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It’s the penultimate division in our projected starters series. Here we have the NFC North, which has been dominated by the Packers for most of the decade, but now Mike Zimmer’s Vikings have won the division in two of the last three years.  The Packers are counting on Aaron Rodgers to carry this offense more than ever. For all the talk that he has done it his whole career, he has always had a couple pro bowl receivers to throw to and has usually had a very good offensive line despite many people saying otherwise. They keep losing pieces on their line, leaving Justin McCray forced to start at right guard and are counting Bryan Bulaga to fend off injuries once again. They drafted three receivers on day 3 of the draft, and will have to hope at least one of them can step up. However, their defense looks as good as it has since they won the super bowl in 2010. The addition of Wilkerson to an already menacing defensive line should make things easy for Clay Matthews and Nick Perry on the edge. The secondary could prove lethal as well if their early draft picks pan out.
Many people are saying the Bears could be the most improved team in the NFL next season. Even though the defense hasn’t changed much, the offense seems so vastly improved that it is hard to disagree. The addition of Allen Robinson is by far the most notable, as it completely changes the dynamic of the receiving corp. However, assuming Matt Nagy is going to be the next Sean McVay is tenuous at best. Not every young coach is going to completely reshape an offensively challenged team into a juggernaut. The real test will be if Mitch Trubisky can take the next step as a quarterback now that he has some weapons, and an offensive mind that can do more than draw up a really cool multiple reverse pitch option play on a 2-point conversion The Vikings look to be one of the top NFC contenders once again, but they do still have problems on the offensive line. I’m unsure if it will be Remmers or O’Neill that is moved from tackle to guard, but either way they will both end up in the starting unit. Easton or whoever starts at the other guard spot will not have a lot of experience, or at least successful experience. However, the line shouldn’t be any worse than what Kirk Cousins had to deal with last year when an avalanche of injuries hit the Redskins big men. He at least has a bunch of talented weapons to go with one of the best defenses in the NFL, so he shouldn’t have too much to complain about. Well, until he gets pulverized by DeForest Buckner up the middle in Week 1. The Lions are starting to look like one of the better offenses in the league, especially if Kenny Golladay can stay healthy. And if he’s good. They lack a tight end, but that was true even before Eric Ebron left. Their offensive line looks better, and you would think one these running backs they added can finally run for 100 yards. On defense, it seems as if the Lions are back to needing linebacker, but the fact that Matt Patricia went after Kennard and Christian Jones in free agency makes me think he has a plan on how to get the most out of them. Also if Ziggy Ansah can play well for the entire season rather than just a few big games, that would really help out this defense.
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Continuing through the NFC, we look at the division that sent three teams to the playoffs in 2017. Let’s take a look to see if the division is capable of doing that again.  The Saints may have the most complete roster in the NFL, yet no one is talking about them as NFC favorites. Losing Mark Ingram for the first four weeks will be tough, but they had probably the best offense in the NFL last year, and they have only added more weapons in Cameron Meredith and Ben Watson. Somehow, I think they can survive the loss of Coby Fleener. Their defensive line is sneaky good, with three good d-tackles and three good to great edge rushers depending on whether Marcus Davenport pans out. They solidified their linebacking corp by adding Demario Davis, and added another cover guy in Patrick Robinson to add depth behind Lattimore who has the potential to become the best corner in the game.
I liked the Panthers as a surprise playoff team last year, but this year their chances don’t look as bright. They lost Andrew Norwell on an already shaky offensive line, and their receivers are still questionable even after drafting DJ Moore. On defense, they are thin at today’s most important positions: edge rusher and cornerback. Then again, when Cam is at his best, it’s hard to count out this team. The Falcons are again as solid as ever. They have as many weapons on offense as any team in the NFL, and no weak links on their offensive line. They have plenty of depth at cornerback, but there are holes on their defensive line. They need Vic Beasley to be get back to harassing quarterbacks off the edge in their sub packages. They will be in the mix in December, but their offense will need another special season to have a real shot at the super bowl. The Bucs have perhaps the best starting front seven in football, even if they don’t have quite the depth that Eagles or Jaguars have on their d-line. They tried to sure up their backend by drafting a couple of DBs in the second round, but the fact that I’m still projecting Chris Conte to start spells trouble for the team. Maybe they should have taken Derwin James instead of stealing Vita Vea from the Redskins. On offense, they have a plethora of talented receivers, and now a strong offensive line. It’s now up to Jameis to show he can eat a whole bowl full of W’s. Time to begin looking at the NFC rosters. We will start with perhaps the most overhyped division in the conference, the NFC West.  No division in football has more gaping holes than this one. While the Rams added some stars, they’re offense is still completely dependent on Todd Gurley. I was probably generous in grading their other pieces on offense because they performed so well last year, but if Jeff Fisher was still their coach, they would probably all be in the red. Their defense is loaded with studs, but they are missing any edge rushers whatsoever. If you add up the total career sacks for all the edge defenders on their team, you have a whopping 7.5 sacks. It’s a good thing that edge rushers aren’t important in today’s NFL.
