Ranking All 32 NFL Offenses: Can the Vikings Be a Top-10 Unit Once Again?
Josh Frey
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The first OTA practices began in the NFL this week, meaning we got to see offenses across the league take the field for the first time since the 2022 season concluded. With that, it felt like a decent time to go through the league and examine where each of the NFL offenses are at heading into the 2023 NFL season.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
- Best Addition: RB D’Andre Swift
- Biggest Loss: G Isaac Seumalo
- Underrated Player: WR Olamide Zaccheaus
The Eagles were a buzzsaw offensively in 2022, averaging over 28 points per game and scoring over 30 points in each of their three playoff games. Subbing Miles Sanders with D’Andre Swift in the backfield gives them a reliable pass-catcher out of the backfield, and outside of Isaac Seumalo, their superb offensive line that specializes in pass protection remains entirely intact to protect Jalen Hurts.
The Eagles made a few very sneaky positive additions to help Hurts out as well. Rashaad Penny isn’t quite as talented as Swift in the backfield, but when healthy, he can certainly spell him for a few carries as RB2. Additionally, Olamide Zaccheaus joins the WR corps with breakaway track speed that should further open things up down the field.
Philly was already one of the best units in the league offensively in 2022, and they should be considered the cream of the crop heading into 2023.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
- Best Addition: WR Rashee Rice
- Biggest Loss: LT Orlando Brown Jr.
- Underrated Player: TE Noah Gray
The defending Super Bowl champs look rather different on offense in 2023 compared to 2022, replacing both offensive tackles, losing a pair of receivers in Mecole Hardman and Juju Smith-Schuster, and no longer having Eric Bieniemy on the sideline.
However, when Patrick Mahomes is the QB, it’s just a bit easier to figure things out on the fly. Second-round pick Rashee Rice is used to being a main target in an offense, and he should step in and immediately eat up targets alongside Travis Kelce.
It looks like Kansas City has found their potential successor to Kelce at tight end as well in Noah Gray who caught 28 passes for 299 yards and a touchdown last season. Keep in mind, Kelce is turning 34 in October, so we may see even more of the workload go to Gray in 2023, particularly during the regular season.
3. Buffalo Bills
- Best Addition: G O’Cyrus Torrence
- Biggest Loss: RB Devin Singletary
- Underrated Player: WR Khalil Shakir
If Josh Allen is fully healthy from the elbow injury that he suffered last year, there is an argument to be made for Buffalo taking over the top spot. The only big question mark is the same one that has haunted the Bills throughout Allen’s career: what kind of production will they get in the running game?
Buffalo lost Devin Singletary this offseason, their leading rusher in each of the past four seasons. However, they also added Damien Harris who, when healthy, can be a very effective back.
In addition, there were significant strides made to improve the interior offensive line for the first time in Allen’s career. O’Cyrus Torrence was a terrific selection in the second round while free agent signings Connor McGovern and David Edwards should help round out their depth at guard. If the Bills can get stable production from James Cook and Harris in the ground game, this offense will function like a well-oiled machine.
4. Cincinnati Bengals
- Best Addition: LT Orlando Brown Jr.
- Biggest Loss: TE Hayden Hurst
- Underrated Player: WR Trenton Irwin
The big question of the offseason for Cincinnati is whether or not Joe Mixon will be available this season due to his ongoing off-the-field matters, and without Samaje Perine around, the Bengals backfield gets skimpy really quickly if Mixon were to miss any time.
On top of that, the loss of Hayden Hurst in the passing game is a bit of an underrated storyline for this team, considering he caught 52 passes last season. That being said, Irv Smith Jr. is a cheap replacement for this year that has shown flashes of production in the past.
At the end of the day, Joe Burrow has proven that he is capable of leading a winning team regardless of what he has around him, and the trio of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd should remain uber-productive in 2023. Trenton Irwin was a late-bloomer last season as well at wide receiver, catching four TDs over the final seven games.
5. Baltimore Ravens
- Best Addition: WR Zay Flowers
- Biggest Loss: G Ben Powers
- Underrated Player: WR Rashod Bateman
In reality, the biggest addition to this Ravens offense will be a healthy, newly-extended Lamar Jackson at quarterback, but what should add to his motivation this season is the fact that he actually has some real talent around him at the wide receiver position.
