Atlanta Falcons
NFC South Week 1 Recap
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL season kicked off yesterday. I’m going to take a look around the NFC South and see what we can take away from these performances.
Atlanta- 24 Carolina- 10: As a Falcons fan I’ve always been grateful to the Panthers. No matter how bad the Falcons are you can always count on one win against the guys from Charlotte.
I expected it to be a rough day for Bryce Young since he’s a rookie quarterback on a bad team making his debut. The first pick in the draft went 20-38 passing for 146 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions. I expect him to get better as the season goes on.
I was curious how the Falcons backfield would look since they drafted Bijan Robinson with the 8th pick in the 2023 draft. Tyler Allgeier rushed for over one thousand yards last season as a rookie. Allgeier rushed for 75 yards and two TD’s on 15 carries. Robinson had 10 carries for 56 yards and 6 receptions for 27 yards and a score.
“This was a super-fun first game for me,” Robinson said. “I just can’t wait to showcase what we’ve got going down the line.”
Desmond Ridder is not the franchise quarterback of the future. He was efficient passing the ball, completing 15 of 18 attempts. He only passed for 115 yards though. He does not throw the ball downfield so playmakers like Kyle Pitts or Drake London can excel. London had zero catches and only 1 target. Pitts caught 2 passes for 44 yards.
Tampa Bay- 20 Minnesota-17: This game surprised me and left me thinking the Buccaneers have a chance to win the division. It’s way too early to make that prediction but they were the most impressive NFC South team yesterday.
Tom Brady retired for good, allegedly, and they replaced him with Baker Mayfield. The former number one pick is a journeyman who is on his last opportunity to be a starter in the NFL. He passed for 174 yards and 2 TD’s. Those aren’t impressive numbers but it is a big deal that he did not throw a pick. Mike Evans caught 6 passes for 66 yards and a score.
“It just comes with playing quarterback for a long time,” said Mayfield, who hopped from the Browns to the Panthers to the Rams to before landing with the Bucs. “The most important play is the next one.”
The Vikings won the NFC North last season and made the playoffs so this is a good win. Kirk Cousins passed for 344 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception. He also lost 2 fumbles so the defense did a good job causing turnovers.
New Orleans- 16 Tennessee- 15: Derek Carr made his debut with the Saints and he did a decent job. He threw for 305 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception. He was sacked four times so he took a beating.
“I’m glad we won. That’s all I wanted to do,” said Carr. “That was one of the more physical games I’ve played in my 10 years. … We showed that we could win the ultimate physical type of game.”
Star running back Alvin Kamara is suspended the first three games of the season. Jamaal Williams had 18 carries for 45 yards, which is a paltry 2.5 yards per carry.
Second year receiver Chris Olave led the team with 8 catches and 112 yards.
New Orleans was the favorite to win the division before the season started. I think the Bucs will challenge them.
NFC South Rookie Of The Year?
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2023 NFL season will start in a few weeks. Let’s take a look around the NFC South and see what rookies in the division will have the biggest impact.
Bryce Young, Carolina: Young was the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft so we have to start with him. He had a lot of success at Alabama. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2021, won the SEC Championship and led the Crimson Tide to the National Championship game.
His biggest question at the next level is his size. He’s only 5’10, 205 pounds. He has a slight build so we do not know if he can take the punishment from being hit by pro defenders.
He is the projected starter Week 1 and we keep hearing positive things from his teammates.
The Panthers played the Giants in their second preseason game last week. Young finished 3-of-6 for 35 yards on two series at MetLife Stadium, making him 7-of-12 for 56 yards in two preseason games.
“I thought Bryce looked sharp,” coach Frank Reich said. “Put together a nice drive. Would have liked to have finished if off [with a touchdown]. Obviously, unhappy with the number of penalties we had.
“But I thought Bryce looked sharp. I think he wanted to throw the ball more, but I thought he looked sharp.”
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta: The Falcons picked Robinson with the No. 8 pick in the draft, which raised some eyebrows.
Rookie Tyler Allgier rushed for 1,035 yards, 3 touchdowns and averaged 4.9 yards per carry. He only started seven games so he did well in a limited role, so it did not look like the Falcons needed another running back.
