Category: Other

32 Teams in 32 Days: Houston Texans

The Texans remain a shoe-in to win the AFC South. The question, however, remains the same: does the NFL’s brightest collection of young talent have enough to make serious noise in the playoffs?

Cover photo taken from Houston Chronicle.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

We round out the AFC South with the two-time defending division champion Texans, who feel like a shoe-in to three-peat. The question, however, remains the same: does the NFL’s brightest collection of young talent have enough to make serious noise in the playoffs?

We can get the obvious out of the way early: the Texans have been one of the NFL’s best and most exciting turnaround stories in recent memory, going from the cellar in 2021 and 2022 to one of the best young teams in football after adding HC DeMeco Ryans, GM Nick Caserio and QB CJ Stroud in 2023 to guide the franchise to success. After a drab combined 7-26-1 record in the two years prior to their arrival, Houston has gone 10-7 with upset home playoff wins in back-to-back years. Pretty great story on the surface.

But, there’s more to the picture, particularly as it pertains to last season. It was a struggle bus, especially in the second half of the year, losing six of their final 11 games before being bounced in the Divisional Round again. Practically all fingers can be pointed at the offense, which finished a drab 31st in success rate. The offensive line allowed the fourth-most sacks in the league with 54, clocking in at 22nd in pass block win rate and 31st in run block win rate. OC Bobby Slowik, who was once heralded as a boy genius and future head coach elsewhere in the league, was sent packing after the season’s end.

As such, CJ Stroud suffered a falloff from his historic rookie season, finishing 28th in EPA+CPOE and 27th in success rate — he was 12th and 14th, respectively, in ’23. He threw for nearly 400 less yards, three less touchdowns and tossed seven more INTs, seeing his passer rating drop from 100.8 to 87.0. It wasn’t all his fault — the offensive line was a glaring weakness and he dealt with a number of injuries to his wideouts — but it’s still not what you want to see from your franchise quarterback after such a prolific rookie season.

Still, Stroud is an insanely talented player who will be an elite quarterback for years to come. While the line remains a problem, one thing Houston has in bunches is pass-catching talent, which they need after dealing with so many dings a year ago. Nico Collins has emerged as a top-10 receiver in football, coming off another brilliant season despite missing extended time. Christian Kirk was brought in to provide some juice in the slot. And the Texans spent two high draft picks on Iowa State WRs Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, who bring an added level of athleticism to a receiving corps already littered with freaks of nature. Plus, Dalton Schultz is a proven stud at tight end. If/when Tank Dell returns from his leg injury, Houston could boast one of the league’s best receiver rooms.

But I still don’t know how to feel about that side of the ball because of how the line is shaping up. I don’t know if the way to fix this OL was to trade away its best player in LT Laremy Tunsil, but the Texans did just that. Signing Cam Robinson as his replacement and bringing in Laken Tomlinson to plug and play at guard could help. Houston also spent a second-round pick on Minnesota tackle Aireontae Ersery, who should slot in immediately at RT. Between those additions and trading away former first-round bust Kenyon Green, it’s definitely possible that the OL sees more success this year. It simply remains to be seen.

In any case, the real story of this team is DeMeco’s dogs on defense. Houston has emerged as one of the most dominant defensive teams in football thanks to an embarrassment of riches across the board. Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter — who combined for 23 sacks last year — form the best pass-rushing duo in the league, Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o have proven themselves to be a solid linebacking couple while Derek Stingley Jr. has finally blossomed into a top-five corner in the NFL. And we can’t forget about guys like Jalen Pitre, Kamari Lassiter and Calen Bullock, who have made this secondary a truly vaunted one.

Just to run through the numbers real quick: in 2024, Houston’s defense was fifth in total yards, sixth in EPA/play, fourth in success rate, first in pass rush win rate and second in run stop win rate. That’s just absurd.

DeMeco’s Dogs. (h/t Houston Chronicle)

If the offense can make up for last year’s shortcomings and catch up even slightly to the defense, Houston will not only win the AFC South again, but they could contend for a conference title. Winning Wild Card games in back-to-back years is great, but we all know that with this quarterback and with this team full of difference-makers on rookie deals, the window is only open for so long to make a Super Bowl. If any core is going to take the Texans to their first conference championship game, it’s this one.

X-Factor: The Offensive Line
Keep him upright. (h/t Imagn Images)

We all know how good CJ Stroud is. Even after last year’s “sophomore slump,” no one doubts his talent. But talent can only lead to production if it’s allowed to. Behind last year’s Texans offensive line, it wasn’t. This year has to be different. Even if this line is a middle-of-the-pack one, it’ll be good enough to let CJ and company do their thing. If it’s a redux of last year, then the ceiling remains as relatively low as it is. And with the rest of the division getting better, the Texans can’t afford to fall behind. In any case, you just don’t want your future-highest-paid-player-in-the-league franchise QB to get sacked 54 times in a season anyways. They need to be better, and if they are, it’ll pay so, so many dividends.

Team MVP: QB CJ Stroud

I honestly wanted to put Nico Collins or Derek Stingley Jr. here, but CJ is my favorite non-Washington player in the league, so it only felt right to give him the nod. Regardless, I think he’s due for a massive bounce-back 2025. The talent and infrastructure around him is better — especially new OC Nick Caley, who should open up the passing game more. And Stroud himself is a dog: one of the league’s best pocket passers with an innate feel for the game and underrated mobility who can make any and every throw on the field. CJ’s ceiling this season is an MVP. If the circumstances around him hold up and he lives up to his enormous potential, I can totally see that happening. And I would love to watch it.

Breakout Candidate: WR Jayden Higgins

I’m not overly fond of putting rookies as breakout candidates, because technically any rookie success story is a breakout, but this one feels different. Higgins is in a position where he could genuinely explode onto the scene and immediately become one of the league’s top WR2s. With Nico Collins demanding so much attention, this kid is going to get a ton of targets. The former Cyclone star is an athletic freak with ridiculous speed for someone at 6-foo4-4 and 217 pounds and a catch radius that pops off the screen. He’s big and strong with soft hands, and he’s a menace after the catch. People are going to learn his name very quickly. The same could be said about fellow rookies Jaylin Noel and Woody Marks, but Higgins is the one I have the highest hopes for.

Record Prediction: 10-7

A third straight 10-7 season would not surprise me at all for a number of reasons. One, like I said earlier, the rest of the division is getting better, and although I didn’t give any of the other three teams more than five wins, I think the divisional games will be split across the board. Two, Houston still has to play a first place schedule — that means the Chiefs, Bills and Ravens are back on the docket. Three, they have to play the rest of the AFC West, which could easily be three more losses. And lastly, two of their NFC opponents are the 49ers and Buccaneers. So, it ain’t exactly easy sledding this season. But, with their overwhelming talent and defensive prowess, a division title is almost a certainty. I just want to see more than that. A Texans Super Bowl run would be very, very pleasing.

Next up: Los Angeles Rams

32 Teams in 32 Days: Jacksonville Jaguars

The wheel insists on keeping us in the AFC South, where the Jaguars are beginning a new era with a first-time HC and GM, but still facing an uphill climb with some questions to be answered.

Cover photo taken from News Herald.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

The wheel insists on keeping us in the AFC South with this trip taking us to Jacksonville, where the Jaguars are beginning a new era with a shiny new HC and GM, but still facing an uphill climb with some questions to be answered.

Something in the universe changed when the Jaguars got to 8-3 way back in 2023 and were in control of the 1-seed in the AFC. Jacksonville is 5-18 since then, highlighted by a 1-5 finish to that season and a 4-13 campaign last year. Losing QB Trevor Lawrence twice — first due to a shoulder injury, then to a gnarly concussion after a massive hit from Houston’s Azeez Al-Shaair — certainly didn’t help. But the Jags were already doomed well before that with a 2-7 start to the year.

