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The best time of the year is just around the corner. Rejoice! We now have less than one month before the NFL season starts. And just like whoever is reading this article, my excitement for the first NFL Sunday of 2021 is off the charts. There is nothing quite like sitting down with all of your devices spread out in front of you to support your favorite team, watch the must-see matchups of the week, and track your fantasy team's performance throughout the entire day on a Sunday in the fall. Like always, there have been a ton of offseason moves that teams have made to (hopefully) improve their chances at the postseason, and all of those trades, acquisitions, cuts, and retirements can sometimes be difficult to keep up with by the time the season rolls around. So fear not, as I will be informing you of all the key moves your team made in the offseason, whether that be rebuilding their programs under new head coaches, signing or trading for new players you can look forward to supporting, or perhaps even some of your former favorite players suiting up elsewhere in 2021. Let's get into it. * - New in 2021
1. Arizona Cardinals Head Coach: Kliff Kingsbury Projected Starting QB: Kyler Murray Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: In my opinion, the Cardinals had one of the more impressive offseason around the league. They have no doubt made improvements on both sides of the ball. J.J. Watt will be a force opposite of DE/OLB Chandler Jones and the addition of Malcolm Butler will add some extra experience to Arizona's talented secondary. James Conner will join RB Chase Edmonds to form a dynamic thunder-and-lighting combination in the backfield. After freeing A.J. Green from Cincinnati, the Cardinals' receiving corps is even more loaded with the likes of Green, DeAndre Hopkins, Larry Fitzgerald, and Christian Kirk. Arizona should be able to compete in what will most likely be the toughest division in football again. 2. Atlanta Falcons Head Coach: Arthur Smith* Projected Starting QB: Matt Ryan Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: The Falcons have turned into a very forgettable organization since blowing a 28-3 lead in Super Bowl LI. Their primary issue has been on the defensive side of the ball, as longtime QB Matt Ryan has still been slinging the ball around regardless of who his available receivers are. Under new offensive-minded head coach Arthur Smith, Atlanta appears to be focusing on the offense again for 2021, as their defense is filled mainly with a bunch of guys I don't even know. I would think the Falcons will probably be competing for third in the NFC South with the Panthers this year. 3. Baltimore Ravens Head Coach: John Harbaugh Projected Starting QB: Lamar Jackson Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: It was a rather quiet offseason for the Ravens, as their most notable moves were the acquisitions of Sammy Watkins and Justin Houston. Watkins is a much needed big receiver target for QB Lamar Jackson, as he will work alongside the speedy Marquise Brown. Houston should improve the pass rush of the defense, which is always one of the league's best. After tearing his Achilles tendon with Denver, talented tackle Ja'Wuan James could provide a boost to the offensive line if he is able to make a return late in the season. Baltimore is primed to be a legit contender in the AFC. 4. Buffalo Bills Head Coach: Sean McDermott Projected Starting QB: Josh Allen Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: The Bills made headlines this offseason for the monster contract extension they made with Josh Allen, who looks like he can be a top 5 quarterback in the league sooner rather than later. Other than a security signing of Mitch Trubisky and the addition of Emmanuel Sanders, there wasn't much going on during the break for Buffalo. With a stout defense and a high-powered offense, mark the Bills as a team with potential to dethrone Kansas City come playoff time. 5. Carolina Panthers Head Coach: Matt Rhule Projected Starting QB: Sam Darnold* Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: Carolina's biggest moves by far were related to the quarterback position, as they sent Teddy Bridgewater to the Broncos and acquired Sam Darnold from the Jets. Haason Reddick and Jaycee Horn should make an immediate impact on defense, but all eyes will be on Darnold to see if he can make the most of his fresh start outside of New York. Carolina might not be great in Matt Rhule's second year, but RB Christian McCaffrey will be every fantasy football manager's prized point-scorer again. 6. Chicago Bears Head Coach: Matt Nagy Projected Starting QB: Andy Dalton* Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: It's clear that Chicago's front office knows where their weakness lies, because every offseason attempt to improve the roster was directed toward the offense. The Bears are one of the few teams with a legitimate quarterback competition, as rookie first-rounder Justin Fields has the potential to overtake veteran Andy Dalton before long. It's likely Dalton will be the starter in the season opener, but I'd say he'll have a rather short leash before the Bear faithful start demanding Fields. With consistent QB play, the Bears could make some noise in the NFC North. 7. Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach: Zac Taylor Projected Starting QB: Joe Burrow Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: The Bengals' offense looked promising in Joe Burrow's rookie year, but the poor guy got demolished every game due to a porous offensive line before suffering a season-ending ACL tear. With a few upgrades to the O-line and the return of a healthy RB Joe Mixon, coupled with a formidable trio of receivers in Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins, and rookie Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati could actually pull off a few wins in 2021 to begin the turnaround of one of the league's most futile teams for decades. 8. Cleveland Browns Head Coach: Kevin Stefansky Projected Starting QB: Baker Mayfield Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: Cleveland's starting offense is exactly the same across the board, but they did make some improvements to the defense. Most notably, the Browns won the sweepstakes for Jadeveon Clowney. Now, Clowney had a lackluster season statistically last year with the Titans, but I think he's still an elite defensive end even when he isn't accumulating sacks. The duo of Clowney and Myles Garrett rushing off the ends is the stuff of nightmares. The Browns were somewhat surprisingly good last year, and with the return of O'Dell Beckham, Jr. and impressive play from Baker Mayfield, the Browns could be dangerous one season after notching their first playoff win in over a quarter century. 9. Dallas Cowboys Head Coach: Mike McCarthy Projected Starting QB: Dak Prescott Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: Similarly to the Browns, Dallas is returning essentially their entire offensive unit as last season, which includes QB Dak Prescott, who suffered a gruesome season-ending leg injury early into the 2020 season. With an elite running back, bolstered playmaker at receiver, and a solid offensive line, the Cowboys have the potential to score with just about anyone in the league. Their biggest question mark is on defense, which Jerry Jones took some steps to improve in the offseason. Fortunately for Cowboys fans, the NFC East should, once again, be the easiest division to win in the whole league. 10. Denver Broncos Head Coach: Vic Fangio Projected Starting QB: Drew Lock/Teddy Bridgewater* Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: John Elway and the Denver Broncos were quite active in the offseason, making a plethora of moves to continue the rebuild of the franchise. Most notable was the trade for Teddy Bridgewater, and as a result, Denver has listed Bridgewater and Drew Lock as "co-starting quarterbacks" in their initial depth chart. It's hard to guess which guy will win the job come week 1, but whoever it is will have a good crew of weapons around him. On top of that, a revamped defense, which was rather stout last season, will likely help add to Denver's win total from a year ago. 11. Detroit Lions Head Coach: Dan Campbell* Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff* Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: The Lions made a ton of moves in the offseason, and they will be starting 2021 with a new head coach (Dan Campbell) and a new quarterback (Jared Goff). Their receiving corps is almost entirely different from last season, though they have replaced the likes of Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones with some veterans and rookies alike. Looking through Detroit's depth chart, it looks like almost every position group received an overhaul in the offseason, and it will be interesting to see how the team will perform with new guys from top to bottom. There isn't much room for a regression from last season in Detroit. 12. Green Bay Packers Head Coach: Matt LaFleur Projected Starting QB: Aaron Rodgers Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: By far the most significant accomplishment for the Packers front office in the offseason was working out the drama with Aaron Rodgers that seemingly was going to force Rodgers to sit out or even retire. For full disclosure, I was on Rodgers' side throughout the battle between the two parties, but am glad a deal was worked out between him and the Packers. With how close Green Bay was to reaching the Super Bowl last season, they obviously will have a chance to do it again in 2021 behind the defending league MVP. 13. Houston Texans Head Coach: Romeo Crennel* Projected Starting QB: Deshaun Watson Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: Unfortunately for the Texans, the biggest story surrounding them this offseason were the numerous allegations made against star quarterback Deshaun Watson. While I won't get into the details of those, it remains unclear whether or not Watson will be playing this season. 2021 signee Tyrod Taylor is likely to take control of the offense in Watson's absence, and after Bill O'Brien traded away every good player he could while acting as head coach and GM of the Texans, Houston is definitely at the beginning of rebuild mode this season. 14. Indianapolis Colts Head Coach: Frank Reich Projected Starting QB: Carson Wentz* Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: About a week ago, Colts fans became very pessimistic after it was announced that newly acquired Carson Wentz and stud OG Quenton Nelson both were to undergo foot surgery and were given a 5-to-12 week recovery timeframe. However, recent reports indicate the surgeries went well and that both guys could be able to suit up for the season opener. Behind an elite offensive line, several weapons at running back and receiver, and an impressive defense, the Colts are set up to potentially make a run in the postseason if Wentz can return to his MVP form. 15. Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach: Urban Meyer* Projected Starting QB: Trevor Lawrence* Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: It would be hard to not be excited for the upcoming season if you are a Jaguars fan. With new exciting players and coaches across the board, the team should at least be fun to watch even if they don't manage to win too many games. Urban Meyer has definitely provided his rookie franchise QB with plenty of weapons to utilize, and the presence of Tim Tebow has taken a lot of the attention off Lawrence in the preseason. I would expect the Jags to have a better season in 2021 than last year, which isn't saying much. 16. Kansas City Chiefs Head Coach: Andy Reid Projected Starting QB: Patrick Mahomes Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: The Chiefs didn't make too much noise in the offseason, but they didn't really need to. Their only major need, really, was to improve the offensive line, which they certainly have done even with the release of Eric Fisher. Orlando Brown will take Fisher's spot, and sixth round draft pick Trey Smith has impressed in training camp and worked his way into the initial projected starting lineup. Kansas City has managed to keep all of their superstar skill players together on offense, and they should remain the Super Bowl favorites for literally the next decade as long as Patrick Mahomes stays healthy. 17. Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach: Jon Gruden Projected Starting QB: Derek Carr Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: Jon Gruden's Raiders attempted to bolster both sides of the ball in the offseason, adding pieces to just about every position group. The starting quarterback job will be Derek Carr's to lose, but an experienced Marcus Mariota will be ready to take over if Carr's season starts going downhill. The Raiders were the only team to defeat a fully loaded Kansas City Chiefs season in 2020, and they nearly pulled it off twice. While I don't think Las Vegas will end up on top of the AFC West come season end, I think the Raiders will likely be strong contenders for a wild card spot. 18. Los Angeles Chargers Head Coach: Brandon Staley* Projected Starting QB: Justin Herbert Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: Rounding out the AFC West here, I'm thinking the Chargers front office has reacted to what happened with Joe Burrow in Cincinnati, and took steps to bolster their O-line for the sake of franchise QB Justin Herbert. Despite losing veteran guard Trai Turner, they utilized both free agency and the draft to put in pieces that will hopefully protect Herbert long-term. LAC's offense is going to be fun to watch and I think they'll definitely be competitive with their star-studded cast on offense. Remember, they had a lot of really good teams beat last season but blew some leads at the end of games. Watch out for rookie receiver Josh Palmer, who I think could be a huge impact player in the not so distant future. 19. Los Angeles Rams Head Coach: Sean McVay Projected Starting QB: Matthew Stafford* Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: The Rams kicked off the offseason quarterback carousel by making the massive swap of Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford. But L.A. was rather quiet after that move. They acquired a veteran receiver in DeSean Jackson and drafted another with Tutu Atwell, but the remainder of their roster remained relatively unchanged. Because of that, we'll get to see just how good Stafford is relative to Goff in Sean McVay's offense. The Rams unfortunately lost RB Cam Akers to a season ending achilles injury a few weeks ago, but they are still ready to compete in the league's toughest division with an all-around solid squad. 20. Miami Dolphins Head Coach: Brian Flores Projected Starting QB: Tua Tagovailoa Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: After an interesting decision to release veteran linebacker Kyle Van Noy in March, the Dolphins managed to have a pretty successful offseason. They added two new huge weapons for Tua and brought in another experienced backup quarterback in Jacoby Brissett to replace Ryan Fitzpatrick. Miami was close to making the playoffs as a wild card team last season, and if Tagovailoa can take the next step as a quarterback in his second season, they might make that push into the postseason for only the fifth time in the 21st century. 21. Minnesota Vikings Head Coach: Mike Zimmer Projected Starting QB: Kirk Cousins Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: While Minnesota maintains the same core offensive skill player group, that was the only area of the team that went untouched. The Vikings made a complete overhaul on defense, signing six guys in the offseason who will likely be starting in week 1. That defense could be legit this year, and if Kirk Cousins can get time to throw the ball and Dalvin Cook, Adam Thielen, and Justin Jefferson all stay healthy, I think the Vikings can be really good in 2021. 22. New England Patriots Head Coach: Bill Belichick Projected Starting QB: Cam Newton Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: Despite drafting Mac Jones in the first round of the 2021 draft, it looks like this team will be Cam Newton's until stated otherwise. And it will be interesting to see what kind of offense Bill Belichick will run with the addition of two stellar tight ends in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. I'm glad to see the return of Kyle Van Noy to New England, and the Patriots will be getting a few key guys back this season who opted out of the 2020 season. The AFC East should be quite competitive for at least three teams in the division. 