They also still have Cordarrele Patterson and they are listed as the top two backs on the depth chart.
The value of running backs has gone down since most offenses showcase the passing game.
Robinson was the top rated back and he had a great career at Texas. He won the Doak Walker Award last year and he was a unanimous All-American. He rushed for 1,580 yards and 18 TD’s. Running backs can make an immediate impact so he is expected to produce like Saquon Barkley did as a rookie in 2018. Barkley had 2,028 all-purpose yards and 15 scores.
Bryan Bresee, New Orleans: Bresee was selected 29th in the draft.
He was considered as the top recruit coming out of high school but he did not live up to that at Clemson. He is 6’5, 305 pounds, so he has prototypical size for a defensive tackle.
He is a very good athlete with excellent strength so he should help the Saints interior line. In the second preseason game against the Chargers he recovered a fumble.
Calijah Kancey, Tampa Bay: Kancey was the 19th player selected and he draws comparisons to another Pitt defensive tackle, Aaron Donald.
He was a unanimous All-American and ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
In 2022 he started 11 games and missed two games with an injury. He had 31 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
Kancey has great speed and he should routinely make plays in the opposing team’s backfield.
I’m looking forward to see how these rookies perform in 2023.
Down South
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
All four teams in the NFC South report to mandatory minicamp this month. Let’s take a look at some key storylines for each team.
Atlanta: The Falcons offense has been receiving some hype recently. Is it smoke and mirrors or is it legit?
Quarterback Desmond Ridder is going into his second season and he’s expected to drastically improve. He was picked in the third round of the 2022 draft and he was the backup to Marcus Mariota for most of the 2022 season. I think he’s a huge question mark and I don’t put much faith in him.
There are some playmakers like Kyle Pitts that look good on paper. As a rookie in 2021 he had over a thousand yards and one touchdown. He played ten games in 2022 and had 356 yards and 2 scores. He has great size and speed so we will see if that will make him an elite tight end.
Wide receiver Drake London had a good rookie year with 72 catches, 866 yards and 4 TD’s.
Rookie running back Tyler Allgier started seven games and he finished with over one thousand yards and 3 scores. Then Atlanta added Bijan Robinson, who was considered the best RB in the 2023 draft.
I have a feeling they won’t quite be the 1998 Vikings or 2007 Patriots offense.
Carolina: The Panthers drafted former Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young with the top pick in the 2023 draft.
Now we will see if he can help turn the franchise around. Young is only 5’10 and 204 pounds so there are questions about his durability in the NFL.
Christian McCaffrey was traded to San Francisco last season, so the offense lacks playmakers.
They did sign wide receiver Adam Thielen as a free agent. His last thousand yard season was in 2018 so it looks like his best days are behind him.
Carolina also signed running back Miles Sanders as a free agent. He’s coming off of a breakout year in Philadelphia, rushing for 1,269 yards and 11 scores. The Eagles had a very good offensive line so I don’t expect the same level of production in Charlotte.
New Orleans: The Saints signed quarterback Derek Carr in the offseason. They did need a quarterback but how good is Carr? I think he’s slightly above average. Last season in Las Vegas he had the league’s leading rusher Josh Jacobs and receiver Davante Adams. In 15 games he passed for 3,522 yards, 24 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Receiver Michael Thomas has not been healthy since the 2019 season. Running back Alvin Kamara struggled last season but some of that was due to inconsistent quarterback play.
Tampa Bay: Have they thrown in the towel before the season began? The Tom Brady era is over so the Bucs signed Baker Mayfield in March.
The former top pick has been a bust through his first five seasons. He’s competing with Kyle Trask for the title of QB 1.
Tampa still has some skill players like Mike Evans and Chris Godwin so maybe he can develop some chemistry with them.
I think the NFC South will be the weakest division again this season. I expect the champion to be under .500 but maybe one of these teams will shock me.
Making The Grade
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2023 NFL Draft has come and gone. Let’s look at the NFC South and see how each team did.