The 49ers bandwagon is pretty large for a team that is starting Jerrick McKinnon at running back. The hope is that Jimmy Garoppolo mimic his former team in being able to succeed on offense without any dominant threats. The defense is no longer an embarrassment, but it also isn’t exactly the ’85 bears. Then we have the Cardinals, who hipsters want to pick as a dark horse in the NFC. However, no position group is as dire as the Cardinals cornerback situation. Patrick Peterson is one of the best in the NFL, but after extensive film research, I have notice he struggles to cover more than one receiver at once. The Cardinals drafted a cornerback named Chris Campbell in the sixth round, and I wouldn’t be altogether surprised if he ended up starting in week 1. The wide receiver position is also a problem, unless they believe they can just pummel Larry Fitzgerald with targets at age 34, and that Christian Kirk can immediately be a starting outside receiver. The Seahawks have become the forgotten team in this division, despite the fact that they still have the best quarterback in the division. The offensive line can’t possibly be worse than it was last year, and they at least have Doug Baldwin to throw to. On defense they still have 3 members of the legion of boom group that won the Super Bowl, and they have multiple first-round pass rushers such as Dion Jordan and Barkevious Mingo. Why should anyone doubt this team? We are closing out the AFC with the always competitive AFC East. Let’s take a look to see if the Patriots can clinch the division by Week 12.  The Patriots may have the easiest road to winning the division that they have had since… well since last year. The Jets overachieved last year by getting 5 wins, and yet they have the second-best roster in the division going into 2018.
The only real question on the Patriots roster is who will start at left tackle. They drafted Isaiah Wynn in the first round, but most people think he is more suited to play guard in the NFL. The Patriots also traded for Trent Brown, who Von Miller called the best right tackle in football last offseason. Then after a dreadful season and showing up this year out of shape, he seems like someone that could be motivated by going to the Patriots. On defense, the starting defensive line is almost irrelevant, because the Pats are back to having a deep rotation with Adrian Clayborn, Deatrich Wise Jr, Keith Rivers, Alan Branch, Adam Butler, and Eric Lee coming off the bench to keep everyone fresh. Too bad we no longer have Jon Gruden to sing Kool and the Gang so we can really understand. The Jets and Bills are pretty much in the same boat. They have both solidified their defense, but neither has an offense that scares anyone. I’m projecting that neither of the high-priced rookie quarterbacks will open as the starter. I think Darnold has the better chance despite the stiffer competition, but both Darnold and Allen will start by the end of the season. The Dolphins might have the most depressing roster in the NFL. The only good players on their team are on the wrong side of 30. I guess they can get excited about Minkah Fitzpatrick, who I put as the nickel in their defense, but I expect him to start at free safety and move to nickel in sub packages. However, that is just a guess, and I would be surprised if the Dolphins have even started to come up with a plan on how to use him. They are in desperate need of a rebuild. It’s time for a look at the AFC North. I know Reeb the unpaid intern has been looking forward to my take on his Bengals, while Screw just wants to know why JuJu isn’t the darkest shade of green.  The Steelers should be a lock to repeat as division champs. Is there any doubt that James Washington will be able to step in and immediately replace Martavis Bryant. They may even be able to win a few of the games that Big Ben inevitably misses now that they have a somewhat capable backup quarterback. I would question their defense a little, but I think that it’s not politically correct to talk bad about the Steelers defense as long as Ryan Shazier is alive.
The Ravens season will most likely be a long mediocre one, where Joe Flacco is underwhelming, but not bad enough for them to actually bench him. The offensive line is certainly an issue, but the defense will be one of the best in the league. The only issue on that side of the ball is that they are still relying on a 35-year-old to be their best edge rusher. The Bengals have done about as much as you could have asked of them to fix their offensive line, unlike last year where they just held out hope the Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher would suddenly become good. On defense, the Bengals finally may have hit on a cornerback, as William Jackson emerged as one of the most efficient young cornerbacks in his limited action. However, they still have the combination of Marvin Lewis and Andy Dalton, so expect them to do just enough to stick around for another year. Also, maybe John Ross can crack the starting lineup eventually! It seems like even Hue Jackson couldn’t screw up getting at least 4 wins with this Browns roster, but he does always seem to surprise me. Their only hole is at the tackle position following the retirement of Joe Thomas. How sad would it be for him if this was the year they finally became good? The defense is solid all around. In fact, I actually had trouble deciding on who should start at corner for them, and not because they all suck. I really like Denzel Ward as a player even if he may have been picked a little high, and EJ Gaines played the best last year of all the additions they made. However, Jamar Taylor, TJ Carrie, and Terrance Mitchell will all compete for those starting spots. Here comes part 2 of profootballjoke’s projected starters series. It’s time to look at what might be the best division in the AFC, the AFC South.  The Texans might be the most exciting team in the NFL going into next season, almost solely because of their young QB. However, he will have to take a page out of Russell Wilson’s book in order to succeed with this offensive line. The Texans added three new starters to their line, but two backup guards and a third-round tackle who is better suited to play inside probably don’t equate to a clean pocket for Deshaun Watson.
