Roster Reset: NFC North & South

Next week we'll sort through all sixteen teams in the a f C. And with us today to help us make sense of the NFC North and South is Steve Whitch and NFL dot Com writer Kevin Patro. Before we get started, though, let's look at some of the biggest offseason moves in the division. The Green a Packers primed to take the North again following their third straight division title. Aaron Rodgers is back, but he'll be without his top target, to Vante Adams, who was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders.

The top ten defense returns to its stars with linebacker Devondre Campbell and pass rusher Preston Smith, both signing lucrative contract extensions. It's a new era in Minnesota under new GM quasy A Dolpha Mensa and new head coach Kevin O'Connell.

Kark cousins back on a one year deal and hopes that the Vikings can get back to the playoffs for the first time since adopo Mensa's work to improve the defense this offseason, signing former Packers pass rushers that Darius Smith, former Bills d tackle Harrison Phillips, and resigning corner Patrick Peterson. The Chicago Bears also seeing regime change. New GM Ryan Poles and new head coach Matt eber Flues take over

a team that went six and eleven last season. Also gone veterans Khalil Mack, who was traded to the Chargers, linebacker Danny Trevathan, and defensive tackle Eddie Goldman. Running Back Terek Cohen also on the way out on offense, the Bears signing quarterback Trevor Simeon to back up Justin Fields, and the Bears one of eight teams without a first round pick in this year's draft, as the order currently stands A three thirteen and one record calls for a

lot of improvement in Detroit. Offensively, Lions quarterback Jared Golf will have plenty of weapons now at wide receiver, with d J. Chark added to a group that includes resigned pass catchers Josh Reynolds and Calif Raymond, as well as last year's fourth round pick a monra st Brown linebacker Jared Davis and dB Mike Hughes among the signings to add some depth defensively, and g M Brad Holmes facing the pressure of hitting on two first round picks in

this year's draft at number two and thirty two overall. All right, Steve Kevin, let's start year with a look, kind of a global look at the NFC North, which has been run by the Green Bay Packers the last few years since Matt Lafleur has come on as the head coach. Steve, starting with you here for anybody who can step up to the plate here in the NFC North and knock off the Green Bay Packers considering the moves that we've seen now, the comings and the goings

in this division. Yeah, I think the most of Vikings can, I mean, and this is where you know, look at you look at all the close games that the Vikings lost, you know over the past couple years, all these three point games in last possession games, So they were close, right, So now they come up with Kevin O'Connell, they figure they're can open up this offense a little bit. They're gonna go a lot more eleven personnel. Dalvin Cooke is

gonna be you know, if he stays healthy. You know, we know they're a different team with Dalvin Cook and you know, you look defensively, they added, said Arias Smith, him and Danielle Hunter can be healthy, they're gonna cause problems. So I think Minnesota is the one team in the division that right now is right to give the Packers a challenge. That's think there's no question about that, especially considering the state of the other two teams in the division.

So if you're gonna pick when you're definitely picking the Vikings. But I do like what they did in in uh upgrading a defense that just couldn't get stops down the end. We saw that when they almost lost the lines and they did lose to the Lions, couldn't get stops at

the end. I think adding serious Smith is underrated, not only because of what he brings off the edge, but his versatility along the line, like you can line him up next to the Neil Hunter and please try to block that go ahead offense UM and you know Jordan Hicks can clean up in the middle. UM. They do have questions on the back end Pat Pete coming back. I think it's a solid start. I think we need to see what they do in the draft to add to that secondary. But I think the offense, there's little

question about it. I think the offensive line is gonna get better, and like we said, they have a ton of weapons. Mr Jefferson, justin Jefferson, I'm sorry. Uh and Adam Feeling are too of the top receiver are going to be the most dynamic receiver duo in the league this year, I think, in my opinion, and I think they can overcome any shortcomings that you have with Kirk Cousins and the questions. We've seen other guys go deep

into the playoffs with maybe not the star quarterback. I think Kirk Cousins is that second tier sort of guy that can get there and guys, to me, it feels like and uh, and you'll love you get your thought here that the Aaron Rodgers coming back was certainly, you know, the biggest piece of the off season for the Green Bay Packers, but the shock that followed with Davante Adams on the exit and until I see the succession plan, if you will, or the replacement plan at wide receiver,

Like to me, it feels like, whoa, why do we do one without the other here? And maybe there is a plan there to figure out a way to get better at wide receiver in the draft, and we'll get to that in a second, but to me, it feels like without you know, Davante Adams, I mean, is the championship window closing a lot faster here on Rogers's run

