By: Jake Rajala

The speed demon Desean Jackson has unequivocally been one of the best deep threats in NFL history. It didn’t take long for Jackson to blow by opponents – as he made the Pro Bowl & second-team All-Pro in his sophomore season. In 2010 (the same year that Apple released its iPad), he made the PB, while garnering a personal-best 22.5 YPC. Jackson made his third and final trip to Hawaii in 2013.

He hasn’t been an annual Pro Bowl WR or ever obtained first-team All-Pro honors, but he has proved to be a home-run hitter with many teams (Philadelphia, Washington, Tampa Bay, Las Vegas, and the Los Angeles Rams). With that said, there is a polarizing question that many Philly and NFL fans have about the biggest enemy of the New York Giants special teams unit: Is Jackson a future Hall of Famer?

Jackson is quite the authentic wideout. Per NBC Sports, Jackson’s 17.4 YPC is the highest career YPC in the league over the prior 35 years. Furthermore, Jeremy Klump of NFL Spin Zone noted that he has led the league in YPC on four different occasions.

There is no denying that Jackson is one of the most explosive wideouts of all time. However, he has made only three Pro Bowls (which is four fewer Pro Bowls than AJ Green). He also has 58 receiving touchdowns – which ranks 99th among all WRs.

I love Jackson’s legacy in the league, but I don’t believe he is HOF material. Similar to Julian Edelman, he’s a unique, high-end WR and a fan favorite, but I don’t believe he deserves a gold jacket for his career production. Although, he hasn’t officially retired yet. He technically garnered an SB ring from the LAR for his efforts in the early portion of the 2021 season. Yet, I would give more respect if he is able to help a team in the post-season and then proceed to obtain an SB ring – which would make him a HOFer by a hair from my perspective.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Green Bay Packers chose to not select a wide receiver in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft. However, Aaron Rodgers was still a huge fan of the fellow NFC North draft’s selection of Jameson Williams. Nonetheless, A-Rod was able to garner a rookie WR with quality potential in round two in Christian Watson. The new Packer will help Sammy Watkins, Allen Lazard, and Randall Cobb fuel the 2020 and 2021 MVP signal-caller.

With that stated, it would make sense if the Packers brought in a talented/veteran WR for competition. Here are five wide-outs that would be exciting, unique additions for GB.

Will Fuller

The New Orleans Saints signed a big-name player (Tyrann Mathieu) at a key position after the draft and it might be time for the Packers to ink a household profile at a need position post the NFL draft, as well. The explosive WR Will Fuller has flirted with the Pack in prior years but would definitely be the perfect fit for the Packers in 2022 (to say the least). He can be a fantastic deep threat, which should bring music to Matt LaFleur’s ears.

Desean Jackson

The idea of GB signing Desean Jackson isn’t sexy, but the Eagles legend might be a nice value signing for Matt LaFleur’s squad. He quietly contributed 454 yards for LA/LV last season. After Jackson signed with Sean McVay’s dream team in 2021, he likely wants to play for a Super Bowl contender at this stage in his career, too.

Odell Beckham Jr.

OBJ may not reunite with Los Angeles or New Orleans, so he could be tempted to sign with a different NFC contender: Green Bay. If the Packers could sign Beckham Jr, they could have a quality WR room in the back-end of next season. He may also help Rodgers stay away from a retirement home beyond 2022.

Marquise Goodwin

The alpha persona Marquise Goodwin isn’t scared of competing for the Olympics or flat out beating any cornerback in a foot race. Goodwin’s athletic ability could be utilized quite well in Matt Nagy’s Rodgers’s passing attack.

Allen Hurns

The former undrafted wideout Allen Hurns unveiled 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2015, but he hasn’t recorded 500+ yards in a single season since 2015. He might be a great depth signing with sneaky potential for the Packers.

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The Pittsburgh Steelers were not blowing defenses off the field in 2021 (21st in Points Per Game), but they did have playmakers capable of terrorizing defenses. JuJu Smith-Schuster has been clearly one of the most talented weapons on the roster since he was drafted in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Although, JuJu hasn’t quite lived up to his 2018 season (111, 1,426, 7). JuJu hasn’t unleashed a 1,000+ receiving yard season in each of the past few seasons.

As widely enunciated, JuJu is a free agent in 2022. He tested the open market last off-season but chose to re-sign with the Steelers in 2021. I believe the Steelers are still a Top 3 option for JuJu, but I believe it will be harder for the Big Ben-less Steelers to outbid other potential talented and wealthy squads. So, if the Steelers lose JuJu in the 2022 free agency, who could they replace him with? Well, here are a few intriguing options.

DJ Chark

If the Steelers don’t reunite with JuJu, I don’t see them attracting a top-tier WR like OBJ or Allen Robinson to replace him. I expect them to bring a talented, yet slightly underrated wideout. I’d love for them to ink DJ Chark, who can be a big weapon (6’4, 200) on the outside for the Steelers new QB. It may be wise to sign him on a prove-it deal. The Jags wideout quietly had 73 receptions, 1,008 yards, and 8 touchdowns in his second season in the league.

