Football is a very complex sport. There are 53 men on each roster who all have specialized roles that need to be carried out properly if the team wants to contend. With such large rosters, there’s bound to be some weaknesses to go with the strengths and star power. Before the season begins, let’s get familiar with the ins and outs of each squad.
Arizona Cardinals
Strength: Offensive potential
Cardinal fans are riding the hype train for rookie quarterback Kyler Murray. He was last year’s Heisman winner and was selected with the first overall pick this year. His quickness paired with his strong arm has set up Arizona’s weak passing game for a revival. In terms of the running game, star back David Johnson is primed for a good year. New coach Kliff Kingsbury liked to run it outside when he coached at Texas Tech. Johnson shines when running the ball in space, making this coach to player connection perfect on paper. The rushing attack should carry this offense in 2019, with the passing game developing in the background. This offense will be fun to watch.
Weakness: Receiving corps talent
I hate to say that, as they have a lot of young players who haven’t proved themselves yet, but they are simply unproven. Larry Fitzgerald will be a great tutor, but he is getting up there in terms of age. Rookie receiver Hakeem Butler was a bright spot on this roster following the draft but will miss the 2019 season due to a hand injury. The lack of talent could prove detrimental to Kyler Murray’s development, causing this promising offense to underperform.
Atlanta Falcons
Strength: Receiving depth
Julio Jones has put himself in the upper echelon of players to ever play wide receiver. He will try to beat his league-leading 1,677 receiving yards last season with Matt Ryan at quarterback once again. The speedy and trusty Mohammed Sanu will return for his 8th season and Calvin Ridley will look to build on his strong rookie season where he led Atlanta’s receivers in touchdowns with 10. Tight end Austin Hooper has been Matt Ryan’s safety valve and will be another reliable pair of hands. This team will scorch the skies and could make the playoffs because of it.
Weakness: Defense
This team got the score run up on them last year, ranking 26th in points allowed in 2018. Star cornerback Robert Alford left for Arizona, with both starting safeties, Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen, coming off season-ending injuries. They will need to get them back to speed to have a chance on D this season. The front 7 hasn’t done a good job in the pass rush, as they ranked 24th in sacks per game in 2018 with a less than mediocre 2.3. They will need to get those numbers up to help their struggling secondary. The saving grace on defense could be head coach Dan Quinn, who will call their defensive plays this year. He masterminded the dominant 2013 Seahawks’ defense who won the Super Bowl that year. But, he had an extremely talented group in Seattle, so we’ll see if this defense rises to meet his expectations.
Baltimore Ravens
Strength: Secondary
This defense was ranked 2nd in points allowed last year and gave up the fewest yards. But, they lost star linebackers CJ Mosely and Terrell Suggs. Those guys were the heart of the defense and pass rush, so the front 7 could be in peril. The secondary has only gotten better though as they lost star safety Eric Weddle but got an upgrade in Earl Thomas. He is an amazing ballhawk and can fly across the field to the ball. Beyond that, he’s a leader. They will need one he should provide that from the safety position. Lined up at strong safety, they’ll have a solid veteran in Tony Jefferson, and a quiet star in Jimmy Smith at cornerback. This team should rack up interceptions and terrorize opposing wideouts.
Weakness: Passing offense
The ground game is set up nicely with a solid O-line to pair with speedy QB Lamar Jackson and new running back Mark Ingram. The questionable part of this offense is their pass game. Their top receiver is Willie Snead IV, with Seth Roberts listed as their 2nd wideout. The talent between those two is solid, but the concern is with Lamar Jackson. He hasn’t established himself as a guy who can consistently deliver from the pocket. While I understand the focal point of this offense is on the ground, they need a solid pass game to compliment it. It’ll be interesting to see if they can make do with the lack of talent there. If they don’t, it will be a devastating drag to their playoff aspirations.
Buffalo Bills
Strength: Rushing offense
LeSean McCoy’s future could be in turmoil in Buffalo after a rough season that saw him rush for the least yards in his career (UPDATE — LeSean McCoy has been cut by the Bills). Quarterback Josh Allen ended up leading the team with 631 yards. Yet somehow, they finished with the 9th best rushing offense in the NFL. This year they have depth in the backfield, as they added the 3rd highest rusher in history in Frank Gore and a solid young back in TJ Yeldon. They had such a solid run game because of the sheer number of contributors. Just by looking at the depth chart, they will have no shortage of backs to pound the rock and finish top 10 again.
Weakness: Passing offense
This team would be a real playoff contender if Josh Allen could consistently pass the ball efficiently. He passed for an abysmal 2000 yards, with 13 TDs and 7 picks. The stats speak for themselves, but if you want a translation: This team will be a repeat of last year if significant strides aren’t made in the passing game.
Carolina Panthers
Strength: Christian McCaffery
Run CMC as they call him, is the NFL’s premier multi-tool. He finished with over 1000 rushing yards, and over 850 receiving yards. When he gets hot, we see teams struggle to keep up with him, and it makes the D focus solely on him. This sets up play-action and makes quarterback Cam Newton’s job much easier. He is this offense’s heartbeat, and his play will determine the team’s success.
Weakness: Defensive cohesion
This D has the talent to be top 10 in the league but ranked 19th in terms of points allowed. There are plenty of things to blame, like Ron Rivera’s play-calling on D, a lack of leadership, poor secondary play, or just plain bad execution. At the end of the day, we don’t know. All we know for sure is they need to patch whatever issues caused this talented D to underperform so badly last year. If they do and get help from the offense, watch out for the Panthers.
Chicago Bears
Strength: Defensive Talent
This team finished with the least points allowed in the NFL last year. They have Khalil Mack, who many would rate the best pass rusher in the NFL coming off the edge. They lost a very solid starter in Adrian Amos but may have found an upgrade in Ha Ha Clinton-Dix at safety. Going back to the front four, they have another star in Akiem Hicks, a solid run-stuffer and pass rusher for a nose tackle. Returning for his second year, safety Eddie Jackson finished in the top 5 in interceptions NFL last year, taking 2 of them for touchdowns — he should be a star for years to come. Tied for the leader in picks last year, they have Kyle Fuller who many would rank as a top 3 cornerback in the league. This defense is likely to double down on their defensive dominance in 2019.