Steve with the Packers. It's interesting because some people will look at, you know, Matt Lafleur's offense, you know, which is Shaun Evey's offense, Skyle Shanahan's offense, Mike jane Hand's offense, say they can win without that standout receiver. Okay, and we know they've got two really good running backs, but that is not the identity of Aaron Rodgers. He's not gonna turn it off or turn around and hand the ball off thirty five times a game. Or throw thirty

five swinging passes. He's someone who's got to be able to scramble create kind of have that adjunct option. Um when he's throwing the ball and I don't see you know, Davantae Adams withdraw double coverages. Now teams can defend this team completely differently and to the point where team can stack the box. Say Aaron Rodgers beat us. Um. So unless they've got some other plan, which is why, you know, I thought that'd be on a DeVante Parker. Um. You

know who just got traded to the Patriots. Maybe they were and they they Yeah, So you know, I think they're still gonna be in the wide receiver market. Um to see what happens. You know, maybe the Julio Jones, who knows, But um, I think you know, drafting receiver Aaron Rodgers has a trust issue, right, so a guy coming out of the gate. That's another part of the problem.

So they're still gonna be a good football team. They're a good defensive football team, right they take them all away, they do some things to get the ball back to Rogers. But in terms of competing with some of the other big boys, I do think that window is closing. An interesting thing with the Davante Adams deal was that that

that kind of cast skating effect on the Packers. I think they were gonna get Velda's scandling back and that was their plan, but then Tyreek Hill wantsed a raise, so they get up over the top and that's a chain. I think they thought, Okay, well we'll get MVS back and that's something, and then he got scooped up by by the Chiefs after the domino has happened. So I think that was part of their plan that just didn't

work out. And another I think another thing with the receivers, we kind of overlook a Maria Rodgers is a third round pick. The Packers have this draft and we're gonna draft and develop, right, draft and developed, well, they draft to them. Now let's see if they can develop him as they have other guys in the past. I think he's I think he's a wild card in this whole

scenario if the coaching staff believes that they can develop. Okay, guys, I'm gonna kind of split this up here, and since we got two of you on here, I'm gonna Kevin, I'm gonna give you the Packers and the Bears, and Steve, I'm gonna give you the Vikings and the Lions, okay, And I want first to start with just a grade on the off seasons based on additions and subtractions, and then we'll get into draft priority using the same team

assignments there. So Kevin, let me start with you, since we we've been kind of gearing this first part of the conversation on the Packers, how would you ultimately evaluate what we've seen offseason moves thus far. I mean I had them as a minus roster at the end of last year, and I would say they've dropped to at least to be maybe a B minus. I think Davante

Adams is a huge part of that. I think he's a whole letter grade almost like that's the type of He's the best ride receiver in the in my opinion, that the number one ride receiver, and you lost him and you didn't replace him. So I think that's where you start. Um. But I think one underrated thing that

I would give the Packers a boost for. I think Rich Pisaccia coming in as your special teams coordinator answers a huge question and I know that's not necessarily a roster part, but they were the worst special teams team in the league last year. He immediately boost that. So I think that's an underrated part of their off season, that they got a coach who we all believe in, in trust that he can make one of the three key elements of football into if not average, at least

average may be better. And I think we got to give them some credit to for the re signings, right Preston Smith coming back over, you know, um and you know, on an extension of Andre Campbell, I think Jr. Alexander was ing on the pike here at some point. Did Andre Campbell one of the best, you know, kind of under the radar acquisitions of the entire season last year? It was such a key player for the Packers and now getting you know, his uh, his chance to cash

in there in Green Bay. All right, Steve, let's move to the Vikings. Let's get her off season great there, yeah, look, let's go be right. Okay, So so you change leadership. First off, I'm starting there, right, Kevin O'Connell and uh at crazy the new GM we don't know about them, right, but the one thing you heard all last year is they need a breath of fresh air. You know, Mike Zimmer and you know Rick Spielman is kind of that

whole leadership. So let's let's give them an atmospheric change here. Okay, Now they're going to go on the offensive head coach, and everyone will tell you Kevin O'Connell is the real deal. Kirk Cousins loves Kirk Cousins was the biggest lobbyist, you know in the Senate hearings. That was the you know, the Vikings decision making to get Kevin O'Connell um in there. So now you've got an offensive head coach with Kirk Cousins up there at Donna tells coming in defensively to

