NFC East: Washington Redskins
The Redskins had a horribly disappointing season in 2013, with Robert Griffin III realizing he wasn’t fully healthy and a defense that ranked near the bottom of the league in yards allowed. However, much of what the Redskins needed to improve came from in house.
Griffin is healthy again and ready to get back to the form that saw him throw for 20 touchdowns and run for seven more in 2012. Add in Alfred Morris, and the Redskins’ run game looks much improved.
The Redskins also added Ryan Clark, Tracy Porter and a few others on defense to sure up what was a severe lack of depth last season. But the most significant signing was DeSean Jackson, who will make the Redskins offense threatening from all levels.
NFC North: Detroit Lions
The Lions’ 7-9 record last year looks bad on paper, but when you understand that a four-game losing streak contributed to the record and that the team’s point differential was +19 despite it, the Lions seem much more than meets the eye.
An aspect of the game that needed to improve for the Lions is the secondary, which led to a 23rd-ranked pass offense last season. The team signed safety James Ihedigbo and cornerback Cassius Vaughn to help solidify that side of the defense.
The Lions, which ranked sixth in the league in total offense, got even better with the signing of Golden Tate from the Seattle Seahawks. A Lions team that already has a strong offense got better on both sides of the ball and should compete in the division.
NFC South: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers, after finishing 4-12 last season, went through a full overhaul this offseason and have come out a much better team. With the worst-ranked offense in 2013, the team knew exactly where to start.
Instead of holding onto to sophomore quarterback Mike Glennon as a starter, the Buccaneers signed Josh McCown to solidify the position. With a healthy Doug Martin and the newly-drafted Mike Evans in the fold, this offense could be strong.
Along with these changes, the Buccaneers were active on defense, signing defensive end Michael Johnson, defensive tackle Clinton McDonald and cornerback Alterraun Verner. The Buccaneers defense could be one of the best in the league next year.
NFC West: St. Louis Rams
In a division that includes the two best teams in the NFC, the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks, the Rams could find their way into the playoffs this year. The Rams offense had a disappointing season and Sam Bradford and Zac Stacy will look to approve it in 2014.
Stacy had a breakout rookie season, rushing for 973 yards and seven touchdowns along the way. Expect Stacy to improve upon those numbers, making Bradford’s job a little easier. However, where the Rams will win games next year is on defense.
With Robert Quinn and James Laurinaitis rushing the passer and Janoris Jenkins and Trumaine Johnson covering receivers, the Rams defense, which ranked 18th last year, could be even better this year.
AFC East: Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins shouldn’t be a surprise strong team at this points, as they narrowly missed the playoffs at 8-8 last season. Yet, quarterback Ryan Tannehill and company are underrated again this offseason.
Much of the success for the Dolphins will fall on Tannehill, who threw for almost 4,000 yards and tallied 24 touchdowns last season. Tannehill needs No. 1 receiver Mike Wallace to step up this year. Wallace had 930 receiving yards last season and is expecting a hike in production.
The Dolphins also added Knowshon Moreno to help sure up a rushing attack that includes Lamar Miller. If the defense can improve of its performance from last season, the Dolphins could see a successful season in 2014.
AFC North: Cleveland Browns
It isn’t surprising that the Browns are the choice to be surprising this season, but it isn’t just a process of elimination that led to this. The Browns may actually be solid this season.
If Johnny Manziel can adapt to the NFL game quickly, he could give this team something they haven’t had in over a decade: A reliable quarterback. With Jordan Cameron, Nate Burleson and others fielding passes, Manziel has the tools he needs to be successful.
Add that with a defense that ranked ninth in the league last season, and the Browns should be in most of the games they play.
AFC South: Tennesse Titans
The Titans are in this position by default, as no one will be surprised by the Indianapolis Colts, and the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars are far from surprising anyone. So here we are with the Titans.
The Titans lost Chris Johnson, a staple of their offense for years and Alterraun Verner, who had a significant impact of the team’s pass defense last season. However, the Titans did sign a slew of free agents that may help ease the blow.
The Titans took Wesley Woodyard and Shaun Phillips from the Denver Broncos to help strength their depth at linebacker. Dexter McCluster could also prove to be a underrated signing.
AFC West: San Diego Chargers
This is another default pick, as the Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs are established contenders and the Oakland Raiders are a few years from surprising fans. However, that doesn’t diminish the Chargers’ chances.
The Chargers love to make a run at the end of each season, so that’s surprising enough. However, maybe, this time they’ll stick around. With Philip Rivers at the helm, the Chargers offense will always be strong.
What the Chargers need is for Manti Te’o, Dwight Freeney and the defense to step up and slow down the Broncos and Chiefs. If the defense can allow less than the 366 yards per game it did last year, the Chargers could make the playoffs.