Atlanta Falcons Draft picks: RB Bijan Robinson, OT Matthew Bergeron, EDGE Zach Harrison, CB Clark Phillips III, S DeMarco Hellams, G Jovaughn Gwyn
They surprised everyone by picking Bijan Robinson with the 8th pick. He was the best running back in the draft, but the position has been devalued for several years.
Last year a running back was not drafted in the first round. The Falcons desperately need to improve on defense and specifically sacking the quarterback. Jalen Carter from UGA was still available and that made the most sense.
Rookie Tyler Allgier rushed for 1,035 yards and averaged 4.9 yards per carry in 2022. They also still have Cordarrelle Patterson, who takes a lot of snaps at running back. This was a luxury pick for a 7 – 9 team that has needs to address.
Phillips is small but a tenacious player. He should make an immediate impact. Harrison is a solid defensive end.
Grade: B-
Carolina Panthers Draft picks: QB Bryce Young, WR Jonathan Mingo, EDGE D.J. Johnson, G Chandler Zavala, S Jammie Robinson
The Panthers have been looking for stability at quarterback since Cam Newton left Charlotte. Drafting former Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young with the 1st pick was a good move.
There are concerns about his size because he’s 5’10 and 200 pounds. Kyler Murray is also 5’10 so maybe it’s not as big of a factor as it seems.
New head coach Frank Reich is a former offensive coordinator so I’m sure he will work with Young and put him in the best position to succeed.
Mingo and Johnson address positions of need. Zavala is a powerful blocker who adds depth to the Panthers’ offensive line. Robinson’s instincts and agility will earn him playing time as a rookie.
Grade: A-
New Orleans Saints Draft picks: DT Bryan Bresee, EDGE Isaiah Foskey, RB Kendre Miller, G Nick Saldiveri, QB Jake Haener, S Jordan Howden, WR A.T. Perry
Bresee and Foskey are great fits for Dennis Allen up front after his defense has been gutted the past two offseasons.
Breese was the No. 1 recruit coming out of high school, but he never lived up to that at Clemson. Miller and Haener were head-scratching reaches based on what New Orleans already had. Saldiveri fills the Saints need for an athletic interior lineman.
Grade: B
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Draft picks: DT Calijah Kancey, OT Cody Mauch, EDGE YaYa Diaby, LB SirVocea Dennis, TE Payne Durham, CB Josh Hayes, WR Trey Palmer, EDGE Jose Ramirez.
Kancey brings versatility, explosiveness, and underrated leverage to the Bucs’ defensive line. They traded up for Mauch but it makes sense because he can also be moved to tackle if the team needs him there.
Diaby is very athletic but a work in progress. He will need to reach his potential to justify the mid-third-round selection.
The Buccaneers filled plenty of needs on both sides of the ball. Two glaring omissions from the class are a QB and another running back. I’m surprised they passed on Will Levis in the first round.
Grade: B
On The Clock
By: Kipp Branch
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Everyone these days produces their own version of an NFL Mock draft.
You do not have to be correct because most of these so-called experts are not. It is something fun to project. Keep that in mind. Here is my 2023 mock draft for the top ten picks with trades factored in.
Carolina Panthers: With the first pick in the 2023 NFL Draft the Panthers select Bryce Young QB from Alabama.
I do not care how tall he is or what he weighs. The guy checks every box as a QB. He is accurate with a strong arm. He is mobile and played at a high level in the NFL equivalent of AAA Baseball the Southeastern Conference. Young steps in and has Carolina in contention in the weak NFC South.
Houston Texans: C. J. Stroud QB/Ohio State: Stroud showed me something in the Peach Bowl. Great pocket presence and show us some wheels when the pocket broke down.
Houston has twelve picks in this draft and can get respectable quickly in the weak AFC South.
Arizona Cardinals: Will Anderson DE/Alabama: Anderson fills a need for Arizona.
Alabama has two of the top three picks in my mock draft and they did not make the college football playoffs in 2022. Head scratcher.
Baltimore Ravens: Anthony Richardson QB/Florida: The Ravens trade Lamar Jackson to the Colts and get Richardson who wowed at the combine and who is bigger, stronger, and faster than Jackson.
Seattle Seahawks: Jalen Carter DL/Georgia: Carter is the best prospect in this draft who Seattle loves.
