Every NFL Team's Fatal Flaw, and How It Can Be Exploited
Perfect teams don't exist. Even the best ones have a weakness to exploit.
The key is identifying an opponent's fatal flaw and taking advantage of it.
The NFL has built its reputation on parity. Each year, multiple teams that made the playoffs the previous season find themselves out of the postseason or vice versa.
Due to free agency and roster limitations, it's impossible for any organization to build a team with quality depth at every position. Most have trouble fielding competent starters at every position.
For example, the New England Patriots look better on paper today than the team did when it won Super Bowl LI, yet multiple core pieces left the organization once the 2016 campaign ended. Martellus Bennett, LeGarrette Blount, Jabaal Sheard, Chris Long and Logan Ryan are no longer part of the roster. Thus, even the league's best will require a transition period as it assimilates new players like Brandin Cooks, Dwayne Allen, Kony Ealy, Mike Gillislee, Rex Burkhead, Lawrence Guy and Stephon Gilmore.
While New England built an empire under the direction of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, they're vulnerable, just like every other team in the league. In a mismatch league, the goal is to expose each opponent's flaws to achieve success.
Some teams' biggest issue may not even be found among the players. Certain coaching decisions or front-office problems can bleed onto the field.
Finding these flaws may be easy to discern. Others can be more difficult. But they exist, and Bleacher Report identified each within every franchise.
Arizona Cardinals: Unable to Replace Calais Campbell
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Former first-round pick Robert Nkemdiche has large shoes to fill. After not starting a single game as a rookie, Nkemdiche will be inserted into the lineup to replace Calais Campbell, who left in free agency to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Arizona Cardinals used the 29th pick in the 2016 NFL draft to acquire Nkemdiche. Even though he experienced a draft-day slide, the Ole Miss product was once considered a No. 1 overall talent. Inconsistency and off-field issues caused him to fall down draft boards.
But the team is certain last year's flashes in a limited sample size show he can replace Campbell.
"I've been happy with him," defensive line coach Brentson Buckner said, per Darren Urban of the Cardinals official site. "... It takes time. It takes some guys even longer. He is starting to come around. ... You see the natural ability take over. Now it's all about Robert."
As talented as Nkemdiche is, Campbell has been one of the NFL's best along Arizona's defensive front. Last season, the veteran graded as the game's best 3-4 defensive end, per Pro Football Focus. He finished among the top 10 for six straight seasons.
With Campbell leading the way, the Cardinals finished ninth against the run and second in total defense last season. Offenses will test Nkemdiche early and often. The young defensive lineman is talented, but he's not one of the NFL's best. How he holds up will be a big indicator of Arizona's defensive success this fall.
Atlanta Falcons: Kyle Shanahan No Longer Leads Offense
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Kyle Shanahan is one of the league's best play-callers. After two seasons as offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons, Shanahan is now the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers. The Falcons hired Steve Sarkisian to replace Shanahan.
The loss of a top coordinator is often glossed over, especially for talented teams still expected to compete at the highest level. But these types of changes within the coaching staff can have long-reaching implications.
"We knew that we were going to bring a guy in that has a lot of experience, can communicate well, he’s hit it off very, very well with Matt [Ryan] from a communication standpoint,” Dimitroff said of Sarkisian during an interview with Adam Schein on Schein on Sports. "Sark came in knowing he wasn't going to change much on this offense—he may change some terminology here and there, some general ideas. That was important for us."
Change always follows a coordinator swap. While Sarkisian may do his best to assimilate Shanahan's offense, it's not the same as Shanahan calling the plays, since he had a fundamental understanding of the entire scheme. Sequential play-calling will change. Sarkisian's comfort level with certain plays will be different. While the players will grow accustomed to him, his approach will be different.
Opponents need to attack the core staples of the offense—like the zone stretch—in an attempt to take those away and see how the offense responds under Sarkisian's supervision.
Baltimore Ravens: Running Game Remains Impotent
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The Baltimore Ravens finished 28th in rushing offense last season. What did the organization do to upgrade its personnel in this area? Nothing.
The front office will rely on its hiring of Greg Roman as senior offensive assistant to implement a better scheme without actually upgrading the offensive line or running back stable. While Roman is one of the game's best at devising an effective run game, the talent must be in place for it to properly work.
Up front, Baltimore is replacing three starters. Right tackle Ricky Wagner signed a massive deal with the Detroit Lions. Vladimir Ducasse, who started the final eight games at right guard, is now a member of the Buffalo Bills. And general manager Ozzie Newsome traded center Jeremy Zuttah to the San Francisco 49ers.
With Marshal Yanda moving back to right guard, four of the team's starting five to end last season will be different at the beginning of the 2017 campaign.
Terrance West and Kenneth Dixon return as the team's one-two punch at running back. The duo combined for 1,156 rushing yards in 2016. The franchise signed veteran Danny Woodhead, but his primary contributions will come as a receiver out of the backfield.