run a thirty four offensive. They get to Darius Smith on a low key sign they made that's gonna be big. Is Jordan Hicks at linebacker? Al right, he comes over from Arizona. Great leader, right of veteran player, but a great leader. You lose Anthony Barr. That's a tough hit, okay, but you've got some other players there again, you got the guys up front. You got some issues in the second year. It's a grade wise I'm gonna say that they were about a b um, a B coming in,

you know, maybe even a B minus. I'm gonna give him a B plus just because I just think the whole atmosphere of change there, it's gonna be a positive move for that. All right, Kevin, back to you here with the Chicago Bears, what do you got? I mean, this was a C S C minus roster coming in, and I don't think they've done anything. But I kind of feel bad for Ryan Poles. He's in a bad spot and as the first time GM and so I got him dropping down to a C minus D plus area.

They just haven't the whole goal of this offseason. Buffer justin fields, right, you got you finally got this guy we think can be a franchise quarterback. Buffer him, build up the old line, give him some receivers. They've done very minimal. They lost their best offensive lineman and James Daniels. Uh, they lost Allen Robinson, They traded Khalil Mack. You brought in Lucas Patrick. Okay, fine, you you missed out on Ryan Bates, a guard that you tried to sign away

from Buffalo. Uh. The wide receivers. All they really added was Byron Pringle. They signed Equanimius st. Brown away from the Packers, and to tell you about that deal, Packers fans didn't even care. These are fan bases that wouldn't share the mustard for a hot They don't even care that they signed them away. So they haven't had any money to do anything, and they haven't done what we wanted them to do, which was put pieces around Justin Fields to make him thrive. I don't see other than

Darneld Mooney where the offense is gonna move. They're gonna have to be a run first, run always sort of game plan, and and then asked Justin Fields to make plays at the end, and no first round draft pick. That's brutal b if you if you go through the names of the guys that are still free agents for them, Alex Oldiltry, Danny Treate and Troron Gibson, Eddie Goldman, Scheam Hicks, Timmy Jimmy Graham, Jesse James, Jermaine and Fettie. These are

guys we know. These are guys that they haven't got signed in the first or second or third wave of free agency that are going to have to wait until probably after the draft to get picked up. I mean, that just tells you the type of team they had last year, and then where are we going from there? And they don't have the money to resign a lot of guys. It's just kind of a fans in Chicago. I think our understanding this is going to be another

holding pattern sort of year. Hopefully the new staff and you see Justin Fields develop from a progressing standpoint, going through his reads and all that sort of things, and then you build for the next year when they have a first round pick and they have some capital leaf. Yeah, it's a tough. It was tough off season to be a Bears fan um to see so much go and

very little come back in return. Let's move to the Detroit Lions, who who didn't make some moves Again, they weren't, you know, huge spenders in free agency, but some kind of measured moves. Steve Whitch, what do you give them? Yeah, Look, getting DJ Shark, we know he wasn't great in Jacksonville, but do we know anything about Jacksonville's players in terms of development, because we just don't know what they were, So I think it would be able to pair him

with him on st. Brown. They signed back Josh Reynolds, who's a very good special team is a nice two or three wide receiver. Yeah. So you know, I spoke to brat Home, to gm Um of the Lions at the league meetings, and he was like, look, we're at the point now where everyone loves the enthusiasm. They love the way we finished, they love the way we play hard. We gotta win. We have to win ballgames. So I think they're setting the plan in motion. We know they

got the two first round draft picks. Um, they just have a ton of trade capital, I mean draft capital. We'll see, But I mean I think they've improved. I mean just because the culture there it is such It's been such a negative culture for so long. I've heard this from people from like Jim Caldwell, who's like the most positive human being ever. Like, boy, you talk about a culture change, that's that's the one of all time. And in Dan Campbell and that leadership group seems to

have done it. So some of the moves they have been subtle. I like the fact that they're not swinging and missing because they know the roster still has a lot of holes right now. But they they've got a certain type of character that seems to be developed where I think they could be better. So, um, you know the Lions, I I think they're they're they're in that C category. It's still kind of a wait to see

what I think they're in that C category. Steve gonna come right back to you with the draft prospects here for these teams in the NFC North. Here on the roster reset, Steve Kevin patra Red Louis here with you on NFL Inside Report. Let's take a quick look here at the Lions because they kind of book in the first round right two and thirty two. They have the