First-round pick Zay Flowers should step in and immediately be a playmaker for them while Odell Beckham Jr. can be a great contributor if he remains healthy. On top of that, Baltimore is anticipating a healthy Rashod Bateman this year, and if he can play on a consistent basis, the Ravens have a legitimately dangerous trio at the position.
Oh, and have I mentioned the fact that Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely exist at tight end as well? The duo combined for 110 receptions, 1220 yards, and 8 TDs last season. Then there’s also JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards at running back. If this Ravens offense can remain healthy in any sense, they will be fantastic this year.
6. New York Jets
- Best Additon: QB Aaron Rodgers
- Biggest Loss: G Nate Herbig
- Underrated Coach: OC Nathaniel Hackett
I’m breaking my own rules for this one. Instead of an underrated player, I’m opting for an underrated coach. Nathaniel Hackett’s stock couldn’t be lower after what happened during his sole season as head coach of the Denver Broncos, but it can’t be overlooked that the last time he was Aaron Rodgers’ offensive coordinator, the QB threw for a combined 111 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions over three seasons, winning a pair of MVPs along the way. In a fresh start for both of them, expect a sharp season in 2023.
The Jets employ arguably the most talented pass-catchers that Rodgers has had around him in years too. Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb joined Rodgers in New York, and they are added to a talented group that also contains Tyler Conklin, Mecole Hardman, and Garrett Wilson. Not to mention, the backfield of Michael Carter and Breece Hall should more than hold down the fort in the running game.
Finally, the Jets may have lost Nate Herbig from their offensive line, but they made some very notable additions as well, drafting Joe Tippmann in the second round to take over at center while signing Wes Schweltzer, who has experience at all three IOL spots, providing some flexibility for them.
7. Miami Dolphins
- Best Addition: RB Devon Achane
- Biggest Loss: TE Mike Gesicki
- Underrated Player: WR Cedrick Wilson
Everything in Miami relies on Tua Tagovailoa staying healthy at the quarterback position. When he was in there, the Dolphins offense was truly elite last season, proving wrong anyone (including yours truly) who thought he couldn’t lead a high-flying unit at the NFL level.
That being said, Tua’s health is a huge question mark after the concussion problems he had last year. Those can be a very slippery slope in the NFL, and if he were to miss time again, Miami would be relying on Mike White or Skylar Thompson to take snaps for the offense.
In all, though, adding Devon Achane to what is already one of the fastest skill-position groups in the NFL means every week in Miami is going to be a track meet. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle should remain extremely effective as a one-two punch and keep an eye on Cedrick Wilson during his second year with the team after being a 600-yard receiver for Dallas in 2021.
8. Dallas Cowboys
- Best Addition: WR Brandin Cooks
- Biggest Loss: TE Dalton Schultz
- Underrated Player: LT Tyler Smith
The Dallas Cowboys parted ways with a few veterans on their offense, namely RB Ezekiel Elliott and TE Dalton Schultz. However, Tony Pollard is more than capable of handling a workload in the backfield, and Luke Schoonmaker along with the platoon of tight ends like Jake Ferguson and Peyton Hendershot should be able to make up for the production lost in Schultz.
Meanwhile, Dallas went out and got a third wide receiver in Brandin Cooks to help provide stability in the passing game. If CeeDee Lamb or Michael Gallup are having a slow day, Cooks should be able to make up for it. Throughout his career, the nine-year veteran has been nothing but consistent, totaling 50+ receptions eight times and 1000+ yards in six seasons.
Dallas also seems to have the foundation for rebuilding their once-vaunted offensive line. After a few struggles to begin his rookie season, LT Tyler Smith closed the season strongly, including a dominant performance in Week 16 against the Philadelphia Eagles where Pro Football Focus gave him a grade of 92.9. Expect a big leap from the Tulsa product in 2023.