I do not believe the smokescreen of Carter falling out of the top ten. This kid is too good to drop that far. Yes, he needs to make better decisions.
Pete Carroll will develop Carter into the best DL in the league before his rookie contract expires.
Tennessee: Will Levis QB/Kentucky: With Carter gone off the board the Lions trade out this spot with Tennessee and the Titans draft Levis.
Levis has the potential to end up being the best QB in the draft in 4-5 years. Tennessee is in desperate need of a QB.
Los Vegas Raiders: Christian Gonzalez CB/Oregon: Las Vegas needs help in the secondary.
Gonzalez is the highest rated corner on my board. In a division with great QB’s the Raiders must improve on the backend of their defense.
Atlanta Falcons: Tyree Wilson Edge/Texas Tech: With the QB’s gone the Falcons address a huge need, which is pass rush. Wilson can get to the QB. The Falcons need a lot of help on defense.
Chicago Bears: Peter Skoronski OT/Northwestern: The Bears after trading the number one pick to Carolina get must needed help along the line of scrimmage.
Philadelphia Eagles: Nolan Smith Edge/Georgia: The Eagles take Smith here to bring heat off the edge.
Philly is already strong on defense, so the rich get richer by taking Smith who stole the show at the NFL Combine by running a 4.38 forty. Insane speed off the edge.
Local Picks in the NFL Draft:
Round 4 Pick 125: The Los Angeles Chargers select Warren McClendon OL/Georgia: The former BHS Pirate McClendon is selected by the Chargers who need help protecting Justin Herbert in LA. McClendon will be versatile in the NFL and will be able to play both the guard and tackle positions.
Round 6 Pick 180: The Arizona Cardinals select Stetson Bennett QB/Georgia: This could be the perfect opportunity for Stet to come in and compete right away for a back-up job.
Kyler Murray is rehabbing a knee injury. Colt McCoy is an aging 36-year-old career back-up.
Bennett has all the intangibles you want in a QB. The biggest one is that he is a winner and has the physical tools to go with it now with his showings at the combine and Georgia’s pro day.
Arizona is a spot where Bennett could eventually be an NFL starter. The jury is still out on Kyler Murray in Arizona.
We All Need Something
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFC South was the worst division in the NFL in 2022. Tampa Bay won the division but finished the season with a losing record, 8 – 9.
They did rest Tom Brady after the first drive of their final regular season game, so they were trying to rest him and not risk injury going into the playoffs. The Bucs were beaten thoroughly in the Wild Card round by Dallas, 31 – 14.
The other three teams in the division all finished 7 – 10. Do any of these teams have something to look forward to in the offseason?
Surprisingly, they all need help at quarterback. We do not know if Brady is returning for the 2023 season. He was asked this and he seemed a bit annoyed.
“If I knew what I was going to f—ing do I would’ve already f—ing done it,” he told Jim Gray. “I’m taking it a day at a time. I appreciate you asking. Thank you.”
Let’s take a look at the team needs of each franchise.
Atlanta: The Falcons have the No. 8 pick in the 2023 draft. They also have the lowest sack percentage (3.6%) and second lowest QB pressure rate (22%) in the league one year after they finished last in both of those categories.
Someone has to find a spark for the Falcons’ pass rush.
The biggest needs are quarterback, edge rusher and wide receiver. They started Marcus Mariota most of the season before playing rookie Desmond Ridder. I think the most likely scenario will be to draft a defensive player with the first pick.
One pleasant surprise was the offensive line. The unit, led by right guard Chris Lindstrom and left tackle Jake Matthews, helped to pave the way for 159.9 rushing yards per game, which ranked third in the NFL.
Carolina: The Panthers have glaring needs at QB, corner back and tight end. They hold the 9th pick.
Jaycee Horn is a very good young corner, but they need to get someone opposite of him. They desperately need to find stability at the quarterback position but that is difficult.
They started three different quarterbacks and even dropped Baker Mayfield during the season. That was surprising since Mayfield started the season opener.
They also traded Christian McCaffrey to the 49ers before the trade deadline. It looks like they are in full rebuilding mode.