highest draft pick in the NFC North. But for me, this is a really intriguing team to watch because I feel like that thirty two spot, if their guy is their quarterback, watch out. I think that's a real interesting spot for one fifth year option develop under Jared Gone and then number two, I mean, like go get them or the or the best. If the Jaguars take a tackle, right,

what do you think? Yeah? I mean, look, they're gonna get an age Dresher, I think right here, especially with the Jacks did and in free agency, they're probably gonna get eight and Hutchinson. Uh, you know out of Michigan, So take your pick, right. I mean, he had Penny Sewell last year. I one loves with Penny se Will developed into the way he progressed at offensive tack. So go get the edge rusher, develop that type of tough

guy defense, keep getting better up front. So I think, you know edge and I love the thirty two quarterback pick, and he may be able to trade back into the early part of the second round, get a little more draft equity and and get your quarterback you know, right there. So I think that's that's a very very good situation. Some of these wide receivers might be there right there as well, or a corner if you want to do that there on that back end of the second round draft.

So I think I think they're in. Uh, it's a real real sweet spot when it comes to the draft, no question. Um. Let's move then to the other team with multiple first round draft picks here. Of course, this was courtesy of the Davante Adams trade for the Green Bay Packers Kevin who picked up the extra first round picks. So now sitting at twenty two and overall, they have not drafted a wide receiver in the first round. Since Javon Walker back in two thousand two. So hey, Kevin,

no better time than the twenty anniversary, right right? I mean remember Aaron Rodgers a couple of years ago talking about how he was getting drunk and waiting for them

to pick a wide receiver and then they didn't. Can you imagine if they went through two wide receivers and or went to to two first round picks and they didn't take a wide receiver this year with the need hole, I have to believe that they've they promised him, and I would hope that that you know, they they've asked him, which guys they they've looked at, had him looked at? I mean, they can't come out of the first round without a wide receiver. I just can't imagine unless they

do something between now and the draft. It's just such a glaring, glaring hole, and you've got a few guys in the middle of the round that I think they can plug it and play immediately. Like Steve mentioned before, there is a trust issue with Rogers. But if he's got no choice, if this is your guy, you got to build him like we invested in you, now, please

invest back in. There are guys can't. And then I think the other the other thing is maybe an offensive lineman if one slips to the mid round or replenish the trenches. I think on the defensive side of the ball would be where you go with the other pick Vikings at number twelve, Man, it feels like defense to me, Steve, it's a slam dug. It's God, they gotta go corner. I mean, there's there's too many good guys are gonna be there. I mean Stingley could be there. I don't

think Sauce Gardner makes it down. I don't even know Dave. They've got to get a corner there. At Don Tel's is a dB specialist. You know, as they kind of get through the draft, I think you've gotta get into They've got to, you know, refurbished that interior offensive line. They've been working on the tackles um and then another wide receiver. It's crazy, it sounds. I mean, you can't have enough of them for the system that they run. You know, again, look at how many the niners in

the ramps turned through and they develop them all. So I think at some point mid rounds you get a wide receiver, but early on you you've got to you've got to hit corner, you hit the edge rushers. You've got to hit a corner who can get his hands on the ball make place. And Stingley is a guy like that. Yeah, And from what I understand DJ was talking to us, UM, you know, one of the big reasons that they might have resigned a guy like Patrick Peterson was to give a support system to a guy

like Derek Stingley. Where and where did they both go to school? There at DBU They're in bad Ridge. All right, let's finish up Kevin real quick. Look, no first round pick for the Bears. As we talked about there on the clock at thirty nine. In the second round, I mean, like just a thought there, what what might make the most sensors, most pressing need. I mean, the most pressing need wouldn't to me, would be another receiver. If we'll

we'll see if one of those top guys falls. I mean, there's questions about the depth you can go one way or the other. So if one of the top guys falls, I think that's a no brainer to grab a wide receiver that spot. Um. But again, I think replenishing the old line. If there's somebody there that would be would be step number two. If there's none of your wide receivers are there, Yeah, I think you could possibly be

in the Christian Watson category there. The sky More David Bell situation there, receiver in the second round, certainly something to think about. So that's a look at the NFC North as the rosters have been reset. When we come back, I'm gonna look at the NFC South and is it the Bucks division to lose once again? Alright, back here with you on NFL Inside Report with our roster reset

series continuing. Steve White and Kevin Patrack with us on this episode, taking a look at the off season moves by NFC teams and how they're going to translate to the upcoming season. Last segment, we hit the NFC North. Now we go in depth on the NFC South. First up, some of the biggest moves each team is made. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers making some noise this offseason. Tom Brady retired.

