The Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs are now over, and there's a lot to really think about. In this mock draft, I have a few trades, including a block buster to help find the successor for a QB headed for Canton, as well as a blockbuster deal in which a team that is currently at dumpster fire status get's their lost draft capita back. Here's the mock draft.
1 - Jacksonville Jaguars - Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson
Nothing to say here. They didn't call this season 'Tank for Trevor' for nothing, now did they?
2 - New York Jets - Zach Wilson, QB, BYU
TRADE - Dolphins send 3rd overall pick to the New Orleans Saints, in exchange for 28th overall pick in 2020, Saints' 2nd round pick in 2020, Saints' 3rd round pick in 2020, Saints' 1st round pick in 2021, Saints 3rd round pick in 2021, and Saints 4th round pick in 2021, and maybe more...
3 - New Orleans Saints - Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State
The Drew Brees era has ended in New Orleans after a long, and impressive run. At 42 years of age, Brees walks away from the game as 13x pro bowler, a two time OPOTY winner, a super bowl champion (2009), and many other accolades and accomplishments under his belt. With the greatest QB in Saint's history now gone, it's time for New Orleans to fill in the big shoes left by the legend. The Saints are in no position to blow up their roster and tank in the wake of Brees' apparent retirement. They've got a 20+ million dollar WR in Michael Thomas, one of the highest paid RBs in Alvin Kamara, a star-studded OL, a great defense featuring Cameron Jordan, the breakout Trey Hendrickson, Demario Davis, Marshon Lattimore, and Malcolm Jenkins. This team really can't afford to tank for a top QB in 2022 like Sam Howell, or Spencer Rattler. What they can afford, is to give up a lot to receive a lot in Justin Fields. While his 2020 season wasn't anything to ride home about, Justin Fields is still more than likely going to have a great career in the NFL, and frankly what better place for him to go than the Big Easy, which will have a fantastic team around him unlike many other high end QBs in the draft. New Orleans will most certainly be giving up their first round picks for this year, and next year in order to land the coveted college football superstar, and set up their franchise for possibly another 12-15 years.
4 - Atlanta Falcons - Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama
QB is at the top of Atlanta's wishlist, but if they are unable to land neither Wilson, nor Fields, then Atlanta could target one of the biggest receiving talents in CFB history, in Devonta Smith to create the best WR core in the entire NFL. Reportedly, Julio Jones has been the center of trade discussions with the Falcons, as they enter a new era after firing coach Dan Quinn. If Julio goes, then Smith, who is wickedly talented at route running, & separation, could provide the Falcon's receiving department with more than enough insurance if Jones departs. If Jones doesn't leave, then you've still got a ridiculous WR trio for at least the next two years, until Calvin Ridley hits free agency.
5 - Cincinnati Bengals - Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon
Sewell is a generational talent at OT, and if the former Outland Trophy winner were to fall to the Bengals at #5, then it's a no-brainer to get him to protect Burrow. Sewell is just 20 years old, he has plenty of room to improve, and with his youth, he could have a 15+ year career barring any injury.
6 - Philadelphia Eagles - Ja'Marr Chase, WR, LSU
Jalen Hurts has some promise in Philly, but he needs some targets. Neither Desean Jackson, nor Alshon Jeffrey can stay healthy, and all you have left is Greg Ward, who is becoming a free agent, and Travis Fulgham who fell off hard after a pretty impressive four game stretch earlier this year. It's time for Philadelphia to get a new WR1, and LSU's Ja'Marr Chase has all of the makings to be the next big thing in Philly. Chase's ridiculous 2019 campaign was so good, that he didn't even need to play in 2020 in order to cement his status as a top 10 pick. It's universally agreed that he is a top 10 level prospect, and his rookie year in Philly should be special.
7 - Detroit Lions - Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama
The three top receivers for Detroit will become free agents. While the Lions will likely retain at least one of them (probably going to be Golliday), they will need to reload in this department in order to keep their offense up. Jaylen Waddle was on pace for a ridiculous 2020 season, up until he broke his ankle last October, but in the games we did see him, he was arguably just as unguardable as Devonta Smith. While Smitty was the precise tactician in that stacked Bama receiving corps, Waddle was the dynamite playmaker, who was one of the top downfield threats in the country. Waddle will most certainly make Detroit explosive upon arrival.
8 - Carolina Panthers - Micah Parson, LB, Penn State
I originally had Carolina taking Isaiah Simmons last season, but they passed on him for Derrick Brown instead. Ever since the departure of Luke Kuechly, the team has been in dire need of a leader at LB, and Penn State's Micah Parsons is the one to do it. Parsons can play the Panthers system, and his quickness, and instincts are incredible for the position.
TRADE - Denver Broncos send 9th overall pick + more to the Houston Texans in exchange for QB Deshaun Watson, + a late draft pick.
9 - Houston Texans - Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida
The second big shocker of the night. In this scenario, Denver wins the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, and in return Houston gets its lost draft capita from the O'Brien era. Houston could use this pick to get a lineman like Slater, or a DB like Surtain or Farley, but Kyle Pitts at this point is the best overall player on the board, and he's one of the best TE prospects to come out in a good while. Pitts will likely be the top receiver for Houston, even as a rookie, Deshaun Watson gets an acceptable trade for his sake, and Denver FINALLY gets its QB of the future. This was my favorite move on this mock draft.
10 - Dallas Cowboys - Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama
Completely unrelated, but I just wanted check in and see if y'all were still them boys...nah I'm just kidding. But in all honesty, the Cowboys need some help in their secondary, since they just lost Byron Jones a year ago, and Chidobe Awuzie, plus a few others enter free agency, leaving just 2nd year man Trevon Diggs by himself. Reunite him with his former college teammate, Patrick Surtain II, the son of Patrick Sr, who was a 3x pro bowler as a DB during his time in the league. Surtain is a smooth operating corner, whose efforts with the Tide in 2020 earned him SEC DPOTY honors.
11 - New York Giants - Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
I think that the G-Men will get some pass rushing help in free agency, by way of someone like Haason Reddick or Matt Judon. If they do that, which they probably will, then they can go after the stud LB prospect of Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, who had a huge 2020 season, winning the Butkus award, and helping Notre Dame make it to the College Football Playoff. JOK has some fantastic instincts, and some frightening closing speed to attack the backfield, and make plays. Not to mention, he is small enough to where he can drop back into coverage, but big enough not to get pushed around.
12 - San Francisco 49ers - Mac Jones, QB, Alabama
It's become evident that Jimmy G just isn't the guy to hold the reins for the 49er offense in the coming years. He's pretty average as an NFL QB in general, and he's well below average for a QB that has a nine figure contract, and on top of that, he has played only one full season as the starter with San Fran, missing 13 games in 2018, and 10 games in 2020. While I expect Jimmy G to start next year, I think it's time for San Fran to get the next guy for the job. Mac Jones, a Heisman finalist this past season had just about as perfect of a season you could have for a college QB. Jones has pinpoint accuracy, and terrific decision making. I think that Jones will stew behind Garoppolo, and get coached up in his rookie season, then he will eventually get turned lose, in the 49ers offense.
13 - Los Angeles Chargers - Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern
Slater has risen up draft boards from 2nd round status, to early 1st round status without even playing game during 2020. Many scouts highlight his brilliant performance against Ohio State in 2019, in which he stifled current NFL star edge rusher Chase Young in their showdown. Slater is versatile enough to play at OG as well, which is really where the Chargers could use some help at right now.
14 - Minnesota Vikings - Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech
Minnesota's ability to protect Kirk Cousins was not too good in 2020. Cousins was sacked 39 times last season. Christian Darrisaw is one of the best offensive tackles in the class with good size for the position, and a ton of praise from scouts around the country.
15 - New England Patriots - Christian Barmore, DT, Alabama
The Patriots could use some help up front for their DL. They allowed the 7th most rushing yards in the entire league across all of last regular season, allowing around 131 yards per game. When you compete in a conference that has runners like Derrick Henry, Nick Chubb, the entire Ravens backfield, Josh Allen when he feels dangerous, and even Kansas City who isn't really bad at the run themselves, then you need to do what you can to slow that down. Meet Christian Barmore, the massive Alabama defensive lineman who gained a ton of positive attention thanks to his dominant performance against Ohio State in the national championship game. Barmore, in my opinion has ascended to the top of the IDL big board, thanks to his disruptiveness, his shocking quickness, and his ability to rush the passer, as well as a disrupt the running game make him a great get for the New England Patriots at 15th overall.
16 - Arizona Cardinals - Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson
Now while I did say that Najee Harris was the best RB in this class, I just feel that Travis Etienne fits the Cardinal's system more than Najee. Etienne reminds me a lot of Kenyan Drake, who hits free agency this spring. He's a long built, yet quick runner with a keen ability to catch the football. Etienne could make Arizona's defense a legit threat in the coming years.
17 - Las Vegas Raiders - Jaelan Phillips, DE, Miami
When it comes to drafting in the first round, the Raiders do their own thing. They've always been one to reach with their first round selection, showing this with picks like Kolton Miller, Karl Joseph, Damon Arnette, and most infamous as of recent, Clelin Ferrell, who they picked over Josh Allen, which I am still frustrated about to this day. I don't see the Raiders leaving this odd, and borderline comedic trend behind in Oakland, and as a matter of fact, I can see history repeating itself year after year. Jaelan Phillips, who used to play for UCLA, and was a 5 star prospect in high school, finally seemed to hit his stride after dealing with many injuries, and transferring across the country to Miami. Phillips athletic ability, and natural pass rushing tools were on display in the latter half of Miami's 2020 season, and while Phillips currently has a 2nd round grade, I don't see this stopping the Raiders from passing on him over other players projected to go in round 1 (however I think there is a lot more upside to Phillips than past 1st round picks by the Raiders).
18 - Miami Dolphins - Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa
I've become extremely impressed with Nagurski Award winner, Zaven Collins, a defender that combines a staggering amount of size (6'4", 260 lbs), and a surprising amount of speed, and mobility in coverage that makes Collins such a difficult player to face. Collins can be an excellent addition to the Dolphins defense.
19 - Washington Football Team - Trey Lance, QB, ND State
Washington is one QB away from being a legitimate contender in the NFC; not a 7-9 division leader, not fringe wild card team, a legit contender. Do I think this happens within a year? No. If Washington ends up with Trey Lance, they must use him right. He needs to be brought up in the shadows of a veteran QB for at least a season, before getting on the field, similar to what Kansas City did with Patrick Mahomes. The starter for that KC team with rookie Mahomes was Alex Smith. The potential starter for this team with a rookie Trey Lance: Alex Smith. Of course with the depletion of Smith's career because of that brutal leg injury in 2018, Smith may not be playing for Washington despite an inspiring comeback season, potentially the greatest comeback season ever for any NFL player.
20 - Chicago Bears - Alex Leatherwood, OT, Alabama
The Outland Trophy winner for Alabama has moved around the entire line like many linemen do under coach Nick Saban. The Bears need some help up front, and Leatherwood is an extremely versatile option who is as good of a run blocker as they come.
21 - Indianapolis Colts - Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
T.Y. Hilton, who has really fallen off recently, as well as Zach Pascal, are both free agents for Indy. The only guy they've got is Michael Pittman, who they drafted just last year. While I expect big things from the former USC standout in his sophomore season, this WR group needs a ton of assistance due to it's lack of diversity. Ohio State's Chris Olave was one of Justin Fields' favorite targets across the QB's two year career with the Buckeyes. Olave is sound route runner, with good hands, and solid ability in getting separation.
22 - Tennessee Titans - Azeez Ojulari, LB, Georgia
My team, the Tennessee Titans is probably the most desperate team for a franchise pass rusher. Seeing this pass rush week in, and week out was painful. They recorded the 3rd least sacks, and opposing QBs averaged a 97.5 passer rating (9th highest), when facing Tennessee. The weak pass rush gave QBs more time to make throws downfield, thus tiring the secondary, and making the defense slower. Azeez Ojulari is one of the better LB prospects in this draft class, showing the ability to play standup, but also along the edge, which is where he did really well at in his last season with the Bulldogs. Check out his games against Tennessee, and Alabama, and you will see how he was able to outclass many offensive linemen in those two games.
TRADE - New York Jets send 23rd overall pick to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the 26th overall pick, as well as a mid round pick in either 2021 or 2022.
23 - Cleveland Browns - Kwity Paye, DE, Michigan
The Browns could be looking for a complementary edge rusher for Myles Garrett with Olivier Vernon departing in free agency. Vernon surged late in 2020, but a very unfortunate achilles injury derailed his hopes to make some more noise in the post season. Kwity Paye, who was projected to go 2nd-3rd round after 2019, exploded thanks to a chaotic performance against Minnesota, in which he had 3 sacks in a row on a 4th qtr drive. While Paye may have small stature, he has enough upside that should make Cleveland want to roll the dice on him.
24 - Pittsburgh Steelers - Najee Harris, RB, Alabama
Pittsburgh has struggled to run the football. They were dead last in total rushing yards as a team, with the 5th least total rushing attempts, and the least YPC (3.6). James Conner and Benny Snell just don't seem to have the answers. But my solution is for Pittsburgh to dip into the pool known as RBU, aka Alabama. Najee Harris was the Doak Walker winner for a reason, becoming a wrecking ball bruiser, that just so happens to be able to catch the ball really well, and jump over defenders that are standing straight up. Najee can help make Big Ben, or the next Steeler QB's job easier with his versatile skillset for the position.
25 - Jacksonville Jaguars* - Liam Eichenberg, OT, Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish have provided some of the best linemen in the NFL, like Ronnie Stanley, Zack Martin, and Quenton Nelson to name a few. Liam Eichenberg made the first team all ACC, and was a consensus All-American in 2020. He has overall very sound fundamentals, and I actually think he has the potential to be a legitimate lineman in the NFL.
26 - New York Jets* - Rashod Bateman, WR, Minnesota
As previously mentioned, the Jets will be selecting Zach Wilson with the 2nd overall pick. With Breshad Perriman entering free agency, the Jets need a receiving facelift in order to provide Wilson with the much needed tools for success. Bateman appears to have the potential to be a WR1, and help give the Jet's atrocious offense something to be excited about.
27 - Baltimore Ravens - Terrace Marshall Jr, WR, LSU
The latest product of LSU, Marshall has been regularly playing since last year, getting reps alongside Ja'Marr Chase, and current pro bowl WR Justin Jefferson. The Ravens offense will get jolt of energy from Marshall, who is impressively built for the position, and who has a keen ability to run routes well.
28 - Miami Dolphins* - Samuel Cosmi, OT, Texas
The Dolphins use their second 1st round pick of the draft to help protect Tua. Samuel Cosmi has the positional versatility of a Bama lineman, with the build of the ideal OT. His large stature towers at 6'7", over 300 lbs. He'll add some legit experience points.
29 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Joseph Ossai, LB, Texas
Thanks to the Buccaneers, I was right about TB (both the team and the player) pulling the upset in NOLA. Regardless, at the end of this season, the Bucs need to fill some much anticipated holes this offseason, and many players are likely gone. If Shaquil Barrett is one of those, then Tampa needs an edge rusher, and they need one pronto.
30 - Kansas City Chiefs - Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC
The Chiefs are about as perfect as you can get on offense, but some help up front won't hurt at all. Vera-Tucker from USC showed that he has the skill to play at IOL, and OT. While he is built for OG.
31 - Buffalo Bills - Nick Bolton, LB, Missouri
A draft pick like this could be a steal for Buffalo, with Nick Bolton providing several bolts of energy, and momentum into these nights. Bolton is a quick, powerful linebacker, and one of the SEC's finest.
32 - Green Bay Packers - Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue
If your name is either Green Bay, Buffalo, or Kansas City then you can really get under the skin of defensive coordinators by taking this guy. Rondale Moore when healthy, is a juggernaut, who is one of the best receivers after the catch. If the Packers decide to finally take a WR in round1, then the earth could shatter.

