a good combination.  Moss is coming off an ankle injury but they like the size and power he gives them.  They did add Matt Breida as a free agent and while he had a rough year in Miami last season, he’s a better veteran option for depth than they had before.  

            The defense is awesome with Sean McDermott and coordinator Leslie Frazier being a great duo when it comes to putting a defense together.  It’s not a team built on star power but they have a few guys who have emerged.  The defensive line is aging on the edges with starting DEs Jerry Hughes and Mario Addison being 33 and 34 this year, respectively.  The team drafted Greg Rousseau and Carlos Basham in rounds one and two this year and are hoping they team with last year’s second-round pick AJ Epenesa to add some youth to the outside.  Epenesa has had a great training camp and preseason and Rousseau has looked good too.  Ed Oliver had a solid year at DT last year and has one spot locked down.  Star Lotulelei returns from a Covid opt out year and regains his starting role.  Vernon Butler becomes solid depth.  If they squeeze some production from the aging guys the Bills should be fine up front. 

            At LB, Tremaine Edmunds has become a force and Matt Milano has proven to be a great running mate for him.  AJ Klein is a solid veteran and while there isn’t great depth, they have good talent.  The secondary is led by Tre’Davious White who has become a legit #1 CB and two solid veteran safeties, Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer.  They have Levi Wallace as their #2 CB and while they would like to upgrade, they have yet to do so. Taron Johnson is veteran third guy who is dependable.  They have some unproven depth in the secondary and that might be the only weak spot of this defense if there is one.  The Bills should repeat as division champs but it won’t be as easy as it was last season.

New England Patriots

            The Patriots passing offense saw a massive overhaul of its pass catchers through free agency this off season.  WRs Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne were added along with TEs Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith.  The only guy who looks like a holdover is Jakobi Meyers.  Now Bill Belichick has made the decision to turn these new offensive toys over to rookie QB Mac Jones.  Jones played better than Cam Newton in the preseason, that’s not really debatable and Newton wasn’t very good in the passing game last year either.  I will say, Newton was given no help last year and much of what was wrong on offense wasn’t his fault.  Granted, if his WR group had been made up of Jerry Rice, Randy Moss and Marvin Harrison, I’m not sure it would have helped with some of the passes he threw last year.  The Patriots were ready to move on and it is what is best for everyone.  Now Josh McDaniels can run the offense he ran with Brady and he has a QB who’s skill set fits it. 

            The offensive line should be better if they stay a little healthier.  LT Isaiah Wynn has had his share of injury issues but this year the Patriots brought back Trent Brown.  Brown is slated to be the RT but if Wynn’s injury problems continue, at least the Patriots can slide Brown over and cover the spot.  They lost Joe Thuney but with Brown around Michael Onwenu can slide from OT inside to guard.  The team also brought back Ted Karras, he’s an option at OG and also a better option at center if David Andrews has injury issues.  If they can get a healthy season out of a line made up of LT Wynn, LG Onwenu, C Andrews, RG Shaq Mason and RT Brown, they will have one of the better lines in the league.  The running game will be relying on Damien Harris to be healthy, but if he isn’t they drafted Rhamondre Stevenson to be another power back.  James White is back as his usual dangerous self in the passing game.  Because of the emergence of Stevenson and a good preseason by JJ Taylor the team traded Sony Michel for some draft picks. Harris, Stevenson, White, Taylor and most likely Brandon Bolden will be the RB group (Bolden makes it mostly for special teams’ sake).    

            The passing game wasn’t the only place the Patriots spent some money and got major reinforcements.  The front seven on defense got free agent additions and the return of Dont’a Hightower at LB.  Davon Godchaux and Henry Anderson come in on the defensive line while Kyle Van Noy and Matt Judon join the LB corps.  Van Noy can play inside and outside and Judon has proven to be a masterful addition as a pass rusher.  There may not be two better players built for Belichick’s defense than Van Noy and Judon.

            The team also added rookies DT Christian Barmore and LB Ronnie Perkins.  Adding these players to Lawrence Guy, Deatrich Wise, Byron Cowart, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Josh Uche, Chase Winovich and Anfernee Jennings means Bill Belichick has all kinds of combinations he can use up front and competition to even make the roster will be fierce.  Guys like DT Byron Cowart, LB Anfernee Jennings and LB Chase Winovich, all whom played significant roles last season, will be fighting for their roster spots this year.  Even Henry Anderson, who was a free agent pickup, wasn’t guaranteed to make the roster out of camp.   

            The secondary has been excellent for years under Belichick and while there is a major question surrounding Stephon Gilmore, this group should be pretty good.  Gilmore wants a new contract and Belichick is loath to pay aging players.  The team has the depth to lose Gilmore and still be pretty good.  JC Jackson is back on a one-year deal but he’s an emerging cover man.  Jonathan Jones doesn’t have the profile of Gilmore or Jackson but he’s pretty good.  The team signed Jalen Mills and while he’s not purely a CB (he’s a hybrid CB/S) he will get some time at CB if the Patriots need him there.  The team even made a late training camp trade for Shaun Wade, a fifth-round pick of the Ravens who was on their chopping block.  Belichick might be able to work his magic with that kid.  Devin McCourty returns as the backbone of the defense while Adrian Phillips and Kyle Duggar will battle to be Patrick Chung’s successor now that Chung has retired.    

Miami Dolphins

            Surprisingly, quarterback is not at the top of the list of question marks for the Dolphins; offense.  Tua Tagovailoa certainly has to play with more consistency but the Dolphins offensive line and running game are far more suspect than Tua.  The offensive line has some pieces to like but they have to find a combination that works.  LT Austin Jackson struggled as a rookie last year, that’s understandable but he may have looked worse in preseason, he has to figure it out.  The team let Ted Karras leave and they replaced him at center with Matt Skura.  Skura was so bad he couldn’t even win the job from Michael Dieter and they cut him.  They drafted Liam Eichenberg and they have him set to play LG for now but I have to agree with a take I heard from Mike Golic Jr on Mina Kimes’ podcast, just play Eichenberg at LT.  He played LT at Notre Dame and there’s no chance he’s a worse option than Jackson right now, who looks lost.  Robert Hunt and Jesse Davis are holding down the right side for now.  If Solomon Kindley looked legit at LG the Eichenberg move would be easier. 