9. San Francisco 49ers
- Best Addition: C Jake Brendel
- Biggest Loss: QB Jimmy Garoppolo
- Underrated Player: RB Elijah Mitchell
Typically, it’d be tough to say an offense can be ranked in the top 10 when we have absolutely no idea who the quarterback will be come Week 1. Brock Purdy’s torn UCL likely will keep him sidelined, so the battle is between Trey Lance and Sam Darnold.
Neither option looks entirely inspiring at this point, but this is Kyle Shanahan’s offense we’re talking about. Neither of these players could ask for a better situation heading into the 2023 season in terms of offensive line and weapons around them.
Christian McCaffrey is arguably still the best running back in the league when healthy, and he will be spelled by a completely overqualified RB2 in Elijah Mitchell, who returns from injury and came close to 1000 yards of rushing production in just 11 games during his rookie season of 2021.
Then there’s all the usual suspects like George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Brandon Aiyuk to account for as well. This team is loaded, but it will all come down to whether or not they can get consistent QB play.
10. Detroit Lions
- Best Addition: TE Sam LaPorta
- Biggest Loss: RB Jamaal Williams
- Underrated Player: WR Kalif Raymond
Detroit’s rise from the depths of the NFL in 2022 was one of the more surprising outcomes of the past year. A major reason behind that rise was an explosive offense that ranked top-five in scoring.
There is certainly a world where such an event takes place again, and it would be rather surprising to see them revert all the way back into the 20s with all the talent on their roster, plus the additions of Jahmyr Gibbs at running back and Sam LaPorta at tight end.
Specifically for LaPorta, Detroit has been in need of a true consistent pass-catcher at the tight end spot since trading away T.J. Hockenson last year. This is a big addition, and the assumption here is that the second-round pick will earn the starting job and help give Jared Goff even more options in the passing game.
That being said, 2023 was supposed to be Jameson Williams emergence onto the scene as a wide receiver, but he is going to miss the first six games of the year with a suspension. The loss of a different Williams, Jamaal, in free agency can’t be understated either after he led the league in rushing touchdowns last season. This should be another effective year for Detroit on their quest for their first NFC North title, but it will take contributions from everyone to make it happen.
11. Minnesota Vikings
- Best Addition: WR Jordan Addison
- Biggest Loss: WR Adam Thielen
- Underrated Player: TE Josh Oliver
Outside of replacing Adam Thielen with Jordan Addison at wide receiver, the Vikings offense remains largely intact from 2022 to 2023. For the most part, that should be considered a good thing, considering Minnesota averaged nearly 25 points per game last year.
This is the first time in Kirk Cousins’ tenure with the Vikings that he will have the same offensive coordinator and the same offensive line in back-to-back years as well. As long as the tackle tandem in Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill stay healthy, the pass protection should be strong in Minnesota, and he’ll have plenty of targets to throw to with reigning Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson leading the way.
One of those other targets is free agency acquisition Josh Oliver. Last year in Baltimore, he emerged as one of the top blocking tight ends in the NFL, and that is certainly the main reason he is in Minnesota now. Hopefully he can help the Vikings balance their passing and rushing attacks a little more.
However, Oliver’s receiving skills should not be overlooked. He caught just 14 passes for 149 yards and a pair of touchdowns last season, but at San Jose State, he combined for 91 receptions, 1005 yards, and 5 TDs in his two years as a starter during 2017 and 2018. He’ll certainly catch a few passes in Kevin O’Connell’s offense this year.
12. Jacksonville Jaguars
- Best Addition: WR Calvin Ridley
- Biggest Loss: RT Jawaan Taylor
- Underrated Player: LT Walker Little
This is a slight rule break considering Calvin Ridley was acquired back in November via trade, but with his suspension, 2023 is the first time that he will actually be able to take the field in a Jaguars uniform. The last full season he played was in 2020 when he put together 90 receptions, 1374 receiving yards, and 9 TDs. Barring injury, this is a pretty huge addition to a rather steady offense.
Jacksonville already saw some major steps forward in 2022 after dishing out huge contracts to players like Christian Kirk in free agency. A key player in that step forward was Trevor Lawrence, who made significant improvements as a quarterback from year one to year two, which can likely be attributed, at least in part, to having Doug Pederson as his head coach.