THANK YOU FOR READING, COMMENT WHAT YOU THINK, GOOD NIGHT

Complete, descriptive Offseason Power Rankings

32. Houston Texans, 4-12 (previous rank: 30)
With it being official that the Texans cut JJ Watt. the Texans are dead last in the NFL. The Texans, even with JJ Watt, ended 4-12 and third in their division. They were beaten by teams that they shouldn't have lost too, including the Bengals, and some games were hilariously too close for comfort, especially the Jaguars game that ended at 25 - 27.
The Texans are in a terrible position, and if Deshaun Watson is traded. . .then this team could have a 0-16 season.
31. Detroit Lions, 5-11 (previous rank: 31)
The Lions could be contenders for the 2022 and 2024 seasons, earning themselves two extra first round draft picks, but they definitely won't this season. Even with Stafford, a top ten QB, they finished at 5-11, worst in their division. Now they'll be playing with Jared Goff, who is a downgrade. They might get a higher ranking if they draft correctly this season.
30. New York Jets, 2-14 (previous Rank: 31)
The Jets are quite possibly the most interesting offseason team. They have a lot of cap space and draft picks at their disposal and, unlike the Texans and lions, have a lot to work with. If they can get Deshaun Watson, they could be playoff contenders. It actually get's better. According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald - one of the top reporters in the business - the Jet's are Watson's preferred team. If they manage to get him the Jets could be ejected to the top 16.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars, 1-15 (previous rank: 32)
NOTE: this ranking assumes that Trevor Lawrence is on the roster. If Lawrence is, then the Jaguars can no longer be ranked as the worst team in the NFL.. Their offense is a little below average, but they do have some weapons. Unfortunately, this team can't rank any higher as their defense is a complete disaster.
28. Philadelphia Eagles, 4-11-1 (previous rank: 29)
The Eagles are most likely trading Carson Wentz, but the front office probably overpriced him. They are demanding two second round draft picks, but they should probably be the ones giving it away. The Eagles finished lower than even my expectations, and I hate the Eagles. (My Father is a Washington fan)
27. Cincinnati Bengals, 4-11-1 (previous rank: 28)
I joked about the Bengals starting a cardboard cutout of Penei Sewell at left tackle in 2021 because they ruined their chances of landing him with a late win, but the Dolphins could conceivably select Devonta Smith, which would mean Sewell would be the pick at No. 5. That's the good news. The bad news is that Joe Burrow may not be ready for the season opener. Cincinnati is difficult to rank for that reason.
26. North Carolina Panthers, 5-11 (previous rank: 22)
Teddy Bridgewater was not Teddy Bridgewater this season. He threw for countless end zone interceptions just in week 17, and the Panthers, overall, finished third in their division with a record of 5-11, and there was little difference from the 2019 season.
25. Atlanta Falcons, 4-12 (previous rank: 25)
The Falcons say that they plan on retaining Matt Ryan, but with a cap space 31 million dollars over, it seems very unlikely. If Atlanta Selects Justin Fields or Zach Wilson, there will be pressure to start the rookie and trade Matt Ryan. Either way, the Falcons aren't going to be very competitive next season as they'll need to cut some players to get under the cap.
24. New York Giants, 6-10 (previous rank: 24)
The Giants put up a fight this season, nearly making the playoffs by one game. Now they'll be better with Saquon Barkley's return to the line up, who was missing ever since an injury on week 2. Nate Soldier's return should help as well.
23. Dallas Cowboys, 6-10 (previous rank: 26)
Dallas is rumored to be an elite force in 2021 with Dak Prescott as the opener. But what about the offensive and Defensive line? Dallas wasn't even winning games when Prescott was the opener early is 2020.
22. Washington Football Team, 8-8 (previous rank: 22)
Washington made huge steps from the 2019 season, and now Chase Young will have experience. There defense was pretty dominant in 2020 and is expected to be the same, if not better, in 2021. Even though my father might hate me for ranking his team in the bottom half of the league, their offense is struggling. There QB situation is also a question mark, which is never a good sign. Of course, if they draft themselves a Jackpot QB, they could bounce forwards to the top 16, possibly 12.
21. New England Patriots. 7-9 (previous rank: 20)
The Patriots are a very difficult team to rank without knowing their QB situation. If they can land Carson Wentz or Matt Ryan, they will definitely become a playoff contending team again.
20. Minnesota Vikings, 7-9 (previous rank: 21)
The Minnesota Vikings are in an unusual QB situation. Kirk Cousins has shown dominance when playing weaker teams, throwing for 400 yards in week 17 against the Lions. This makes some fans think that Cousins should stay and was worth the terrible contact they signed. Their defense also stinks, and, according to Locked On Today podcast, the "Vikings were too soft this season."
19. Los Angeles Chargers, 5-11 (previous rank: 20)
The Chargers showed some promise with their QB this season, and managed to put up more of a fight then most expected. If Herbert doesn't regress, the Chargers may have a shot at the playoffs this year, however slim.
18. Denver Broncos, 5-11 (previous rank: 18)
The Broncos are another hard team to rank. If they supply themselves with an actual QB like Matt Ryan, the Broncos team will become a serious competitor for the Super Bowl. I had a lot of controversy in my mind over where this team stands, and I still think I ranked them to high.
17. Chicago Bears, 8-8 (previous rank: 19)
This Bears team is a real dilemma. They're defense is good, but their offense is a lot of question marks, especially QB wise. NVP Mitchell Trybulski has not shown the spark he once had. The offensive line was a mess last season, and even though their defense was good, it wasn't enough to get them higher than 8-8.
16. Las Vegas Raiders, 8-8 (previous rank: 17)
You don't even have to watch a Raider's game to know they need to upgrade their defense. Their offense was surprisingly good and even Beat the Kansas City Chiefs, who were 14-2 this season. With a good defense the Raiders are a very serious playoff contender.
15. Arizona Cardinals, 8-8 (previous rank: 16)
Even though I am obviously a Rams fan, I respect my divisional rivals. They improved greatly this season and managed to pull of an upset against the 13-3 Buffalo Bills. They would have been much higher on this list if they hadn't lost 7-18 to a Rams team with a backup QB.
14. Indianapolis Colts, 11-5 (previous rank: 8)
The Colts missed out on Mathew Stafford, so unless the Texans want to trade Deshaun Watson to a divisional rival, the Colts are stuck in the QB position. The Colt's two options as of now are Matt Ryan and Carson Wentz. unfortunately for the Colts, the Falcons are possibly not trading Matt Ryan and the Eagles are asking way to much for Carson Wentz. Things look grim for the Colts, but patience is the best thing the can do right now.
13. Tennessee Titans, 11-5 (previous rank: 7)
The Titans were dominant into the midway point of the season, however they began to slip near the end. This team's ranking will have to depend on how they fare without their offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, who recently took Atlanta's head coach job.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers, 12-4 (previous rank: 12)
For the first time in my five years of writing Offseason Power Ranking, this is the first time the Steelers ended up behind the Top Ten. Big Ben was regressing later down the season. They lost to teams they shouldn't have, like Washington. And even though the defense was good this season, they were kicked from the playoffs by the Browns. The Steelers did not live up to expectations at all.
11. Seattle Seahawks, 12-4 (previous rank: 11)
The Seahawks had a strange inconsistency throughout the season. Either their offense was great and their defense was trash, or vise versa. The Seahawks have gotten lots of flak for their offensive line negligence, but it's not like they haven't tried to repair it. They traded for Duane Brown, spent a first-round pick on Germain Ifedi and found a gem in the third round last year when they selected Damien Lewis. That said, they probably should've addressed the offensive line further when they wasted a first-round pick on L.J. Collier in 2019.
10. Miami Dolphins, 10-6 (previous rank: 13)
Despite finishing 10-6 this season, the Dolphins are a fierce competitor for the playoffs this season. Unfortunately for me, this team is hard to rank because they are linked with Watson. If they start with Tua Tagovailoa this year they could be major playoff competitors. If they start with Deshaun Watson, they would be Super Bowl Contenders.
9. Cleveland Browns, 11-5 (previous rank: 10)
The Browns have shown unnatural aggressiveness, this season, going all the way to putting a fight up against the 14-2 Chiefs in the Divisional Round. For all five years of writing power rankings, the Browns were either in the low 30s or the high 20s. Now their breaking the top ten. Of course, everything depends on if Baker Mayfield plays like he did in 2019 or 2020. Hopefully for the Brown's it the latter.
8. New Orleans Saints, 12-4 (previous rank: 5)
With Drew Brees most likely retiring, the New Orleans Saints will be playing without the All-Star QB for the first time in 15 years. The only reason they still break the top ten is because they still have a lot of weapons. But, if I could, I would rate them a question mark. They are in cap space hell, and we don't know how well they'll actually play without Brees. For now, however, the Saints remain in the top 10.
7. San Francisco 49ers, 6-10 (previous rank: 14)
It hurts me write this, but the 49ers are main competitors for the playoffs and even the Super Bowl. They injured so many players last year, and if they don't do that this season, they could regain those 2019-2020 vibes. They may not be the best team in the NFC, but if they don't injure players like they did last season, they could be easy favorites.
6. Baltimore Ravens, 11-5 (previous rank: 6)
The Ravens are a strong team, and they'll be even better with Ronnie Stanley returning to play. Their only major flaw is the passing game. They ranked very low in the subject and it cost them a divisional round game. If they manage to improve on that, they could become the team to beat in the NFC North.
5. Buffalo Bills, 13-3 (previous rank: 4)
The Bills, unfortunately, were the worst team in the Championship round. They didn't play like they used to. They'll most likely be back next year, but they'll still have Patrick Mahomes in the way. Will this Bills team end up being like the 90s Utah Jazz team, who were really good but never won because they kept running into Michael Jordan? For the Bill's Mafia that has waited 25 years for this, I hope not.
4. Green Bay Packers, 13-3 (previous rank: 3)
This Packers Team would probably be first on this list and be the team throwing the Lombardi trophy across boats if they had drafted Chase Claypool or Tee Higgins instead of -Shudder!- Jordan Love. This team fortunately has an amazing chance at the Super Bowl, but this time they don't have a first round draft pick. . .they would probably draft another QB anyway,
3. Los Angeles Rams, 10-6 (previous rank: 9)
The Rams made a huge jump on the ranking table after the Stafford-Goff trade, and they could jump even further if they can draft players like Marvin Jones. And every Rams fan prays that they somehow manage to draft JJ Watts. The Rams have a bright future, even though it might be short term
2. Kansas City Chiefs, 14-2 (previous rank: 1)
First off, I didn't put the Chiefs at number 2 just because they lost the Super Bowl, its because I know the effects of losing them. The 2018 Los Angeles Rams went from 13-3 to 9-7 after they lost the Super Bowl, and they didn't lose by 22 points. Fortunately, Patrick Mahomes is still young and none of their players are being traded, so they still have amazing odds for the Super Bowl.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 11-5 (previous rank: 2)
The Buccaneers have the G.O.A.T on their side, and their defense seems to be just getting better and better. The only problem I can see is how long it will last. The Tampa Defense struggled earlier in the season and could detain them from getting an incredible record. That doesn't mean they aren't my favorite team to win it all.

Thanks for reading! These take a lot of time and effort, so please be supportive!

277 Media Analysts Made Predictions for the Browns game...93% picked the Chiefs

231 Media Analysts Made Predictions for the Rams game...91% picked the Packers

284 Media Analysts Made Predictions for the Bucs game...54% picked the Saints

2020 Offseason Review: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Division: NFC South (7-9 2nd in the Division)
Head Coach: Bruce Arians
Offensive Coordinator: Byron Leftwich
Defensive Coordinator: Todd Bowles

Intro: Let me Get Something off my Chest

A couple of months ago, I wrote the Buccaneers 32 Teams/32 Days Post. Looking back a it, I’m sticking to my guns on most of my analysis. There’s just…one….little….thing….we need to talk about. Regarding Jameis’s pending free agent status, I said:

There's also the question of QB. Jameis is also a UFA and I'd say there's a...40% chance we re-sign him. So who replaces him, and would an aging veteran QB like Brady or Rivers really be a marked improvement?