            The running game won’t go anywhere if they don’t find a solid combination up front but even if they do find the right five up front, the running backs don’t scare anyone.  Myles Gaskin is slated to start and he’s better in the passing game than running the ball.  He just isn’t that dynamic running between the tackles.  Malcolm Brown was signed to add some thump to the running game, he’s a solid guy but again, he’s not scaring anyone and defensive coordinators aren’t staying up late worried about Malcolm Brown.  Where the team did improve was the passing game.  DeVante Parker returns but he’s finally not flying solo.  They drafted Jaylen Waddle in round one and signed Will Fuller.  If those two are healthy they add a boatload of speed to the offense.  TE Mike Gesicki is a good player and the Dolphins drafted Hunter Long from Boston College, a very underrated player who can help them. It’s all up to Tua to make the passing game work, he has the weapons, he just has to get them the ball.  It might be tough with a suspect offensive line and a pedestrian running game but Tua is another year removed from his hip injury so he might have some magic in him yet. He’s starting to look more like the player he was at Alabama before his hip injury.   

            Brian Flores learned under Bill Belichick so he has built his defense in a similar fashion.  They have a front seven with variable pieces so they can use multiple fronts.  Christian Wilkins, Raekwon Davis and Emmanuel Ogbah aren’t a flashy group up front but they are effective.  Jerome Baker emerged last year as a star at ILB and the team thought they traded for his new partner on the inside when they picked up Bernardrick McKinney from Houston.  However, he didn’t work out and they cut him.  For now, it’s the underachieving duo of Elandon Roberts and Sam Eguavoen fighting it out for the other spot. They drafted Jaelen Phillips to be that game changer on the outside but for now he’s a backup.  Andrew Van Ginkle and Brennan Scarlett will man the OLB spots until Phillips emerges.  

            The Dolphins also build their secondary like Belichick, meaning they are very good on the back end.  CB Xavien Howard led the league in interceptions last year and he can pair with Byron Jones as the best CB duo in the league.  The team signed veteran Justin Coleman because they weren’t satisfied with Noah Igbinoghene’s rookie year.  He’s the nickel guy for now.  Eric Rowe has found a home at safety and Jason McCourty was signed for his experience and he’s moving to safety because rookie Jevon Holland isn’t quite ready for the starting FS job yet.  Holland should help out in nickel situations because he’s a solid inside cover guy while he’s learning.    

New York Jets

            GM Joe Douglas decided to overhaul the coaching staff, much to the delight of every Jets fan who endured the torturous Adam Gase years.  Robert Saleh comes in after leading the 49ers defense and he brings a whole new attitude and new offensive coordinator in Mike LaFleur.  LaFleur is the brother of the Packers head coach and he’s been learning from Kyle Shanahan, expect the Jets offense to be much more competent.  Zack Wilson will be the unquestioned starter from day one and luckily for him the Jets are putting a better supporting cast around him on offense.  The offensive line has LT Mekhi Becton coming off a promising rookie year.  They drafted Alijah Vera-Tucker in round one to play LG.  Veteran RT Morgan Moses was added and is a serious upgrade to that side but he hasn’t won the job from George Fant, last year’s starter.  Not sure if that’s good news or bad news.   C Connor McGovern and G Greg Van Roten aren’t great but you can only upgrade so many spots in one off season. 

            The running game may not have any game breakers but LaFleur has been learning from Kyle Shanahan and the Shanahan’s have been manufacturing running games for decades.  Tevin Coleman, rookie Michael Carter, Ty Johnson and even LaMichael Perine, should be better in this offense. Where the team really upgraded was at WR.  They bring back Jamison Crowder, who was the only real weapon they had last season.  Denzel Mims returns and they hope he can develop. They did go out and add Corey Davis and Keelan Cole in free agency, they both will start and watch out for Elijah Moore.  The rookie looks good and that’s good news for the future.  Wilson will have a far better WR corps than Sam Darnold ever had.  The Jets finally gave up on Chris Herndon at TE and traded him.  Tyler Kroft and Ryan Griffin aren’t great but they may be more consistent.    

            The Jets biggest problems will be on defense.  Robert Saleh should be able to put something together but he doesn’t have the talent he had in San Francisco.  The Jets have had a pass rushing problem for years and their big off season signing to address it was Carl Lawson.  I wondered about the Jets putting so much belief in Lawson to turn around their pass rushing issues when he’s never had a double-digit sack season but I was willing to give Saleh the benefit of the doubt. Then Lawson tore his Achilles in camp and now they are back to square one at DE.  DT Quinnen Williams is an emerging talent they hope Saleh can cultivate and for now, he’s the only real talent up front.  Veteran Sheldon Rankins is the other DT starter.  At DE, it looks like Bryce Huff and John Franklin-Myers will start with newly acquired Shaq Lawson working his way in.  At LB, CJ Mosley returns in the middle, that should be very helpful.  He opted out last season so he should be rested up.  Rookie Hamsah Nasirildeen will flank Mosley at one spot, he’s a converted college safety with good size for a safety, he’s an undersized LB.  Jamien Sherwood is the other LB.  

            As tough as things might be in the front seven, they look way worse in the secondary.  FS Marcus Maye is the best player they have and he’s disgruntled because they won’t give him a contract extension.  SS Ashtyn Davis is injured to start the year and might miss the first few weeks, it’s Lamarcus Joyner’s job for now.  The CBs are even worse.  Bryce Hall is slated to be the top CB and he was a rookie last year who missed the first half of the season because he was coming off an injury, the jury is still out on him.  Loved his talent coming out of college but his injury may have compromised him physically.  Blessuan Austin was supposed to be the other starter but they cut him at the end of camp and he signed with Seattle.  Rookie sixth-round pick Brandin Echols seems to have won the job opposite Hall and Javelin Guidry is the nickel back.  No really, his name really is Javelin.  This secondary is rough.     

            This division is usually quite competitive but it’s usually the Steelers and the Ravens fighting for supremacy.  This year will be a bit different as the Steelers look vulnerable and the Browns are the team fighting with the Ravens to win the division.  The Browns offense should be good with an excellent running game and the defense should be much improved.  The Ravens offense is Lamar Jackson-centric and the defense is always good.  The Steelers are counting on an aging Ben Roethlisberger behind a revamped offensive line (that’s putting it nicely) and a defense that should still be good.  The Bengals just want to get Joe Burrow healthy and keep him that way.  They will be better with a full season of Burrow but they still won’t be good. 

Cleveland Browns

            QB Baker Mayfield is hoping for a contract extension but this offense is based around RBs Nick Chubb (he got a contract extension) and Kareem Hunt.  These two might be the best 1-2 punch at RB in the league and FB Andy Janovich is one of the best in the league. The Browns invested heavily in the offensive line over the past several years and it shows.  LT Jedrick Wills, LG Joel Bitonio, C JC Tretter, RG Wyatt Teller and RT Jack Conklin make up one of the best lines in the league and they open big holes for Chubb and Hunt to run through.  Mayfield is only asked to keep things moving and so far, he’s been pretty solid at doing it.  The contract issue with Mayfield is complicated because he isn’t the star of the offense but replacing wouldn’t be ea.  Competent QB play isn’t as easy to find as you think. 

