On the field, the Commanders will turn to 2nd year quarterback Sam Howell who they selected in the 5th round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Howell impressed in his one and only start in week 18 last year against the Dallas Cowboys. Is Howell the franchise quarterback Washington is hoping for? Let’s break that down further and offer a record prediction for the 2023-2024 season.

The Good

Jonathan Allen has been the anchor on Washington’s loaded defensive line for several years now. It’s hard to believe that the former Alabama DT is still underrated but somehow he is. Allen belongs in the conversation as one of the best defensive tackles in the NFL today. He has always had a knack for rushing the passer but has also improved in the run game as well. Allen has a lethal combination of speed and power that most offensive linemen have trouble dealing with. Allen and Daron Payne have formed one of the best defensive tackle duos in the league.

On the offensive side of the ball wide receiver Terry McLaurin continues to get better despite below-average quarterback play. McLaurin has played with 10 starting quarterbacks in his first 4 years in Washington. Despite that McLaurin continues about his business and doesn’t use that as an excuse. McLaurin had a career-high 1,191 yards in 2022. The hope is Howell gets the full season to show what he can do. If that happens expect a big year for McLaurin.

The Bad

The Commanders offensive line is an area of concern heading into this season. I will be watching this line closely to see how well it can protect its young quarterback. Washington signed former Kansas City Chief Andrew Wylie to take over the RT position. Wylie struggled at times in the preseason but I will hold judgment on him until the season starts.

Elsewhere the Commanders will have a new center as Nick Gates will start at that position. Gates is a brawler who can bring attitude to this line but at times has struggled with the pass rush. Keep an eye on RG Saahdiq Charles. If he can take the next step in his development he has the tools to be a successful guard.

The Prediction

I have the Commanders as one of the surprise teams in the NFL this year. The ownership change will have a big impact on team morale as the fans are coming back in droves. Eric Bieniemy will get this offense to perform at a high level and Sam Howell looks to be the real deal.

2023 Record: (10-7 2nd in the Division)

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The Good

All-pro running back Derrick Henry once again led the NFL in rushing attempts at 349 in 2022. It’s understandable why considering the issues at quarterback and the lack of explosiveness on offense. The Titans ranked 2nd to last in avg. explosive run rate and avg. explosive pass rate according to Sharp Football. Despite the below average offense, Henry was still able to rack up 1,936 all-purpose yards in 16 games. Henry is still in his prime but in order for him to continue to be successful he needed some help.

The Titans decided to turn to the 2023 NFL Draft to get Henry the help he needs. They selected Tyjae Spears from Tulane in the 3rd round. Spears is exactly the type of change-of-pace back this offense needed. It’s hard to judge too much from preseason games but Spears was impressive in his first action with the team. If you watched Tulane closely this isn’t a huge surprise as Spears averaged 4.10 YAC in his college career. At 5’10” size is a concern but as of now, he will be an ideal backup for Henry.

The Bad

In back-to-back drafts now the Titans have drafted quarterbacks in the 2nd and 3rd rounds. First, it was Malik Willis last year and then it was Will Levis in this year’s draft. It appears that Tennessee like the rest of us has doubts about Ryan Tannehill going forward. I don’t mind that the Titans are looking for their next quarterback but if they really felt it was a weakness they should’ve moved up in the draft. Willis still doesn’t look ready and there are questions about Levis and if he can succeed at this level.

The Prediction

The Titans are one of the toughest teams to predict for the upcoming season. On one hand, they have several all-pro players including Jeffery Simmons and the recently acquired DeAndre Hopkins. On the other, all of that won’t matter if Tannehill can’t provide better production from the QB position. I do think they will finish slightly above .500 but it will be just short of the playoffs.

2023 Record: (9-8 2nd in the Division)

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Now comes the hard part, finding the next quarterback to lead the team. Can Tampa Bay be successful in the post-Brady era? Let’s break that down further and offer a record prediction for the 2023-2024 season.

