2021 NFL notable offseason transactions and notes – NFC South
Atlanta Falcons
2020 Record: 4-12, 4th in NFC South
Coaching/Front Office Changes:
Additions:
GM Terry Fontenot (from NO)
HC Arthur Smith (former TEN OC) – Expect increase in play-action
OC Dave Ragone (former CHI passing coordinator)
DC Dean Pees (former TEN DC) – Expect more pressure
Subtractions:
HC Dan Quinn
OC Dirk Koetter
DC Jeff Ulbrich
Player Additions:
RB Mike Davis (from CAR)
TE Lee Smith (from BUF)
S Erik Harris (from LV)
LB Brandon Copeland (from NE)
CB Fabian Moreau (from WAS)
DL Tanoh Kpassagnon (from KC)
WR/KR Cordarrelle Patterson (from CHI)
DB Duron Harmon (from DET)
Player Subtractions:
WR Julio Jones
S Keanu Neal
S Ricardo Allen
S Damontae Kazee
DE Allen Bailey
C Alex Mack
G Justin McCray
G James Carpenter
DE Charles Harris
RB Ito Smith
RB Brian Hill
RB Todd Gurley
CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson
Draft:
RD (PK) PLAYER SCHOOL POS
1 (4) Kyle Pitts Florida TE
2 (8) Richie Grant UCF S
3 (4) Jalen Mayfield Michigan OT
4 (3) Darren Hall San Diego State CB
4 (9) Drew Dalman Stanford C
5 (4) Ta’Quon Graham Texas DT
5 (38) Adetokunbo Ogundeji Notre Dame DE
5 (39) Avery Williams Boise State CB
6 (3) Frank Darby Arizona State WR
2020 Offensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 16th, Yards/Gm – 18th, Pass Yards/Gm – 5th, Rush Yards/Gm – 27th,
Neutral Pace – 8th, Total Plays – 5th, Pass Plays – 4th, Run Plays – 20th,
Pass EPA – 13th, Rush EPA – 28th, aDOT – 5th,
Adjusted Line Yards – 25th, Adjusted Sack Rate – 18th, Pressure % – 13th
2020 Defensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 19th, Yards/Gm – 29th, Pass Yards/Gm – 32nd, Rush Yards/Gm – 6th,
Fantasy Points/Gm – 23rd, Pass EPA – 25th, Rush EPA – 3rd,
Blitz % – 12th, Adjusted Sack Rate – 23rd, Pressure % – 12th,
DvP vs. QB FPs/Gm – 32nd, DvP vs. RB FPs/Gm – 7th, DvP vs. WR FPs/Gm – 32nd, DvP vs. TE FPs/Gm – 30th
Projected Starting Lineup:
QB: Matt Ryan
RB: Mike Davis
3RB: Mike Davis
WR: Calvin Ridley
WR: Russell Gage
TE: Kyle Pitts (R)
TE: Hayden Hurst
Notes:
Current projected win total across most books: 7.5
Strength of schedule rank: 15 (Based on opposition current projected win totals). Higher number means easier schedule.
Offense:
RB Davis potential 3-down role. O-line still problematic as bottom 3 in NFC.
Defense:
Front 7 is weak, bottom 2-3 in NFC.
Carolina Panthers
2020 Record: 5-11, 3rd in NFC South
Coaching/Front Office Changes:
Additions:
GM Scott Fitterer
Subtractions:
GM Marty Hurney
Player Additions:
QB Sam Darnold (from NYJ)
EDGE Haason Reddick (from ARI)
DL Morgan Fox (from LAR)
CB A.J. Bouye (from DEN)
G Pat Elfelin (from NYJ)
OT Cameron Erving (from DAL)
WR David Moore (from SEA)
TE Dan Arnold (from ARI)
RB Royce Freeman
Player Subtractions:
RB Mike Davis
WR Curtis Samuel
DT Woodrow Hamilton
DT Kawann Short
DE Stephen Weatherly
S Tre Boston
P Michael Palardy
WR Amara Darboh
DT Zach Kerr
TE Chris Manhertz
FB Alex Armah
QB Teddy Bridgewater
WR David Moore
Draft:
RD (PK) PLAYER SCHOOL POS
1 (8) Jaycee Horn South Carolina CB
2 (27) Terrace Marshall Jr. LSU WR
3 (6) Brady Christensen BYU OT
3 (20) Tommy Tremble Notre Dame TE
4 (21) Chuba Hubbard Oklahoma State RB
5 (14) Daviyon Nixon Iowa DT
5 (22) Keith Taylor Washington CB
6 (9) Deonte Brown Alabama OG
6 (20) Shi Smith South Carolina WR
6 (38) Thomas Fletcher Alabama LS
7 (4) Phil Hoskins Kentucky DT
2020 Offensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 24th, Yards/Gm – 21st, Pass Yards/Gm – 18th, Rush Yards/Gm – 21st,
Neutral Pace – 29th, Total Plays – 26th, Pass Plays – 22nd, Run Plays – 21st,
Pass EPA – 16th, Rush EPA – 22nd, aDOT – 26th,
Adjusted Line Yards – 18th, Adjusted Sack Rate – 17th, Pressure % – 21st
2020 Defensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 18th, Yards/Gm – 18th, Pass Yards/Gm – 18th, Rush Yards/Gm – 20th,
Fantasy Points/Gm – 16th, Pass EPA – 24th, Rush EPA – 20th,
Blitz % – 24th, Adjusted Sack Rate – 21st, Pressure % – 23rd,
DvP vs. QB FPs/Gm – 21st, DvP vs. RB FPs/Gm – 25th, DvP vs. WR FPs/Gm – 12th, DvP vs. TE FPs/Gm – 25th
Projected Starting Lineup:
QB: Sam Darnold
RB: Christian McCaffrey
3RB: Christian McCaffrey
WR: D.J. Moore
WR: Robby Anderson
WR: Terrace Marshall Jr. (R)
TE: Dan Arnold
Notes:
Current projected win total across most books: 7.5
Strength of schedule rank: 13 (Based on opposition current projected win totals). Higher number means easier schedule.
