Intro: For each team, for the next month or so, we’re going to look at the key offseason moves each team has made via trade, free agency, coaching and GM changes, and their NFL Draft to see if we scout/analyze these teams have improved or regressed or stayed flat, essentially – looking at it from a 2024 impact only...not long-term, just what could impact this season’s results.
We’ll judge these teams two at a time, pitting them against each other head-to-head to determine a ‘winner’ (which team we think impacted 2024 the best), and the winning teams will move on to the next round and compete until we get to the finals/Super Bowl.
We’re going division-by-division, seeded by 2023 order of finish.
Today we have an NFC South matchup of #1 TB and #4 CAR...
TAMPA BAY
Key Adds: SAF Jordan Whitehead (from NYJ), OG Ben Bredeson (from NYG), LB Randy Gregory (from SF), CB Tavierre Thomas (from HOU)
Key Losses: LB Shaq Barrett (to MIA), LB Devin White (to PHI)
Key Draft Adds: OL Graham Barton, LB Chris Braswell, DB Tykee Smith, WR Jalen McMillan, RB Bucky Irving
Key Coaching Changes: New O-C Liam Coen, Dave Canales lost to CAR
Outlook: The Bucs really didn’t lose anything of much value to them in free agency...two veteran players past their prime. So, everything that happened outside of that is gonna be an improvement...
Getting Jordan Whitehead back was nice...but that’s all that really happened of note from free agency. They picked a solid OL prospect in the draft, and then not much impact to 2024 with their other picks.
The new O-C is a downgrade, in theory, going from Dave Canales who left for the Carolina head coaching job. Liam Coen is the new O-C from Kentucky/CFB in 2023.
The Bucs didn’t go backwards this offseason, per se...but they didn’t take a huge step forward either. They blew a chance to get much better this offseason.
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CAROLINA
Key Adds: OG Robert Hunt (from MIA), OG Damien Lewis (from SEA), A’Shawn Robinson (from NYG), LB Jadeveon Clowney (from BAL), LB Josey Jewell (from DEN), DE D.J. Wonnum (from MIN), CB Dane Jackson (from BUF), OT Yosh Nijman (from GB), SAF Jordan Fuller (from LAR)
Key Losses: LB Frankie Luvu (to WSH), DE Yetur Gross-Matos (to SF), CB Shaq Griffin (to MIN), DB Jememy Chinn (to WSH), WR D.J. Chark (to LAC), CB C.J. Henderson (to HOU), TE Hayden Hurst (to LAC)
Traded Brian Burns to NYG.
Key Draft Adds: WR Xavier Legette, RB Jonathon Brooks, LB Trevin Wallace, TE Ja’Tavion Sanders
Key Coaching Changes: New HC Dave Canales and staff
Outlook: The Panthers threw a tantrum this offseason, a continued one from the 2023 regular season – a temper tantrum thrown by the owner. He’ll show you how smart he is – he’s gonna change everybody from that terrible 2023 team (that they can) and get all new, loyal to the crown soldiers in!
Yes, they brought in needed starters, +5-6 of them, from free agency...that’s good, but they also lost 3-5 starters to free agency as well. And they lost some really nice pieces on defense straight to Washington, essentially, losing Chinn and Luvu to the Commanders...those are big losses of talent. Brian Burns was shipped to the Giants, which is massive.
Carolina got better on offense through free agency and the draft, but their offensive issue was more Bryce Young, who was the catastrophe from 2023. David Tepper is trying to show all of us how great Bryce is by giving him expensive accessories to theoretically fix the problem – but the problem is Bryce, he’s not fixable, and QB is everything in the NFL. It’s a car with expensive rims and upholstery and a booming sound system – but the engine is blown.
But net-net of all things, outside of complaining about Bryce, Carolina did gain more starters/talent than they lost this offseason -- and they upgraded at head coach.
It’s a solid offseason...but there was no other choice than to get better...since they were so awful in 2023.
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Winner (most improved for 2024)...
The Bucs netted a starter or two more in the offseason, but Carolina netted much more by virtue of ‘no other place to go but up’. So, Carolina is going to get the win here...and the Dave Canales change is symbolic of the two offseasons for these two teams TB and CAR – Tampa lost a bright young coach, and that’s a downer for them going into 2024 season...but their loss was Carolina’s gain for the 2024 season.
Carolina actually wins something! They advance to the AFC South finals in the next round.
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Next Round Matchups...
AFC East: NE v. NYJ
AFC North: BAL v. PIT
AFC South: TEN v. IND
AFC West: LAC v. LV
NFC East: WSH v. PHI
NFC North: DET v. GB
AFC South: CAR v. ???