Aside from Roman's addition, little emphasis has been placed on improving the Ravens' rushing attack, and opponents will take it away making the Ravens offense unbalanced.
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Buffalo Bills: Offense Lacks Playmakers at Wide Receiver
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The Buffalo Bills decided to retain quarterback Tyrod Taylor under a renegotiated contract. While it was the right move, the team's non-franchise, franchise quarterback will look around and realize he's not in the best situation to succeed.
Why? Because the Bills aren't exactly loaded at the skill positions, particularly wide receiver.
Sammy Watkins is projected as the team's top option in the passing game, yet he's missed 11 games over the last two seasons because of multiple injuries. The team wasn't confident enough in Watkins' ability/availability to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Watkins will be paired with this year's second-round pick Zay Jones, who left college football as the FBS all-time leader in receptions. Head coach Sean McDermott also acknowledged the team is "concerned with Charles' [Clay] knee situation," per the Buffalo News' Vic Carucci.
Injury-prone and unproven commodities don't exactly inspire confidence in the the Bills' ability to consistently threaten defenses with their passing attack.
LeSean McCoy will go into every game being targeted by defenses, because everyone knows the offense runs through the running back and taking him away limits what the Bills are capable of doing.
Carolina Panthers: Protecting Cam Newton Is Still a Problem
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The Carolina Panthers aggressively attacked last season's problem with protecting Cam Newton during free agency. Well, sort of. The team ended up signing Matt Kalil to a five-year, $55.5 million contract.
While Kalil's playing with his brother, Ryan, is a feel-good story, no one should look past the fact the left tackle hasn't been very good throughout his career. Plus, he missed the majority of the 2016 campaign with a hip injury.
On top of that, the Panthers have no idea what to expect from Michael Oher. The team's former starting left tackle has yet to be cleared from the concussion protocol and isn't expected to attend OTAs, per the Charlotte Observer's Joseph Person.
To cover his bases, general manager Dave Gettleman used a second-round pick to select Western Michigan right tackle Taylor Moton. He's expected to compete with Daryl Williams to start.
The Panthers are talented along the offensive interior, yet their tackles remain questionable at best. Defenses are going to attack the edges every Sunday in an attempt to pressure Newton and get him out of rhythm.
Chicago Bears: Upcoming Quarterback Controversy
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No matter what the Chicago Bears do to denounce the possibility, a quarterback controversy is looming. When a team trades up in the draft to acquire the top available signal-caller, the incoming prospect is viewed as the new face of the franchise.
Bears brass is doing everything in its power to temper expectations by naming Mike Glennon the team's starting quarterback.
"This year is my year and I'm not going to worry about the future," Glennon said, per Chicago Bears Radio Network's Zach Zaidman.
The second he struggles, however, the boo birds will be out in full force expecting Mitchell Trubisky to be placed in the lineup.
This year is a tryout opportunity for Glennon, not just for the Bears but the entire NFL. The 27-year-old signal-caller signed a three-year deal during free agency, but it boils down to a one-year contract with an option after the 2017 campaign.
How Glennon reacts to pressure will determine how quickly Trubisky sees playing time. During the 2013 and '14 campaigns, the former third-round pick played in 19 games and was counted among the league's worst in completion percentage and quarterback rating when pressured, per Pro Football Focus.
Once the veteran is forced off the field—which is a likely scenario either because of play or injury—NFL defenses will be salivating over the chance to face the rookie. Against either quarterback, opponents will have success with blitz packages.
Cincinnati Bengals: Offensive Line Downgrades
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The offensive line developed into a constant during the Cincinnati Bengals' five straight playoff appearances. The team faltered in 2016, and the offensive line is no longer counted among the team's strengths.
Left tackle Andrew Whitworth and right guard Kevin Zeitler are among the best at their respective positions. However, both signed elsewhere during free agency. Their departures leave massive voids along the Bengals offensive front since they've been the team's two highest-graded blockers for the past three seasons, per Pro Football Focus.
When pressed into bigger roles last year, former first- and second-round selections Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher struggled. Yet they're expected to be the Bengals' starting offensive tackles this season.
Meanwhile, the organization re-signed Andre Smith, who will get first crack at right guard after playing right tackle his entire career. Plus, starting left guard Clint Boling is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
"Yeah, to be honest with you, we're going to have so many new guys in there that I kind of wish Clint was in there," offensive line coach Paul Alexander said during OTAs, per the Cincinnati Enquirer's Jim Owczarski. "This is like a makeover."
The Bengals tied for the seventh-worst in sacks given up last season with 41. That number isn't going to improve based on the changes Cincinnati has been forced to make along its offensive front. Quarterback Andy Dalton better expect plenty of overload blitzes against his inexperienced tackles.