The questions lie in the offensive line for Jacksonville after losing Jawaan Taylor in free agency and now seeing Cam Robinson lose his 2023 season to suspension. It’s time for the young guys to step up, and that means 2021 second-round pick Walker Little and 2023 first-round pick Anton Harrison.
13. Seattle Seahawks
- Best Addition: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba
- Biggest Loss: RB Rashaad Penny
- Underrated Player: G Phil Haynes
Like the Lions, Seattle made an unexpected leap in 2022 despite trading away franchise QB Russell Wilson. How repeatable is such an offensive outburst in 2023, though?
The Seahawks made a few very positive moves in the draft to ensure that Geno Smith has options in the passing game, selecting Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zach Charbonnet in the first two rounds.
Smith-Njigba is the perfect wide receiver for Seattle’s offense with the ability to play either in the slot or on the outside, and Charbonnet can spell Kenneth Walker in the running game while being plenty capable of catching passes out of the backfield.
14. Los Angeles Chargers
- Best Addition: WR Quentin Johnston
- Biggest Loss: LG Matt Feiler
- Underrated Player: TE Donald Parham
With Austin Ekeler agreeing to rework his contract, there can be some more optimism regarding the Chargers offense this season. The RB returns to the team this season and will enter free agency next spring.
Justin Herbert remains a great young talent at QB as well, and while he still has to put everything all together in terms of correlating his stats with consistent wins, the addition of Quentin Johnston to the wide receiver group should certainly help out.
That being said, it all really comes down to how this team does down the stretch of games and executes situational football. If they fail to find ways to consistently extend drives, they will sputter out and be a middle of the pack group.
15. New York Giants
- Best Addition: C John Michael Schmitz
- Biggest Loss: IOL Nick Gates
- Underrated Player: WR Parris Campbell
Daniel Jones got himself a shiny new contract this offseason, and New York made a few moves to grab him more targets in the passing game, including snatching Darren Waller in a trade with the Raiders.
The question for Waller is whether or not he will able to stay healthy after missing 14 games over the past two seasons. If he can get back to being a 1000-yard player in 2023, the Giants could rise up the rankings as the season goes along.
New York desperately needed to improve on the interior of their offensive line as well, and the selection of John Michael Schmitz should make for an immediate starter at center. He was as consistent a center as you could ask for during his time at the University of Minnesota.
16. Atlanta Falcons
- Best Addition: RB Bijan Robinson
- Biggest Loss: QB Marcus Mariota
- Underrated Player: G Matthew Bergeron
Running back wasn’t necessarily a huge need for Atlanta going into the drafr, but when a generational talent like Bijan Robinson pops up, you have to take him. Robinson is as sure a thing as you’ll find on the offensive side of the ball in this year’s draft class, and most importantly, he’ll take pressure off second-year QB Desmond Ridder as they try to improve from their 7-10 record a year ago.
The question is, though, what exactly can Desmond Ridder do at quarterback? Atlanta has a very impressive skill position group around him now, and Arthur Smith is plenty capable of drawing up plays that fit to his strengths. That’s all fine and dandy, but the young QB still has to go out and execute.
17. Denver Broncos
- Best Addition: HC Sean Payton
- Biggest Loss: C Graham Glasgow
- Underrated Player: RB Javonte Williams
2022 was a disaster for the Denver Broncos with Nathaniel Hackett as head coach, and it simply seemed like he wasn’t able to manage all the personalities in the locker room. If Sean Payton has done anything during his career with the New Orleans Saints, it’s command a room and come up with intriguing offensive schemes.
The Broncos also made a couple very interesting additions to their offense, including a selection of wide receiver Marvin Mims in the second round of the draft. Mims has sub-4.4 speed and should be able to scratch Russell Wilson’s deep-ball itch in the passing game.
Additionally, it feels like the return of Javonte Williams to the lineup is not being discussed nearly enough with Denver. He missed 13 games this past season due to an ACL tear, and there is hope that the talented running back will be ready for Week 1. This will be a huge boost to a Denver running game that ranked 21st in rushing yards a year ago.