It may surprise you that the Titans have almost no holes on their roster, but they lack difference-makers at the game’s most important positions. It is only fitting that the strength of the Titans team is the offensive tackle position. The Colts may have the hardest starting lineup to project. Their offensive skill position group is embarrassing, but their offensive line is starting to come together. I placed Jack Mewhort back at left guard, but if he can’t fully recover from his knee surgery, then expect fellow rookie Braden Smith to start opposite Quenton Nelson. They should have a good rotation in their front four, even if none of them are exactly striking fear in the hearts of quarterbacks. Then they are a mess in the secondary, as I suppose they are expecting Quincy Wilson and Kenny Moore to hold up on the outside after showing some promise as rookies in the back half of last season. Then we all know the deal with the Jaguars, the chart doesn’t even do the defense justice as so much of their success is due to their depth up front. However, they have not done much to replace the losses of Paul Posluszny and Aaron Colvin. While Posluszny was always underappreciated as a player, Colvin is the bigger loss, as the nickel package is ever more frequent in today’s game, meaning Posluszny’s replacement will be on the bench as Colvin’s will come in to play the slot. DJ Hayden is the most experienced corner they have after their top 2, so he will be the favorite to take that spot. However, don’t be surprised if Todd Wash decides to use more three-safety packages after drafting Ronnie Harrison in the third. The offense will again be trying make defenses forget that Blake Bortles isn’t their quarterback, and their receiving corp isn’t doing him any favors. Despite the money they gave to Donte Moncrief, I couldn’t bring myself to list him as a starter over Cole and Westbrook, who may yet have some potential. While this division was once the argument against giving division-winners an automatic playoff home game, it now could easily produce three playoff teams. Even the Colts might not be so embarrassing as long as Andrew Luck is able to play with Nerf balls. The draft has come and gone and in my spare time, I decided to project the 2018 starters for all 32 teams. As I noticed some glaring holes in the rosters of some teams, I thought color coding the lineups would be the best way to illustrate where teams still need some help. What do you do on your days off? Then I thought this might be some good content for profootballjokes, so I am releasing each division’s lineups one by one. For those of you who might not be able to deduce the complex color scheme, the darker the green, the better the player. The closer the green is to yellow, the more average he is, and if he is in orange or red, then he is in serious need of replacement. I apologize to those of you who don’t see colors well, but you are just s*** out of luck. Now let’s begin with a look at the AFC West.  As per usual, it appears as if the Chargers have the best roster in the division, until of course half their team ends up on IR. I also didn’t include their kicker on the roster, who happens to be Caleb Sturgis. Sturgis has been a fine kicker, but was injured last year and will inevitably have his career ruined after choking away several games for the Chargers. As for the rest of the team, the secondary is about as deep as it gets, as I don’t even have Trevor Williams starting despite him playing near a pro bowl level last year. Their offensive line could be even better this year if Forrest Lamp recovers from his injury and Dan Feeney continues to improve.
The Broncos are not quite as complete as everyone talking about the draft seems to think. Sure, Chubb can certainly outpace the conservative ranking I have for him, as can my fantasy sleeper for next year, Royce Freeman. However, they still have some holes on the offensive line, and their secondary is not what it once was. You may be confused looking at the Chiefs and Raiders charts, but no I didn’t accidentally switch the colors. The Raiders roster is benefitting from my tendency to give their players the benefit of the doubt. Amari Cooper still needs to remember where he left his talent, and guys like Jordy, Beastmode, and Donald Penn need to wait before they completely fall off a cliff. Jordy may even have to climb back up a little. Then there are the Chiefs whose hopes are riding on Patrick Mahomes to be able to fully take advantage of the explosive offense he has been given the keys to. Sure, after Sammy Watkins the Chiefs have very little at receiver, but the firepower they have at the top of their depth chart is frightening. Their defense is the bigger issue. After not being able to find anyone to start opposite Marcus Peters last year, they found the only surefire solution to that issue, and traded Peters away. It's the moment you've all been waiting for, the annual PFJ Mock Draft! After tireless scouting and investigative reporting, our staff is confident this is exactly how the first round will go. Weird that no one is planning any trades.
