Four of the Biggest Questions in NFL: NFC South Edition

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Who is RB1?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl and then returned every starter back to their roster, so there is no burning question other than if they can repeat or not. The one unknown (somewhat) for this team is who the lead running back is: Ronald Jones or Leonard Fournette. Jones led the way last season with 978 yards compared to Fournette’s 367. The easy answer is that there is going to be a committee, but that is probably going to be the case, and play it based on the hot hand. Tampa also added Gio Bernard to the mix, who brings excellent receiving skills out of the backfield, something Brady has thrived within his past. There are no holes on this team and it is not a crazy thought they can repeat as Super Bowl champs.

New Orleans Saints: Who is QB1?

The calendar has turned and the Drew Brees era in New Orleans is officially over. Now, who is the next man up. The two quarterbacks fighting for the starting job are Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston. Hill has been used as more of a wildcat player in his past, while Winston was the starting QB for Tampa Bay for five years. Winston is probably the favorite to win the job, but it is obvious New Orleans is hesitant to commit to one guy, so this will be a day-to-day thing all the way up until week 1.

Carolina Panthers: Is Sam Darnold the Answer?

QB Sam Darnold did not enjoy much success in New York with the Jets. Now, he gets his second chance with the Panthers. Carolina has built a solid culture and has a surplus of weapons for Darnold to use, something he never really had in New York. Darnold is going to be under a lot of pressure now because there is no excuse about “a bad coach” or “no receiver help”. The Panthers are a bubble team when it comes to making the playoffs, but a good season out of Sam Darnold will show a lot more promise even without a playoff bid.

Atlanta Falcons: Buyers or Sellers?

After the Julio Jones trade, it became clear that the Atlanta Falcons are sellers….or are they? Atlanta is coming into yet another year where there is no clear path for this team. Jones is gone, but Matt Ryan is still the quarterback under center on a team that has too many flaws to compete for a Super Bowl. They are also under a rookie head coach in Arthur Smith. Smith has the chance to be a good head coach but may not have the pieces that he wants, especially with an aging quarterback and no clear answer on who is behind him. Atlanta is at a crossroads and needs to figure out the identity of the team before the team becomes a mess and stuck in the same limbo once again.

Stats from profootballreference.com

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-By: Richie Dordas