PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS

The biggest offseason acquisition involved Russell Wilson in a multi-player and multi-draft pick trade. This created shockwaves as everyone was hailing the AFC West as the most stacked division in the NFL. The Broncos had all the pieces, an improved offensive line, a two-headed RB duo, a deep WR core, and an underrated defense. All they needed was a QB that could take them to the Superbowl.

DRAFT EXPECTATIONS

At the start of draft day, Russell Wilson was around the 8th QB taken with an ADP of 20.6. From 2013-2020, he was always a top-10 QB in fantasy. This included four top-3 finishes. His rushing ability made him a weapon averaging at least 5 yards a carry in multiple seasons. This consistency made him a reliable pick with the new weapons surrounding him.

OVERALL SEASON PRODUCTION

It was a disappointing season for Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos. In 15 games, he under performed expectations in 11 of these games. He scored under 12 FP in six of those games as well. His best game came against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 14 when he scored 27.48 FP. To end the year, he scored 23 FP in each of the last two games. This gave hope that Nathaniel Hackett was the problem and not Russ. With a new head coach arriving this offseason, fantasy owners are hoping that Russell Wilson is still that guy.

CRITICAL MOMENTS DURING THE SEASON

Week 1 vs Seattle Seahawks

It didn’t take long before the NFL scheduled Russell Wilson’s old team vs his new team on Monday Night Football. Seattle kept it close and had the lead until the final drive. Denver started at their own 22-yard line with four minutes left. With a minute and eleven seconds left, Russ drove them to 4th & 5 at the Seattle 46. Nathaniel Hackett decided to run the clock until 20 seconds were left and opted for a 64-yard field goal which Brandon McManus missed. This was the start of a disastrous season for the Broncos.

Week 4 vs Las Vegas Raiders

Russell Wilson had his best game fantasy-wise in the Week 4 matchup vs the Raiders. This was the best Russ looked after three subpar games in fantasy. He threw for 237 yards and two TDs and ran 29 yards and a TD. The mobility of Wilson was in store here and this gave Wilson hope that he had a chance to salvage the season.

Week 5 vs Indianapolis Colts

Thursday Night Football really gave us a special one with a Colts vs Broncos matchup. It was an ugly game that ended 12-9 in favor of the Colts. No TDs were scored and everyone on social media was complaining about this matchup. Russ threw for 274 yards and no TDs and two interceptions. Sadly, there was a winner in this game as we were all losers for watching this.

Week 12 vs Carolina Panthers

The season of Denver at this point was one of the biggest disappointments of the year. A team with so many expectations had failed so much and this seemed to be the breaking point. On the sidelines, Mike Purcell was seen shouting at Russell Wilson. This moment got viral and fans weren’t sure what was going to happen next.

The post 2022-2023 Fantasy Football Review: Russell Wilson appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Andy Davies

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

When the Denver Broncos fired head coach Vic Fangio, it was deemed that they were just a quarterback away from being contenders.

And then the Broncos made moves. Nathaniel Hackett was hired, after a spell as the Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator. Not long after that appointment, the team went big in their search for a new quarterback. They traded a 2022 and 2023 first-round and second-round pick as well as a fifth round from this year and gave away Drew Lock, Noah Fant and Shelby Harris in exchange for Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and a fourth-round pick.

This was supposed to be the answer. However, so far it has been far from that.

The Broncos have lost their last two games and currently sit at 2-3 after their first five games with their new head coach and quarterback duo. Neither has set the world alight.

In five starts, Wilson has thrown for 1,254 yards, just four touchdowns and three interceptions. This would have projected to finish the season with 4,264 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Whilst those projected yards would actually be a career best, it would be an all-time career low in touchdown passes, six less than his current worst in 2014. He would only have four seasons with more interceptions than nine. 

Russell Wilson is said to have requested the trade, and many felt Pete Carroll’s run-first offense was holding him back. However, all Wilson has shown us in 2022 is that perhaps Carroll was doing this for a reason.