Weakness: Lack of a №1 running back
The Bears made the surprising decision to trade away their workhorse running back to the Eagles in Jordan Howard. That leaves them with 3rd down back Tarik Cohen, new addition Mike Davis, and 3rd round selection David Montgomery. While Tarik Cohen was a serious cog in their offense, he was more of a 3rd down back than anything. He finished 2018 with 99 carries to Jordan Howard’s 250. His size raises injury issues because it is logistically risky to have 5’6” running back carry the ball in the trenches over 200 times. That leaves them with Mike Davis who was in a similar role behind Chris Carson in Seattle last year, and a promising rookie in David Montgomery. These backs have the talent to solve this issue, but as it stands, their running back carousel could throw a wrench in run schemes from last year — many of which seemed to necessitate a workhorse back. Until someone steps up, the coaching staff may need to rebuild their run game from scratch and rely on Mitch Trubisky more than they’d like.
Cincinnati Bengals
Strength: Offensive Talent
This is not a guarantee this team will execute by any means. Rather, their talent is something that never matches their record. With a one-two punch of Joe Mixon and Giovani Bernard in the backfield, this team can be prolific on the ground. But they finished 21st in the league last year in rush yards; which could be due to them finishing 26th in rush attempts per game. They have a new head coach, former QB coach Zac Taylor, and I highly recommend committing to the run game. In the passing game, they have vertical threats in wideout AJ Green and tight end Tyler Eifert. While both are nursing injuries currently and have been liable to injuries their whole careers, they have posted elite numbers when healthy. Tyler Boyd, who will fill in for Green at WR1 while he recovers, had a breakout year last season. He will look to build on his reputation as one of the best young receiving threats in the league in 2019. The part of the offense that concerns me the most is Andy Dalton. He had a very mediocre season last year with just over 2,500 yards and 21 TDs in 11 games played. His contract is set to expire after next season, so this could be his last chance to earn a long-term deal in Cincy.
Weakness: Secondary
Don’t get me wrong, there are a lot more issues than this in Cincinnati. But this seems to be the most glaring of them all. This team finished dead-last in the league in pass yards allowed last year and there have been no changes in terms of personnel in the secondary. I don’t see this issue getting fixed and looks like it’ll be their demise yet again.
Cleveland Browns
Strength: Overall Talent/Potential
Additions like Odell Beckham Jr., Morgan Burnett, Olivier Vernon, Sheldon Richardson, and the controversial Kareem Hunt have sparked Super Bowl hype for a team who was winless 2 years ago. The passing game will no doubt be a spectacle, with 2 of the most explosive receivers in the league in Jarvis Landry and OBJ lining up opposite one another. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is primed for a great year, as he set the rookie passing TD record last year, and now has even more help in the WR corps. The backfield has some depth currently with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Right now, it seems Chubb will get most of the carries as he is listed as their 1st string running back on the Browns website. How many carries results from this is yet to be seen. The potential for a breakout year on the ground is certainly there, although Kareem Hunt will face an 8-game suspension to start the season. On the defensive side, they have 3 bona fide Pro-Bowlers in Olivier Vernon, Sheldon Richardson, and Myles Garrett. This team has a real chance of finishing top 5 in sacks and run defense. In the secondary, they have some ballhawks. Like cornerback Denzel Ward had 3 picks last year and safety Damarious Randle who had 4. New addition Morgan Burnett will attempt to recreate his solid play in Green Bay after a couple of off-years with the Steelers. This team has a lot of promise and anything short of a playoff appearance would be a monumental failure.
Weakness: Lack of Playoff Experience
A VAST majority of the starters on this relatively young Browns roster have little to no playoff experience. This is the main foreseeable issue I have with this team, as you cannot truly prepare for the playoffs if you haven’t been there. It’s a completely different atmosphere, and it’s almost always a rough go if you haven’t experienced it. It will be a true test for young QB Baker Mayfield to lead a team somewhere he has never been, but one I believe he has the tools to navigate.
Dallas Cowboys
Strength: Overall Talent
This team finished with 5 pro-bowlers last year, the most of any team in the NFL. The defense features young linebackers Leighton Vander Esch and Jaylon Smith who showcased their talents last year, combining for 261 total tackles. Star defensive end Demarcus Lawrence got an extension in April and CB Byron Jones had his first Pro Bowl year in 2018. On offense, they have what many consider the best line in the league. Dallas traded for star wideout Amari Cooper last year, who will be a serious weapon in the passing game this season. QB Dak Prescott is a bona fide winner and game manager. Re-signing him will be essential to their success. Speaking of, the Cowboys need to re-sign the centerpiece of their franchise in RB Ezekiel Elliot who is currently holding out. If he doesn’t play, it could turn a legitimate Super Bowl contender into a wild-card team at best. If they can get Cooper, Prescott, and Elliot to re-sign, it is a very real possibility this team contends for a ring based on their pure talent.
Weakness: Chemistry/Management
The situation off the field regarding the contracts of Ezekiel Elliot and Dak Prescott is too pressing to ignore. It seems the Cowboys are rubbing both players the wrong way in their attempts to get leverage. Owner Jerry Jones commented the Cowboys “don’t have to have a rushing champion to win a Super Bowl”. This must make Zeke feel a bit undervalued and has heightened tensions between the parties heavily. A false report stating Dak Prescott wanted $40M per year was released on NFL Media, which the Cowboys have a stake in. This shady move could pressure Dak into taking a smaller deal out of the pressure of being villainized. The management has done a lot to break the trust between them and their stars and it will blow up in their faces. Even if everyone gets re-signed, the bitterness in the locker room will be palpable and could break the fragile chemistry that holds them together.
Denver Broncos
Strength: Promising defense
This defense has been good for so long. A huge factor has been OLB Von Miller who is one of the best pass rushers ever. Second-year DE Bradley Chubb will look to continue the success of his rookie season and will rush the passer opposite of Miller. They combined for 26.5 sacks last year and should continue their dominance this year. Their secondary has plenty of talent too, headlined by veteran ballhawks Kareem Jackson and Chris Harris Jr. S Justin Simmons quietly had a great year last season and young CB Bryce Callahan developing into a star. Not to mention their new head coach, Vic Fangio. He was the defensive coordinator for the №1 scoring defense in Chicago last year. He is very defense-oriented and should do nothing but improve this already rock-solid defense.