            The passing game has some playmakers but they could really use a healthy and productive season out of Odell Beckham Jr.  Beckham hasn’t ever been his dominant self in Cleveland and you can make the argument the offense was better last year without him.  He has struggled to stay healthy and that has been his biggest issue.  Jarvis Landry has been their most consistent WR and he is the security blanket Mayfield relies on when he needs to move the chains.  Landry is rarely flashy but he’s extremely effective.  Donovan Peoples-Jones has had a very good camp/preseason and they are expecting more from him.  They would really like to see rookie Anthony Schwartz give them something with his electric speed.  The TE group is deep and talented.  Austin Hooper starts and he’s backed up by Harrison Bryant, both of whom are very effective players.  They also have David Njoku, a supremely talented athlete who has yet to really break out and establish himself.  The team could really use Beckham’s downfield ability to stretch the field, but if he doesn’t come through, they still have ways of being effective through the air.

            The defense is built around DE Myles Garrett and he is a threat to be the Defensive Player of the Year, he’s simply that good.  The Browns are once again trying to get someone to help take the pressure off of him on the edge.  Garrett is a monster pass rusher but he’s largely been working alone as guys have either been injured or ineffective opposite him.  The Browns signed Jadeveon Clowney to take over the other DE spot.  I am an admitted Clowney denier, I think he’s overrated and he’s simply not a great pass rusher.  He can be an effective defender but if you think he’s bringing great pass rush skill to your defense, you will be sorely disappointed.  Clowney also has a long injury history which means there’s a good chance the Browns pattern of injury and inconsistency opposite Garrett continues.  At DT the Browns are replacing their starters with Andrew Billings (coming off a Covid opt out year) and Malik Jackson (an aging vet from Philly).  They need some other guys like Jordan Elliott or rookie Tommy Togiai to step up.  The interior might be the defense’s Achilles heel.    

            The LB corps has been lacking playmakers for some time and they signed MLB Anthony Walker to tackle everything in sight, he’s been doing it for years in Indy.  They also drafted Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, from Notre Dame.  He’s an undersized LB who will fly all over the field, he’s not a starter yet but he’s the best chance they have at a real playmaker there.  The start Mack Wilson and Sione Takitaki for now.  The LB unit should be better.  The secondary is looking at a massive overhaul with rookies, free agents and guys returning from injury to join Denzel Ward.  Ward is still a potential #1 CB but last year the secondary was a mess.  CB Greedy Williams returns from injury to fight for a spot opposite Ward but he’s always banged up.  Rookie Greg Newsome was the Brown 1^st round pick this year and he’ll fight for that same spot outside.  Troy Hill was signed from the Rams to be the nickel back and he’s a massive upgrade.  The team also signed S John Johnson III from the Rams and he’ll start at one safety spot.  The hope is that second-year man Grant Delpit will return from missing his rookie year with an injury to be the other starter at safety but until then, veteran Ronnie Harrison will start.  The defense has a chance to be much improved if the defensive front comes together and secondary has a healthy year. 

Baltimore Ravens

            The Ravens offense really is built around Lamar Jackson and now they are even more dependent on his health as RGIII has retired and the main backup to Jackson is Tyler Huntley.  This is a precarious position given Jackson’s game, he is a runner who takes too many hits.  It’s also slightly concerning with all of the changes on the offensive line.  LT Ronnie Stanley returns from injury and that’s good as long as he gets back to being himself.  Bradley Bozeman moves from LG to center to replace Matt Skura, who had a rough year last year.  The Ravens brought in veteran RG Kevin Zeitler, a solid move considering they never adequately replaced Marshall Yanda last season.  RT Orlando Brown was traded to the Chiefs after he played LT last year for Stanley and didn’t want to return to his RT spot.  Steelers free agent Alejandro Villanueva was signed and he’s moving to RT.  That leaves the LG spot up for grabs for now.  The team needs a top offensive line because they rely heavily on the run game, and not just Jackson’s run game. 

            JK Dobbins was supposed to step in for Mark Ingram after a solid rookie year.  He will now miss the year with a torn ACL suffered in the preseason.  Gus Edwards moves up to the starting spot and unless the team decides a veteran like Todd Gurley or Adrian Peterson are worth signing, it’s Edwards’ show.  The WR group gets some much-needed help with veteran Sammy Watkins coming over from Kansas City and rookie Rashod Bateman drafted in round one.  Bateman had an injury in camp but they are hopeful to have him back early in the year.  Bateman and Watkins add some size and playmaking to a unit that lacked both.  Marquise Brown is still the main deep threat and they hope having more talent around him will open things up for him.  Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle return as the top two TEs and they are highly effective guys in this offense, Jackson especially trusts Andrews in tight situations.  If the passing game can evolve a little to help Jackson to be less reliant on his legs, that would be a major win for the Ravens. 

            The Ravens’ defense has been good since they became the Ravens and it never seems to matter when the players change, they just continue to be good.  That’s great but this Ravens defense is pushing the limits given the age of the front seven.  The starters (or likely starters) in the front seven over 30 years old at the start of the season; Derek Wolfe (31), Brandon Williams (32), Calais Campbell (35), Justin Houston (32) or Pernell McPhee (32).  Under 30; Patrick Queen and Tyus Bowser.  LJ Fort would have been another over 30 but he tore his ACL and is out for the year.  Malik Jefferson is his likely replacement, he’s young but in this case that’s not a great thing.   If age catches up to the is team, they are in trouble.  They only have a couple of young guys (DL Justin Madubuike and LB Odafe Oweh) they can hope step up if they need them. 

            The secondary is a different story.  Only CB Marcus Peters is a little older (he’s 28) while CB Marlon Humphrey, S Chuck Clark and S DeShon Elliott are all still under 26.  They make up a pretty good unit when they are playing at their highest level.  Humphrey is one of the best CBs in football and Peters isn’t quite as good as he thinks he is but he’s still pretty good.  The safeties don’t get a ton of credit but they know what they are doing and they do their jobs well.  The only older guy is veteran Jimmy Smith but he’s still an effective player. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

            The Steelers have Ben Roethlisberger back and at this point he’s basically a year-to-year guy and it could end at any time.  They had three other QBs on the training camp roster; Mason Rudolph, Dwayne Haskins, and Josh Dobbs and given this team’s offensive line, they may need a few of them.  Rudolph is a solid backup but I don’t see them entrusting this team to him long-term.  The best bet for a QB of the future is the rehabilitation of Haskins.  Dobbs was placed on IR; they just can’t quit him.  Big Ben can still sling it around but he’s a statue in the pocket and a sitting duck behind a shaky offensive line.  The team is counting on Chukwuma Okorafor to take over at LT, an iffy proposition but not the worst one up front.  Zach Banner was supposed to return from injury and fill in at RT, he was just placed on IR too.  It’s Joe Haeg at RT, that’s a problem.  Trai Turner was signed after a rough year with the Chargers to take the RG spot and Kevin Dotson is being counted on to fill in full-time at LG.  For now, JC Hassenauer is the new center unless rookie Kendrick Green can replace him.  When the words most associated with your offensive line are iffy and hope, you’re probably looking at a long year up front. 

