1. New Orleans Saints
The Saints and Drew Brees were the second best offensive team last season, that’s saying something with the year the high flying Broncos and Peyton Manning were having. Brees and tight end Jimmy Graham were two of the top fantasy options last season. The team made it to the playoffs yet again but were knocked out by the champions Seattle Seahawks.
Many would agree that for the Saints to regain the NFC South championship that they would need to improve their defense and get more weapons for Brees. Last year teams could just key in on Graham and shut down the whole New Orleans offense. So far in free agency the Saints lost their top two safeties but made up for it with the acquisition of Jairus Byrd. Byrd and young gun Kenny Vaccaro will be and upgrade at the safety position.
Sadly the because of little to no cap room they weren’t able to add any key guys to the offense while also losing one of their top weapons Darren Sproles. So why are they still atop the NFC South? I really like the young fella Kenny Stills and his playmaking ability alongside Graham. Nick Toon is another young receiver that has a lot of potential, if those two can stay healthy and play 16 games the Saints offense can find another level of deadly.
2. Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons had a tough year last year as they were hit hard by the injury bug. They lost both of their top receivers and new acquisition Steven Jackson. A year after the Falcons made a deep run into the playoffs they were sitting at the bottom of the NFC.
This team was still a good team last year, the issue was that they couldn’t keep their best players on the field. Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, and Roddy White will be back at 100% and that alone makes them a dangerous team. Also the acquisition of speedster Devin Hester will add another dimension to the team. Not only will he to make plays in the slot against slow coverage but also as one of the greatest return men in the game he’ll also improve their special teams.
The Falcons also made a couple nice improvements to their offensive and defensive lines. Paul Soliai and Tyson Jackson should really help the Atlanta pass rush, and with quarterbacks like Drew Brees and Cam Newton in your division you’ll need that pass rush to knock off their timing. They also brought in Jon Asamoah to strengthen up the middle of that offensive line. I like the Falcons chances to bounce back and compete this season.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Yes sir the Bucs did a good job this offseason bringing in talent so they can compete in the 2014 season. Last season as the team was surrounded by drama there was no way possible for them to be successful. From benching and trading the former franchise quarterback to the locker room having a MRSA issue (facepalm) we all watched the car crash that was the 2013 Buccaneers.
The team still has a lot of talent without the any of the free agency acquisitions. Doug Martin is one of the best young backs but he was lost for the bulk of the season last year. Vincent Jackson is a straight up animal and one of the best receivers in the game right now. Even better towards the end of last year we saw the talent of the young quarterback Mike Glennon. Glennon showed a lot of potential as a possible heir to the throne for Tampa Bay.
On top of that they made splash in free agency this year making some big name signings. The biggest improvement would have to be their offensive and defensive line. Anthony Collins and Evan Dietrich-Smith were starters on playoff teams last year and will no doubt help protect Glennon. They also added Michael Johnson and Clinton McDonald on the defensive line. The biggest signing however came when the team was able to pick up Alterraun Verner to replace Darrelle Revis at cornerback. Verner was thought to be one of the top players in free agency this year.
Look for Tampa to bounce back with all their acquisitions and talent coming back from injury. They are better than their 4-12 record shows even without their new players from free agency.
4. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers were pretty darn good last year winning the whole division and they also had one of the best defenses in the league. Cam Newton had a pretty good year last year throwing 24 touchdowns to just 13 interceptions. He developed into a dangerous dual threat quarterback in the league. Luke Kuechly also had a beastly year leading the team in tackles and making a trip to the Pro Bowl with Newton. Unfortunately the Panthers were booted from the playoffs early.
I have them in last place right now because of of all the key players they’ve lost in free agency so far. For one they lost their top three receivers Ted Ginn, Brandon LaFell, and long time face of the franchise Steve Smith. Newton took a step forward in becoming the franchise quarterback to take the Panthers to the promise land. To take his top targets away at a time like this is silly. If they can grab a couple young guys in the draft that would be nice but you're always rolling the dice with draft picks.
They also lost a couple key guys on their defense. Mike Mitchell was third in tackles last year and is a good young safety. The Panthers lost him and cornerback Captain Munnerlyn in free agency. Losing two fourths of your secondary isn’t a good way to defend your division crown. The Panthers can regain some of my respect if they do good in the draft but it’s looking pretty dull as of now.