Now that free agency has begun and the 2023 NFL draft is over, this would be a good time to examine the NFL’s landscape and pinpoint some teams that have significantly improved over the 2023 NFL offseason.
From signing top talent in free agency, drafting blue-chip prospects, trading for game-changing pieces or somehow combining all three moves, they now feature rosters built during the 2023 NFL offseason that are far better than the ones fielded in the 2022 season.
That being said, here are the five most improved clubs of the 2023 NFL offseason.
- Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers almost missed the playoffs last year, but they made a series of changes in the last few months that could place them back in the postseason field for the first time since 2017.
Carolina’s most noteworthy trading was the No. 1 overall pick to choose Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. This trade-up cost the Panthers some good assets, including DJ Moore their No.1 wideout, but they met most of their remaining draft picks and performed well in free agency.
With the support of a cast that includes veteran wide receivers, Adam Thielen and DJ Clark, tight end Hayden Hurst, running back Miles Sanders and second-round wideout Jonathan Mingo, the Panthers’ offense are more put together and deadly than it has been in a long time.
The defense may have some trouble adjusting to its 4-3 transition under the new head coach Frank Reich and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero, but veteran pickups DeShawn Williams and Shy Tuttle will help ease this pain.
This team is expected to be a real problem in the NFC South if Young stays healthy and plays well with the weight of the team’s expectations on his shoulders.
- Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears dropped to the bottom last year, but they look ready to pull themselves out of the NFL’s basement in 2023.
Things are looking up for the Windy City thanks mainly to quarterback Justin Fields. The young signal-caller displayed great growth last season, giving the Bears the privilege to trade out from the No.1 overall spot in the draft.
Those extra assets allowed Chicago to secure D.J. Moore a high-end veteran receiver and cornerstone offensive tackle Darnell Wright at No. 10 overall, and also a group of Day 2 talent that will bolster the defense. They drafted two defensive tackles Gervon Dexter (No.53 overall) and Zacch Pickens (No. 64) and a cornerback in Tyrique Stevenson (No. 56) to upgrade a unit that ranked last in points allowed last season.
Add free-agency offerings like linebackers Tremaine Edmunds and T.J. Edwards, guard Nate Davis and defensive end DeMarcus Walker to the mix, and the Bears will present a different club than what they portrayed in 2022.
It remains to be seen if Chicago has enough ammunition to make the postseason, but they are better off thanks to its 2023 NFL offseason purchases.
- Houston Texans
The Texans may not be a contender in the 2023 season, but they finally have light at the end of their tunnel.
Following the drafting of a franchise quarterback in C.J. Stroud at No.2 overall, Houston was traded back up to No.3 to choose a generational defensive talent in Will Anderson Jr. These two should form the pillars for Texan’s rebuild which is in progress.
Although Houston did not make any free-agency splashes, it signed veteran wideout Robert Woods as a replacement for Brandin Cooks and add Dalton Schlutz as a quality tight end. They reinforced both sides of the trenches by adding Shaq Mason (trade) and Sheldon Rankins (free agency) too.
Putting DeMeco Ryans on the sidelines will not be a bad idea. The ex-San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator will be the first head coach to last in Houston for over a single season since Bill O’Brien left in 2020. Ryans who was a former Texans standout linebacker, is one of the most prominent hires of the offseason.
The Texans still have a few loose ends to tighten, but if Stroud is as good as they say he is, then he could be back to compete in the AFC South as early as 2024.
- Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins played every card they hard to build a worthy squad. By signing stars like cornerback Jalen Ramsey, wide receiver Tyreek Hill and outside linebacker Bradley Chubb over the past two seasons, they are set to build on their close Wild Card Round loss from this past year.
Miami was stripped of their first-round pick by the NFL by “tampering violations of unprecedented scope and severity’’, but they still got some projected contributors in the 2023 draft. The team scored a high-upside cornerback in Cam Smith and a possible double-threat running back in Devon Achane on Day 2.
While the Dolphins were relatively quiet in free agency besides Ramsey’s trade, the team had almost all the pieces they needed to compete in 2023. They can still strengthen their offensive line to defend often-injured quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, but other than that, they have Super Bowl upside.
Ramsey may not be the sole missing piece, but his a key part of a puzzle that is nearing completion. Having him in the ranks, in addition to Chubb and Tagovailoa recovered, should place Miami amongst the League’s top teams in 2023.
- New York Jets
No team has shifted the NFL’s landscape more than the New York Jets trading for Aaron Rodgers. By upgrading its quarterback from Zach Wilson to a future Hall of Famer, New York reaffirmed itself as a force in 2023.
Although they blew their huge defensive leap last year with unskilled play under center, there should be a few things hindering them in 2023.
They acquired first-round edge-rusher Will McDonald IV to a unit that ranked fourth in both scoring and total defense last year, and they should have gotten enough offensive weapons to compete for their first AFC East crown since Chad Pennington led the squad to one over two decades ago.
Rodgers’ protection may be questionable since the Jets could not secure an offensive tackle early in the draft, they should be okay if Mekhi Becton stays in good health and Duane Brown keeps performing at a high level in his age-38 season. The team got more pass-catching ammunition for its new quarterback, signing Mecole Hardman and Allen Lazard to support a receiving corps headed by Garrett Wilson.
Breakout rookie running back Breece Hallis expected to be ready for Week 1 after healing from a torn ACL, according to Rich Cimini from ESPN, so the New York Jets should be squarely in the playoff mix this season.
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