Then his unretirement came six weeks later. Some of his buddy he's also returning, like running back Leonard four Nette, receiver Chris Godwin, center Ryan Jensen, and dbat Carlton Davis and in receiver Russell Gage, who comes over from the division rival Atlanta Falcons, and corner Logan Ryan, a former teammate of Tom Brady in New England, and the Bucks

should be solid again in two. The Saints of May moves to help new head coach Dennis Allen compete with the Bucks that resigned Jamis Winston to shore up the quarterback spot, while also bringing in Andy Dalton as a steady backup. New Orleans signed safety Marcus May to share up the back end of the defense that loses Malcolm Jenkins to retirement and Marcus Williams to the Baltimore Ravens

via free agency. Then there was the trade of draft picks with the Philadelphia Eagles that now give the Saints to first round draft picks in the swap at numbers sixteen and nineteen. Overall, a surprising turn of events unfolding in Atlanta, the Falcons failing to land to Shaun Watson, then trading former m v P Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts. Falcons then signing Marcus Mariota to compete for

their starting quarterback spot next season. The real question is will they take a quarterback with the eighth overall pick in the draft as the other piece of that QB competition the Carolina Panthers picking sixth in the first round, and they could be in the quarterback market with Sam Donald playing on his fifth year option this coming season.

They also made a bevy of moves, no bigger than that of signing d J. Moore, their stud wide receiver, to a three year, sixty one million dollar contract extension. Now venturing into the NFC South where obviously the biggest transaction that was made was the one that was very short lived, and that was the retirement of Tom Brady. He is back, and now what does this mean here for the rest of the division as they are all

searching for a long term answer at quarterback. Meanwhile, though Steve and then Kevin love to have you jump in here, the Bucks are sitting pretty Even though Bruce arians retired as the head coach and moved into the front office role. Todd Bowle steps in as the new head coach, it still feels like continuity there in Tampa. So is this the Bucks division to lose? Steve? Yeah, this is this is like the most slam duck slam duck affirmative answer

we can have here in the NFL this year. And and it's so funny because before Bruce arians uh retired or transitioned, I spoke to him about this. I was like, you know, come on, I mean, every other quarterback in the division, he's like to either all they're all high first round picks, you know, jamis Okay. Yeah. It was like, okay, Bruce, you're you're you. I don't think you're gonna be selling selling the ocean to the folks, you know why right

now with that one? But I mean, come on, I mean, you have Brady, you have continuity, very little change on the coaching staff. So yes, this is their division to lose. If nothing else, who's gonna stop them? Well a defense, I mean the STS have. The Saints are acting like a team that thinks they can compete. Whether you believe that they can or not, it doesn't matter, because they are acting like a team that they're gonna get two

first round picks. Now if they bring in Tyronne Matthew, which they're visiting with them, who knows that they can spend the money like they're they're all their actions suggest that they believe we can go get the Bucks. I don't know what. They beat the Bush they beat no matter what it is, they beat the Bucks. I don't know what that is. Whether we believe that they can or not. They certainly believe that they have the firepower to go do it. They're acting like a team that does.

At least. It's pressed for me to find a team that I'll be like, Okay, I mean, yeah, it's the Saints. Saints would be the biggest competition in my mind. They'll have some continuity at quarterback with if Jameis Winston is good to go, and he was, Look, he was playing well before he got injured. But who's gonna block Shack Barrett? Great question. I think we're all in agreement here that the we could just go ahead and uh and put

it in Penn. Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the champions of the NFC South, and if they're not, this clip will be replayed forever. Okay, but so, uh, let's get a glimpse at what the South now looks like with some of the movement that we've seen here, kind of like we did in our last segment. Uh, Kevin's gonna take the Bucks and the Panthers and assign some grades to them,

and Steve's got the Saints and the Falcons. So since we're keeping with the Bucks conversation here, Kevin, what do you make of this offseason and again has been very similar to the one we saw last year and bringing guys back. I mean you just said everybody's coming back. I mean, you lose a couple of eyes on the line, only my pet retires. That's not an easy fix. But then you go trade for check Mason. The Patriots basically given to you. So I mean that that everything we saw,

the continuity is huge. I don't want to be I'm not trying to dance on Bruce arians Grave or anything, but to me, Todd Bowles taken over as an upgrade, I just think with his I think that that's gonna work out well. You're gonna give Brady a little more autonomy with um left, which I don't even it doesn't even have to be a rift. I just think that I think that it's gonna be a smooth, smoother sailing where where you know the captain necessarily wasn't there. It's fine.