[Sneezes in Boston accent]
The answer is yes, Fencing Coach, you fawkin dumbass!
Did you really think that Jameis Winston was a bettah option than Tawm Fawkin’ Brady 6-time supah bowl champion and enemy of Rawjuh Fawkin’ Goodell? You were fawkin’ wrong!
Admit to the good people of Aw/NFL that you wuh just another paht of the fake news media that tried to say Tawm Bwady deflated the footballs and that Bill Belichick used the video cameras for the SpyGates!
And who would have evah guessed that we’d end up with Gronk! What a yeeyah! What an offseason you fawkin’ pessimist! We got the GOAT! Get ya Covid immunity TB12 pills and shove ‘em up yuh asshole!
[Snaps out of it]
Okay, now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, let’s get serious for a moment. This is the final Hail Mary of the underwhelming Jason Licht era, and aggressive moves were made this offseason, because the excuses have finally run out.
Since taking over the team in 2014, Jason Licht is on his third head coach (to be fair, Lovie Smith was not his choice) and only has a 34-62 (.35) record to show for, 0 playoff appearances, and only one winning season.
Meanwhile, a select list of his GM peers hired since include:

Brett Veach (Chiefs – Hired 2017): Super Bowl Champions, 3x playoff appearances, 34-14 record.
John Lynch (49ers – Hired 2017): NFC Champions, 23-25 record.
John Robinson (Titans – Hired 2016): 2x Playoff Appearances (Lost divisional in 2019), 36-28 record.
Brandon Beane (Bills – Hired 2017): 2x Playoff Appearances, 25-23 record.

Big moves were made this offseason at the Quarterback position, bringing in a certain 6th round pick out of Michigan to compete with the ethereal and legendary Blaine Gabbert. Jameis was shown the door. And the result is about a case of beer’s worth of cap space and little depth across the roster. Buckle your Bucs, this is going to be a helluvah ride.

2020 Outlook

Hard to believe that I’m now in Year 6 of writing these offseason reviews for Tampa, and outside of 2017 where I was wildly off on predicting our record, I’ve managed to fall within one victory/loss in each of the other four. The past two seasons, I’ve predicted our exact record. While Covid delays could impact the 2020 season itself, I predict the Tom Brady Bucs will go 10-6, win the wild card, and lose in the Divisional round.

Year	My Prediction	Actual
2015	7-9	6-10
2016	10-6	9-7
2017	10-6	5-11
2018	5-11	5-11
2019	7-9	7-9
2020	10-6	???

Things I Like About the Bucs in 2020

The Defense: The Bucs finished 2019 with the top ranked run defense, led by beefy Tevita Tuliʻakiʻono Tuipulotu Mosese Vaʻhae Fehoko Faletau Vea. Sack Ferret had a breakout year and led the league in sacks, and Jason Pierre-Paul added 8.5 sacks off the edge despite starting only 8 games. Our ILB unit of Lavonte David and Devin White should be among the best tandems in the league. GM Jason Licht has drafted a fine trio of CB’s in Carlton Davis, Sean Murphy-Bunting, and Jamel Dean, and the addition of Antoine Winfield Jr. will add an instant performer. Suddenly, defense isn’t a concern when it’s been in the past.
People on Offense who Touch the Football Through the Air: If you told me a few months ago that Tom Brady would be throwing footballs in Tampa to Rob Gronkowski, I would have recommended you go see a shrink. But in the year 2020, anything happens. The receiving corps of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Rob Gronkowski, Cameron Brate, and OJ Howard is the best in the NFL, and I can’t be convinced otherwise.

Things That Scare me About the Bucs in 2020:

The Kicking Game: Matt Gay was a 77.1% kicker as a rookie and missed big in some clutch situations. The Jason Licht era has brought in names like Roberto Aguayo, Nick Folk, Chandler Catanzaro, Kyle Brindza, and Cairo Santos (to name a few). None have gotten the job done. Kicker simply can’t be a liability. Gay has to get that % up to the high 80’s. Kickers have lost us numerous games in the last few years. We’re becoming the Minnesota Vikings of the NFC South. A team will only be as strong as its weakest link, and the kicking link has been dreadful.
People on Offense who Run the Football: I’m not sold on Ronald Jones, mostly because his blocking is still horrid and his vision is suspect. He also goes down if he gets hit with the force of a butterfly landing on his shoulder. Shady McCoy was brought in at the veteran minimum, but he was old enough to fight in the Revolutionary War. 3rd round pick Ke’Shawn Vaughn’s ceiling seems like a low one to me and he crosses me more as a utility back than a feature one (more on him in the draft analysis section). The running game is far less important in the NFL of the 2020’s, but there isn’t anyone on this roster who I think can carry the load.
People on Offense who are Supposed to Protect Tom Brady from Dying: Donovan Smith improved in 2019 from abysmal to below average, but below average is what people like Cameron Jordan make mincemeat out of. Tristan Wirfs is a rookie, and rookie OT’s are liabilities more often than not. Ali Marpet is still a stud, and Ryan Jensen improved mightily in year 2 in Tampa. Alex Cappa (RG) is a work in progress and it’s too early to dismiss the guy yet, but progress needs to be made there. For Brady’s sake, this unit has to keep him upright. 43 year olds aren’t meant to withstand hits made with the force of an 18-wheeler.

2020 Draft Analysis

Round/Pick	Player	Analysis
Round 1, #13 Overall	Tristan Wirfs (RT – Iowa)	Admittedly, I always struggle with evaluating OL positions. I thought Chance Warmack, Robert Gallery, and Jason Smith were generational talents. They were far from that. So take what I have to say with a grain of salt, and listen to people like Barian_Fostate who did an excellent breakdown of Wirfs and Jedrick Wills, with the evaluation noting some glaring flaws in Wirfs’ footwork and hand technique. There’s no denying that Wirfs’ athletic ability is deity level batshit. At 6’5, 320 pounds, he ran a 4.86 forty at the Combine, had a 36.5” vertical, and a 10’1 broad jump. Not to mention, the kid can straight up jump out of a pool and casually hang clean 500 pounds. I wanted to watch how Wirfs performed against some of his incoming peers in the NFL, so I watched his matchup against Pedophilia State University to see how he’d fare against Yetur Gross-Matos, 2nd round pick of the Panthers and future division opponent. The results were…underwhelming. YGM brought constant pressure throughout the game, and seemed to have Wirfs beat from his first step onward, but in the same game, his ability in the run game was eye opening (Example). But then you had cases of sheer lack of awareness on blitzes and also stunts that showed deep areas of weakness for Wirfs. One way or another, this was a necessary pick, and even if he doesn’t pan out at RT, Wirfs’ athleticism and gifted abilities in the run game will make him a long-term key part of the Bucs and a potential Guard candidate.
Round 2, #45 Overall	Antoine Winfield Jr. (S – Minnesota)	Antoine Winfield Jr.’s entrance into the league was a “you’re an old man” moment for us Redditors in our 30’s who grew up watching his “Hall of Very Good” father. This was a pretty pick. While Winfield is of course a safety, the very first thing that stood out to me watching his tape was his pass rush ability. Yes, his pass rush ability. The first couple of clips I put on of Winfield had him perfectly timing a snap from the box and immediately in the backfield by the time the QB had the ball in his hands. The second thing that stood out was his nose for the ball, particularly in clutch situations. As Joe Theismann simply stated: “big players make big plays,” and that couldn’t have been more true of Winfield, who had big time game saving interceptions against both Fresno State and Penn State. Winfield was my favorite pick of the Buccaneers draft class, and what he lacks in size he makes up for in speed and an excellent nose for the ball. Keep an eye out for this one.
Round 3, #76 Overall	Ke’Shawn Vaughn (RB – Vanderbilt)	Ke’Shawn Vaughn was one of the harder players to scout from this Buccaneer class, simply because it looked like he would have been better off with an offensive line of obese, beefy toddlers than whatever Vanderbilt rolled out for him. Nearly every snap I viewed of him, he rarely had a clean hole and was hit in the backfield the moment he touched the ball. Like, seriously, what is this? Vaughn’s biggest strengths to me showed up on tape with designed outside runs. Between the tackles, he showed little elusiveness, and a similar issue I saw with former Buccaneer pick Jeremy McNichol is that Vaughn tended to make multiple cuts before turning upfield. Not a good thing. Unlike a glaring weakness I saw in McNichols’ complete inability to block, it’s an area where Vaughn succeeded with flying colors. This, along with his adequate pass catching abilities (28 receptions for 270 yards in 2019) will make him a valuable 3rd down back in the beginning of his career (assuming RoJo is anointed the feature back). There are some traits in a RB that can’t be coached, like vision. There are other things like running upright with high pad level, a weakness I frequently saw with Vaughn that can be taught. Vaughn crosses me as a valuable utility player who may get looks as a feature back should RoJo continue to struggle. The value was there with his 3rd round selection, but expectations for his upside should be kept in check.
Round 5, #161 Overall	Tyler Johnson (WR – Minnesota)	A lot of the Buccaneers crew is pretty high on the Tyler Johnson pick. Pro Football Focus (PFF) had him top 50 on their big board and a Round 2 grade. I just don’t see it. Not at all, in fact. For a guy who stands at a mere 6’1 and is expected to play slot receiver, his speed and separation stand out as glaring weaknesses on tape. What I do like however, is his footwork coming off the line. Most of the time he’d beat his receivers within the first 5-7 yards off the line, but when it came to the deep ball I didn’t see a lot of “wow” factor. Tyler Johnson, I think, will be a reserve WR, which is exactly what you want from a 5th round pick. But I don’t see him as the massive steal many other fans did.
Round 6, #194 Overall	Khalil Davis (DT – Nebraska)	Played alongside his twin brother Carlos at Nebraska (who went one round later to the Steelers). I watched Davis’s game against Wisconsin and he looked to me like he’d fit best as a backup 5-tech. Not particularly explosive with a slow first step, and there were numerous occasions when he did penetrate the backfield but had terrible angles on the RB. Mind you, he was playing against Jonathan Taylor and a stalwart OL, but you want to see flashes of brilliance, even against good competition. Did not see anything that made me say: “this guy’s going to make our final roster.”
Round 7, #241 Overall	Chapelle Russell (LB – Temple)	I was able to find little tape of Russell, but one area where I do trust Jason Licht is in his ability to scout LB’s. I’m not going to pretend I know anything about Russell. I don’t.
Round 7, #245 Overall	Raymond Calais (RB – Louisiana Lafayette)	Calais’s best shot to make the roster will likely be as a return man, where he excelled at Louisiana Lafayette. Based on the limited tape I saw of him, I saw flashes of Felix Jones for his ability to get big gains off of draw plays in the shotgun. Obviously a longshot to make the roster.

Schedule Predictions

Week	Opponent	Prediction	Analysis
Week 1	@Saints	27-24 Bucs (1-0)	Bucs pass rush finds a way to get to Brees. Fun fact: this will be the oldest matchup of QB’s ever in NFL history…until the Bucs play the Saints again in week 9.
Week 2	Panthers	34-20 Bucs (2-0)	Panthers are no doubt in rebuild mode right now. In the past two matchups, Bucs run game has managed to stifle Christian McAffrey. Keep an eye on rookie Yetur Gross-Matos. I think he’ll have a more immediate impact than even 1st round pick Derrick Brown.
Week 3	@Broncos	37-28 Bucs (3-0)	Always a challenge to play at Mile High on the road, but I think the Bucs defense will manage to shut down a young and budding Broncos offense. On a Broncos note, I’ll never understand Jeudy being the 2nd WR off the board (let alone the 2nd Bama receiver taken). Best route runner I’ve seen enter the league since OBJ.
Week 4	Chargers	28-21 Chargers (3-1)	No, I’m not too high on Justin Herbert, but when the Bucs play a rookie QB, I’m usually prone to pick the other team. For some reason, no matter the Head Coach and/or defensive coordinator, the Bucs crumple into fetal position against rookies.
Week 5	@Bears	31-13 Bucs (4-1)	If Foles’ performance against the Bucs last year is any indication, they have his number. Pray that Mitch Trubisky doesn’t start. In his last outing against Tampa, he threw 6 TD’s. He did that as a rookie, mind you. Remember what I said about Bucs against rookie QB’s?
Week 6	Packers	28-24 Packers (4-2)	Rumors of Aaron Rodgers’ demise are greatly exaggerated. It’s a team that’s just complete enough on both sides of the ball that I find it surprising so many are writing them off.
Week 7	@Raiders	34-31 Bucs (5-2)	Here’s another team that is starting to form well under the cracker Mike Mayock. Raiders will be as good as Carr is in Gruden’s offense, and while he improved somewhat in Chucky’s offense by the end of year 2, this is a team at the tipping point between playoffs and an outright QB replacement.
Week 8	@Giants	37-17 Bucs (6-2)	Though rookie Daniel Jones (sense a trend here?) shredded the Bucs with gusto last year, Bucs run defense should be able to neutralize Saquon, and despite a good rookie showing, I don’t have much faith in the long term prospects of Daniel Jones.
Week 9	Saints	20-17 Saints (6-3)	Can usually count on the Saints and Bucs to split the division series. And once again, the oldest QB matchup ever. Put on some episodes of MASH. Get your Bingo cards ready. It’s geriatric QB time.
Week 10	@Panthers	41-21 Bucs (7-3)	Will there be a season by this point? I don’t know. But I still like the Bucs to sweep the series with the Panthers this season.
Week 11	LA Rams	24-17 Rams (7-4)	Rams offense is all of a sudden looking less like the powerhouse it was from a few years ago, but their defense is still nasty. Aaron Donald will make any QB poop their pants, including Tom Brady. This will be a violent defensive battle and I think the Rams will take the edge.
Week 12	Chiefs	37-27 Chiefs (7-5)	For years on NFL going back to his time at Texas Tech, I told you all to get on board the Mahomes canoe. Love seeing him already building his Madden legacy. I’m just not going to bet against him right now.
Week 13	Bye	N/A	I have no way of confirming this, but I’m fairly certain during the bye week Bruce Arians clears out his office and runs an illegal cockfighting ring with his assistant coaches. You can’t convince me I’m wrong.
Week 14	Vikings	31-28 Bucs (8-5)	Vikings remain a balanced team on offense and defense and the Zim Zamm still can’t be flim flammed. Close game here that will be a defensive battle with a few big time plays on offense sprinkled in.
Week 15	Falcons	34-27 Falcons (8-6)	I’m glad to see Raheem Morris back in a DC position after seeing him work his way back up the coaching ranks. Always one of my favorite Buccaneer coaches despite his (many) flaws. I pick the Falcons in our first matchup because of one man and only one man: Julio Jones. Jones has now played a full 16 games in his career against Tampa, coming up with a staggering 116 catches for 1,841 yards and 11 TD’s. That’s cruelty.
Week 16	Lions	41-14 Bucs (9-6)	I have a feeling by this point in the season, Fat Patricia will be one of the first Head Coaches fired and the Lions will be staffed by Interim Head Coach Darrell Bevell. The Bucs will be playing a team with a wounded ego ready to be put down like Old Yeller.
Week 17	Falcons	28-3 Bucs (10-6)	Bucs fight hard to squeak into the playoffs, their first appearance since 2007.