Tampa Bay: The Buccaneers are picking 19th overall. With Brady’s future unknown they need to consider quarterback, defensive back and offensive line.
They had several starting offensive linemen go down with injuries and I think that’s a key reason to why they struggled.
They also fired offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich so we do not know who will replace him yet. If Brady does retire, they will have a very tough 2023 season.
New Orleans: The Saints traded their first-round pick to Philadelphia last April. The Eagles have the No. 10 pick thanks to that deal.
Now the first pick is No. 41 in the second round. They need a quarterback, safety, defensive tackle, guard and wide receiver.
Jameis Winston has been injury prone the last two seasons and he has not played as well as expected.
The division could be wide open next season. We will get a clearer picture after free agency and the draft.
South Games
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2022 NFL season kicks off this week. Let’s take a look at the Week 1 NFC South matchups.
New Orleans @ Atlanta: This is a classic rivalry that has been played since both teams started playing in 1966 and 1967, respectively.
The expectations for these two teams are extremely different. The Falcons traded veteran quarterback Matt Ryan in the offseason and they are in complete rebuild mode.
Marcus Mariota has taken over and he had one of the best college careers in recent memory. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2014 and led his team to the national championship game. He was the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft, selected by Tennessee. Injuries and inconsistent play derailed his career. Now he’s trying to reach that potential in Atlanta.
The best pass catcher on the roster is second year tight end Kyle Pitts. The Falcons drafted wide receiver Drake London (USC) 8th overall but he got hurt in the first preseason game. They also have running back/wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson, who is coming off of a great 2021 season.
The Saints are replacing head coach Sean Payton who retired in the offseason. He was there since 2006 so there might be some growing pains. He was replaced with Dennis Allen, who was the team’s defensive coordinator from 2015 to 2021.
New Orleans is expected to be a playoff team if they can stay healthy. Quarterback Jameis Winston, the No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft is returning from an MCL sprain that ended his season in October.
Wide receiver Michael Thomas missed the entire 2021 season with a foot injury and he is also coming back.
“With Marcus Mariota, now we’ve got to go back and watch some Vegas film, maybe watch some Tennessee film,” Cameron Jordan said. “We’ve got to break down who he is because he’s not a traditional pocket passer like Matt was. This is going to change up their game a lot.”
I think the Saints win this game easily.
Carolina vs Cleveland: This is interesting because Baker Mayfield was traded from the Browns to Carolina in July. He was the Cleveland starting QB the past four seasons, until they signed Deshaun Watson in the offseason. We know he’s going to want to get revenge against his former team.
Running back Christian McCaffrey has been injured the past two seasons so he’s missed a ton of games. If he can stay healthy, he’s one of the best players in the league.
Watson is suspended the first eleven games of the season so backup Jacoby Brissett will play.
Cleveland has an elite back with Nick Chubb but I expect them to struggle on offense. I’m picking the Panthers to win.
Tampa Bay @ Dallas: This is a good Sunday night game of teams that made the playoffs last season. They also played the season opener in 2021 in Tampa.
Tom Brady is now 45 years old but his play hasn’t slowed down. The Buccaneers have had injuries to the interior of their offensive line that could cause some problems.
Receiver Chris Godwin tore his ACL in Week 15 last season. He’s making a good recovery and will possibly be ready to play Week 1. If he does the question is how will he look coming off the injury? It typically takes one year for the knee to fully recover.
I think the Bucs will win a close game against the Cowboys.
Making The Grade?
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The NFL Draft is over and now we have an idea of what each team will look like next year.
Several players will surprise or disappoint fans as time goes on. Let’s take a look around the NFC South and see how each team did.
Atlanta: The Falcons did a good job on not reaching for a quarterback in the first round.
They selected USC wide receiver Drake London with the 8th pick. He’s a big target at 6’3 7/8 and 219 pounds. In 8 games last season he had 88 receptions for 1,084 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Calvin Ridley is suspended the entire season so he will be the #1 receiver. He should do well paired with tight end Kyle Pitts.
In the second round they drafted Edge rusher Arnold Ebiketie (Penn State) and linebacker Troy Anderson (Montana State). In Anderson’s case I think they fell in love with measurables. He’s 6’3 ½, 243 lbs. and he ran a 4.42 40-yard dash.
