As NFL players make their way to well-deserved offseason rest, locker rooms stand emptied out and playbooks returned. Coaching carousels are also in full swing as interviews take place, and new appointments named before long. There is no rest for the weary, though, as front offices are no doubt planning for 2019 already.
What can observers and fans look forward to in the coming months? The combine, draft and free agency moves will all unfold soon. Sports headlines will soon be chock-full of speculation and hype surrounding teams and players. There will also be no shortage of water-cooler talk for fans everywhere.
Based on 2018’s performance, the following should be at the top of certain teams’ wish lists for the coming season. Addressing these needs will determine whether the teams mentioned will take the next step and become contenders. Otherwise, they could end up just making up numbers.
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
Any team looking to improve on their defensive side needs to look to former Jets head coach Todd Bowles. A former AP Assistant Coach of the Year, Bowles has a history of producing top-ten secondaries. Teams needing to address their pass defenses would be wise to scoop him up.
Steve Wilks, fired unfairly just one season into the Cardinals’ rebuilding project, may yet score a head coaching spot. Either way, he should not remain unemployed for too long. He has an impressive resume that should merit consideration around the league.
WHO NEEDS THEM?
Teams that finished in the bottom half of overall defense, including playoff teams like the Chiefs, Saints, Eagles and Texans. Non-playoff teams whose secondaries make up the missing part of the puzzle include the Panthers and Falcons.
WHAT ABOUT OTHER CANDIDATES?
Generally, top defensive coordinators become head coaching candidates instead of moving to similar positions at other teams. This is why names like Vic Fangio, Brian Flores and Matt Eberflus are below the radar for now.
One exception is former Browns DC and interim head coach Gregg Williams. He has done well as a DC, and he would be an instant upgrade for most teams around the NFL.
HEIR(S) APPARENT
The NFL has become a passing league. An obvious fact to everyone following the game. This has made the quarterback position more important than ever. Faced with a weak QB draft class, some teams need to take a long look at their transition plans.
Tom Brady and Drew Brees will be in their 40s when training camp opens this August. Neither appeared to experience significant drop-off in 2018, with Brees setting career marks in completion percentage and interceptions. Likewise, the widespread perception that Brady struggled this season does not bear out statistically. Top ten rankings in yards, touchdown passes and QB Rating bear this fact out.
Meanwhile, Philip Rivers and Eli Manning, forever linked by the 2004 NFL Draft, are also long in the tooth.
Quick: name their backups without looking it up.
Precisely.
(By the way, that would be Brian Hoyer, Teddy Bridgewater, Geno Smith and Kyle Lauletta)
Thankfully for these teams, their running games are capable of taking pressure off a young quarterback. Free agency does not provide much relief, unless the following names look enticing:
- Trevor Siemian: 24 career starts, 79.9 QBR
- Tyrod Taylor: 23-21-1 career, 157.3 career average yards per game
- Colt McCoy: 7-20 career, 29:26 career touchdown-to-interception ratio
The best options in the 2019 NFL Draft appear to be Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins and Missouri’s Drew Lock, with Duke’s Daniel Jones and West Virginia’s Will Grier as potential late-first or early-second round picks.
SO THE DRAFT IS NO HELP. WHAT THEN?
Trades for quarterbacks are not just unusual in the NFL, they are actually rare. On the other hand, this offseason could be busy with such transactions. With Jimmy Garoppolo returning from injury for the 49ers, C.J. Beathard and Nick Mullens might have done enough this season to attract offers.
There are also rumors about currently-rostered QBs getting shopped by their teams. Failing that, these players could well end up released to free agency. Do not expect Blake Bortles, of whom this site once expected greatness from, back for the Jaguars. In addition to Bortles, Derek Carr, Ryan Tannehill and Marcus Mariota are hardly in entrenched positions.
Oh, and there is of course also Nathan Peterman.
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