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Denver Broncos
After years of treading water, the Broncos have been lastly in a position to engineer a transfer for one of many recreation’s high quarterbacks this offseason, touchdown Russell Wilson in a blockbuster trade in March.
Including Wilson transforms the Broncos’ calculus. Denver already had a robust core previous to Wilson’s arrival, together with a gifted offensive line and a stacked receiving unit. Wilson ought to lastly be the post-Manning quarterback who could make all of it sing in Colorado.
There’s pleasure on protection, too. Whenever you add a celebrity at quarterback, issues simply slot into place, don’t they? This Broncos protection is constructed to play with a lead, the sort they not often mustered behind Drew Lock or Teddy Bridgewater. There are stars all through the secondary, and by including Randy Gregory they’ve been in a position to paper over the Von Miller-sized hole that appeared of their entrance in the midst of final season.
There’s just one actual query mark looming over the Broncos’ playoff hopes: How will first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett deal with his debut season? Wilson runs his personal, particular type of offense, one which doesn’t flow naturally with what Hackett, an offensive-minded coach, prefers to run. It’s lots to ask of a first-year coach to navigate these waters whereas additionally operating a franchise, and all whereas up towards a pair of juggernauts in Los Angeles and Kansas Metropolis within the AFC West. The Broncos could also be a yr away from really difficult.
Turnaround possibilities: Could be higher in a distinct division
Baltimore Ravens
Of all of this yr’s turnaround candidates, the Ravens are the most secure guess. There aren’t any stylistic points, no expertise considerations. They’re loaded on each side of the ball.
Baltimore have been one of many disappointments of 2021. Accidents drained the staff of depth. Distinction-makers missed essential components of the season. An damage to Lamar Jackson sapped the offense of its one-man firepower. The Soccer Gods labored additional time: the turnover luck that Jackson has skilled all through his profession swung again the opposite approach. Jackson completed with 19 turnovers in 12 video games.
It will likely be completely different this yr. Jackson is wholesome. The staff is wholesome – and has depth all around the discipline. They enter this season having added [deep inhale]: Marcus Williams (the perfect free security in soccer), Kyle Hamilton (the perfect security prospect within the draft), Tyler Linderbaum (the perfect heart prospect within the draft), Morgan Moses, Kyle Fuller, Michael Pierce and David Ojabo.
There’s some squawking concerning the lack of receiving choices after the staff dealt away Marquise Brown. However Brown has lengthy been extra of a flashy identify than a real game-changer. The Ravens offense is all concerning the system. And that system revolves round Lamar Jackson. When he’s wholesome, it really works.
The AFC North is in flux. The Steelers are in the midst of an offensive overhaul. The Browns are dedicated to doing things that are offensive. A straight shootout between the Ravens and Bengals ought to be within the offing. If Jackson is wholesome, he’s an MVP candidate. And if the Ravens have an MVP candidate at quarterback, they’re the frontrunners within the division.
Turnaround possibilities: Followers might need to analysis Phoenix-area package deal offers
Los Angeles Chargers
It’s hardly value discussing the Chargers as ‘turnaround’ candidates. They featured among the finest offenses in soccer final season, thanks largely to fielding the sport’s high younger quarterback – already a top-five (three?) participant on the place coming into solely his third yr within the league. At some point, Justin Herbert would be the highest-paid participant within the NFL. Proper now, he’s the league’s high market inefficiency.
Take into consideration this: Herbert will rely much less in the direction of the wage cap for the Chargers this yr than Daniel Jones, Zach Wilson and Trey Lance do for his or her respective groups.
Herbert will value half as a lot as Matt Ryan, Baker Mayfield and SAM DARNOLD.
Herbert will value roughly 1 / 4 as a lot as Kirk Cousins, JIMMY GAROPPOLO, CARSON WENTZ and JARED GOFF!
Oh, and Herbert will probably be [passes out, recovers senses] 5 instances cheaper towards the cap than Ryan Tannehill.
