The Biggest Gamble Each NFL Team Is Taking This Season

Every team in the NFL made at least one risky decision during the offseason to improve its roster and field a competitive squad.

Some gambled in the draft by selecting a quarterback in the first round, and others went the veteran route by signing a quarterback in need of a fresh start. One team in particular traded for a quarterback who will likely become a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

But let’s not give it all away in the introduction. The MMQB crew listed the biggest offseason gamble for every team during our “32 teams in 32 days series.” Here’s how we analyzed all the risky moves: 

Arizona Cardinals

Not adding competition for Colt McCoy

McCoy played in four games for the Cardinals last year, throwing one touchdown and three interceptions.

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Let’s pretend the Cardinals don’t have plans to tank for Caleb Williams this season—at least not at the start of the season. They took a huge risk by not adding another quality free-agent quarterback to compete with McCoy during training camp, knowing that Kyler Murray likely won’t be available for the start of the season. Arizona appeared content with McCoy, as the team watched Baker Mayfield, Taylor Heinicke, Jacoby Brissett and many other available quarterbacks sign elsewhere during free agency. McCoy, who’s entering his 14th NFL season, suffered a concussion and a neck injury last year and missed the final three games of the 2022 season with Murray sidelined. Backup quarterbacks Clayton Tune and David Blough will probably be needed this season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Not making a bigger splash at quarterback

One could argue this was the right decision by GM Jason Licht and the front office. The Buccaneers need to think long term, and going after a bridge quarterback who starts for the next few years might not be the correct play.

Still, adding Derek Carr would have made Tampa Bay very intriguing in the NFC. Consider if Carr was under center, playing with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans on the outside, along with tight end Cade Otton working the middle. Paired with a respectable defense, that could be the group that wins the NFC South and maybe fights in a playoff game.

Instead, the job falls to Baker Mayfield, who is now on his fourth team in three years. Last year, Mayfield threw for 2,163 yards with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions, between the Panthers and Rams. Even the most ardent supporters of the Heisman Trophy winner would be hard-pressed to argue he helps Tampa Bay in 2023.

Indianapolis Colts

Drafting Anthony Richardson at No. 4

Perhaps no prospect in the 2023 draft drew more mixed reviews than Richardson due to his boom-or-bust potential. After playing it safe with veteran quarterbacks, the Colts went all in on Richardson’s rare skill set and overlooked his lack of college experience and shaky fundamentals. Indianapolis, however, might not view Richardson as a gamble because of Shane Steichen’s track record of developing young quarterbacks—the coach has worked with Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert, with the Eagles and Chargers, respectively. If the 6'4", 232-pound Richardson reaches his high potential, the Colts could have the next Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen on their roster for years to come. But if Richardson is forced to play early in his rookie season, there could be a lot of mistakes on the field, especially if he doesn’t improve his accuracy after completing 53.8% of his passes at Florida last year.

Washington Commanders

Giving the ball to Sam Howell

Few teams are taking bigger gambles than Washington is with Howell.

The Commanders selected Howell out of North Carolina in the fifth round last spring, and he started only one game after that, in a meaningless Week 18 affair against the Cowboys. In that game, he went 11-of-19 for 169 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Somehow, that showing—along with a season’s worth of practice reps—earned enough confidence to give Howell the most important job on the team.

The second-year man is getting a chance to start, with veteran backup Jacoby Brissett waiting should anything go awry.

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Howell was a three-year starter with the Tar Heels, throwing 92 touchdowns against 23 picks while also completing 63.8% of his attempts. Now Howell will get his chance in the big league. But if he struggles, Washington can go to Jacoby Brissett, who has started 48 games over his NFL career, including 11 with the Browns last season.

However, it’s hard to argue Brissett is capable of leading the Commanders to a playoff spot, putting the onus on Howell to perform immediately and consistently.

