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 Finals matchup...
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)
Traded for Diontae Johnson.
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, WR Jalen Coker
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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ATLANTA
Key Adds: QB Kirk Cousins (from MIN), WR Darnell Mooney (from CHI), TE Charlie Woerner (from SF)
Key Losses: TE Jonnu Smith (to MIA), RB Cordarrelle Patterson (to PIT), LB Bud Dupree (to LAC), CB Jeff Okudah (to HOU), WR Mack Hollins (to BUF)
Key Draft Adds: QB Michael Penix, DT Ruke Orhorhoro, DE Bralen Trice, DL Brandon Dorlus, LB JD Bertrand
Key Coaching Changes: All new regime
Outlook: Getting Kirk Cousins, that one move alone, is one of the 1-2-3 best moves impacting 2024 that a team made this offseason. So, just the one move is super powerful under the theory of ‘QB is EVERYTHING’ in the NFL.
Well, they didn’t add just one mega-upgrade at QB...they got two when they drafted Michael Penix. It’s really one of the most brilliant big picture moves in NFL history...an unprecedented upgrade at thee most important position – and it’s important for looking only at 2024 as well, not just big picture...if anything happens to Cousins, they got Penix. The Falcons have a top starter QB...and a top backup QB in the NFL. That’s worth A LOT.
Outside of the QBs moves they lost some useful, but not critical pieces...and they signed a couple useful pieces in Mooney-Woerner. Their draft outside of Penix was not really impactful for 2024.
It’s all about the value and power of not one but two top QBs acquired...and the coaching regime change is also a big upgrade to go along with the QB power.
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Winner (most improved for 2024)...
Carolina signed and traded for a lot of names to start for them in 2024, but they also lost a heavy number of players bailing to other teams/wanting out of Carolina. I think they may have lost more than they gained in all the +/-, and definitely lost locker room leaders. Their draft has one obvious starter right away (Brooks at RB) but he’s still rehabbing from an ACL.
I don’t get at all what the Panthers are doing.
The Falcons, meanwhile, squashed their main problem going into the season – QB. Actually, they squashed their two massive issues...one was getting super strong at QB with Cousins/Penix and then the big move was flushing themselves of Arthur Smith.
There were other +/- things for 2024, but the QB and HC changes are so massive that it definitely warrants the Falcons moving on to the next round, easily.
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Next Round Matchups...
3rd-Round
AFC East (NYJ) v. AFC West (LAC)
AFC South (TEN) v. AFC North (PIT)
NFC East (WSH) v. NFC West (LAR)
NFC North: (DET) v. NFC South: (ATL)