Cleveland Browns: Quarterback Conundrum Continues
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The story remains the same for the Cleveland Browns. The organization has yet to find a quarterback, and the team's current crop of signal-callers aren't the most inspiring group.
Cody Kessler enters camp as QB1 after starting eight games last season and playing well in stretches. But he also suffered a pair of concussions and struggled to stretch the field. As a result, the second-year quarterback dedicated himself to improving his body and mechanics during the offseason.
"The way that I worked this offseason kind of helped me out not only physically, but mentally as well," Kessler said, per the Akron Beacon Journal's Nate Ulrich.
With Kessler entrenched at the top of the depth chart—at least until training camp—head coach Hue Jackson will evaluate free-agent bust Brock Osweiler, whom the Browns acquired from the Houston Texans, and this year's second-round pick, DeShone Kizer.
Uncertainty abounds for a team in search a franchise quarterback since 1999. There's potential among the previously mentioned quarterbacks. Yet none of them have proved anything at the NFL level.
Defenses will attack these young signal-callers with exotic alignments, blitzes and coverage schemes in an attempt to confuse whomever is behind center at any given time for the Browns.
Dallas Cowboys: New-Look Secondary Needs to Jell
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Time is needed for a unit to jell and function at a consistently high level. This must be taken into account when discussing the Dallas Cowboys secondary.
Expectations are sky high after the team finished 13-3 a year ago with rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott emerging as stars.
But Dallas overhauled its secondary after the 2016 campaign.
Four starters—Barry Church, Brandon Carr, J.J. Wilcox and Morris Claiborne—all left in free agency. This opens the door for Byron Jones, Anthony Brown and Jeff Heath to take on bigger roles within the defense either as leaders or starters. Nolan Carroll signed as a free agent, too.
The organization also added four defensive backs courtesy of the draft. Chidobe Awuzie, Jourdan Lewis, Xavier Woods and Marquez White all have a chance to play this fall.
There's plenty of talent to go around, but who starts where and fits what roles has yet to be determined. Offensive coordinators can exploit the group's unfamiliarity with each other by running combo or switch routes to test its communication skills and see if breakdowns occur.
Denver Broncos: Uncertainty at Quarterback
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New Denver Broncos head coach Vance Joseph faces the hardest decision in football to begin his career at the helm of the franchise: Who will start at quarterback?
Neither Trevor Siemian nor Paxton Lynch did enough to impress the organization last season. They'll compete for the starting spot in training camp. Although, Siemian seems to have an edge after starting 14 games during the 2016 campaign.
"I feel like Trevor Siemian's gonna be their guy that's the most comfortable but also the best fit for their team," former Broncos defensive end DeMarcus Ware said on NFL Network's Good Morning Football.
"As a defensive guy, as a player just in general, I want the best guy out there right now," he added. "I don't want to worry about, 'OK, does he need to develop or not?' I don't care about that. I don't care at all."
Even if Siemian retains the starting role, he's limited behind center. He's not naturally accurate (59.5 percent) and finished 20th overall last season with an average of 7.00 yards per attempt.
How he handles pressure will be a big factor for any potential offensive success. Siemian finished 26th in the league with a 42.8 completion percentage last season, per Pro Football Focus.
Offensive coordinator Mike McCoy will tailor his system to fit either Siemian or Lynch, but both will face aggressive defenses to get them off their spot and force them to make plays.
Detroit Lions: Pass Rush Must Come from Somewhere
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The Detroit Lions finished 30th overall with 26 sacks last season. Yet the organization did little to improve the team's pass rush.
Outside of Cornelius Washington's signing, the team will rely on many of the same pieces that didn't muster much pressure last year, including Ziggy Ansah, who managed only two sacks in his fourth season.
"I take it personal," Ansah said, per ESPN.com's Michael Rothstein. "I feel like I didn't do my job. That is what I’m paid to do, so if I'm not able to accomplish that, that's something that you wasn't able to do right. So, like I said, I'm really focused this year."
If Ansah doesn't produce for a second straight season, Kerry Hyder, Armonty Bryant and Washington must apply pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Since this quartet combined for 15 sacks last season, protection schemes shouldn't be too difficult to devise. Either Ansah steps up, or the Lions won't feature a consistent edge presence.
Green Bay Packers: Ty Montgomery's Risky Transition to Full-Time Running Back
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The Green Bay Packers' Ty Montgomery is talented. He appears ready to take over as the offense's lead back on a full-time basis.
But it's a risk.
No one can deny Montgomery's natural ability to create plays, whether he's playing wide receiver or running back. According to Yahoo Sports' Brad Evans, the Stanford product finished top three among all running backs last season in juke rate, yards after contact and breakaway run percentage.
He'll be far more comfortable playing the position after a full offseason concentrating on nothing other than being a running back, too.