Houston Texans

Trading a 2024 first-round pick for Will Anderson

Not many are expecting the Texans and Cardinals to field competitive teams this season, but only Houston has the pressure to produce wins after it traded its 2024 first-round pick to Arizona, selecting Anderson at No. 3 in April’s draft—just one pick after selecting C.J. Stroud. If next year’s projections are correct, the Cardinals could have the first two picks in a draft that will probably feature quarterbacks Caleb Williams and Drake Maye, which would then give Arizona the option of trading one of the valuable picks for more assets.

For the Texans to avoid being on the wrong end of a possible lopsided trade, Anderson will need to make an immediate impact and be a defensive force under DeMeco Ryans’s guidance for years to come. Stroud will also have pressure to deliver a memorable rookie season, considering this risky draft-day trade essentially proved the organization expects Stroud to be better or as good as next year’s quarterback prospects.

Chicago Bears

Not adding a big name at edge or corner

Ryan Poles went into this offseason with the most cap space of any general manager by a wide margin, but he didn’t spend a ton in free agency outside of linebacker.

In fairness to Poles, he might have had foresight. The Bears needed a ton of help both at edge and corner, but the free-agent market was lacking.

That said, there are still a litany of quality veterans available to assist in the pass rush, including Justin Houston, Yannick Ngakoue, Jason Pierre-Paul and Carlos Dunlap. While none of those names are long-term help (Ngakoue may be the exception), they could be pieces to flip at the trade deadline or even players who bring in a compensatory pick down the line.

Ultimately, though, the Bears find themselves with DeMarcus Walker, Trevis Gipson, Rasheem Green and Dominique Robinson largely making up the edge rotation. Those four players have a combined 48 sacks in their careers.

Green Bay Packers

Favoring Jordan Love over Aaron Rodgers

Technically, this gamble has been three years in the making—ever since the Packers drafted Love in the first round of the 2020 draft, straining their relationship with Rodgers (who answered by delivering back-to-back MVP seasons). With tension high amid a losing season, the Packers finally decided to move on from Rodgers, trading him to the Jets to officially begin the Love Era. The 6'4", 219-pound Love possesses athleticism and a strong arm, and he flashed in his 10 snaps against the Eagles last season. Rodgers has also raved about Love’s improvements in practices when it comes to fundamentals. Packers GM Brian Gutekunst and coach Matt LaFleur will learn whether the drama of the past three years was worth it come September.

“I feel more hungry than ever,” Love told Sports Illustrated in an exclusive interview.

Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports

Carolina Panthers

Taking Bryce Young

Nobody would argue with Young’s talent coming out of Alabama. He won Heisman Trophy honors while throwing for 8,200 yards, 79 touchdowns and 12 interceptions across his final two seasons with the Crimson Tide.

The questions are more about size. Young weighed in at 204 pounds at the combine, but many feel that number was inflated by about 15 pounds. He also checks in at 5'10", making him one of the shortest quarterbacks in modern NFL history.

If Young can withstand the rigors of NFL life, his ability should be enough to make the Panthers a tough out. He has talent around him in veteran receivers Adam Thielen, DJ Chark and Terrace Marshall Jr., along with running back Miles Sanders.

But if Young succumbs to injuries, many will wonder whether Carolina made a mistake by taking him instead of the larger C.J. Stroud out of Ohio State.

New England Patriots

Hiring Bill O’Brien as OC

O’Brien took over as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator after Bill Belichick’s failed experiment of having Matt Patricia and Joe Judge split offensive coaching duties in 2022. Not having one lead coaching voice led to a disappointing second season for Mac Jones, who threw for 2,997 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 14 games. It’s now on O’Brien to get Jones back on track, or the Patriots might seriously consider moving on from their ’21 first-round pick. (Quarterback Bailey Zappe had two respectable starts during his rookie season.) After being fired as head coach of the Texans, O’Brien joined Alabama as the offensive coordinator, helping Bryce Young win the Heisman Trophy and develop into the No. 1 pick in April. O’Brien was also instrumental in the development of Deshaun Watson with the Texans. Belichick is known for his stubbornness, but he’s giving Jones a fighting chance with the hiring of O’Brien.

