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61 Articles

EDITOR’S NOTE

Nobody enjoys the cold, cruel dose of reality that smacks every NFL fan from time to time. That reality is some version of this depressing sentence: My team is in a full-on rebuild. We all know that NFL means Not For Long, and that the fleeting nature of success and the short shelf lives of the players (with some obvious exceptions) make it nearly impossible to achieve sustained excellence without the occasional reset, if not total to-the-studs reno. I know whereof I speak. As a Titans fan, I am starting to succumb to the realization that my team may be entering a transitional phase (a euphemism for a painful, perhaps lengthy rebuild). The quarterback situation in Nashville is unsettled, Derrick Henry has piled up the miles, we have an understocked…

PUT YOUR MONEY TO WORK FOR YOU

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PUT YOUR MONEY TO WORK FOR YOU

15 THINGS TO WATCH IN 2023

AFC QB Gauntlet The balance of power at the game’s most important position is clearly tilted toward the AFC, and it doesn’t look like that will be changing anytime soon. Patrick Mahomes is obviously the king of the mountain after a second Lombardi Trophy and Super Bowl MVP in four seasons, but he’ll once again have plenty of stiff competition if he wants to get back to the summit again this year. Joe Burrow’s Cincinnati Bengals almost certainly will be back in the mix for the conference title again this season, as will Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Lamar Jackson is back in Baltimore thanks to a massive five-year contract extension with the Ravens, and he’ll once again be a force to be reckoned with if he can stay…

15 THINGS TO WATCH IN 2023

FROM BRADY TO BAKER

The GOAT has retired again (for good this time, we think), leaving the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to usher in a new era at quarterback. Their salary cap situation was dire this offseason, thanks to three years of pushing money to the future in order to maximize their championship window with Tom Brady, which forced them to take a more economical route at quarterback this time around. Enter Baker Mayfield, who signed a cheap one-year deal (worth up to $8.5 million) to compete with 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask for the starting job. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Mayfield saw his tenure with the Cleveland Browns cut short by injury and the acquisition of Deshaun Watson. After bouncing between the Carolina Panthers and Los Angeles Rams…

FROM BRADY TO BAKER

WILL DANIEL JONES LIVE UP TO HIS NEW CONTRACT?

“Danny Dimes” is now “Danny Dollars,” as the New York Giants paid a high price this offseason to keep Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback. Jones signed a four-year, $160 million deal ($95 million guaranteed) to remain in New York, and he now carries even higher expectations heading into the 2023 season. It’s a hefty price tag for a quarterback who in four NFL seasons has not eclipsed 3,500 yards (his career high is last year’s 3,205) and still hasn’t matched the 24 touchdown passes he tossed as a rookie. In fact, Jones has thrown just 36 TD passes combined in the three seasons since that rookie campaign. The bright side? Jones is still just 25, has thrown only 12 interceptions over the past two seasons and brings added value…

WILL DANIEL JONES LIVE UP TO HIS NEW CONTRACT?

LAMAR JACKSON 2.0

After a long and dramatic contract standoff, Lamar Jackson is entrenched as the Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback of the present and future, thanks to a record-breaking five-year deal that makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history (but probably not for long). Now that the Ravens have cleared that hurdle, they must turn their attention to actually giving Jackson an opportunity to make the most of his rare skill set, which means expanding the passing game. Jackson played in a more pro-style offense under Bobby Petrino at Louisville than the Ravens have ever let him run, which finally might change with Todd Monken taking over for Greg Roman as offensive coordinator. Throw in the additions of Odell Beckham Jr. and first-round pick Zay Flowers at wide receiver, and you have a…

LAMAR JACKSON 2.0

THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE 49ERS QB

Was there a more compelling position group last season than the 49ers’ quarterback room? Heading into the season, the torch had been passed from veteran Jimmy Garoppolo to highly touted No. 3 draft pick Trey Lance, as the 49ers opted for the latter’s higher ceiling over the former’s higher floor. Lance suffered a season-ending ankle injury in Week 2, which forced Garoppolo back into the starting job. His comeback was short-lived, though, as he would suffer a season-ending injury of his own near the halfway point of the regular season. Enter Brock Purdy, last year’s “Mr. Irrelevant” as the last pick in the NFL Draft, who helped extend a 12-game winning streak for San Francisco all the way to the NFC title game. Unfortunately, the injury bug didn’t stop biting,…

THE CURIOUS CASE OF THE 49ERS QB

After clinching another AFC North crown last January, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow made a bold statement: “The window is my whole career.” That memorable quote obviously generated headlines, partly because Super Bowl windows close quickly in the NFL, a grueling league with rapidly changing rosters, salary-cap issues and brief careers. But not many took issue with Burrow’s confidence. Three years into his pro career, he already is an established elite quarterback and a proven winner who has taken the Bengals to a Super Bowl and back-to-back AFC Championship Games. At 26, Burrow’s future remains bright. Probably only Burrow and Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes can get away with saying that their window is always open. Mahomes’ results speak for themselves. He’s a two-time Super Bowl champion and two-time MVP, and the…

