7 NFL storylines that can decide the following 12 months’s new challengers

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine is about to get began subsequent week, because the NFL world descends upon Indianapolis for the longest and strangest job interview there may be.

Which means the NFL offseason is about to start in earnest.

Over the following few weeks we are going to see the tip of the franchise tag window, the “legal tampering period” — all the time an amusing phrase — and the beginning of free company. It all builds in the direction of the 2023 NFL Draft, set to happen on the finish of April in Kansas City.

As this whirlwind kicks off, listed here are the foremost storylines to observe within the NFL this offseason.

QB motion

Hey, keep in mind how wild final 12 months was with quarterbacks shifting in all places? Russ to the Broncos, Matt Ryan to the Colts, Carson Wentz to the Commanders, Baker Mayfield to Carolina, and the Browns buying and selling for Deshaun Watson? This 12 months is on observe to be much more nuts.

Obviously the elephant in the dead of night Hobbit-hole is Aaron Rodgers. Whatever he decides to do can have a domino impact on the remainder of the league. Teams who suppose they’re solely a QB away from profitable a championship will completely promote the farm if he needs to be dealt, and to that finish all the things roughly facilities on the New York Jets.

Beyond that, nevertheless, there’s simply a lot intrigue. Derek Carr is a free agent, and a mammoth improve to a QB-needy workforce, no matter how a lot he’s been slandered up to now. Jimmy Garoppolo can also be a free agent now, and is a dependable, high-floor participant who can simply stabilize a workforce with a powerful protection that’s in search of consistency below heart.

Then we now have a few of the wilder potential tales for QB motion this offseason. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens could possibly be breaking apart except there’s a magic breakthrough of their contract negotiations. Yes, Baltimore has the ability to franchise tag Jackson for 2 straight years, however that dangers a possible holdout — which helps no person. There’s each risk the Ravens tag and commerce Jackson earlier than the draft, maximizing their return now and doubtlessly in search of their QB of the long run within the draft.

Just so as to add to the drama, now we now have Daniel Jones in New York reportedly wanting $45M a 12 months. Is he price that? No. Can you blame him making an attempt to get the bag? Nope. I don’t suppose something occurs with Jones by way of motion, however wilder issues have occurred. This leaves us with a really actual risk of FIVE beginning quarterbacks shifting earlier than the season begins, and big-name gamers at that who will shake up divisions.

Need WR assist? This may not be the 12 months

Recently, I used to be taking a break from working and doing what everybody does when taking a break from working.

Scrolling social media.

That is once I got here throughout a pair of graphic that stopped me in my tracks. First was this from The thirty third Team, highlighting the highest free brokers this offseason at vast receiver:

That is a … skinny group at vast receiver. Now, as a New England Patriots fan at coronary heart, it’s robust to discover a greater fan of Jakobi Meyers than I’m, however the second I noticed this graphic I believed two issues:

Jakobi Meyers is probably going enjoying elsewhere subsequent 12 months.

This may not be the deepest free company class at vast receiver that we now have seen in recent times.

So, that leads us to the second graphic:

These are Lance Zierlein’s vast receiver rankings for the previous two drafts. Zierlein does unimaginable work annually overlaying the draft, and his evaluation carries plenty of weight. What stands out right here is how his vast receiver rankings differ from the place consensus stacks the place, at the least for the time being. Here are the highest 5 vast receivers in accordance with the “Consensus Big Board” at NFL Mock Draft Database, an incredible useful resource each draft season: Quentin Johnson, Jordan Addison, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jalin Hyatt, and Zay Flowers.

In different phrases, opinions are combined on this receiver class. On his annual pre-Combine convention name, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Media described the draft class of receivers as “not as loaded” as earlier years:

What does all of this imply? Might we see groups lean into the draft due to how the NFL free company group seems? Might the dearth of consensus on the draft class translate into a giant pay day for receivers like Meyers, Allen Lazard and JuJu Smith-Schuster?

Watching the vast receiver place unfold this offseason might be fascinating.

Potential QB extensions for the Class of 2020

As famous above, there may be the potential for unprecedented quarterback motion this offseason. Whether Lamar Jackson will get a long-term take care of the Baltimore Ravens is actually one quarterback contract situation to observe, however different potential QB contract conditions to observe contain the Class of 2020.

With what we now have seen from Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Tua Tagovailoa, there could also be an incentive for his or her groups to try to transfer sooner slightly than in a while contract extensions. Think again to when Patrick Mahomes signed his ten-year take care of the Kansas City Chiefs. It appeared huge on the time, however subsequent offers for Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray, and Deshaun Watson have pushed Mahomes’ deal — by way of common annual {dollars} — right down to the fifth-highest within the NFL amongst quarterbacks.

For groups, the earlier you progress on the extension, the higher. Because the longer you wait, the extra the market might be reset by the point your passer places ink to paper.

The sale of the Washington Commanders

Photo by Rob Tringali/SportsChrome/Getty Images

Living in Maryland, there are two questions I’m requested most frequently, as soon as individuals be taught what I do for a dwelling.