Even without Lawrence, the offense stayed afloat, clocking in at 19th in EPA/play despite Mac Jones being at the helm. It certainly helps when you have a WR1 like Brian Thomas Jr. — more on him later. It was the defense that unraveled completely, finishing second-to-last in EPA/play and dead last in dropback EPA, letting quarterback after quarterback rip them to shreds.

Once primed to lead a new AFC contender, HC Doug Pederson was canned as soon as the season was over, leading to one of the strangest hiring cycles I can remember. Former Buccaneers OC Liam Coen seemed to be the favorite to land the gig, but shockingly backed out of a second interview with Jacksonville to stay in Tampa, seemingly due to friction with GM Trent Baalke. So, plenty late into the offseason, the Jags fired Baalke as well — a move made several years too late, if you ask me — re-opening the door for Coen, who wound up snaking the Bucs and taking the job. Talk about a carousel.

Still, the Jags needed a general manager; in fact, by the time the Super Bowl ended, they still didn’t have one. Enter James Gladstone, who had spent the previous nine seasons with the Rams under Les Snead, primarily in scouting. At 34, he’s now the youngest GM in the league, inheriting a roster that’s kind of a jumbled mess, but has its bright spots.

For all his faults, Lawrence remains under center in Jacksonville, continuing to rake in a contract he got perhaps a little too early. He’s proven himself to be solid, but straight up bad more often than he is great. That’s not a recipe for success to remain a long-term starter in this league. He just hasn’t lived up to his 2022 success since that season ended, finishing 21st in EPA+CPOE and 29th in completion percentage a year ago. That’s not good enough to make up for the rest of this offense’s shortcomings.

I do think that side of the ball got better this offseason, though. Thomas Jr. is obviously a gem, coming off a ridiculous rookie season. Gladstone’s first major move as GM was to trade up from No. 5 to No. 2 for the unicorn Heisman-winning WR/DB Travis Hunter, giving up a first-rounder in the process (not a fan of that one). I expected Hunter to play more corner than receiver, but it appears Jacksonville will do the opposite; regardless, he’s a stud with the athleticism and playmaking ability to provide plenty of juice to either side of the ball. And I’ll get this out of the way: he’s obviously not playing both sides remotely close to full-time.

Unicorn? (h/t A To Z Sports)

Dyami Brown could be a solid WR2/3 after ending his tenure in Washington with a strong playoff run. Running back is a big question mark with Travis Etienne coming off a horrible 2024, potentially opening the door for second-year back Tank Bigsby or rookie Bhayshul Tuten. And the offensive line, which finished 19th in pass block win rate last year, has a couple new additions on the interior. There’s seemingly enough for Coen and new OC Grant Udinski to play with.

The defense remains a giant problem, though. The front seven was a massive disappointment a year ago, finishing dead last in pass rush win rate and 27th in run stop win rate despite having some solid talent. Former No. 1 pick Travon Walker has back-to-back double-digit sack seasons, Josh Hines-Allen has been pretty good for a number of years and Foye Oluokun and Devin Lloyd form one of the better on-ball linebacker duos in football. Maybe new DC Anthony Campanile can figure out what to do with that talent. In any case, the secondary will likely continue to be a giant weakness, seeing as it didn’t get better at all this offseason. I hate to break it to you Jacksonville, but Jourdan Lewis and Eric Murray aren’t going to solve your problems, especially if Travis Hunter is going to be a backup defender. That’s another reason why I think he should play more defense: the team needs it a hell of a lot more than they need a pass-catcher.

I think the Jags have made the right hires to kick off this new rebuild, but this thing will clearly take some time, especially without a first-round pick next year. They better hope Hunter turns into the stud he’s supposed to be. Regardless, this feels like a year to figure things out with a first-time head coach, general manager and coordinators. If all goes to plan, the Jaguars could be a surprising team with a must-see offense that makes a playoff push. But, I think it’s far more likely that we see a team that struggles to win games due to a lack of a clear offensive identity and a porous defense.

X-Factor: QB Trevor Lawrence

2025 is TLaw’s last straw. The Jags are in a position where they can’t really do anything with him due to his contract, but it’s a put up or shut up type of year for Lawrence, who hasn’t shown us anything close to his ceiling in over two years. In his last 25-or-so games, he’s been genuinely bad. People will blame Doug Pederson, but having a bad playcaller doesn’t make you a bad quarterback. The best can overcome that. So, with a seemingly great playcaller, a bonafide star WR1 and a potentially electrifying WR2, are we finally going to see the generational QB we were promised five years ago? I have my doubts. But if we do, this team’s ceiling rises exponentially.

Team MVP: WR Brian Thomas Jr.
Strap up. (h/t PFF)

I’ve only dropped some BTJ bread crumbs until now, but what else do you want me to say about the kid? He’s already a ridiculous receiver who took the league by storm in his first season despite being overshadowed by the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers in the draft process. A whopping 87 catches, 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first year dropped jaws across the league as Thomas Jr. utilized his unique blend of size and speed to become one of the league’s most daunting matchup nightmares out wide. And that was with Lawrence and Macaroni! Imagine what truly good quarterback play will do for his game. In any case, he’ll continue to be the star of the show in Jacksonville, and I expect another massive season out of him in year two.

Breakout Candidate: EDGE Travon Walker

As I mentioned earlier, Walker does have back-to-back seasons with 10-plus sacks. But, those figures are 10 in 2023 and 10.5 in 2024. It’s time to take the big boy jump. Walker needs to prove to us why the Jags spent the top overall pick on him in 2022. I understand that he’s very good in run defense, but that’s not necessarily what he was drafted to do. Jacksonville took him over Aidan Hutchinson for a reason. I think Walker has the skills to get to 15-plus sacks, it’s just a matter of putting it all together. We’ll see if this is the year.

Record Prediction: 4-13

The front half of this schedule is absurd with games against Cincinnati, Kansas City, San Francisco, Seattle and the Rams all before the Jaguars’ bye week. An 0-7 or worse start is genuinely on the table. While I don’t think that’s going to happen, I still think it’ll be slow off the blocks. And though the back half is a lot softer, I just struggle to find wins on this schedule for Jacksonville. I simply don’t know what kind of team we’re going to see out there under Liam Coen. The potential is high, but I need to see it to believe it.

Oh, and one last thing. At this point, I’m convinced the wheel is sentient, because…

Next up: Houston Texans

32 Teams in 32 Days: Tennessee Titans

The rebuild is at full throttle in Tennessee as the Titans usher in a new era with a new franchise quarterback — one whose talent could bring the success the franchise has lacked for decades.

Cover photo taken from Bleacher Report.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

The wheel has taken us back to the basement as we head down to Nashville where the Titans rebuild is at full throttle after last season saw them finish with the worst record in the NFL and the No. 1 pick in the draft.

2024 was an abject disaster for Tennessee. Juggling between Will Levis and Mason Rudolph at QB while dealing with the turbulence of a roster void of talent in year one under HC Brian Callahan led to a 3-14 record — not the greatest start to the rebuild. The offense ranked 30th in EPA/play and 29th in success rate while Levis sat dead last in each of those categories among QBs.

Enter Cam Ward. The top pick in the 2025 draft by way of Miami, Washington State and FCS Incarnate Word, takes over under center in Tennessee, looking to be the savior of a franchise that has been starved for success for decades. Ward is an absolute stud — a prototype of a franchise quarterback in the modern game with size, athleticism and the arm to make any throw. Last year with the Hurricanes, he threw for 4,313 yards, 39 touchdowns and just seven interceptions while leading the nation in QBR, EPA and PAA en route to finishing fourth in Heisman voting and earning an All-American nod.