Final Projection: Bucs win wild card, lose in the Divisional Round

Projected Starting Lineup & Analysis: Offense

QB- Tom Brady: See above analysis. Probably Wrong Projected Stats: 4,438 yards, 67.1% completion percentage, 33 TD’s, 13 INT’s
WR1 – Mike Evans: At only 26 years old, Mike Evans already sits at 128th all-time on the career receiving yards list, and has a chance to pass [checks notes] Michael Crabtree on the all-time list this season. In every season in the league, Evans has surpassed 1,000 yards and has become a hallmark of consistency, even with the suspect supporting cast around him. Having an accurate QB for the first time in his career will be a huge benefits to Evans. Probably Wrong Projected Stats: 70 receptions, 1,213 yards, 6 TD’s
WR2 – Chris Godwin: Godwin had a brilliant breakout last season, earning 2nd Team All-Pro honors (that probably would have been 1st team had his season not been cut short by injury). While Evans might be the bigger threat, Godwin is among the most complete receivers in the league. A fantastic route runner with sure hands—and perhaps his most overlooked quality is his blocking. Find me a WR who does it better right now. You won’t. Probably Wrong Projected Stats: 77 receptions, 1,387 yards, 7 TD’s
RB – Ronald Jones: RB is one of the few positions where fans can reasonably expect instant production from a player when he transitions from the college ranks to the pros. As a rookie, RoJo was a mega dud who could barely find the field in the Koetter era. He took a huge step forward in year 2 (724 yards, 4.2 ypc) but still often disappeared in games and lacked the pass protection skills that are so necessary in Arians’ offense. RoJo will have Vaughn to take off some of his workload, but I still see RoJo as one of the weakest links on an otherwise complete offense. Probably Wrong Projected Stats: 808 Rushing yards (4.2 YPC), 5 TD’s
TE – Rob Gronkowski: See above analysis. Probably Wrong Projected Stats: 41 receptions, 614 yards, 6 TD’s
LT – Donovan Smith: Donovan Smith provides as much protection as Jeffrey Epstein’s guards when he was on suicide watch. While Tom Brady tends to release the ball far faster than Winston, the Arians offense designed for Brady better be getting the ball out fast. 43 year old QB’s aren’t meant to take the kinds of hits Winston did. Let’s hope that Tristan Wirfs is able to prove himself a viable option on the left side. We’ll be able to get out of Donovan Smith’s contract after this season with no cap ramifications. On a side note, there’s a decent change Donovan Smith will opt out of his contract due to Covid concerns. And I wouldn’t blame him one bit.
LG – Ali Marpet: Marpet continues to be the most reliable piece of our OL. Like Lavonte, a continually unheralded player who you can rely on to go toe-to-toe with the league’s best interior DL while manhandling the dregs of the NFL. I thought last season would be Marpet’s shot at a 2nd Team All-Pro, but he was passed over once again. Love Marpet.
C – Ryan Jensen: Jensen’s first year with the team was free agent bust material. He seemed to thrive more in the Arians offense and we saw marked improvement in all facets of his game last year. Overpaid for his value? Definitely. Living up more and more to the contract we gave him? Yup.
RG – Alex Cappa: When Jason Licht rolled the dice on small school Humboldt State product Alex Cappa, he may have been expecting the next Ali Marpet. In his first full season as a starter, there were things to be encouraged by and I’m a little more bullish on Cappa than most of the fan base. Though he allowed 31 pressures on 562 pass snaps (roughly 6% pressure rate), I saw Cappa’s confidence growing as the season went on. His third season will tell us what his true ceiling in this league is. Right now, his floor isn’t Garrett Gilkey, but his ceiling ain’t Earl Grey.
RT – Tristan Wirfs: See above analysis.

Projected Starting Lineup & Analysis: Defense

EDGE – Sack Ferret: The Sack Ferret was brought on a 1 year, $4 million deal last season. I predicted he’d be a 5.5 sack guy and then probably hit free agency again. Just like we all expected, he went off and led the league in sacks with 19.5 (more than his previous five years in the league combined) and earned himself the franchise tag. Barrett has quickly become a fan favorite, and while I don’t see him replicating his majestic 2019 season, I still think he’ll be the same terror he’s been off the edge. Probably wrong projected stats: 12.5 sacks.
0-Tech - Tevita Tuliʻakiʻono Tuipulotu Mosese Vaʻhae Fehoko Faletau Vea: Running on the Buccaneers in 2019 was damn near impossible, so much so that the team only allowed 73.8 rushing yards per game. That success started up front with Vita Vea, who has quickly emerged as the league’s top 0-tech. Unfortunately, like his forefathers in Vince Wilfork and Casey Hampton, he’s likely to spend his career as a valuable defensive cog who receives few to no career accolades due to the “unsexiness” of being a two-gap space eating defender. So NFL, here’s a homework assignment for you. Watch Vea on All-22 if you have some time while on Covid lockdown. You will see one of the most absurdly athletic big men in the league who is your definition of immovable object. His progress last year was a joy to watch and he’s quickly becoming one of my favorite players. Oh, and he’s the best TE on the Bucs. By far. Probably wrong projected stats: 2.5 sacks, 2 receiving TD’s.
5-Tech – Ndamukong Suh: We brought Suh back on another 1 year deal. No, he’s not the player he once was (he’s even refrained from curbstomping genitals in Tampa…so far), but his attitude he sets on the field has been a welcome change compared to the namby-pamby milquetoasts on our DL from the past. Suh’s value will come mostly in the run game. His sack producing days are long gone. Probably wrong projected stats: 3.5 sacks.
EDGE – Jason Pierre-Paul: It’s [checks notes] August, and Jason Pierre-Paul hasn’t had an offseason accident. Praise the football Gods. Despite starting in only 8 games last year due to a serious auto accident, JPP managed 8.5 sacks. At 31, father time hasn’t quite caught up with him yet. Probably wrong projected stats: 9.5 sacks.
ILB – Lavonte David: The good part of Lavonte David bouncing inside last season to Will is that he no longer got grouped in the same bucket as sack-producing 3-4 OLB’s who beat him out for All-Pro nods nearly every year. Even at 30, Lavonte only seems to be getting better, and his instincts and smarts continue to essential to the defense. Though Lavonte is one half of the Mike tandem and has been one of the league’s best LB’s’ for all of 8 seasons, I don’t think he’s going to be the centerpiece stud. Keep Devin White’s name at the forefront of your mind, which leads me to... Probably wrong projected stats: 3.5 sacks, 3 INT’s
ILB – Devin “Get Live 45” White: If you’ve read any of my posts here for the last 5+ years, you would see I don’t take a blind homer approach with player evaluation. Not once have I predicted a Buccaneer would win the MVP award, nor have I predicted a Buccaneer would win DPOY. In fact, only once have I ever predicted we’d be a playoff team. Now that preamble is done, let me say it outright: Devin White is going to win Defensive Player of the Year in Year 2. What? Mikes never win, you say. And you’d be mostly correct. In fact, Vegas odds don’t even have Devin White listed in their top 10. Here’s what I saw from Devin White in the last half of his rookie season: an absolutely insane nose for forcing the fumble, excellent pass rush abilities, and smarts that put him in the backfield often before the RB even had the ball in his hands. I saw enough from him to believe his leap in year 2 is going to be similar to that of Luke Kuechly’s where he won DPOY in his second year in the league. Wherever the ball is, Devin White will be there. You’re going to see one of the league’s dominant defensive enforcers for a long, long time. Probably wrong projected stats: 6.0 sacks, 5 INT’s, 6 FF’s.
FS – Antoine Winfield Jr.: See above analysis. I think we’re also going to see Justin Evans get cut Probably wrong projected stats: 2.0 sacks, 2 INT’s
SS – Jordan Whitehead: Jordan White is the most underrated player on the Buccaneers defense, in my eyes. No, not Lavonte, because people talk about how underrated he is all the time to the point he’s not so underrated anymore. Whitehead’s mistakes went down drastically last year and he has a knack for being where the football is. Really like him and could see some big plays from him this season. Probably wrong projected stats: 1.0 sacks, 3 INT’s
CB – Carlton Davis: Bruce Arians doesn’t give empty praise, but he recently called Carlton Davis a top ten CB in the league, an assessment I’m inclined to agree with. He was battle tested big time in year 2, getting targeted 105 times and only allowing 52.4% of those balls thrown his way to be completed. He was able to shadow the best, and his 18 pass breakups are indicative of a guy with great awareness. And the funny thing is, he’s not even the CB I’m highest on with this roster. Probably wrong projected stats: 4 INT’s
CB – Jamel Dean: For a guy who came in as a 3rd round rookie, Dean exceeded expectations and then some. His first game as a starter came against the Seahawks, there’s no sugarcoating it—he got owned. But what I saw was a guy who stayed stride for stride with his receiver with little help over the top. By the end of his rookie season, he was looking like a shutdown corner. This is the CB I’m most excited for in 2020. Kid’s got a bright future. Probably wrong projected stats: 3 INT’s
CB – Sean Murphy-Bunting: When I’m wrong, I admit I’m helluh wrong, and with Murphy-Bunting, I was helluh wrong. Yes, it’s been only one season and things could still go south, but I was baffled when we passed on Greedy Williams in favor of SMB.

Non-Buccaneer Predictions for the Season

My 2018 breakout player prediction was Patrick Mahomes. Last year, it was Joshua Jacobs and Corey Davis (oops). This year, you need to watch J.K. Dobbins (rookie, Baltimore), N’Keal Harry (2nd year, NE). Perhaps not a true breakout, but I think Calvin Ridley will surpass 1,000 yards and become an even bigger complement to Julio Jones.
MVP will go to Russ Wilson. DPOY will go to Devin White (and if you’ve been reading these posts long enough you know I don’t usually go the homer approach). OPOY will go to Patrick Mahomes. COTY will go to Cliff Kingsbury.
The NFC Championship will be played between the 49ers and the Cowboys. The Cowboys will win. The AFC Championship will be played between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New England Patriots. The Chiefs will win. The Chiefs will repeat in the Super Bowl, defeating the Cowboys.
Last year I wrote: “Sam Darnold isn’t going to amount to much as an NFL QB. Not this year, and probably not ever.” I’ll repeat it this year too. But let me add one guy to that list: Tua Tagovailoa.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire isn’t the superstar you think he is. I think his career will wind up like Joseph Addai’s: a guy who had a few flash in the pan seasons but never among the top backs. That’s not a bad thing, I would just cool expectations on him.
The teams with the highest potential to land a top 5 pick, in no particular order: Lions, Jaguars, the Washington Football team (I feel like an idiot even typing that), Bears, Jets. Dark Horse: Eagles.
Coaches who have the hottest seats: Fat Patricia, Dan Quinn, Adam Gase, Doug Marrone, Bill O’Brien (as coach and GM).

Shoutouts

Shoutouts to my fellow mods on Buccaneers and NFL. It's a pleasure working with you all every day and shooting the shit with dank memes. And of course, much love to platypusofdeath who puts an insane amount of work into this series every year. Thank you for all you do.

r/NFL Top 100 Players of the 2019 Season - #40-31

Welcome to the reveal for players ranked 40-31 for this year’s NFL Top 100 Players for the 2019 Season!

Players whose average rank had them land in places 40-31 are on this portion of the list revealed today. Players are associated with the team they finished 2019 with.
Below you will see write-ups from rankers summarizing the players' 2019 season and why they were among the best in 2019. Stats for each player are from this season and are included below. Additionally, their previous ranks in this long running series are also available for all of you.
Methodology
LINK TO THE HUB POST WITH A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE METHODOLOGY

A CALL FOR RANKERS just after the Super Bowl.
Rankers for each team nominated players to rank. 10 Games Played Minimum Threshold. Players are associated with the team they finished the 2019 Season with.
The Grind. Utilize ranking threads for individual rankers broken up by positional group. Users were tasked with ranking players within the following tiers based on their evaluation: T-25, T-50, T-100, T-125 based on 2019 regular season only. There were no individual case threads. There were no arbitrary position limit caps. Just questions and rankings.
Users submitted their individual Top 125 list. Ranking out to 125 is new for this year.
User lists were reviewed for outliers by me with assistance from two former rankers. Users were permitted to correct any mistakes found. Once complete, lists were locked.
Reveal the list… right now.

So now, without further ado, here are the players ranked 40-31 in the NFL Top 100 Players of the 2019 Season!