            The running game was atrocious last season so the use of a first round pick on RB Najee Harris is far more understandable than it would be for most teams.  Harris is lightyears ahead of Anthony McFarland, Benny Snell Jr, Jaylen Samuels or any other option they had and is the team’s unquestioned starter at the position.  He has a great set of all-around skills to utilize and should be a major asset moving forward.  There is more talent at WR than the team probably gets credit for.  JuJu Smith-Schuster has been disappointing since his break out campaign a few years ago but he’s still a credible threat.  Diontae Johnson is a talented guy who just needs more consistency with his hands.  Chase Claypool looks the part of a #1 WR but he needs to put together more consistent production.  James Washington is an underutilized player who wants out.  Eric Ebron and rookie Pat Freiermuth should make a nice combo at TE and Roethlisberger has been known to utilize a good TE here and there.  The offensive really comes down to blocking because Roethlisberger will not be very productive if he’s on his back or on the sidelines with the trainers. 

            The Steelers defense is a lot like the Ravens defense in the fact that the parts almost seem irrelevant, the defense is good no matter what.  The Steelers still have some great parts but some are aging and some are unproven.  Up front, Cameron Heyward and Tyson Alualu are aging veterans who still get it done while Stephon Tuitt should be in the prime of his career, unfortunately Tuitt went on IR.  At LB, TJ Watt has taken over the mantle as the pass rushing star and filled the role quite well.  He has Defensive Player of the Year type of production; the award could be his any time.  He needs a new running mate at the OLB spot with Bud Dupree leaving and team hopes Alex Highsmith can step up.  That’s a tall order for a guy who had two sacks last year which is why they signed veteran Melvin Ingram.  Ingram is aging, coming off an injury and coming off a few disappointing years with the Chargers, does he have anything left?  Devin Bush returns at ILB and he’s a great athlete but the team wanted to take some things off his plate so he could just play.  Enter Joe Schobert, brought over in a trade from Jacksonville.  Schobert is a very good player that Jacksonville just felt they didn’t need right now and Pittsburgh swooped in.  He should really solidify the middle of the defense as the play caller and allow Bush to just make plays.    

            The secondary is hoping Joe Haden can squeeze another year out of his 32-year-old body to be their top CB because the depth chart is slim behind him.  Cameron Sutton is probably the nickel guy to replace Mike Hilton.  Some guy named James Pierre is the other outside starter opposite Haden, he’s going to get targeted a lot.  S Minkah Fitzpatrick is a star and they are certainly glad they traded for him a couple years ago.  He’s a playmaker and the leader in the back end.  Terrell Edmunds hasn’t really lived up to his first-round draft slot but he’s gotten better over the last few years so he’s fine.  The defense has generally been greater than the sum of its parts over the years but the questions at OLB opposite Watt and CB opposite Haden are concerning.   

Cincinnati Bengals

            The Bengals loved what they saw from Joe Burrow last year, unfortunately they only got to see it for 10 games as Burrow went down with a knee injury.  His recovery seems on schedule now they just have to try to keep him safe.  They didn’t draft the OT everyone seemed to agree they needed in the draft last year, Penei Sewell, instead taking Burrow’s former LSU teammate WR Ja’Marr Chase.  Chase joins a pretty good WR unit while the offensive line is still a question mark.  LT Jonah Williams and RT Riley Reiff should be fine but the interior of the o-line is a mess.  They really need rookie Jackson Carman to make the transition from OT inside to OG to improve their talent.  G Quinton Spain, C Trey Hopkins, G Xavier Su’a-Fila simply don’t elicit confidence.  They finally gave up on Billy Price and Michael Jordan inside so at least they are learning.

            The Bengals have surprisingly good talent at the skill positions.  RB Joe Mixon is a good back he just needs to stay on the field.  At WR, they added Ja’Marr Chase in the draft, he has legitimate #1 WR talent and his connection with Joe Burrow is unquestionable.  Those two could make quite the duo for the next decade.  They drafted Tee Higgins last year and now he becomes the big WR opposite Chase on the outside and he has looked great in camp.  He’s big-bodied and makes an easy target and for now, he looks like their #1 WR.  Tyler Boyd is the senior member of the starting trio at 26 years old.  He’s an excellent slot guy who can also do some damage out wide when they want to move the guys around.  There isn’t much at TE but Drew Sample is still young and could develop.  The team lost Gio Bernard in the off season and that could hurt since Burrow could always count on him when he was in there.  Rookie RB Chris Evans had a very good camp and preseason, he may be useful. 

            The Bengals defense was terrible at getting to the QB and they let their top pass rusher walk in free agency because they didn’t want to overpay him.  So, they overpaid a different pass rusher.  Trey Hendrickson was brought in from New Orleans and while he was effective there, he was a part-time player.  He will be a starter in Cincy.  Sam Hubbard is the other DE and while he’s solid, he’s unspectacular and he will need to step up his game too.  DT DJ Reader is an underrated player inside and they signed Larry Ogunjobi from Cleveland to start next to him.  They should improve the team against the run but it’s not like they could get much worse.  Akeem Davis-Gather, Germaine Pratt, and Logan Wilson make up one of the more underwhelming LB corps in the league.  They aren’t bad, they just aren’t that good.  Better play up the middle in front of them might help them to make plays. 

            The secondary has undergone another overhaul at CB just a year after the one they had last off season.  This time William Jackson and Mackensie Alexander are out and Chidobe Awuzie and Mike Hilton are in.  Trae Waynes was added last off season and he stays as the likely #1 CB, that’s not a good thing.  Much like the LBs, this is an underwhelming group.  Without a stellar pass rush, I fear they won’t hold up well.  SS Vonn Bell returns for his second year as the starter in Cincinnati and Jesse Bates returns at FS.  Bates is one of the most underrated defenders in the league while Bell is solid but unspectacular.  One bad thing is that Bell had 116 tackles last year and Bates had 107, you never want your safeties both racking up over 100 tackles in a season.  Way too many tackles having to be made far down the field.  The Bengals defense isn’t likely to be discernably better this year.                      

            Washington won this division last year but that’s only because someone had to win.  They could win it again based on the strength of their defense and the nominal improvement Ryan Fitzpatrick could give them on offense.  Or the offense could be a disaster and completely screw it up.  Dallas is the trendy pick to win the division because their offense can’t possibly have as many injuries this year as they had last year.  However, their defense still seems suspect even with Dan Quinn coaching.  The Giants are still depending on Daniel Jones rising to the occasion for their offense, I’m not betting on that happening.  The Eagles have Jalen Hurts at QB and a defense I’m not betting on.  No thanks. 