So that's where I personally stand. I don't care about the rift, but I think it's gonna be an upgrade at at that position, and they've done everything they need. They keep kept all the guys that god one's not going anywhere. Uh grab and Russell Gauge from the Falcons was a steel in my opinion, maybe the steel of the off season that nobody's talking about. Like he is a legit receiver and to be a number three in

that offense. We saw what they needed when Antonio Brown wasn't there and the how they lost a little bit. He's gonna slide right in and be awesome, I think in that offense. I think Bucks fans need to keep

an eye on that because he's very very good. Um. Outside of some online uh questions going into the draft and the defensive line that I'm sure that they'll pluck a few veterans, maybe Suit comes back later on in the process, there's really not a question um with Carlton Davis coming back in the secondary, there's not really huge question marks moving forward. I think this was an uh A minus roster going in and I think I keep him right there right. Not much just not much has

changed in my opinion. Okay, Steve, if we view the Saints is the biggest competition then to the bucks. Let's move there in the pecking order in this division. How do you view what happened now as we begin to Dennis Allen era with Sean Payton out of the picture. Yeah, I mean, of course that's the biggest change. You're talking to Mickey Loomis at the League meetings. He's like this, it's going to be completely different because you know, Sean

had the authoritorian rule. Um, you know, not that he ruled it like an authoritorian, but he had all wielding power. That's not going to be the case with Dennis Allen. Is gonna be more of a shared branches of government, so to speak. It's a change. But if James comes back healthy. Um, they did themselves safety by you know safety by signing signing Andy Dalton case, there's you know some leeway there. Um signing Marcus may have safety have

to losing Marcus Williams. I love that was a great moves. Great, it was a great move because Marcus, you know, Marcus Williams is going to Baltimore. That's a dude who covers a lot of territory because his hands on balls. Marcus may and what Dennis Allen does with the type of pressure they can get up front, is gonna be good. But of course the big questions losing Toront arms and left tackle, Um, it was just a great player, a

great athlete, great pass protector. That's clearly gonna be a draft neither there So coming in, I look at the roster, it's kind of a B minus type of roster. I gotta I gotta drop him down a little bit because losing Toront Armstead is is mccollan, you got, You've got a Pro Bowl left tackle and he goes because you can't afford and that's a that's a tough blow. Yeah, yeah,

no doubt. And you know, like he's missed some games in his career, a couple of games here in the last few years, but Andrews Pete has also missed times. So like that less side is really kind of tenuous in terms of continuity and in terms of durability, uh and staying power for a full sixteen games real quick, though, I do not want to take away anything from that defense. That defense is one of the best in the NFL, and we continue to overlook you know, Damorio Davis, you know,

and all those guys should great players. I just wanted a question, are we just assuming Michael Thomas is coming back and going to be fully healthy? And because that feels like the saint No no he no, no, that and that's a Gra's a great point. I mean, Michael Thomas is is huge. Yeah, the factor, catching, run guy, tough guy, that's huge for whoever's coming in. So it's the year. So I just I just wonder if we're all always assuming that he's going to be dominant, m

VP sort of guy. And he missed a whole year with a foot injury, which you know he most of two years. Like, I feel like we haven't really seen him since he set the record against the Panthers. I'm assuming he is going to be gangbusters. He's that dude.

I like it. I like it. All right. Let's move back then to the Panthers here Kevin Um, who have sort of swung and missed in the quarterback market a number of times here, at least reportedly Um for Shawn Watson, for Russell Wilson, for whomever else was available out there. And so here they sit now with Sam donald Um still on the roster. What do you make of the moves that they have made outside of that QB spot. I really liked the roster outside of two things, the

quarterback and the offensive line. Unfortunately, that's massively how often teams succeed in the NFL is the quarterback in blocking for the quarterback. So that's that's huge. I mean, I love the defense. Bringing back Dante Jackson was a big signing. I think to solidify that back end. D J Moore is is the man. I think he's so underrated. We don't talk about him enough, and getting resigning him was huge.