The Good

The strength of this Buccaneers team going forward will be at the wide receiver position. Veterans Mike Evans and Chris Godwin have been an excellent 1-2 punch when they are both healthy. Health is always a key but especially for these two as the depth behind them is not great. Evans is coming off another 1,000+ receiving yards season where had hauled in 6 touchdowns. Regardless of who the quarterback is they know they can rely on Evans when needed. The 6-5 Evans is still one of the best in the NFL at contested catches and had a 95.1 PFF grade on go-routes. He can still get down the field despite his age.

The Bad

As of now, it looks as though Baker Mayfield will get the starting quarterback duties for the Buccaneers. At this point in his career, we know what Mayfield is. He’s a serviceable QB who struggles with turnovers and is no longer as mobile as he used to be.

In 2022, Mayfield had a QBR of 24.5 the lowest of his career along with a sack rate of 9.7% the highest of his career. If I were the Bucs I would’ve started Kyle Trask to at least see what they have in him. Regardless of who they roll out there, it’s tough to see Tampa Bay being successful until they upgrade the quarterback position.

The Prediction

This will be a tough season for the Buccaneers despite the NFC South being one of the weakest divisions in the NFL. Tampa Bay still has talent on both sides of the ball that will keep them in games. Ultimately it won’t be good enough and I wouldn’t be surprised if they trade some of their stars.

2023 Record: (5-12 4th in the Division)

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The Good

The Seahawks already have a formidable wide receiving corps headlined by D.K. Metcalf. They were only missing one piece and that was a slot receiver. Seattle addressed that need in the 2023 NFL Draft by selecting Ohio State receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Smith-Njigba is the next great Buckeye receiver and should fit right in on Seattle’s offense. He has exceptional hands and consistently makes tough contested catches. Smith-Njigba’s final season with the Buckeyes was injury plagued and he will have to show that he can stay healthy at this level.

The Bad

Like many other teams we have profiled, the Seattle Seahawks biggest weakness is on the offensive line. Seattle will need its young tackles to show great improvement in order to be successful. Mainly LT Charles Cross struggled down the stretch last year and the hope is he can better handle a long NFL season in year two. Evan Brown will take over the center position after spending last season with the Detroit Lions. The hope is Brown can be the anchor on this young o-line.

The Prediction

I see Seattle as a team that can make a run this year. It should be a head-to-head battle between them and the San Francisco 49ers with the 49ers pulling away late in the season. Keep an eye on rookie Zach Charbonnet as he could eventually take over as the starting running back.

2023 Record: (10-7 2nd in the Division)

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Purdy led the 49ers to the NFC Championship game before losing to the Philadelphia Eagles. Purdy coincidentally suffered a significant shoulder injury in that game. Is Purdy back to full health and ready to lead San Francisco on a title run? Find out below as we offer a preview and record prediction for the 2023-2024 season.

The Good

For a handful of years, Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers deployed a running-back-by-committee approach. Shanahan’s zone-running style offense relies heavily on the play-action game to be successful. While it worked for the most part San Francisco never had a game-breaker in the backfield. That all changed last year when the 49ers traded for Christian McCaffrey. The trade signified a change in philosophy for Shanahan and it showed the front office was all in on winning a Super Bowl.

While it didn’t quite go as planned it was still a major success bringing in McCaffrey. There are now no limitations with what this offense can run thanks to McCaffrey’s versatility. The 49ers have an upper-echelon offensive line anchored by Trent Williams and weapons on the outside. I see no reason why this can’t be one of the best offenses in the league this season.

The Bad

One of the main storylines heading into this season is the absence of Nick Bosa. Bosa wants a new contract but so far the 49ers front office hasn’t budged. This is the type of off-the-field issue that could linger and needs to be resolved for the 49ers to have success. Bosa is way too valuable to this defense and without him, they will start to show cracks. My hope is that the two sides reach a last minute deal and Bosa is ready week 1.