Washington Football Team

            The Washington offense is counting on some suspect people coming through for them to be any good.  They signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to be their stop-gap starter because the Dwayne Haskins era went bad in a hurry.  Fitzpatrick is the ultimate feast or famine QB, he’s either throwing 4 TDs or 5 picks and there’s not a lot of in between.  He might unleash the deep threat of WR Terry McLaurin or even rookie WR Dyami Brown but he can also dig the offense a big hole really quickly.  He does have some solid talent to work with.  McLaurin is an emerging WR and the team signed Curtis Samuels, he will be a nice complement to McLaurin, assuming he’s healthy enough to play.  They are hoping to find some WR depth from Adam Humphries, Cam Sims, or rookies Brown and Dax Milne.  Sims was okay last year when pressed into action while but the rookies look pretty solid in the preseason. TE Logan Thomas proved to be a reliable target last year regardless of who lined up at QB so he should be a nice target for Fitzpatrick.  

            The running game will feature Antonio Gibson, he has a plethora of skills and he’s still adjusting to being a full-time RB.  JD McKissic isn’t a gamebreaker as the backup but he’s solid.  The offensive line also has some questions.  The team didn’t have a great option at LT to start the off season and then they cut reliable RT Morgan Moses, strange plan.  They eventually signed Bears castoff Charles Leno Jr to man the LT spot and Cornelius Lucas will try to fend off rookie Samuel Cosmi on the right side but Cosmi looks better there.  On the inside, RG Brandon Scherff is a stud but the team couldn’t come to a long-term deal with him so he’s back on a second one-year franchise tender.  Chase Roullier is the center, he’s not great.  They brought back Ereck Flowers in a trade to man the LG spot he’s trying to beat out Wes Schweitzer for the job and it’s a pick ‘em.  It’s not the most imposing line you’ll ever see.

            On the defensive side, it is a pretty damn imposing line up front.  DE Chase Young is one of, if not the best, young pass rusher in the league.  Montez Sweat isn’t too bad on the other side and he takes advantage of all the attention Young gets.  Jonathan Allen and Da’Ron Payne are excellent DTs who make life miserable up the middle. The depth is lacking but this starting quartet is arguably the best in football.  At LB, Cole Holcomb emerged last year as a solid starter, he’s not a star but he gets the job done.  They drafted Jamin Davis and he adds a nice athletic element to the LB corps.  Rookie LBs can be hit or miss, Davis could be like Isaiah Simmons for the Cardinal last year, he struggled, or he could be like Darius Leonard his rookie year, he dominated.  I’ll give Ron Rivera the benefit of the doubt, Davis will be good.  Jon Bostic has spent his nine years in the league being the guy who starts until his team finds someone better, he’ll do that again in Washington this season. 

            The secondary has a chance to be pretty good, it helps when the defensive line is wreaking havoc up front. They signed William Jackson to give them a solid starter opposite Kendall Fuller and that’s all they need.  They need to find a third guy but that’s what training camp is for.  Landon Collins is a slightly overpaid, slightly underappreciated safety.  If they get him back healthy, that would help.  Kamren Curl went from unheralded seventh-round pick to starting safety because they had no one else when injuries struck, to a guy who locked down a starting job.  He proved to be effective, that’s what they needed from him.

Dallas Cowboys

            The list of offensive starters who missed considerable time last season is long; QB Dak Prescott, TE Blake Jarwin, and the entire offensive line LT Tyron Smith, LG Connor Williams, C Tyler Biadasz, RG Zack Martin and RT La’el Collins.  The only positions not hit with injury were WR and RB but when your entire offensive line is hurt and your QB is Andy Dalton, that really doesn’t matter much.  Now that Dak Prescott is back from his injury and being paid handsomely, the Cowboys are expecting results.  Amari Cooper, Michael Gallup and CeeDee Lamb are the best top 3 WR group in the NFL.  Cooper is a legit #1, Gallup is a very effective #2 and CeeDee Lamb is about to be a #1 WR.  The return of Blake Jarwin at TE added to a solid season of Dalton Schultz means Prescott doesn’t lack for weapons in the passing game. 

            Ezekiel Elliott’s usage dropped quite a bit last season, partly because he’s less effective and partly because the Cowboys were losing a lot and weren’t running the ball.  The other factor was Tony Pollard becoming a bigger part of the offense.  Pollard is multi-dimensional and he’s pretty good.  If the o-line gets healthy and Elliott doesn’t get overly upset about it, this team is better off using a more even split between the two.  The o-line needs to be healthy, they have virtually no depth but their starting talent is still off the charts if they are playing.  LT Tyron Smith is 30 this year but he’s played 11 years in the league so he’s got a lot of wear and tear on him, they need him to squeeze out at least another year.  LG Connor Williams is solid and they are cross training him at center because they may need him there.  C Tyler Biadasz is a tough guy but he’s not exactly athletic and he is a bit limited.  RG Zach Martin is one of the best in the business when he’s healthy but he’s 30 also so it’s harder to stay healthy at that age.  RT La’el Collins is only 28 so he should be in the prime of his career but a hip injury took him out last season.  He’s been given a clean bill of health and is set to go, they need him to play well. 

            The only thing worse than the Cowboys offense last year was their defense.  The defense was a combination of poor talent and terrible coaching and it showed.  Mike Nolan was relieved of his defensive coordinator position and former Falcons’ head coach Dan Quinn comes in to save the day.  Quinn made his name in Seattle during their Legion of Boom era and while there’s some talent to work with in Dallas, this isn’t the Legion.  DE Demarcus Lawrence is a really good start up front.  He’s an excellent talent but he’s had some subpar years because he’s been working alone.  He needs another guy to take the pressure off of him and they are counting on Randy Gregory to be that guy.  Gregory has missed many games over multiple seasons due to drug suspensions including two full season long suspensions, tough to consider him reliable.  At this point they are starting Osa Odighizuwa and Carlos Watkins at DT; that’s not ideal.

            The LB corps has the most promise and yet has still underachieved.  Leighton Vander Esch had a good rookie year a couple of years ago but now he just seems to get hurt a lot.  MLB Jaylon Smith was ineffective last year and it looks like he may have lost his starting spot to converted former Falcons’ safety Keanu Neal.  They drafted LB Micah Parsons in round one after they missed out on the top CBs in the draft.  Parsons is a freak and Quinn will find ways to unleash him, he could be a difference maker on defense.  They brought in Keanu Neal for depth but he’s looked better than Smith.  Neal has never been a LB but he always played safety like he was a LB.  They also drafted Jabril Cox in round five, he’s a talented athlete, and he looks like one of their better LBs in camp.