However, he's never been asked to carry the offense or had to play a full 16-game slate. Taking over as the team's option out of the backfield can be difficult with the number of hits Montgomery will sustain.
If he's derailed at any point because of injury, the Packers' running back stable is filled with rookies. Green Bay selected three ball-carriers in this year's draft.
With so much uncertainty at the position, opponents will attempt to take Montgomery away and see if anyone else on the roster can provide any punch on the ground.
Houston Texans: Rookie Quarterback Leading the Way
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The Houston Texans are all in with Deshaun Watson at quarterback.
While the acquisition of the national championship-winning signal-caller should be viewed as long-term positive, the team's short-term goals could be hindered by his presence behind center.
Of course, the Texans organization is still trying to sell everyone on Tom Savage as its starting quarterback, but the franchise didn't trade up 13 picks in the first round for Watson to see him sit this fall.
Houston needs to allow Watson to suffer early setbacks for the team to experience greater success in the future. Those setbacks will occur whether or not he opens the season as the team's starter.
There are basics every spread quarterback must learn once he enters the NFL, like taking snaps from under center, spitting out professional verbiage, etc. But coaches can also tailor the offense to the young signal-caller's talent. Watson is a rhythm passer who excels with his pre-snap reads. He is very accurate making predetermined or half-field reads.
Savage, meanwhile, hasn't proved he can lead the Texans offense. He may be more prepared at the moment, but he's been in the league for three seasons. Watson is far more talented, though.
Head coach Bill O'Brien needs to make a decision early in the process and commit to it. Whether Savage or Watson becomes the Texans' opening-day starter, Houston will have to support the position as best as possible since it's still the weak link among a talented roster, and defenses will force either quarterback to beat them with their arms after overloading the box to stop the run.
Indianapolis Colts: Safety Dance Still Plays
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The Indianapolis Colts should have been ecstatic when Ohio State safety Malik Hooker fell to them with the 15th overall pick in the first round of this year's NFL draft. The team landed an exceptional talent at a discount price at a position that desperately needed an upgrade.
Hooker is expected to pair with Clayton Geathers and develop into a formidable duo as a true free-strong safety complements.
Injuries have tempered expectations, though.
This year's first-round pick continues to recover from a torn labrum in his hip and a sports hernia. Meanwhile, the Colts haven't provided any indication when Geathers will return to the field after requiring surgery in March on a bulging disc in his neck.
"There's no timeline," head coach Chuck Pagano said, per ESPN.com's Mike Wells. "I can't tell you when Clayton is going to be available for us. He's doing everything as far as the rehab and the meetings, just not practicing right now. When the docs say he's 100 percent and he's ready to roll, we'll put him back out there."
Darius Butler and T.J. Green will pick up the slack until Hooker and Geathers are fully healthy and ready to play. Until then, the Colts secondary lacks a major physical presence and playmaker. Quarterbacks will be far more willing to attack the middle of the field—and likely with more success—with Hooker and Geathers on the sidelines.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Blake Bortles' Turnover Factory
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The Jacksonville Jaguars are committed to developing Blake Bortles as the team's franchise quarterback even if he falls well short of the designation.
Although, the organization's decision to pick up the fifth-year option on his rookie contract was a financial determination rather than a performance-based one.
"We look at two-year values on our contracts," general manager Dave Caldwell said, per NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "I think this year he's scheduled to make about $3.2 million in cash, and then the $19 million next year is just a little over $22 million, it's a two-year, $11 million average on what is considered a new deal, and that puts him not in the top 16 of quarterbacks."
The rebuttal to Caldwell's rationalization is simple: Bortles isn't a top-16 quarterback. Last season, he finished 28th overall with 6.25 yards per attempt and tied for fourth-worst with 16 interceptions. In his three seasons, Bortles already turned the ball over 63 times, per Pro Football Focus.
With the team's acquisition of running back Leonard Fournette, Bortles doesn't have any excuses. The offense should feature an improved run game. Jacksonville also invested in its O-line with the acquisitions of veteran Branden Albert and rookie Cam Robinson. Plus, there's weapons to use at wide receiver with the trio of Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee.
It falls on Bortles to improve.
Meanwhile, defenses will attempt to lure him into mistakes with trap coverages or force him to make quicker decisions by applying pressure. Either way, Bortles' struggles with his decision-making have held back the Jaguars offense.
Kansas City Chiefs: Soft Defensive Interior
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The Kansas City Chiefs fielded one of the NFL's best defenses last season. Or did they? It all depends on how a successful defense is defined.
The Chiefs finished seventh overall by surrendering 19.1 points per game and first with 33 turnovers. However, offenses moved the ball on this opportunistic bunch. Kansas City ranked 24th in total defense and surrendered 368.5 yards per game.
Turnovers don't always happen, but the ability to bow up against a prolific offense remains constant. The Chiefs lack the ability to do so, especially with Dontari Poe's departure in free agency. The team finished 26th overall in run defense last season.