The skills to pay the bills. (h/t NFL.com)

That being said, there is a propensity in Ward’s game to make the odd mistake. I have a saying: when you know you can make any throw, you think you can make every throw. Think Josh Allen in his first couple of seasons. So there will undoubtedly be some plays this season that make you say, “What the hell was Cam Ward thinking?” But, there will be even more plays that make your jaw drop. In any case, he’ll be a clear upgrade and is in a position to make a real difference. His ceiling is extremely high if Callahan molds him into his new Joe Burrow.

To support their shiny new rookie, the Titans have bolstered their skill position groups, which was desperately needed after last year. Chimere Dike, Elic Ayomanor and Ward’s college buddy Xavier Restrepo will shoot to provide depth and potential starting roles at receiver. Van Jefferson and Tyler Lockett will be the plug-and-play starters there, serving as veteran outlets. Chig Okonkwo and rookie Gunnar Helm form a pretty solid tight end duo. And the offensive line — which finished 27th in pass block win rate a year ago — received major boosts with the additions of Kevin Zeitler from Detroit and Dan Moore from Pittsburgh. Plus, Tony Pollard had a very solid first year in Tennessee last year.

The defense might leave a bit to be desired, finishing 25th in EPA/play last year, but the talent is there for the unit to improve this season. Jeffrey Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat are a massive duo in the interior, Dre’Mont Jones and rookie Oluwafemi Oladejo will make an instant impact in the pass rush, and the secondary still has potential so long as L’Jarius Sneed remains healthy. I don’t expect them to take a huge jump, but there were spurts last year where they flashed their potential only to be undone by the offense committing turnover after turnover. If Ward can keep the ball in Tennessee’s hands, this defense should see a statistical improvement.

This rebuild is coming along, and new GM Mike Borgonzi knows how to build a roster. I have high hopes for this franchise’s future, even if it doesn’t materialize in instant wins a la 2023 Houston or 2024 Washington. They’ve got the right QB, the right GM and maybe the right coach. That’s a recipe for success.

X-Factor: WR Calvin Ridley

Ridley has felt like a ghost since leaving Jacksonville, but he actually had a solid year last season with 64 catches, 1,017 yards and four touchdowns despite awful QB play. You’ve got to figure those numbers go up with Ward under center. More than anything, I list Ridley here because I think he needs to be the top veteran option to help ease Ward into the league. Every rookie QB needs his reliable WR1 to settle in. Ridley needs to play that role to a T if Ward is to remain even and not make too many mistakes.

Team MVP: QB Cam Ward

Despite the lack of clear blue-chip talent around him, I think Ward is in for a pretty good season. I’ll get into my award predictions closer to the start of the season, but I’m probably going to take him as my Offensive Rookie of the Year — don’t hold me to that, though. He just has the talent to pop some eyes, especially among a pretty weak rookie class. But I’ll get into that more when the time comes.

Breakout Candidate: DT T’Vondre Sweat
Big man coming through. (h/t Titans Wire)

Sweat, last year’s second round pick out of Texas, quietly had one of the better years among rookie defensive linemen. The numbers weren’t eye-popping, but that’s not exactly his job. At 6-foot-4 and 366 pounds, his mere size and force in the middle of the line was enough to bolster an otherwise weak Titans run defense. PFF graded him as the 10th best tackle in the league against the run out of 220 total interior defenders. This year, he could emerge as one of the league’s best run stuffers. And if he winds up developing the pass-rushing prowess that we’ve seen out of his partner in crime Jeffrey Simmons, watch out.

Record Prediction: 5-12

Again, I have high hopes for the future of the Titans. But this is not the year. They lack the playmaking ability on offense, and their secondary gives me pause. It’s not a crazy schedule, and the rest of the division is obviously weaker than it is strong, but this is going to be a feel-out year for Tennessee. They need to let Ward get his bearings set and figure out all the moving parts on both sides of the ball. In 2026 and beyond, with more weapons at their disposal and a more comfortable HC and QB, they can certainly contend in this division.

And, again, speaking of which…

Next Up: Jacksonville Jaguars

32 Teams in 32 Days: Detroit Lions

A playoff disaster and a mass exodus of an offseason have snapped the Lions back to reality after a dream 2024 season.

Cover photo taken from Detroit Free Press.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

It’s about damn time the wheel landed on an NFC playoff team. And the Lions are a particularly juicy one, because I’ve got some strong opinions on this squad going into 2025 considering how last year ended and how the offseason treated them.

Let’s start in 2024, which saw Detroit have the best season in franchise history by pretty much every metric: points, yards, wins, winning streak, you name it. A 15-2 mark, an NFC North title and 1 seed and a status as the Super Bowl favorite entering the postseason. They were third in EPA/play on offense, first in success rate, second in yards/game and first in points/game with 33.2, the highest output the league has seen since the 2019 Ravens (funny how both these seasons ended in pretty much the same way).

The Lions were essentially a superteam everywhere on offense, and it all started with QB Jared Goff, who had by far the best year of his pretty underrated career. He was the most efficient quarterback in football, ranking first in EPA+CPOE — above guys like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow — and success rate. Jahmyr Gibbs emerged as one of the league’s top running backs with 1,412 yards and 16 touchdowns on damn near six yards per carry. Amon-Ra St. Brown continued his WR1 ways with a massive 115-catch, 1,263-yard and 12-touchdown campaign. Even Jameson Williams came on strong with a career-high 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns.

The defense was a different story. Yes, they have bonafide stars everywhere: Aidan Hutchinson off the edge, Alex Anzalone and Jack Campbell at linebacker, Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph at the safeties. But the best ability is availability, and the Lions didn’t exactly get that.

Though things got off to a hot start, Hutchinson’s broken leg in Week 6 began an awful trend for that side of the ball as impact player after impact player suffered injury after injury, leading to a complete collapse on that side of the all. From Week 13 to the Divisional Round, Detroit’s defense was 29th in EPA/play and 30th in dropback EPA. Everyone from Josh Allen and Jayden Daniels to Jordan Love and Brock Purdy tore them apart up and down the field, and it led to their undoing in the postseason.

So, about that. Just to get it out the way. I mean, I don’t really talk about it. Not really. Not much. Okay, maybe a little. Maybe a lot. Depends who you ask. But, after the greatest season in franchise history, as nearly double-digit home favorites against the wild card Commanders, it all crashed and burned for the Lions in their first playoff game, losing 45-31 to a rookie quarterback courtesy of five turnovers — four of which coming from Goff — and a nonexistent defense. Never gets old saying that.

Almost had it. (h/t Detroit Free Press)

Thus, the Lions entered the offseason on a whimper. And it wasn’t much kinder to them. By the time the Super Bowl rolled around, they lost OC Ben Johnson, WR coach Antwaan Randle El and QB coach JT Barrett to Chicago — can’t wait to talk about that when the time comes, by the way — DC Aaron Glenn, TE coach Steve Heiden and pass game coordinator Tanner Engstrand to the Jets — more on that here — and DL coach Terrell Williams to the Patriots. That’s absolutely insane, even after a 15-win season. Plus, standout center Frank Ragnow retired out of nowhere, guard Kevin Zeitler left for Tennessee and Carlton Davis headed to New England.

Detroit did their best to replace what they lost. LB coach Kelvin Sheppard was promoted to DC, John Morton was brought in from Denver to be the OC, DJ Reed was a marquee signing at DB, and Tate Rateledge was a high draft pick to fill the void left in the interior of the line. But, as is always the case when a team loses so much of its infrastructure, we just don’t know whether or not the Lions can sustain the success that they had in the last two seasons.

That being said, I trust Dan Campbell. He’s proven himself as a master motivator and a heck of a coach. He can figure this thing out. Even though they’re likely to take a step back after a dream 2024, this team will still be fine for the most part. They’re just too talented to fall off the face of the earth.