18. Las Vegas Raiders
- Best Addition: TE Michael Mayer
- Biggest Loss: QB Derek Carr
- Underrated Player: RB Zamir White
Las Vegas passed on a top QB in this year’s draft, opting rather to sign Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency to a three-year deal. They also moved on from Darren Waller, and instead, opt to get younger at tight end by selecting Michael Mayer, a ‘do-it-all’ tight end that will be much more proficient as a blocker than Waller was.
The concern here, though, is that Garoppolo may not be much of an upgrade, if at all, over Derek Carr. With the group around Garoppolo largely looking similar, outside of the tight end spot, how much better can Las Vegas really get this year? Only time will tell.
19. Carolina Panthers
- Best Addition: QB Bryce Young
- Biggest Loss: RB D’Onta Foreman
- Underrated Player: WR Terrace Marshall Jr.
For Carolina, all eyes are on Bryce Young as the No. 1 pick attempts to lead the Panthers in a wide-open NFC South division.
The team made a number of moves to put talent around him as well, including wide receivers DJ Chark, Adam Thielen, and running back Miles Sanders. Seeing as the Panthers went 7-10 last year with Sam Darnold and Baker Mayfield starting, there’s reason to believe they can be much better in 2023.
Additionally, in a wide receiver room now full of veterans, Terrace Marshall Jr. could be a guy to watch as a breakout player now entering his third NFL season. He caught 10+ touchdown passes in both 2019 and 2020 with the LSU Tigers before sitting out of the 2021 season due to Covid concerns. That production hasn’t quite been matched at the NFL level, but perhaps with improved QB play, Marshall can find his footing once again.
20. Green Bay Packers
- Best Addition: TE Tucker Kraft
- Biggest Loss: QB Aaron Rodgers
- Underrated Player: WR Jaylen Reed
So, how good are the Green Bay Packers actually going to be in 2023? It really is one of the big mysteries in the NFL this year. On one hand, they no longer have four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers at quarterback, but on the other, it didn’t seem like he was all that interested in being there down the stretch of the 2022 season anyway.
Regardless, Jordan Love is getting his first chance to run an NFL offense on a full-time basis, and unlike what they would usually do for Rodgers, Green Bay did everything in their power to draft quality pass catchers to put around him.
Both Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave will join the franchise at the tight end position, and Jayden Reed cannot be overlooked at wide receiver. He is a burner in the slot, and he should complement Romeo Doubs and Christian Watson well. That being said, we have to see this group put everything together. With such a young squad, there is a ton of variance in potential outcomes.
21. New England Patriots
- Best Addition: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
- Biggest Loss: RB Damien Harris
- Underrated Player: WR Kayshon Boutte
JuJu Smith-Schuster is certainly a great addition to this group, replacing Jakobi Meyers. His 933 receiving yards last year were the most he’s had in a season since 2018. Granted, he was playing in the Chiefs offense, but this is still a positive sign.
New England also made a very intriguing selection in Kayshon Boutte at this position. Normally, a sixth-round pick wouldn’t garner this type of attention right away, but when Boutte is focused and motivated, he can be a very deadly route-runner, and for awhile, he was considered the top receiver in this draft class. He was a star for LSU during six games in 2021 before injuries ended his year and lingered into the 2022 season.
The question for New England is a simple one: who will be their quarterback? Last year drew questions around the future of Mac Jones, and it didn’t help that Bailey Zappe looked electric when he got into the starting lineup.
22. Cleveland Browns
- Best Addition: WR Elijah Moore
- Biggest Loss: C Hjalte Froholdt
- Underrated Player: WR Cedric Tillman
There is a chance that Deshaun Watson bounces back from the doldrums of the six games he played in 2022, but there is also a very real chance that we never see that MVP-candidate version of him again. It doesn’t help that Cleveland lost a very versatile interior offensive lineman in Hjalte Froholdt.
However, the Browns still have one of the best running backs in the league with Nick Chubb leading their backfield. That counts for something. The additions of Elijah Moore and Cedric Tillman should give Watson a few more targets to throw to as well.
23. Arizona Cardinals
- Best Addition: OT Paris Johnson Jr.
- Biggest Loss: WR DeAndre Hopkins
- Underrated Player: TE Trey McBride
We’re working under the assumption that Kyler Murray won’t be back for at least the first half of the regular season after suffering his ACL tear in December.