Weakness: QB carousel
Trading for Super Bowl-winning QB Joe Flacco would have been a great move… 5 years ago. Flacco hasn’t been his usual self in the past few years and lost his job to rookie Lamar Jackson last year on the Ravens. The Broncos must squeeze whatever he has left out of him, which will not be a playoff QB. They have career backup Kevin Hogan — who has never seen a season where he threw more TDs than interceptions. To round out this rather bleak carousel, they have Drew Lock, a second-round pick out of Missouri. While he is yet to prove himself, he has played far from good in the preseason. He is the last bastion of hope in this QB situation and the Broncos focus on giving him reps in practice to hopefully fast-track his development. Unfortunately, he suffered a hand injury and will likely miss some early season action. As it stands, he won’t start this year anyways — making this QB situation as depressing as they come.
Detroit Lions
Strength: Stingy defense
This defense has the potential to be elite next year. Finishing 10th in yards allowed, this was a stout group under new coach and former defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia. Their pass rush has been solid, getting 43 sacks in 2018. They have Damon Harrison Sr. who is quietly one of the best defensive tackles in the game. They lost Ezekiel Ansah at the edge rusher position but got former Patriot Trey Flowers who should replace Ansah nicely. This compliments their secondary which is composed of star CB Darius Slay and new-addition Justin Coleman. At SS they have Quandre Diggs who had a solid season last year and a young player who is still developing in FS Tracy Walker. While they don’t have the flashiest pass defense stats, they make up for it by allowing low total yards consistently. They should keep it going on D next year and help carry this team.
Weakness: Stafford’s consistency
This team is a legitimate playoff threat when Matthew Stafford is playing at the top of his game. His best season saw him throw for over 5,000 yards and hit 41 passing TDs — he threw for just over 3,700 yards last year with about half those TDs at 21. Just looking at his history, you can tell he isn’t playing the best he can, and it has shown in the team’s lack of wins in the last few years. They changed it up at offensive coordinator with former Seahawks OC Darrell Bevell now calling the shots. He is known for his heavy preference for running the ball (except on the goal line) and will likely get emerging star running back Kerryon Johnson over 200 carries. This will be a chance for Stafford to take a step back and be more of a game manager like Russell Wilson was in those years of Marshawn Lynch’s dominance in Seattle. If he can be smart with the ball and accept a reduced role, this is a possible 10-win squad.
Green Bay Packers
Strength: Complementary football
This team has the talent to shut out opponents and outlast them in a shootout. Why? They can play complementary football: The ability for defense and offense to play off each other’s success and pick each other up if one is struggling. On offense, they have 2-time MVP Aaron Rodgers at QB. He will need to learn the new playbook new head coach Matt LaFleur has installed, but I believe his talents are transcendent of offensive style, so there’s no scenario I can see where Rodgers isn’t playing at an elite level. Wide receiver Davante Adams will look to build on his amazing year last year, with Jimmy Graham providing reliable hands and a red-zone threat at tight end. They also should be solid in the run game with RB Aaron Jones likely seeing the bulk of carries this season. He managed to total 728 yards on the ground in just 12 games last year and should get up over 1,000 this year in 16 games. On defense, they have some notable additions in pass rushers Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith who have both shown the ability to pressure the quarterback at an elite level. They also added safety Adrian Amos who had a great year in Chicago last year on their dominant defense and should bring that energy to a talented squad in Green Bay. This overall talent should be enough to win over 11 games this season. Barring injury, this is a Super Bowl contender.
Weakness: New playbook situation
This is more of skepticism than a true weakness, for the record. Matt LaFleur is looking to add a new offense that features him calling the shots an awful lot more than Rodgers. He is looking to impose an offensive system where Rodgers will not have complete control to audible at the line and this causes a real issue. Rodgers has always had control to change the play at the line, so this sudden change in freedom will certainly make for an interesting relationship between LaFleur and Rodgers. If they can come to a middle ground, Rodgers and the Pack will have another elite season of football.
Houston Texans
Strength: Offense
This team has a top 5 offense on paper. While they finished 11th in terms of points per game, their talent shows a team that could be top 5. Star QB Deshaun Watson will be throwing deep balls to All-Pro wideout DeAndre Hopkins as usual, not to mention the rest of their loaded wide receiving corps with Keke Coutee and Will Fuller. These guys have been serious 2nd and 3rd options for Watson and should continue their solid play. In the run game, they have RB Duke Johnson who they just acquired from Cleveland. He will have to fill in for starter Lamar Miller who suffered a torn ACL in the preseason. He has proven his ability to be a starting running back while in Cleveland and should ease Deshaun Watson’s offensive burden. The loss of Lamar Miller is going to be rough on their run game, as the depth with Miller and Johnson would have been great — but I believe they’ll make due.
Weakness: O-line
Oh man. Deshaun Watson got sacked a staggering 62 times last year. For perspective — the least sacked team in the league, the Colts, were sacked just 18 times. This line needs to improve if they want to contend. They added two rookies in the draft in Tytus Howard and Max Scharping, but they are still raw and Watson needs help now. I was hoping for a trade to get a guy like Pro-Bowl tackle Trent Williams, who has demanded to be traded from Washington, but that is yet to be seen. If they don’t improve this soon, they could lose Deshaun Watson to injury or sputter in the passing game from lack of time to throw.