LONGING FOR LOMBARDI

Of the 32 NFL teams, a dozen are still without a Super Bowl title. Sure, some have championships predating the era of Super Sundays. The Cardinals won NFL titles in 1925 and ’47. The Lions and Browns were ascendant in the ’50s, winning six rings between them that decade alone. In the American Football League, the Bills, Chargers and Oilers (now Titans) combined for five titles in the early ‘60s. Yet for our purposes here, those six are lumped with the Vikings, Jaguars, Texans, Panthers, Falcons and Bengals in their thus-far-futile quests for a Lombardi Trophy. Coming into this season, which are the best bets to finally break through, and what is the path forward for each? Here’s a team-by-team rundown of what each franchise is facing in its ongoing…

LONGING FOR LOMBARDI

HOW TO BET ON PRO FOOTBALL

With the rise of sports betting, more and more people will want to get in on the action. But where and how do you start? If you’re feeling overwhelmed by looking at a sportsbook’s odds or by the jargon used in Las Vegas, this article is for you. In the pages that follow, we will look at terms like moneyline (ML), against the spread (ATS), straight up (SU), over/under (O/U), vig and what all those plus and minus signs really mean (spoiler alert: it’s actually incredibly simple). By the end of this primer, you’ll be able to tell people whether you think “the juice is worth the squeeze.” First things first: Here are offerings for the NFC Championship game featuring the San Francisco pionship 49ers vs. the Philadelphia Eagles. This…

HOW TO BET ON PRO FOOTBALL

HOW TO PLAY DFS

DFS — or daily fantasy sports — is a great way to play fantasy football for cash or even for the thrill of having a new team just for the day. This popular way to play offers rewards of up to one million dollars for a winning lineup, and its popularity doesn’t seem to be waning. So, what exactly is DFS, and how can you get in on the action? Let’s break it down. THE BASICS AND WHERE TO PLAY There are a few popular sites for DFS, including FanDuel, DraftKings and even Yahoo! Each site has a different salary cap, but the idea is the same: Imagine you are the owner of a football team, and you have a budget from which you must assemble the best team possible…

PLAYING THE ODDS

Don’t forget to check in with the sportsbooks before heading into your fantasy draft. That’s right; the oddsmakers can often help give a hint about which players will be values in your upcoming draft, as well as which players may be good first-round picks. All you have to do is check the futures. A futures bet is exactly what it sounds like: a bet on a future outcome. Each preseason, sportsbooks off er an extensive menu of futures bets. These markets often are highly accurate; after all, a sportsbook is a business and needs to make money. So, if you aren’t sure about a player’s value, it’s a good idea to see what the sportsbook is betting on — or hopes you are betting on — for the upcoming season.…

2013 DRAFT REVISITED

Any comprehensive rundown of the 2013 first-round class would include liberal usage of the descriptors “well-traveled” and “disappointing.” Bottom line: College football dropped a bit of a deuce on the NFL with this class of injury-prone underachievers; fully half of the first-rounders failed to see their fifth-year options picked up. There are exceptions, of course — DeAndre Hopkins is a Hall of Famer in waiting, Lane Johnson is a fringe Hall candidate and players like Cordarrelle Patterson have carved out nice careers for themselves. But when your highest-selected QB is EJ Manuel, your No. 2 overall pick is out of the league after five seasons and several of your high-profile selections have changed locations with the frequency of a Saturday night pub crawl, it’s safe to call this class a…

2013 DRAFT REVISITED

Round 2 — Pick 36 DARIUS SLAY CB, Mississippi State (Detroit) Slay has been one of the league’s most consistent ballhawks over seven years with the Lions and three with the Eagles. A first-team All-Pro in 2017 — when he led the NFL with eight INTs and 26 passes defended — Slay has been a five-time Pro Bowler, posting 26 INTs for 379 return yards and two pick-sixes, along with four fumble recoveries for 154 yards and two scoop-and-scores in his career. Round 3 — Pick 63 TRAVIS KELCE TE, Cincinnati (Kansas City) The Chiefs had the No. 1 overall pick and ended up landing the best player in the draft class with the first pick … of the third round. The 6’5”, 255-pound Kelce is among the greatest tight…

When the NFL decided to turn the draft into a traveling road show with stops in cities across the country, many wondered if fans would continue to turn out year after year in large numbers to cheer for names being read off cards. Upon the conclusion of the 2023 NFL Draft, however, it’s safe to say that there are no doubters left. The stars aligned to bring the marquee offseason event to the home of the reigning Super Bowl champions, to great effect. A record 54.4 million people in the U.S. tuned in on television across three days, and the NFL estimated that 312,000 fans showed up in person to watch Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce parade the Lombardi Trophy around before NFL commissioner Roger Goodell began announcing the next…

GEORGIA MAKES HISTORY

If winning back-to-back national titles didn’t already prove that Kirby Smart’s program was among the elite talent-producing programs in college football, the incredible number of players sent to the league out of Athens surely has. Now there are a string of records to underscore it. By the time the seventh round concluded in Kansas City, NFL teams had picked 10 Bulldogs (tied for the most by any school this year), a figure that helped the Dawgs set the all-time mark for most draft picks over a two- (25) and three-year (34) span. Both figures have a good shot at being re-broken in Detroit come 2024, but things are even more impressive when you dive into the numbers a bit more. Take, for example, the 2021 UGA defense that helped deliver…