Bennie Logan signed with the organization to replace Poe. He suffered through his worst season a year ago, but he should be far more comfortable playing 0-technique in the Chiefs' 3-4 front. Even so, questions still exist at inside linebacker where Derrick Johnson is coming of another torn Achilles tendon.
There's room to pound the Chiefs between the tackles. The Pittsburgh Steelers did so twice last season when they ran for 320 yards combined. Others teams are going to attack the same area in 2017.
Los Angeles Chargers: Complete Organizational Overhaul
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Change can be a good thing. Other times, it can be a bad thing.
The Chargers organization will experience plenty of change this fall when it makes a new home in Los Angeles with Anthony Lynn as the team's new head coach.
"No. 1 you embrace it—I think that's the biggest thing," general manager Tom Telesco said, per ESPN.com's Eric D. Williams. "There's no excuses, no explanations. You just get your work done."
The franchise will have to deal with temporary football offices and the league's smallest stadium in the StubHub Center. This is a multiyear process with little chance for players to establish roots.
Not only is the franchise's move a significant change, but a coaching overhaul comes with it. How the team adapts to Gus Bradley's defensive scheme will be significant. Bradley is coming off a pitiful tenure as the Jacksonville Jaguars head coach. The Chargers have to be wary their new defensive coordinator doesn't get trapped into the same problem he experience while in Jacksonville.
"Every week, we ran the same defense," Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey said after Bradley's dismissal, per ESPN.com's Michael DiRocco. "We never changed defenses. We never changed plays. What we were running on first down at the beginning of the season we were running on first down at the end of the season."
Offenses will adjust against a stale defensive game plan. This was obvious in Jacksonville, and the Chargers must make sure the same doesn't occur this fall. Otherwise, change won't prove to be a good thing.
Los Angeles Rams: Jared Goff's Supporting Cast
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Tavon Austin is paid like a star receiver even though he's never proved himself worthy of the status.
As a result, the Los Angeles Rams will enter the 2017 campaign without a true top target since Austin has never produced more than 509 receiving yards.
This further hurts Jared Goff's development after a horrific rookie campaign where he completed only 54.6 percent of his passes with a 7-to-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio.
To improve their skill positions, the Rams signed Robert Woods, who led the Buffalo Bills with 613 receiving yards during the 2016 campaign, and drafted a pair of wide receivers in Cooper Kupp and Josh Reynolds.
Kupp, in particular, is being viewed as a potential top target within the offense after setting FCS records with 428 receptions and 6,464 yards. However, Kupp and Woods are both better working out of the slot, while Austin is only 5'8" and expected to be the offense's vertical threat.
Defenses will take away the short passing game and force Austin to beat cornerbacks over the top. If he isn't capable of doing so, defenses will start to squeeze their coverage and give Goff and his other targets far less room to operate.
Miami Dolphins: Porous Run Defense
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The Miami Dolphins finished 30th against the run during the 2016 campaign. In fact, the unit tied as the worst team in the league by surrendering 4.8 yards per carry.
This is somewhat of a surprising stat since the Dolphins defense is built around five-time Pro Bowl lineman Ndamukong Suh.
"I put a lot of it on myself in regards to the run defense," Suh said, per ESPN's James Walker. "I'm supposed to be the anchor, and I plan to be the anchor."
A lot falls on the team's defensive tackles since the Dolphins employ a Wide 9 technique, and neither Cameron Wake nor Andre Branch is particularly powerful at the point of attack. Suh can dominate, but he can't do the job alone. Jordan Phillips needs to improve during his third campaign.
"[The coaches] see a lot of great things from Jordan," Suh said. "Jordan has made great plays, big plays. Other times he's struggled in some aspects."
Natural improvement should come courtesy of Lawrence Timmons' inclusion at linebacker and William Hayes at defensive end. New defensive coordinator Matt Burke could tweak the scheme.
However, offensive coordinators will continue to test the Dolphins' toughness in the trenches by pounding the ball between the tackles. After surrendering 140.4 rushing yards per game last season, even a drastic improvement won't make Miami better than an average run defense.
Minnesota Vikings: Missing Piece Along Defensive Front
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Linval Joseph is one of the NFL's best nose tackles. He needs a running mate at defensive tackle, though.
The Minnesota Vikings appeared set along their defensive interior until former first-round pick Sharrif Floyd suffered a torn meniscus in September. During the ensuing surgery, he suffered nerve damage that placed his career in jeopardy, per USA Today's Tom Pelissero.
Without Floyd in the lineup, the Vikings don't have an instant replacement on the roster to start at 3-technique. Veterans Tom Johnson, Datone Jones and Will Sutton, along with rookie Jaleel Johnson, will each have an opportunity to claim the role.
But the situation only adds to a previous concern.