Indianapolis Colts
Strength: Defensive talent
Finishing with the 10th least points allowed in 2018, the Colts defense was one of the most consistent forces in the NFL, especially in their final 10 games. They won 9 of them, thanks to MVP-type play from quarterback Andrew Luck, but also stingy defense. They won’t have the benefit of an elite caliber quarterback this time around, so all eyes will be on this defense to take the Colts to the playoffs. Luckily, they have 2018 Defensive Rookie of the Year Darius Leonard manning the middle of the D at linebacker. He flew all around the field last season — totaling a league-best 163 tackles to go with 7 sacks. This earned Leonard an All-Pro selection and he’ll look to continue his impressive play in year two. They also signed veteran Justin Houston at defensive end, who should look to get after the quarterback consistently. He had 20.5 sacks a few seasons ago and will look to replicate some of that success in his new gig with Indy. Safety Malik Hooker has been explosive at times in his first two seasons totaling 5 interceptions in 20 games started. He’s been inconsistent though, as he’s displayed his ball skills sparingly. He will need to elevate his game in 2019 if the Colts want to boast a top 5 defense.
Weakness: Quarterback
It was a heartbreaking moment. Football fans pulled out their phones on a Saturday night to stunning news: Andrew Luck retired from the football. It leaves a huge vacancy at QB and one that will likely be filled by long-time backup Jacoby Brissett. Brissett has had a great training camp and was likely going to start week one even if Luck didn’t retire due to his injury. I believe he’s prepared to lead this team, but he just can’t match the output and leadership of Luck. That’s the difference between a mediocre season and a possible Super Bowl run. The Colts will sorely miss Andrew Luck by the time January rolls around.
Jacksonville Jaguars
Strength: Defense
Despite the losses of safeties Barry Church and Tashaun Gipson, this defense is still elite. With star cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and A.J. Bouye consistently putting opposing wide receivers on islands, I still expect the opposing QB to struggle to put up efficient games against the Jags. Defensive ends Calais Campbell and Yannick Ngakoue will provide elite pass rushing off the edge every game with defensive tackle Marcell Dareus stuffing the gaps in the run game. Myles Jack has been a consistent contributor at inside linebacker for the last two years. I expect him to be on the ball carrier every play in the absence of Pro-Bowl linebacker Telvin Smith — who is taking time away from football in 2019. Regardless of their losses, the pure depth and talent of this defense will put them in the top 10 this year.
Weakness: Receiving corps
With the loss of Donte Moncrief, the receiving depth seems about as bleak as ever. Terrelle Pryor is the only receiver on the team with a 1,000-yard season — and that was on the 2016 Browns (UPDATE — Pryor was cut by the Jaguars on August 30th). Pryor and Chris Conley should be the go-to’s in the red-zone for their size, but they have Dede Westbrook listed as their №1 receiver. He had a solid 2018 season amassing over 700 yards in the air, but he is about as talented as this corps gets. This is a problem for new QB Nick Foles who has always had a star receiver in the times he was successful, like DeSean Jackson or Alshon Jefferey. Seeing as this is Foles’ first year with the team as well, I don’t see a scenario where this team doesn’t end up with a mediocre passing game. They will likely need to rely heavily on Leonard Fournette to get it done on the ground.
Kansas City Chiefs
Strength: Overall talent
Once again, a team has the talent to play consistent complementary football. They can soar on offense, we all know that, but their defense added some key pieces as well. They snagged former Texans safety Tyrann Mathieu and traded for defensive end Frank Clark out of Seattle to replace Dee Ford. They also added cornerback Bashaud Breeland from Green Bay. Considering Eric Berry’s release, their secondary has arguably improved or stayed the same in terms of talent — which is enough to get to get the job done. The line will be in the QB’s face all day long with Chris Jones and Frank Clark both being top 10 pass rushers in the NFL. On offense, they finished №1 in points last year with league MVP and Offensive Player of the Year Patrick Mahomes throwing for over 5,000 yards and 50 TDs. He has some star targets in Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, with Sammy Watkins providing premium talent for a third option. On the ground, they have Damien Williams and Carlos Hyde (UPDATE — Carlos Hyde was just traded to the Texans. They signed LeSean McCoy who will likely fill in a RB2 role). Williams played great last season, amassing over 250 yards on the ground on just 50 carries and should play well in a 16-game calendar. This team is a favorite for Super Bowl LIV.
Weakness: Defense must keep up
Last year this team had similar talent on defense, meaning they had the potential to be top 10. Instead, they finished 31st in the league in terms of yards allowed. The reason? Their offense is too explosive. Mahomes and co. put up 35 points per contest and sent their defense back out way too much. This led to them allowing the most yards per drive in the league and was the reason the Chiefs dealt with a lot of close calls despite their offensive dominance. If this defense can keep up with Mahomes’ pace and stop opposing offenses more consistently, we will see this team in February.
Los Angeles Chargers
Strength: Balanced defense
This secondary features 2 All-Pros in Desmond King and Derwin James. They had phenomenal years and are still developing which is an encouraging sign for this contending Chargers team. But, James injured his foot in training camp and will miss a significant amount of time this season which isn’t so encouraging. They will have a star corner in Casey Hayward who didn’t make much noise last year as he had no interceptions. He is a lockdown corner and consistent force for this team though, make no mistake. At linebacker, they acquired veteran Thomas Davis who is a born leader and skilled player. He missed some time last year due to suspension but will look to get back on track in LA. Denzel Perryman missed some time last year with a knee injury but is a real playmaker when healthy. The star of this defense though is 4th-year defensive end Joey Bosa. He missed 9 games with an injury last year but had 23 sacks in his first 2 seasons before that. He is a force and they will need him as they only had 38 sacks last year in his absence. This defense finished 8th in points allowed last year and should finish in the top 10 again.
Weakness: Run game
Though the Chargers have a stacked receiving corps, their run game is rather mediocre. They finished 15th in the league in rushing yards and are currently dealing with running back Melvin Gordon’s holdout. If he leaves, and the situation will probably have him leaving, their run offense will likely be even worse. They will likely start Austin Ekeler in his absence — who isn’t the worst running back option by any means — but their running offense needs to be better. It’s an essential trait of any real contender and they should work on their ground game before the season starts.