Ah the NFL offseason. For many, the day after the super bowl is a day of great mourning, wondering how they will survive 6 football-starved months. Some may descend into the madness of march, convincing themselves that they have finally figured out Joe Lunardi’s monopolized branch of science. Others will devise reasons that the Cavs and Warriors might be dethroned in their conferences, an effort that proves to be just as futile. However, there are some holes that no other sport can fill, and some are still on the edge of their seats, waiting to see where Ndamukong Suh will sign, and who will be the unfortunate soul that is sent to Cleveland with the first pick in the draft.
While it was once a time of emptiness, the NFL offseason has become more action-packed than the entire MLB season (I guess that’s not saying a whole lot). From the combine, to free agency, all the way to the draft, this is a time of hope for everyone. Browns fans look at the additions of Jarvis Landry, Tyrod Taylor, Carlos Hyde, and others along with a host a high draft picks, and wonder whether this could be their year. They look at what the Jaguars and Eagles did the last few years and realize they could be next. They aren’t the only ones though. Bears fans think they are the second coming of the Rams, while 49ers fans are kissing a picture of Jimmy G under their pillows. The Vikings won the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes, and their fans think a Lombardi is their prize. The Jets, Bills, Giants, Cardinals, and Broncos all believe their franchise QB is in this draft, and they are going to somehow get him. Meanwhile, the Colt, Texans, and Packers think all they need is for their guy to come back healthy and they will be right back in the mix. Now, you probably expect me to douse these sorry souls with cold splash of reality. As we all know, many of these fans will be dead inside by Week 6. They will feel foolish for their Super Bowl proclamations and vow never to get their hopes up again. I remember all too well lauding the signings of Albert Haynesworth and Donovan McNabb. I remember being “All in for Week 1,” ready for my superstar quarterback to come back from injury and continue his siege on the NFL. However, fans shouldn’t let disappointments like these dissuade them from crowning their team “Offseason Champs.” The offseason is longer than the regular season, and this may be your only chance to belligerently talk up you team. For many of us, this is the only time when our team is relevant, so soak up all the hype and excitement you can. The showdown for first place in the AFC lived up to hype. But in case you were busy watching Titans-49ers, here is a quick recap of what happened. The Patriots got the ball down 5 with two minutes left. After the Patriots inevitably scored the touchdown plus the two-point conversion to take the lead, JuJu made a big play for the Steelers to get them down to the 10 with 30 seconds left. In case you are bad at math or if you just don’t know how football scoring works, the Steelers had the chance to win the game with a TD, or send it to overtime with a field goal. Jesse James scored what appeared to be the game-winning score, but after review, it was apparent that the refs got the call egregiously wrong, and the call was sensibly changed to an incomplete pass thanks to the logical catch rule. The Steelers then completed a pass in bounds on 2nd down, to set up Big Ben’s fake spike on 3rd, which ended up being picked off for the Patriots win. Oh yeah, and Antonio Brown got hurt early in the game as well to add injury to insult for Steelers fans.
Big Ben said after the game that he disagreed with the coaches on the fake spike call, but I guess he taught them a lesson by throwing an interception on the play. He thought the logical thing to do would be to clock it and set up the next play, which may have been a little controversial since the next play would have been 4th down. Also, if he didn’t like the play he could have just thrown the ball away, resulting in the same outcome as a spike, but you’re right Ben, it’s all the coaches’ fault. Mike Tomlin said he had no problem with the play. He said that the Steelers play to win. He may be unaware that we have overtime in the NFL, where both teams are still given the opportunity to win the game. We got opinions on the play from other players and coaches around the league: Matthew Stafford said that he had never seen a fake spike fail so spectacularly. “Every time I’ve run the fake spike, it’s ended up a touchdown,” he said. We asked Pete Carroll about what he thought of the play call. “It’s gotta be the worst play call in NFL history. Don’t you guys agree?” Jemp caught up with Kirk Cousins, and asked him if he thought Ben should have spiked the ball. “Personally, I would have gone with the kneel down there,” said Kirk. “It’s the much safer option.” Chuck Pagano had an interesting take on the situation as well. “I was surprised they [the Steelers] decided to throw the ball at all on that final drive. I assumed they would just bleed the clock and then lineup for the 95-yard field goal.” He then went on to describe the entire plot of Caddyshack. Regardless of how you felt about the end, no one can deny that this wasn’t a great game to watch. I’m sure plenty of people blew off their jobs to watch this one, including the entire Seahawks defense. |
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