23. New Orleans Saints Head Coach: Sean Payton Projected Starting QB: Jameis Winston Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: After nearly 15 years of Drew Brees in New Orleans, Saints fans will be welcoming a new QB1 on opening day in Jameis Winston. Winston is a guy who can definitely sling the rock and put up points, but his decision making has been questionable at best. Sean Payton will put him in the best position to succeed, and he has a really good team around him. New Orleans also had a solid defense last season and that should continue into 2021, making the Saints strong contenders once again in the NFC South and beyond. 24. New York Giants Head Coach: Joe Judge Projected Starting QB: Daniel Jones Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: The Giants made a few moves to improve the defense, but defense wasn't the problem last year. New York had no offense a year ago, and while they did add a few good skill players and will get RB Saquon Barkley this season, I couldn't spot much change in the offensive line. Now, maybe the O-line is fine and the Giants just lacked the impact players on offense to score points and win games, but I just don't know if their offensive personnel is quite good enough to win a lot of games this year. Barkley will help QB Daniel Jones, for sure, but he needs to take the next step before I have any confidence in the Giants. 25. New York Jets Head Coach: Robert Saleh* Projected Starting QB: Zach Wilson* Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: I hate to say it after the season they had last year, but the Jets' roster actually looks pretty good on paper. They've added some weapons on offense, bolstered the offensive line, and added some pass rushers on defense. Now, they have a lot of room for improvement after finishing 32nd and 27th among the league on offense and defense respectively. But maybe new coach Robert Saleh can change the culture of the program and rookie QB Zach Wilson will be the next great one. I'm sure Jets fans will believe it when they see it. 26. Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach: Nick Sirianni* Projected Starting QB: Jalen Hurts Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021:
27. Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach: Mike Tomlin Projected Starting QB: Ben Roethlisberger Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: The Steelers were the last team to suffer a loss in 2020, but their season went downhill quickly in the latter half of the year and ended in the first round of the playoffs to the Browns. While it was certainly a disappointing end after a promising start, I think the Steelers will be back to contending in 2021. Their roster looks very similar to last season, as they did a good job replacing the guys they lost in the offseason. If Big Ben can deliver, Pittsburgh has a lot of good playmakers that could help lead to more wins and a better post season performance this upcoming season. 28. San Francisco 49ers Head Coach: Kyle Shanahan Projected Starting QB: Jimmy Garoppolo Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: There is a TON of hype surrounding rookie QB Trey Lance, who the 49ers traded up to take with the third pick in the draft. I've heard comparisons to Patrick Mahomes, and to be fair, he did look pretty good in his first preseason game. Now, I wouldn't say he's the next Mahomes, because Mahomes is a generational quarterback. But Lance could be a stellar QB and Niner fans seem to be tired of Jimmy Garoppolo. San Francisco was decimated by injuries last season so it will be interesting to see how they regroup in 2021 with a fully loaded and healthy roster. They'll have the potential to make it back to the Super Bowl if they get solid quarterback play, but it won't be easy in the NFC West. 29. Seattle Seahawks Head Coach: Pete Carroll Projected Starting QB: Russell Wilson Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: Seattle didn't make much noise in the offseason apart from the potential alleged dissatisfaction from Russell Wilson, which has apparently been resolved by now. The Seahawks are returning with a fully loaded roster capable of scoring a lot of points if Pete Carroll allows Wilson to open up the playbook. Wilson looked like the league MVP for the first few weeks of 2020 before Seattle opted to slow down the offense and run the ball more. The Seahawks have a great chance to bounce back and win the league's toughest division for the fourth time in five years. 30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach: Bruce Arians Projected Starting QB: Tom Brady Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021: The defending champion Buccaneers are absolutely stacked for the second straight year. The talent on this team is unreal when you go down the depth chart, and it's basically the same exact team from a season ago. I don't know how they managed to do it, but Tampa's front office somehow kept every important piece and will likely be co-favorites to make it to the Super Bowl in 2021 alongside the Chiefs. To top it all off, they drafted a quarterback in Kyle Trask who could be the next Aaron Rodgers after he sits behind and learns from Tom Brady for a few seasons. Life as a Bucs fan must be nice. 31. Tennessee Titans Head Coach: Mike Vrabel Projected Starting QB: Ryan Tannehill Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021:
32. Washington Football Team Head Coach: Ron Rivera Projected Starting QB: Ryan Fitzpatrick* Offseason Moves:
Outlook for 2021:
Written by Nick Swatson
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