All four NFC South teams aim to bounce back from an ugly 2022 season in which each finished with a losing record. Here are the moves each should make before the season.
Atlanta Falcons
Improve at edge rusher: Improving the pass rush is essential. The Falcons spent big this offseason at linebacker (Kaden Ellis), safety (Jessie Bates III) and the interior of the defensive line (David Onyemata, Calais Campbell) but have done little to improve at the edge outside signing Bud Dupree. In 11 games for the Titans in 2022, Dupree had four sacks.
Atlanta finished 31st in sacks last season with 21, and its offseason moves suggest it will take a village approach to correct a huge weakness. When game-planning against the Falcons, though, who is there to fear?
Plenty of options remain at defensive end in free agency, headlined by Yannick Ngakoue. He has 65 sacks in eight seasons and would instantly become the Falcons’ most viable pass-rushing threat.
Carolina Panthers
Sign Marcus Peters: Pro Football Focus pointed to Carolina’s secondary as a sore spot. and Peters is perhaps the most accomplished corner left in free agency. He has reached the postseason in seven of his eight seasons in the NFL and has 32 interceptions. Peters would give the Panthers’ promising young corner Jaycee Horn a strong partner.
The Panthers have talent on all three levels of their defense, but Peters would shore up a glaring weakness. Per data from PFF, while Horn was great in coverage last season with three interceptions and no TDs allowed, Carolina’s other corners weren’t. The trio of C.J. Henderson, Donte Jackson and Keith Taylor allowed QBs to go 110-of-151 (72.8 percent) for 1,353 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions.
New Orleans Saints
Extend DE Cameron Jordan: The Saints aren’t in the business of tanking. Despite signs over the past two seasons that New Orleans is closer to a rebuild than a return to the postseason, general manager Mickey Loomis continues to go all-in every season. He made his biggest post-Drew Brees push this offseason by landing Derek Carr in free agency, greatly improving the team at QB.
The next move should be extending Jordan, who is 8.5 sacks from becoming the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks. The 12-year veteran has earned the right to finish his career on a contending team; before this offseason, it was doubtful whether New Orleans could provide him that opportunity.
Signing Carr changed the team’s trajectory, however, so it makes sense for Jordan to finish his playing career in the only NFL city he has called home.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Add depth at running back: Rachaad White is lined up for a big role in 2023 as Tampa Bay looks to improve the league’s worst rushing offense. White had an uneven 2022, struggling to run (129 attempts for 481 yards) behind a poor offensive line but flashing potential as a receiver with 50 receptions. Adding another rusher makes sense.
The team moved on from Leonard Fournette earlier this offseason, but he remains on the market. The Bucs could bring him back or make a run at free agent Kareem Hunt. In six seasons, he has 895 carries for 4,025 yards, an average of 4.5 yards per carry.
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