STILL THE ONE
The GOAT continues to stand tall in Tampa while the rest of the division scrambles for a semblance of order
NO DIVISION in football has undergone more upheaval than the NFC South, where every team will enter the 2022 season with either a new coach or a new projected starting quarterback. The team with the greatest claim to stability is the one whose coach and Hall of Fame tight end retired—and whose quarterback retired, too, only to reverse course after 40 days.
The Bucs’ change at the top should not be that radical, because Todd Bowles had been Tampa Bay’s defensive coordinator for three seasons before he was promoted to replace head coach Bruce Arians. And Arians, who announced his surprise retirement March 30, will still be around the team in a front-office role.
And Tom Brady, 45, is the ultimate stabilizer. Any hand-wringing over his age seems foolish given his continued level of excellence; last year he threw for a career-high 5,316 yards. But it is fair to wonder whether he will be affected by the retirement of Rob Gronkowski and also the questionable status of receiver Chris Godwin, who tore his ACL last December and is hoping to be back for Week 1. The NFL’S fifth-best scoring defense returns largely intact, with the only change of note being that veteran free agent Akiem Hicks replaces Ndamukong Suh at tackle.
New Orleans will be led by someone other than Sean Payton for the first time in 15 seasons, but the team is not simply tearing down and starting over under new coach Dennis Allen, promoted from defensive coordinator. When they lost veteran safeties
Marcus Williams (to free agency) and Malcolm Jenkins (to retirement), the Saints went out and added replacements in Tyrann Mathieu and Marcus Maye. The defense, the team’s strength, is still loaded with veteran talent, including two 30-something All-pros, linebacker Demario Davis and edge rusher Cam Jordan. On offense New Orleans replaced another free-agent loss, tackle Terron Armstead, by trading for a second first-round pick and grabbing Trevor Penning of Northern Iowa. While the receiving should be strong, with a healthy Michael Thomas being joined by Chris Olave, the speedy 11th pick from Ohio State, and new slot man Jarvis Landry,
quarterback is a question. Jameis Winston tore his ACL in October; backing him up is recent Bears discard Andy Dalton.
The Panthers should have a new starting QB after acquiring Baker Mayfield from the Browns on July 6. Even though Cleveland chose to move on from the top pick of the 2018 draft, Mayfield is just two seasons removed from a career year with the Browns, and he’ll have plenty to work with in receivers D. J. Moore and Robby Anderson, as well as Christian Mccaffrey as a pass-catching force out of the backfield. It will be up to Carolina’s new offensive coordinator, former Giants head coach Ben Mcadoo, to get the parts working.
The Falcons seem to be setting up shop in the division’s basement, especially after a humiliating divorce from 14-season starter Matt Ryan following the team’s failure to acquire Deshaun Watson. So Marcus Mariota, who had been a Raiders backup the last two seasons, reunites with coach Arthur Smith, his former offensive coordinator in Tennessee. If Mariota falters, Smith could bench him (as he eventually did with the Titans) for third-round rookie Desmond Ridder of Cincinnati. The good news in otherwise-bleak Atlanta is that 21-year-old tight end Kyle Pitts and 23-year-old cornerback A. J. Terrell have a chance to be perennial All-pros.