#40 - Zack Martin - Offensive Guard - Dallas Cowboys

Previous Ranks

2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
N/A	N/A	59	41	24	17	35

Written By: slayer1791
2019 was more of the same from Zack Martin. Another year, another Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection. While playing 99% of the offensive snaps in 2019 Martin gave up zero sacks and only 3 hits. He had the highest pass-blocking grade from PFF and was very strong in the run game as well.
Our first look at Zack’s impressive 2019 is with him thoroughly handling Cox. His technique is incredibly and a pleasure to watch. Here we see another play where Martin handles two guys. Last we have an example of where Cox penetrates deeper than Martin wants, but he still manages to make it work. If you have the time, I would recommend watching the full film session. If you are really into watching big men go at it, it is basically porn.
2019 was great for Martin and given his performance probably should have been a bit higher up on the list. Next year Cowboys fans will expect more of the same from their All-Pro guard.

#39 - Minkah Fitzpatrick - Free Safety - Pittsburgh Steelers

Previous Ranks

2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/R

Written By: Astro63
Back on Monday, September 16th, fresh off an 0-2 start to the season and the grim news that Ben Roethlisberger was done for the year, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert made the shocking decision to flip their 2020 1st Rounder to the Dolphins in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick. The trade was widely criticized initially, as many believed the Steelers had surrendered a valuable high draft pick. Instead, the Steelers ended up landing an immediate game-changer on defense and a centerpiece for their secondary for many years to come. Minkah Fitzpatrick took over at Free Safety from the day he arrived in Pittsburgh and all the coverage lapses and miscommunications that plagued the secondary for years seemingly vanished overnight. Statistically speaking, the Steelers defense vaulted up the rankings in every meaningful coverage category following this acquisition, including year-end 194.56 YPG Allowed (3rd) and 5.5 Net Yards per Attempt (4th). After getting torched for multiple deep passes in the two games prior to his arrival, the Steelers secondary allowed a league-low 12 plays of 25 yards or more over 14 games with Minkah roaming deep center-field.
After spending time bouncing around multiple roles in Miami, Pittsburgh made it a point of emphasis for Minkah to settle down at single-high Free Safety and maximize his skillset in that role. It is safe to say that the decision paid off. Minkah was given the liberty to roam the deep-third of the field and use his range to both take away big plays over the top and attack downhill when need be. In 14 Games in Pittsburgh, Minkah was targeted only 17 times and allowed 9 receptions for 108 yards total and an astronomically low 33.1 Passer Rating when Targeted, which speaks to his effectiveness as a safety-blanket behind aggressive off-man coverage cornerbacks. Minkah is also an extremely instinctual player who can recognize route concepts and use his range and positioning to close passing lanes. There were many instances where Minkah would sit in deep coverage and come crashing down on underneath routes as they were developing. He also showcased a great knack for being in the right place at the right time, including a jaw-dropping 97 yard Pick-6. On the whole, Minkah finished the year with 5 INTs and 9 PDs despite going largely un-targeted during the back-half of the season. His presence over the top drastically limited what opposing offenses could execute vertically and his elite positioning consistently led to big plays in big moments. It may sound like hyperbole, but all Steelers fans would agree that his arrival completely revitalized the secondary and allowed the unit to perform as aggressively and effectively as HC Mike Tomlin envisioned.
Minkah Fitzpatrick was awarded First-Team All-Pro honors at Safety in only his second season in the league, and I’m not even sure if he has reached his ceiling yet. One thing is for sure, Pittsburgh found themselves a superstar in the making and a centerpiece in their secondary for hopefully a decade (or more) to come.

#38 - Drew Brees - Quarterback- New Orleans Saints

Previous Ranks

2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
8	9	38	34	26	15	4

Written By: Lazy_Street
What to say about the QB that has everything. (Except an MVP, Don't worry I'M NOT BITTER). Drew Brees is defying the odds as he continues to play at an elite level in the twilight stages of his career. Some rankers did not rank him this year because they discounted time lost for injury, otherwise he probably would've made another Top 25 appearance on this list. Still, 38th overall is perfectly acceptable for how his season played out. Discounting the Rams game where he was injured, Brees had only 2 other games below a 105 QB rating.
In the beginning, Breesus won against the Texans, and it was good. Then Aaron Donald savagely assaulted Drew's thumb with his giant meaty club of a hammock he calls a hand and the world was thrust into darkness for 100 years. Then a new avatar named Teddy appeared. Brees got his thumb fixed and came back and fucked on the schedule for the rest of the year. The man came back with his new thumb and dropped 3 tuddies and 370 yards on the Cards. The only games he didn't truly look comfortable were the games against the Falcons and that was due to Grady Jarrett eating the interior OL's lunch on both occasions.
I know a lot has been said about Drew's waning physical ability but his play in December was the probably the biggest reason he is so high on this list. His stat line in December was 1188 yard/15 TDS/0 INTS while completing 75.9% of his passes. The man completed 29(!)/30 passes against the Colts with an average of 10.2 yards. His play was just absurd over the last month and he would've been undefeated if George Kittle didn't ragdoll half the Saints secondary in the final minutes of the Saints/49ers game. He threw for 5 touchdowns and still lost, and that is basically a summary for most of Drew's career here in New Orleans.
Overall, I expect Brees to make the Top 50 again next year for the final time as he goes into the last year of his career.

#37 - Cameron Jordan - EDGE - New Orleans Saints

Previous Ranks

2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
N/R	70	N/R	67	39	13	38

Written By: Dahki
It's no surprise seeing Cameron Jordan this high on the /nfl top 100. Jordan, who has been the anchor of the defense for almost the entire last decade, racked up a career high of 15.5 sacks on his way to a third consecutive pro bowl appearance. And even when Jordan didnt quite make it home for the sack, he made sure opposing QBs had to keep an eye out for him, generating 83 pressures on the season. Beyond hitting the QB (which Cam did a lot of btw, Jordan was also crucial to the saints run defense, tallying 15 tackles for loss. Beyond his skill, the defensive captain again proved his durability, starting all 16 games for the eighth straight year and recording 876 defensive snaps.

#36 - Demario Davis - Off-Ball Linebacker - New Orleans Saints

Previous Ranks

2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
N/R	N/R	N/R	N/R	N/R	N/R	N/R

Written By: Lazy_Street
DeMario Davis cemented himself as one of the best, most versatile off-ball Linebackers in the game this season. He was a force in run defense, pass coverage and even as blitzer. I would say that DeMario has been the most important FA signing for the team since Drew Brees. He has been one of the main factors in transforming the Saints' front 7 into a league leading unit and one of the best run defense groups over the last 2 seasons.

He is easily the most instinctual linebacker the Saints have had since Jonathan Vilma, so if the Jets could keep sending us defensive players it would be great (Jamal Adams tho?). He had several plays this year where he seemed to be where the runner or receiver was going before they even got there. He was highly touted by across the every statiscally database this year, and was a PFF darling particularly, making their AP 1st team with Eric Kendricks as the two top rated backers in the league. The thing I like most about DeMario is his leadership, when Brees went down for the 5 odd weeks he was out, DeMario stepped in to fill the pregame huddle hypeman role and did it so well that when Brees came back they synthesized a new version where they both led the pregame breakdown for the rest of the season. He also managed to turn a league equipment fine for wearing his own Man of God brand headband into a fundraiser that saw hundreds of thousand raised for chariy. But that isnt why DeMario got ranked so highly. He did it because he was the only guy in the league with 10+ TFLs and 10+ PBUs in addition to being one of the surest tacklers on the team and being absolutely clutch throughout the year.

Demario Davis highlights

#35 - DeAndre Hopkins - Wide Receiver - Houston Texans

Previous Ranks

2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
N/A	N/R	N/R	18	N/R	11	3

Written By: Beehay
Dear Texans Front Office and Bill O'Brien,
This Cardinals fan (and frankly the rest of Arizona) thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
No but seriously, No Drop DHop reminds me of a certain sure-handed, dreadlocked, future Hall of Famer and now the Cardinals HAVE 2 OF THEM?! Dhop's comparison to young Larry Fitz is as apt of a comparison as there can be made. Here's some video evidence! The sure handed catches over players on the list (some yet to be ranked), the broken tackles, the tough catches with multiple defenders draped on him, and those toe draggers! Oh lord that man is a ballerina!
Nuk had a "down year", which I mostly attribute to the fact Watson was spreading the ball around to other decent targets (something Nuk hasn't usually had with him). Going 104 catches, 1165, 11.2 Yards per reception, and 7 TDs is a step back from past seasons but defensive coordinators will agree, he's one of the best in the game.
One can only imagine what the future holds in the desert for Nuk.

#34 - Nick Chubb - Running Back- Cleveland Browns

Previous Ranks

2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/R

Written By: UnbiasedBrownsFan
Watching Chubb perform is enough to make a grown man cry. Part of it is the sheer, unadulterated beauty of it all, the other part is for the opposing players and their families as they are left on the field weeping as they clutch their ankles. Now, I know this is no dick-measuring contest. But Chubb is by far the most beautiful Chubb I have ever laid my eyes upon. Standing tall at 5'11", this Chubb weighs a whopping 227 lbs and uses every bit of that weight to pound linebackers into oblivion. Legends have been told that even our tight ends are afraid to block for him for fear he'll hit them from behind. But what exactly makes this particular Chubb so great?
Is it the speed to burst through the hole?
Is it the power to get to those hard to reach places?
Is it the endurance to keep going beyond expectations?
Is it the bend that helps him get into the exact right spot?
Is it the thirst for paydirt that keeps him going for hours on end?
Whatever it may be, it's no surprise this Chubb often finds himself in the endzone. In just sixteen days this season, he pounded it in ten times. Each one more spectacular than the last. His ability to stay up against all odds is second to none. And obviously he doesn't stop there, this Chubb spends all offseason getting harder, better, faster, stronger. I, for one, can't wait to see what that looks like on the big screen. Just thinking about it has me feeling some type of way.
Oh, and don't even get me started on his receiving ability...

#33 - Anthony Harris - Free Safety - Minnesota Vikings

Previous Ranks

2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/R	N/R	N/R	N/R

Written By: uggsandstarbux
In 2018, Anthony Harris emerged onto the NFL landscape after 3 years on the bench. In replacement of the injured Andrew Sendejo, Harris recorded 3 picks, didn’t commit a single penalty, allowed a 24.0 passer rating, and finished with a 89.0 PFF grade on 866 snaps. He was retained following the season on a 2nd round tender, allowing the Vikings FO to see if his success was a flash in the pan or if it was real. He backed up his 2018 season with an incredible 2019 campaign. Harris led the league in INTs and PFF coverage grade, finished 4th in passes defensed, and was named to PFF’s All Pro team. Harris became a favorite among fans, coaches, and teammates. Infamously, Harrison Smith’s first words when learning about his Pro Bowl nod this season were “Did Ant make it?”
Harris was a beast in 2019 and would have likely become the most sought after safety had he hit free agency. The proof is in the pudding. Not only is Harris beloved by analytics (he was PFF’s #12 overall player in 2019 ahead of names like Travis Kelce, Christian McCaffrey, and Stephon Gilmore), his tape was dominant. He is a high motor free safety that is versatile enough to line up in the slot and in the box. Here he is working through a tight end in heavy traffic to stop an outside run. He has great instincts, which pairs beautifully with his willpower to defend the sticks as evidenced on this fake FG attempt by the Eagles. And he’s a true ball hawk. He has the most single season INTs for a Viking since Darren Sharper in 2005. They aren’t just right-place-right-time picks either. He’s a fiend in the secondary. Whether the Vikings should pay Harris long term is not a question I can answer. But I do know that Harris will be well worth the money he makes when he does land a long term deal.

#32 - Ezekiel Elliott - Running Back - Dallas Cowboys

Previous Ranks

2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	14	N/R	20

Written By: packmanwiscy
Logically, I should hate Ezekiel Elliot. As a Wisconsinite, I watched Zeke tear through my Badgers in the 2014 Big 10 Championship and lead the Buckeyes to a Natty. Then, he was drafted by one of the Packers least liked teams, now tears through the Packers defense once a year (he averages 130 scrimmage yards against us). With the local CBS antenna feed being extremely weak at my apartment, if I wanted to watch football on Sunday afternoons more often than not I’d have to suffer through Troy Aikman and Joe Buck circlejerking over the Cowboys as they struggle to beat up their mediocre divisional opponents. But Zeke makes all that worth it. Zeke is so amazingly good at playing running back that he makes Troy-Joe Dallas games just bearable enough.
The thing I love most about Zeke is his running aesthetic. He gets so low to the ground, he’s able to generate a ton of power which allows him to quickly change direction, hit the hole hard, and create leverage to power through contact. Take this play against the Bills. Zeke is able to quickly change direction and break through several arm tackles to stumble to a 30 yard gain. And these aren’t chumps, Tremaine Edmunds and Micah Hyde are two very solid tacklers and Zeke just busts through them. I mean just look how low he gets to the ground That man ran 30 more yards after that still image. This isn’t something every running back can do, it takes tremendous balance to run that low to the ground at that speed, most other backs would simply fall down if they ran like Zeke can. It's different from almost every other running back in the league, and nobody can run quite like Zeke. Look at this other example against the Rams. Look how quickly Zeke adjusts to the penetrating edge rusher and accelerates into the hole at full speed, makes his body small to avoid the arm tackle, and keeps his legs churning for extra yards. This isn’t a flashy play, but Zeke consistently gets every yard that he can. His running style directly translates to stats too, Zeke finished the year with over 1350 rushing yards, good enough for 4th in the league.
Zeke isn’t just a pure runner either. He might be the most complete back in the league. Very few running backs can run, catch and block as well as Elliot does, and 2019 was no exception. Zeke was one of the few running backs to record positive Yards Before Catch, only he and Aaron Jones accomplished that feat on a sizable amount of catches while also rushing for 1,000 yards on the season. This demonstrates how Zeke wasn’t just accumulating receiving yards off of dumps and screens. Take this play against the Packers. Rashard Gary isn’t the fastest guy in the world, but notice the slight hesitation to fake the outside cut, causing Gary to slow down just a touch and create even more space on the wheel route. Then, he shows good hands and maintains his concentration to make the snag, even though he knows Darnell Savage Jr is coming for a hitstick. Some wide receivers can’t make catches like that, much less running backs. Zeke added 420 receiving yards to combine for 1777 scrimmage yards, where he would finish 2nd only to Christian McCaffrey in that category. In addition, Zeke is also a fantastic pass blocker, helping Dak get those garbage time passing stats in more ways than one. For example, here’s a play against the Giants where Zeke absorbs Alec Ogletree and buys Dak enough time to hit Amari for a big gain.
Zeke is one of the rare running backs to be proficient at all three phases of the position. You can put him on the field for all three downs and he’ll do something great, whether you need him to pound the rock, catch a pass, or pick up a blitz. It’ll be interesting to see how Mike McCarthy utilizes (or fails to utilize, cough cough Aaron Jones cough cough) Zeke next year, but if Elliott maintains his play from last year, there’s no doubt he’ll fill the role admirably.