X-Factor: The Offensive Line

I’ve heard a ton of people say the Lions have the best offensive line in the league. I have no clue where that’s coming from. Yes, Penei Sewell is one of the best right tackles in football. Yes, Taylor Decker has been holding down the blind side for years. Yes, Ragnow was a dog at center. But this line was 12th in pass block win rate and 16th in run block win rate a year ago. That’s hardly elite. Between the explosiveness of Gibbs and the quick-hitting nature of the offense, they just didn’t have many cracks that showed. Now, that unit is clearly weaker than it was a year ago, which is a massive concern for me. Poor offensive line will lead to a worse game, a worse Goff, a worse offense in general. That’s the Lions’ whole identity. If it comes crashing down, it could be ugly. But, if the new guys come in and keep up the standard, then the offense should still be able to function as normal.

Team MVP: RB Jahmyr Gibbs
Gotta go fast. (h/t PFF)

I haven’t talked too much about Gibbs up to this point, but what more is there to say? We’ve all seen the blistering start he’s had to his career. He’s already one of the most dynamic backs in football with ridiculous speed and elite contact balance, making him one of the most feared players for defenders to stop in the open field. I still contend that if the Lions could’ve just handed the ball to him on every play against the Commanders, there’s no way we would’ve won. But, that’s not how life works. In any case, I expect Gibbs to continue his monstrous ways in 2025 en route to a potential OPOY nod. He’s just that good. And this offense will need him to be at that level if they want to get where they think they can go.

Breakout Candidate: LB Jack Campbell

I don’t know that Campbell hasn’t already broken out, but this can be the type of season that sees him make his first Pro Bowl or even get his first All-Pro nod. After seemingly being a reach in the first round in 2023, he’s been a stud holding down the middle of the field with 226 combined tackles in his first two seasons. He’s got the intangibles and the smarts to emerge as one of the league’s top on-ball linebackers if he stays healthy; luckily, he hasn’t missed a single game thus far in his career.

Record Prediction: 10-7

It just feels natural. Look at what happened to the Eagles in 2023 after they lost so much in the coaching staff and from a personnel standpoint. It’s just not easy to replace so many high-impact people in the building in one offseason. Plus, the defense is dealing with so much uncertainty; Hutchinson will be back, but there are still injuries galore up front that cause concern. The Lions have the infrastructure to remain in a competitive place for the next few years, and they’ll be in the playoffs this season, but it just feels like they’ll take one step back before taking those steps forward again. Plus, this schedule is a blitz with games against Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh and the Rams in addition to the cutthroat NFC North. For reference, the Lions only played two playoff teams after Week 2 last season: Houston and Buffalo. The AFC South ain’t walking through that door.

Oh, speaking of which…

Next up: Tennessee Titans

32 Teams in 32 Days: Indianapolis Colts

Indy plays host to the most riveting training camp quarterback battle across the NFL, but both paths probably lead to the same result: another mediocre Colts season.

Cover photo taken from DraftKings.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

Because the wheel hates me and doesn’t want me to talk about a team that knows it wants to start the same QB for all 17 games, we head to Indianapolis, where the Colts are hosting arguably the most riveting quarterback battle of the summer.

Now two seasons removed from being drafted fourth overall, it’s make-or-break time for Anthony Richardson. With just 15 starts under his belt headlined by numerous injuries, laughable inaccuracy and tapping out of a game because he was tired, there is no more margin for error. He’s 8-7 in those games, which isn’t bad, but the 50.8% completion and 13 interceptions vs. 11 touchdowns tells the story. In 2024, Richardson ranked dead last in EPA+CPOE and completion percentage (he led the league by a solid margin in ADoT, though, which I find hilarious). Not great.

If you’ve been reading my stuff for a while, you’d know that I was pretty high on Richardson as a rookie. I liked what he flashed before being shut down for the year with a shoulder issue. And we all know the raw talent and ability is there. That’s why he’s the craziest rollercoaster in football; one second it’s a 70 air yard bomb for a touchdown, the next it’s the worst overthrow and interception you’ve ever seen. This was always a matter of whether or not he could have a Josh Allen-like development and turn into a superstar from a hypothetical.

Do you still believe? (h/t Draft Kings)

Head coach Shane Steichen is running out of patience. Moreover, he knows that consistent quarterback play is what’s holding the Colts back from being a playoff team. They damn near won the division in 2023 with Gardner Minshew, and they were in the hunt for all of 2024 with Richardson and Joe Flacco going back and forth — which is nuts considering they were 24th in offensive EPA/play and 27th in success rate. I don’t entirely love the idea of bringing in a guy who could supplant your rookie QB in a pivotal third season, but I was all for it if it’d light a fire under Richardson and accelerate that aforementioned development.

This, however, isn’t what I had in mind. When the Colts signed Daniel Jones — who had just been through the Kevin O’Connell washing machine — way back at the start of the offseason, we all thought, “Well, if AR can’t beat him out, then we have a problem.” Uh, guys. We have a problem. Between injury concerns and continued poor play, Jones appears to be on track to be Indy’s Week 1 starter.

It’s borderline unfathomable. When Jones was released from the Giants in the middle of last season, I thought we’d seen the last of him in the league — especially as a starter. He was 24th in EPA+CPOE, after all. I never could have seen this coming. And as much as I feel bad for Richardson because I really wanted this to pan out — a guy with his skills could’ve been the most dynamic QB in the league — I have to agree with Steichen here. Jones gives them the best chance to win now.

But then I ask, does that really matter? If the ceiling with Minshew and Flacco was eight or nine wins, that probably remains the ceiling with Jones. We know the Colts aren’t going to the Super Bowl with either of these guys, but shouldn’t that mean the tie goes to the young guy who could still develop into a franchise QB? I just don’t see what Indianapolis loses from continuing to trot out AR. If by Week 4 he’s still horrendous, then by all means, pull him. But you never know what could happen. It’s more than likely that he still can’t read a defense or throw with touch and/or timing, but showing some belief in him might help.

The illusion of choice. (h/t New York Times)

The rest of this passing attack is just alright anyways. Jonathan Taylor is a very, very good lead back, and this offensive line ranked fourth in the league in run block win rate a year ago. As such, this will remain a run-first offense, which has been pretty productive. A WR group of Michael Pittman, Alec Pierce, Josh Downs, Adonai Mitchell and Anthony Gould doesn’t move the needle to change that. If anyone will, it’ll be first-round tight end Tyler Warren, who was an absolute force at Penn State and could turn into one of the league’s premier TEs. He can catch, he can run you over, he can block and apparently throw and run the ball, too. Regardless of who starts under center, building a rapport with Warren will certainly go a long way.

In any case, I still think Indy’s strength is the other side of the ball. Between some really solid draft picks and good work in free agency, defense has become a strength for the Colts, who ranked 14th in EPA/play last year and 10th in success rate — including fifth against the run. The front seven is pretty dang good; Kwity Paye has been quietly solid for them off the edge, DeForest Buckner is still an elite DT, Zaire Franklin has turned into a perennial tackles leader. Now, Charvarius Ward and Cam Bynum are brought in to bolster a secondary that was a weakness for this unit a year ago.

This isn’t a team that’s going to win now. It doesn’t feel like they’re even trying to. Considering the QB mid-off of the century, it’s hard to feel like this team is going to be super competitive this year. That’s fine, considering they have the right head coach and the right pieces to be good in the future. This will simply be a nothing year because of the lack of direction under center. I think it’s safe to say that the Colts’ 2026 Week 1 starter isn’t currently in Indianapolis.

X-Factor: QB Anthony Richardson

Not going to beat a dead horse here. It’s make-or-break for AR this season; as much as I want it to all come together, it just feels like a pipe dream. I’d love to be proven wrong. But, in the likely event that I’m not, Richardson will be cut or traded after this season and either be somebody’s backup or the craziest quarterback the UFL has ever seen.