Against the Colts, Wilson threw an awful interception and despite having 274 passing yards, he threw for zero touchdowns and two interceptions. With the exception of one great run and one great pass, Russ had no moments of excellence. He was incapable of getting it done in the red zone, seemed to force his passes to his target men, and often missed several open receivers.

Hackett came in as an offensive guy, one that worked with the current back-to-back MVP. Russ was meant to be allowed to cook, presumably one of the reasons if not the main one for Wilson agreeing to join the Broncos. With Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, and Tim Patrick, he was not short of receiving options. Patrick may have suffered a season-ending injury prior to Week One, but the team still has K.J. Hamler and Albert Okwuegbunam.

His ability to just throw it without properly looking through his reads may have been disguised in recent years due to D.K. Metcalf being the closest thing to Calvin Johnson we have seen since the Hall of Famer retired. Neither Jeudy, Sutton and Hamler have the strength and hands of Metcalf. 

Hackett deserves some portion of the blame, with his questionable play calling and poor time management. He could well be one and done as a head coach for the Broncos. His time so far reminiscent of Adam Gase, a star quarterback glossing over coaching deficiencies. However, he is not the one out there missing open players, making bad throws, and seeming scared to get hit. So far, Wilson looks to have made no difference. With the number of draft picks given up and the long term multi-million-dollar extension given to him, this trade so far looks to be one the team may regret.

Let’s not forget that Wilson still has to play the Chargers and Chiefs each twice.

Granted, a new head coach who actually knows what they are doing may be the difference they need and not every quarterback can do what Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford did on new teams.

Despite this, should Wilson play like this for the rest of 2022 and beyond this trade could be one that potentially affects the team long-term.

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By: Justin Frye

Jerry Jeudy, despite being a disappointment from a results standpoint, is still viewed extremely favorably by the dynasty community. In his 26 games, Jeudy’s produced just 90 catches, just over 1,300 yards, and just 3 TDs (all as a rookie). This is similar to a typical DJ Moore season but in 9 extra games. So is it just take lock, or does the dynasty community have it right?

Coaching Change

The first place to look with Jeudy in 2022 is the head coach. Vic Fangio is out and in is offensive-minded Nathaniel Hackett. That move alone inspires confidence. Over the last few seasons, Hackett has worked in Green Bay to build a strong balanced offense. In his three seasons there, the Packers finished 15th, 1st, and 10th in points per game, averaging at least 23.5. The best team under Fangio was at 20.2 and hasn’t been better than 23rd in points.

Hackett prefers the pass more than Fangio did, as the Packers bested the Broncos in pass attempts in two of their three seasons in their previous roles. Fangio liked to run the ball and play defense to protect middling (at best) QB play. Hackett didn’t have the same issue with Aaron Rodgers in town. Unfortunately, Rodgers stayed in Green Bay and left Hackett scrambling to improve his QB play in Denver…

QB Upgrade

Enter Russell Wilson, the Broncos biggest offseason addition since Peyton Manning. Wilson seems primed to explode this year after wasting away in a conservative offense his entire career. If he does, expect multiple pass catchers to follow suit, with Jeudy being a popular pick.

Wilson loves to push it downfield but hasn’t had a true possession receiver since Doug Baldwin retired. In his peak years, Baldwin saw around 120 targets per season in the Seattle run-first offense, catching about 80 passes per season for over 1,000 yards and 9 touchdowns. Jeudy already earned 113 targets as a rookie, and likely would’ve again in 2021 if not for a bad high ankle sprain.

The Talent

As a reminder of how Broncos brass sees Jeudy, they drafted him over CeeDee Lamb, Justin Jefferson, and Brandon Aiyuk. Many in the dynasty community followed suit and took him (or Lamb) as the first or second WR in rookie drafts. Managers might be getting tired and worried about him. I get it, if he doesn’t perform this year expect his value to fall off.