The Prediction

Despite the ongoing Bosa issue I still expect the 49ers to win the NFC West. There is just too much talent on this roster and I expect Bosa will eventually return in the near future.

2023 Record: (12-5 1st in the Division)

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The Good

T.J. Watt has become one of the best outside linebackers in the NFL today. Watt had a monster season in 2021 where he racked up 22 sacks for the Steelers. Injuries somewhat limited his 2022 campaign as he was only able to play in a total of 10 games. Watt will look to get back to his 2021 form this season and continue to build his impressive resume. One stat that is incredible when you look at Watt is his sack rate. Watt has averaged 0.9 sacks per game which is the best in NFL history. Expect double-digit sacks again this year for Watt.

The Bad

When looking more at the Steelers roster the biggest weakness is the offensive line. This line is somewhat unproven and will best tested right from the start in their week 1 battle against San Francisco. The major question mark is at the LT position. As of now, it looks like Dan Moore Jr. will hold down that spot but if he struggles the Steelers could turn to rookie Broderick Jones. Kenny Pickett and the Steelers offense will need this line to improve in order to take the next step.

The Prediction

The AFC North will be one of the best divisions in football this season. I have the Steelers finishing 3rd but making the playoffs as a wild card. Pickett will impress and the emergence of George Pickens will make this a dynamic offense.

2023 Record: (10-7 3rd in the Division)

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The Good

Usually in this section, I focus on a handful of players that I like to highlight. For the Eagles, I want to focus on their front office, particularly Howie Roseman. Roseman is now one of the best GMs in the NFL and has masterfully built this Eagles roster. One of the things I like about Roseman is he is not afraid to take chances. For instance last year’s trade for wide receiver A.J. Brown. Roseman knew Hurts needed another receiver alongside DeVonta Smith and he pulled the trigger. It paid off in a big way as Brown finished the season with 1,496 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. These types of moves are why the Eagles are the top dogs in the NFC.

On the field, it’s hard not to be in awe of how quickly Jalen Hurts has developed. The big-bodied Hurts has always had a knack for running the ball but he has greatly improved as a passer. There was a point last season where Hurts was the front-runner to win the MVP before he got hurt. This season I expect more of the same from Hurts and this Eagles offense.

The Bad

In my mind, this Eagles squad doesn’t have a glaring weakness but there are some areas of concern. One of those areas is the running back position. Miles Sanders had his best season in Philadelphia in 2022 but the Eagles decided to let him walk. To fill his place they traded for D’Andre Swift and brought in Rashaad Penny. Both of those backs have shown glimpses but have battled injury issues over the past couple of seasons. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kenneth Gainwell takes over the lead-back position at some point.

The Prediction

The Eagles will once again be a threat in the NFC although there will be some bumps in the road. I have them losing 3 more games than last season but still winning the division. I believe losing both of their offensive and defensive coordinators will have an impact in 2023.

2023 Record: (11-6 1st in the Division)

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The Good

Sauce Gardner was a generational talent coming out of the University of Cincinnati. He was a can’t-miss prospect who showed traits to be a lock-down corner in the NFL. The question wasn’t if Gardner would be an elite-level cornerback it was when. Most draft evaluators agreed that it would take Gardner a couple of years to get to that level. It took less than a year to realize that Gardner is one of the best cornerbacks in the league already. The former 4th overall pick was named Defensive Rookie of the Year along with making it to the All-Pro team. It’s one of the more impressive rookie seasons we have seen at that position.

Gardner and fellow cornerback D.J. Reed have quickly become one of the best corner duos in the NFL. The Jets defense in general was one of the best in the league in 2022. They were tied for the league lead in allowed yards per attempt last season. This defense will once again be the strength of this team as it looks to cement itself as one of the greats.

