The Good

Coming out of Penn State we knew Micah Parsons had all the tools to be successful. What we didn’t know was how good he would be this early on. Parsons has 26.5 sacks in the first two years of his NFL career and is currently the 2023 favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. Parsons has the rare ability to line up all over the defensive backfield causing matchup nightmares for opposing offenses.

Dallas has also solidified the cornerback position by bringing in Stephon Gilmore this offseason. Pairing him with the recently extended Trevon Diggs will give Dallas two lock-down corners going forward. If they can stay healthy the Cowboys should have a top 5 defense next year.

The Bad

The Cowboys had one of the best offensive units under former OC Kellan Moore. That’s why it was a bit perplexing that Dallas decided to let him walk this offseason. Play calling wasn’t the issue for the Cowboys offense, it was more of a combination of shrinking in big games and turnovers. Speaking of turnovers, Dak Prescott had a career-high 15 interceptions in 2022. It’s a cause for concern, so much so that head coach Mike McCarthy vows to run the ball more in 2023. McCarthy will take over the play-calling duties for Dallas and with that comes added pressure. If McCarthy doesn’t make the playoffs he could be out of a job.

The Prediction

When you break down all the factors going into next season it’s hard to see the Dallas Cowboys making a run. The offense will take a step back this year and if Tony Pollard goes down they are in trouble at the running back position. This may end up being McCarthy’s last year in Dallas.

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

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Dallas Cowboys: Can The Cowboys Overtake The Eagles?

Dallas was a little quiet in the offseason, after how their season ended. They’re coming in as not the favorite from the NFC East and are looking up at the Eagles. They added pieces in Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore. However, they cut Ezekiel Elliot and let Dalton Schultz walk away in free agency. The Cowboys have a lot of talent, however on paper, the Eagles look much better than the Cowboys. One stat that the Cowboys can hold on to is that it’s been forever since an NFC East team repeated as the division winner.

New York Giants: How Will Daniel Jones Perform With The New Extension?

Daniel Jones got the bag with a $160M extension, $92M guaranteed. People were outraged with the size of this contract but HC Brian Daboll has helped in the leap of Jones. This was most seen in the Wild Card Round against the Vikings where Jones threw for 300+ yards, two passing TDs, and ran for 70+ yards. He comes into the offseason with new weapons such as Darren Waller, Jalin Hyatt, and a full year of Isaiah Hodgins. With Brian Daboll in the helm, another leap is possible for Jones as they hope to make this consistent.

Philadelphia Eagles: Can They Go Back To The Superbowl?

The Philadelphia Eagles were one holding call away from the Superbowl. It hurts to watch it but on to the new season. The Eagles secured Jalen Hurts with a long-term extension that made him the highest-paid player at that point. They beefed up the run game with D’Andre Swift and Rashaad Penny. They drafted a lot of Georgia players to shore up their defense. Jalen Carter was stolen with the ninth pick of the draft and Nolan Smith was available at 30. They’re adding youth to this experienced team for the future. They will have a tougher road in the regular season as they will face Mahomes, Allen, the 49ers, and many tougher opponents from last season. This team has the talent but it will be a tougher road in my opinion.

Washington Commanders: Will The Change In Ownership Bring New Life To The Team?

The toxic ownership of the Washington Commanders is finally over. Dan Snyder, who has been in the front of a lot of controversy, sold the team to ownership led by Josh Harris. New ownership usually comes with new changes from the front office to the field. In the first year, it will be interesting to see what the front office will look like. Changes are easier there compared to the product on the field. I hope it brings new life to the Commanders fans as they deserve better after all the scandals. For a rebuild, that will have to be discussed another time.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Indianapolis Colts defense had a modest 2021 outing (21st in touchdowns allowed and 10th in rushing YPG allowed), but they certainly had a couple of weaknesses. The Colts ranked 18th in passing yards per game and 25th in sacks. With that said, they should absolutely feel more comfortable with their pass defense and pass-rushing ability than in 2021.

The Colts brought in the explosive edge rusher Yannick Ngakouye, who registered 10 sacks and 23 QB hits with the Raiders last season. Ngakoyue and Deforest Buckner should be a cream of the crop DE-DT tandem. Buckner earned a Pro Bowl berth in 2021 and garnered All-Pro honors in 2020. PFF also gave him a nice 71.9 grade for his performance a season ago.