Las Vegas Raiders

Believing in Jimmy Garoppolo

This was an offseason of seismic change for the Raiders. After having Derek Carr under center for nine seasons, they released the veteran before signing Garoppolo in free agency to a three-year deal.

Garoppolo did not participate in team OTAs as he recovers from surgery to address a left foot injury.

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However, this is already becoming a potentially regrettable decision. Garoppolo has no timetable to return from foot surgery, an injury the Raiders were aware of before announcing him at a one-day delayed press conference in March.

In nine NFL seasons, Garoppolo has started more than 10 games only twice. He’s consistently dealt with major injuries including a torn ACL, two ankle sprains, a fractured foot, two thumb ailments and more.

Banking on Garoppolo to play a majority of the season behind a questionable offensive line is a huge risk. Factor in his lack of long-range passing prowess, and this could be a gamble that ends up costing Josh McDaniels his job.

Los Angeles Rams

Parting with defensive starters

Aaron Donald will be surrounded by many inexperienced players after the team said goodbye to cornerback Jalen Ramsey, linebacker Bobby Wagner and edge rusher Leonard Floyd. Donald is seen as a football superhero with what he can do on the field, even with two or three players attempting to block him. But with a defensive roster that’s filled with unfamiliar names to the average football fan, it could be a long season for the defensive tackle—and you can’t help but wonder whether the Rams would consider trading him if the season quickly gets out of hand. Donald, a generational great, probably won’t complain about playing with rookies and undrafted free agents, especially after winning the Super Bowl in 2021 and making more than $30 million this season, but he might get tested if this starting unit ends up being the worst defense in the league.

Tennessee Titans

Not acquiring a top-end receiver earlier in the offseason

After trading A.J. Brown to the Eagles on draft night last spring, the Titans struggled to find production on the perimeter. All told, only the Ravens, Bears and Falcons had fewer receiving yards per game last year.

First-round pick Treylon Burks was limited to 10 games due to a toe injury, catching just 29 passes for 429 yards with a touchdown. The rest of the room was also underwhelming, including veteran Robert Woods and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.

GM Ran Carthon did little to improve the situation in free agency and the draft, but he made up for it by signing DeAndre Hopkins over the weekend. The move generated headlines, but it might not be wise to count on Hopkins to be the top target at age 31.

Denver Broncos

Trading for Sean Payton to fix Russell Wilson

For starters, the bigger gamble might be Payton taking a chance on the Broncos. The coach could have easily sat for another year after the jobs he likely desired (the Cowboys and Chargers) didn’t become available. Payton doesn’t have a Justin Herbert–like quarterback in Denver, and he took on a messy situation after the organization handed Wilson a lucrative contract extension (five years, $245 million) ahead of a dreadful season. Now it’s on Payton to fix the mess, but the Broncos are also gambling on the idea that the coach is refreshed from his year off—especially after trading a first-round pick to New Orleans for the right to hire him. This might be a forced partnership with a feel-out season before Payton completely rebuilds the roster the way he sees fit. And it wouldn’t be a surprise if he quickly pulls Wilson for backup Jarrett Stidham if the former starts 2023 as poorly as last season.

Atlanta Falcons

Not adding another proven wideout

If you’re going to bet big on a second-year quarterback, Desmond Ridder, it’s wise to give him all possible help.

Instead, GM Terry Fontenot stood pat outside of a small signing of Mack Hollins, who gives the Falcons a veteran depth piece on the perimeter. As things stand, only Drake London is a proven threat, and he's played all of 17 games at the NFL level. Last year as a rookie, the USC product caught 72 passes for 866 yards and four touchdowns, including a 120-yard effort against the Buccaneers in Week 18.

Pitts was out with a torn MCL at the end of last season, but he has since confirmed via social media that he will be ready for Week 1. 

Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports

While London and tight end Kyle Pitts are excellent targets, there’s little punch beyond them. Atlanta would have been well advised to find another capable talent, someone in the realm of Jakobi Meyers or JuJu Smith-Schuster. Instead, the Falcons are relying on Hollins, along with Scotty Miller and do-it-all first-year back Bijan Robinson.