Team MVP: RB Jonathan Taylor

Taylor bounced back from an injury-plagued, down 2023 with an awesome year, going off for over 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground — by far his best season since breaking out in 2021. Somehow, he was the 47th-ranked RB out of 47 last year by PFF’s grading metrics; not sure how that happens, but chalk that up as another reason why I don’t like that system very much. The dude can clearly still play and has a lot left in the tank. As I mentioned earlier, this will still be a run-first team, and Taylor should have another very productive season.

Breakout Candidate: EDGE Laiatu Latu

Latu was the first defensive player off the board in last year’s draft, and though it wasn’t the flashiest rookie season ever, you could see why. He’s got crazy length and athleticism with some quick twitch and burst off the edge. That only resulted in four sacks last year, but you’ve gotta figure that more production will come with more reps. I think Latu could be in for a massive 2025 and emerge as the defensive anchor for this team’s future — which is what I’m sure the Colts had in mind when they selected him last April.

Record Prediction: 5-12

Tough schedule. Division is getting better. No good quarterback play. It’s all setting up for a subpar 2025 for the Colts. Steichen has faced some QB adversity before, but this one might be too difficult to overcome. Besides, it might behoove the Colts to be this bad and secure a top pick in April’s draft. Who knows, it might just be another QB.

Next up: Detroit Lions

32 Teams in 32 Days: Cleveland Browns

The late, great John Madden once said: “If you have two quarterbacks, you have none.” So, what happens when you have four? The Cleveland Browns are about to find out.

Cover photo taken from Cleveland Browns.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

The late, great John Madden once said: “If you have two quarterbacks, you have none.” So, what happens when you have four? The Cleveland Browns are about to find out.

Last year did not go to plan. Coming off a playoff berth with a really solid 11-win campaign, the Browns completely crashed and burned in 2024 with a 3-14 record due to horrendous quarterback play. Juggling between Deshaun Watson — who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 7 — Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe went about as you’d expect. Cleveland’s offense ranked dead last in — checks notes — EPA/play, success rate, dropback EPA, dropback success rate and scoring. They were so bad at quarterback last year that their dropback EPA/play was over three times worse than the 31st-ranked Giants. The defense wasn’t bad, clocking in at 18th in EPA/play and sixth in success rate, but nothing can overcome that poor of an offense.

So, the Browns entered the offseason in desperate need of a quarterback, considering their $230 million investment in Watson somehow got more embarrassing. Just when you thought Joe Flacco wasn’t walking through that door, he shows back up in Cleveland after leading them to the playoffs in 2023 and winning Comeback Player of the Year. But, every veteran needs some good competition behind him, especially when he’s coming off a subpar season in Indianapolis. So, the Browns also brought in Kenny Pickett, now on his third team in as many years after spending last season backing up Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia.

Okay, two quarterbacks who are not exactly the answer. How do we improve this situation? Well, through the draft of course! It’s the third round and we’re on the clock, let’s shoot our shot at a potential franchise guy in… Dillon Gabriel? But Shedeur Sanders was right there! No matter, we can develop Gabriel into the next Tua!

Wait a second — it’s now the fifth round and Sanders is still there? Screw it, let’s take him too! We could use the media circus! Why not let it fly?

So, here we are. Flacco. Pickett. Gabriel. Sanders. Four quarterbacks. No quarterbacks. No solid options. No direction. No future. Same old Cleveland.

More is less. (h/t Cleveland Browns)

The good news for the offense? Jerry Jeudy has emerged as a WR1 and the offensive line remains a strength. But the lack of a true RB1 after Nick Chubb’s time came to a close could hold them back even more. Jerome Ford is a solid option, but with rookie Quinshon Judkins dealing with legal troubles and still being the lone 2025 draftee to remain unsigned, he can’t shoulder everything alone. I guess taking a second back in Dylan Sampson worked out after all. Gosh, this franchise was lost in April’s draft.

At least the defense is still solid. Myles Garrett wound up signing a massive four-year, $160 million extension after flirting with a trade, a trade down from the No. 2 to No. 5 pick in the draft netted standout DT Mason Graham from Michigan — and a first-rounder in 2026, which could be significant! — and Denzel Ward remains a super solid No. 1 corner. I also liked the second-round selection of Carson Schwesinger from UCLA, who could be an excellent complement to Jeremiah Owusu-Koromoah. Together, they could be a top-tier linebacker duo. Jim Schwartz knows what to do with this defense. They were fifth in pass rush win rate and first in run stop win rate, after all.

And, at the end of the day, Kevin Stefanski can coach the hell out of a football team. He’s got an awful situation on offense, but his leash is long enough that he’ll have a couple of years to figure this thing out. If the Browns move off him after this disaster of a season that’s about to unfold, it’d be a disgrace.

X-Factor: Whoever Starts At QB

Let’s get two things out of the way. First, Flacco will start the season under center in Cleveland. He won’t start all 17 games, but he will be their guy for the first month or so before giving way to one of the rookies. Second, the Browns obviously aren’t contending for anything this season, so this X-factor isn’t exactly going to be the key to success. It’s more of seeing what you have and taking stock of that. I don’t have high hopes for either rookie; Gabriel is undersized with a weak arm and Sanders has the talent, but perhaps lacks the maturity and mental to succeed in this league. Cleveland is probably in a position where they’ll be drafting a quarterback early in the 2026 Draft. But maybe, just maybe, it’s one of the rooks who gets the nod instead.

Team MVP: EDGE Myles Garrett
Run. (h/t AP News)

Garrett deserved the bag, but I almost feel bad that he’s staying in Cleveland. Yes, loyalty is great, but this dude deserves to win (for who he is on the field, not necessarily off it). I contend that he’s the best defensive player in football, which is a touchy subject for Steeler fans, but I won’t budge on that take. This dude has been first-team All-Pro four of the last five years, has seven straight years of 10-plus sacks — including 14+ in the last four! — and is just an absolute force of a man. He might be the best edge rusher I’ve ever seen. As such, he’s the epitome of the Bugatti in the run-down house meme. Because no matter how amazing he is, there’s nothing he can do to fix this franchise.

Breakout Candidate: DT Mason Graham

Graham was an absolute stud at Michigan and is one of the better tackle prospects we’ve seen in recent years. If it wasn’t for Jalen Carter, he’d probably be the best DT we’ve seen enter the league this decade. There’s only so much that a tackle can do to make an instant impact, but the potential is sky high for a kid who’s good enough to go in the top five. With Garrett demanding so much attention, I imagine he’ll be much more effective as a pass rusher than he was at Michigan. But, in any case, he’ll be a force in the middle of the line that AFC North guard-center-guard combos will have to deal with for many years to come.

Record Prediction: 3-14

It’s going to be a circus. Regardless of who’s under center, this thing is going to be a disaster. When Sanders isn’t playing, the media will clamor for him. When he does play and underperforms, the heat is going to be scorching. If Gabriel gets a shot and plays poorly, the front office will be torn into. By the end of the season, the Browns will have started their 41st, 42nd and 43rd different QBs since 1999. That’s freaking insane. Considering the circumstance, I don’t think a lot of jobs are on the line — I already said Stefanski should be safe, and I think GM Andrew Berry is too. Things are going to get worse in Cleveland before they get better. This is a very rough, treacherous first step towards a hopefully brighter future.

You know what? It’s Cleveland. Who am I kidding?

Next up: Indianapolis Colts

32 Teams in 32 Days: New York Jets

The wheel keeps us in the AFC East as we head to the eternally grief-stricken Meadowlands, where the Jets are entering yet another rebuild. This one, however, seems a little more promising than the others.

Cover photo taken from Imagn Images.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

The wheel once again wants to keep us in the same division as we head to the eternally grief-stricken Meadowlands where the New York Jets are entering their 785th new era of the century.

I’m going to try to keep this brief seeing as though I’m running late on this and the Jets are the Jets. But I’ll also start by saying that I like what this franchise has done. Rebounding from the two-year Aaron Rodgers debacle wasn’t going to be easy, but I think they’ve done all the right things so far.