The 2021 first-round pick Kwity Paye should also blossom in his sophomore season (4 sacks, 10 QB hits, and 3 TFLs in 2021). Nick Shook of NFL.com believes that Paye will benefit from Ngakoyue and Buckner on the same DL — which should propel him to snag his first Pro Bowl spot in 2022. Paye and the rest of the impressive Colts pass rushers should benefit from an improved Colts passing offense with Matt Ryan. Matty Ice should surely force opponents to try and keep pace with him, so the Colts pass rush will have countless opportunities to pin their ears back against opposing QBs.

The Colts pass rush in 2022 will glow up from their 2021 pass-rushing force, but their secondary could be the unit that improves the most from last season. I loved the addition of Stephon Gilmore — who is still a very good football player. The former DPOY had a quality grade (77.1) by PFF. Gilmore can absolutely be the x-factor against AFC juggernaut teams that have top-end WRs.

The Colts will reap lots of benefits from new faces on their defense, but they will also anticipate growth from Darius Leonard. The Colts OLB is coming off his best season and third All-Pro season. He recorded 8 FFs, 4 Ints, and 122 combined tackles. He will try and defy the thought that a pure OLB in a 4-3 can’t win DPOY.

The spotlight in Indy could be on the 2016 MVP Matt Ryan and the Top-5 RB Jonathan Taylor, but the Colts defense can certainly be stingy and able to help the Colts be strong AFC contenders sooner than thought.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Indianapolis Colts will look to take a step from 2021 to 2022 that is similar to the Cincinnati Bengals improvement from 2020 to 2021. The Colts simply believe they can be the next surprise AFC team to play in the big dance. With that said, I’m going to untwine three reasons why the Colts goal of playing in Super Bowl LVII could come to fruition.

Strength of schedule

The Colts may not have the same overall talent as the likes of Cincinnati and Buffalo, but they certainly have an easier mountain to climb than CIN and BUF next season. The Bengals have the third-most challenging schedule, while the Bills have the 12th most difficult schedule next season. Meanwhile, the Colts have THE EASIEST schedule in the AFC in 2022-2023.

Stephon Gilmore

The Colts don’t only have an All-Pro LB in Darius Leonard, a behemoth in DT Deforest Buckner, and Frank Reich’s old pal in DE Yannick Ngakoue, but they also have a cream-of-the-crop CB by the name of Stephon Gilmore. It’s quite clear that the Colts have a well-rounded defense and I really expect Gilmore (who was ranked as the 14th best CB by PFF last season) to be pivotal against opposing WRs like Justin Jefferson, Davante Adams, Ceedee Lamb, and Devante Parker.

Alec Pierce

Matt Ryan is unequivocally a more talented QB than Carson Wentz, but he will still need his play-makers to be tuned in for the duration of the 2022 season. I trust in Michael Pittman Jr playing like a 1,000+ yd WR, but I am a big fan of the potential for WR2 Alec Pierce. I expect him to be the cherry on top – as he should be quite productive with matchups alongside Jonathan Taylor and Pittman Jr. Louis Riddick of ESPN even believes that Pierce could win OROY.

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By: Jake Rajala

The star cornerback Stephon Gilmore surprisingly signed with the Indianapolis Colts. The Gilmore signing with the Colts clearly means two things: The Colts are a serious dark horse Super Bowl contender and Sean McVay isn’t living in a Madden-like world. On the outlook, Gilmore is 31 years old and he’s looking to be a key factor in helping his new team win a Super Bowl before he’s washed up.

The 2022 Colts might not be better than the 2016 Atlanta Falcons squad, contrary to Pat McAfee’s recent take on the Gilmore featured Colts. Nonetheless, McAfee should be thrilled and the Colts are truly a popular AFC squad right now.

It’s clear that the Colts will have a positive addition in Gilmore. Well, what exactly is Jim Irsay’s team receiving in the former Patriot Super Bowl champion?

Well, Gilmore was a major factor in the Panthers exhibiting the fourth-ranked pass defense in 2021. Pro Football Focus graded Gilmore as the 14th best CB last season and he was supposed to be highly coveted by CAR. Yet, the “good” quarterback Sam Darnold and his squad couldn’t retain Gilmore or Haason Reddick.