It could all work out, but it could easily backfire as well

New York Giants

Paying Daniel Jones $40 million per year

After a slow first three seasons, Jones made drastic strides in 2022 under the guidance of coach Brian Daboll, which earned the quarterback a four-year, $160 million contract extension this offseason. This led many to wonder why the Giants made the investment after one good year; New York prioritized the skill positions this offseason in the hopes that it will lead to even more improvements from Jones, who had a subpar supporting cast (outside of running back Saquon Barkley) in 2022. New York traded for tight end Darren Waller, drafted wide receiver Jalin Hyatt and signed wide receiver Parris Campbell. Suddenly, Jones has a strong crew of pass catchers with wideouts Sterling Shepard, Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson and Isaiah Hodgins also on the roster. It’s time for Jones, the ’19 No. 6 pick, to play like a top-10 quarterback after receiving a new deal and additional weapons this offseason.

Seattle Seahawks

Giving Geno Smith a multiyear deal

By signing Smith to a three-year deal, GM John Schneider gave himself the ability to sign free agents, as the cap hit was smaller than a franchise tag would have been.

However, Smith is now tied to Seattle for three years and $75 million, including $40 million guaranteed. The deal isn’t one that could hurt the franchise if Smith regresses to his previous form, but Seattle is still paying out cap hits of $31.2 and $33.7 million in 2024 and ’25, with dead money totaling $26.1 million if he’s released.

Schneider is showing his faith in Smith, who, at 33, has seemingly found himself. And if that’s the case, the Seahawks have a Pro Bowl quarterback on a cheap deal. However, should Smith revert, Seattle is locked into meaningful money without any young option behind him. 

Pittsburgh Steelers

Buying Kenny Pickett’s rookie flashes

Tomlin has never had a losing season in his 16 years as head coach of the Steelers.

Jessica Rapfogel/USA TODAY Sports

Judging from Pickett’s body of work from his rookie season, it’s fair to wonder why the Steelers seemed content with making him QB1 in 2023 without any competition this summer. Pickett had a subpar stat line of 2,404 passing yards with seven touchdowns and nine interceptions, and he averaged a lackluster 6.18 yards per attempt in 12 starts last season. But coach Mike Tomlin is all about wins and losses, and the Steelers won six of their final sevens games in ’22 with Pickett as the starter. Pickett also displayed, at times, that he can be more than a game manager. According to Pro Football Focus, Pickett had the second-highest passing grade from Weeks 12 to 18, behind only Joe Burrow. Now Pickett will need to put together a consistent Year 2 (with an uptick in yards per attempt) to truly prove he can be a franchise quarterback in Pittsburgh.

Minnesota Vikings

Not extending Kirk Cousins or having a long-term plan

This may prove to be the correct decision by Minnesota, but it remains a risky one. Cousins turns 35 years old in August, and while nobody is clamoring for him to be given a four-year deal, keeping him around for a few more seasons is reasonable.

Cousins draws plenty of ire, but he’s been remarkably consistent. Over the past eight years, the quarterback has thrown for at least 4,000 yards seven times. He’s also topped 25 touchdown passes in all eight campaigns while making four Pro Bowl appearances.

With Nick Mullens as Cousins’s backup, Minnesota doesn’t have a long-term answer at the position. The latter is a free agent after this year, and while the Vikings could retain him, it won’t be cheap.

At some point, the front office either needs to extend Cousins at a respectable number or find his replacement in the draft while potentially playing a bridge option in 2024.

Cleveland Browns

Not having buyer’s remorse with Deshaun Watson

The Browns didn’t get many results in Year 1 from their massive investment in Watson, whom they acquired for multiple first-round picks, a historic fully guaranteed $230 million contract and endless amounts of scrutiny. The five-year deal was signed in the 2022 offseason, but it will remain the organization’s biggest gamble for years to come. After serving an 11-game suspension for sexual harassment and sexual assault alleged by more than two dozen women, Watson struggled in his first six games with the Browns—his first games since playing for the Texans in ’20. (He completed 58.2% of his passes and averaged 183.7 passing yards per game, both single-season career lows.) Cleveland desperately needs Watson to regain his rhythm. He’ll have a strong supporting cast on the field with tight end David Njoku, wide receiver Amari Cooper, running back Nick Chubb and guard Joel Bitonio.