As good as the Vikings defense was at points last season, the unit finished 20th overall against the run. Running backs didn't exactly gouge Minnesota, but it was already a little soft in the middle.
Joseph is a monster, but the Vikings can't hide their other defensive tackle. Whoever wins the starting spot will be tested at the point of attack on a regular basis.
New England Patriots: Pass-Rush Consistency
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The New England Patriots provided a glimpse into their perceived problem areas during the NFL draft. With only four draft selections, the organization selected a pair of pass-rushers.
Super Bowl LI will be forever known for the Patriots' 25-point comeback. But the fact the Atlanta Falcons built such a commanding lead in the first place shouldn't be forgotten.
After a first half of applying little to no pressure on Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, Trey Flowers' second-half sacks became instrumental to the Patriots' success. The fact New England couldn't generate much pressure until that point is where concerns lie.
Last season, Bill Belichick's squad tied for 16th overall with 34 sacks. Eleven came from players no longer on the roster. Flowers actually led the team with seven despite starting only eight games. This is why the organization made a concerted effort to add Kony Ealy, Derek Rivers and Deatrich Wise Jr.
Opponents that either slow the pass rush by running the ball effectively or relying on a quick and precise passing game can expose last year's No. 1 scoring defense. The Falcons showed this during the Super Bowl only to fall apart. Others teams can take advantage of Atlanta's initial success going into this year's campaign.
New Orleans Saints: Defense, Defense, Defense
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No matter what the New Orleans Saints accomplish during the season or offseason, everything comes back to the defense.
Head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees will find ways to move the ball and score points.
The defense has yet to find a way to slow down opposing offenses and give its offense enough help to secure a better record. After three straight 7-9 campaigns and a defense that surrendered at least 375 yards per contest in each of those seasons, the Saints still have problems to address at all three levels.
Cameron Jordan is one of the league's best edge defenders. He needs help, though. A slew of options exist in Alex Okafor, Hau'oli Kikaha, Darryl Tapp and rookie Trey Hendrickson. One or two is needed to form a rotation that can consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks.
New Orleans isn't particularly athletic with A.J. Klein, Manti Te'o and Dannell Ellerbe at linebacker.
The secondary received a boost when the organization used the 11th overall pick to draft this year's top cornerback prospect, Ohio State's Marshon Lattimore. New Orleans also chose free safety Marcus Williams during the second frame.
There's plenty of competition among the Saints defense, but it lacks difference-makers. Aside from Jordan, teams can capitalize on this unit because they don't have to worry about game-planning against anyone else.
New York Giants: Ereck Flowers Still Protects Eli Manning's Blind Side
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The New York Giants placed a lot of faith in left tackle Ereck Flowers, and the organization hopes it will be repaid for its belief in the former first-round pick.
A year ago, Flowers surrendered 47 quarterback hurries and committed 13 penalties in the regular season, per Pro Football Focus. He may have started every game, but his play hindered the Giants offense.
In order to improve, the 23-year-old blocker finally committed to an offseason regimen in an attempt to improve his conditioning and overall athleticism.
"I think if you see Ereck, his body is a lot leaner," offensive coordinator Mike Sullivan during OTAs, per 247 Sports' Dan Schneier. "It's very early and we didn't get a chance to practice against the defense yet, but you do see some increased quickness."
His commitment is merely the first step toward better overall play. Flowers needed to show better quickness and ability just to remain at left tackle, but his technique must improve as well.
Eli Manning wasn't sacked often last year because he got rid of the ball. Even so, the statuesque pocket passer needs enough time for plays to develop. The Giants are loaded at wide receiver, but every opponent is going to place their best edge-defender against Flowers to see if this leaner version can hold up and protect Manning's blind side.
New York Jets: Lame Duck Coaching Staff
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The New York Jets started a full-scale rebuild this offseason. Unfortunately for head coach Todd Bowles and his staff, they'll likely serve as scapegoats when the team struggles this fall after the front office failed to adequately address the game's most important position while simultaneously removing a large portion of the team's veteran presence.
It's easy to look at the Jets roster and designate it the NFL's worst. The soon-to-be 38-year-old Josh McCown will take over as QB1 with multiple new starters in the lineup.
When teams are talent-deficient, it's exceptionally hard to win, because they're at an automatic disadvantage each and every weekend. Even the league's best coaches struggle to put their team in a position to succeed without the right personnel in place.
On top of that, problems existed within the Jets locker room last season, and the coach even admitted his players didn't play to their full potential.
"We didn't have a lot of effort," Bowles said after a 41-10 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, per the New York Post's Mike Vaccaro.
There has to be belief throughout the locker room in the coaches and among the players, or everything will fall apart. Either the team responds when it battles more talented opponents, or the rebuild will continue into Year 2 without Bowles and his staff at the helm.