Ebiketie played his first three seasons at Temple. In 2021 he had 62 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.
They also drafted quarterback Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati), edge rusher DeAngelo Malone (Western Kentucky), running back Tyler Allgeier (BYU), guard Justin Shaffer (UGA) and tight end John FitzPatrick (UGA).
Grade: B
Carolina: The Panthers selected tackle Ikem Ekwonu (NC State) with the 6th pick.
Ekwonu is a great combination of size (6’4, 310 lbs.), power and athletic ability.
Carolina had the 31st ranked offensive line last season so this helps address a serious need.
Trades for Sam Darnold and C.J. Henderson left them light on picks.
Carolina also drafted QB Matt Corral (Ole Miss), linebacker Brandon Smith (Penn State), edge rusher Amare Barno (Va Tech), guard Cade Mays (Tennessee) and corner back Kalon Barnes (Baylor).
Getting Corral in the third round may be great value for a potential starting quarterback.
Smith should compete in the linebacker rotation.
Grade: A-
New Orleans: The Saints had two first round picks and they got WR Chris Olave (Ohio State) and tackle Trevor Penning (Northern Iowa). They should both be immediate contributors.
Trevor Penning is reminiscent of Terron Armstead as a prospect. He’s an uber-athletic tackle coming from a small school. He’ll now replace Armstead, who started 93 games for the Saints over the past nine seasons before signing with the Dolphins this offseason.
Olave was extremely productive in college and he might be the best route runner in this draft class.
The other picks were CB Alontae Taylor (Tennessee), LB D’Marco Jackson (Appalachian State) and defensive lineman Jordan Jackson (Air Force).
Grade: B+
Tampa Bay: The Bucs didn’t have a first-round pick. They had two second round picks and they got defensive lineman Logan Hall (Houston) and guard Luke Goedeke (Central Michigan).
Hall will probably begin his career as a defensive tackle but could develop into a pass-rusher. Goedeke might be the biggest sleeper among interior linemen.
They also selected RB Rachaad White (Arizona State), TE Cade Otton (Washington), kicker Jake Camarda (UGA), CB Zyon McCollum (Sam Houston State), TE Ko Kieft (Minnesota) and edge rusher Andre Anthony (LSU).
I don’t think there are any All-Pro players in this draft class. This draft is more about getting role players that can help them get back to the Super Bowl.
Grade: B
Needy NFC South
By: Kenneth Harrison
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2022 draft starts April 28th in Paradise, Nevada. I’m going to take a look at the NFC South and see who each team will draft in the first round.
#6 Carolina: The Panthers (5 – 12) have several positions they need to address. Quarterback is the biggest glaring weakness. They did trade for Sam Darnold last April. He started the season well but suffered fractured scapula during the game against New England and he missed seven games.
Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett would be a good pick if he’s still available. He had a breakout senior season, throwing for 4,319 yards, 42 touchdowns, 7 interceptions while completing 67% of his passes.
If they don’t get him NC State tackle Ikem Ekwonu would also be a good pick. He’s a very good run blocker but he still needs to get better in pass protection.
#8 Atlanta: The Falcons (7 – 10) announced they have no plans to move on from Matt Ryan. The number one receiver Calvin Ridley only played in five games before missing the rest of the season. Surprisingly, it was not due to injury but to deal with personal issues. Atlanta also needs to improve on the offensive and defensive lines.
Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeux would be a great fit. The Falcons have struggled with getting pressure on the quarterback for a few seasons and he can change that. He had 7 sacks and 2 forced fumbles last season.
Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson could also fill a void if Ridley is traded. He had 70 catches for the Buckeyes with 1,058 yards and 12 scores.
#18 New Orleans: The Saints (9 – 8) had several injuries last season and started a few quarterbacks. They still wound up over .500. Sean Payton has resigned as head coach and defensive coordinator Dennis Allen has replaced him.
Drew Brees retired after the 2020 season and Jameis Winston was supposed to replace him. He suffered a season ending injury so we do not know if they will resign him or move in a different direction. Star receiver Michael Thomas also missed all of last season.
