2022 Offseason Assessment Tournament: 2nd-Round (TB v. ATL)
Same intro everyday: Our annual series taking a look at each NFL team’s offseason (free agency, draft, trades) moves and assessing their impact for the upcoming season – simply speaking, 'did all of the offseason moves, en masse, project to make the team better or worse for just the upcoming campaign (not worried about the long-term effect)'?
We’ll list the key adds and losses for each team competing and then comment on them and anoint a winner that will move on to the next round, until we get down to the final two (the 'Super Bowl') and we name a winner for the top offseason (to date). Our way to review and judge what each of these teams have done halfway through the offseason.
2nd -Round Matchup…
ATLANTA FALCONS
Key Adds:
QB Marcus Mariota (FA), Casey Hayward (FA), LB Lorenzo Carter (FA), WR Drake London (pick #8), Arnold Ebiketie (pick #38), Troy Andersen (pick #58), QB Desmond Ridder (pick #74), LB DeAngelo Malone (pick #82), RB Tyler Allgeier (pick #151)
Key Losses:
QB Matt Ryan (trade), LB Foye Oluokun (FA), WR Russell Gage (FA), TE Hayden Hurst (FA), DE Dante Fowler (FA)
vs.
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
Key Adds:
OG Shaq Mason (trade), WR Russell Gage (FA), DL Logan Hall (pick #33), OL Luke Goedeke (pick #57), RB Rachaad White (pick #91), TE Cade Otton (pick #106), PT Jake Camarda (pick #133), CB Zyon McCollum (pick #157)
Key Losses:
OG Alex Cappa (FA), SAF Jordan Whitehead (TB), TE O.J. Howard (FA), RB Ron Jones (FA)
I like what Atlanta did this offseason. I think they upgraded at QB, honestly. And they lost a great defender (Oluokun)…but then added three nice defensive prospects in Ebiketie-Andersen-Malone. Lorenzo Carter was a sneaky grab in free agency. Atlanta grabbed a lot of good things, but they lost some productive veterans. It’s a great move for the future, but the impact to 2022 could be hit-and-miss.
Tampa Bay did what serious title contenders have to do – they grabbed impact-now players in a trade for Shaq Mason and a steal of ATL’s best WR last year (Gage). Their offensive draft picks are all guys who could have some kind of an impact in 2022, and for sure beyond.
Atlanta did well this offseason…and did the right thing for rebuilding but it’s going to be a choppy 2022 with all the fresh players. Tampa Bay did better for 2022 impact with their offseason, so they get the win here.
WINNER = Tampa Bay, to move onto the NFC Final Four
2nd-Round results:
PHI defeats NYG
LAR defeats SF
MIN defeats DET
TB defeats ATL