GEORGIA MAKES HISTORY

TCU DRAFT CLASS BACKS UP CFP RUN

Last season was a magical one for TCU, which went from Big 12 afterthought in August to the College Football National Championship Game in January — all with a first-year head coach in Sonny Dykes. NFL scouts were paying attention, as the program led its conference in draft picks (eight) and rubbed elbows with some of the elite bluebloods in producing an impressive draft haul. Only three other schools had more players selected in 2023: Georgia, Alabama and Michigan. “They’ve got a really outstanding team,” Chargers head coach Brandon Staley said. “It’s the same as a University of Georgia or University of Alabama. It’s one of the top college programs.” While the Horned Frogs did get blown out in the national title game at SoFi Stadium, they apparently still left…

TCU DRAFT CLASS BACKS UP CFP RUN

FOOTBALL FAMILY MATTERS

Every time the NFL Draft rolls around, there’s bound to be a name or two that makes you do a double take and realize just how many years have ticked off the calendar. That was once again the case, as one generation of pros passed the torch to the next. These picks prove that the NFL is a family business. ▶ Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. was the first offensive tackle off the board with the sixth overall pick, but what really made his selection special was that he was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals — the same franchise that took his father in the fifth round back in 1999. The team also took LSU linebacker BJ Ojulari, the brother of 2021 New York Giants draft pick Azeez Ojulari, in…

FOOTBALL FAMILY MATTERS

2024 TOP 5 PER POSITION

QUARTERBACKS 1. Caleb Williams, USC, Jr. 2. Drake Maye, North Carolina, So. 3. Michael Penix Jr., Washington, Sr. 4. Bo Nix, Oregon, Sr. 5. Quinn Ewers, Texas, So. RUNNING BACKS 1. TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State, Jr. 2. Rocket Sanders, Arkansas, Jr. 3. Braelon Allen, Wisconsin, Jr. 4. Will Shipley, Clemson, Jr. 5. Jace McClellan, Alabama, Sr. WIDE RECEIVERS 1. Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State, Jr. 2. Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State, Jr. 3. Xavier Worthy, Texas, So. 4. Rome Odunze, Washington, Jr. 5. Troy Franklin, Oregon, Jr. TIGHT ENDS 1. Brock Bowers, Georgia, Jr. 2. Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas, Jr. 3. Michael Trigg, Ole Miss, Jr. 4. Erick All, Iowa, Sr. 5. Arik Gilbert, Nebraska, Jr. OFFENSIVE TACKLES 1. Olumuyiwa Fashanu, Penn State, Jr. 2. Joe Alt, Notre Dame, Jr. 3. JC…

2024 TOP 5 PER POSITION

CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY is the clear choice at 1.01. He’s coming off his healthiest and most productive season since 2019, and that was with a midseason trade to adjust to on the fly. CMC was the RB1 in PPR from Week 7 on after he was dealt to the 49ers. He also scored in eight of 11 games and had five top-five finishes at his position with his new team. The situation at quarterback in San Francisco is a bit murky at the moment, but there’s no one better than Kyle Shanahan to find a way to make the offense hum regardless. McCaffrey has familiarity playing with quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Sam Darnold, another plus heading into 2023. There are enough questions about the other candidates for the first pick that…

AVERAGE DEPTH OF THROW ADOT tracks the distance downfield each pass travels before it is complete, incomplete or intercepted. Quarterbacks with high ADOT marks generally take more chances, which will lead to more coveted big plays. Shown here are the top 40 ADOT marks among QBs who dropped back to pass at least 100 times during the 2022 season. (MIN 100 DROPBACKS, INCLUDING PLAYOFFS) SOURCE: PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS INJURY CONCERNS LAMAR JACKSON, BALTIMORE RAVENS Jackson has missed five games in each of the past two seasons, with a sprained ankle in 2021 and a sprained knee in 2022. Given his reliance on mobility, recurring leg injuries are a major concern. TUA TAGOVAILOA, MIAMI DOLPHINS The Dolphins picked up Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option during the offseason, reinforcing their commitment to him despite…

WORKLOAD WATCH INJURY CONCERNS CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS McCaffrey stayed healthy in ’22 and put up 1,880 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns (throwing for another). That said, we’re still talking about a player who has missed 23 games in his past three seasons. JONATHAN TAYLOR, INDIANAPOLIS COLTS Last season’s consensus No. 1 pick in fantasy injured his ankle in Week 4 and missed the next two games. He reinjured the ankle in Week 15, sat out the rest of the season and had arthroscopic surgery in January. Taylor is expected to be healthy to start the season. JOE MIXON, CINCINNATI BENGALS Mixon took a step back last season. In addition to missing two games due to a concussion, he was very inconsistent. He scored nine total touchdowns, but five…

AVERAGE DEPTH OF TARGET (MIN 40 TARGETS, INCLUDING PLAYOFFS) SOURCE: PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS INJURY CONCERNS COOPER KUPP, LOS ANGELES RAMS Kupp suffered an ankle injury in Week 10 that ended his season and ultimately required surgery. Rams trainers seem pleased with the 2021 receiving triple crown winner’s progress. KEENAN ALLEN, LOS ANGELES CHARGERS The 31-year-old Allen missed seven games with a hamstring injury from which he never seemed to fully recover. It was the least productive season of his 10-year career outside of a 2016 campaign in which he played only one game due to injury. DEEBO SAMUEL, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS Hamstring and ankle injuries that forced Samuel to miss four games and parts of others. With Christian McCaffrey there to handle the bulk of the 49ers’ rushing work, Samuel…