            The secondary was atrocious last year, I’m not sure how much better Quinn can make them.  Trevon Diggs and Anthony Brown are back and will be the outside CBs while Jourdan Lewis lines up in the slot.  Neither Brown nor Diggs is a #1 but maybe Quinn can get more out of Diggs.  At safety, they signed another Falcons safety castoff Damontae Kazee, he knows Quinn’s defense so he has a leg up.  Donovan Wilson returns as a starter, I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.  They did take a flyer on former Colts’ first-round bust Malik Hooker who is coming off an Achilles injury.  If Hooker can find his game, he might be the best talent in the secondary (that’s a low bar to clear). 

New York Giants

            It’s year three of the Daniel Jones era and he’s running out of excuses, unless his offensive line falls apart or they decide to blame Jason Garrett, his offensive coordinator.  If the Jones experiment goes down in flames, it’s most likely going to be the end of GM Dave Gettleman’s run with the Giants and then it could be a clean sweep with the coaching staff too.  Joe Judge was a bit of a gamble as an unknown quantity for a head coach, he doesn’t have a ton of goodwill to save himself.  Jones isn’t a terrible QB but he’s prone to turnovers and he hasn’t raised the level of play around him.  The team should have better playmakers for him this year.  They spent big on WR Kenny Golladay to give Jones a big, legitimate weapon on the outside. So far, Golladay hasn’t done much in camp because he’s been banged up. Darius Slayton has shone a nice connection with Jones and they need to build on that.  They hope Sterling Shepard can stay healthy, they drafted Kadarius Toney but he’s struggling in camp and they are taking a shot on John Ross, just trying to find playmakers.  TE Evan Engram is good when he’s healthy.  He played 16 games last year but he always seems to have some sort of ailment.  They also signed veteran TE Kyle Rudolph, that should be a sneaky good addition.  Engram got nicked up again in preseason and Rudolph has spent most of camp on the PUP list.   

            RB Saquon Barkley is returning from injury and they need him to be everything he can be.  He’s a superior talent running the ball and he’s a weapon for the entire offense.  What he can’t do is run well if the blocking in front of him is bad.  This isn’t a great unit but there is talent to work with.  LT Andrew Thomas didn’t have a great rookie year like Mekhi Becton, Tristan Wirfs or Jedrick Wills, his draft classmates, but he wasn’t bad.  The LG position should be manned by Shane Lemieux, he has a knee injury in camp but he should be okay.  He’s not all that athletic and he has some work to do but he’s young.  C Nick Gates isn’t winning any awards but he’s the best they have.  RG Will Hernandez regressed last year and they need him to rebound.  Matt Peart is penciled in at RT but veteran Nate Solder is the wildcard of the whole thing.  He opted out last year but is scheduled to return at 33 years old.  They traded for Bengals bust Billy Price, I don’t know why.   

            Defensive coordinator Patrick Graham got about as much as you could ask out of this defense last year.  Up front they add Danny Shelton in the middle to replace Dalvin Tomlinson but for now he’s behind Austin Johnson.  He’s basically a run stuffer but next to Dexter Lawrence they are two gigantic human beings playing against the run.  DE Leonard Williams got paid because he was their most effective pass rusher last year, they hope they can get him some help this year.  Those three are the line with four linebackers behind them. 

            ILB Blake Martinez is set at one spot inside he’s proven commodity.  The other ILB spot is less set.  It could be Tae Crowder, he had his moments last season, it could be veteran Reggie Ragland, he is just good enough you want to replace him everywhere he’s been.  The OLB spot needs some help, they need to be better pass rushers.  Lorenzo Carter can be affective there or they could use him inside.  Rookie Azeez Ojulari has a really high ceiling if he can prove to be healthy.  He’s not the biggest guy, but he’s athletic and he makes plays.  It would be helpful if they could get something out of Oshane Ximines. 

            The secondary is pretty good last season even without an elite pass rush.  CB James Bradberry is a legit #1 outside cover corner.  They signed Adoree’ Jackson to play the other side, he’s a bit inconsistent but not having to be the #1 guy will help him.  It would help if Darnay Holmes could be the nickel guy but if he’s not watch out for rookie Aaron Robinson once he’s healthy, that guy can play.  They look pretty stacked at safety.  Jabril Peppers and converted CB Logan Ryan are really good starters and they have Julian Love and Xavier McKinney backing them up.  There are a couple of teams in the league that would take Love and McKinney as their starting safety duo.  The Giants season comes down to Daniel Jones, their offensive line, and finding some pass rush. 

Philadelphia Eagles

            The Eagles finally officially announced Jalen Hurts as their starting QB probably because if Nick Sirianni announces Joe Flacco as his starting QB, he’ll have the shortest head coaching tenure in the NFL since Bill Belichick was the Jets head coach for less than a day.  Hurts was going to get the season to prove he’s the guy if it goes well, however, the team traded for Gardner Minshew, he’s now on notice.  Hurts has great mobility, a decent arm and needs work on his progression reads.  He’s not the best starter in the NFL and he’s probably not he worst either.  The skill positions offer some potential.  WR DeVonta Smith is a stud, he won the Heisman last season and he’s an elite route runner.  He’s rail thin and needs to stay healthy but the kid’s a player.  Last year’s first round WR Jalen Reagor has to produce.  He needs to be healthy too but also when he’s in he has to catch more than three balls a game.  A third WR stepping up would be nice but let’s not get greedy.  TE Dallas Goedert was poised to replace Zach Ertz but Ertz is still there so it’s a timeshare.  Goedert is pretty good, Ertz is good, can Hurts figure out how to use them, that’s the question.

            Miles Sanders is a talented RB but no one looks good running behind an offensive line that was banged up as the Eagles’ line.  LT Andre Dillard missed last season with a bicep injury, right now he’s fighting a sprained knee.  He lost the starting LT job to Jordan Mailata who filled in a bit last year and won the job in camp.  Their assumed starting LG Isaac Seumalo is hurt with a hamstring injury and they don’t really have a ready-made replacement.  C Jason Kelce is good but he’ll be 34 this year.  RG Brandon Brooks and RT Lane Johnson are both incredible players but they are getting older and coming off injuries too.  This offensive line could really cost this team a solid running game.  Sanders is a talent and they have Boston Scott backing him up.  Also, rookie Kenneth Gainwell could be a solid playmaker. 

            If you think the offense has problems, just hold on a second, you’re not going to like the defense at all.  The defense is aging, under talented and generally needs a lot of help.  The two best players up front are DE Brandon Graham and DT Fletcher Cox.  Both guys are on the wrong side of 30 and both guys need someone to step up and help them not have to play so many snaps.  DE Josh Sweat is a solid backup but he needs to take step forward because I don’t think veteran free agent signing Ryan Kerrigan is going to get remarkably better. The team drafted Milton Williams at DT but he needs some experience.  DE Derek Barnett should be in the prime of his career and while he’s solid player he’s not an elite edge rusher.   DT Javon Hargrave is also in his prime but again, he’s a solid player too but not a huge difference maker. 