#31 - Rodney Hudson - Center - Las Vegas Raiders

Previous Ranks

2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018
N/R	N/R	N/R	N/R	90	82	43

Written By: takeoson
Rodney Hudson is the brains of the Raiders line. Since coming to the Raiders in 2015, Hudson has been an anchor and unsung hero to the Raiders offense. Let’s dive into his play.

Ranked among centers, Hudson allowed 0 sacks, 1 hit, and 2 hurries on 904snaps which is only a bad play/snap% (you’re welcome NFL statisticians for the new stat) of 0.5%. The next closest center (Erik McCoy) allowed 15 pressures compared to Hudson’s 3. If we even broaden the scope to include all interior linemen, Hudson ranks #1 with fellow linemate Richie Incognito recording 9 pressures. Simply stated, Hudson is an offensive coordinator’s wet dream: an untiring blue collar guy that shows up every play and goes unnoticed. He does his job every game, every snap and does his job. Belichick would be proud. Next time you tune into a Raiders game, think about how unnoticeable Hudson is. That’s by design.

LINK TO 2019 POSITIONAL GROUPING TRACKER

LINK TO 2019 RANKER SHEETS

LINK TO HUB

Offseason Review Series: The 2020 New York Jets

New York Jets

Division: AFC East

1 New England Patriots (12-4)
2 Buffalo Bills (10-6)
3 New York Jets (7-9)
4 Miami Dolphins (5-11)

Coaching Changes

The Jets did not make any major coaching changes this offseason, retaining HC Adam Gase, OC Dowell Loggains, and DC Gregg Williams.

Free Agency

Players Lost/Cut

Player	Position	New Team
Trevor Siemian	QB	Free Agent
Bilal Powell	RB	Free Agent
Ty Montgomery	RB	New Orleans
Robby Anderson	WR	Carolina
Demaryius Thomas	WR	Free Agent
Kelvin Beachum	LT	Arizona
Brent Qvale	LG	Houston
Ryan Kalil	C	Free Agent
Tom Compton	RG	San Francisco
Brandon Shell	RT	Seattle
Brandon Copeland	EDGE	New England
Paul Worrilow	ILB	Free Agent
Albert McClellan	ILB	Free Agent
Trumaine Johnson	CB	Free Agent
Darryl Roberts	FS	Detroit
Rontez Miles	FS	Free Agent
Blake Countess	DB	Free Agent
Lachlan Edwards	P	Free Agent

The Jets reshaped their weapons for Sam Darnold this offseason, losing three veterans and bringing in a number of free agents and draft picks. GM Joe Douglas opted not to re-sign RB Bilal Powell who the Jets drafted in 2011, and he remains a free agent. Most significantly, Douglas allowed his top offensive weapon in WR Robby Anderson to walk to Carolina on a 2-year, $20.0 MM deal, creating a void at outside receiver. The team has also not re-signed WR Demaryius Thomas, who filled in for Quincy Enunwa last season and remains a free agent.

The biggest change that the Jets made to their personnel this offseason was along the offensive line, and as such there were a number of veteran casualties. LT Kelvin Beachum started for the Jets from 2017 to 2019, but he seems to have regressed, but he projects to compete for Arizona on a 1-year deal. The Jets also let C Ryan Kalil go, who unretired to snap for Sam Darnold last offseason but disappointed and got injured, and he remains a free agent. RG Tom Compton was forced into action last season with the injury to Brian Winters, and he, as is characteristic of his NFL career thus far, struggled massively in run blocking and pass pro, but he projects to compete anyway next year for San Francisco on a 1-year deal. Joe Douglas and Adam Gase never expressed interest in RT Brandon Shell for the long term, benching him for the raw Chuma Edoga early in 2019, so it was not a surprise to see the Jets let Shell go to start for Seattle on a 2-year contract.

The Jets mostly kept their 7th-ranked total defense in tact this offseason, only losing two key pieces. EDGE Brandon Copeland left for New England on a 1-year contract, which is not a surprising location, as Copeland is a great utility player, functioning as a rush linebacker, an off-ball linebacker, and a core special teamer for the Jets in 2019. Similarly, Joe Douglas has not re-signed the versatile FS Rontez Miles, who has played high safety, box safety, and a key special-teams role during his seven-year Jets tenure, and he remains a free agent.

The Jets cut CB Trumaine Johnson, which was virtually a no-brainer after two injury-plagued seasons in which his lack of speed was frequently exposed. The only real decision was whether to cut Johnson immediately, which would have resulted in a $12.0 MM dead cap hit in 2020, or to designate Johnson as a post-June 1 cut, which would have resulted in a $4.0 MM dead cap hit in 2020 and a $8.0 MM dead cap hit in 2021. Joe Douglas opted for the latter, meaning that the Jets saved a total of $11.0 MM by cutting Johnson in 2020. Grade: A

The Jets cut FS Darryl Roberts in mid-March. The Jets had high hopes for Roberts following the 2018 season, prompting them to sign him to a three-year contract with an out after one year. Roberts had a rocky first eight games of the season at cornerback before injuring his calf and being benched in favor of Maulet and Austin. Roberts remained a special-teams asset and good safety depth in December, but ultimately GM Joe Douglas decided he could cut Roberts, save $6.0 MM, and look elsewhere for a replacement. Grade: B

Players Signed

Player	Position	Old Team	Length	Salary
Joe Flacco	QB	Denver	1 year	$1.5 MM
David Fales	QB	NY Jets	1 year	$0.9 MM
Frank Gore	RB	Buffalo	1 year	$1.1 MM
Breshad Perriman	WR	Tampa Bay	1 year	$6.5 MM
Josh Doctson	WR	Minnesota	1 year	$0.9 MM
Daniel Brown	TE	NY Jets	1 year	$0.8 MM
Alex Lewis	LG	NY Jets	3 years	$18.6 MM
Greg Van Roten	LG	Carolina	3 years	$10.5 MM
Josh Andrews	LG	Indianapolis	1 year	$1.0 MM
Connor McGovern	C	Denver	3 years	$27.0 MM
George Fant	RT	Seattle	3 years	$27.3 MM
Jordan Jenkins	EDGE	NY Jets	1 year	$3.9 MM
Neville Hewitt	ILB	NY Jets	1 year	$2.0 MM
Patrick Onwuasor	ILB	Baltimore	1 year	$2.0 MM
James Burgess	ILB	NY Jets	1 year	$0.9 MM
Pierre Desir	CB	Indianapolis	1 year	$4.0 MM
Arthur Maulet	CB	NY Jets	1 year	$0.9 MM
Quincy Wilson	CB	Indianapolis	1 year	$1.3 MM
Brian Poole	NCB	NY Jets	1 year	$5.0 MM
Bennett Jackson	FS	NY Jets	1 year	$0.7 MM

Jets GM Joe Douglas used to work in Baltimore, where he was supposedly very influential in the decision to draft QB Joe Flacco, so this signing is far from surprising. While Joe Flacco may be trending down in his play, $1.5 MM feels like a bargain for the chance at solid veteran insurance for Sam Darnold. However, his neck surgery will supposedly keep him out for the opening of the season. Grade: B

After the draft, the Jets signed RB Frank Gore to a 1-year, $1.1 MM deal to ensure that he will play his 16th season in green and white. Gore is a physical back who played under Jets HC Adam Gase in San Francisco in 2008 and in Miami in 2018. Gore can take some of the pressure off of starting RB Le'Veon Bell in 2020 as the Jets move towards a "runningback by committee" system. Grade: B

The Jets-Ravens connection proved strong again with the signing of WR Breshad Perriman. Perriman was a first-round pick for the Ravens in 2015 while current Jets' Director of Player Personnel Chad Alexander was with Baltimore, and though he never really produced at a high level there, he had a resurgence in 2019 for the Buccaneers. Especially in November and December, where he performed at a 1000-yard rate projected over a whole season, Perriman proved to be a legitimate outside option across from Mike Evans with Chris Godwin in the slot. Perriman is a big, athletic receiver who projects to be worth the $6.5 MM deal to get a shot on the outside. Grade: A

Yet again, the Jets signed a former Ravens player, re-signing LG Alex Lewis, who played 2016 through 2018 with Baltimore before GM Joe Douglas traded for him in the 2019 offseason. Lewis stepped in for Kelechi Osemele last season and was a serviceable starter. Lewis is good in pass pro, versatile, and a good zone fit as a guard. However, Lewis could touch up on his penalties and overall run blocking for 2020. GM Joe Douglas only gave Lewis a 3-year, $18.6 MM deal which actually has an out after 1 year, which seems like a solid price to get another look at a 28-year-old guard who might be part of the team's future. Grade: B

The Jets' biggest free-agent singing in 2020 in terms of guaranteed money was former Broncos' C Connor McGovern at $18.0 MM. McGovern is an athletic lineman with experience at guard and center. He is a powerful center, and that serves him well in the run game. However, McGovern has a weak anchor and inconsistent pad level and leverage in the pass game. For this reason, despite the need at center, Joe Douglas' decision to commit two years to a center who is, perhaps, below average in pass pro is worthy of scrutiny. Grade: C

The biggest heavily-scrutinized acquisition that the Jets made in 2020 was probably signing former Seahawks RT George Fant to a 3-year, $27.3 MM contract. Fant functioned primarily as a swing tackle and as a sixth offensive lineman in Seattle, as he could not see the field as a starter over Germain Ifedi. Fant remains a very raw pass protector in terms of his anchor and the fluidity of his kickslide, and his ability in the run is only theoretically a strength in zone blocking. While Fant's contract has an out in 2021, it is a bit strange to see him making a similar salary to Bryan Bulaga and Halapoulvaati Vaitai. Grade: D

The Jets were patient in re-signing their own free agents, which probably helped get good value retaining EDGE Jordan Jenkins. Despite notching 15 combined sacks over the past two seasons, Jenkins only got $3.9 MM from the Jets. The sack number is a bit misleading, though, due to a high quantity of "coverage sacks" and a relatively modest pressure rate. However, Jenkins is a fine run defender, and he'll slot in as EDGE #1 again for the Jets in 2020. Grade: B

The Jets also acquired a former Raven on defense with LB Patrick Onwuasor, and they only paid $2.0 MM to bring him in. Onwuasor is an undersized linebacker but a good linear athlete, and while he struggles reading offensive cues and getting off of blocks to stop the run, he is a really good coverage player with the ability to get home as a pass rusher. Onwuasor has played next to CJ Mosley before, and he could potentially contribute in subpackage and base 4-3 looks, in addition to in a depth capacity and on special teams. Grade: A

With the cuts of Trumaine Johnson and Darryl Roberts, GM Joe Douglas decided to fill a starting cornerback spot with former Colts CB Pierre Desir on a 1-year, prove-it deal. Desir lacks longspeed, but he is a long, physical corner with decent short-area quickness. However, Desir lacks refinement in press and zone. With that said, $4.0 MM is a reasonable price to get a fill-in outside cornerback in 2020. Grade: B

This signing probably didnt get much national coverage, but re-signing CB Arthur Maulet could pay huge dividends for the Jets in 2020. In 2019, Trumaine Johnson and Darryl Roberts failed to hit expectations, forcing Maulet, Nate Hairston, and rookie Blessuan Austin into the outside cornerback rotation. Maulet is the only one of that group who was not benched for performance reasons. For a mere $0.9 MM, retaining a guy in Maulet who is familiar with the defense who will compete to start in 2020 is seemingly a no-brainer. Grade: A

Instead of making another draft choice, the Jets decided to trade pick 211 for former Colts CB Quincy Wilson. Wilson, a former 2nd-round pick, was a raw prospect coming out of Florida, and his penalties and lack of zone instincts followed him to the pros and led to his benching. However, Wilson is a big, long, and athletic corner, and at only 23 years of age, it makes sense that GM Joe Douglas wants to bring him on board to compete in an iffy cornerback room. Grade: C

This signing went somewhat under-the-radar, but Jets fans were thrilled when the team retained NCB Brian Poole to play slot on a 1-year, $5.0 MM contract. Poole is a good run defender with an ability to rush the passer, and he had a career year in coverage in 2019. Brian Poole is a good fit for Gregg Williams' defense, so retaining him to start in 2020 for a mere $5.0 MM seems to be a good value. Grade: B

Draft

Round	Number	Pos	Player	School
1	11	LT	Mekhi Becton	Louisville
2	59	WR	Denzel Mims	Baylor
3	68	FS	Ashtyn Davis	Cal
3	79	EDGE	Jabari Zuniga	Florida
4	120	RB	La'Mical Perine	Florida
4	125	QB	James Morgan	FIU
4	129	LT	Cameron Clark	Charlotte
5	158	CB	Bryce Hall	Virginia
6	191	P	Braden Mann	Texas A&M

