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As we approach the middle of the NFL off-season, let’s go over some under-the-radar teams that could be poised for a run in the playoffs and potentially a Super Bowl.
Houston Texans
As we saw last season, the C.J. Stroud-led Texans made a serious jump from being 3-13 in 2022 to being in a divisional-round playoff game the next season. Texans general manager Nick Caserio has done a tremendous job building this team and changing the culture, but this offseason will be pivotal for Houston. News broke that the Texans had lost a key defender, Jonathan Greenard, as he signed with Minnesota last week. Caserio quickly rebounded by acquiring Joe Mixon, Danielle Hunter, Denico Autry, and Azeez Al-Shaair. The Texans also re-signed Dalton Schultz, Noah Brown, and Desmond King, keeping key pieces of last season’s roster. The Texans weren’t finished, though, as they also traded their first-round pick this year in return for Minnesota’s second-round pick this year and the year after that, as well as a sixth-round selection. So considering the Texans’ success last year and their new additions this season, why couldn’t the Texans win a couple of playoff games and make a run for the Lombardi? Along with keeping and re-signing key players, one of the most important returns wasn’t a player: first-year offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik led the Texans’ offense last season to great success, generating some major head-coaching buzz around the league. Slowik will return to Houston and continue calling plays for them. Caserio is making savvy moves as a young general manager, and they are paying off. He has put the Texans in a position of contention, with Coach Demeco Ryans leading the way.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers were just a couple of plays away from knocking off the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional playoff round last season. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst took a ton of heat for selecting Utah State Quarterback Jordan Love in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft when they already had Aaron Rodgers, but now that move now looks brilliant. Love didn’t just get better–he broke out. Love led the Packers to the playoffs and won a game against one of the Super Bowl favorites, the Dallas Cowboys. After their brutal playoff loss to the Niners, the Packers’ most glaring need was in their secondary, and they quickly addressed that need in free agency by signing safety Xavier Mckinney to a four-year deal. They also signed running back Josh Jacobs and retained key special teams and defensive player Keisean Nixon. To conserve cash they let go of Devon Campbell and Aaron Jones, but the Packers’ additions outweighed their losses. If the Packers capitalize on the NFL draft like they did for free agency, they are in great shape to make a run for Lombardi.
Atlanta Falcons
Heading into the offseason, it was critical for Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot to make the right moves, as his job appeared to be in jeopardy. Instead of opting for a rookie quarterback, Fontenot elected to go with proven NFL quarterback Kirk Cousins. The Falcons and Cousins agreed to a 4-year, $180 million contract –a significant deal, especially for someone coming off an achilles tear. However, the Falcons clearly believe Cousins can still perform at a high level, especially after his strong season last year before the injury. After hiring a defensive-minded head coach in Raheem Morris, the Falcons have focused much of their attention on the offense, starting with the hiring of highly sought-after candidate Zac Robinson from the Rams to be their offensive coordinator. Additionally, the Falcons added Darnell Mooney and made depth moves to bolster their impressive offensive line. With the number 8 overall pick in the draft, they are in a prime position either to add an impact player or to trade back with a quarterback-needy team to acquire more picks and fill additional roster holes. If they make the correct moves, this roster is poised for an NFC South Championship and potentially even more come winter.
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- Ranking the AFC North Teams 2024 Free Agency | The Wright Way Network (twsn.net)
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