Desean Jackson

I feel like the Steelers would be a very logical fit for the Philadelphia Eagles legend. The Steelers are a talented team that needs WR help and they may not immediately find it. Jackson could also be available later in the process. It may make sense for the Steelers to hope for a nice low-risk high reward contract with the deep-threat Jackson.

Chris Conley

I’d like to see the blistering fast Chris Conley blossom late in his career, similar to the uncatchable Tedd Ginn Jr. in the later process of his journey. Conley had a career season in 2019 with the Jaguars, where he ousted 775 yards and 5 touchdowns. He might not be the next Mike Wallace for Mike Tomlin, but he can torch defenses with the Steelers offense for a few more seasons.

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The Atlanta Falcons may have only won 7 games in 2021, but they did outplay expectations in the eyes of many Falcons fans. It wasn’t an easy task for the Falcons offense to lift off without Ryan’s best friend Julio Jones and the talented Calvin Ridley.

Matt Ryan didn’t allow the noise or obstacles to prevent him from throwing 3,968 yards and edging out foes like the Miami Dolphins and New Orleans Saints in very competitive matchups. Ryan is the highest-paid NFL player this offseason, as it’s widely enunciated. Nonetheless, Arthur Blank has spoken strongly of Ryan and I believe he will restructure his contract to remain a Falcon for the rest of his career.

I would love to see the Falcons add weapons to join Matt Ryan and Kyle Pitts. The Falcons can jolt their offense this offseason, rebuild their defense over the next couple of seasons, and I believe the Falcons can be a strong NFC contender for 1-2 seasons with him before he retires. They could also be immediate NFC South favorites in 2022 with Tom Brady out of the division if they retain Ryan and slightly improve their roster. If the Falcons ship off Ryan and they don’t have a Pro Bowl QB in the near future, the Falcons could really struggle for a few seasons.

I expect the Falcons and Ryan to not divorce in 2022 and I expect them to add a few talented players to come out guns blazing next season. Here are a few profiles that would be logical fits for the Falcons.

JuJu Smith-Schuster

I don’t expect the Falcons to ink the golden free agent Michael Gallup or risk signing Odell with his injury and age, but I believe JuJu Smith-Schuster would fit in perfectly for the Falcons. JuJu (129 yards, 0 touchdowns) will likely take a prove-it deal and I think it would be tempting for him to take that route with Ryan and the Falcons. He can join a proven QB in Ryan and he can be the focal point of the offense with Ridley most likely finding the exit. The Steelers WR could also be fascinated about playing the Buccaneers and Panthers mediocre secondary twice a year. The Saints have Marshon Lattimore, but the points are always high in the Saints-Falcons showdowns.

Xavier Rhodes

The Indianapolis Colts star cornerback Xavier Rhodes is old (31), but he has still been playing at a high level (19 pass deflections, 3 interceptions over the past two seasons). Rhodes could be interested in helping the Falcons defense match the Matt Ryan and Kyle Pitts-led offense. I wouldn’t place the chances of the Falcons inking JC Jackson or Patrick Peterson on a good level. They could be aggressive for getting a talented CB like Rhodes after the top free-agent CBs sign elsewhere. Rhodes would match up well against big, physical WRs like Michael Thomas and Mike Evans.

Desean Jackson

Desean Jackson is clearly past his prime, but I feel strongly about him being a nice value pickup for the Falcons. Jackson ousted 454 yards and two touchdowns at this very late stage in his career. He could certainly be a deep threat that the Falcons are missing. He might have one or two years left, but the Falcons could make more magic happen with him than nearly all WR-needy teams in the last breaths of his career. If the Falcons don’t bring back Cordaralle Patterson, it would especially be wise to replace him with the special deep threat WR. It may be time for Jackson to return to the NFC South.

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By: Andy Davies

The Los Angeles Rams have a new quarterback, in former Detroit Lions first overall pick Matthew Stafford.

Despite going all the way to the NFC Divisional Round last season, Rams head coach Sean McVay was not happy with the performances of Jared Goff. The Rams traded for Stafford earlier this year, with Goff going the other way.

Here is why he and McVay can be the perfect match for each other.

McVay’s Early Coaching Career

The Rams’ head coach never had the playing career that he would have wanted but he soon found his speciality when it came to coaching. McVay, who is currently 35 years old, started as an offensive assistant with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008. He would spend one season in 2009 with the Florida Tuskers before heading back to the NFL with Washington, where he would spend seven seasons.

During these seven seasons, he would be an offensive assistant before becoming a tight ends coach and finally an offensive coordinator whilst in America’s capital.

His period as an offensive coordinator in Washington would result in him being named the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams, who were a franchise a year removed from relocating after spending twenty years in St Louis.

His Time As An NFL Head Coach

McVay came into a franchise who had made the playoffs in just 4 of the previous 17 seasons.

He immediately changed things, with playoff appearances in all but one of his four seasons since being the head coach. This includes an appearance in Super Bowl 53, which ended in the disappointment of a 13-3 defeat to the New England Patriots in Atlanta. His infectious personality drew people in early and he is seen as one of the best young coaches in the NFL. He went viral when he was able to memorize previous coaching plays.