Um On a extension, I think most of what the Panthers have done this season is like mid level ads like Mattonia's Littleton, Damian Williams, Xavier Woods on defense, like kind of just plugging these middle guys, adding Deonte Foreman in the backfield to pair with Christian McCaffrey. Mccathery's health as always his huge role. I mean, I just I this is a C plus roster to me, and I hate to kind of repeat what I did, and it's a C plus roster again. And the only reason it's

that because I don't trust Sam Donald. To me, he's not the answer. The Panthers have told us everything they've tried to do that. He's not the answer to them either, trying to go after Watson, trying to get you know, calling about Rogers and all Russell Wilson, all these things. For two years, they've tried to not have him be the quarterback, and he's still the quarterback. So to me, that we'll get into it when we get to their draft pick. But it has to be quarterback early to me.

And if not. Offensive line is a huge issue as well. And until they fix those two things, like I like, like I said, I love the rest of the roster, I just can't get behind it until those two issues are Yeah, they weren't. I like Taylor Moulton over there on the right side the right time you do on the left side, what do you do with the left? Right? You spend big money on the right side. Now, how do we fix the left side? Certainly part of the

equation there. Let's move to the Atlanta Falcons. Wanna talk about a team in transition? Now? Is they going to year two with Terry fontno is the GM, Arthur Smith as the head coach, but without Steve White Matt Ryan as the face of the franchise. What do you got

here for the Atlanta Falcons. Yeah, this this isn't good because you know, no one's gonna fall them for taking a shout out to Saunt Watson, but having trade Matt Ryan and it didn't seem like they had a plan be in place, right, and it just it just optically looks terrible. You know, sign in Casey Hayward at a corner, that's nice. It's a nice buffer because a J. Terrell, you know, you talked about a player, you know, the best cornerbacks in the NFL, Nood he knows his name.

This guy was one of the best defensive players in the NFL. Um So that helps. But they got no edge rusher. You know, Grady Jarrett, very good defensive tackle. You lose your best player on defense than a J. Drell, Foyo Loui khan um. So their defense is weekend. They've signed. They did what they had to do because they have no money, right, so their piecemealing guys one year deals. Marcus Mariotte is now your quarterback. He actually fits the system. But then we know when him as a starter, he's

got durability issues. Who's behind him? You know you're good, You're good Frank's yeah, all right, okay, so right out of the booth, get shocking, come out of the booth. So you know you got those issues you resigned, Corderel Patterson. That's great. Oh wait, who's catching the ball for you? Cordell Patterson again. I mean they're skilled positions. Find your roster. In the NFL, it has less threatening skilled positions. You know, they got Damian Williams. I like him at running back,

but they came in with a C minus roster. They dropped down to a d um you know, because of the quarterback situation. Yeah, the guys, this reminds me the Raiders back when Reggie McKenzie and Dennis Salence took over in two thousand twelve, where they are in salary cap hell. They couldn't fix it for two years. They had to sign guys on one year deals before they found a quarterback. And then all of a sudden the hit the Motherlow with Clil McK and Amari Cooper and Derek Carr. But

then again they get rid of Cooper. I don't think that's gonna happen there. But so you know, asking waiting until next year is always a dangerous thing for me because you just don't know. The guys you like in the draft can turn out to have bad seasons. You get hurt um. So they better be real effective here. I mean they've got they've got t Ammo to do it, but they better nail it. It's pin the tail on the donkey. When it comes to their draft board. You can just put a you can put that tack anywhere

and you can you can hit it. Well, let's do it right there at eight. Since since we're talking about it there with the Falcons, they're not the first team on the board in the NFC South. We'll get to the Panthers here in just a moment at number six, but let's just since we're talking Falcons, let's go eight. I look, I think wide receiver. You could get the

first wide receiver off the board at number eight. In less you love one of these quarterbacks, Steve White, I think I think the Lake Willis is gonna be real tempting for them today because of the system they play, right, you know, the mobile quarterback system. They know today's football game. You've got a guy who can press with the run

but also have the big arm. But he'll admit it, Hugh Freeze, his coach at Liberty will admit it he didn't see any type of tough defenses in terms of scheme because of the run threat at that level, you got a spy on him and everything else was base. He was not seeing a lot of blitzes and mixed coverages. So this is a developmental year. If they were to go that route, I think, you know, it's gonna be

hard for them. If Cavon Thibodeaux, I one of these edge rushers is sitting there at a for them to pass, or or you know, one of the top dbs, it's gonna be I think getting Casey here. Weary could put the DV part until later rounds, but they gotta go edge or they gotta go o line here. Kevin the Carolina Panthers city at number six. Matt Rules saying at the league meeting of this past week that he expects a quarterback to be taken in the top ten should be him. Is he going to be the one to take?