Los Angeles Rams
Strength: Explosive offense
This team has plenty of strengths, but their ability to put up points in bunches stands out. Finishing 2nd in points per game last year, this offense made their mark in 2018. They are led by quarterback Jared Goff who had an elite year, finishing with over 4,500 passing yards and 32 TDs. His success was boosted by the quality of his receivers. He had Brandin Cooks who is always a great route runner and deep-ball threat from the slot or when he’s split out wide. Wide receiver Robert Woods had an even better year and has proved himself to be a true number one option in this offense. Both can play WR1 which is something most teams don’t have. Beyond that, they will have Cooper Kupp returning to the offense after a season-ending ACL tear in 2018. He has had success in his first two years racking up 1,435 yards in just 14 games started and 23 played total. He should elevate their offense in his return this season. In the run game, they have Todd Gurley. He scored a league-high 17 times last year — finishing with All-Pro nods the last two seasons. Though he has a nagging knee injury, he should play well with the carries he receives. I trust the training staff will take the necessary steps to keep him on the field and his knee as strong as possible.
Weakness: Defense yields too many points
Similar to the Chiefs, this defense bent way too much last year, finishing at 20th in points allowed. I get the downside of having an elite offense is the defense must be on the field a lot due to the copious amounts of scoring. But the defense got this team in a lot of shootouts last year. They came through in the Super Bowl, holding the Patriots to just 13, but the offense didn’t even reach the endzone. They played to their potential in February, now they need to carry that energy into September. Or else we’ll see this team looking vulnerable in a stacked NFC West.
Miami Dolphins
Strength: Secondary
Xavien Howard had himself a year. He picked off 7 passes in 2018 and defended 12 passes. He got a $76.5M extension as a result and will remain the best player in Miami for a while. At safety, they have Alabama standout Minkah Fitzpatrick, who is heading into his second year. His first year saw him make 2 interceptions and take one to the house. He’s a playmaker with the potential for greatness. They will have Reshad Jones playing the other safety — he had 3 interceptions last year. This secondary is full of ballhawks and opposing QB’s should struggle against these guys.
Weakness: Unstable offense
With journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick and second-year player Josh Rosen vying for a chance to start at quarterback, we have no clue how this team will turn out on offense. They don’t have depth at wide receiver or tight end, leaving a lack of options in the passing game for whoever wins the QB battle. The most consistent part of this offense I can find is their run game, which isn’t elite by any means. Their running back, Kenyan Drake, is yet to rush for over 700 yards in his career and this team finished a mediocre 18th in the league in total rushing yards. This offense has too many gaps to ignore, and they need to be addressed before this team can even think about the playoffs.
Minnesota Vikings
Strength: Stingy defense
Coming in at 4th in terms of yards allowed in the NFL last year, the Vikings defense is a well-rounded and aggressive unit. The line contains Pro-Bowlers left and right. On the edges, they have Danielle Hunter who finished with 14.5 sacks last year, and Everson Griffen who had an off-year but will look to get back to his Pro Bowl level of play. This corps of linebackers is elite as well, containing Pro-Bowler Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks who has gotten at least 100 tackles in 3 of his 4 years in the league. Their front seven is a nightmare for opposing QB’s and shuts down the rushing attack every game. The talent level remains high in the secondary with Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith calling the shots. He is accompanied by two elite corners in Trae Waynes and Xavier Rhodes. This led to the Vikings allowing the 3rd least passing yards in the NFL last year — 2019 should feature more of the same suffocating defense.
Weakness: Kirk Cousins against good teams
When quarterback Kirk Cousins played winning teams in 2018, he went 1–6. When he’s played winning teams in his career, he’s gone 5–25. He hasn’t won a playoff game, etc. We all know he sucks in prime time and he’s probably heard it all too much. If the Vikings want to win with the stacked roster they have right now, they’ll need Cousins to elevate his game against those tough teams rather than deflate. It’s the reason they missed the playoffs with him and went 13–3 with Case Keenum. This team can win the NFC North based on their talent, but they really need their 84-million-dollar man to step up. If he doesn’t, it’ll be time to close the book on this chapter and trade him.
New England Patriots
Strength: Complementary football
This team has always done it best. The Patriots have always carried this seamless energy between offense and defense that will see one pick each other up if the other fails. It’s the culture Bellicheck has installed: Do Your Job. And it showed: They were 4th in points scored and 7th in points allowed. Some of the other teams that scored at an elite level, like the Chiefs, had defenses that simply struggled to keep up with the output of the offense and handled their lack of rest on the sidelines badly. With the Patriots, it’s never really been an issue. The talent on offense is solid, with Tom Brady leading the charge, accompanied by Julian Edelman, Philip Dorsett, possibly Josh Gordon, and rookie N’Keal Harry catching his passes. This is solid talent for a guy that can make any receiver look elite. The loss of star tight end Rob Gronkowski can’t be overstated, but I trust Brady to move on. Their defense is top 10, with star corner Stephon Gilmore always giving opposing QB’s anxiety. The rest of the secondary is filled out with Jason and Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung, all guys who are consistently ball hawks and can play at a high level every week. The Patriots will always be a contender with Brady and Bellicheck calling the shots.
Weakness: Pass Rush
The Patriots finished with the 3rd least sacks in the NFL last year. Their main pass rusher in Trey Flowers left for Detroit. Though they did get veteran Michael Bennett, he is nearing the end of his career, and Flowers’ main upside was his youth/potential. The Patriots allowed the 10th most pass yards in the league last year, and a sizable portion of the blame needs to be placed on the pass rush. They have a borderline elite secondary and I believe if they can improve their pass-rushing, this team will be utterly dominant.
New Orleans Saints
Strength: Explosive offense
Some say this will be the year Drew Brees meets Father Time. I think not! He finished last year just 8 yards short of a 4,000-yard year (he sat out the final game) and threw 32 TDs to just 5 picks. He earned a rating of 115.7 — the highest in his career. His ability to be smart with the football is what won this team 13 games last season. When you pair him up with star wideout Michael Thomas and a receiving threat out of the backfield in Alvin Kamara, you have an explosive offense. This squad put up 31 points per game last year, good for 3rd in the NFL. They may have lost their bruising running back in Mark Ingram but picked up Latavius Murray to help carry the load with Kamara. Their run-game should pick up where it left off as the Saints finished 6th in the league in rushing. A Super Bowl contender is brewing in The Big Easy.