The Chargers stacked strength-on-strength this offseason, including priceless items to the Herbert-backed offense, whereas utilizing their star’s comparatively meagre wage to fund a spending spree on protection. The Chargers’ protection stunk in 2021: traditionally dangerous towards the run and predictable towards the move. It ought to enhance this yr, if for no purpose apart from the additions of Khalil Mack, JC Jackson and Sebastian Joseph-Day.
It’s onerous to discover a extra proficient roster, top-to-bottom, in your complete NFL. Leaping from out-of-the-playoffs to a championship run is hard, however that ought to be the expectation for the Chargers.
Turnaround possibilities: Something lower than a Tremendous Bowl problem will probably be a disappointment
Indianapolis Colts
One other yr, one other raft of adjustments for the Colts. Swapping out Carson Wentz for Matt Ryan at quarterback was one of many more healthy upgrades of the offseason. In contrast to different sides staring down the AFC’s quarterback standoff, the Colts want solely fear about contending in their very own division. Win 10 video games, pip the Titans to the AFC South division title, and they’re going to make the playoffs. With Ryan providing stable quarterback play and a protection laden with expertise, 10 wins ought to be the ground.
But whereas Colts Pravda will level to this lastly being the yr that all the things clicks collectively – Ryan is lastly the proper quarterback after a succession of wannabees and maybes – there are cracks.
Chief among the many considerations is the protection. Former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus left within the offseason to be the top honcho in Chicago. It’s who the Colts changed him with: Gus Bradley.
Eberflus ran a specific, conservative type, one which made it onerous for opposing quarterbacks to throw deep down the sphere. That system put his finest defenders in the perfect spots to succeed. With the expertise on the Colts roster, it labored – and so they added much more expertise and depth within the offseason.
However Bradley’s protection is completely different. It’s aggressive, and a galaxy shift from Eberflus’ method. As a coach, Bradley has proven an unwillingness to evolve away from a mode that was outdated two seasons in the past. Will Bradley alter to his new staff, retaining a few of Eberflus’ ideas, or power the Colts’ sq. pegs into his schematic spherical gap? Bringing Yannick Ngakoue with him from the Raiders in exchange for the reliable Rock Ya-Sin ought to set off alarm bells.
And there are questions elsewhere. Is the receiving corps ok? Can the o-line, a notoriously unstable unit year-to-year, proceed to crank out a dominant speeding assault?
Turnaround possibilities: Is dependent upon how the brand new regime settles in
Detroit Lions
Are you beginning to imagine within the Fighting Dan Campbells but? Take away all of the Lionsy-ness. Take away the concept of the Jared Goff of all of it. Now, have a look at the remainder of the roster.
Detroit will begin the season with one of many league’s premier offensive traces – you can also make a simple case that they’ve a Professional Bowl-caliber starter at 4 of the 5 spots. The offense as an entire is younger and dynamic. Lions GM Brad Holmes has assembled an electrical receiving group, headlined by DJ Chark and first-round choose Jameson Williams, probably the most explosive receiver within the 2022 draft. Moreover that, you have got Amon-Ra St Brown, who was a menace through the closing stretch of 2021.
Not content material with a completely stocked receiver group, the Lions tack on TJ Hockenson at tight finish and D’Andre Swift at operating again. The common age of all these weapons? 24. The one remaining query on offense: Can Goff ship serviceable quarterback play?
The protection is extra of a priority. The group was a sieve final yr, partly as a result of accidents and partly because of the staff chucking as many younger gamers out on the sphere as potential to see who was value investing in for the long-term. The Lions would hope to see development this yr, notably with the addition of second total choose Aidan Hutchinson, and the return of cornerback Jeff Okudah after an injury-hit season.
Is there a world by which issues get bizarre in Inexperienced Bay? Through which Justin Fields struggles in Chicago and not using a viable supporting solid, sinking the Bears season? Through which the Vikings are unable to scotch tape collectively a protection and Kevin O’Connell is unable to squeeze any additional share factors out of the Minnesota offense in his first yr as head coach? You guess. And the Lions will probably be ready.
Turnaround possibilities: Not as far-off as some suppose
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