It's a difficult position to face even before the season starts, but opponents won't let up simply because the Jets find themselves in a predicament.
Oakland Raiders: Tight End Troubles
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The Oakland Raiders feature the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, but Khalil Mack can only do so much.
The team still has a massive hole at inside linebacker, cornerback is suspect and the unit couldn't cover any of the league's tight ends last season. Other than that, everything is just fine.
Oakland's inability to cover tight ends has been startling. It is due to a lack of athleticism at linebacker and a viable option in the secondary to do so. The team selected Connecticut safety Obi Melifonwu in the second round of the draft in an attempt to solve the problem.
"Look, this is no secret, we've struggled for the last couple of years covering the opponents' tight ends," Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio said, per CSN Bay Area's Scott Bair. "We think this is a guy that can help out with his length, match up against some of the bigger tight ends, some of the better tight ends. We'll put him right in the mix."
The Raiders will face Delanie Walker, Jordan Reed, Travis Kelce (twice), Hunter Henry (twice), Rob Gronkowski, Jason Witten and Zach Ertz during the upcoming season. Melifonwu is an extremely gifted athlete, but those veteran tight ends will be licking their chops to face the rookie or whomever the Raiders try to cover them with this fall.
Philadelphia Eagles: Secondary Concerns Remain at Forefront
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When an organization has a major problem area, it usually throws numbers at it. The Philadelphia Eagles did just that in regards to their secondary, but this doesn't mean the problem has been solved.
Cornerback remains an issue.
Last year's starters, Nolan Carroll and Leodis McKelvin, weren't retained. The team will now rely heavily on second-year defensive back Jalen Mills and Ron Brooks, who is coming off a season-ending ruptured quadriceps tendon.
Plus, the organization added Sidney Jones and Rasul Douglas during the second and third rounds of April's draft. However, Jones is recovering from a torn Achilles tendon he suffered during Washington's pro day, and a potential return date has yet to be determined.
This unit is in flux and will continue to be until all of the parts are healthy and establish themselves within the defensive rotation. Until then, the Eagles will lean heavily on a talented defensive front under Jim Schwartz's supervision and a pair of veteran safeties, in Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod, who can erase some mistakes.
But if teams can slow the pass rush and get the ball in the hands of their targets outside the numbers, more than a few big plays can and will occur. Philadelphia finished sixth-worst last season by giving up 57 pass plays of 20 or more yards.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Defensive Back Breakdowns
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Chris Hogan proved to be the Pittsburgh Steelers' kryptonite. The Steelers secondary couldn't keep track of the New England Patriots wide receiver in the AFC Championship Game, and he repeatedly beat Pittsburgh defensive backs for soul-crushing catches. Hogan caught nine passes for 180 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
The biggest issue became the fact the Steelers' coverage plans were far too predictable.
"We knew that they were going to be playing a lot of zones, and that just goes back to all the preparation that we put in during the week," Hogan said Monday after the game during an interview on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "We put in our game plan (which) was to beat zone. And (offensive coordinator) Josh (McDaniels) made some really good calls and Tom (Brady), and the offensive line gave him some time and he found the open guy."
Once Dick LeBeau was forced out after 11 seasons as the team's defensive coordinator, the approach changed under Keith Butler. This was needed to a degree, but the unit also became far less aggressive. Secondary deficiencies could be overlooked when the defensive front attacked quarterbacks in waves.
The Steelers are still young along their back line, with heavy contributions from Artie Burns, Sean Davis and Ross Cockrell. Each of these defensive backs are talented, but breakdowns are inevitable. Opponents can take a cue from the Patriots to recognize the Steelers' coverage patterns and exploit them. Not everyone has Tom Brady to do so, but he exposed the weakness without Pittsburgh doing anything significant to address it.
San Francisco 49ers: Home of the Journeyman Quarterback
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The San Francisco 49ers decided against addressing the quarterback position early in April's draft. Instead, the team invested heavily in its defense in an attempt to improve a talent-deficient roster.
This approach leads to the team relying heavily on a journeyman quarterback as its starter. Brian Hoyer reunited with Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco after the two previously worked together in 2014 with the Cleveland Browns.
"It's definitely easier for me to call the plays this time around," Hoyer said, per ESPN.com's Nick Wagoner. "I remember last time kind of having to think about it, whereas now I find myself knowing that when Kyle starts to call a play I can kind of put it together."
Hoyer is nothing more than a bridge to the next quarterback. He's certainly not a long-term option. Due to a series of unfortunate injuries, the veteran has yet to start a complete season. As such, the 49ers made sure to sign Matt Barkley in free agency to serve as Hoyer's backup and selected Iowa's C.J. Beathard in the third round of April's draft.
All of this points toward one thing: The 49ers offense is limited. None of these quarterbacks truly threaten a defense. It's the NFL's most unassuming group. As long as defenses don't allow Shanahan's vaunted running game to get started, Hoyer (or Barkley) isn't going to lead this team to many wins.
