NFC South: Tom Brady, Drew Brees give division a boost

Las Vegas Review-Journal

4 years ago

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (12) throws a pass during an NFL football training camp practice Monday, Aug. 24, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady talks to offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich during an NFL football training camp practice Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, in Tampa, Fla. Teams with new coaches or new quarterbacks could limit their playbooks early in the season because they missed valuable practice time in the offseason due to the coronavirus shutdown. Even Tom Brady has found it challenging to learn a new system. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara, File)

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees throws the ball during NFL football training camp Saturday, Aug. 29, 2020, in New Orleans. (David Grunfeld/The Advocate via AP, Pool)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

VS. RAIDERS: Oct. 25 at Allegiant Stadium

ADDITIONS: QB Tom Brady, TE Rob Gronkowski, LB Kevin Minter

SUBTRACTIONS: QB Jameis Winston, WR Breshad Perriman, DT Ndamukong Suh, DE Carl Nassib

OUTLOOK: Nobody did more this offseason to alter the trajectory of their franchise than the Buccaneers, who signed Tom Brady in a win-now move that plants him smack in the middle of one of the best collections of offensive talent in the NFL. Brady has lost some velocity on his fastball, but his savvy and understanding of the position will be in contrast to the roller-coaster ride that was Jameis Winston. Brady will put the Buccaneers in position to challenge for a division title and beyond. The weapons are real. There’s wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Goodwin, tight ends Rob Gronkowski, O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate and running back Ronald Jones. In front of Brady will be an offensive line that has grown by leaps and bounds the past two years. An underrated defense led by Shaquil Barrett and Jason Pierre-Paul has enough juice to create room for the offense to operate. It all comes down to Brady, though.

PREDICTED FINISH: First place, 11-5

New Orleans Saints

VS. RAIDERS: Sept. 21 at Allegiant Stadium

ADDITIONS: QB Jameis Winston, S Malcolm Jenkins, WR Emmanuel Sanders, RB Ty Montgomery

SUBTRACTIONS: S Vonn Bell, CB Eli Apple, LB A.J. Klein

OUTLOOK: It isn’t official, but there is a sense in New Orleans that this might be the last season for future Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Brees. If so, he is set up perfectly to make one last run with one of the most powerful and creative offenses and a defense that has continually improved. Brees has shown some wear and tear over the years and can be had with a strong pass rush that tests his declining athletic ability. But when the ball is snapped, Brees typically gets the ball where it needs to go with such quickness it negates the pressure of the pass rush. It helps to have weapons like wide receiver Mike Thomas and running back Alvin Kamara and a master play-caller in Sean Payton.

PREDICTED FINISH: Second place, 10-6

Atlanta Falcons

VS. RAIDERS: Nov. 29 at Atlanta

ADDITIONS: DE Dante Fowler Jr., TE Hayden Hurst, RB Todd Gurley, LB Deone Bucannon, DE Charles Harris, CB A.J. Terrell (draft)

SUBTRACTIONS: RB Devonta Freeman, CB Desmond Trufant, TE Austin Hooper, OL Wes Schweitzer, DE Vic Beasley

OUTLOOK: This feels like another season in which the Falcons are trying to get it figured out, but ultimately will be left empty-handed because they don’t have the necessary offensive or defensive firepower. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones are a dynamic quarterback-wide receiver pair, but beside them Todd Gurley is a huge question mark and their offensive line graded out among the worst in the NFC last season. Ryan needs better protection and a better run game to set up the Falcons’ passing attack, but neither is a guarantee. Gurley looked like a completely different player last year compared to where he was up until December of 2018. On the other hand, if he’s closer to the Gurley we remember from 2017-18, that will be a game-changer/ But that is a big if.

PREDICTED FINISH: Third place, 7-9

Carolina Panthers

VS. RAIDERS: Sept. 13 at Charlotte, North Carolina

ADDITIONS: QB Teddy Bridgewater, OT Russell Okung, DT Derrick Brown (draft), DE Yetur Gross-Matos (draft)

SUBTRACTIONS: QB Cam Newton, LB Luke Kuechly, G Trai Turner

OUTLOOK: The end of an era in Charlotte ushers in a completely new one. Cam Newton is gone. So is tight end Greg Olsen. Luke Kuechly is retired. Long-time head coach Ron Rivera is now with the Washington Football Team. The Panthers replaced Rivera with Matt Rhule, the former Temple and Baylor head coach. He brought in Joe Brady, the architect of LSU’s brilliant offense and a former Saints assistant, to run the offense. Brady’s familiarity with new quarterback Teddy Bridgewater should help the transition at the position. The Panthers’ offense runs through dynamic running back Christian McCaffrey, a do-it-all weapon capable of hurting defenses with his run and pass-catching ability. Carolina invested deeply in the draft on defense, but it will take time for the youngsters to jell.

PREDICTED FINISH: Fourth place, 5-11

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.