Los Angeles Chargers

Retaining HC Brandon Staley

Deciding not to fire Staley could propel the Chargers as they settle in for his third season ... or haunt them for years to come.

Staley came under considerable fire after playing his starters in the aforementioned meaningless Week 18 game, during which Williams was lost for the playoffs. Then, in the wild-card round, Los Angeles blew a 27-point lead despite being +5 in the turnover ratio.

Many believed Staley would be fired in the aftermath, but he survived despite Sean Payton being available. Ultimately, Payton landed with the Broncos, perhaps partially because the Chargers would have needed to pay the coach an unapproachable amount.

Staley was hired as the Chargers’ first head coach with a a defensive background in over a decade.

Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

Regardless, Staley remains the coach of a team with aspirations of a deep playoff run. If Los Angeles falls short of that goal, it’s likely the Chargers move on and look for Herbert’s third coach in his first five seasons.

Dallas Cowboys

Trading for Brandin Cooks and Stephon Gilmore

Instead of splurging in free agency, the Cowboys traded for wide receiver Cooks and cornerback Gilmore, sending Day 3 draft picks to the Texans and Colts, respectively. It was a creative way of improving the roster without having to overpay for players on the open market and probably the necessary option with limited cap space due to Dak Prescott’s hefty contract. (The Cowboys also kept in mind the looming contract extensions for Micah Parsons, Trevon Diggs and CeeDee Lamb.) Although that approach was a smart move financially, Dallas is now banking on two players who might be past their primes. Gilmore proved last season with the Colts he still has plenty left to offer, but he’s heading into his age-33 season. Cooks is younger—he’ll turn 30 in September—but he’s coming off a down 2022 season and has dealt with many injuries in his career. The Cowboys need Cooks to be a standout No. 2 wideout to Lamb and for Gilmore to do the same for Diggs if they want to finally get past the divisional round.

Miami Dolphins

Not upgrading at backup quarterback

Last year, the Dolphins were without Tua Tagovailoa for five games, including their playoff loss in Buffalo. While it’s tough to argue general manager Chris Grier should have re-signed the oft-injured Teddy Bridgewater, the position of backup quarterback in Miami seems underfunded.

With Bridgewater gone, the Dolphins signed former Jets backup Mike White to compete with Skylar Thompson. White has started seven games in his career (he has eight appearances) and thrown eight touchdowns against 12 interceptions. Not exactly the answer for a title contender if Tagovailoa has to miss time.

This winter, Grier could have earmarked money to try to land Andy Dalton, Taylor Heinicke or Gardner Minshew, all quarterbacks with far more experience and upside. In the cases of Dalton and Heinicke, both are former starters who have been in playoff games.

Instead, Miami is relying on the combination of Thompson and White. It’s risky and bordering on reckless.

New York Jets

Rodgers could make the Jets a legit Super Bowl contender, if he plays better than last season.

John Jones/USA TODAY Sports

Trading for Aaron Rodgers

Adding a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback probably doesn’t feel like a gamble for the Jets, but there are a few risks involved with Rodgers’s arrival. He’s entering his age-40 season, and coming off a down year, for his lofty standards (3,695 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, 12 interceptions). It’s fair to note, however, that Rodgers was dealing with injuries, and he was playing with an inexperienced receiving corps and a subpar offensive line in 2022. But if the quarterback doesn’t return to top form—say he has a Russell Wilson–like first season in New York—the Jets likely won’t be able to move on, given they are on the hook for Rodgers’s 2024 guaranteed salary of $58.3 million. The season hasn’t started yet, but the Rodgers trade already hurt the Jets in the draft, too: Because New York swapped picks with Green Bay, moving down from No. 13 to 15 in the first round, they were barred from potentially grabbing offensive tackle Broderick Jones, who went to the Steelers at No. 14. What’s more, the Jets should have some concerns after failing to make it work with Brett Favre 15 years ago.