            The LB corps is underwhelming to say the least.  New coordinator Jonathan Gannon has learned under some great defensive coaches but this is his first time running a defense.  What he will do is a bit unknown.  He has Alex Singleton returning after being forced into a starting job last season and being productive.  He had some nice stats but he’s hardly a game changer.  They brought in Eric Wilson from Minnesota, he was thrust into a job last year when Anthony Barr got hurt and he also racked up some stats.  He should man the middle in Philly but who knows.  Genard Avery is the real unknown as he moves from DE to LB for Gannon.  The depth is even more suspect. 

            Darius Slay is back as the #1 CB and he still played at a high level most of last season but he’s 30 now and building your secondary around a 30-year-old CB is a questionable tactic.  They signed Steven Nelson just before training camp and he comes in as the other outside CB.  He’s able to play well, he just doesn’t always do it.  Having him allows them to leave Avonte Maddux as the nickel corner and that’s better than having him outside.  If all three play at their absolute best, it’s a solid trio, the odds on that are pretty slim.  Also, there is almost no depth at CB.  Anthony Harris comes over at safety after a solid career in Minnesota.  He’s 29 and while he’s been productive, there’s a reason the Vikings never signed him to a long-term deal.  He’s good, he’s not great, and the Eagles could use some good.  Rodney McLeod tore his ACL in December so his availability early in the year is suspect at best.  That leaves K’Von Wallace, the youngster out of Clemson as the likely starter.  Wallace is an unknown commodity at this point.  Gannon has his work cut of for him putting this defense together and I feel like the offense may not help them out a lot.      

            This is the Chiefs division until someone wrestles it from Patrick Mahomes cold, dead hands.  The Chiefs might have won their second Super Bowl in a row if they had had a healthy offensive line.  They have five new starters on the line and for good measure they even have some depth.  The Chargers are looking to build on Justin Herbert’s fantastic rookie year but they have a rookie head coach and they need better luck on the injury front.  The offensive line has been rebuilt (it’s a theme in this division), so that should help Herbert.  The Broncos were hoping to get Aaron Rodgers to lead their offense but that isn’t happening now so they will hope Teddy Bridgewater can figure out how to use their weapons on offense.  Von Miller returns on defense and they hope that helps.  The Raiders are the Raiders.  They shuffled their offensive line and their defensive line, the defensive line needed it, the offensive one probably didn’t.  Derek Carr is back, I’m not sure if that’s good or bad, depends on who you ask.  The defense is bad, no matter who you ask. 

Kansas City Chiefs

            The offense has been all about Patrick Mahomes for the past several years but last year’s Super Bowl proved even he can be beaten if he doesn’t have any blocking.  The offensive line was in shambles due to injury and the Chiefs should have five new starters this year.  LT Orlando Brown Jr, LG Joe Thuney, rookie C Creed Humphrey, rookie RG Trey Smith and RT Lucas Niang. They also brought RG Kyle Long out of retirement but now he’s injured and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif returns after spending his Covid opt out working as a doctor, he’s hurt too.  C Austin Blythe was also signed as a free agent and he adds interior depth as he can play center or guard.  RT Mike Remmers was a turnstile last year at LT when he filled in during the Super Bowl, for now he’s the third OT.   

            WR Tyreek Hill and TE Travis Kelce give Mahomes two of the best playmaking pass catchers at their respective positions in the league.  Those two have to be huge because the depth behind them is unproven.  Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson are going to have to step up at WR with veteran Sammy Watkins departing.  Watkins wasn’t amazing but he was solid.  RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire was fine last season he just wasn’t great.  He wasn’t a workhorse like some RBs can be but the Chiefs are a pass first team. 

            The defense goes into the season with some big question marks.  DE Frank Clark is facing some legal issues and he’s their best outside pass rusher.  Chris Jones is just as important up front but he might be less effective is Clark is gone, he can play both DT and DE.  They did bring in DT Jarran Reed from Seattle and he’s a very solid addition.  They don’t have much at the other DE position but they did re-sign Alex Okafor.  At LB, Anthony Hitchens holds down the middle flanked by Willie Gay Jr and potentially rookie Nick Bolton.  It’s not a stellar group of LBs. 

            CB L’Jarius Snead was better last year than most realize but he’s far from a sure thing.  Charvarius Ward is the other starter but the Chiefs picked up Deandre Baker after he was cut by the Giants due to some legal issues and they are hoping he gets himself back in line and can restart his career.  SS Tyrann Mathieu is the talent in the secondary and he runs things on the defense.  Juan Thornhill is an athletic guy playing the other safety position with Daniel Sorenson as the consistent veteran who isn’t flashy.  The Chiefs defense only has to be good enough, they don’t have to be great. 

Los Angeles Chargers

            The Chargers drafted their future last year with QB Justin Herbert, now they have to build around him.  The first thing they did this off season was remaking the offensive line.  They signed C Corey Linsley, RG Matt Feiler, and LG Oday Aboushi in free agency and drafted LT Rashawn Slater.  Add those four new starters to holdover RT Bryan Bulaga and the Chargers will be far better up front.  Add that to a hopefully healthy Austin Ekeler at RB and the running game should improve too.  Ekeler is a talented guy but he only played in 10 games last season.  They have good depth but Ekeler is a bigger threat and they need him on the field.  This team’s entire focus needs to be, stay healthy. 

            At WR, Herbert has the ever-reliable Keenan Allen and the hopeful breakout Mike Williams but there isn’t a third guy.  Jaylen Guyton played a lot last year but mostly as a decoy, he really didn’t do much.  The team is hoping rookie Josh Palmer or perhaps KJ Hill will emerge, Palmer has shown flashes in camp.  Hunter Henry left for a big contract in New England so the Chargers signed well-traveled veteran Jared Cook.  Cook is always just bad enough that his team wants to replace him but just good enough that they struggle to find someone who can.  He’s reliable enough and he played in New Orleans where Chargers new offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi was on staff.  Lombardi’s last stint as an offensive coordinator did not go well but it was with the Detroit Lions and I just can’t completely blame him for it. 

            The number of defensive players who played all 16 games for the Chargers last season is pretty short, they need to stay healthy.  They added Linval Joseph at NT and he gives them some real size up front.  Jerry Tillery and Justin Jones flank him on the three-man line and they are solid young guys.  At edge rusher, Joey Bosa has to stay healthy.  When he’s on the field, he’s a game wrecker.  He’s an elite pass rusher who plays like an outside linebacker and a defensive end.  The team let Melvin Ingram walk in free agency because he was aging and also never healthy.  They need Uchenna Nwosu to replace him, he’s also coming off an injury.  Kenneth Murray had a pretty good rookie year and the team expects him to only get better.  The team hopes Drue Tranquill can come back from an injury last season and play next to Murray. 