People are quick to forget how good Jeudy was as a prospect though. Jax is such a great prospect evaluator, and I absolutely love the Stefon Diggs comp and still am excited about it. Diggs’ first two seasons aren’t all that dissimilar from Jeudy’s. Diggs had some solid seasons for a few years after that, kind of up and down though. Then he was traded to Buffalo…

What happened when Diggs got a massive QB and scheme upgrade with the Bills? First team an all-pro year of 127 catches, 1,535 yards, and 8 touchdowns. Now don’t get it twisted, this is unlikely as the talent around Jeudy is much better, but Diggs baseline is around 100 catches, 1,100 yards, and 6 touchdowns. Same with a healthy and playing Calvin Ridley. This could be the year Jeudy joins them.

What To Do With Jerry Jeudy?

Look I just sang his praises and absolutely think Jeudy has a shot to break out in a huge way this year. I want to say buy him, but the price on him really hasn’t dropped enough. He’s a tough sell too, as so many pieces valued similarly are other young potential breakouts.

It’s not a clear-cut buy or sell, I think I’d hold out to see if the other manager in a deal has a different valuation than the group, then try to take advantage. If firmly in win-now mode, think obtaining a Mike Evans or Mike Williams in a deal is possible, and it’s hard to pass on WR1 production.

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By: Ivan Mulinder

The Denver Broncos immediately catapulted themselves into the higher echelons of the AFC rankings with the signing of Russell Wilson from the Seahawks. A young talented roster now has a proven leader and a top-rated Quarterback who has the experience and ability to potentially take the Broncos to the AFC Championship.

Offense

Vic Fangio was fired after failing to get the Broncos to the postseason and Nathaniel Hackett is the new man in charge with a new Defensive Coordinator too in Ejiro Evero. Expectations will be high with Wilson to lead this team. In the last 10 years he’s thrown 4,000 yards 4x and 8 of these years he’s thrown at least 25+ touchdowns and has a career completion percentage of 65%. He has a solid Offensive Line to protect him with Garett Bolles anchoring the left side grading 76.6 on PFF, Dalton Risner, Lloyd Cushenberry III, Graham Glasgow, and Billy Turner all with PFF grades of 64-68. They have depth in Bobby Massie, Cam Fleming, Tom Compton, Ben Braden, and Calvin Anderson. Running behind this line is a very impressive Javonte Williams with a PFF grade of 75.9. In 17 games last season he ran for 903 yards and had 316 receiving yards, with a long of 49 and 4.4 yards/run. However, Denver does need depth at this position as the backups don’t grade well.

With Wilson looking pretty safe behind his OL he has some good Wide Receivers to throw to. Courtland Sutton had his best year in 2019 where he gained 1.112 yards with 15.4 yards/return. Tim Patrick is a consistent 700+ yards per year receiver, with 13.8 yards/return last season and a catch percentage of 62.4%. In 2020 Jerry Jeudy had 856 yards with 16.5 yards/return including one for 92 yards. Wilson is likely to elevate their play in 2022, but the Broncos are going to need to see the best from these three receivers if they’re going to challenge in the tough AFC West. Tight End is a position of need with Albert Okwuegbunam currently TE No.1 who had 2 touchdowns in 14 games. He’s reliable with a catch percentage of 82.5% and 330 yards, but they need more from this position. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Denver taking a WR and a TE in the Draft as TE Eric Tomlinson from the Ravens has been brought in for his blocking skills as further protection for Wilson.

Defense

The Broncos were weak on stopping the run last season, but they’ve brought in much-needed help in this area. DT DJ Jones has been given a 3 year $30 million deal and he had 56 tackles last season. With Dre’mont Jones these two will be the solid center Denver is hoping for. The Broncos are thought to prefer a 3-4 defensive front and I really like the signing of ILB Alex Singleton for $1.1 million on a 1 year deal. He was the Eagles leading tackler over the last two seasons with over 100+ tackles per season. He will add strength against the run as will the re-signing of Josey Jewell, who the Broncos rate highly, and who missed all but 2 games last season. Outside of Wilson, their big signing in Free Agency was DE Randy Gregory who they have given $70 million over 5 years and who is 29 years old. Last season his PFF pass rush graded 84.4 with 6 sacks. He could be great, but bear in mind he’s missed 54 games for substance misuse and has never started more than 11 games in a season. They don’t really have anyone opposite him so will be looking to Bradley Chubb and Dre’mont Jones to provide extra heat. 