Detroit Lions

Not adding another receiver

Detroit has talent on the perimeter, but it will be missing second-year receiver Jameson Williams for part of the season.

Williams was suspended six games for violating the NFL’s gambling policy, leaving Amon-Ra St. Brown as the lone big-play threat until late October. In 2022, St. Brown caught 106 passes for 1,161 yards and six touchdowns, pacing Detroit in all three categories. Unfortunately for the franchise, there wasn’t much behind St. Brown, with Kalif Raymond being the second-most productive wideout with 616 yards.

After trading up to the No. 12 pick in last year's draft to get Williams, while he rehabbed from a torn ACL, the thought was he would pair with St. Brown to stretch and overwhelm defenses. Now, with his talents sidelined for a tough early stretch, the Lions are relying heavily on a rookie back in Jahmyr Gibbs and a supporting cast that seems a bit too thin to scare good defenses until Williams returns.

Baltimore Ravens

Signing Lamar Jackson to a long-term extension

The Ravens’ contract dilemma with Jackson was one of the biggest storylines of the offseason, and it peaked after the 2019 MVP quarterback announced that he had requested a trade. But the Eagles provided the blueprint for getting a deal done after re-signing Jalen Hurts to a five-year, $255 million contract; soon after, Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million contract to become the newest highest-paid player in the league. It would have been disastrous for the Ravens to trade a franchise quarterback in the midst of his prime, but there’s still risk in signing Jackson, who has missed a combined 10 games in the past two seasons due to injury (including last season’s playoff loss to the Bengals). For the Ravens to repair their relationship with Jackson, they added Odell Beckham Jr., overpaying for the veteran wideout with a one-year, $15 million contract. Jackson remains one of the best quarterbacks in the league, but he hasn’t played at an MVP level since 2019

New Orleans Saints

Signing Derek Carr to a four-year deal

New Orleans needed to upgrade under center, and it did so with the signing of Carr. Giving him four years is another conversation.

Looking at his deal, Carr is locked in for two years. If the Saints want to move on before the third, they’d have to eat $17.1 million, unless they go the post–June 1 route. Ultimately, it’s a smart gamble by general manager Mickey Loomis, although the cavalcade of annual cap crunches won’t be helped by another serving of potential dead money.

With Carr, though, the Saints have an opportunity to not only win their division, but also advance in the postseason. The conference is weak, and the Superdome is one of the best home fields in sports.

For this deal to ultimately be worth it, Carr must finally win a playoff game or two, plus form a good partnership with coach Dennis Allen. Anything short of that, and both time and money has been wasted.

Buffalo Bills

Making it work with Stefon Diggs

Diggs has averaged 112 catches for nearly 1,400 yards in his three seasons in Buffalo.

Mark Konezny/USA TODAY Sports

Josh Allen recently asked the media to stop talking about the Diggs situation, claiming there’s nothing to be concerned about. But his team made it a big deal when Bills coach Sean McDermott said he was “very concerned,” and when Diggs was seen on the sideline screaming at his quarterback during the aforementioned playoff loss to the Bengals. The Bills clearly need to get their offense back on the same page, starting with Diggs, and then with offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. Buffalo’s offense regressed last year, and it especially struggled down the stretch during the transition season from Brian Daboll, who left to become the head coach of the Giants, to Dorsey. McDermott took a gamble by retaining Dorsey as his offensive play-caller, but that might not matter if the two coaches can’t get Diggs to buy in for 2023.

Philadelphia Eagles

Running the risk of age

Let’s be clear about this. The Eagles are right to be betting on their aging veterans. Nobody was clamoring to move on from All-Pro center Jason Kelce, or star corners James Bradberry and Darius Slay.