The Bad

When you bring in a superstar quarterback like Aaron Rodgers your number one goal should be to protect him. Rodgers will be 40 in December and doesn’t have the escapability he used to. I think we can all agree on this point which is why it’s perplexing that the Jets didn’t invest more in this offensive line. As it currently stands this o-line has major question marks, especially at the tackle position. Mekhi Becton will start at RT after missing all of last season and Duane Brown is an aging LT. It’s not a great setup and when Rodgers agreed to take a pay cut I thought they would use the money to sure up the OL.

The Prediction

This Jets team will be entertaining at the very least. If you watched Hard Knocks you can see how big an impact Aaron Rodgers has already had on this franchise. The problem is the offensive line will cause issues all season and Rodgers could quickly lose his patience. It will be fascinating to see how this plays out.

2023 Record: (8-9 3rd in the Division)

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The Good

In today’s NFL, you have to be able to get after the quarterback. For instance, the 2022 Eagles had a whopping 70 team sacks and it was one of the reasons they made a Super Bowl run. Like the Eagles, the Giants have invested in their defensive line and it’s now one of the strengths of the team.

One of those investments was linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux who they drafted with the 5th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Thibodeaux had an impressive rookie season where he had 4 sacks and 49 combined tackles. His impact could be seen almost immediately as he was able to free up space for Dexter Lawrence and Leonard Williams on the inside. Thibodeaux will only continue to get better and could get close to the double-digit sack mark this season.

One of the more underrated signings this offseason was Bobby Okereke. The Giants signed Okereke to a 4-year $40 million dollar contract back in March. Somehow Okereke has flown under that radar but he is a top-tier linebacker. He is coming off of his best season in Indy where he totaled 151 combined tackles and 6 TFLs. Okereke will help bolster the Giants impressive front seven and the defense will finish in the top 10.

The Bad

Daniel Jones looks to be more than comfortable in Brian Daboll’s system. So it would make sense to surround Jones with more weapons. The Giants did bring in Darren Waller this offseason and if he stays healthy that will certainly help. Outside of Waller though there are questions at the receiver position.

Isaiah Hodgins has shown flashes but needs to be more consistent. Darius Slayton has also had his moments but injuries have hampered his production. The Giants brought in Parris Campbell and drafted Jalin Hyatt this offseason. I could see Hyatt making an impact but I would’ve liked to see the Giants sign a veteran receiver for Jones.

The Prediction

I see the Giants taking a slight step backward this year. I have concerns about the Saquon Barkley situation spilling into the season. Even though the Giants were able to bump up incentives for the star RB, it’s not the contract he ultimately wants. Their schedule is tough and the NFC East is always a gauntlet.

2023 Record: (7-10 4th in the Division)

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The Good

We knew Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave had all the tools to be special at the next level. We didn’t know he was going to be this good this fast. Olave had an impressive rookie season with the Saints where he had 1000+ receiving yards despite sub-par quarterback play. He was extremely efficient and for the most part, was the Saints WR1 even though he was a rookie. Olave had a 25% target share in the Saints offense which showed he was a huge part of their gameplan.

Olave will now get the chance to play alongside Michael Thomas who is coming back after missing most of the 2022 season. If Thomas can regain his old form these two receivers could be a deadly combination for Derek Carr and the passing game.

The Bad

The main weakness on this Saints team will be the offensive line. Trevor Penning takes over the LT position after playing limited snaps in 2022. Elsewhere C Erik McCoy should have another solid season as he has been one of the strengths of this line. There are questions though at the RG position as Cesar Ruiz hasn’t quite panned out the way they hoped. The bottom line is if the unit struggles it could really limit what the Saints do on offense. Carr still has some mobility but he is losing some pace as he gets older.

The Prediction

If you look at the Saints schedule it has to be one easiest in the NFL. They have many favorable matchups including opposing quarterbacks they will face. The toughest quarterback they play this season will be Trevor Lawrence and that’s a home game. I see the Saints winning the NFC South as Derek Carr has a successful first year in New Orleans.

2023 Record: 11-6 (1st in the Division)

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