Each offseason, NFL teams undergo a self-assessment. They identify the areas in which they are strong and weak, and for the most part, they plan their free-agent and draft strategies accordingly.
Filling needs, shoring up weaknesses, and accentuating strengths are all on the agenda, for everyone. But the coaches and players tabbed to fill those needs, shore up those weaknesses, and/or accentuate those strengths carry varying degrees of intrigue.
That's why we're here. Over the next several weeks, we are going to identify the most intriguing newcomer on every team in the NFL. For some teams it might be a coach. For others it might be a rookie or a free-agent signing or something else entirely.
We began with the NFC East and the AFC East, then moved on last week with the NFC North and AFC North. Below, we'll continue with the NFC South.
Atlanta Falcons
Last season, the Falcons' run game was pretty dreadful. Atlanta finished just 22nd in Football Outsiders' rush offense DVOA, with the Devonta Freeman-led run game falling victim to some horrendous offensive line play. A full 21 percent of Falcon carries were stopped at or behind the line of scrimmage, a rate which ranked 27th in the NFL. But it's not as though Freeman, Ito Smith, Brian Hill, or Qadree Ollison did much with whatever space they were afforded anyway.
So this offseason, the Falcons signed Todd Gurley. It wasn't that long ago that he looked like the best back in football, and the Rams made him the highest-paid runner in the league. Two years later, they cut him. He looked considerably less explosive last season than in the previous two, though he did manage to stay on the field all year. The Falcons don't necessarily need Gurley to recapture the golden days -- just get what's blocked, maybe a bit more, and work as a functional receiver out of the backfield. There are obvious questions regarding whether he can hold up for a full year, but if he can, he's sure to be an interesting player to watch.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers turned over a lot of their roster this offseason. They brought in a new quarterback, a new receiver, and two new offensive linemen. They traded their longtime starting tight end and completely remade their defense, spending all seven of their draft picks on that side of the ball.
But it's clear that the most interesting acquisition they made was head coach Matt Rhule. The former Temple and Baylor coach was given a reported seven-year, $62 million deal. That's one of the longest coaching contracts in the league, giving Rhule an immense amount of security and control to build the team in his image. It was odd to see the Panthers try to split the difference on a rebuild rather than go into full tank mode, but Rhule has become best-known as a program-builder, so maybe he thinks there is something to the idea of not fully bottoming-out.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints had had one of the most efficient offenses in the league for the past several years, but what has made it all the more impressive is that they've done it without a quality No. 2 receiver. Michael Thomas is arguably the best wideout in football, but since trading Brandin Cooks following Thomas' rookie year, the Saints have used Ted Ginn, Brandon Coleman, Tommylee Lewis, Willie Snead, Tre'Quan Smith, Austin Carr, Cameron Meredith, Keith Kirkwood, and Taysom Hill alongside him at the position. That's ... interesting.
So bringing in Emmanuel Sanders is certainly a big change. Sanders looked no worse for the wear last season in both Denver and San Francisco despite making his return from a torn Achilles. He didn't get a ton of volume with the 49ers, but he made an impact on their offense nonetheless and helped them reach the Super Bowl. His skill set meshes well within New Orleans' offense, as he is an excellent route-runner and excels at getting open quickly after the snap. He should make for another nice target for Drew Bees.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I don't think you really need me to tell you any more about Tom Brady.
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August 17, 2020 at 09:49PM
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NFC South's most interesting 2020 additions: Some guy named Tom Brady, a new coach in Carolina, and more - CBS Sports
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