The Bucs decided to come in to the season with 29 year old 73 overall Baker Mayfield as their quarterback. The rest of the roster has some talent but also some holes. If Baker can play above his overall rating this team could make a run at the playoffs, but if Baker plays how his rating suggests this could be a similar season to last year for the Bucs.
Atlanta Falcons: Can the offense get rolling?
The talent is all over for the Falcons, especially on offense. Jaylen Waddle, Drake London, Kyle Pitts, Bijan Robinson, a dual threat QB in Desmond Ridder, and a solid offensive line. The defense was top 3 last season, but the Falcons missed the playoffs due to their below average offense. The offense should be good enough to get it done, but we will see if it happens.
Carolina Panthers: Do we have to wait until season 5?
We all know about season 5 JT, but will he come out of the shadows sooner than that? The roster is not great by any means, but is taking a big step up from what it was season 1. Week 1 was not encouraging, but if JT wants to I think he could make a run at the playoffs this year in a fairly open NFC wild card race.
New Orleans Saints: Can Derek Carr keep the magic rolling?
Derek Carr led the league in yards and touchdowns last year (I think). This led the Saints to the 1 seed in the NFC. He sits at a 78 overall right now which isn’t great but isn’t terrible. The Saints are still the favorites in the South, but the aging roster will need some young guys to step up to retain the same success as last year, with a likely decline from Carr.
San Francisco 49ers: Can the roster keep up as others around it get better?
We saw this happen last year with the Vikings, playoffs for 2 seasons, but the aging roster falls off and they fail to reach the playoffs the last 3 seasons. Brock Purdy is not a QB to elevate a roster, so the roster will have to stay strong through the seasons.
Arizona Cardinals: Is the youth movement ready for the next step?
This roster was not in a place to compete season 1, but the team had plenty of resources to get better in the offseason. The offense now has plenty of weapons to get the job done. If the young players on the defense can rise to the occasion they can make a run at the playoffs, if not they could see themselves in a similar position as last year.
LA Rams: How much will the “role players” step up?
We know about the superstars on this team, but they saw some regression this past offseason. The surrounding pieces should start to make their presence felt. We know Cook can develop a team, and I think this is when we see it happen, but if it doesn’t are Kupp and Donald still able to carry a team?
Seattle Seahawks: Can Bo Nix take the offense higher?
Bo Nix adds to the Seattle run game, but will he be able to take advantage of NFL defenses through the air? The weapons are there, the defense should improve, now the pressure is on Bo. We know the Seahawks have higher goals than what they achieved last year. p
