Answers to Biggest Questions Teams Face in 2023 NFL Season
Can he revive his career? Can they overcome growing pains? Can X jell with Y?
We ask these questions about certain players and teams at this point every offseason, and we do our best to generate answers for the sake of either sounding like sports geniuses or making some dough.
Here's our latest attempt.
Can Aaron Rodgers Actually Bounce Back for the Jets?
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The New York Jets have put all of their eggs in Aaron Rodgers' basket in hopes that the four-time MVP can rebound from a poor season in Green Bay and lead them to their first Super Bowl in more than half a century.
And while it's possible a new setting with arguably more support will reinvigorate the 39-year-old, the reality is he's done.
Rodgers' passer rating plummeted by more than 20 points in 2022, with his yards-per-attempt average dropping by nearly a full yard and his QBR sinking astronomically from 69.1 to 39.3. He had a lousy 86.1 passer rating in the second half of one-score games, a mediocre 88.7 rating on deep pass attempts and an awful 76.2 rating on third down. And he ranked well below the league median in completed air yards per attempt despite being one of the least-pressured quarterbacks in the NFL.
Only 15 quarterbacks in NFL history have started games in their 40s, and very few of them have experienced real success. Tom Brady might have suddenly worked magic with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in his 40s, but he's a massive exception to the rule.
Answer: No
Will the Giants' Gamble on Daniel Jones Pay Off?
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Despite the fact he's a zero-time Pro Bowler with a lousy 86.5 career passer rating, the New York Giants handed Daniel Jones a four-year, $160 million contract this offseason. It was a hell of a gamble on a quarterback who has shown glimpses of franchise quarterback abilities but has yet to accomplish much.
Will it pay off? Unlikely. Running back Saquon Barkley's presence helps a lot, but he hasn't been consistently reliable for much of his career and his situation is clouded by the fact he's unhappy with his status as a franchise tag recipient. But beyond that, I just haven't seen enough from Jones to indicate he will suddenly excel for the first time in his career at age 26.
The man hasn't thrown more than 15 touchdown passes in a season since he was a rookie in 2019, and his career-best 6.8 yards-per-attempt average in 2022 still ranked in the bottom 10 among qualified passers.
Jones might have a decent career as a borderline starter, but he isn't going to become the kind of quarterback who can carry a team to the Super Bowl.
Answer: No
Is Justin Fields the Answer for the Bears?
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There's no doubt Justin Fields is one of the most unique talents in the NFL after he rushed for over 1,100 yards as a sophomore in 2022, but the Chicago Bears still don't know if he is capable enough as a passer to lead the team to success.
Fields threw just 17 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions in 2022 and completed just 60.4 percent of his passes, albeit with limited support. Still, only four qualified passers had lower on-target rates than the 24-year-old, so I remain unconvinced he can suddenly become something more than a one-trick pony in 2023.
It's not out of the question for him to become a strong enough passer to serve as a steady franchise quarterback one day, but it's not going to happen quickly. The reality is 2023 is a growth year at best for Fields and the Bears.
Answer: No
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Can Sean Payton and Russell Wilson Generate Magic Together?
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Russell Wilson's debut season with the Denver Broncos was a disaster, but I get the feeling that was the result of the adjustment associated with his move from Seattle as well as the fact Nathaniel Hackett was a complete bust in the head coaching role there.
Now, a year on, and with the venerable Sean Payton overseeing the team and the offense, look for Wilson to become dominant again.
Yes, players do fade and father time is undefeated, but Wilson was consistently awesome every year until 2022 and he's still just 34. In quarterback terms, that's still quite young. He also has a solid offensive line and receiving corps in Denver, and Payton has shown he can bring good cogs together to create success.
Look for the Broncos to become a contender with an accomplished quarterback-coach duo in 2023.
Answer: Yes
Which Quarterback, If Any, Will Hold Things Down for the 49ers?
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Assuming they can get solid quarterback play, the San Francisco 49ers have the talent to contend in 2023. The problem is there's no guarantee they'll get that solid quarterback play.
It's not a good sign that the team reportedly fielded calls on Trey Lance, and that they clearly favor Brock Purdy despite the fact he's a sophomore seventh-round pick with five regular-season starts on his resume.
Purdy was a pleasant surprise last year but that's still a very small sample, he was drafted that low for a season and he's lost the lion's share of this offseason while recovering from an elbow injury. Lance has also barely seen the field through two seasons as a result of injuries, and it's hard to believe Sam Darnold will suddenly put it together. The 2018 No. 3 overall pick is on his third NFL roster and has a sub-60 career completion percentage and a sub-80 career passer rating.
I get the feeling we will see all three start games for the 49ers this season, which is not a good thing.
Answer: None
How Rusty Is Deshaun Watson for His First Full Season as a Brown?
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Deshaun Watson is the third-highest-rated passer in NFL history, but he missed all of the 2021 season and he was suspended for the majority of his debut campaign with the Cleveland Browns.
Can he get his career back on track in order to guide the Browns to playoff success for the first time in decades? Considering just how damn good he was in Houston, and considering the significant amount of support he has in Cleveland, I see no reason why he shouldn't put it all back together in 2023.
If the Texans were half-decent, Watson would have been a prime MVP candidate in 2020. He's still only 27 and now he's experiencing a proper offseason with his supporting cast.
With the focus back on football entirely, look for him to help the Browns go toe-to-toe with the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North in 2023.
Answer: He should be back
Can the Bengals Get Over the Top Despite Major Losses in the Secondary?
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Speaking of the Bengals, many see them as the key challenger to the Kansas City Chiefs' throne. But the Bengals lost both starting safeties with Jessie Bates III and Von Bell departing in free agency, leaving them with some major questions in the secondary.
Those two formed a very strong duo the last three years, and now it's tough to tell how they'll look with barely-used 2022 first-round pick Dax Hill, free-agent pickup Nick Scott, rookie third-rounder Jordan Battle and longtime reserve Michael Thomas battling for reps.
But there's a lot to like about Hill, who is a versatile, physical presence and has now had some time to develop. And Scott might not be a superstar, but he's a strong run defender who showed glimpses last year with the Los Angeles Rams.
The Bengals did take a hit here, but they've still got enough talent and Joe Burrow's career is on a promising enough trajectory for the team to take another step toward Super Bowl success in 2023.
Answer: Yes
Can the Chiefs Do It Again with a Different Look?
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The Chiefs do remain the Super Bowl favorite, but the margin is razor thin with so many strong teams in the AFC, and their division in particular. Now, they've shaken things up significantly with Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith essentially replacing Orlando Brown and Andrew Wylie at the tackle positions, and JuJu Smith-Schuster now a member of the New England Patriots.
That could be a little hard on quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who is already tasked with having a massive post-Super Bowl target on his back.
You can never count Mahomes and Andy Reid out, but the Chiefs will need even more to go right in order to repeat in 2023. And keep in mind how hard it is to accomplish that in general these days. A team hasn't won back-to-back Super Bowls since the Patriots did so in 2003 and 2004.
Answer: No
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