Weakness: Secondary
The Saints finished 29th in pass yards allowed, a steep fall-off from 2017 where they finished 15th. This may have been due to the loss of safety Kenny Vaccaro who was always a presence in the defensive backfield, or the regression of cornerback Ken Crawley, who only appeared in 10 games last season. Either way, this secondary has struggled and star cornerback Marshon Lattimore needs to return to his 2017 form when he won Defensive Rookie of the Year with 5 interceptions in just 13 games. If this secondary improves, Saint’s fans should feel awfully good about their title chances.
New York Giants
Strength: Young offensive corps
The mindboggling selection of quarterback Daniel Jones with the 6th pick in the draft by the Giants is one that doesn’t seem too crazy now. Following some strong preseason showings, fans want to see the Duke standout take Eli Manning’s starting role. The hype brewing there goes hand in hand with the phenomenal rookie year of running back Saquon Barkley. He led the league in scrimmage yards with 2,028 last year and will look to build on this amazing year. He also had 91 catches, making him a reliable target out of the backfield. If Daniel Jones sees the field this year, Barkley should help him by being a good check-down option and elite back in the run game. At tight end, they’ll have 3rd-year player Evan Engram. He’s struggled to stay healthy in his first two years but has been explosive in the games he’s healthy. He ran a 4.42 forty-yard dash at the combine and the speed shows on the field. While this isn’t the most star-studded team in the league, there’s a good amount of young talent to be excited for.
Weakness: QB dilemma
It’s not a dilemma. The Giants know they cannot win with Eli Manning yet have decided to let him reprise his starting role while the 6th overall pick Daniel Jones will watch from the sideline. I get it, last year Manning played well in the stat book, but struggled in the most important stat: wins. The Giants went 5–11 following an even worse 2017 and they need to make a change somewhere. Why not start at quarterback? I’m not here to say Daniel Jones is the guy to get them to the playoffs, or even win more than 5 games. But the way true quarterbacks are formed in this league is through playing, and Jones won’t get that from the bench. The Giants invested a lot in Jones, so it would only make sense to exert a proper amount of resources to his development. It’s simple: The longer the Giants wait to part ways with Eli, the longer they wait to win.
New York Jets
Strength: Youth
Some of the best players on this team are either in their prime or in their rookie contracts. This leaves room for much-needed development, as this team finished 4–12 in 2018. They have a second-year starter, and 3rd overall pick in the 2018 draft, Sam Darnold at QB. While his performance and carelessness at times with the ball leave much to be desired, he is entering just his second year. He has time to develop, and new head coach Adam Gase has experience as a QB coach so he should help Darnold’s progression. At running back, they acquired star running back Le’Veon Bell, who is heading into his 7th year in the league. Though he missed the 2018 season with a contract dispute, he is in the prime of his career as he had over 300 carries in his last season played. He should shake off any rust in the early going and return to form very soon. At wide receiver, they’ll have 4th-year player Robby Anderson who has flashed serious potential as a star receiver in this league. They also have 5th-year receiver Jamison Crowder, who has been a serious slot threat throughout his career in Washington. On defense, they have a Pro Bowl talent in 5th-year defensive tackle Leonard Williams. He has been solid for them and should produce another good year in 2019. At linebacker, they have 6th-year linebacker C.J. Mosley who has been nothing short of amazing in his first 5 years in the league. He amassed Pro Bowl nods in 4 of his 5 seasons and has been a consistent leader in a stout Baltimore defense. He will bring his above-average coverage skills, leadership and tackling to a young Jets defense. At defensive tackle, they drafted Quinnen Williams. He’s a massive guy who can penetrate the line and get after the ball. He’s already stirring up DROY talk, so he’s another welcome addition to this squad. In their secondary, they’ll have 3rd-year safety Jamal Adams lurking. He amassed 115 tackles last year and a Pro Bowl nod. He should continue his dominance and produce another great year for the Jets. They will also have a veteran presence in cornerback Trumaine Johnson who had 4 interceptions last year.
Weakness: Lots of questions
This list factors in how good a team will be in the coming season more than anything, so the youth of this squad can raise plenty of questions. Sam Darnold turned the ball over more than I would have wanted, throwing 17 TDs to 15 interceptions. While he will most definitely improve, I am skeptical as to whether he will develop into a quarterback that can lead this squad to a playoff berth this season. The receiving depth shares this issue as I don’t believe they are proven and are in dire need of development. That’s not to say they won’t get better, but their inexperience could prove detrimental when it comes to winning games. Their defense is still young and developing — so they need more time before they can pull their weight on a playoff squad after allowing the 4th most points in the NFL last season. This team will be great in the future, but the playoffs seem like a bit of a stretch this year — especially in the AFC East.
Oakland Raiders
Strength: New blood
The Raiders made a lot of noise this offseason. First, they traded for star wide receiver Antonio Brown, then they drafted Clelin Ferrell at number 4 overall in the draft, way higher than his projected late-first-round value. Some other moves flew under the radar though, like the signing of long-time Bengal linebacker Vontaze Burfict. While he is known for his antics, he is a solid player who is known for his hit power and high tackle totals, as he recorded 177 combined in 2013. Burfict hasn’t been that productive for a while, but a change of scenery could reignite his play. The Raiders also added another linebacker in Brandon Marshall, who has had multiple 100-tackle seasons in Denver but only started 7 games last year. He should pick up where he left off in 2017 where he had 106 tackles, now in a full season of play (UPDATE — Marshall was just cut by the Raiders on August 30th). At safety, they picked up Rams’ standout Lamarcus Joyner who will bring another veteran presence to that defense. On the offensive side of the ball, they drafted Josh Jacobs, a promising running back out of Alabama. His shifty yet rugged running style is why many have him the Rookie of the Year race already. They added wide receiver Tyrell Williams who has been a proven 1000-yard receiver and should fill in the WR2 slot nicely. Finally, Antonio Brown will look to get over his well-publicized off-field drama and continue his streak of 6 consecutive 1000-yard receiving seasons (UPDATE — The Raiders have cut Antonio Brown due to off-field issues. This will leave the Raiders' passing offense possibly worse than it was before his arrival).
