It wasn’t long ago that the NFC South division had some of the finest offenses in the NFL. Quarterbacks Drew Brees and Tom Brady are among the best ever at the position. Matt Ryan and Cam Newton made several Pro Bowls, while Jameis Winston was another high draft choice that put up prolific numbers.
Players like WRs Michael Thomas, Mike Evans, Julio Jones, D.J. Moore, Calvin Ridley, Chris Godwin, TEs Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski, Tony Gonzalez, and RBs Alvin Kamara, Mark Ingram, and Christian McCaffrey were some of the most feared offensive weapons in the game.
The division has fallen on hard times in recent seasons. All but Kamara, Evans, and Godwin among those above players are either retired or on other teams. In most cases, their former teams have yet to find adequate replacements. It’s more than just the offenses in the NFC South that have taken a precipitous drop in NFL notoriety.
This division has a combined record of just 56-80 over the last two seasons. Only the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both 9-8 last year, have posted winning records in that span. The NFC South is projected to be the worst overall division in the league by most prognosticators again this season.
Earlier this week, we broke down the best position groups on defense in this division. As the 2024-25 campaign approaches, let’s have a look at the best offensive positions in the NFC South.
This was like trying to decide whether to eat a rotten fruit or a rotten vegetable. All of these units need a climb just to reach an average level. New Orleans may be the worst of the bunch from last year. However, the Saints are hoping for significant improvement with the addition of first-round OT Taliese Fuaga, along with development from OT Trevor Penning and G Nick Saldiveri, and a return to form from C Erik McCoy and G Cesar Ruiz. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is counting on better line play.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have an outstanding tackle in Tristan Wirfs and another solid one in Luke Goedeke but have had major issues along the interior. Carolina spent a ton of free-agent money to add guards Robert Hunt and Damien Lewis. If they can pay off that investment and the Panthers tackles Ikem Ekwonu and Taylor Moton live up to their potential, then this could turn out to be a strong line.
Atlanta is the reluctant pick here because of their cohesiveness and run blocking ability. Jake Matthews, Kaleb McGary, Chris Lindstrom, and Matthew Bergeron are former first or second round picks that paved a ground attack that averaged 127 yards per game and 4.1 per carry last season. However, the unit still has major issues in pass protection. If that doesn’t improve, a new system under new QB Kirk Cousins may fizzle out quickly.
New Orleans TE Juwan Johnson could have a big year in new offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak’s system. A converted wideout, Johnson provides an athletic mismatch for the Saints if used properly. Tampa Bay also has a solid receiving option at the position in Cade Otton, but neither player has risen to the next level yet. Carolina has an intriguing but unproven player in athletic rookie Ja’Tavion Sanders out of Texas.
The pick of Atlanta’s Kyle Pitts should be obvious. Pitts had over 1,000 yards as a rookie in 2021 before injuries limited him to just 356 the following season. He rebounded a bit last year with 667 yards, but has only scored six touchdowns in three seasons. The presence of Kirk Cousins and a new offensive coordinator should change those numbers drastically.
Behind Pitts are blocking tight ends Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner. Ko Kieft serves that same purpose for the Buccaneers. As second tight ends go, Foster Moreau in New Orleans is the best of the group. However, the gifted Pitts has a pretty clear edge over Johnson and Otton among starters.
New Orleans has a possible superstar in Chris Olave, an underrated playmaker in Rashid Shaheed, and potentially strong depth with A.T. Perry and Cedrick Wilson. Olave and Shaheed have yet to hit their immense ceiling, while Perry showed great promise over the last half of his rookie year.
Carolina has made efforts to give second-year QB Bryce Young some weapons after a miserable rookie showing. The Panthers traded for Diontae Johnson and drafted Xavier Legette, along with TE Sanders, to join reliable veteran Adam Thielen and second-year WR Jonathan Mingo.
Atlanta also had a busy offseason at this position. Speedy receivers Rondale Moore and Darnell Mooney were added in free agency. They’ll join the physical Drake London, who for some reason the Falcons valued over Olave in the 2022 NFL Draft. (The Falcons will always Falcon).
