The NFC South might be the NFL’s only true wide-open division. The reigning champion Buccaneers went just 8-9 and quarterback Tom Brady retired. The Falcons, Saints and Panthers went 7-10. Each of the four teams, following busy offseasons, can justify having playoff aspirations ahead of the 2023 season.
“Our expectation every year is to go out there. … (Control) things you can control to get into the postseason, win your division,” Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. “You can get in there other ways, the wild card, but that will be our expectation. You are talking about sustaining success. Let’s get in the playoffs every year and get in the dance, try to make a run. I would think that’s what every other team is trying to do.
“If you can just win your division, you are certainly going to get in. We certainly put everything we had into it last year. We came up short. … But every year, that’s what you’re trying to do.”
Here’s how the Falcons’ NFC South rivals fared in this weekend’s draft:
Carolina Panthers
Round 1, pick 1 Quarterback Bryce Young, Alabama
Round 2, pick 39 Receiver Jonathan Mingo, Ole Miss
Round 3, pick 80 Edge rusher DJ Johnson, Oregon
Round 4, pick 114 Guard Chandler Zavala, NC State
Round 5, pick 145 Safety Jammie Robinson, Florida State
The only pick that truly matters here is No. 1. The Panthers traded a haul to the Bears, jumping from No. 9 to the first pick for a quarterback. They settled on Young, the Heisman Trophy who has every quality a team would want besides size (5-foot-10, 204 pounds by combine measurements). After shuffling through quarterbacks in recent seasons, Carolina hopes it’s found its signal caller for the next decade-plus. The Panthers got Young help with Mingo in the second. It’s somewhat a surprise Robinson fell to the fifth after he’d generated some buzz during the pre-draft process.
New Orleans Saints
Round 1, pick 29 Defensive lineman Brian Bresee, Clemson
Round 2, pick 40 Edge rusher Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame
Round 3, pick 71 Running back Kendre Miller, TCU
Round 4, pick 103 Offensive tackle Nick Saldiveri, Old Dominion
Round 4, pick 127 Quarterback Jake Haener, Fresno State
Round 5, Pick 146 Safety Jordan Howden, Minnesota
Round 6, Pick 195 Receiver A.T. Perry, Wake Forest
New Orleans’ first selection arrived via the coach Sean Payton trade with Denver. The Saints spent it on Bresee, a former top recruit who dealt with injuries and was inconsistent in college. Production wasn’t a question with Foskey, who had 20.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Miller could be a factor early with Alvin Kamara potentially facing a suspension. The Haener selection was the second Fresno State quarterback the Saints added this offseason after signing Derek Carr, who they hope provides stability at quarterback for the first time since Drew Brees’ retirement. New Orleans also traded tight end Adam Trautman to Denver, reuniting him with Payton.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 1, pick 19 Defensive lineman Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh
Round 2, pick 48 Guard Cody Mauch, North Dakota State
Round 3, pick 82 Edge rusher YaYa Diaby, Louisville
Round 5, pick 153 Linebacker SirVocea Dennis, Pittsburgh
Round 5, pick 171 Tight end Payne Durham, Purdue
Round 6, pick 181 Defensive back Josh Hayes, Kansas State
Round 6, pick 191 Receiver Trey Palmer, WR, Nebraska
Round 6, Pick 196 Edge rusher Jose Ramirez, Eastern Michigan
The Buccaneers passed on Will Levis, Hendon Hooker and the rest of the quarterbacks available to them, moving forward with their competition between Baker Mayfield and Kyle Trask. Their first pick was Kancey, an undersized-but-uber-athletic defensive lineman who slots next the monstrous Vita Vea. Mauch is the type of offensive lineman they covet with his physicality and demeanor. Diaby and Durham are Atlanta area products who could earn playing time. It wasn’t a flashy draft, but the Bucs prioritized getting faster, especially defensively. The team will be significantly younger than recent seasons during its win-now window with Brady.
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