If they pick a quarterback Matt Corral from Ole Miss will get selected. He passed for 3,349 yards, 20 touchdowns, 5 picks and completed 68% of his passes. On paper he’s good but he struggles in big games.
Wide receiver Chris Olave from Ohio State could also be an option. He caught 63 passes for 936 yards and 13 TD’s.
#27 Tampa Bay: The Bucs (13 – 4) had a great season. They lost to the Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs. Tom Brady has retired after the season. I believe they will try to get a veteran QB to replace him as a free agent. They could also lose Chris Godwin in free agency.
Boise State WR Khalil Shkir would be a good replacement. He primarily played in the slot last season. He only had 22% of his snaps were out wide in 2021. He caught 77 passes for 1,117 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Texas A&M offensive lineman Kenyon Green could also be an option. He is versatile and could play guard or right tackle. He has more than 35 starts in his three-year career so he has a lot of experience.
Gurley Reclamation
By: Jeff Doke
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
When Todd Gurley wrapped up his time between the hedges in 2015, he was expected to land somewhere between Herschel Walker and Terrell Davis in the pantheon of UGA alumni in the NFL.
For a while there, it looked like he was going to meet those lofty expectations. After a sophomore slump in 2016, Gurley followed up his 2015 Rookie of the Year Award with some serious hardware; two straight Pro Bowls in 2017 & 2018, 1st team All-Pro for both years and NFL leader in rushing touchdowns in those same years.
Then, the wheels started to come off.
The knee issues, that cost him 3 games in his already NCAA violation-shortened final campaign in Athens, raised their ugly head during the 2018 playoffs and the 2019 season as well.
Gurley saw a significant drop in every metric from 2018 to 2019, and it cost him his job just two years removed from a massive $60 million extension.
Those numbers fell even further during his one season with the Atlanta Falcons. The fewest yards, attempts, and touchdowns in his career – combined with some costly mental errors – meant his return to the Peach State was over before it really had a chance to get started.
The fall from grace is staggering when you look at it. To go from a league-leading multi-millionaire to an unsigned free agent in two years is almost unheard of.
The arthritic knee – which was the focus of great speculation leading up to Super Bowl LIII – seems to be more of a career-threatening issue than originally expected.
The situation in Atlanta seemed to have been tailor-made for the Tarboro, NC native, but the results simply weren’t there and the powers that be in Flowery Branch decided “one year is enough, thanks.”
So where does Gurley go now? Last month, it seemed like he was destined to join the Detroit Lions backfield, joining fellow Dawg D’Andre Swift and the former Packer Jamaal Williams.
Gurley made a visit to the Lions facility and talks progressed, but no contract. Last week, he made another unfruitful visit, this time with the Baltimore Ravens.
Between the two teams, the Ravens seem like the unlikelier choice. He’d be battling Justice “I’m Not Related to Tyreek” Hill for the third spot behind J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards.
Plus, the Ravens only have a scant $11 million left in cap space – not exactly the wiggle room you need to get into a bidding war, and that’s exactly what it looks like Gurley is trying to force.
One must wonder, though, if that’s the best strategy for an injury-plagued back looking for his third team in three years. Granted, he could have a comeback season for the ages on tap for this year, but until we see him on the field it’s anybody’s guess.
Gurley will make a roster this year, of that I have no doubt. More than likely, it will be with the Lions, but there are some fairly intriguing options out there as well.
For example; the Miami Dolphins. Myles Gaskins is a serviceable if uninspiring starter.
The Fins signed Malcom Brown in the offseason and drafted Gerrid “that’s not how you spell that last name” Doaks in the 7th round, so there’s competition to be had if Gurley decides to head south.
The Buffalo Bills. The Mafia has had some workhorses in the backfield over the years; Thurman Thomas, Travis Henry, Marshawn Lynch. 2021, though? Not so much. The tandem of Devin Singletary and Zack Moss scream two things; “committee” and “training camp open competition.” Gurley would do well here.
The New England Patriots. Bill Belichek can’t seem to resist two things; UGA running backs and reclamation projects. Gurley would be a twofer, so don’t rule out a trip to Foxboro in his future.