I sincerely believe the late FA signee and introverted Gilmore can absolutely be a Top 10 CB with a Colts team that’s more talented than Matt Alcatraz Rhule island. The Colts don’t only have Deforest Buckner, but they also have Yannick Ngakouye (10 sacks in 2021) on their DL. Furthermore, they have Darius Leonard (PFF’s top-run defender in 2021) in their defense.

Gilmore was an absolute menace and the Defensive Player of the Year on a talented all-around Pats defense in 2019. The Colts CB certainly won’t be a DPOY candidate, but he will be uplifted into a quality contributor. The Colts should really get every penny out of the $23 million dollar man in the next two years.

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The San Francisco 49ers haven’t made any exotic moves outside of the signing of Charvarius Ward in free agency, but they remain confident in handing the keys to Trey Lance with a very similar roster from 2021. At the moment, Kyle Shanahan has been creating new play designs with his offensive toys, re-signing under-the-radar players like Jeff Wilson and Jordan Willis, and looking for the best trade partner with Jimmy Garoppolo.

I still expect the 49ers to make a few quality free agent moves in the wild NFC West. I’d like to see them add a talented edge rusher before the draft. The edge rusher Everson Griffin (5 sacks in 2021) and the DT/DE Calais Campbell would be fascinating fits for SF.

There hasn’t been a lot of new speculation around mutual interest between Stephon Gilmore and the 49ers as of late. Although, it appeared that the 49ers were the most logical landing spot for him at one point. Richard Sherman and many football outlets believed he would head to San Francisco. He could still surprise the NFL world by viewing his current options and then deciding to head to the Bay area on a contract that’s slightly below his market value (assuming the 49ers don’t overpay for him).

There is a darkhorse candidate to ink with the 49ers in my opinion. It would be intriguing and logical if the former Chiefs All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu signed with the 49ers at this odd stage in free agency. He has 13 interceptions in the past few seasons combined. Heavy. outlined out the 49ers should reel in the Honey Badger in January, as well. If the 49ers do make a splash-free agent move before they announce their 2022 first-round pick, it will likely be in the secondary.

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The New England Patriots have officially brought Malcolm Butler out of retirement, according to Yahoo Sports. It appears that Emperor Belichick’s plan is coming together as he expected. Matt Patricia returned the last offseason and now his former Super Bowl hero corner has returned to the Belichick kingdom.

I don’t expect the Pats to reel in overly shiny armor for Mac Jones moving forward, but I do expect them to make a few more underrated moves. The Patriots CB Jonathan Jones is recruiting Stephon Gilmore, but I don’t foresee him returning on a cap-friendly contract. It would make a ton of sense if the Bengals, 49ers, or Raiders ink Gilmore.

If the Pats are fixed on adding another free agent CB and they aren’t able to reunite with Gilmore, it may be wise to ink Janoris Jenkins. Jackrabbit isn’t “washed up” and he was a quality contributor on the AFC one seed in Tennessee last season. He hauled in three interceptions in the past two seasons combined and he also has 18 combined pass deflections in the past two years.

There has been speculation that the Patriots should target a WR soon and it would make sense if that’s their next move. The former Bills star Cole Beasley would be a very interesting fit in the Patriots. He has 82 receptions in each of the past two seasons and he would be a nice security blanket for Mac Jones from the slot. Danny Amendola and Mohammaed Sanu have experience with the Pats and they could be good value pickups, as well.

It would be ideal if the Pats add veteran talent at CB and WR before the NFL Draft. Expect Belichick to keep his foot on the pedal in the AFC East division that just introduced to Tyreek Hill.

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The Tennessee Titans have officially released their starting cornerback Janoris “Jackrabbit” Jenkins. According to NBC Sports, the Titans will save $6.9 million by axing their beloved CB. Here is how productive the 33-year-old CB has been in recent years:

• Four interceptions in 2019
• Three interceptions in 2020
• 1 interceptions in 2021
• six deflections, one forced fumble, and 54 combined tackles in 2021

It’s clear that Jenkins might be old (33), but he can still contribute well for at least another season on a new squad. The Titans know Jackrabbit provides playmaking ability and depth, but they want to go in a new direction at their CB spot. Mike Vrabel will really lean on the 2021 first-round pick Caleb Farley to be an impact performer at the pivotal CB position moving forward.

