In this two-part series, we’ll break down the All-NFC South team offense and defense. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “It’s gonna be the Buccaneers entire roster”. However, the 2020 campaign for Tampa overshadowed the rest of the stars in the division, and there are plenty of them if you look around properly. Here’s a look at the 2021 Preseason All-NFC South Offense.
QB
- Tom Brady (TB)
- Matt Ryan (ATL)
- Sam Darnold (CAR)
There are no surprises at the crucial quarterback spot. Brady could be poised for a back-to-back championship run with Tampa, who brought back all of the playmakers from a year ago. With one of the best receiver duos in the league, the Buccaneers and Tom Brady should definitely be exciting to watch! Matt Ryan and the Falcons may not have won too many games last season but his numbers were certainly there: he threw for the most pass attempts in his career (626) and over 4,500 passing yards. These are impressive stats when you take into account that his team only won four games. With a new weapon in TE Kyle Pitts and a new head coach in Arthur Smith, Atlanta’s offense could look even better this year. It’s an important year for Sam Darnold, who was traded to Carolina from the New York Jets. He will have RB Christian McCaffrey returning from injury and enough talent around him to perform well. The Panthers got rid of former starter Teddy Bridgewater and didn’t take a quarterback early in the draft, meaning that they believe in Darnold to be the starter of the future for the organization. The Saints missed out here for obvious reasons. Who is going to be the starter? Whether it is Taysom Hill or Jameis Winston, Michael Thomas is dealing with injury and Jared Cook is gone, leaving them short-handed at the receiver position. This is going to make it tougher for either QB to settle into Drew Brees’ former role as the head honcho in New Orleans.
RB
- Alvin Kamara (NO)
- Christian McCaffrey (CAR)
These guys are both in a league of their own. McCaffrey is arguably the best running back in the NFL, while Kamara is also in the number one conversation and at least undoubtedly in the top five. Here, I have him in front of McCaffrey because there could be a slight fall-off in production from the Panther tailback due to his injuries as well as the overall state of the team. Carolina has moved many players around in the last few offseasons, and this isn’t the same Panthers of 2018-2019 when McCaffrey had his All-Pro/Pro Bowl season. Kamara, on the other hand, has the tough Saints offensive line ahead of him and New Orleans will most likely look to rely on him for a bulk of their offense due to the huge question mark at QB.
TE
- Kyle Pitts (ATL)
- Rob Gronkowski (TB)
Picked at fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Kyle Pitts is groomed to have a breakout season this year. With the loss of Julio Jones, the Falcons are looking for a new go-to receiver, and Pitts has the perfect opportunity to step into that role this season. Rob Gronkowski didn’t seem like his previous self at the beginning of the 2020 season, as he was blocking like he was one of the best left tackles in the league until Week 6, which was when he caught his first TD. That being said, Gronkowski looked like a receiver again in the rest of the season and the playoffs, having three consecutive games with a receiving TD (Weeks 6-8) and six games of 50+ yards receiving to go along with an unforgettable performance in the Super Bowl (6 receptions for 67 yards and 2 TDs). Gronk will be one of Brady’s favorite red zone targets this year.
WR
- Mike Evans (TB)
- Chris Godwin (TB)
- Michael Thomas (NO)
- Calvin Ridley (ATL)
At the wideout position, the only real competition for Tampa’s WRs is each other. Mike Evans has finished with over 1,000 yards receiving in each of his eight professional seasons, and he’s not done yet. The large receiver is a threat deep down the field and it doesn’t help opposing defenses to have Chris Godwin on the opposing side. Godwin was franchise tagged in the offseason, so this season could earn him a massive contract. Godwin is a star-caliber player who’s a lot better than most of the league’s best WRs, and the duo will be trying to replicate their 2020 success. Michael Thomas has already started the season on a low note, as he’s is battling with an injury (ankle surgery) before the season even starts. When healthy, he’s still one of the best receivers in the league, but his status is unsure as of now. The Falcons’ number one receiver this year won’t be named Julio Jones; instead, it will be Calvin Ridley (as well as TE Kyle Pitts). If Ridley can stay healthy, he has the chance to establish himself as a top 5 wideout in the league.
OL
- T Ryan Ramczyk (NO)
- T Terron Armstead (NO)
- G Andrus Peat (NO)
- G Ali Marpet (TB)
- C Erik McCoy (NO)
- C Ryan Jensen (TB)
This first team o-line contains some of the best in the NFL, including four guys from the Saints, forming part of what may be the best line in football this year. Expectations are truly high for Ramczyk, as he signed a five-year, $96 million contract extension back in June. Ali Marpet and Andrus Peat round out the guards, as both guys have been solid in the run game and are key components for their respective teams. Marpet will be blocking for the best of this NFC South offense, along with his Bucs teammate in center Ryan Jensen.
Keep an eye out next week for part two, where we’ll talk about the Preseason All-NFC South Defense!
Edited By: Rupayan “Abs” Samanta.