Weakness: Defense
As refreshing as a new slate of players is, their defense still has a long way to go. The only foreseeable star on that defense is Gareon Conley, who managed 3 interceptions and 15 passes defended from his cornerback role. Beyond him, I only see a few solid additions, but no real Pro Bowl talent. Considering this lack of a star-addition, this defense will likely flop once again. They finished dead last in points allowed in 2018 and I don’t see much improvement. I don’t think they’ll be as bad this year, but certainly not much better. This was what made this team vastly underperform last year and will probably be the culprit once again.
Philadelphia Eagles
Strength: Versatile offense
This offense is stacked. On the line, they have 9-time Pro-Bowler Jason Peters, 1-time All-Pro selection Lane Johnson, 2-time All-Pro selection Jason Kelce, 2-time Pro-Bowler Brandon Brooks, and 4th-year guard Isaac Seumalo. This all-star cast of linemen will be blocking for their dual-threat gunslinger, Carson Wentz. Though Wentz has struggled to stay healthy, he played like an MVP when he isn’t on IR. At running back they’ll have former Bears Pro-Bowler Jordan Howard. He has been known to catch the ball out of the backfield but can pound the rock on the ground. He has amassed 3370 rushing yards in 44 games started with an average of 4.3 yards. Behind a top 3 offensive line in the NFL, I expect his production to get even better. At tight end, they’ll have a Pro-Bowler in Zach Ertz. He finished with 1163 yards on 116 catches and established himself as a top 3 tight end in the NFL. Their receiving depth is where this offense shines. They have a vertical threat in 6’3” Alshon Jeffery, a speedster in DeSean Jackson who will undoubtedly one of the best deep-ball threats in the NFL — and a great slot option in Nelson Agholor. Carson Wentz will have a lot of fun throwing to these guys and get plenty of time to decide thanks to their line. This offense is a sleeper for best in the NFL next season.
Weakness: Defensive line
Though this squad finished tied at the 8th most sacks in the NFL in 2018, they lost a lot of pieces. They traded away their 2nd best pass rusher in Michael Bennett and Chris Long retired. These are devastating blows to their ability to pressure the quarterback, which may be necessary to aid a rather mediocre secondary. On the bright side, they retained All-Pro DT Fletcher Cox and defensive end Brandon Graham. They will need to develop young DE Derek Barnett though and will look to Vinny Curry to bring some pressure to the QB. This line won’t be terrible but will certainly need help from their secondary this year.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Strength: Well-rounded defense
It’s so easy to get caught up in the offense and be intrigued by how they’ll perform without Bell or Brown, but this defense has the potential to be top 5 in the league next year. On the edges, they have 1-time All-Pro Cameron Heyward and 1-time Pro-Bowler TJ Watt. The pair combined for 21 sacks and 39 total QB hits. They are the reason this team finished tied for first in the league in sacks last year. Defensive end Stephon Tuitt was also a force in the pass rush — hitting the QB 20 times last year. They make the lives of the DBs so much easier, as the QB is constantly distracted and flustered leading to bad reads and throws. Speaking of the secondary, they have 2-time Pro-Bowler Joe Haden at cornerback. He’s been a force in Pittsburgh and started 15 games last year, the most he has since 2014. Opposite of Haden will be Steven Nelson — who finished with 4 picks last year in Kansas City. Opposing wideouts will have some trouble with this duo. Lurking in the linebacking corps is Bud Dupree who has been a leader in this defense for a little while now. He is yet to have a true breakout year and they’ll look to him to up his game in 2019. They’ll also look to rookie Devin Bush to make plays. His sideline-to-sideline speed is already elite and should lead to plenty of eye-opening plays — he’s a dark horse for DROY.
Weakness: Receiving depth
This may be nitpicking, but I don’t see this team having much depth in terms of receivers outside of Vance McDonald and Juju Smith-Schuster. Juju is the only player on the roster with a 1000-yard season, but there’s potential elsewhere. Donte Moncrief should fit into this system well and Ryan Switzer will be a solid option in the slot. Still, this is one of the less talented receiving corps Big Ben has had in his career. Also, consider they ranked 31st in running the ball last year, so they’ll need to be nothing short of prolific in the air if they want to contend.
San Francisco 49ers
Strength: Defensive front
The acquisition of Dee Ford made perhaps the biggest splash of the Niners offseason. He finished with 13 sacks last year and will be a welcome addition to a line that finished 22nd in sacks last year. They also drafted the consensus best player in the 2019 class — Nick Bosa. He impressed at Ohio State, with his finesse and quickness off the line for a defensive end. He has struggled with injuries in the last few years and his health will be essential to the success of this defense. Regardless, he’s the frontrunner for DROY. They will also have a Pro-Bowler in 4th-year defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. He finished with 12 sacks and 20 QB hits last year. At linebacker resides Malcolm Smith, the proud owner of two 100 tackle seasons in Oakland. While last year was a struggle and he saw a drop-off in production, he’s still a very talented linebacker in this league. They also acquired veteran LB Kwon Alexander. He has been an essential piece of the Tampa Bay defense for the last 4 years but is coming off a torn ACL. I expect him to fill in as the leader for this defense. Overall, the front 7 should be very solid in the Bay.
Weakness: Receiving depth
The Niners have Dante Pettis listed as their number one receiver, with Marquise Goodwin at №2. It’s not a great situation in terms of talent out there. They have George Kittle, and that’s it for 1000-yard receivers on that team (he doesn’t even play wideout). This lack of talent and versatility will certainly impact Jimmy Garoppolo, who should be rusty after missing the last 13 games of 2018 with an ACL tear. It doesn’t hurt to have some talent to shake some of the cobwebs off, but all he will get is George Kittle. This is far from ideal and I have serious questions about this team’s ability to move the ball through the air. They will probably rely on the run-game which features Matt Breida and Tevin Coleman.
