The 2022 NFL season is within the books after the Chiefs gained their second Lombardi Trophy in 4 years Sunday night time. Now, it is time to look forward to the 2023 offseason. We do not but know which huge names will likely be relocating through commerce or free company, and we do not but know which groups will swipe the most well liked prospects in April’s draft. But we are able to nonetheless make educated guesses as to which golf equipment are greatest positioned to take actual steps ahead subsequent season.
Here are 5 early picks to make a serious leap in 2023:
2022 file: 3-14
Justin Fields
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We’re a little bit hesitant to hurl flowers at a regime that willfully ignored Justin Fields’ dire supporting forged going into 2022, however this time round, with a lot cap house at his disposal, normal supervisor Ryan Poles must attempt to keep away from enhancing the younger quarterback’s lineup. Fields was MVP-level electrical as a second-year participant, even whereas coach Matt Eberflus continued to danger harm to the QB within the title of late-season pleasure. As lengthy as Fields’ safety and weapons enhance within the slightest, there is not any motive to assume Chicago cannot play spoiler out of the NFC North. Eberflus’ younger protection additionally cannot be a lot worse.
2022 file: 5-12
Sean Payton
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You do not get far more uninspired than the “offense” produced by Nathaniel Hackett and Russell Wilson in 2022. The latter stays, but when anybody’s going to power the ex-Seahawks star again into kind, it’s going to be Sean Payton, whose public conviction as their new head coach is backed by a been-there, done-that resume. Wilson, by the way in which, cannot be anymore sluggish than he was underneath Hackett; assuming he is rightly re-saddled to extra run-heavy, play-action scripts that includes a more healthy Javonte Williams, Denver’s nonetheless received the foundational items on protection to maintain tempo with the Chargers and Raiders within the AFC West.
2022 file: 4-12-1
Michael Pittman Jr.
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This staff’s QB carousel lastly spun itself into items, so GM Chris Ballard is primed to give attention to a longer-term funding underneath heart, particularly with the No. 4 total draft choose in tow. Regardless of which prospect finally ends up on their radar — Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Kentucky’s Will Levis appear to be logical targets, assuming Alabama’s Bryce Young is gone — they’re additionally set to return to the cozy custom of buying and selling offensive coordinators with the Eagles. The chief play-caller for a versatile Philly offense that noticed Jalen Hurts emerge as an MVP risk, new coach Shane Steichen ought to have sufficient Pro Bowl-caliber playmakers throughout the board (i.e. Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr., DeForest Buckner) to revive hope in an open AFC South.
2022 file: 7-10
Sauce Gardner
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The narrative surrounding New York — only a QB away! — has been repeated so usually that we’re rising a little bit cautious of its reality. Their O-line, for instance, stays a query mark. And the brand new offensive teaching pairing of Nathaniel Hackett and Todd Downing solely sounds intriguing if the inevitable QB addition is a whopper, like Aaron Rodgers or Lamar Jackson. Then once more, even a lesser title like Derek Carr or Jimmy Garoppolo might be able to getting this membership over .500. In a division the place the Patriots are nonetheless retooling and the Dolphins are banking on Tua Tagovailoa’s availability, their younger expertise at so many spots — working again, huge receiver, cross rusher, cornerback — suggests they actually generally is a contender with a top-15 signal-caller.
2022 file: 5-12
Sean McVay, left, and Matthew Stafford
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You would possibly name this a copout contemplating they had been Super Bowl champions only a 12 months in the past, however then once more … was it solely a 12 months in the past?! So a lot went incorrect for L.A. in 2022 that GM Les Snead may really be in vendor’s mode (!) to recoup much-needed belongings for no matter time they’ve left with Sean McVay on the helm. With the McVay-Matthew Stafford combo again, nonetheless, and the O-line presumably in higher well being together with No. 1 wideout Cooper Kupp, it is laborious to assume they will not be again within the combine within the NFC West, the place the Cardinals, 49ers and Seahawks all have totally different however main query marks at QB.
