THREE OFFSEASON
MOVES FOR EACH NFC NORTH TEAM
Now that the
offseason is in full swing, front offices of all 32 NFL teams have begun to
assess priorities for the coming months. What areas should each team address? I
try my hand at general manager and identifies three areas each team should
tackle this offseason. Today, MJD examines
the NFC North:
CHICAGO BEARS
The Bears made
some huge moves in free agency last offseason, and trading for Khalil Mack days
before the season opener was the icing on the cake. Thanks to all the bold moves,
Chicago had one of the league's most complete rosters and found success in
2018. Now, this offseason should be all about adding depth.
1) Find a clutch kicker. Oh, Cody Parkey. His painful
miss in the Bears'
wild-card loss left the entire city of Chicago devastated. (Bears fans
even attempted the 43-yard field goal Parkey missed. To no
one's surprise, they failed miserably.) Parkey is still the team's kicker --
for now -- but the Bears did sign Redford
Jones to compete with Parkey for the starting job this
offseason. Whoever the Bears go
with, he had better be able to come through in clutch moments. (UPDATE: NFL
Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday that the Bears have
decided to release
Parkey at the start of the league year.)
2) Add depth in the secondary. Bryce
Callahan did well as the Bears'
nickel corner, but he will hit free agency unless the team applies the
franchise tag or re-signs him. If they can't figure out a way to keep Callahan,
finding a cornerback in the draft who can play nickel and outside will be key.
Safety Adrian Amos is
also poised to hit the open market, so this defensive backfield could have some
legit holes to fill.
3) Sort out the backfield. I wanted to see Matt
Nagy utilize Jordan Howard more
last season. Howard is a good downhill runner, but honestly, Nagy didn't look
all that comfortable using him in his scheme. The 2018 NFL Coach of the Year is
used to backs who can run the rock and catch balls out of the
backfield (SEE: Tarik Cohen,
and Kareem Hunt during
Nagy's time with the Chiefs), so maybe Howard isn't his guy. In that case,
the Bears should
trade Howard, who has one year left on his contract, and pick up another
versatile back in the draft.
DETROIT LIONS
Detroit has talent sprinkled throughout the roster, but
there are still quite a few holes on both sides of the ball. The Lions need
to address the following if they want to compete for the division title:
1) Matt Patricia needs an edge rusher. Set to
become a free agent, Ezekiel Ansah is
a player the Lions
must replace. Patricia's defense was a middle-of-the-road unit in his first
year as head coach -- he needs to bolster the pass rush in order for the D to
move up the ranks. I have Mississippi State's Montez Sweat going to Detroit
with the No. 8 pick of my mock draft,
which would be a great move for this team.
2) Find Darius Slay a
partner in crime. Slay has been a staple of the Lions'
defense for several years, but he needs a more capable cohort on the other
side. Nevin Lawson has
been OK at times, but Detroit needs more consistent play opposite Slay to stop
the dangerous pass attacks of its division rivals.
3) Sign offensive weapons. Matthew
Stafford and Co. seriously struggled to produce in 2018,
especially after Detroit traded Golden
Tate to the Eagles in October. The Lions'
offense ranked 24th in yards, 25th in points and 30th in big plays (rushes of
10-plus yards, passes of 20-plus) last season. That's not going to cut it.
Detroit needs to make big moves for talented skill-position players in free
agency and the draft.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
A year ago at this time, the Packers looked
like they could contend for a title. Boy, did that narrative fade during the
course of the 2018 campaign ... With Matt LaFleur now at the helm, we wait --
in eager anticipation -- to see if Aaron Rodgers and
the offense can flourish under the boss.
1) Bolster the pass rush. Muhammad
Wilkerson and Clay Matthews are
notable pass rushers who could leave Green Bay in free agency. There are plenty
of edge menaces available this offseason who could make this area of the Pack
instantly better. An intriguing option in the draft is Louisiana Tech's Jaylon
Ferguson, who just broke the FBS record for career sacks.
2) Get a consistent TE. Jimmy Graham had
one of the least productive seasons of his career in 2018. Hopefully, Rodgers
and Graham improve their chemistry and get on the same page this offseason.
Regardless of whether that happens or not, the Packers should
draft another tight end to compete for targets, especially with Marcedes
Lewis and Lance
Kendricks hitting the market.
3) Add depth to the receiving corps. This
position was thin after the injury bug hit in 2018. The Packers are
set to lose Randall Cobb in
free agency and should look to the middle rounds of the draft to add more
weaponry to Rodgers' arsenal.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
Protecting Kirk Cousins and
paving the way for the run game are necessary for the Vikings.
They didn't do either consistently well in 2018, so boosting the offensive line
is Priority No. 1. Speaking of the run game, Minnesota could lose Latavius
Murray to free agency. Look for GM Rick Spielman to sign a back
in free agency or draft a guy on Day 2 or Day 3.
1) O-line, O-line, O-line. Minnesota's offensive
line was one of the poorest groups in the league last season. I'm not sure
anyone would argue with that statement, as Cousins was often forced to get rid
of the ball quickly or go off-schedule with little time in the pocket. This unit
MUST be addressed, so the Vikings'
offense -- which features many enticing pieces -- can reach its full potential.
2) Sign a defensive tackle. Mike Zimmer's front
four have been stout, consistently providing a pass rush without help from the
second level. But Sheldon
Richardson and Tom Johnson are
about to hit the open market, so Zimmer needs another defensive tackle to
complement Linval Joseph.
3) Replace Anthony Barr. The Vikings locked
up Eric Kendricks with a long-term
deal last offseason, leaving Barr's future with the team
hanging in the balance. It doesn't look like the four-time Pro Bowler will return for
2019, so finding another young linebacker -- possibly Deone
Bucannon -- to play alongside Kendricks is a huge item on the
to-do list this offseason.
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