Offense:
O-line is weak, bottom 2 in NFC.
Defense:
Cover 3 Zone.
CB A.J. Bouye suspended Weeks 1-2.
Front 7 top 1/3 in league.
New Orleans Saints
2020 Record: 12-4, 1st in NFC South
Player Additions:
FB Alex Armah (from CAR)
TE Nick Vannett (from DEN)
Player Subtractions:
DT Sheldon Rankins
DE Trey Hendrickson
WR Emmanuel Sanders
LB Kwon Alexander
CB Janoris Jenkins
CB Justin Hardee
CB Prince Amukamara
DT Malcolm Brown
LB Alex Anzalone
G Nick Easton
TE Jared Cook
TE Josh Hill
P Thomas Morstead
QB Drew Brees
DL Malcom Brown
DE Noah Spence
FB Michael Burton
Injuries:
WR Michael Thomas (ankle) – Placed on PUP. Will miss a minimum of 6 games.
K Wil Lutz (groin)
Draft:
RD (PK) PLAYER SCHOOL POS
1 (28) Payton Turner Houston DE
2 (28) Pete Werner Ohio State ILB
3 (12) Paulson Adebo Stanford CB
4 (28) Ian Book Notre Dame QB
6 (22) Landon Young Kentucky OT
7 (28) Kawaan Baker South Alabama WR
2020 Offensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 5th, Yards/Gm – 12th, Pass Yards/Gm – 19th, Rush Yards/Gm – 6th,
Neutral Pace – 28th, Total Plays – 8th, Pass Plays – 25th, Run Plays – 5th,
Pass EPA – 15th, Rush EPA – 4th, aDOT – 31st,
Adjusted Line Yards – 4th, Adjusted Sack Rate – 13th, Pressure % – 15th
2020 Defensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 5th, Yards/Gm – 4th, Pass Yards/Gm – 5th, Rush Yards/Gm – 4th,
Fantasy Points/Gm – 7th, Pass EPA – 6th, Rush EPA – 4th,
Blitz % – 14th, Adjusted Sack Rate – 3rd, Pressure % – 7th,
DvP vs. QB FPs/Gm – 4th, DvP vs. RB FPs/Gm – 1st, DvP vs. WR FPs/Gm – 13th, DvP vs. TE FPs/Gm – 19th
Projected Starting Lineup:
QB: Jameis Winston
RB: Alvin Kamara
3RB: Alvin Kamara
WR: Tre’Quan Smith
WR: Marquez Callaway
TE: Nick Vannett
TE: Adam Trautman
Notes:
Current projected win total across most books: 9
Strength of schedule rank: 29 (Based on opposition current projected win totals). Higher number means easier schedule.
Offense:
O-Line projects to be very strong.
RB Kamara – In the 8 games without WR Thomas last season, Kamara averaged 8.6 targets, 7 catches, 70.2 rec. yards, and 30.9 PPR points.
Defense:
Cover 2 Man. Defense projects to remain man-cover heavy. CBs should be strong.
Potential shadow – CB Marshon Lattimore. Target LCB across from Lattimore.
Starting DT David Onyemata (PEDs) suspended for 6 games.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2020 Record: 11-5, 2nd in NFC South
Coaching/Front Office Changes:
Player Additions:
RB Giovani Bernard (from CIN)
CB Antonio Hamilton (from KC)
Player Subtractions:
S Andrew Adams
OT Joe Haeg
Draft:
RD (PK) PLAYER SCHOOL POS
1 (32) Joe Tryon Washington OLB
2 (32) Kyle Trask Florida QB
3 (32) Robert Hainsey Notre Dame OT
4 (24) Jaelon Darden North Texas WR
5 (32) K.J. Britt Auburn ILB
7 (24) Chris Wilcox BYU CB
7 (32) Grant Stuard Houston OLB
2020 Offensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 3rd, Yards/Gm – 7th, Pass Yards/Gm – 2nd, Rush Yards/Gm – 28th,
Neutral Pace – 4th, Total Plays – 19th, Pass Plays – 6th, Run Plays – 29th,
Pass EPA – 5th, Rush EPA – 10th, aDOT – 2nd,
Adjusted Line Yards – 11th, Adjusted Sack Rate – 3rd, Pressure % – 32nd
2020 Defensive Rankings:
Points/Gm – 8th, Yards/Gm – 6th, Pass Yards/Gm – 21st, Rush Yards/Gm – 1st,
Fantasy Points/Gm – 8th, Pass EPA – 5th, Rush EPA – 1st,
Blitz % – 5th, Adjusted Sack Rate – 6th, Pressure % – 3rd,
DvP vs. QB FPs/Gm – 16th, DvP vs. RB FPs/Gm – 4th, DvP vs. WR FPs/Gm – 23rd, DvP vs. TE FPs/Gm – 23rd
Projected Starting Lineup:
QB: Tom Brady
RB: Leonard Fournette
3RB: Giovani Bernard
WR: Mike Evans
SWR: Chris Godwinn
WR: Antonio Brown
TE: Rob Gronkowski
TE: O.J. Howard
Notes:
Current projected win total across most books: 11.5
Strength of schedule rank: 5 (Based on opposition current projected win totals). Higher number means easier schedule.
Team remains mostly unchanged.
Offense:
Defense:
Cover 3.
Front 7 league best.