While the Saints make this a bit of a close selection, Tampa Bay was a relatively easy pick. Mike Evans is coming off his 10th consecutive 1,000-yard season. He had NFL-high 13 touchdowns in 2023, while his receptions (79) and yardage (1,299) were the third highest of his 10-year career. Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo may shut down Evans as a matter of routine, but he’s a nightmare for the rest of the league. Chris Godwin, coming off his third straight year with at least 80 catches and over 1,000 yards, may not get the notoriety of Evans but is just as effective. Trey Palmer was a big-play threat as a rookie last year. The Buccaneers also added potential draft steal Jalen McMillan in the third round and former Giants WR Sterling Shepard in free agency.
Alvin Kamara is the most talented all-around back in the division. He’ll be backed up by explosive second-year RB Kendre Miller, who also showed promising versatility when healthy. Jamaal Williams was a disappointment in his first year with the Saints, but is only one year removed from a 1,000-yard and NFL-best 17 touchdowns with the Detroit Lions. While not listed as a running back, Taysom Hill is a valuable versatile threat and the second most consistent runner on the team over the last several years.
The eighth overall choice in last year’s draft, Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson showed signs of a bright future. He ran for 976 yards while averaging 4.6 per carry and added 58 receptions for another 487 yards. Look for both numbers to go up this year. Backing Robinson up is Tyler Allgiere, a bruising runner who had 1,035 yards rushing as a surprising rookie two years ago before picking up 683 in more limited duty last year.
The Falcons have the best running tandem in the division. However, they can’t match New Orleans in quality depth or overall versatility when you consider Hill part of the rushing attack.
If picking between offensive lines in this division is like choosing between a rotten fruit or rotten vegetable, then this is like being forced to pick between a debilitating illness or injury. These are the ”best” that the NFC South currently has to offer:
• Derek Carr, Saints
• Kirk Cousins, Falcons
• Baker Mayfield, Buccaneers
• Bryce Young, Panthers
Carr, Cousins, and Mayfield are all veterans who have each had some success in the league. However, all three have several major flaws in their games and need the perfect system and tons of talent around them just to be above average. None of the three have proven to be anywhere near a championship-level quarterback.
Carr completed 68.4% of his throws for 3,878 yards with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his first year with the Saints. Not bad numbers, but he really didn’t seem comfortable in the offense until the last six games of the year. Now, he’ll be in yet another new system under Klint Kubiak, though it is one that seems to fit his best attributes.
Cousins, who turns 36 next month, was signed by Atlanta after missing the last half of 2023 with an Achilles injury. He’s capable of some big performances and can be an accurate passer, but has often played his worst in his team’s biggest games.
Mayfield, 29, looked to have revitalized his career during his first year with the Buccaneers. His 4,044 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 64.3% completion percentage were all the highest of his six-year career. It’s worth noting that Mayfield has never been productive in back-to-back seasons and will now be working with a new offensive coordinator after Dave Canales departed for Carolina.
Canales will be tasked with trying to develop Bryce Young, the first overall choice in last year’s draft. Surrounded by little talent, Young had an awful rookie year with less than 60% completion percentage, 11 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and an average of less than 180 yards passing per game in 16 starts. If he can show why he was the first overall pick, then Young has the biggest upside of any of this year’s projected starters in the NFC South division.
The backup quarterbacks in this division inspire little confidence, either. Carr’s number two will either be 2024 fifth-round pick Spencer Rattler or 2023 fourth-round choice Jake Haener. Kyle Trask, a second-round pick in 2021, will back up Mayfield with his 10 career passes in Tampa Bay. Andy Dalton brings plenty of experience as the backup in Carolina, but New Orleans fans know how that looks.
Atlanta, Falconing as always, spent the eighth overall draft choice on Washington Huskies QB Michael Penix instead of adding a weapon for the newly signed Cousins or much-needed defensive help. They brought back Taylor Heinicke, a career backup who had moderate success in Washington.
The quarterback pick here, well, close your eyes and blindly pick a name as starter. Cousins, Carr, or Mayfield are really no better, or worse, than the other, with Young still hoping to prove himself. If absolutely forced to chose the entire position, then Heinicke’s experience and the talent/upside of Penix may give Atlanta the slightest of edges in the quarterback room. It’s a position that embodies the downtrodden play of this entire division.