The Broncos Secondary is very good. Justin Simmons is an excellent starting FS with a coverage PFF grade of 73.4 and a run defense grade of 77.0. Kareem Jackson was re-signed on a 1-year deal and has been with the Broncos for the last 12 seasons. JR Reed has been brought in, but he’s primarily a Special Teams move. The Cornerback position is deep with Ronald Darby, Patrick Surtain II and K’waun Williams recently signed from the Forty Niners. Williams is a much-needed addition as nickel as is a solid tackler with 4 seasons of 45+ tackles in 11 years. In 6 of the last 7 seasons, he’s started 13 games.

The Wild West is arguably the toughest NFL Division in 2022, but the Broncos have done a lot in Free Agency to give themselves a shot at the Division and if they stay injury-free a potential postseason run. They have hit the areas of most need and brought depth to the OL and Secondary which has freed them to go Best Player Available in the Draft. The Denver Broncos have had a good postseason and could well be the dark horse in the AFC in 2022.

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By: Chinmay Kulkarni

The art of using social media to make claims, muddle the story, and keep people guessing is getting increasingly rare, as people post random hot sports takes on the internet like ”˜Jameis Winston is a Hall of Famer’. However, internet commenters aside, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has a knack of sending people spiraling while he plays 5D chess with the entirety of sports media.

Rodgers recently took to social media to relieve his own opinions of the Packers season, his teammates, his personal life, and his future in the NFL. While not an entirely surprising move on his part, Rodgers tends to be a private person with respect to his decisions – keeping speculations at an all-time high while the NFL media tries to piece together his cryptic messages like Nicholas Cage in National Treasure. In this Instagram post, he specifically mentions his best friends on the team and posted a particular image of an empty spot between receivers Randall Cobb and Davante Adams during the national anthem, a spot where Rodgers typically stands.

While the Packers QB was absent during that game, the image still spurs speculation on whether that empty spot could symbolize Rodgers leaving the Packers for another team. The text of his Instagram post was also reminiscent of a goodbye to his teammates, a potential way to end his chapter with the Packers.

While slithery has been at an all-time high, the point remains that a speculated move from the Packers has been anticipated for the past few seasons. Friction between the Packers front office, Matt LaFleur, and Rodgers has caused a deterioration of relationships between the parties, spurring a potential move to the Broncos, Steelers, Niners, or other teams. In the meanwhile, Rodgers likely anticipated the fall out of his post and proceeded to clear his story in person on the Pat Macafee show. He said he loved the moment where Tae and Cobb stood on the sideline and there was no hint of leaving the Pack immediately.

Therefore, while the story remains on the backburner with the shadow of an impending move coming ever so closer, we’ll likely have to wait for the blockbuster trade during the summer.

The story of Former Packers OC Nathaniel Hackett throws a greater wrench in a potential move from Rodgers. Hackett was one of the individuals receiving praise during the Instagram story, all while moving for the head coach job for the Denver Broncos. However, Rodgers has clearly stated in interviews that Hackett is one of his personal favorites. With the Broncos looking to move on from Bridgewater or Lock, John Elway has been bold by making it evident to pursue QB prospects like Aaron Rodgers or Kirk Cousins in the offseason. Could we see an overhaul between these two teams involving the plethora of good receiving talent on both teams ”“ it seems likely.

If the Broncos were to somehow get both Rodgers and Davante Adams, they would still pay a heavy price in the talent to lose. We’d likely see Teddy Bridgewater make his return to the NFC North, this time with the Packers, as well as receiving threats such as Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton, plus numerous picks being moved.

If Tae and Rodgers can go to Denver, I expect that to be his favorite last hoorah. If Rodgers can’t jump ship with Adams, it seems that Rodgers will remain in Lambeau with Adams and LaFleur. It seems that the Packers won’t let Tae leave (they should franchise tag him), so I expect Rodgers + Adams to remain in Green Bay. Adams was Rodgers’s biggest reason to come out guns blazing in 2021.