Seattle Seahawks: Offensive Line Woes
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Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson is a magician when everything breaks down around him. Unfortunately, it happens all too often, because the Seahawks offensive line is one of the league's worst. Last season, defenses pressured Wilson on 41.6 percent of his dropbacks, which qualified for third-worst in the league, according to Pro Football Focus
The offensive line remains a work in progress despite multiple attempts to improve the unit this offseason. First, the team signed Luke Joeckel to compete at left tackle or guard. General manager John Schneider also drafted LSU's Ethan Pocic and Mississippi State's Justin Senior.
The problem lies in the fact the coaching staff expects to find a solid starting five out of its previous group and these additions without having a set plan.
Joeckel is a former first-round bust who struggled at left tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars. If he can't survive on the blind side, George Fant will return to the starting lineup after grading as the NFL's worst left tackle with 12 or more starts in 2016, per PFF. Mark Glowinski could shift from left to right guard. Germain Ifedi is expected to take over at right tackle, but he'll move back inside if he struggles. Pocic will compete at guard and right tackle.
The only position that appears set is center with Justin Britt.
The Seahawks staff wants versatility when it should be looking for continuity. As a result, teams will capitalize on the inevitable breakdowns in protection.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Too Much Confidence in Second-Round Kicker
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers appear to be building something special around quarterback Jameis Winston, with a defense that was counted among the NFL's best during the second half of the 2016 campaign. However, a major organizational blunder occurred when the Buccaneers decided to trade up in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft to acquire kicker Roberto Aguayo.
The three-time All-American was hailed as the greatest kicker in college football history. Yet the Cleveland Browns spent a seventh-rounder this year on Zane Gonzalez, who broke the FBS career record with 96 field goals.
What changed? The fact Aguayo struggled (to be kind) during his rookie campaign likely had teams worried about making such a significant investment in the position. The Florida State product missed nine field goals and a pair of extra points during his first professional season.
The franchise isn't going to give up on its investment after one year, though. Unfortunately, Aguayo continued to struggle at the start of OTAs, per ESPN.com's Jenna Laine.
With a potentially explosive offense, Aguayo's inconsistencies are a glaring deficiency. Opponents should do everything in their power to rattle the young kicker or force him into difficult situations. By becoming more aggressive with Tampa's offense on the fringe of field-goal range, Aguayo's confidence could be shattered with multiple misses this fall.
Tennessee Titans: Incomplete Secondary
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Too many discussions regarding defense devolve into the differences between a 3-4 or 4-3 base front when the NFL already developed into a nickle-driven league. On average, teams are running with five defensive backs on 68 percent of snaps, per ESPN.
As such, teams must go into the season with three reliable cornerbacks, because nickel corner is now a starting role.
Two of those positions have been filled with the acquisitions of veteran Logan Ryan in free agency and athletic standout Adoree' Jackson with the 18th pick in this year's NFL draft.
Brice McCain helps. He's been one of the more prolific nickel corners over the last few seasons but is also 30 years old and on his fourth team in five seasons.
Furthermore, the defense lacks length at the cornerback position. LeShaun Sims is the only one expected to contribute this season listed at 6'0".
Tennessee just missed the playoffs a year ago. The team's 30th-ranked pass defense became a large reason why, as teams with bigger and more physical targets working outside the numbers could take advantage of the Titans' cornerbacks. The position group is better than it was a year ago, but it's still not counted among the league's better secondaries.
Washington Redskins: Who Is Leading the Franchise?
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A team needs direction. At times this offseason, the Washington Redskins appeared rudderless, particularly after the organization's decision to fire general manager Scot McCloughan. His official dismissal came just a day after the start of free agency. Yet it was clear his fingerprints were all over the team's offseason approach.
At this point, Washington appears close to hiring its new general manager, according to CBS DC's Brian McNally.
"We're going to be adding at least one, two, maybe three people," team president Bruce Allen said.
Allen's upcoming hire(s) is absolutely crucial for a team on the fringe of playoff contention or completely falling apart. The McCloughan firing wasn't well received. How the organization moves forward can have a profound impact on the team itself.
Not only is Kirk Cousins' future in question, but 30 players in total—or one-third of the team's current roster—are free agents after this season, according to Spotrac.
These aren't just bottom-of-the-roster free agents. The front office will need to make decisions regarding Chris Thompson, Shawn Lauvao, Spencer Long, Trent Murphy, DeAngelo Hall, Bashaud Breeland, Mason Foster, Zach Brown, Terrelle Pryor and Dustin Hopkins.
How the incoming general manager handles negotiations could affect the locker room's mood. As a result, the entire team could be affected. The rest of the league doesn't need to do anything to take advantage of this, because a potential implosion can affect on-field play.
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