Getting rid of GM Joe Douglas was long overdue, and though Robert Saleh got the short end of the Rodgers stick, it wound up working for New York as Aaron Glenn takes over the head coaching job. He was an awesome DC in Detroit and brought some serious juice to a unit that was decimated by injury and still wound up playing some solid ball down the stretch. He’s an all killer, no filler type of coach from the Dan Campbell tree, and I think that’s just the mentality that the Jets need.

That side of the ball figures to continue being New York’s strong suit with the addition of Steve Wilks as DC. It helps to have studs like Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams holding down the secondary and defensive line. The Jets were just 21st in defensive EPA/play a year ago, but I put that on coaching — the talent was there to be successful. The defensive line is what holds everything together, ranking in the top 10 in both pass rush and run stop win rates. It just never materialized in anything substantial.

If the Jets are to fully rebound from the damage that ARod caused them, they’ll have to figure out the other side of the ball. To be quite frank, I like pretty much everything they’re doing outside of quarterback. Bringing in Justin Fields on the QB equivalent of a prove-it deal is a solid idea in theory, but it certainly puts a ceiling on your offensive capabilities. For what it’s worth, the Jets offense ranked in 17th in EPA/play last year with Rodgers clocking in at 22nd among QBs. He was also 25th in QBR with a 48.0 mark while Fields was at just 50.8 in limited action last season with Pittsburgh. I love Justin and always will, but there’s little to no hope of him becoming a franchise quarterback at this point in his career. I wouldn’t mind being proven wrong.

Who knows what’s in store for this guy on his third team in as many years? (h/t Imagn Images)

The good thing for Fields is that the Jets have built some pretty solid offensive personnel. Garrett Wilson is a legit stud at WR, Breece Hall has plenty of juice out of the backfield — and the young buck Braelon Allen is coming on strong behind him — two first-round tackles man the line in Olu Fashanu and Armand Membou, and Mason Taylor has some promise at TE in his rookie season. I worry about the rest of the pass catchers — Tyler Johnson and Josh Reynolds don’t exactly make for the greatest WR2 and 3 — but this is a run-first team with Fields and Hall anyways.

To put it plainly, this is a rebuild that’s off to a solid start, but is seemingly lacking an early direction. We’ll see if they can find any with Fields under center.

X-Factor: QB Justin Fields

As such, Fields is the easy answer for the Jets’ X-factor. If he plays up to his highest potential — which is being effective and efficient as both a runner and a passer — New York could flirt with being .500 this season. It just remains to be seen if he can do that consistently over the course of a season.

Team MVP: WR Garrett Wilson
This guy’s pretty good. (h/t NFL.com)

Garrett Wilson deserved every penny of the four-year, $130 million contract extension he received a few weeks ago (so did Sauce Gardner for that matter, even after a down year). In his three short years in the NFL, he’s already become one of the most athletic, well-rounded receivers in football, consistently flexing his ridiculous catch radius and elite speed. The start to his career reminds me of Terry McLaurin, notching 1,000 yards or more in each season despite average to subpar QB play. Last year was his best yet with career highs in yards (1,104) and touchdowns (7). I don’t know if those numbers will improve with Fields in over Rodgers considering the whole offensive identity is going to change. I considered putting Sauce or Quinnen here instead for that reason. But I’ll give the nod to Texas’ finest and hope that reuniting with his Buckeye QB bears some good results.

Breakout Candidate: WR Malachi Corley

If anyone is going to emerge as the WR2 in this offense, I think it’ll be last year’s third rounder Malachi Corley. He was a stud at Western Kentucky, using his size and speed to become a solid slot receiver. He barely got any touches last year — one of which being when he dropped the ball before crossing the plane — and wound up missing the back half of the season, but he has the skillset to be an effective piece of this offense. More than anything, I just see that happening more than Reynolds, Johnson or Allen Lazard being reliable targets. But, I do think Braelon Allen will become a solid, reliable piece of this offense as well, especially if Hall does wind up being traded like he’s always rumored to be.

Record Prediction: 6-11

It’s not the hardest schedule, but it certainly ain’t easy either. And considering how the Jets are on the wrong side of being mid, this feels like an appropriate record: an improvement from last year, but nothing crazy. Again, I like the direction this team is going in, but this just isn’t the year.

Next Up: Cleveland Browns

32 Teams in 32 Days: Miami Dolphins

It’s a make-or-break season in South Beach as the Dolphins need to bounce back from a letdown season, or come face-to-face with a full-fledged implosion and rebuild.

Cover photo taken from FOX.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

We remain in the AFC East and head on down to southern Florida where the Miami Dolphins sit as one of the more polarizing teams in the league in terms of how this season could go. The ceiling is a return to 2023 form, while the floor is as low as a complete overhaul of the roster and/or coaching staff.

A year removed from being a proper Super Bowl contender, Miami was an up and down mess in 2024, starting 2-6 thanks to countless injuries — including another scary concussion for QB Tua Tagovailoa — en route to an underwhelming 8-9 finish. Considering how many resources have been poured into this window, that’s not going to fly. Now, the Dolphins are in a position where another subpar season could lead to plenty of changes to a core they once thought could bring them great success.

Things were messy for a once high-flying offense as the Dolphins finished 22nd in EPA/play, including 31st in rush EPA/play. The offensive line was a disaster, clocking in at 28th in pass block win rate and 26th in run block win rate — can’t blame Tua for that, can you? Tagovailoa was actually pretty solid, going 6-5 in his starts while ranking 7th in EPA/play and EPA+CPOE, despite having the lowest ADOT in the league. I will always contend that Tua is one of the more needlessly overhated players in the league; I understand that a lot of what he does seems simple, but not anyone can be as decisive and accurate as he is, even in that system. He deserves some respect for being elite at what he does. I just wish he was able to stay on the field more consistently.

It was a down year for these two after a scintillating 2023. (h/t FOX)

There just wasn’t much that stood out on that side of the ball. Tyreek Hill had a quiet year with 81 catches, less than 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns. Jaylen Waddle caught just two scores. Jonnu Smith emerged as Tua’s go-to weapon, catching a whopping 88 balls and eight touchdowns, but he got shipped off to Pittsburgh, so Hill and Waddle figure to bounce back in ’25. De’Von Achane had another productive season behind a bad line, rushing for 907 yards and five touchdowns while hauling in 78 passes for 592 yards and six more scores. For reasons I can’t really explain, Miami traded for Darren Waller after he decided to come out of retirement, which feels like one of those stories we forget about when he re-retires after six weeks.

In a shocking turn of events, the defense was actually better than the offense, ranking in the top 10 in EPA/play. They didn’t play many offenses worth a damn, so that plays a role. Losing Jevon Holland hurts the secondary, but Miami has completely remade that unit, trading Jalen Ramsey to Pittsburgh to bring Minkah Fitzpatrick back in addition to signing Mike Hilton, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Kendall Sheffield. There’s still plenty of talent up front as well with the likes of Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb and Jordyn Brooks, and first-round DT Kenneth Grant figures to bolster the interior.

The talent is still in Miami. So, what gives? Well, coaching still might be a weakness. I think Mike McDaniel is definitely an elite offensive innovator, but the ending to 2023 and most of last year proved that he might be in over his head on the big stage as a head coach. I like Anthony Weaver as DC, and last year’s defense proved that he’s going to be a good coordinator in this league. But, more than anything, I think it’s a matter of all the picks and money that has gone into building what’s supposed to be a contender resulting in… nothing. A couple of trips to the playoffs with no wins to show for it. It’s disappointment after disappointment. The next letdown from this regime could prove to be its last.