There is a chance Rodgers ends his career. Rodgers has always been a cerebral personality, tending to other parts of his life, particularly with a passion for travel and hosting Jeopardy. While these options may seem in the realm of unlikely, Aaron Rodgers has never held back from the media to surprise everyone”¦.

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By: Jake Rajala

The undrafted running back Phillip Lindsay enters free agency at an interesting point in his career. Lindsay is 27 years old and coming off a career-low season in rushing yards (249). Lindsay will likely not have the opportunity to cash in on a new home in free agency, but It also isn’t expected that the 2015 Pro Bowl RB will be jumping up and down to reunite with the familiar Texans squad.

Lindsay may have not have evolved into the Broncos Hall of Fame RB Terrell Davis, but he can still hang his hat on two productive seasons in 2018 (1,037 rushing yds, 9 rushing tds) and 2019 (1,011 rushing yds, 7 rushing tds) in Mile High City. Lindsay was also on pace for a 1,000+ yard rushing season in 2020, as he obtained 502 yards in 8 games. He still has a few years left in the tank, as he’s only played four years in the big league.

I fully expect the inspirational story of Lindsay is far from finished and it will end on a good note. The question is: where will Lindsay land in his next chapter? Well, here are the most likely landing spots for the Texans quick RB.

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills have Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, the ascending Gabriel Davis, and Dawson Knox. Yet, they still have a mediocre rushing attack led by Devin Singletary. The Bills third-year RB had a career season with 870 rushing yards and 7 rushing touchdowns. It’s still imminent that the Bills add more juice at the RB position.

The combination of Lindsay and Singletary would help the Bills offense really open and allow them to yield their will on opposing teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bills were dominant in time of possession last year (fifth in NFL), but there’s room for improvement in big moments. Another quality RB for the Bills mafia would help Allen’s workload become lighter and have a lesser risk of facing injury. Allen had 122 rushing attempts in 2021, which was more than Russell Wilson’s career-high rushing attempts in a season (118). Lindsay could help Allen in numerous ways and he would be chasing a Lombardi trophy immediately in Buffalo.

Denver Broncos

Lindsay could be listening to “roots” by Imagine Dragons leading up to the free agency period. He may be fascinated about going back to his home in Denver. There’s a need for Lindsay’s talent in Denver, too. The Broncos starting RB Melvin Gordon is a free agent in 2022 and it doesn’t look like they will bring the Wisconsin product.

They will be on the lookout for a RB to join Javonte Williams (903 yards, 4 touchdowns) in 2022. It wouldn’t only be poetic for Denver to Lindsay, but he’s arguably the best RB on the board for them in free agency. Lindsay may look to reunite with his ex-team on a prove-it deal and then look to cash in on a big deal during the 2023 offseason.

The Broncos and their new head coach Nathaniel Hackett (former Packers Offensive Coordinator) have been attempting to acquire Aaron Rodgers. They clearly appear to be very aggressive for another Super Bowl victory in the near future, too. If they are trying to recreate the offense they once held with Peyton Manning, they will look to add as much ammunition as possible and come out guns blazing in 2022.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers have lots of moolah (second-most in cap space) and Justin Herbert (5,014 passing yards), but they could use more explosion at their RB position. The Herbert-led Chargers offense was 21st in rushing YPG last season. They need more ammunition if they want to ground and pound their way against Patrick Mahomes twice a season for the next decade.

Austin Ekeler is a special player in the run and pass game (20 total touchdowns in 2021), but they need an upgrade behind their lead ball carrier. Justin Jackson only knocked out 364 rushing yards and two touchdowns in LA.