Jackrabbit is out of “the Music City” and the next (potentially last) chapter of his journey has begun. The question is: where will Jackrabbit sign next? Well, here are a few destinations that make a ton of sense for Jenkins.

• San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers could obtain a steal in Jenkins by adding him to their young CB unit. There has been a lot of speculation that the 49ers could sign Stephon Gilmore. If they can’t ink Gilmore, they could fall back on landing the hungry, quick Jenkins on his last legs at this point in his career. The ascending Ambry Thomas might even be potentially joined by Gilmore and another veteran like Jackrabbit this offseason.

• New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints have familiarity with Jenkins and they might need more depth at the position this offseason. P.J. Williams is a free agent and he might be out of the Big Easy. Bradley Roby could also be cut to free up cap space. Paulson Adebo had nice flashes, but Jenkins may be able to start over him in the near future. All in all, Jackrabbit has the potential to be a superb CB2 or CB3 for Dennis Allen’s defense.

• New York Jets

The New York Jets haven’t been unearthly active in free agency, to say the least. They could still find many diamonds in the roughs at positions of need this offseason. Robert Saleh could grab a fine, talented veteran in Jenkins. The Jets could really use all the pass-defense help they can get in the AFC East against Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa, and Mac Jones.

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The San Francisco 49ers were defeated by their archnemesis in the Los Angeles Rams in the recent NFC Championship matchup. The 49ers faithful may want to sacrifice Jimmy G for not being Joe Montana, but they had other weaknesses on their team.

Their defense might feature Nick Bosa (15.5 sacks in 2021), but they don’t carry a top-notch cornerback that can match the likes of Cooper Kupp. The 2021 NFL Offensive Player of The Year had his best performance in the playoffs against the 49ers with 14 receptions, 142 yards, and 2 touchdowns.

Thr 49ers 2021 rookie CB Ambry Thomas improved throughout the season, but the Championship aimed team might look to upgrade the CB spot in the near future. Their veteran CB Jason Verrett is a free agent and it doesn’t seem like he can be relied on, as he’s played 1 game in two of the past three seasons for the 49ers. So, could the 49ers look to reel in a big-name CB in the near free agency period? Well, here are a few profiles that could impress John Lynch.

• Stephon Gilmore

I know Stephon Gilmore might be an easy, boring pick, but Gilmore has a good chance to land with the 49ers. The former 49ers Pro Bowl CB Richard Sherman sees Gilmore signing with the 49ers. I trust Sherman’s opinion more than any other player or analyst on the Gilmore situation. Forbes also recently put out a piece on why Gilmore needs to be secured by Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers.

• Casey Hayward

The idea of SF signing Casey Hayward might seem like they are latching on to another washed-up CB. Hayward isn’t the old ball-hawk he was before, but he is a quality CB and a better aging CB than Josh Norman by a country mile. If the 49ers can’t sign Gilmore, I would expect them to turn their interest to the former Chargers CB. I would be surprised if he chose the Raiders over the 49ers if Lynch offered him a modest contract.

• Richard Sherman

The 49ers could look at bringing back Sherman for a couple of different reasons. He has familiarity with the 49ers defense and he wants another Super Bowl ring. If SF isn’t aggressive for a CB early in free agency, they could potentially sign Sherman around the NFL Draft or training camp. He might not start over Thomas, but he might even be interested in being the third CB on a talented, former squad.

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The Minnesota Vikings desperately need more playmakers in their secondary. The Vikings ranked 28th in passing yards per game allowed last season. It’s clear that the 33-year-old Harrison Smith can’t solve all their pain in defending the pass. Smith was a force with three sacks and a career-high 114 tackles last season, but they need more studs in zone coverage and man-to-man coverage.

The Vikings top corner Patrick Peterson is also a free agent in 2022 and it’s unclear if they will bring back Peterson. If they bring him back, It would still be ideal if they add a veteran cornerback on a cheaper deal. If they don’t bring back Peterson, they could replace PP with a potentially more talented veteran CB. The Vikings need to get flat out more productive on defense, but particularly in their secondary.