However, it’s a risk. Kelce and edge rusher Brandon Graham are both 35 years old. Bradberry will turn 30 this summer. Slay is 32. Standout right tackle Lane Johnson is 33. The production has been there consistently for each, but the questions on when they will fall off are also real.

If the Eagles can squeeze another year of top-end play out of their aging stars, they will be a force once again. If not, the onus falls on the rest of the roster, which is capable but also being asked to do much more than a season ago.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Quiet offseason after Calvin Ridley trade

Technically, the Jaguars’ biggest gamble (no pun intended) was trading for Ridley midway through the 2022 season, which Ridley missed completely because he was suspended for violating the league’s gambling policy while with the Falcons. This was part of why the Jaguars passed on making splash moves this offseason. (They were also limited with cap space after splurging the prior year in free agency.) Ridley could be the missing piece for Jacksonville to be a legitimate contender in the stacked AFC, and not just the pesky surprise team from a year ago. But adding Ridley doesn’t fill needs at other areas on the Jaguars’ roster, with question marks on the offensive line, and at edge rusher and linebacker. But if Ridley develops quick chemistry with Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguars could be a tough team to beat this season.

San Francisco 49ers

Believing in the right side of the line

If there’s one clear weakness of the 49ers, it’s the right side of their offensive line.

This spring, San Francisco watched as right tackle Mike McGlinchey signed a five-year, $87.5 million deal with the Broncos. While the Niners probably won’t regret not matching that money, his departure does leave a significant hole on the edge. To replace him, general manager John Lynch is likely rolling with Colton McKivitz, who has started five games across three years.

Meanwhile, the Niners are hoping for a better performance out of second-year guard Spencer Burford, who started 16 games as a rookie last season. Burford was inconsistent at best, struggling with both run blocking and pass protection. Pro Football Focus gave him a grade of 49.6, a number he’ll hope to raise substantially in 2023.

While the left side is strong with future Hall of Fame tackle Trent Williams and guard Aaron Banks, the right side is a major question mark.

Cincinnati Bengals

Signing LT Orlando Brown Jr.

One of the biggest surprises from this past offseason was the Chiefs allowing Brown to leave and sign with the Bengals, who likely weren’t expecting the top free-agent left tackle to be available. (Brown signed a four-year, $64 million deal with $43.5 million guaranteed.) The Bengals had the right idea upgrading Joe Burrow’s offensive line, but there might be a few red flags with this signing. The Chiefs weren’t willing to meet Brown’s contract demands, perhaps because they viewed him more as a system fit than as an elite left tackle.

Brown, along with center Ted Karras (left), will help bolster protection for Burrow.

Cara Owsley/The Enquirer/USA TODAY Network

It also doesn’t bode well that Brown had to let potential suitors know he wasn’t interested in playing right tackle. Jonah Williams asked for a trade after the Bengals told him he was moving from left tackle to right tackle this season, but Williams changed his tune last month and participated in the team’s minicamp. With him on board, it might have been the right move to bet on Brown as a top left tackle, giving Burrow with quality bookend tackles.

Kansas City Chiefs

Swapping out Patrick Mahomes’s tackles

After winning a Super Bowl with Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie working as the left and right tackles, respectively, the Chiefs decided to go in another direction this offseason.

Despite negotiations with Brown’s camp, Kansas City moved on and signed Jawaan Taylor to a four-year, $80 million deal. The original thought was to play Taylor at left tackle; however, general manager Brett Veach decided to keep him on the right side (where he played with the Jaguars), signing veteran Donovan Smith to protect Mahomes’s blindside instead.

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It’s a big risk, as Smith struggled mightily last year for the Buccaneers. While it’s true he battled through serious thumb and elbow injuries in 2022, it’s also true Smith has long taken too many penalties: He has amassed 59 over eight seasons, including 29 holding calls. By comparison, Brown has only seven holding calls to his name across five campaigns.

There’s a chance the Chiefs upgraded on both sides, but there’s also a reality where Smith doesn’t bounce back and Taylor has a difficult time adjusting to Mahomes’s unique brand of play.