If this happens, 2023 could be a very tough season for Arizona as Colt McCoy takes over under center to begin the year, and Marquise Brown will be forced to step back into a WR1 role after the team cut ties with DeAndre Hopkins on Friday.
The positives lie in the fact that the Cardinals were able to load up on draft capital for the next few years, and Paris Johnson should be a great addition to the offensive line, hopefully preventing further injuries to Murray or whoever is the QB in 2023 and beyond.
24. New Orleans Saints
- Best Addition: QB Derek Carr
- Biggest Loss: WR Deonte Harty
- Underrated Player: TE Juwan Johnson
Derek Carr and Jamaal Williams are positive additions to the Saints offense, but this ranking comes largely as a result of a lack of faith in Dennis Allen as the head coach. Allen’s offenses have never ranked higher than 22nd in the league, and there were a few rather baffling decisions made in 2022 (the game in Tampa Bay).
The hope is that talent can outweigh coaching as, on paper, Carr should be an upgrade over Andy Dalton as should Williams over Mark Ingram. Adding Michael Thomas back to the lineup is huge as well, but will injuries once again get the better of him?
Thomas’ health is just one question surrounding this offense. Alvin Kamara’s status is still up in the air with his court case, and he could (and probably will) be suspended for an extended period of the season any day now. In games without Kamara in the lineup over the past two years, New Orleans has averaged just 18 points per contest.
25. Chicago Bears
- Best Addition: WR D.J. Moore
- Biggest Loss: RB David Montgomery
- Underrated Player: WR Chase Claypool
Justin Fields went through some huge growing pains as a quarterback last season, but he continuously made big plays with his legs, keeping Chicago in games. In 2023, he finally has a talented group of pass-catchers surrounding him, highlighted by D.J. Moore, who was acquired via trade with Carolina.
However, Chicago did lose a big chunk of their carries in the backfield with David Montgomery heading to Detroit. D’Onta Foreman and Roschon Johnson are at least attempts to fill the void left behind by the steady RB, but if Fields doesn’t make a massive leap as a QB, it won’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.
26. Pittsburgh Steelers
- Best Addition: OT Broderick Jones
- Biggest Loss: OL Trent Scott
- Underrated Player: QB Kenny Pickett
Things weren’t always pretty in Pittsburgh last season. However, there were multiple moments when Kenny Pickett could have shriveled up under the lights, and instead, he flourished. As a rookie, the QB led four game-winning drives for Pittsburgh, including two at the very end of the season in Weeks 16 and 17 against the Las Vegas Raiders and Baltimore Ravens.
One of the main problems with Pittsburgh’s offense last year was the pass protection. They managed to solve that problem in the draft by trading up to acquire Broderick Jones, who was a stone wall with the national champion Georgia Bulldogs in 2022.
27. Indianapolis Colts
- Best Addition: QB Anthony Richardson
- Biggest Loss: WR Parris Campbell
- Underrated Player: WR Alec Pierce
The Colts landed the unicorn of the draft by selecting Anthony Richardson with the fourth overall pick in the draft. The Florida Gator product has all the physical talent in the world, but he just needs to find a way to put everything together as a passer.
Luckily, the offensive coordinator that helped Philadelphia win the NFC last season, Shane Steichen, is now running the show in Indianapolis as Richardson’s first NFL head coach. There should be plenty of fireworks in Indy this year, but it would be surprising if we didn’t see any bumps and bruises along the way while the rookie QB develops.
28. Tennessee Titans
- Best Addition: OT Peter Skoronski
- Biggest Loss: G Nate Davis
- Underrated Player: RB Tyjae Spears
Everything in Tennessee depends on the version of Ryan Tannehill that we get this season. Last year, the Titans quarterback play was subpar, and that held them back from truly competing in the AFC.
If Tannehill comes back and plays well, the Titans could be right back in the mix, but we haven’t truly seen much of peak-Tannehill in the past two seasons. If we don’t see a consistent version of the veteran QB, that could lead to more Malik Willis, and the experiment didn’t exactly pan out in 2022.
At the very least, Peter Skoronski should help begin rebuilding the offensive line that had a difficult time holding pass-rushers at bay. Keep an eye on Tyjae Spears alongside Derrick Henry in the backfield as well.