I would think so, I mean I think so. Maybe that's where Kenny Pickett jumps in Mali Willis can can Matt Rule afford to get take a bye a bye year and a developmental year with a guy like Willis. But then David Tepper, I think he's kind of the wild card and he's he gonna be like that. I'm the owner. I want this guy. I think he's gonna be a dynamic player and you're gonna take him and we're gonna you might not be here when he's good,

but but this is the guy I want. I think you have to go QB and I guess if they don't believe that answer, then you go out offensive tackle, which whoever, whoever is the next up on the board at six. But I can't. I just can't get around them what they've done at quarterback this offseason and during the season, shuffling in and out. Cam Newton say, I'm Donald in out, and to believe that they're gonna stick

with Donald here, I just don't believe it. YEA, let's move to the Saints, then, Steve White, as we look at the move that they made with the Phil Delfie Eagles, giving up a future one and a future two to take one of the Eagles UH two picks, that would really take two of their picks and then also give them their eighteen so that the Saints end up with sixteen and nineteen, Eagles end up with fifteen and eighteen. It seems like such a weird trade to make at

this point. That feels like something you maybe would have seemed like on Draft night two spots right. So to me and we were talking about this on path of the draft, Steve, it feels like maybe this is a move like the Bills made when they moved up from twenty one to twelve and then to seven to take Josh Allen in the top ten, or like the Eagles did when they went from you know what was it, thirteen to eight and then two to take Carson Wentz. Do they love one of these quarterbacks? Again? It's the

kind of big that's the thing. Yeah, you're not gonna need all that. I think you're not gonna need all that, right, you know that if if you love them, you're not I mean, I'm not gonna can't seem to say you're not gonna need all that because somebody make it up there. But this clearly, you know, and speaking to some folks, this is for flexibility for them to move up or down. So maybe you can use one of these picks. You know that that ninety pick or whatever something else to

move up into the top twelve. If you get one of these offensive tackles, I cannot see them going quarterback right now. This team is in win now mode. You look at the age of the players on that defense. Um, I think this is this is probably something where they're gonna try to upgrade at tackle, maybe at a wide receiver. That team as well, Kevin, let's finish it up here with the Tampa Bay Bucks and a team that finished uh and and now we'll sit as the twenty seventh

overall pick here in the first round. I think again, the roster it's in a pretty good spot. Um, you know, to kind of take you know, whoever the best player on their board is, as every team says they do anyway, But how do you see it? I think you got you go defensive line, maybe Ed Rusher, you build on Droy,

try on Shinink that you brought in last year. At the end of the first round, you you know, you figure at some point Shack Barrett will have to move on, and you know JPP is still a free agent, so you were plenished there or you or if if one of the guard you like drops and that's a spot where you can plug and play or or build for the future when you know some guys are gonna move on. Uh, they're in a great spot with depths. I don't think

you can go wrong. I don't think they could go I think Jason lights in a great spot where, you know, even if somebody wanted to jump back into the first round from the low end of the second, I can see them being like, Okay, we'll move back and add another third rounder dark. I can also see them saying kind of to your point, Um, you know this again,

this is this is a really good roster. Who's you know, in good shape really at all the starting twenty two offense defense and saying, you know what, maybe down the road, you know, Shack Barrett will move on, and you know, we don't know what's going to happen, you know, outside

of tri and showing ago. What if we go David a Jabo here from Michigan, knowing that we may not need him right away, and you know, we give him some time to rehab that rupture to kill his tendon, and then you know he comes back year two and man, we've got either three really good edge rushers here, um or you know, we've got one we could slide into a starting lineup. I mean, Titans did that with Simmons and they they Yeah, so I think that's a great point. Yeah.

So I certainly wanted to look at there with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and that is a look at the NFC South and and really taking care of both the half of the NFC here, NFC North and South though in the books. In our first episode here if our roster reset, Steve Kevin, thanks so much for your time, guys, appreciate it. Got it right, all right, that's gonna do

it for this episode of NFL Inside Report. Thanks so much for being with this reminder to download, rate, and review our show and the I Heart Radio app on Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcast We appreciate you guys being along for the ride. For our producers Thomas Warren, Tim Peraca, and Harrison Sanford. I'm your host, Fred Lewis. We'll catch you next time. NFL Inside Report is the production of the NFL and partnership with I

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