NFC South Roster Reset Division poised for another banner year

Wiki Article

NFC South Roster Reset: Division poised for another banner year Published: Apr 05, 2018 at 02:56 AM Digital Content Editor No one team owns the NFC South. The 16-year-old division has crowned each of its four combatants nearly equally -- Carolina leads the way with five titles, Atlanta and New Orleans each own four, and Tampa Bay brings up the rear with three -- and the are the only franchise ever to repeat. But for most of last season, the South sure owned the NFL. With 37 wins to just 27 lo ses, the NFC South posted the Brayden McNabb Kids Jersey best overall record in football, sending three teams to the postseason with at least 10 wins and two to the Divisional Round. If not for and , we could have witne sed the first-ever all-NFC South title game. Don't expect that to be a one-year trend, either: The NFC South's poised to make plenty of noise again in 2018. Having avoided the talent drain that often accompanies succe sful teams entering free agency, the South's postseason players ( , , Falcons) have all emerged from the first stage of the offseason relatively intact. Resurrected from the depths of football purgatory, the are giving it another go with and Sean Payton, signing the former to and hauling in veterans ( , , Patrick Robinson) to shore up a defense that was on the very wrong end of In need of more athleticism at skill positions, Carolina, led by new/old general manager Marty Hurney, and . In an unsurprising move, the pa sed on paying flavor-of-the-month guard top-tackle money, choosing to use their capital to reinforce their greatest strength (the front seven) rather than overpay in an attempt to shore up a sketchy offensive line. The city of Atlanta might be booming, but its team has so far played this offseason close to the vest, neglecting to drop dollars on big-name wideouts or edge rushers to replace or , respectively. A roster that underwhelmed in its attempt to return to the Land of Roman Numerals, the finished the 2017 season strong and will look to do the same with the upcoming draft. Then there are the outcast , the team that "won the offseason" in 2017 after signing and , drafting and locking down a season of "Hard Knocks," which is always a good choice for a green, overhyped team ON THE RISE. The Bucs flopped in 2017, looking more like than of the Caribbean. But perhaps we anticipated their offseason victory a year too early. After loading up on an arsenal of offensive talent last season, the Bucs were responsible for at least two of the top defensive acquisitions in March, including one that should have the division's MVP quarterbacks shaking in their wee cleats ... FREE AGENCY NOTABLES BIGGEST ADDITION: , defensive end.Old team: . New team: . Cast off from New York in , Pierre-Paul is one of four new defensive linemen in Tampa Bay who could have earned this title -- but due to his USF cachet and substantial price tag, 's acquisition best symbolizes what's going on in Ybor City. The Bucs decided to focus their capital this offseason on Extreme Makeover-ing their front seven, which garnered . Out are and . In are , champions and and underrated ex-Bear . On a roster that took more hard knocks than it delivered last season, and the rest of Tampa's spring bounty will surround and and look to form the most improved defensive front in the NFL this season. It might have cost Jason Licht a pretty penny (and picks), but if TB's defense improves only marginally and the Bucs become immediate wild-card contenders, the GM's swap will have been well worth it. BIGGEST LOSS: , defensive tackle.Old team: . New team: . This was really a to s-up between Poe and former guard , . Norwell ended up with the trendy . There are arguments to be made by someone else that Norwell is the greater lo s, given that is Carolina's whole offense and the have struggled to invest in protecting him over the years. But Poe leaving Atlanta kills two with one stone, if you will. Not only does his departure leave Atlanta's young defense without an accomplished defensive tackle to pair with upstart ( , anyone?), but the also lose Oscar Dansk Jersey him to a division rival with arguably the most sturdy front seven in the South. Poe didn't quite thrive on his one-year prove-it deal as the had hoped, but Atlanta has yet to replace him with a veteran player of his stature. In Carolina, Poe is a significant improvement in the long term over and should pair nicely with good company ( , Julius Peppers) along a line that has sacked Atlanta's 23 times over the last four seasons. SLEEPER ADDITION: , cornerback.Old team: . New team: . Try to pa s on the . As a matter of fact, don't. Robinson's return to New Orleans, where he played the first five seasons of his pro career, brings him into the fold right as the ' long-maligned secondary is turning the corner, thanks to breakout rookie seasons from and . A top option in the second or third tier of free-agent corners, Robinson was an unheralded ballhawk in the slot for the champs and will likely fill that position for Dennis Allen in New Orleans, as Lattimore and man the outside. After seeing their season end in Minneapolis due to an epic rookie mistake in the secondary, the are looking to avoid similar breakdowns in 2018. Robinson's veteran presence helps in that regard. WHAT'S NEXT? Atlanta Falcons: , for one. You don't need me telling you that, Tommy Dimitroff. At the start of free agency, Ryan was among four star quarterbacks in need of or in discu sions for new deals; and got theirs, while is still waiting. If the want to avoid paying Ryan out the wazoo, i.e. $30 million per year fully guaranteed, then they can't wait until Rodgers signs his pact. A-a-ron is the superior QB, but if Atlanta can't sign Ryan before Rodgers, Ryan will earn the top annual salary in football history by default. Thems the breaks when you have a league MVP under center. Carolina Panthers: Replace Norwell, somehow. Guards don't grow on trees, or in the ground, or from nuclear waste. The interior offensive lineman market has dried up with nary a sniff from Marty Hurney. Thankfully, the incoming guard cla s is surprisingly strong. Paced by , who most definitely will fall to Carolina at No. 24, the cla s also provides enticing options like and who could be there when the go on the clock. If Hurney wants to kick that can into minicamp, Carolina could also spend that top pick on a speedy rookie wideout to pair with or a replacement at corner for the jettisoned . New Orleans Saints: Good on ya, Mickey Loomis. From top to bottom, the boast one of the most solid rosters in the league, thanks to consecutive all-star drafts. But depth is needed at key positions, namely wide receiver and everywhere along the offensive line. Want to make sure continues to play at a level? Draft a more consistent option than and seek out some Armstead-Ramczyk tackle insurance. Want to begin planning for life after Brees? Trade up to select Breesus' physical and aspirational doppelganger in , if he stays in the green room a little longer than some expect. Buoyed by a youth movement and anchored by a QB, the are playing with house money for the next two seasons, but it's not quite clear whether they are ready to go all in or invest in the future. How they attack the draft will tell that tale. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: After pouring serious resources into the front seven in free agency and the trade tsunami, Tampa Bay will wash ashore if it doesn't addre s the safety and running back positions in the draft. Sitting pretty at No. 7 and in no need for a quarterback, the can let the draft come to them -- i.e., allow someone like , , or even, as improbable as it might seem, to fall into their lap. The Bucs can't go into 2018 with as their starting Reilly Smith Women Jersey RB, but after letting walk into free agency, their secondary needs as much help as (if not more than) Tampa's backfield. , and are all still available. This article has been reproduced in a new format and may be mi sing content or contain faulty links. Please use the Contact Us link in our site footer to report an i sue.
https://kamerondreq54208.wikicorrespondence.com/3182959/saints_qb_drew_brees_and_his_wife_donate_5_million_to_louisiana_for_coronavirus_relief
Click here Click here