            The secondary is where this team needs improvement as well as health.  They were pretty beat up but they also just didn’t play well.  Derwin James missed his second straight season after being a star his rookie season.  If he’s healthy, he’s a game changer.  He’s the ultimate chess piece for new coach Brandon Staley.  The team also needs Nasir Adderley to be more effective at FS.  He gets beat too often for the last line of defense.  At CB, they need Chris Harris to get back to being the effective coverage guy he once was in Denver, he hasn’t been that guy for the Chargers.  For now, it looks like Michael Davis at one outside spot, I would bet on rookie Asante Samuel Jr taking the other while Harris mans the slot. Samuel may be the best coverage guy they have at CB by the end of the year.

Denver Broncos

            The Broncos offense could be fantastic if they have competent QB play.  Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater battled it out in camp and it looked pretty close but Vic Fangio is going with the vet, Teddy Bridgewater.  Bridgewater will be better in Denver because he should have a plethora of talented skill guys around him.  However, with the way Lock played in the preseason I wouldn’t expect a long leash if Bridgewater struggles.  The offensive line isn’t great but it’s better than the sum of its parts due to offensive line coach Mike Munchak who came in last year and did a fantastic job.  He resurrected Garrett Boles career at LT and he should have this unit playing better overall.  The running game is still led by Melvin Gordon for now but they lost Phillip Lindsay in free agency.  They replaced him with rookie Javonte Williams in the second round of the draft and he should prove to be the future of the position, and that may be sooner than Gordon likes. 

            The pass catchers are where this team could really become amazing if they get some health overall and some stability at QB.  Courtland Sutton could prove to be a true #1 WR if given the chance.  He’s coming off a missed season due to injury but he has the ability to be the top guy.  Jerry Jeudy is a fantastic player who can move all over and play out of different spots.  Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler give them meaningful depth at the position.  Noah Fant is an emerging playmaker at TE and Albert Okwuegbunam gives them a solid backup.  If Bridgewater can’t succeed with this group of pass catchers around him, there’s little hope for him beyond being a career backup. 

            Vic Fangio is one of the best defensive minds the NFL has ever had.  The defense should be better than they were last season with the return of OLB Von Miller and a revamped secondary.  Bradley Chubb was never quite himself last year so the team hopes he rebounds too.  If Miller and Chubb can recapture their pass rushing talent, add in Malik Reed, who was a solid find last year, and the pass defense gets a huge boost.  Alexander Johnson and Josey Jewell are a solid interior duo who know their jobs and should get a boost in depth if rookie Baron Browning is healthy.  The three-man front is unspectacular, however, that’s how they are built.  They play tough so Chubb, Miller and Reed can wreak havoc. 

            At CB, they get a major makeover.  Veterans Ronald Darby and Kyle Fuller were signed and Patrick Surtain II was their first-round draft pick.  That should leave guys like Bryce Callahan and Michael Ojemudia fighting for playing time.  Justin Simmons returns at FS while they will give it a go with 33-year-old Kareem Jackson at SS.  The defense needs the offense to hold up their end of the bargain or they are going to break down eventually.

Las Vegas Raiders

            The Raiders offense was top 10 in yards and points last year.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is they need better production from their WR corps, they put entirely too much pressure on the TE and RB position and they are looking at three new starters on the offensive line.  QB Derek Carr isn’t a superstar but he has been a steady hand for years.  He may not be fighting for the MVP award but he’s better than what most teams have at QB.  TE Darren Waller and RB Josh Jacobs are superstars.  Waller is at least the third best TE in the league (behind Travis Kelce and George Kittle when he’s healthy).  He’s nearly unstoppable in third-down and red zone plays and Derek Carr knows to rely on him.  Jacobs is a maniac.  He runs hard and plays like a man possessed.  Carr has two fantastic guys to bail him out in tough situations.  There isn’t much depth at TE behind Waller but the Raiders did add Kenyon Drake at RB.  It seems like an unnecessary expense to pay for an expensive backup RB when you have Jacobs (and it really is), however, when Jacobs came off the field, the offense suffered.  Drake won’t let that happen. 

            Where this offense is going to be vulnerable is on the line and at WR.  They return Kolton Miller at LT and they will try to squeeze one more year out of the aging Richie Incognito at LG.  They traded away C Rodney Hudson, OG Gabe Jackson and RT Trent Brown.  Andre James is the starter at center, it’s a downgrade.  Denzelle Good will move to OG full-time and try to replace Jackson, that will hurt their depth.  And finally, first-round reach Alex Leatherwood will replace Trent Brown at RT.  Brown struggles last year so that might be a wash but Leatherwood hasn’t exactly been lighting it up in the preseason.  At WR, Henry Ruggs III needs to turn his speed into production.  He played in 13 games last year and only had 26 catches, that’s not good enough for a first round pick.  They really like the potential of former third round pick Bryan Edwards but he was even less productive with only 11 catches in 12 games played.  The team signed John Brown and Willie Snead to add veteran competition but Brown already asked out because he wasn’t going to play enough.  They need the young guys to step up.  Slot guy Hunter Renfrow is the one consistent player returning at WR after the team lost Nelson Agholor in free agency.  Renfrow is another security blanket Carr relies on, it’s time the playmakers at WR step up so Carr doesn’t have to rely on the security blanket guys so much. 

            The Raiders defense gave up the third most points per game last season.  This off season was a little bit about signing veterans to replace (or potentially replace) the first round misses this team has had in the draft.  Up front the team has DE Maxx Crosby, who has been pretty solid but they signed Yannick Ngakoue because former first rounder Clelin Ferrell has been underwhelming.  Jonathan Hankins and Quinton Jefferson should hold down the middle but the team is also taking a free agent shot on Solomon Thomas, he was a bust for the 49ers but he still adds versatility up front.  The LB corps returns veterans Cory Littleton, Nick Kwiatkowski and Nick Morrow, not exactly an exciting bunch.  They were hoping converted safeties Tanner Muse or Divine Deablo could add some playmaking to this group but that hasn’t worked out so they traded for Denzel Perryman, a desperation move if there ever was one.   

            At CB, the team signed veteran Casey Hayward.  If Hayward is healthy, he should replace Damon Arnette, another first-round pick who hasn’t lived up to his billing.  Trayvon Mullen is fine at the other spot but this team lacks a true #1 CB.  The Raiders brought back former first-round pick Karl Joseph at SS partially because their current SS Jonathan Abram (another first-rounder) is limited in coverage, then they cut Joseph.  The FS spot should be won by this year’s second-round pick Tre’von Moehrig, he’s a true playmaker in the secondary and they really need him.