2022 NFL Recaps for each team with eyes on the 2023 NFL Draft and free agency. What went wrong? Is it fixable? And more from The Underdog Football Show.
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Still a work in progresss as he adds more content.....
I c/p the first 3 teams and if you like then click over and read more
1. Chicago Bears
Justin Fields is the best athlete on the field whenever he touches it. The team tanked defensively by trading away an aging veteran in Robert Quinn and a player they were not going to pay $20 million per year in Roquan Smith. Byron Pringle was literally the WR Bears brass brought in over the offseason to help the offense. It was objectively a shit situation, yet Fields gave us awesome moments. But do not mistake that for perfection - Fields still has a ways to go, namely as a passer. If you look at EPA + completion percent over expectation, Fields ranks 25th among all QBs. Only Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan, Mac Jones, Carson Wentz, Davis Mills, Zach Wilson and Baker Mayfield ranked lower. The good news? If you add together the $100 million in cap space plus the No. 1 overall pick and draft capital associated with that… this is going to be the largest investment of resources in NFL history. Could Ryan Poles consider a QB at No. 1 overall to reset the rookie contract window? The root of that decision begins and ends with his own personal evaluation of Fields versus the incoming group of rookies. (For the record, I vote no).
2. Houston Texans
Things are back to where they were last offseason: No franchise QB. No head coach. That's not a surprise with this hell tier ownership group. Aside from a No. 2 ranking in special teams DVOA, there's nothing to collectively point to as a positive here. Despite being the 4th healthiest team, Houston was 19th in EPA allowed on defense and 32nd on offense. Davis Mills will likely be replaced by a rookie QB (Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud), but who that rookie will be surrounded by is to be determined, with Brandin Cooks immediately back in trade rumors and John Metchie hoping to return from chemotherapy. Dameon Pierce ran hard at times, but the Texans ultimately were 32nd in success rate on short yardage carries and 30th in EPA per carry behind an iffy offensive line aside from LT Laremy Tunsil, who could be the highest-paid OT soon. The high-point (for me at least) was unfairly-fired coach Lovie Smith's Week 18 two-point conversion walk-off to screw the McNair's out of their prized 1st overall pick. In all likelihood, the Texans will have a top-5 pick in this exercise next year.
3. Arizona Cardinals
Reflecting on 2022, it feels like the Cardinals’ awful season was completely foreshadowed at last year’s Combine. Kyler Murray’s public statement through his agent… the same agent who represents Kliff Kingsbury. Steve Keim receiving an extension. Kingsbury, and ultimately Kyler receiving one as well… then Kliff letting Kyler call plays during practice to show “this shit ain’t easy.” Does any of this sound normal? Now, Murray will enter 2023 coming off a serious injury with James Conner and Zach Ertz - two giant investments last offseason - another year older and DeAndre Hopkins likely headed out the door. So what is next? New GM Monti Ossenfort needs to design an actual process when building a roster, which would be a vast departure from Steve Keim’s tendency of falling in love with positionless players.