AVERAGE DEPTH OF TARGET (MIN 30 TARGETS, INCLUDING PLAYOFFS) For wide receivers and tight ends, ADOT removes volatile YAC (yards after catch) from the equation, instead focusing only on the average distance the player is downfield on each target. It’s an indicator of big-play potential. INJURY CONCERNS KYLE PITTS, ATLANTA FALCONS Bouncing back from his season-ending Week 10 knee injury will be secondary to Pitts getting reps with new starting QB Desmond Ridder. Pitts was typically the third TE off the boards last summer; he’s dropped two or three spots since then. DALLAS GOEDERT, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES Goedert suffered a shoulder injury the exact same week that Zach Ertz was injured. Goedert missed five weeks, but he did make it back before the end of the season, scoring a touchdown in…

▲ GOING UP PITTSBURGH STEELERS After they had finished in the top half of D/STs for seven straight seasons, a bit of bad luck contributed to Steelers’ drop into a tie for 18th in 2022. But with some regression to the mean and a strong offseason, the Steelers should be back to a reliable starting option. For one, only the Jets had worse luck recovering opposing fumbles, as the Steelers came up with a measly 21.4 percent of loose balls. Plus, Pittsburgh will be going from the league’s second-hardest schedule to the 11th easiest, based on preseason projected win totals. Adding Patrick Peterson and second-rounders Joey Porter Jr. and Keeanu Benton should boost this unit as well. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS It’s easy to forget that the Colts had the No. 4…

AFC COACHING CAROUSEL

AFC PLAYOFFSEEDS 1. Kansas City Chiefs 2. Cincinnati Bengals 3. Jacksonville Jaguars 4. Miami Dolphins 5. Baltimore Ravens 6. Buffalo Bills 7. New York Jets WILD CARD WEEKEND (2) Bengals over (7) Jets (6) Bills over (3) Jaguars (4) Dolphins over (5) Ravens DIVISIONAL ROUND (1) Chiefs over (6) Bills (2) Bengals over (4) Dolphins CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (1) Chiefs over (2) Bengals SUPER BOWL LVIII (1) Chiefs over (2) Seahawks AFC POWER RANKINGS 1. Kansas City Chiefs 2. Cincinnati Bengals 3. Miami Dolphins 4. Buffalo Bills 5. Jacksonville Jaguars 6. Baltimore Ravens 7. New York Jets 8. Los Angeles Chargers 9. Pittsburgh Steelers 10. Cleveland Browns 11. New England Patriots 12. Denver Broncos 13. Tennessee Titans 14. Las Vegas Raiders 15. Houston Texans 16. Indianapolis Colts SUPERLATIVES Offensive POY PATRICK MAHOMES,…

AFC COACHING CAROUSEL

General manager Brandon Beane and head coach Sean McDermott spent the last three seasons building their team into a consistent playoff contender. Unfortunately for the Bills Mafia, those years have fallen short of expectations. Two bitter playoff losses to the Chiefs (including a 13-second collapse that lives in infamy) and one last season to the surging Bengals have left many asking if Buffalo’s Super Bowl window has begun to close. As long as unicorn quarterback Josh Allen is around, that window will never be completely shut, but make no mistake: McDermott faces extreme scrutiny as he attempts to prove that he’s the coach capable of getting this talented roster over the hump — especially now that he’s taken on defensive play-calling duties. OFFENSE Led by Allen and wide receiver Stefon…

The Miami Dolphins are due for a playoff win. The franchise hasn’t had a postseason victory since 2000, and the 2023 team might be the one best equipped to do it since the turn of the millennium. After the major acquisitions of wide receiver Tyreek Hill, left tackle Terron Armstead and edge defender Bradley Chubb last year, the Dolphins made another big splash this off season by trading for elite cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Even more integral to improving the defense, though, might be the addition of coveted defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. Head coach Mike McDaniel will take lessons learned from his first year leading a franchise to try to navigate the Dolphins deeper than the AFC wild-card appearance they made last postseason, which resulted in a sixth loss in seven…

It’s back to the future in Foxborough. After a disjointed season that ended without a playoff invitation for the second time in three seasons, the Patriots moved quickly to bring Bill O’Brien back into the fold to help get their offense back on track. An innovative offensive mind and quarterback guru, O’Brien will strive to design an attack to maximize QB Mac Jones’ strengths: quick decision-making and elite ball placement. O’Brien, a Josh McDaniels disciple who counts Tom Brady, Deshaun Watson, and Bryce Young among his many former charges, will be the lead voice in Jones’ ear moving forward, which is something New England’s offense often struggled with in the quarterback’s sophomore season. The stability and leadership O’Brien brings off the field should translate to Jones being able to play…

Is Aaron Rodgers finally the one? For years, the Jets have sought the next Joe Namath — which is to say, a franchise quarterback who can lead them back to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1968 season. And now, with a ready-to-win roster, general manager Joe Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh are hitching their hopes — and job security — to the 39-year-old Rodgers, a future Hall of Famer acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Packers. Will it work? Realistically, the Jets have a two-year window with Rodgers. It won’t be enough that they reach the playoffs for the first time since 2010 — the longest current drought in the four biggest North American pro sports. For the Rodgers trade to work, the Jets…

