As NFL training camps open, Sky Sports presenter Neil Reynolds asks one burning question for all 32 teams, beginning in the AFC; the 2023 NFL season begins on Thursday September 7 when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Detroit Lions live on Sky Sports in the early hours of Friday morning
Saturday 29 July 2023 08:26, UK
Are the Jacksonville Jaguars perennial contenders? Can Sean Payton fix Russell Wilson? What impact will rookie quarterbacks CJ Stroud and Anthony Richardson have? Neil Reynolds asks one burning question for all 32 NFL teams, starting with the AFC...
NFL training camps have opened across the United States and myself and our Sky Sports NFL film crew are hitting the road. We are visiting 10 teams in 12 days that will cover sea to shining sea and many miles in between, including stops at both squads who featured in last season's Super Bowl in the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles.
As hope springs eternal around the league, these are my key questions that will need to be answered when the new season kicks off.
In the spirit of fairness, I present one for every team and we start in the American Football Conference...
Will Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs repair their relationship in Buffalo?
Superstar quarterback and receiver must get on the same page if the Bills - who have come close in recent years - are to mount another Super Bowl challenge in 2023. Stefon Diggs publicly melted down in the direction of Josh Allen during the playoff loss to Cincinnati and then was absent at the start of mini camps in June, leading head coach Sean McDermott to admit he was "very concerned". Watch this space.
Can Tua Tagovailoa be a year-long starter for the Miami Dolphins?
The Dolphins had one of the most explosive passing attacks in the NFL a year ago when Tua Tagovailoa was at the helm. But he suffered two and possibly three concussions throughout the season and Miami limped into the playoffs with third-stringer Skylar Thompson under center. Tua's health is a constant concern for a team that otherwise appears capable of mounting a genuine Super Bowl challenge.
Can Bill Belichick coax enough offense out of his New England Patriots?
New England's offense ranked 26th in the NFL a year ago and leaned far too heavily on a tough and opportunistic defense. There was not nearly enough production out of second-year quarterback Mac Jones, who seemed to lose faith in the system. Enter Bill O'Brien to serve as offensive coordinator. The Pats missed out on DeAndre Hopkins but did add JuJu Smith-Schuster at WR. Will it be enough?
Does the arrival of Aaron Rodgers make the New York Jets Super Bowl contenders?
The Jets looked spicy early in 2022 before losing their final six games and seven of their last eight. Without delving too deeply into the X's and O's, it became clear that the growth - or lack thereof - of quarterback Zach Wilson was a real issue. There is exciting young talent on both sides of the ball but the key to Super Bowl glory rests on the 39-year-old arm of Aaron Rodgers, who starts afresh after 18 Hall of Fame years in Green Bay.
Will Baltimore's offense look drastically different in 2023?
The Ravens have been a run-first offense for as long as Lamar Jackson has been their quarterback. But could the former NFL MVP - who signed a long-term contract extension in the offseason - be about to lead a new-look attack? Odell Beckham Jr. joins first-round receivers in Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, as well as Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews. No wonder Lamar is boasting he could throw for 7,000 yards!
Can Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals seal the deal?
There is no doubting the fact that Joe Burrow is one of the most talented quarterbacks to grace the NFL in recent times. Now he and his Super Bowl-ready squad need to seal the deal. The Bengals were five minutes and one drive from beating the Rams in the Super Bowl at the end of the 2021 season and lost narrowly to the Chiefs in Kansas City in the 2022 season's AFC Championship Game. Is 2023 going to be their year?
Will Deshaun Watson be an improved quarterback for the Cleveland Browns?
Whether you want to root for him or not, Deshaun Watson is not going away and he enters 2023 as the most important player on what is a talented Cleveland Browns roster. Watson was one of the worst quarterbacks in the league last season as he returned from a nearly two-year hiatus and a lengthy NFL ban relating to 24 sexual assault claims.
Will the Pittsburgh Steelers avoid another losing season under Mike Tomlin?
The Steelers have never had one in 16 years under the leadership of Mike Tomlin, so why start now? There are encouraging signs on offense thanks to the in-season growth of rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett and rising star wide receiver George Pickens. If the Steelers can get a full season out of edge rusher T.J. Watt, their defense will be stout once again and a spot in the AFC playoffs is a very realistic goal.
How quickly will rookie C.J. Stroud make an impact for the Houston Texans
The Texans will hope that the answer to that question is 'very soon'. This franchise has been direction-less for a few years and desperately needs C.J. Stroud to be the answer and the face of this team for the next 10 or 15 seasons. Patience will be required because talent levels on what was the league's 31st-ranked offense from a year ago are still pretty low. Will Anderson Jr. is well worth monitoring on defense.
When will we see Anthony Richardson at quarterback for Indianapolis?
Gardner Minshew is an option to hold down the fort until the Colts' first-rounder - who started just 13 games in college - is deemed ready for the professional level. If he can handle a little adversity from the mental side of things, Richardson should be thrown in from Week 1 and learn on the job. Success for the Colts in 2023 means coming out of the season knowing they have their long-term guy at quarterback.
Are the Jacksonville Jaguars now established as perennial contenders in the AFC?
We're about to find out because Doug Pederson, Trevor Lawrence and friends are not about to sneak up on anybody after their strong finish to 2022 resulted in the Jags reaching the NFL's final eight. This team has experienced false dawns before, but Pederson is a high-end coach, Lawrence is the real deal and the young talent on both sides of the ball is encouraging. These Jags could be built to last.
Who will be the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans?
Ryan Tannehill has been Tennessee's starter since midway through 2019 and whichever numbers you look at, he has been a top 10 NFL quarterback during that run. But you have to ask yourself why the Titans keep drafting young passers, starting with Malik Willis in 2022 and Will Levis in 2023? Tannehill's hold on this job is tenuous at best and Levis could be starting by the time the Titans play in London in mid-October.
Can new Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton fix Russell Wilson?
The Broncos were knee-deep in the Russell Wilson mess from a contract point of view, so rather than move on from the struggling veteran - which was financially impossible - they tempted quarterback-whispering coach Sean Payton out of the television studio to fix an ailing Wilson. Will it be enough? That remains to be seen. Wilson was so poor that he sent fissures crackling through the foundations of the entire team in a disastrous 2022 campaign.
Are Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs hungry for more Super Bowl success?
That certainly seems to be the case. Patrick Mahomes doesn't publicly talk about Tom Brady and his seven Super Bowl wins, but it has to be in the back of his mind. Mahomes has already played in three and won two at the age of 27. Travis Kelce is key at tight end but some of the other pieces around Mahomes can change annually. As long as Mahomes is at the helm and Andy Reid is calling the plays, KC has a real chance.
How much can the Las Vegas Raiders trust new quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo?
Jimmy Garoppolo appears to be an ideal fit for the Raiders and his working knowledge of Josh McDaniels' attack is a positive. He might be better than Derek Carr in the short passing game and in the red zone and there is reason to believe he can succeed with Davante Adams at receiver. So why is the football world waiting to be convinced? Garoppolo's injury history (missing 30 regular season games in the last five seasons) is a good place to start.
Can the Los Angeles Chargers bounce back from their disappointing end to 2022?
It's been hard for the Chargers to wash off the stench of blowing a 27-point lead in the playoffs against Jacksonville. So there has been quite a bit of negative talk in LA. That got blown away this week when Justin Herbert signed a five-year extension making him the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history. An average of more than $52m per year may seem steep, but Herbert is elite and is worth that going rate.