X-Factor: HC Mike McDaniel/QB Tua Tagovailoa

It’s make-or-break for this tandem. Tua needs to stay healthy for the whole season and deliver a season closer to what we saw in 2023, and McDaniel needs to prove that he can actually be an NFL head coach. If neither of those things happen, the Dolphins likely won’t hesitate to move off both of them. This is a franchise that’s starved and desperate to win, always looking to snap their NFL-leading playoff drought (hard to believe they’re the only team to not win a postseason game in my lifetime). Tua was paid handsomely and McDaniel has been given a long leash, but they’ll only so accept so much mediocrity. The good news for these two is that we’ve seen how successful they can be when they’re clicking. Yes, Hill, Waddle and Achane will each need to do their part as well, but the onus is on McDaniel and Tua to right this ship. Otherwise, they’ll be thrown overboard.

Team MVP: RB De’Von Achane
Lightning in a bottle. (h/t PFF)

Achane has proven himself as one of the league’s most dynamic tailbacks with his quick twitch and ridiculous speed. An absolute weapon on the ground and through the air, he’s shown that as long as he’s able to stay on the field, he’s going to make a difference. I think that’ll continue in a big way this season. And, for reasons I’ll get into shortly, I think he’s going to be the offensive cornerstone that this franchise continues to invest in while some others get sidelined and/or shipped away.

Breakout Candidate: WR Malik Washington

This might be the first time in the series where you’ve read this and gone, “Who the heck is that?” And that’s fair — Washington was a sixth-round pick a year ago who didn’t see a ton of action. But now, he’s the clear WR3 and should see a lot more targets now that Jonnu Smith is out of the picture. He was a catch machine at Virginia, setting the ACC single-season record for receptions in 2023 with 110. He feels like a perfect fit in this offense with its quick hitters. Though speed and quickness are often prioritized with guys like Hill and Achane, Washington can provide a level of technique and sharpness that otherwise might be lacking. And, again, if my vision comes to fruition where the Dolphins blow it up — almost getting there, I promise! — then his role could become much bigger as the season winds down.

Record Prediction: 5-12

Okay, here we go. Of all the teams on the playoff bubble, the Dolphins are my candidate to have the disaster 2025 and blow it up. This schedule isn’t easy, but more than that, I just see things falling apart in Miami this season. That means no one is safe — Tua, McDaniel, Hill and maybe even Waddle could all be elsewhere this time next year.

So, here’s the sitch. I think the Dolphins will enter their Week 12 bye on a four-game losing streak, which will cause all the turmoil. McDaniel gone, Tyreek probably traded, and Tua on the market. I know what you’re thinking: how can they make those last two moves considering the financials? Well, Hill has an out after this season, counting for about $15.5 million in dead money. Tua has one in 2027, which has a whopping $34.8 million in dead cap. It’s not impossible that they both get shipped. I think Hill makes a lot more sense for an in-season trade, whereas Tua would get moved off in the winter. I’m sure there would be a number of suitors for him despite what you might think. Maybe the Colts, Browns or Jaguars come knocking.

With a record like this and a late-season plunge, the Dolphins would be squarely in position to draft a new QB of the future — think LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier or Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, if not Arch Manning if he decides to not return to Texas. I think that’s the direction they’d choose to go in. Build around a new QB with Achane and Waddle, find a new head coach who’s capable of getting results, and start over.

I’m wary of this prediction, because the last time I predicted something of this magnitude was with the Rams in 2023. They wound up making the playoffs that season. So, we’ll see you in January, Miami!

Next up: New York Jets

32 Teams in 32 Days: Buffalo Bills

It’s Super Bowl or bust in Buffalo as Josh Allen and the Bills once again have all the ingredients to win an elusive title — so long as things don’t turn upside down in January again.

Cover photo taken from WROC.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

It took longer than I expected, but we’ve finally reached a 2024 playoff team with the Buffalo Bills, who still have their sights set on their first Super Bowl after once again experiencing the agony of a playoff exit at the hands of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

Honestly, there’s not much to say about the Bills that we don’t already know by heart. Reigning MVP Josh Allen is an absolute unicorn of unicorns at QB who finally got his recognition with that elusive award last season (even though I would’ve given it to Lamar Jackson), ranking first in EPA/play and QBR. They won the AFC East for the fifth season in a row, doing so faster than any team has won any division in league history. They were truly elite across the board last year, finishing second in EPA/play on offense and 12th on defense, along with ranking in the top six in both pass rush and run stop win rates.

This was pretty damn cool. (h/t WROC)

In the end, it wasn’t enough. Despite 2024 being tabbed as the year that Buffalo finally got over the Mahomes hump, a 32-29 loss in the AFC Championship sent the Bills to a drab 0-4 playoff record against the Chiefs. This team is still trying to get back to their first Super Bowl since 1993 and capture that elusive first Lombardi, but the best player of the generation continues to stand in their way.

It’s no one’s fault — Allen now sits atop NFL history in playoff yards per game and TD-INT ratio and these teams are built to keep up with and defeat the Chiefs. It’s not like the 13 seconds or Damar Hamlin fake punt debacles. Blame a fourth down spot if you want, but if you can’t get a yard convincingly enough with the season on the line, maybe you don’t deserve to win. Especially if you get the ball back and can’t get a first down. It’s the little things. It always is with the Bills.

So, is this the year? It certainly might be. The offense essentially remains the exact same, returning a full offensive line that ranked fourth in pass block win rate a year ago while getting some more juice at WR with Josh Palmer replacing Amari Cooper. Khalil Shakir will continue to be a menace in the slot while Keon Coleman hopefully develops into a true WR1. James Cook led the NFL in touchdowns a year ago with 18 out of the backfield; hopefully he’ll be on the field amidst a contract dispute.

All the while, the defense also remains largely similar, just younger — the Bills spent their first five draft picks on that side of the ball. Unc replaces unc as Joey Bosa replaces Von Miller off the edge while Tre’Davious White returns to the secondary. This unit is eventually what unraveled the championship hopes a year ago, giving up 44 to the Rams, 42 to the Lions — albeit in a win — and 32 to the Chiefs in the final six weeks of the year. Seems like something that HC Sean McDermott should have more buttoned up by now, but alas.

So, Josh will still be amazing. The offense should continue to be a well-oiled machine. The defense has the blend of young studs and veteran talent to rank towards the top 10 once again. They’ll sleepwalk to an AFC East title and will be in contention for a 1-seed. That’s the expectation. That’s the standard.

The only remaining question: is it enough to finally get it done?

X-Factor: The Football Gods
Not again… right? (h/t The Playoffs)

The Bills are easily one of the most snakebitten franchises in professional sports. Wide right. The Four Falls. The Music City Miracle. 13 seconds. Jim Kelly, Andre Reed, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, Josh Allen. Nothing to show for it. It’s almost like they pissed off some higher entity that’s constantly punishing them for it. The fact of the matter is this: the Bills are Super Bowl or bust every year. And they seemingly always have the talent to get it done. But something stupid happens in the playoffs, and it ruins everything. If they can play that one clean game — that one game with no supernatural craziness to spoil the season, they can and will win it all. We’ll see if the Football Gods allow it.

Team MVP: QB Josh Allen

There’s not much more I can say about Josh, who’s simply one of the greatest athletes I’ve ever watched. Every single week I sit down and watch the Bills, there’s one or two plays where I go, “Oh, that’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.” Between his arm, legs, strength and size, he’s probably the most unique quarterback the league has ever seen. It’s honestly pretty cool to see how he’s completely shattered the ceiling of the potential he had when coming out of Wyoming six years ago. The best and most recent part of that development has been the long-awaited departure of the horrible turnovers. Gone are the days of forcing throws for no reason and trying to make everything into a big play — Allen only threw six picks last year! So, this selection needs no explanation. The only thing to look out for is how much better he can be after a 3,731-yard, 28-touchdown season (with 12 rushing touchdowns to boot!). Despite a subpar receiving core, the sky remains the limit.