Lamar Jackson is back, after a drama-filled off season in which the former league MVP quarterback asked to be traded, then agreed to a historic five-year contract extension instead. The passing attack received a sorely needed jolt with the signing of All-Pro receiver Odell Beckham Jr., while the duo of J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards anchors the run game for new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Defensively, linebacker Roquan Smith leads a physical unit with playmakers in the secondary but persistent concerns about its ability to get to the quarterback. Of course, in crunch time, it always helps to have the most accurate kicker in NFL history (Justin Tucker). OFFENSE The Ravens are expected to shift their identity after parting ways with offensive coordinator Greg Roman, the architect of a record-setting…

Even though they didn’t reach their ultimate goal in 2022, the Bengals proved without a doubt that they’re here for the long haul. There was no Super Bowl hangover and no indication that the previous season was a fluke. Instead, Cincinnati was arguably even better as it rolled through the AFC North, finishing 12-4 and reaching the AFC Championship game for a second consecutive year. With their franchise quarterback firmly in place, an elite cast of playmakers, an improved offensive line and one of the league’s most underrated defenses, the Bengals aren’t going anywhere anytime soon, and they’re once again poised to be playing meaningful football well into January and, perhaps, February. OFFENSE Joe Burrow, now in his fourth season, just keeps getting better, and the supporting cast around him…

The Browns are coming off a fourth-place finish and have missed the playoffs in 19 of the past 20 seasons. But this team is in a unique position and feels it’s on the verge of becoming a true AFC contender after a strange 2022 season ended with quarterback Deshaun Watson playing poorly in his first action in nearly two years. The Browns traded the farm — three first-rounders and three additional picks — for Watson in March 2022 and in doing so believed they had ended their 30-year run of not having a long-term answer at quarterback. But Watson served an 11-game suspension for multiple violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy before debuting last December and delivering mediocre results. Watson was understandably rusty. The offense was understandably disjointed. The…

The Steelers just don’t do losing seasons under Mike Tomlin. Even with uneven quarterback play in the first year of the post-Ben Roethlisberger era, an underwhelming running attack and a seemingly catastrophic injury to star pass rusher T.J. Watt, the Steelers scratched, clawed and willed their way to their 19th consecutive non-losing season and just barely missed the postseason. In Pittsburgh, that’s considered a failure, but, in reality, it was yet another reason to believe that the Steelers annually boast one of the highest floors in the NFL. Playing in a stacked division within an ultra-stacked conference, that’s what the Steelers will always have going for them until proven otherwise. OFFENSE It’s Kenny Pickett’s team in Pickett’s town. Whether that means Pittsburgh’s offense will be any better than the 26th-ranked…

Texans general manager Nick Caserio’s two-year rebuild phase is over. If anyone asked what the franchise’s needs were entering the 2021 and 2022 off seasons, the answer was simple: everything. But the Texans filled major positional holes in Caserio’s first big-budget free agency cycle then addressed the remainder within the team’s most aggressive draft in history. Caserio executed a team-record eight draft-day trades, which included a stunning move with the Cardinals to jump from No. 12 to No. 3 and select Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. after picking Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud No. 2 overall. Bold? Certainly. The Texans surrendered one of their two 2024 first-round picks in the deal. Caserio essentially has spent all of the draft picks gained by trading former franchise quarterback Deshaun Watson to…

After taking too many turns on the veteran quarterback carousel with six different Week 1 starters in as many years, the Indianapolis Colts hope they have a player they can build the franchise around: fourth overall pick Anthony Richardson. But as 2022 showed, the Colts have more holes than just the one at the most important position. The Colts mistakenly thought they were a few players away from being a serious playoff contender before a 4-12-1 implosion. Everything that could go wrong did, starting with injuries that limited the offensive and defensive leaders, running back Jonathan Taylor and linebacker Shaquille Leonard. Veteran quarterback Matt Ryan was a bust — he fizzled quickly following his offseason trade from Atlanta — and head coach Frank Reich was fired after a 3-5-1 start.…

Times have changed in Jacksonville — fast and in a big way. Now, expectations have changed, too. The Jaguars, who in 2022 won their first AFC South championship in five seasons after back-to-back seasons with the league’s worst record, seem poised to take yet another jump in 2023. The reasons are many: a developing, young franchise quarterback; a mix of talent, experience and production at skill positions; a championship-winning head coach; a defense that specializes in takeaways and big plays; the moxie the Jags showed in erasing a 27-0 halftime deficit and storming back to beat the Chargers in the playoffs. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and head coach Doug Pederson aren’t the only causes for the highest level of optimism around the Jaguars in at least a decade. There indeed are…

After missing the playoffs for the first time in four seasons, the Tennessee Titans will look to get back to their winning ways in 2023, hoping the return of key injured players, the signing of some high-upside free agents and a foundational first-round pick will help them do so. The Titans appeared poised to record their seventh straight winning season following a 7-3 start. But Tennessee collapsed down the stretch, losing its final seven games and paving the way for change moving forward. How will the Titans reverse their recent fortunes? One key should be the return of starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who missed five games last season — including the final three — due to ankle injuries. On the other side of the ball, edge rusher Harold Landry III…

