Each Wednesday from now till preseason I’ll be going by means of every place group within the NFC South. I’ll rank them from worst to first.
The place finest to kick issues off than with crucial place on the sphere?
And that’s quarterback.
The division has skilled a ton of turnover lately on the place. Not one of the gamers set to start out in 2024 have been on their group’s rosters even two years in the past. Return to 2022 and the Bucs have been led by Tom Brady, the Saints have been counting on Jameis Winston, the Panthers made a late low season play for Baker Mayfield and the Falcons have been making an attempt to revive the profession of Marcus Mariota.
However nicely, nicely, nicely … how the turntables!
Quarterback
4. Carolina Panthers
Bryce Younger
Andy Dalton
Jack Plummer
Bucs ILB JJ Russell and Panthers QB Bryce Younger – Photograph by: USA Right now
To qualify Bryce Younger’s rookie season as something aside from a catastrophe could be charitable at finest and dishonest at worst. With a poor supporting solid and a midseason teaching change, Younger was arrange for failure. This led to Younger main a passing assault that threw underneath 10 yards per air try over 2/3 of the time and resulted in an anemic 5.5 yards per try.
One among Younger’s finest traits popping out of Alabama was his pocket navigation and skill to void stress. That potential evaporated in his rookie season as he was sacked 1 / 4 of the time he was pressured. However not the whole lot was horrible for Younger. He was a Prime 10 passer final 12 months in tried throws within the intermediate center of the sphere. He additionally protected the ball nicely solely with solely 3.3% of his throws being categorised as turnover-worthy by Professional Soccer Focus.
Behind Younger is the perfect backup within the division. Andy Dalton has been a backup who’s objectively higher than the starter he’s behind for 2 years now. After successful the starter’s job from an injured Jameis Winston in New Orleans in 2022, Dalton made a spot-start for an also-injured Younger final 12 months and threw for 361 yards and two touchdowns.
The journeyman quarterback probably could be the best choice for the Panthers to win this 12 months. However contemplating the belongings the group has sunk into the Younger choose, and the truth that they’re in an apparent rebuild mode, Dalton will solely be referred to as upon within the occasion of one other harm to their younger franchise signal-caller.
Jack Plummer is an undrafted rookie who hung out with Purdue and Cal earlier than ending his collegiate profession at Louisville. He threw for nearly 10,000 yards and 68 touchdowns throughout 5 seasons.
3. New Orleans Saints
Derek Carr
Jake Haener
Spencer Rattler
Saints QB Derek Carr – Photograph by: USA Right now
The Saints have been barely edged out for the quantity two spot on this listing by the subsequent group. New Orleans is led by veteran quarterback Derek Carr, who’s coming into the second 12 months of a four-year deal. Regardless of strong counting stats together with 3,878 passing yards and 25 touchdowns to only eight interceptions, Carr struggled all year long because the Saints offense didn’t discover a rhythm all through many of the 12 months.
There have been occasions the place Carr and his teammates have been visibly upset with one another, and the 33-year-old veteran took his justifiable share of beatings as he battled by means of an A/C joint sprain, two subsequent shoulder accidents and two concussions. Carr took care of the ball with lower than 15 turnover-worthy performs, however he logged the fewest large time throws of his profession since 2019. With scant-few assets to bolster his supporting solid I predict regression from Carr in 2024.
There needs to be a contest to see who backs up Carr between 2023 fourth-round choose Jake Haener and 2024 fifth-round choose Spencer Rattler. Rattler has higher name-value, however Haener has a better draft pedigree and a 12 months of expertise within the NFL. Nonetheless, between the 2 they haven’t tried knowledgeable go.
2. Tampa Bay Bucs
Baker Mayfield
Kyle Trask
John Wolford
Bucs QB Baker Mayfield – Photograph by: USA Right now
Led by a newly re-signed and resuscitated Baker Mayfield, the Bucs leap a spot from the place I had them ranked final 12 months. Mayfield made a number of strides final 12 months. Most notably he had his second-best sack-to-pressure price of his profession per Professional Soccer Focus. Mayfield additionally threw the third-fewest interceptions of his profession, though his turnover-worthy play price was in-line along with his profession common.
What needs to be encouraging for Bucs followers is that their quarterback did all of this with out his patented deep-ball success. An space Mayfield usually excelled at was conspicuously absent from his sport in 2023 as he and his receivers failed to attach constantly. Mayfield was the least correct qualifying quarterback within the NFL final 12 months on passes of 20+air yards. If he can discover his rhythm along with his receiving targets this 12 months it legitimately unlocks a brand new ceiling for him and the Bucs offense.
Behind Mayfield the Bucs have former second-round choose Kyle Trask. He has simply 10 common season drop backs to his title, with all however one in all them coming within the second half of a 2022-week 18 sport in opposition to the Falcons. Third-string quarterback John Wolford has extra skilled expertise than Trask. He additionally has expertise in new offensive coordinator Liam Coen’s offense from their time collectively in Los Angeles.
1. Atlanta Falcons
Kirk Cousins
Michael Penix Jr.
Taylor Heinecke
Falcons QB Kirk Cousins – Photograph by Atlanta Falcons
Kirk Cousins leads the best way right here. He has probably the most in depth and spectacular statistical resume. He was on his strategy to probably the greatest seasons of his profession in 2023 earlier than a torn Achilles tendon ended his marketing campaign prematurely. Whereas Cousins’ lack of playoff success has been well-documented, he has been constantly a Prime 10 quarterback within the NFL by any goal measure for the previous six years. With adjusted completion percentages routinely within the excessive 70s to low 80s and one of many increased big-time throw charges within the NFL, Cousins is probably the most formidable quarterback within the division supplied he’s wholesome.
Michael Penix Jr. was a shocking choose for the Falcons because it doesn’t mate up nicely by way of timeline with the Cousins signing. However it’s simple that he offers the group with a high-ceiling backup. Atlanta is clearly hedging all of its bets, together with the one they made that Cousins’ Achilles will probably be prepared for opening day this 12 months.
Few groups can boast the beginning expertise the Falcons have on the third-string place. Taylor Heinecke has 29 profession begins and famously nearly out-dueled Tom Brady in a playoff matchup again in 2020. The expertise and expertise the Falcons have behind an excellent starter in Cousins give Atlanta the divisional edge at quarterback.