29. Houston Texans
- Best Addition: QB C.J. Stroud
- Biggest Loss: WR Brandin Cooks
- Underrated Player: WR John Metchie III
The hope in Houston is that C.J. Stroud can be their QB of the future, but this will definitely be a tougher road than if he were in, say, Carolina. Without Brandin Cooks and Jordan Akins around, there really aren’t too many reliable pass-catchers in Houston anymore.
Additionally, this offensive line is rather putrid outside of stalwart Laremy Tunsil at left tackle. Stroud flashed some mobility in the CFP game against Georgia, but will he be able to keep that up for 17 games? Only time will tell, but I would lean towards no at this point in time.
However, the exodus of some veterans allows the team to see what they truly have in their young players. One of those is WR John Metchie III, a 2022 second-round pick out of Alabama that missed the entirety of the 2022 season after being diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia last July.
Metchie has been practicing with the team this spring though after receiving positive updates, and the receiver is a stud who recorded 96 receptions and 1142 yards during his final year with the Crimson Tide.
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Best Addition: IOL Cody Mauch
- Biggest Loss: QB Tom Brady
- Underrated Player: RB Chase Edmonds
Even with Tom Brady around last year, the Buccaneers could only muster 18 points per game, largely relying on their defense to keep them competitive. This year, they will be handing the keys to the offense off to either Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask.
Mayfield had his one shining moment in his first start for the Rams on Thursday Night Football, but outside of that, the past couple years haven’t exactly been smooth-sailing for the former first overall pick. As for Trask, he’s attempted just 9 passes at the NFL level, so he is a complete unknown at this point.
This looks like a rebuild year for the Buccaneers as they try to go after one of the top quarterbacks in the 2024 Draft, but they did make one really cool move by selecting North Dakota State offensive lineman Cody Mauch this spring. The former member of the Bison program primarily played offensive tackle in college, but he tracks towards being a guard at the NFL level, thus helping out the interior of Tampa’s offensive line.
31. Washington Commanders
- Best Addition: OT Andrew Whylie
- Biggest Loss: QB Taylor Heinicke
- Underrated Player: WR Dyami Brown
The Commanders are hell-bent on making sure Sam Howell gets his shot at quarterback, parting ways with both Taylor Heinicke and Carson Wentz this offseason. Luckily for Howell, he’ll get a bit of help along the way.
Free agent signing Andrew Whylie should provide additional pass protection alongside 2021 second-round pick Samuel Cosmi, making this a bit of an easier transition for Howell than in other spots. The wide receiver group is rather talented as well, which could send them up this list if guys like Dyami Brown progress further.
However, as many predicted, that 2021 Draft class didn’t see many emerging stars at the QB position. Washington’s rushing attack was one of the most inefficient in the league last season as well, so that should only add pressure to their young QB this season. Expect a bumpy road in 2023 for the Commanders offense.
32. Los Angeles Rams
- Best Addition: QB Matthew Stafford
- Biggest Loss: G David Edwards
- Underrated Player: WR Tutu Atwell
Yes, I closed this marathon out by cheating again. Apparently Rosie Ruiz and I have something in common. Obviously, the Rams didn’t add Matthew Stafford this offseason, but LA’s only hope of getting out of the league’s basement is that their QB can return to the lineup this year healthy and in the same form as 2021 when he helped them win a Super Bowl.
Perhaps 2021 second-round pick Tutu Atwell can finally live up to his draft status by providing a secondary receiving option. He finally began seeing a consistent share of the snaps down the stretch of the regular season, being targeted 31 times over LA’s final 8 games.
However, a sudden boost to their offense is going to be a very difficult feat in reality, even for head coach Sean McVay. Odell Beckham Jr. isn’t around, Cam Akers can’t be trusted to play a full season, and Van Jefferson hasn’t been able to recapture the lightning in a bottle that was his 2021 season.
Defenses likely will be able to focus much of their attention towards stopping Cooper Kupp, and LA’s pass protection could be even worse than it was last season. In all likelihood, the Rams will be competing for the No. 1 overall pick.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.