The Broncos experienced a cascade of failures in 2022, delivering one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history (5-12) given the expectations. Quarterback Russell Wilson plummeted from grace with a thud, posting career lows in touchdown passes and completion percentage, and rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett failed to finish the season. New ownership wasted no time in changing the culture, trading a first-round pick to New Orleans for the rights to head coach Sean Payton then signing him to a five-year deal. He brings instant credibility and accountability. Payton oversaw a massive free-agent splurge, including bulking up the offensive line. He wants a physical team and promises to run the football with authority. Payton turned Drew Brees into a future Hall of Famer. His next challenge is clear: He…

Are the Chiefs on the cusp of a true dynasty? The 2023 season will answer that question, although some might say they’re already there. Since reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes took over as the starting quarterback, the Chiefs have won two Super Bowls, appeared in a third and lost twice in overtime in the AFC Championship game. Another Lombardi Trophy would cement the dynasty — and, as long as Mahomes is healthy, the Chiefs will be in the hunt. At this point, Super Bowls are all that matters, but Andy Reid’s formula always begins with a division title and builds from there. The road to Super Bowl LVIII goes through Arrowhead Stadium until further notice. GM Brett Veach has constructed a deep roster with precious few holes. OFFENSE The test for…

As the Raiders head into Year 2 under Josh Mc-Daniels, they have some ground to make up after last year’s 6-11 finish completely ruined all the goodwill from the playoff appearance in 2021. That said, their return to earth actually painted a more complete picture of who they really are and the various roster issues they have to correct. That makes 2023 a bit of a multi-layered task. The Raiders want to win right now, but there is an understanding that sustained winning only comes with a more complete roster. And that takes time. In the interim, they hope to add a higher level of efficiency and competency in a reworked offensive lineup that better suits McDaniels’ vision — replacing Derek Carr with Jimmy Garoppolo is the biggest change —…

For most NFL teams, the off season offers a clean slate with an abundance of hope for the upcoming season. But the Chargers didn’t get that luxury after the clock hit zero in Jacksonville to complete their historic postseason collapse. The Chargers knew from experience that their blown 27-point lead to the Jaguars was going to hover like a dark cloud throughout the off season, the same way it did the prior year after the team lost a thrilling Week 18 matchup to the Raiders in overtime to miss the postseason. Head coach Brandon Staley’s tenure as the Chargers’ head coach has featured plenty of heartbreak, but from a glass-half-full approach, they’ve gotten better the past two seasons. Now the next step is for quarterback Justin Herbert and the talented…

NFC COACHING CAROUSEL

NFC PLAYOFF SEEDS 1. Philadelphia Eagles 2. Seattle Seahawks3. Green Bay Packers4. Carolina Panthers5. San Francisco 49ers6. Dallas Cowboys7. Detroit Lions WILD CARD WEEKEND (2) Seahawks over (7) Lions (6) Cowboys over (3) Packers (5) 49ers over (4) Panthers DIVISIONAL ROUND (2) Seahawks over (5) 49ers (1) Eagles over (6) Cowboys CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (2) Seahawks over (1) Eagles SUPER BOWL LVIII (1) Chiefs over (2) Seahawks NFC PREDICTIONS PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH FOR THE FOUR DIVISIONS NFC EAST 1. Philadelphia EAGLES 2. Dallas COWBOYS 3. New York GIANTS 4. Washington COMMANDERS NFC SOUTH 1. Carolina PANTHERS 2. New Orleans SAINTS 3. Atlanta FALCONS 4. Tampa Bay BUCCANEERS NFC NORTH 1. Green Bay PACKERS 2. Detroit LIONS 3. Minnesota VIKINGS 4. Chicago BEARS NFC WEST 1. Seattle SEAHAWKS 2. San Francisco 49ERS…

NFC COACHING CAROUSEL

The Cowboys face a new year with the same expectations. They haven’t won the Super Bowl since the 1995 season, which was also the last time they reached the NFC Championship Game. Still, the Cowboys enter 2023 with the same Super Bowl hopes they have had for the past 27 seasons. The team, though, might have a better chance than it has had in a while. The Cowboys are coming off back-to-back 12-win seasons for the first time since winning three Super Bowls in four seasons in the 1990s, and they made off season trades that delivered cornerback Stephon Gilmore and receiver Brandin Cooks. They also added a starting defensive tackle (Mazi Smith) and a starting tight end (Luke Schoonmaker) in the first two rounds of the draft. Head coach…

When GM Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll took over a lost Giants franchise last January, they seemed to know they had a long road of rebuilding ahead. It’s why they refused to set any expectations or even talk about making the playoffs. So imagine their surprise when they actually did. They won’t admit it publicly, but there was some shock in the organization last season when the Giants went 9-7-1 and not only reached the playoffs for the first time in six years but also won a playoff game for the first time in more than a decade. Along the way, they discovered that Daniel Jones was indeed their franchise quarterback and that they had already filled more holes in the roster than they thought they could in…