It would make sense for the Vikings to pursue established cornerbacks in free agency, especially when they have great chemistry on offense with Kirk Cousins, Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, and the Top 5 WR Justin Jefferson. So, the question is: which cornerbacks could the Vikings pursue in 2022? Well, here are a few options that make a ton of sense.

Stephon Gilmore

The Minnesota Vikings were once the top trade destination for Stephon Gilmore. They can still have their chance to ink Gilmore in 2022. I believe Gilmore is slightly more talented than Peterson at this stage and they should prioritize him over Peterson. I don’t expect the Vikings to strike for gold with J.C. Jackson (and they really shouldn’t) or bring pack PP, but they should be aggressive at the CB spot with Gilmore on a short-term deal (three-four years). The former Defensive Player of The Year and introvert would be the star in the secondary and he could join a team that’s seeking to wreak havoc in the NFC playoffs.

Sidney Jones

The former Washington Husky has the potential to be a very nice value pickup by Minny. Sidney Jones had two interceptions in 2019 (12 games) and two picks in 2020 (9 games), but I expect his best production is ahead of him. He may be looking to prove himself on a one-year deal and the cap-strapped Vikings could look for a talented CB on the cheaper side of things. If Jones shines in 2022, they can sign the 25-year-old to a long-term contract in the 2023 off-season.

Richard Sherman

The former Stanford WR Richard Sherman may not be the sexiest free-agent target at this stage in his career, but he could be available to the CB-needy Vikings late in the free-agent period. It’s worth noting that Sherman made plays with the Bucs last season and he made the Pro Bowl not too long ago (2019).

I expect Sherman to weigh his options and aim to sign with a talented team with a strong fit for him. I don’t see the top AFC and NFC teams spamming his phone for meetings over dinner, but the talented Vikings with their aching secondary could fit in well with him. Sherman could get in shape with the Vikings during training camp and he could be a quality CB2 on the playoff-hopeful Vikings team.

Jason Verrett

The injury-riddled 49ers cornerback and former first-round pick Jason Verrett has the potential to be a star, but he’s very often injured. Verrett has played only one game in three of the past four seasons. He will surely need to take a prove-it deal with a new team this offseason.

The Vikings could still keep in touch with his agent and scoop him up late in the process. Perhaps, Verrett is due for at least several games of play in 2022. His efforts could prove vital against Aaron Rodgers and other key NFC contenders late in the season. Verrett, who is 5’9, was once the best CB per play over 2014 and 2015.

P.J. Williams

Pro Football Focus nicely stated that P.J. Williams was the Saints most improved player in 2021. Williams, who once projected to be a first-round pick, made big plays (pick-6 against Tom Brady) and laid enormous hits against opposing WRs (such as Chris Godwin).

Williams could be a nice hybrid safety/cornerback addition for the Vikings team that needs talent and versatility in their secondary. Williams is under the radar, which could fit perfectly into the Vikings hands. Williams had a career-high 3 interceptions, career-high 2 sacks, and a career-high 4 QB hits last season.

Honorable mention

J.C. Jackson

It’s not clear where J.C. Jackson will sign in free agency, but it doesn’t appear he will reunite with the Pats. The Vikings are cap-strapped, but they could open up money (Cousins’s or Harrison Smith’s contract?) and lobby hard for the top free-agent CB. There are high-end NFL teams with more money than Vikings like the Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, and Las Vegas Raiders.

Jackson ousted 8 interceptions last season and 9 interceptions in 2020. It’s obvious that Jackson will look to continue pushing for a Hall of Fame career on a quality team. Jackson would bring a huge boost to the Vikings defense and he would really help the Vikings become a key NFC contender in 2021.

Joe Haden

If the Vikings let PP walk out the door, they could replace him with a talented, cheaper CB in Joe Haden. The former Brown and Steelers CB made the Pro Bowl in 2019 and he has 7 interceptions, 35 pass deflections, and he has 155 combined tackles over the past three seasons. The Steelers could let Haden walk and retool their defense with younger studs, too.

Haden isn’t young (32 years old), but he can still play at a high level with the Vikings in 2022 and potentially 2023. Janoris Jenkins was a contributor at 33 years old for the AFC’s one seed in the Titans last season. Trust in Haden being effective for the Vikings in a short-term push for a playoff berth.

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