The eleventh pick, Louisville LT Mekhi Becton, was my favorite acquisition that the Jets made during the 2020 offseason. While there were other options on the board, namely Tristan Wirfs, Henry Ruggs, and CeeDee Lamb, that the Jets presumably could have considered, Becton was the exact player I thought the Jets should take when he fell to 11. The first thing that stands out about Becton is his massive size, as he's 6'7", 364 lbs, with a monstrous 83-inch wingspan. Becton, however, is much more than a heavy lineman, as he defies expectations with his exceptional 5.1-flat movement skills. Becton is a hulking run blocker who is inexperienced but a fluid mover in pass pro. Becton projects to replace Kelvin Beachum and slide in at left tackle immediately in his rookie season. Grade: A

Wanting to add more picks to build the Jets in his image in his first year as GM, Joe Douglas opted to move down from 48 to 59 in the second round. This was a costly move, as it caused the Jets to miss out on AJ Epenesa and Darrell Taylor, but the Jets managed to grab a falling Senior Bowl standout in Baylor WR Denzel Mims. Mims is a height-weight-speed freak with good length, hands, and blocking. Mims should start at outside receiver across from Breshad Perriman in year one. Grade: B

The Jets' first third-round pick of 2020 was a real surprise to many fans, as although the team already had arguably the best safety tandem in football with Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, the Jets drafted Cal FS Ashytn Davis with the 68th-overall draft selection. Davis is a freak athlete who played high safety, box safety, and even slot corner at Cal and would almost definitely have been drafted significantly higher but for teams' inability to medically check his groin post-surgery. It's possible that Gregg Williams will utilize Davis as a big nickel defender this year, but this selection could also give the Jets flexibility if Marcus Maye, who is a free agent in 2021, or Jamal Adams, with whom the Jets are supposedly far apart on a long-term contract, depart. Grade: B

Despite having a starting EDGE tandem consisting of Jordan Jenkins and Tarell Basham and losing Brandon Copeland to New England, the Jets did not add outside talent to the position group before the draft, forcing GM Joe Douglas to pick Florida EDGE Jabari Zuniga at 79 overall. Zuniga is a good linear athlete with a decent ability to set the edge and some interior versatility, and he could project to replace Jordan Jenkins as a starter in 2021. However, Zuniga struggles with stiff hips and slow reaction time at the snap, and plus he missed most of the 2019 season with ankle injuries. The Jets probably hit the right position with Zuniga, who should factor into the pass-rush rotation with Jenkins, Basham, and Kyle Phillips, but it's hard to justify drafting Zuniga with guys like Jonathan Greenard, Terrell Lewis, and DJ Wonnum still on the board. Grade: C

With his first day-3 selection as GM, Joe Douglas chose Florida RB La'Mical Perine. Perine is a physical runner with some receiving versatility out of the backfield. However, Perine doesn't really offer very much in terms of speed or vision, and drafting a RB instead of going offensive line, pass rush, receiver, or cornerback with Le'Veon Bell already in the fold was a curious move. Grade: D

The second of the Jets' 4th-round picks probably stirred up the most intrigue, as most casual football fans probably didn't expect the Jets to draft a quarterback. With that said, the Jets have gone a combined 0-6 over the past two seasons in games that Darnold did not start, and at this time David Fales was slated to be the backup quarterback, so drafting FIU QB James Morgan in the fourth round, which I thought was a value anyway, was a good choice. Morgan is a thick quarterback with a live arm with developmental potential. Grade: B

With their third pick in the fourth round, the Jets chose a player with the potential to start soon on the offensive line in Charlotte LT Cameron Clark. Clark is a powerful lineman who started at left tackle in his rSo, rJr, and rSr seasons and has good short-area quickness despite his 5.29 forty. Some have floated Cameron Clark as a potential convert to guard for the Jets due to his sloppy pass-pro footwork. Grade: B

The Jets addressed the secondary in round 5, taking Virginia CB Bryce Hall at 158 overall. Hall is a long, tall corner who moves well, has zone instincts, and contributes in the run game. However, Hall's struggles in press and off-man probably project him better as a safety in the NFL rather than as a corner, which doesn't seem to be a need with Adams, Maye, and Davis already in the fold, and Hall's ankle injury prevented him from working out at the Combine, leaving teams in a state of uncertainty about his health and his testing numbers. Grade: C

With their 6th-round pick, the Jets went special teams with Texas A&M P Braden Mann. Mann has a big leg and can handle kickoff duties. Mann projects to replace Lachlan Edwards, but this may have been a tad high for a punter. Grade: C

The Jets had an intriguing undrafted free agent class with a number of guys who warranted day-3 draft consideration, but two guys that I liked pre-draft stood out as being worth mentioning. Georgia WR Lawrence Cager is a physical receiver at the line of scrimmage and a redzone threat. Alabama NCB Shyheim Carter played the STAR role in Nick Saban's defense, and he proved his versatility as a college approximation of a nickel corner, a box safety, a high safety, and a subpackage linebacker, and he likely would have been drafted if teams had been able to conduct medical rechecks on him after a minor injury prevented him from working out at the Combine.

Other Offseason News

After tensions flared at the trade deadline last season, SS Jamal Adams expressed his frustrations with a lack of a contract extension on social media before supposedly requesting a trade in June. However, according to Connor Hughes at The Athletic, the Jets still hope to sign Adams to a long-term contract. Reportedly, over half of the teams in the NFL have expressed interest in adding the defensive star, but the Dallas Cowboys have gotten the most traction as a potential trade partner, with La'El Collins and Michael Gallup coming up as potential trade targets. Jamal Adams is still on his rookie contract for 2020, and the Jets accepted his fifth-year option for 2021.

Also, this isn't really news, but former Jets' All Pro CB Darrelle Revis continued his spat with 49ers' All Pro Richard Sherman, culminating in this unusual Tweet:

3 facts here.
@RSherman_25
•I’m more handsome than him according to women.
•I’m better at corner than him according to everyone.
•Shutdown corners are paid more than Zone 3 corners which I’m currently still am today.

Projected Starting Lineup

Pos	1	2	3	4
off
QB	Sam Darnold	J Flacco	J Morgan
RB	Le'Veon Bell	F Gore	L Perine	T Cannon
WR	Breshad Perriman	J Smith
WR	Denzel Mims	V Smith
SWR	Jamison Crowder	B Berrios
TE	Chris Herndon	R Griffin	D Brown
LT	Mekhi Becton	C Clark
LG	Alex Lewis	G Van Roten
C	Connor McGovern	J Harrison
RG	Brian Winters
RT	George Fant	C Edoga
def
EDGE	Jordan Jenkins	K Phillips
EDGE	Tarell Basham	J Zuniga
DT	Henry Anderson	N Shepherd	F Fatukasi
DT	Quinnen Williams	S McLendon
ILB	CJ Mosley	N Hewitt	B Cashman
ILB	Avery Williamson	P Onwuasor	H Langi
CB	Pierre Desir	B Hall
CB	Arthur Maulet	Q Wilson
NCB	Brian Poole	S Carter
SS	Jamal Adams	A Davis
FS	Marcus Maye	M Farley
spec
K	Sam Ficken
P	Braden Mann
LS	Thomas Hennessy

Roster Bubble (In): RB Trenton Cannon, WR Jeff Smith, ILB Harvey Langi, NCB Shyheim Carter, K Sam Ficken

Roster Bubble (Out): WR Josh Doctson, TE Trevon Wesco, LG Josh Andrews, EDGE John Franklin-Myers, CB Blessuan Austin

Position Group Strengths and Weaknesses

QB - Neutral/Weakness
Jets fans aren't going to love this one, but Sam Darnold is arguably still a bottom-third passer going into 2020. Darnold has been surrounded by a poor supporting cast over the past two years, including a turnstile of receivers with drop issues across Robby Anderson and linemen with pass-pro issues, but he certainly has not dominated like other young quarterbacks such as Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes, Deshaun Watson, and Carson Wentz. The Jets have a good group behind Darnold, though, including Joe Flacco, who supposedly won't be ready for week 1, and James Morgan, a 4th-round rookie out of FIU.

Backfield - Strength
Le'Veon Bell, who is making $15.5 MM this season, is an all-around back in terms of running between the tackles, receiving, and pass protecting. The Jets also signed the ageless wonder Frank Gore to take some of the pressure off of Bell. Joe Douglas also drafted La'Mical Perine to contribute in the backfield.

Pass Catchers - Neutral/Weakness
In 2020, the Jets are banking on production from unproved pass catchers who have performed well in limited sample sizes. Joe Douglas signed Breshad Perriman, who had a very productive end to his 2019 season, to man one of the outside receiver spots. He also drafted Denzel Mims out of Baylor to presumably also start as a rookie. Jamison Crowder broke out last year as an above-average slot receiver, and Chris Herndon missed virtually all of last season but played well in his rookie season as a tight end. The receiver depth lacks standout names, with Vyncint Smith as the presumptive WR4, but the tight end depth is strong, with Ryan Griffin returning on a multi-year extension.

Offensive Line - Weakness
The Jets entirely remade their offensive line, and while each position is arguably improved on paper, it is still young and unproven. Most significantly, at LT, Joe Douglas drafted Mekhi Becton at 11, who is already a really good run blocker with the tools to grow in pass pro. Douglas also re-signed Alex Lewis, who is probably serviceable but below average, to start at left guard, but he could face competition from 4th-round rookie Cameron Clark. The Jets signed Connor McGovern to start at C, and while he should solidify the position for at least the next two years, he is not extraordinary. Right guard shapes up to be an open competition between incumbent Brian Winters, who is serviceable when healthy, and new acquisition Greg Van Roten. At RT, the Jets signed George Fant, who played mostly as a swing tackle or sixth offensive lineman for Seattle to compete with Chuma Edoga.

Defensive Line - Weakness
This is a tough pill to swallow for Jets fans, but the days of Muhammad Wilkerson, and Leonard Williams are over. At EDGE, the Jets have arguably the worst duo in the NFL with Jordan Jenkins and Tarell Basham presumably playing as starters, with rookie 3rd-round pick Jabari Zuniga and 2019 UDFA Kyle Phillips playing rotationally and John Franklin-Myers competing for snaps. Starting on the interior, the Jets have Quinnen Williams, the former third-overall selection who notched 2.5 sacks and 4 TFLs in his rookie season and was arrested in March on a weapons charge, and Henry Anderson, a nimble interior penetrator who had a breakout year in 2018 before regressing to the mean in 2019. Nathan Shepherd, Steve McLendon, and Foley Fatukasi should all see plenty of tread on the DL, as well.

Linebackers - Strength
The Jets had a nearly-comical number of injuries at off-ball linebacker last season, but on paper, the unit appears very strong. CJ Mosley, 2019 FA acquisition, missed almost the entire 2019 season with a groin injury, but when healthy, he is one of the best linebackers in football. Avery Williamson, who projects to start across Mosley in 2020, is a good run defender but missed the entire 2019 year with a torn ACL. Returning starter Neville Hewitt, cheap FA acquisition Patrick Onwuasor, and promising second-year player Blake Cashman could each play in various base or subpackage roles, in addition to on special teams.

Secondary - Neutral
Similar to the defensive line, the Jets secondary is a tale of two halves, in this case safeties and cornerbacks. At safety, the Jets have reigning All Pro Jamal Adams and solid free safety Marcus Maye returning, in addition to the versatile 3rd-round pick Ashtyn Davis out of Cal. Outside cornerback is in flux, as new acquisition Pierre Desir should lock up one spot, while Arthur Maulet, Quincy Wilson, 5th-round rookie Bryce Hall, and Blessuan Austin could compete for the other starting spot, with last year's breakout player Brian Poole locking up the slot. Nate Hairston and Shyheim Carter could compete for other key depth roles in the secondary.

Special Teams - Strength/Neutral
At kicker, the Jets had a rocky performance last year, so they brought in Brett Maher to compete with last year's starter Sam Ficken. At punter, the Jets have rookie Braden Mann, who handles kickoffs and whose 47.1 yards per punt would have ranked 4th in the NFL last year. At longsnapper, Thomas Hennessy is an asset in coverage and will return in 2020. Additionally, WR Vyncint Smith and FS Matthias Farley project to play major roles in kick coverage next season, with other jobs up for grabs.