Eagles fans may still be grousing about the defensive holding call on James Bradberry in Super Bowl LVII’s waning moments that they thought was a crime against football and the city, but their favorite team has moved forward after last season’s thrilling ride with plenty of returning cast members and enough new faces to make things interesting. The biggest news heading into 2023 is that the Birds have locked up QB Jalen Hurts for five years and $255 million, with $179.3 million guaranteed. After just two years as a full-time starter, Hurts became the highest-paid player in the NFL for a couple of days and has established himself as the face of the franchise. All he has to do now is help the Eagles take the step they couldn’t in…

It wouldn’t be a Washington off season without massive controversy and upheaval, and this one has been no exception — with the sea-change ahead of 2023 for the recently rebranded Commanders including turnover at the positions of quarterback, offensive coordinator and owner. As the tumultuous (and some would say disastrous) Dan Snyder era neared its end, the Commanders were ready to embrace the Josh Harris Era, with the presumptive new owner inheriting a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff game in 18 years, but that went 8-8-1 and narrowly missed a playoff berth last season. Or should this new chapter be called the Eric Bieniemy Era, for the new offensive coordinator and assistant head coach who comes to Washington after winning two Super Bowls with the Chiefs? Or perhaps the…

After finishing an NFL-worst 3-14 last year, the Bears entered a pivotal off season armed with the most salary cap space of any team in the league and the No 1 pick in the draft. Second-year general manager Ryan Poles used those assets to upgrade the roster on both sides of the ball via trade, free agency and the draft. The Bears dealt the No. 1 selection to the Panthers in exchange for receiver DJ Moore, two first-round picks and two second-round selections. They signed several free agents, most notably linebackers Tremaine Edmunds (Bills) and T.J. Edwards (Eagles), defensive end DeMarcus Walker (Titans), guard Nate Davis (Titans), running back D’Onta Foreman (Panthers) and tight end Robert Tonyan (Packers). And they filled more needs in the draft, selecting Tennessee offensive tackle…

No team in the NFL made a bigger turnaround in 2022 than the rebuilding Lions. After a 3-13-1 season in 2021, Detroit rallied from a dismal 1-6 start to win eight of its final 10 games and barely miss the postseason. With a young roster core bolstered by significant free-agent upgrades on defense, Detroit enters Year 3 of the Brad Holmes-Dan Campbell era as a threat to win the NFC North. The Lions haven’t won a division title since 1993, when the division was still known as the NFC Central. They haven’t won a playoff game since 1991 and haven’t won a NFL title since 1957. But Campbell isn’t shying away from that history. In fact, he had these reminders painted in huge lettering on the wall in the team…

Brian Gutekunst doesn’t have a crystal ball, but the Green Bay Packers general manager does have a vision for what the Packers’ Jordan Love-led offense will look like in the future. He has selected eight — eight! — would-be pass catchers over the past two drafts: Wide receivers Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs and Samori Touré in 2022, and tight ends Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft and wide receivers Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Grant DuBose in April. So with the team segueing at quarterback from four-time NFL MVP and surefire Pro Football Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers to Love, the 2020 first-round pick Gutekunst traded up to make, Gutekunst’s hope is that Love and his myriad of young skill-position weapons go through the ups and downs of inexperience together —…

The finest debut season by a Vikings head coach (13-4) wasn’t good enough for Kevin O’Connell and a fan base that had higher expectations for a high-scoring team that was upset at home by the Giants in a one-and-done return to the playoffs last season. So O’Connell wasted no time making a significant philosophical shift at the top of his defense, jettisoning coordinator Ed Donatell and his stubbornly soft-shell concepts in favor of Brian Flores, the former Dolphins head coach, Bill Belichick disciple and lover of man coverages, zero-blitz packages and all-around approach to pressuring quarterbacks. Now, pressure falls on Flores to get much more out of a younger, more unproven unit after the cap-strapped Vikings said goodbye to their top cornerback (Patrick Peterson), best defensive lineman (Dalvin Tomlinson) and…

With their playoff drought now at five seasons — the franchise’s longest since the late 1980s — the Atlanta Falcons finally might be ready to make a comeback. The team has worked diligently for the past few years to shed high-impact salary cap hits on former pillars such as quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones while rebuilding a roster that was left in shambles by the previous regime. That hard work might finally pay off as third-year head coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot see their master plan begin to blossom. The Falcons are built to antagonize opposing NFL defenses built for pass-happy football. Atlanta fielded one of the league’s best rushing attacks last season and has continued to stock up on running back and offensive…

The Carolina Panthers have been in “wait until next year” mode for what feels like forever to their fans. They’ve missed the playoffs five seasons in a row. Now, with a new quarterback and a new head coach, they will try again to reinvent themselves into a team to be reckoned with in the NFC South. The Panthers ended the woeful Matt Rhule era midway through the 2022 season, as owner David Tepper decided to fire Rhule after watching him go 11-27 over two seasons and part of a third. Now Tepper and general manager Scott Fitterer have cast their lot with Frank Reich, who not only had a relatively successful coaching tenure at Indianapolis (before being fired himself one month after Rhule was canned in 2022) but also was…