His head coaching record stands at 43-21 in the regular season and 3-3 in the postseason, with no losing seasons and only one campaign that hasn’t ended in double-digit wins.

Can Stafford be the final piece in the jigsaw for what is an almost complete roster?

Stafford is a clear upgrade on Goff, who hasn’t been a bad quarterback for the franchise. He just has not been the guy to take the team over the final hurdle.

During the 2016 draft, it was seen as a toss of the coin if the Rams would pick Goff or Carson Wentz. The Rams traded up for the first overall pick via the Tennessee Titans and Goff was selected. He reached a Super Bowl but lost whereas Wentz won a ring despite being injured for the entire postseason in what would have been an MVP award had he stayed healthy.

Both his first and last season saw disappointment but for entirely different reasons. Goff failed to win a single game as a rookie, finishing the 2016 season with a 0-7 record. He threw for 5 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. However, Goff had his more productive years in between these seasons.

2017 saw McVay improve Goff’s game and 2018 saw his best season as they reached the Super Bowl. 2019 saw a dip in form before his disappointing 2020 campaign.

Goff threw for 3,804 yards, 28 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 2017. He recorded 4,688 passing yards, 32 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2018 before throwing for 4,638 yards, 22 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in 2019.

2020 saw Goff throw for 20 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and 3,952 yards.

Stafford’s Time In Detroit

Just like Goff, Stafford was also a number one overall pick. In 2009, the Detroit Lions drafted him out of Georgia after going 0-16 in 2008.

During his twelve seasons and 165 games for the Lions, he recorded 3,898 completions from 6,224 attempts (62.6%). He ended his time in Detroit with 45,109 passing yards, 282 touchdown passes and 144 interceptions.

Despite the lack of success Detroit had on the field, Stafford was a fighter and always gave 100% for the franchise. He will always be remembered for his heroic play against the Cleveland Browns during his rookie year where he was Mic’d Up.

After suffering a separated shoulder he was treated on the sidelines. He went back out onto the field and helped Detroit with throwing the winning touchdown.

Despite the 74-90-1 record in the regular season and going 0-3 in the postseason, Stafford has always been deemed a great player trapped in a bad team. He now has his chance to play in a good team, a roster that is seen as one of the contenders for a place in Super Bowl 56.

McVay and Stafford: A Perfect Match

Stafford is a big plus for McVay and the Rams and he has already received high praise from his new head coach.

“He’s even better than advertised. The ability to see the game, his ability to draw on his experiences and the feel that he has is special and unique. He has feel for people and an authentic way of connecting with his teammates and coaches. It is great being around him”.

It is clear what McVay thinks of Stafford, a stark contrast to the relationship between him and Goff. This is a relationship that came to blows in the defeat to San Francisco in the 2020 season.

“Our quarterback’s got to take better care of the football. Any time that you turn it over as many times as we did and he did, it just has to be better. He’s capable of it, but we have to be able to get it done.”

Goff made amends in the win over the Seattle Seahawks in the Wildcard Round but threw for just 174 yards and was sacked four times as they lost 32-18 to the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round at Lambeau Field.

Stafford will now get to play with those wide receiver options that Goff struggled to throw to. Robert Woods has two 1,000+ yard seasons and 6,521 career yards. Cooper Kupp has 3,570 career yards and 24 touchdowns throughout the four seasons he has spent in the NFL.

Marvin Jones recorded 36 touchdowns since his move from the Cincinnati Bengals to Detroit in 2016 and Kenny Golladay has 3,068 yards and 21 touchdowns since being drafted by the Lions in 2017. Stafford is still transitioning from two great receivers to two fellow top wideouts.

However, there is more depth at the Rams organization. Van Jefferson and DeSean Jackson are the third and fourth choice wideouts for the Rams whereas the Lions have rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown as their third choice receiver.

The Rams also, unlike the Lions, have a great defense which is arguably the best in the NFL on their day. Not only do the Rams have the best defensive player in the league in Aaron Donald, but they also have the best cornerback in the NFL in Jalen Ramsey.

Ramsey (below) backs up his words with his performances on the field and he will play alongside Darius Williams, who had a great 2020. This campaign saw Williams record four interceptions. Safeties Jordan Fuller and Taylor Rapp make up a young and promising secondary.

The Rams allowed the least total yards and total yards per game in the entire league during 2020 along with the least passing yards, the third least rushing yards, and the least points. Stafford will welcome this with open arms after a defense in Detroit that let him down most seasons.

During the twelve campaigns Stafford spent in Detroit, the Lions’ defense was twentieth or lower in seven of those seasons for total points allowed, only being in the top ten on three occasions.

This move seems to suit everyone involved from the Rams’ point of view. Perhaps Goff would disagree. McVay has a new toy to play with. Stafford meanwhile, finally gets the chance to play for a Super Bowl contender.

The post Why Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay are the perfect duo appeared first on Pro Football Mania.