Schedule Predictions

Week 1 at Buffalo: L - Other than the loss of Shaq Lawson and the additions of Stefon Diggs and AJ Epenesa, the Bills mostly had a quiet offseason, though with encouraging performances from young players in Josh Allen, Ed Oliver, Tremaine Edmunds, and Tre'Davious White and with the team coming off of a 10-6 campaign, there’s a lot about which to be enthusiastic in Buffalo. The Bills, who went 10-6 last year and made the playoffs, beat the Jets here in their home opener. Record: 0-1

Week 2 vs San Francisco: L - The 49ers took a huge leap in 2019, marching through the NFC and into the Super Bowl, and the additions of Trent Williams, Brandon Aiyuk, and Javon Kinlaw should keep them competitive in 2020. If Jamal Adams is on the team, he might be able to get in George Kittle's way, but nevertheless the 49ers should be one of the NFL's most well-rounded football teams, and so it would be difficult to envision the Jets winning in week 2. Record: 0-2

Week 3 at Indianapolis: L - The Colts had a big free agency period, signing Philip Rivers and adding DeForest Buckner in a trade while retaining their entire offensive line. While the Jets went 7-9 last season, just like the Colts did, the Colts probably are the favorites to win at home, especially with the advantage that the Indianapolis offensive line should have over the New York pass rush. Record: 0-3

Week 4 vs Denver: L - While the Broncos went 7-9 last season, they have championship aspirations in 2020, as they went 4-1 in Drew Lock's starts last year and added Melvin Gordon, Jerry Jeudy, KJ Hamler, and Albert Okwuegbunam to a group of weapons already containing Philip Lindsay, Courtland Sutton, Noah Fant, and Jeff Heuerman while retaining defensive stars in Von Miller, AJ Johnson, and Justin Simmons. Though it is a home game, the Jets should be seen as heavy underdogs in week 4. Record: 0-4

Week 5 vs Arizona: W - The Cardinals look poised to improve in 2020, with the additions of DeAndre Hopkins, Jordan Phillips, and Isaiah Simmons, but questions remain with the offensive line and defensive line, in addition to with the poor playcalling from Kingsbury and Joseph at times during last season. This could be a key game for Quinnen Williams, Henry Anderson, Steve McLendon, and the interior defensive line to feast on a poor Cardinals' interior offensive line and for Gregg Williams to outmatch Kingsbury and Murray at home. Record: 1-4

Week 6 at LA Chargers: L - The Chargers revamped their team this offseason, adding Justin Herbert in the draft and surrounding him with Bryan Bulaga, Trai Turner, and Joe Reed on offense and Kenneth Murray and Chris Harris on defense. Though the quarterback situation is in flux in LA, it’s unlikely that the Jets will go on the road to the West Coast and beat an otherwise well-rounded team. Record: 1-5

Week 7 vs Buffalo: W - The Jets have beat the Bills at least once in 8 of the last 10 seasons, and so the Jets should have a shot to win one at home. Record: 2-5

Week 8 at Kansas City: L - The Chiefs has a pretty quiet offseason aside from locking up Patrick Mahomes and Chris Jones on long-term deals, as they added Mike Remmers, Taco Charlton, Willie Gay, and Lucas Niang while losing Stefen Wisniewski, Emmanuel Ogbah, Reggie Ragland, and Kendall Fuller. Despite the offseason losses, Reid and Mahomes should easily be able to storm past the Jets at home. Record: 2-6

Week 9 vs New England: W - The Patriots took a hit this offseason, obviously headlined by the loss of Tom Brady but also supplemented by key defensive losses in Kyle Van Noy, Jamie Collins, and Duron Harmon in addition to a general lack of attention towards improving a lackluster wide receiver corps. The Jets haven't beat the Patriots since their week 16 overtime thriller in 2015, but a November home game could be a good chance to do it, as the Patriots don't really possess the weapons to exploit issues with the Jets' cornerbacks nor the pass rush to exploit issues with the Jets' offensive line. Record: 3-6

Week 10 at Miami: W - The Dolphins had a very poor 2019, finishing 5-11 with the 27th-ranked total offense and the 30th-ranked total defense, and as such they had an incredibly busy offseason, adding Matt Breida, Ereck Flowers, Ted Karras, Kyle Van Noy, Shaq Lawson, Emmanuel Ogbah, Elandon Roberts, and Byron Jones in free agency and Tua Tagovailoa, Austin Jackson, Noah Igbinoghene, Robert Hunt, Raekwon Davis, and Solomon Kindley in the draft. However, in Miami before the bye would be a good chance for Adam Gase to get a revenge game win, seeing as the Dolphins still have weaknesses all over their roster including quarterback, offensive tackle, and edge rusher. Record: 4-6

WEEK 11 BYE

Week 12 vs Miami: L - With all their offseason additions, the Dolphins figure to match up fairly evenly with the Jets in 2020, and so it's likely that the two teams will split the season series. Record: 4-7

Week 13 vs Las Vegas: W - The Raiders had a very busy offseason, adding Jason Witten, Maliek Collins, Nick Kwiatkoski, Prince Amukamara, and Damarious Randall in free agency and Henry Ruggs, Damon Arnette, Lynn Bowden, Bryan Edwards, and Amik Robertson in the draft with their only major losses being Darryl Worley and Karl Joseph. At home against a West Coast opponent, the Jets would be wise to take advantage of some of the Raiders’ weaknesses in this game, including inexperience at wide receiver, edge rusher, linebacker, and cornerback. Record: 5-7

Week 14 at Seattle: L - The Seahawks went 11-5 last season and were one play away from securing the top seed in the NFC, so their offseason was pretty quiet, mostly focusing on the offensive line with the losses of Germain Ifedi, DJ Fluker, and George Fant and the additions of free agents Brandon Shell, BJ Finney, and Cedric Ogbuehi, and draft pick Damien Lewis. Pete Carroll is one of the best coaches in football today, and in this late-season matchup at Seattle he’ll have the personnel advantage against the Jets offense, which lacks talented weapons and blockers. Record: 5-8

Week 15 at LA Rams: L - The Rams regressed to 9-7 last year and then had a difficult offseason, losing Todd Gurley, Brandin Cooks, Dante Fowler, and Nickell Robey-Coleman, with their only major addition being A’Shawn Robinson. The 2020 Rams are not the Super Bowl Rams of the past, but with both McVay and Goff still on board, the Rams have to be favorites to take this late-season home game against the Jets. Record: 5-9

Week 16 vs Cleveland: W - The Browns had a busy offseason, hiring head coach Kevin Stefanski, losing Greg Robinson, Joe Schobert, and Damarious Randall, signing Austin Hooper, Jack Conklin, Andrew Billings, Karl Joseph, and Damarious Randall, and drafting Jedrick Wills, Grant Delpit, and Jacob Phillips. Despite these additions, however, Cleveland still has a new, inexperienced offensive playcaller at head coach and a question mark at quarterback, and Gregg Williams generally handles quarterbacks who struggle with post-snap reads well with disguised coverages and aggressive blitz packages. Record: 6-9

Week 17 at New England: L - With the expanded playoffs, the Patriots have an even greater chance to make the postseason this year than they otherwise would, so this late-season match in Foxborough could be a consequential, divisional-revenge game for New England. Record: 6-10

Final Record: 6-10
While I firmly believe that the Jets improved significantly this offseason, especially in terms of the offensive line and getting players back from injury, this year’s schedule is substantially more difficult that last year’s, which could result in less games in the wins column for 2020. Last year, the Jets closed out the back-half of their season going 6-2 playing against rookie Daniel Jones, rookie Dwayne Haskins, Carr, Dalton, Fitzpatrick, Lamar Jackson, rookie Devlin Hodges, and Matt Barkley, and this year the Jets have to play both the AFC West and the NFC West, which is a jump in competition level.

Training Camp Battles

WR #2: Denzel Mims vs Vyncint Smith
Jets fans would hope that starting receiver isn’t much of a battle, but since rookie wideouts traditionally are been known to take longer learning the playbook, the other receiver spot next to Perriman and Crowder is in flux. Denzel Mims, the rookie receiver from Baylor, is the odds-on favorite to get a starting role and to play as a deep threat and red-zone threat in year one. However, if Mims proves to be too raw off the bat, the Jets could fall back on Vyncint Smith, who had 17 receptions last year and showed his value as a deep threat.

Left Guard: Alex Lewis vs Cameron Clark
Following a 2019 season where Alex Lewis spot-started in place of Kelechi Osemele, the Jets rewarded him with a 3 year, $18.6 MM contract, and he goes into 2020 as the favorite to start at left guard once again. With that being said, the possibility exists that rookie tackle Cameron Clark out of Charlotte will kick inside and compete at left guard.

Right Guard: Brian Winters vs Greg Van Roten
After a 2019 season in which Brian Winters went down with a shoulder injury in week 10, many expected the Jets to cut him, but he instead will return as the incumbent starter at right guard. However, new free agent acquisition Greg Van Roten could switch to the right side and compete against Winters to start.

Right Tackle: George Fant vs Chuma Edoga
After the Jets had a poor performance form their offensive line in 2019, GM Joe Douglas brought in competition at all position, including at right tackle. George Fant, former Seattle swing tackle, is the presumptive favorite to land the starting job, despite his lack of starting experience. Chuma Edoga could compete as well, but his performance in both run blocking and pass pro was so shaky last year that he needed extensive help from tight ends.

EDGE #2: Tarell Basham vs Kyle Phillips vs Jabari Zuniga vs John Franklin-Myers
The Jets started Jordan Jenkins and Tarell Basham at edge rusher last season, so it was somewhat of a shock to see them add absolutely no outside talent until the middle of the third round, and so now Gregg Williams and the defensive staff are forced to make the pitiful decision between starting Basham, Kyle Phillips, Jabari Zuniga, or John Franklin-Myers across from Jenkins. Basham, who the Jets claimed off waivers in 2018, is the odds-on favorite to start once again after only notching 2 sacks and 4 quarterback hits in 54% of the Jets' defensive snaps. Kyle Phillips, the second-year player from Tennessee who was a five-star high-school recruit, is a thicker lineman best suited to play on run downs who could push for starting snaps as well. Jabari Zuniga, 3rd-round rookie out of Florida, is a third contender for the starting job, but his interior versatility and similarity to Jenkins in terms of his stiffness and poor pad level could suggest the Jets envision him in more of a rotational role. Franklin-Myers, a large and athletic pass rusher who missed last season with an undisclosed injury after the Jets claimed him off waivers from the Rams, could compete for a large snap share with a strong camp.

DT #2: Henry Anderson vs Nathan Shepherd
This battle won't get much media coverage, as both Anderson and Shepherd project to get plenty of tread on the New York defensive line, but nevertheless the two will compete in training camp for the upper hand in the snap count. Henry Anderson, incumbent starter and penetrating defensive lineman, saw his production fall off a bit in 2019, in part due to a nagging shoulder injury. Nathan Shepherd saw his role increase in the back half of the season after a suspension sidelined him from weeks two through eight, and with a good camp, he could establish himself as the primary nimble-footed complement to the heftier, run-stopping trio of Williams, McLendon, and Fatukasi.

CB #2: Arthur Maulet vs Quincy Wilson vs Bryce Hall vs Blessuan Austin
The outside cornerback spot across from Pierre Desir is probably the most open starting battle on the team. Arthur Maulet, the undersized but physical cornerback out of Memphis, is probably the favorite to start after outplaying Johnson and Roberts last season to win the left cornerback job. Quincy Wilson, the former second-round pick, should be Maulet's primary competition after the Jets traded a draft pick to acquire him from the Colts. Bryce Hall, the rookie 5th-round corner from Virginia, is a darkhorse to start as well if he is healthy to start the season. Blessuan Austin, the former 6th-round pick, might factor into the competition, but he'll have to climb out of Gregg Williams' doghouse after reacting poorly to his week-16 benching last season.

Kicker: Sam Ficken vs Brett Maher
Sam Ficken, who hit 70% of his kicks last season, will compete with Brett Maher, who hit 67% of his kicks last season, for the starting kicker job, but neither candidate should have to handle kickoffs with rookie punter Braden Mann in the fold.

Offensive and Defensive Schemes

Adam Gase, head coach and offensive playcaller for the Jets, runs a zone-blocking, short-passing offense mostly out of 11 personnel while also mixing in some 2-TE sets. In the run game, Gase is willing to run gap concepts based on his offensive line personnel, but he favors his inside zone running playcalls. In the pass game, Gase likes to stack his receivers, throw checkdowns, split his backs out wide, and utilize the sidelines.

Gregg Williams, defensive coordinator for the Jets, runs a 3-4 hybrid, blitz-heavy defense with an emphasis on zone coverage. In the front seven, Williams has used both 3-4 and 4-3 base packages, though he mostly uses nickel fronts and one-gapping penetration schemes. In the secondary, Williams stresses MOFC shells, press-zone concepts, and disguised coverages and blitzes.

Huge thanks to u/PlatypusOfDeath for running this series.
Link to hub

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NFL playoffs by the odds: Vegas picks and preview of the

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nfl divisional round 2020 vegas odds - win

277 Media Analysts Made Predictions for the Chiefs game...Only 7% picked the Browns

284 Media Analysts Made Predictions for the Saints game...Only 43% picked the Bucs

63% of media analysts (257 experts) predict a Bills victory...but 80% of Ravens Insiders (16/20) think there's an upset. What happens tonight?

256 Media Analysts Made Predictions for the Ravens game...63% picked the Bills

231 Media Analysts Made Predictions for the Packers game...Only 9% picked the Rams

My 2021 NFL Mock Draft after the Divisional Round - 1/17/21

Complete, descriptive Offseason Power Rankings

277 Media Analysts Made Predictions for the Browns game...93% picked the Chiefs

231 Media Analysts Made Predictions for the Rams game...91% picked the Packers

284 Media Analysts Made Predictions for the Bucs game...54% picked the Saints

2020 Offseason Review: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Intro: Let me Get Something off my Chest

Top Offseason Stories

2020 Outlook

Things I Like About the Bucs in 2020

Things That Scare me About the Bucs in 2020:

2020 Draft Analysis

Schedule Predictions

Projected Starting Lineup & Analysis: Offense

Projected Starting Lineup & Analysis: Defense

Non-Buccaneer Predictions for the Season

Shoutouts

r/NFL Top 100 Players of the 2019 Season - #40-31

Welcome to the reveal for players ranked 40-31 for this year’s NFL Top 100 Players for the 2019 Season!

#40 - Zack Martin - Offensive Guard - Dallas Cowboys

#39 - Minkah Fitzpatrick - Free Safety - Pittsburgh Steelers

#38 - Drew Brees - Quarterback- New Orleans Saints

#37 - Cameron Jordan - EDGE - New Orleans Saints

#36 - Demario Davis - Off-Ball Linebacker - New Orleans Saints

#35 - DeAndre Hopkins - Wide Receiver - Houston Texans

#34 - Nick Chubb - Running Back- Cleveland Browns

#33 - Anthony Harris - Free Safety - Minnesota Vikings

#32 - Ezekiel Elliott - Running Back - Dallas Cowboys

#31 - Rodney Hudson - Center - Las Vegas Raiders

LINK TO 2019 POSITIONAL GROUPING TRACKER

LINK TO 2019 RANKER SHEETS

LINK TO HUB

Offseason Review Series: The 2020 New York Jets

New York Jets

Coaching Changes

Free Agency

Draft

Other Offseason News

Projected Starting Lineup

Position Group Strengths and Weaknesses

Schedule Predictions

Training Camp Battles

Offensive and Defensive Schemes

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NFL Divisional playoffs Predictions 2020 - YouTube