Breakout Candidate: WR Keon Coleman

I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t big on Coleman coming out of Florida State last year. I’m honestly still not very high on him. I didn’t think he should’ve been a first round pick, and I doubt his ability to become a true WR1 in this league. But, if there was a time to prove me wrong, it’s now. A rookie season with 29 catches, 556 yards and four touchdowns can be a launching pad to a sophomore campaign with closer to 50-60 catches and perhaps even 1,000 yards. Shakir is still probably the main target for Allen — and even Cook catches a ton of balls out of the backfield — but you could argue that if the Bills are finally going to get over the hump, Coleman turning into a stud would be a huge reason why.

Record Prediction: 14-3

The Bills have the ninth-easiest schedule in football based on 2024 winning percentage in large part thanks to the AFC East being an absolute joke. But, it’s also very manageable outside of the division — Buffalo somehow gets Kansas City, Baltimore, Tampa Bay, Cincinnati and Philadelphia all at home. The toughest road trip is probably at Houston, where I have them dropping a game due to how poor Allen played against that elite defense last year. Anything lower than 12 wins would probably feel like a disappointment. Whether or not 14 is good enough for the 1-seed is an irrelevant issue. The Bills’ schedule starts in the postseason, where they need to beat whoever whenever and finally put themselves in a position to bring a title to Buffalo.

Next up: Miami Dolphins

32 Teams in 32 Days: Cincinnati Bengals

As the Bengals continue to prioritize their offense and ignore their defense, they remain in a position that isn’t conducive to winning. Even with Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase setting the league on fire.

Cover photo taken from AP Photo.

Welcome to 32 Teams in 32 Days, a daily series leading up to kickoff of the 2025 NFL season where I preview every team in the league as decided by a wheel spin and project what their season will look like. You can keep up with everything right here.

The wheel has finally taken us to the AFC — and to one of its most fascinating, polarizing teams in the Bengals. And as much as I’d love to do a deep dive into everything going on in Cincinnati, I don’t really need to. You know what there is to know.

The skinny is this: Joe Burrow is amazing. Ja’Marr Chase might be the best receiver in the league. Tee Higgins is probably the best WR2 alongside him. The offensive line isn’t great. And the defense can’t stop a single gosh darn nosebleed.

Burrow probably would have won MVP last year if his defense was anything resembling competent, having the third ever season with over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns with less than 10 interceptions. The other two quarterbacks who accomplished that feat — Tom Brady in 2007 and Aaron Rodgers in 2011 — each took home the award and went a combined 30-1 in the regular season. The 2024 Bengals went 9-8.

And they had to struggle to get there. After once again starting the season looking like they were in training camp with an 0-3 start, Cincy had to climb out of 4-8 hole to stay in the playoff race. They were able to do that, winning their final five games, but it wasn’t enough, inexcusably missing the playoffs for the second year in a row.

You can point fingers at anyone but Burrow, Chase — who won the receiving triple crown — and Higgins. Though the Bengals had the second-highest dropback success rate in the league, the offensive line ranked dead last in pass block win rate and 30th in run block win rate while the defense sat at a measly 27th in EPA/play and 30th in success rate. Trey Hendrickson should be absolved from blame as well, considering he ranked second among all edge rushers in win rate while racking up 17.5 sacks for the second season in a row.

But apparently the Bengals front office disagrees. While fully content to pay Chase and Higgins a combined — and deserved — $70 million per year for the next several seasons, Cincy has completely neglected to play ball with Hendrickson, who’s being paid pennies on the dollar compared to the other pass rushers in his class. While Myles Garrett, TJ Watt and Maxx Crosby have each been rewarded with over $30 million AAV deals, Trey is set to make $15.8 million this season before becoming a free agent. It’s obviously in his and the team’s best interest to pay him like he deserves to be, but here we are on August 8, and there’s still no deal.

Pay the man. (h/t Bleacher Report)

It’s impossible to make it make sense. This defense has been so abysmal that they are defying logic; the Bengals lost four games last year in which they scored 30 or more, the most in NFL history. It’s a unit that has held generational QB and WR play back from even getting to the playoffs, let alone back to the Super Bowl. But no, let’s not pay the best player we have on that side of the ball and risk somehow being even worse than we were a year ago, even if we’ve replaced Lou Anarumo with Al Golden at DC. And don’t even get me started on the Shemar Stewart drama from this offseason.

It’s not just Hendrickson. Go look at the Bengals’ defensive depth chart and find me a single player worth recognizing in this preview. BJ Hill is the only one I’d hear out considering the entire second level of the defense is filled with players who are clearly out of their element. But this team made no moves of note to bolster that side of the ball, choosing instead to continue investing in the offense. Cincy better hope that draft picks Stewart, Demetrius Knight and Barrett Carter turn into elite defenders, because they’re otherwise hopeless.

So, it seems like the Bengals are content to have another season of losing games 41-38 and 35-31 while watching other teams with QBs on Burrow’s level aspire to win the Super Bowl. Remember after 2021 and 2022 when we thought this organization was finally free from incompetence and ready to cash in on having generational talent on offense? Those were the days.

X-Factor: The Whole Defense
We can only pray that all hope is not lost for this unit. (h/t New York Times)

I can keep going on and on about this side of the ball, but I won’t. I’ll put a button on it with this — this Bengals team can only go as far as this defense doesn’t prevent them from going. That sounds like word jumble, but what I’m trying to say is that this unit will hold this team back no matter what. It’s just a matter of how much they do so. If they can keep teams to 24 points instead of 28 or 30 instead of 35, Burrow and company might be able to do the rest and get this team to 10 or 11 wins. I’d love to believe that’s going to happen. But I need to see it to believe it. And I don’t have high hopes.

Team MVP: QB Joe Burrow
Pocket God. (h/t AP Photo)

I love Joe Burrow. He’s truly a delight to watch, and it’s a shame that we haven’t seen him in a playoff game in nearly three years. When healthy, he’s arguably the best QB in the entire league — I certainly think that’s true from a pocket perspective. From the pocket, nobody is on his level. It’s the closest thing to Tom Brady I’ve seen in this new generation of quarterbacks. And his deep ball is simply untouchable, delivering the highest percentage of catchable balls on throws over 20 yards in the league. There’s no doubt about how Burrow will perform as long as he’s on the field and Chase and Higgins are lining up on the outside. League MVP is certainly back on the table this year, but with how his defense is set to perform, no amount of individual success is going to be enough. Reminds me of another legendary No. 9 I grew up watching who won a championship in Louisiana.

Breakout Candidate: RB Chase Brown

You can make the argument that Chase Brown already broke out with his awesome sophomore campaign last year, but the casual NFL fan probably still doesn’t know who he is. I think that’ll change this year. Coming off a season with over 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns from scrimmage, Brown is primed for another season as a Swiss army knife out of the Bengals backfield. He’s reliable in the passing game and has some real juice on the ground — enough to keep defenses honest while still having to worry about Chase and Higgins. A solid run game is paramount in this offense, and Brown has proven that he’s a worthy successor to Joe Mixon. If the new additions to Cincy’s offensive line prove to be true upgrades, then Brown should have his first 1,000-yard rushing season and perhaps cement himself as a top-10 back in football.

Record Prediction: 10-7

I hate to continue beating the deceased horse, but 10 or 11 wins feels like Cincy’s ceiling considering their defense. The schedule is hard, don’t get me wrong, but a better D would mean more wins sheerly based on the Bengals’ offensive output. This team won’t be able to stop the likes of Minnesota, Denver, Buffalo, Baltimore or even Green Bay. Heck, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers might mess around and beat them once or twice. If Cincinnati can flip some of those into wins, the division title might be within reach. If not, anything but a playoff berth is unacceptable. And if the Bengals are once again on the outside looking in, then it’s time for a massive, massive change.

Next up: Buffalo Bills