Even after missing the playoffs for two consecutive seasons, the New Orleans Saints are convinced that they’re right on the brink of breaking through. The team addressed its biggest problem in March when it handed free-agent quarterback Derek Carr a four-year, $150 million contract, a move it hopes will end the middling stretch it has endured since future Hall of Famer Drew Brees’ retirement. New Orleans is banking on Carr being a better version of the player he was with the Las Vegas Raiders. In pairing him with what figures to be another strong defense, the team sees opportunity in the NFC South, a division that failed to produce a team with a winning record in 2022. OFFENSE The Saints haven’t been good offensively for two years now, but it’s…

After three consecutive playoff appearances, back-to-back division titles (a first in franchise history) and a second Lombardi Trophy, the Bucs head into the great unknown of the post-Tom Brady era. Now that the GOAT is retired (again, for good this time, we think), Tampa Bay is hoping that an overhaul of the offensive coaching staff, scheme and philosophy will be enough to match a defense full of returning veteran starters as they chase a third straight NFC South crown. OFFENSE Thanks in large part to salary cap constraints, the Bucs were forced to take the economical route to replacing Brady at quarterback for this season. Former No. 1 overall pick Baker Mayfield signed a one-year deal to compete with 2021 second-round draft pick Kyle Trask for the starting job, with…

Considering everything that has happened with this franchise — the good, the bad and the ugly — there appears to be no clear-cut avenue for the Cardinals to suddenly resurrect themselves and find a way to improve upon last year’s dismal 4-13 record. A revamped front office and a mostly new coaching staff, not to mention a reshaped roster and a starting quarterback in Kyler Murray coming off major knee surgery involving both his ACL and meniscus, don’t bode particularly well for a promising 2023 season. The future is potentially bright — the team netted a talented draft class with some instant contributors, as well as scoring a windfall of key future draft capital a year from now that could change everything. But in the short term, it figures to…

Rams general manager Les Snead declined to call 2023 a rebuilding year, despite dumping several key players via trade or release — including Jalen Ramsey, Leonard Floyd and Allen Robinson II — and accumulating $74.2 million in dead money on the team’s salary cap. Paying starters to leave strongly indicates that the once-mighty Rams are rebuilding the roster, but Snead can get away with calling 2023 a “remodel” because quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Cooper Kupp and defensive lineman Aaron Donald are still on the roster, and head coach Sean McVay remains on the sidelines. Not many rebuilding teams have that type of core group with one of the best head coaches in the NFL. A year after enduring a dreadful 5-12 season, the Rams have the pieces to make…

The 49ers, who are 28 years removed from their last Super Bowl title, will try to finish this season as the last team standing with a starting quarterback who was the last pick in his draft. Brock Purdy’s unexpected emergence after he was the 262nd selection in 2022 was among the biggest stories of the NFL season. And Purdy’s attempt to reprise his rookie performance on a team that remains a Super Bowl contender will keep his name in the headlines. The 49ers went 13-4 last year and won 12 straight before Purdy suffered an elbow injury that required off season surgery in the first quarter of their loss to the Eagles in the NFC title game. And they are poised to run it back. They will return 19 of…

Going into the 2022 season, the Seahawks were expected to be one of the worst teams in the league after trading quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos. Instead, head coach Pete Carroll guided his team to the playoffs, where it lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC wild-card round. Now, making it back to the postseason feels like the bare minimum for his team, which is coming into the 2023 season with an improved roster. OFFENSE Geno Smith stepped up in a big way in 2022 and was rewarded with a three-year contract worth up to $105 million (including signing bonus and incentives). Smith was named to his first Pro Bowl after finishing eighth in the NFL with 4,282 passing yards and fourth with 30 touchdowns. He’s…

2023 NFL SCHEDULE

WEEK 1 Thursday, September 7 Detroit at Kansas City Sunday, September 10 Carolina at Atlanta Cincinnati at Cleveland Jacksonville at Indianapolis Tampa Bay at Minnesota Tennessee at New Orleans San Francisco at Pittsburgh Arizona at Washington Houston at Baltimore Green Bay at Chicago Las Vegas at Denver Philadelphia at New England Miami at L.A. Chargers L.A. Rams at Seattle Dallas at N.Y. Giants Monday, September 11 Buffalo at N.Y. Jets WEEK 2 Thursday, September 14 Minnesota at Philadelphia Sunday, September 17 Green Bay at Atlanta Las Vegas at Buffalo Baltimore at Cincinnati Seattle at Detroit L.A. Chargers at Tennessee Chicago at Tampa Bay Kansas City at Jacksonville Indianapolis at Houston San Francisco at L.A. Rams N.Y. Giants at Arizona N.Y. Jets at Dallas Washington at Denver Miami at New England…

THE GOAT SAYS GOODBYE

For the second year in a row, Tom Brady announced on Feb. 1 that he was retiring from the NFL. This time, however, he apparently meant it, saying he was done “for good.” Even though his 23rd season in the league didn’t end how he wanted, with his Tampa Bay Buccaneers losing to the Dallas Cowboys in the wildcard round, it should still be pointed out that he finished the regular season third in passing yards with 4,694, at 45. So with the greatest quarterback in the history of the game apparently having played his last game, here are what I think are Brady’s top five seasons across his legendary career. 5. 2020 — 11-5, NFC WILD CARD, BEAT KANSAS CITY IN SUPER BOWL LV Brady signed on to a…

THE GOAT SAYS GOODBYE

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