Seattle Seahawks
Strength: Run game
Finishing 1st in rushing yards, the Seahawks committed to pounding the rock in 2018. It was a sudden change considering quarterback Russell Wilson was their leading rusher in 2017 when they finished an awful 23rd in rushing. What changed? 2017 7th round selection Chris Carson stayed healthy. His rookie season saw him suffer a season-ending injury in the early going, but 2018 saw him rush for over 1,100 yards. Another monumental reason for their success was new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer’s commitment to the run. They ran it 409 times in 2017 as compared to their 534 attempts in 2018. They also leaned on rookie back Rashaad Penny and veteran Mike Davis to relieve Chris Carson — the duo combined for over 900 yards rushing. A lot of credit needs to be put on the offensive line as well, as they consistently dominated in the run game. They added former All-Pro guard Mike Iupati as well, so I expect this run game to perform similarly to their success last season.
Weakness: Defensive line
Bad luck has plagued this line over the offseason. They couldn’t retain their star in Frank Clark and were forced to trade him the Chiefs — his 14 sacks will be missed in this young defense. Their second-best pass rusher, Jarran Reed, will be suspended the first 6 games of 2019 as well. This leaves them with rookie L.J. Collier and new arrival Ezekiel Ansah as their best pass-rushing options. Except, both are nursing injuries that have them questionable for Week 1. They’ll lean on promising DT Poona Ford, and their younger talent like Rasheem Green to elevate their game, but the fact remains: This is a depleted line. Considering the youth of their secondary, it’s hard to see this defense playing well in the early going outside of their elite linebacking corps (UPDATE — The Seahawks have traded for DE Jadaveon Clowney, he will be the main pass rusher. He should fill in Frank Clark’s shoes, making this weakness not as severe as it was pre-trade).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Strength: Passing offense
This offense leans on their air attack, finishing 1st in the league in pass yards last year. It’s important to mention Ryan Fitzpatrick played a sizable amount of games at QB and Jameis Winston started 9. Winston finished with 11 appearances and over 2,900 yards in the air. He threw 19 TD’s in that period to 14 interceptions, meaning he’d almost certainly have thrown over 3,500 yards and 25 TD’s in a full season. He also completed 64.6% of passes and has only improved that stat in his 4 years of playing. With Fitzpatrick gone, Winston will be fighting for his job this year against a loaded 2020 NFL draft. I believe he will step up in more time and he has plenty of tools to do so. Though they lost receiver DeSean Jackson, they’ve retained star WR Mike Evans and a solid option in Chris Godwin. They combined for over 2,300 yards receiving and should match that production next year. The Bucs also held onto breakout tight end O.J. Howard who only started 8 games last year and put up over 550 receiving yards. He’s a 6’6” 250lb target for Winston and should play well if he can stay healthy this year.
Weakness: Rushing offense
This team just couldn’t get it going on the ground. They finished 29th in the league in rushing yards on an abysmal 3.9 yards per carry — 30th in the league. 4th year running back Peyton Barber is listed to start again after starting every game in 2018. Even after starting all 16 games, he managed just 871 yards on 234 carries. He often found no running lanes, as their run blocking has been subpar. They don’t have a single Pro-Bowler on their line and haven’t done anything about it. The only thing they’ve done is hire Joe Gilbert as their new O-line coach, but it isn’t a promising move as he was the O-line coach in Indianapolis for 5 years, where they were so bad Andrew Luck had career-ending injuries.
Tennessee Titans
Strength: Balanced defense
The Titans added 5-time Pro Bowler Cameron Wake at defensive end to their already talented defensive line. They also have 4-time Pro-Bowler Jurrell Casey manning the middle. He’s a great run-stopper and perhaps an even better pass-rusher, amassing 25 sacks in the last 4 seasons as a 300-pounder. Manning the middle linebacker spot will be Wesley Woodyard. He has over 230 tackles in the last 2 seasons and has been a consistent contributor to this defense since he joined the squad in 2014. Their secondary is the best part of the entire team though. At corner, they have former Patriots Logan Ryan and Malcolm Butler. They’ve both been consistent contributors in their roles and been lockup corners. At nickelback, they have one of the best in Adoree’ Jackson. He’s had 27 passes defended in his first 2 seasons and should only improve this year. The safeties stand out as veteran hard-hitter Kenny Vaccaro and former All-Pro safety Kevin Byard will play the defensive backfield. Byard is the ballhawk, with 12 picks in the last 2 seasons. Vaccaro is the enforcer with some of the best hit power in the league from the safety spot. This defense allowed the 3rd least points in the league last year and should continue their high level of play.
Weakness: Pass offense
In a similar predicament as fellow 2015 draftee Jameis Winston, Marcus Mariota will likely be playing for his job this year. He’s shown potential as a franchise QB with great performances in 2015 and 2016 but has been injured or inconsistent in the last 2 seasons. He’s thrown 24 TDs to 23 picks in the last 2 years and I’d like to see him be a tad smarter with the ball. The Titans also finished 29th in the league in passing yards and 5th in rushing yards. I’d like to see them balance their offense a bit more by developing their pass game. If they come in and run the ball 75% of the time, they will get figured out quickly. At that point, not even their elite defense can save them.
Washington
Strength: Secondary
This is a very talented secondary. With the addition of 2-time Pro-Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and former All-Pro safety Landon Collins, this safety looks more elite than it has in a while. They also have former All-Pro Josh Norman at cornerback. It’s no wonder there is a lot of excitement around a group that finished a rather mediocre 15th in the league in pass defense.
Weakness: Pass offense
Starting QB Alex Smith suffered a gruesome leg injury halfway through the 2018 season and it got infected, unfortunately. This means he will miss the 2019 season while rehabbing, leaving a scrum at QB. Case Keenum has emerged as the starter for the beginning of the year with veteran Colt McCoy and rookie Dwayne Haskins both gunning for his spot as the season nears. They are all starting talents but none of them will be superstars by any means. The QB isn’t where the uncertainty ends though. The Redskins are reportedly looking to trade WR1 Josh Doctson. If this trade indeed happens, it will leave Paul Richardson Jr. and Cam Sims as the top 2 options on the team. Richardson flashed some potential in Seattle but has gone through injuries and inconsistencies in D.C. The bulk of their receiving talent will come from the tight end spot where they have two former Pro-Bowlers in Jordan Reed and Vernon Davis. But, Davis is getting to the end of his days and Reed has been a bit inconsistent. For a squad that finished 28th in pass yards last year, the concern is very high in the capital.