The Chargers could dream and afford to pair Ekeler and Lindsay together. The Chargers need a spark to get over the hump and Lindsay could certainly bring that extra spice. Herbert would have to take a big step forward with Lindsay and Ekeler, as the top RBs would easily formulate the top rushing tandem in the NFL.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals could look to add some swag this offseason, as they are AFC Champions and the NFL team with the fourth most cap space. They were 23rd in rushing yards last season and it’s clear Joe Mixon doesn’t want to be a one-man-band. The Bengals could be a very attractive destination for Lindsay. They have Joe Burrow, Mixon, and the 2021 Offensive Player of The Year Ja’Marr Chase. They certainly don’t need any WR help outside of Chase (Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd), but the running back talent behind Mixon could be improved. Samaje Perine registered 246 yards and 1 touchdown for the AFC victors last season. He will also be a free agent, so it appears that they won’t be jumping up and down to bring him back. They could happily aim to slot Lindsay in as the second RB.

Lindsay most likely wouldn’t start in Cincy, but he could be a big contributor as fresh legs in Zac Taylor’s offense. If the Bengals can improve their rushing attack then Joe Burrow should be getting teed off on a lot less. The Bengals gave up more sacks than all 31 teams last season. It’s also safe to say that an improved running game against the Rams would have helped them protect Burrow better, who was sacked by Von Miller twice and Aaron Donald twice.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have seen the rise of Rashaad Penny (749 yards, 6 tds in 2021) but their backup running back Chris Carson is coming off neck surgery and a 2022 free agent. They could seek an upgrade with Lindsay in 2022. The Seahawks were Top 3 in rushing attempts in 2017 and 2018, but they have been outside of the Top 20 in rushing attempts in each of the last two seasons.

They may not have Marshawn Lynch performing beast quakes, but they can certainly aim to get back to mowing down defenses and helping Wilson with a more balanced effort. Wilson wasn’t necessarily running an insane amount of times when they were running the ball down every team’s throats in 2017 and 2018 (67 attempts in 2018/second-lowest in career). They don’t need their 33-year-old QB to carry their rushing attack on his legs, as well.

The Hawks need more talent on offense and they could get creative with adding a speed demon in Lindsay. Pete Carroll will have to get creative with offseason targets at RB/WR, as looking at pricey WRs is not on the table. Cordarralle Patterson would also be an interesting value target, as he can play RB and WR. The Seahawks had a down year in 2021, as they were last in the wild NFC West. The cap-strapped Seahawks need to figure out a way to get over the hump while retaining their future Hall of Fame QB.

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The future for Packers wide receiver Davante Adams is exceedingly mysterious. Adams might lose his MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers, so it could be very possible that he decides to follow his three-time MVP QB out the door.

Rodgers has stated that retiring is an option, but it’s also a possibility that he decides to leave Green Bay and play for a different team. A-Rod was on the verge of cutting off his relationship with the Pack prior to the 2021 season, but he infamously posted a picture of “Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen”, which referenced his main inspiration to play another season with Adams. There’s no surprise that Adams garners so much love from Rodgers. Here is how productive Tae has been in the past few years:

• 1,553 receving yards in 2021 (career high)
• All Pro in 2020
• All Pro in 2021
• 18 receving touchdowns in 2020 (career high)
• 123 receptions in 2021

The Packers starting QB and his go-to WR clearly have an unshakable bond and Adams is arguably the main fuel for Rodgers at this stage in his career. If Rodgers leaves for a different team, there would be a fine chance that Adams follows Rodgers to Rodgers’s new squad.

So, what exactly is the hierarchy of potential destinations for the Packers WR that many analysts outline as the NFL’s top WR? Well, I’m going to untwine several teams that are the best spot for his services.

1. Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos announced who their next head coach is and it is none other than Nathaniel Hackett. The new man in charge Hackett, who might be a stunt double for Bruce Willis, was the Packers Offensive Coordinator from 2019 until 2021.

If Rodgers exits Wisconsin, I wholeheartedly believe the Broncos are the best destination for the “Joe cool” QB. Denver had the second-ranked defense in PPG allowed last season, so they clearly field a championship defense to complement the 38-year-old QB. They don’t have the future Hall of Famer Von Miller anymore, but profiles like Justin Simmons, Bradley Chubb, Pat Surtain, Ronald Darby, and Kyle Fuller are on defense. It’s been widely enunciated that the Broncos have “the best secondary in the NFL”.