“Will the Commanders find a quarterback?”

“Will Snyder finally sell the team?”

With respect to the primary query, evidently the group goes to do all the things potential to make Sam Howell the long-term answer to their quarterback drawback.

Regarding the second, we’d see a decision on that entrance within the subsequent month.

According to current studies, a possible sale of the Washington franchise could possibly be within the works forward of the NFL Annual Meeting, slated for the tip of March. Amazon proprietor Jeff Bezos is reportedly the “preferred bidder” for plenty of NFL officers, and Bezos simply employed an funding agency to consider his potential bid.

So hopefully I can have some solutions on the bus cease earlier than faculty someday quickly.

Can Sean Payton repair Russell Wilson?

According to new reporting from The Athletic, throughout his remaining days with the Seattle Seahawks, quarterback Russell Wilson approached possession, asking that head coach Pete Carroll and common supervisor John Schneider be fired.

Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos days later.

The quarterback pushed again on the studies on social media, however there’s something very intriguing concerning the story from The Athletic. Wilson had a possible coach in thoughts, apparently, to take over in Seattle.

Sean Payton.

Wilson now will get his likelihood to be coached by Payton, because the Broncos have employed him to be their subsequent head coach. Payton is within the strategy of filling out his workers, including former quarterback Davis Webb because the workforce’s quarterbacks coach, and Joe Lombardi might be added to the workers as nicely. Lombardi was most just lately the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers, however spent years below Payton in New Orleans.

Wilson took a giant step again final season, posting the worst statistical season of his NFL profession. Can Payton, and the offensive workers he’s placing round Wilson in Denver, flip issues round?

What do the Bears do with the No. 1 draft decide?

The Bears acquired a present from former head coach Lovie Smith when his Houston Texans pulled out a miracle comeback over the Indianapolis Colts within the final recreation of the season to sabotage their very own maintain on the No. 1 total decide within the 2023 NFL Draft and switch it straight to Chicago. The Bears are coming off a 3-14 season, however the growth of Justin Fields was so encouraging that Chicago simply may need a franchise QB for the primary time since Sid Luckman’s heyday within the Nineteen Forties. Yes, it’s been a very long time.

The Bears already knew they had been going to be flushed with probably the most cap house within the NFL this offseason. Now they personal the No. 1 total decide, and with it the promise of a commerce down that would restock the workforce with future draft picks for years to come back. Someone goes to wish to commerce up for a QB — whether or not Bryce Young, CJ Stroud, Will Levis, or Anthony Richardson finally turns into the highest prospect remains to be up for debate — and the Bears ought to money in with a giant haul of property.

What will Chicago worth in a commerce? They might attempt to tackle a veteran star into their cap house along with future picks, with Carolina’s Brian Burns being talked about as one possibility. They will possible demand a primary rounder for the 2024 draft, and ideally a decide nonetheless within the top-10 this 12 months. The Bears want all the assistance they will get on the defensive entrance seven after buying and selling their two greatest gamers from that group, Roquan Smith and Robert Quinn, halfway by way of final season. This is their large likelihood to provide Fields a gifted supporting solid and set themselves as much as be the following younger workforce that takes a big leap up the standings.

Bijan Robinson’s draft place

Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images

Texas RB Bijan Robinson is likely one of the greatest total abilities on this upcoming draft class. His gamebreaking capability as a runner and receiver on prime of his subsequent stage agility and play power. The again must be thought of a lock for the primary spherical.

How excessive is the true query.

Because of the fluctuating worth of drafting a working again within the first spherical, in comparison with drafting a again within the later rounds (or by no means), Robinson’s complete draft inventory seemingly will depend on if NFL groups worth his capability greater than the typical RB. In addition, not many groups appear to be they’ve a real want on the place. Robinson could possibly be seen as a luxurious decide, one thing that many groups don’t have the power to absorb the primary spherical. Wherever he goes, although, Robinson must be a star.

During his pre-Combine convention name, Daniel Jeremiah indicated that groups may be taking a look at Robinson earlier within the first spherical than some may count on:

Aaron Rodgers

There’s no denying that Rodgers is the largest issue within the quarterback shuffle, which we mentioned earlier — however Rodgers is a narrative in an of himself.

No matter what he decides about his future it’s going to be a narrative. Hell, at this level he’s allegedly embezzling welfare funds away from fully morphing into Brett Favre. There are so many swirling studies about Rodgers starting from the Packers wanting to maneuver on, Rodgers demanding a commerce, and even simply retiring outright.

These tales lengthen far past only a quarterback wanting out, and due to how his 2022 contract extension was structured with Green Bay, giving him plenty of assured cash, it would influence the cap scenario of the Packers immensely.

Then, after all, we all the time have Rodgers’ weekly appearances on The Pat McAfee Show so as to add to the intrigue. Which bizarre pseudoscience or self-help routine will he champion subsequent? Got to tune in to see. No matter what, it’s going to be stuffed with drama.