If Rodgers keeps his same feelings of Adams as the same as last offseason, I fully expect Hackett to be the QB-WR combo in Denver. The Broncos have a modest trio of WR talent in Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, and Tim Patrick, but none of their wide receivers are elite. There isn’t only an emotional aspect of the Broncos wanting Tae, but they could use a top-notch WR to catch passes from Rodgers in Denver.

If Tae is disgruntled and picky about wanting to go to Denver, the Broncos could cough up less value than what other teams would have to give for the Packers WR. Still, Hackett and John Elway will need to be creative to get Adams — so, it may be ideal if they send a WR like Jeudy or QB Drew Lock in return to the Pack.

2. New York Jets

The Broncos appear to be a very logical and poetic landing spot, but the New York Jets could be the most aggressive team to acquire Tae’s lucrative abilities. The Packers may also be tempted to send Adams to Jets, who are in the AFC and at the bottom of the AFC record-wise.

The Jets passing offense was a blunder in 2021. Robert Saleh’s passing offense was 27th in passing touchdowns and their QB play was scarier than “Don’t Breath 2”. The 2021 rookie Zach Wilson threw nine touchdowns, 11 interceptions, and went 3-10 as a starter.

The WR talent needs a major fix-up. Denzel Mims was one of the Jets best players in 2020, but he shockingly fell off a cliff in 2021. The 24-year-old caught 8 catches for 133 yards last regular season. Elijah Moore, who was the Jets second-round pick in 2021, led the team in yards (538 yards) and touchdowns (5).

Saleh needs to make some magic happen with the Jets in the brutal AFC East division. The Dolphins were 9-8 and they have recently been acting like they are standing on hot coals. It’s time that Saleh lights a fire under the arses of the 4-13 Jets.

The Jets don’t only have golden tickets with their draft picks, but they also hold the fifth-most cap space in the league. They overpaid for Le’Veon Bell and I could see the Jets luring in Tae at any costs. I would expect Tae to have a better career in the Big Apple than Bell, nonetheless.

3. New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are a tough team to crack. They lost Drew Brees in the 2021 offseason and they witnessed Sean Payton retire in the 2022 offseason. Many outlets believe the Saints should rebuild given the losses from their old HC-QB combo.

I truly would doubt at the bottom of my heart that the Saints 9-8 Saints from 2021 will throw in the towel in 2022. The Saints claimed a winning record with an improbable situation last season. It’s also important to note that the Saints were “5-2 with Jameis Winston at QB”. Of course, the Saints glimpses of NFC glory faded when Winston went down with a season-ending ACL injury against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Saints were even looking like a competitive team with the dual-threat QB Taysom Hill under center.

The Saints still have a plethora of talent on defense, plus they will be returning a highly motivated weapon on offense in Michael Thomas. Thomas will look to get back in the same huddle with the Top 5 RB Alvin Kamara. The former Offensive Player of The Year in 2019 tweeted that he didn’t have any beef with the Saints and he expressed his gratitude to Sean Payton, as well.

The third-place NFC squad is also a hot contestant to land the free spirited Aaron Rodgers. They were rumored to land Rodgers last offseason and Saints Pro Bowl defensive end Cameron Jordan recently lobbied for A-Rod on ESPN in 2022. If Rodgers went to the Saints, he could attract Tae, and then Rodgers would arguably have the best WR duo in NFL history (Thomas + Adams). The Saints also carry a Top 5 defense and they really need to capitalize off the veteran talent they have with Cameron Jordan, Demario Davis, Kwon Alexander, and Malcolm Jenkins soon. Dennis Allen, who has been the dominant defensive coordinator, could be leading the defense from the head coaching spot in 2022.

It would be very hard for the cap-strapped Saints to obtain Rodgers and Adams both. Yet, the Saints are the type of locker room that may be willing to find a way to open up money for Rodgers and Adams if both profiles have a strong interest in joining them.

4. Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders have been haunted by mediocre starters at their WR position for many years. In 2021, LV was left wishing the former Philadelphia Eagles franchise legend Desean Jackson could resurrect their WR group in early November. Jackson made flash contributions, but they need a quality long-term WR added to the Sin City. It’s clear that the Raiders need a lethal threat across from Hunter Renfrow, who surprisingly recorded 1,038 yards in 2021.

Derek Carr is a fighter and he’s ascending at this stage in his career. He’s coming off a season, where he threw a career-high 4,804 yards. His touchdown count was less impressive with 23 touchdowns. There’s a lot of meat left on the bone for Carr clearly. Carr hasn’t played with an elite WR in his career and they made sure to pardon the only elite wideout he had in Amari Cooper.

There is no secret that Carr and Tae hold a strong connection, as they were former Fresno teammates/brothers. Adams has stated, “that it would be a dream to play with Carr”. There has been intense love for each other to reunite and 2022 could finally be the offseason where it comes to fruition.

The Raiders really need to make a splash addition in a division where the Chargers and Broncos are ascending. Of course, the Kansas City Chiefs are getting ready to compete for another Super Bowl appearance. If Carr has Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow, Bryan Edwards, Josh Jacobs, and Davante Adams on the same field next season, the Raiders could really compete for the AFC West crown in 2022.

5. New England Patriots

Bill Belichick is the ultimate WR whisperer and he likes to make big deals for wide receivers. The Patriots head coach has acquired the talented and unique personas of Randy Moss, Antonio Brown, and Josh Gordan. He should pull some magic and reel in another big name wideout at this pivotal time for the young Mac Jones.

Jones was a quality rookie QB in the AFC and that was evident with his 3,801 yards, 22 touchdowns, and a 10-7 record. The Pats were 14th in passing yards per game and seventh in points per game last season. It was clearly improvement from the 2020 season with Cam Newton, but they are still trying to return to the days of displaying an elite passing game. Mac may not be Tom Brady, but he can be a Top 8 QB in this league.

The Pats fell short in the playoffs against their divisional rival in the Buffalo Bills. It’s clear they need more firepower in the AFC and in their own division. The Bills scored a touchdown on their first five possessions against the Patriots in their wildcard showdown. It was clear the Pats weren’t keeping pace with Allen, as they lost 47-17.

Honorable mentions:

Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles have former Heisman winner Devonta Smith, who ousted 915 yards and 5 touchdowns, but they are aching for a dominant WR opposite Smith. The Jalen Reagor experiment is clearing a failure, so it would be wise for Nick Sirianni to add reinforcements at the position. The legendary Eagles TE Zach Ertz is also in a Cardinals uniform, so it’s obvious their offense could use a jolt as a whole. Jalen Hurts has clearly shown that he’s their franchise QB in 2021, so now it’s time for Sirianni to treat him with a fine present in Adams.

Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens have Hollywood brown at WR and the elite Mark Andrews at TE, but it clearly isn’t enough to help Lamar Jackson look like an MVP-caliber QB. The Ravens were a mediocre 13th in passing yards per game, which was behind the Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers. The Ravens were even worse in the passing touchdown category, as they were 24th in passing touchdowns per game.

Jackson is slowly fading away from the conversation of the cream of the crop singal-callers. The Ravens added Sammy Watkins, but the former Clemson star is a shell of his past self. Watkins had a mere 394 yards and one touchdown a season ago. Adams can be the juice that Jackson needs as a QB and the offense can actually carry the team on its shoulders with Adams in the fold. The Ravens can’t turn the clock back to the days of Joe Flacco struggling to put up big passing numbers.

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones could get really creative this offseason and wind up cutties ties with Michael Gallup and Amari Cooper. The Boys could make a strategic decision by opting to let go of the top two Dallas wideouts and sign the excellent profile in Davante Adams. It would have to be seen widespread that if Dak had Adams joining Ceedee Lamb and Zeke Elliot, that he would be the clear MVP favorite in 2022. The Cowboys had the number one passing offense in 2021, but they could make a bid to upset the yards and points the Peyton Manning led Broncos offense and Patrick Mahomes led Kansas City Chiefs yielded. Adams would instantly be the best Cowboys wideout since Dez Bryant.

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