The biggest wish for every NFL fanbase in 2023

Arizona is set for big changes in 2023, as Kyler Murray is unlikely to be ready for the start of the season due to a torn ACL, and Kliff Kingsbury and Steve Keim are gone. Additionally, the team could look to trade DeAndre Hopkins, and J.J. Watt opted to retire. The expectations for the coming season are low, but a new beginning could be profitable if the right leadership is installed.

Marcus Mariota was only seen as a placeholder when he was signed to replace Matt Ryan, and the experiment didn’t go well. The jury is still out on 2022 draftee Desmond Ridder, though the rest of the plan is starting to come together with capable weapons Tyler Allgeier, Drake London, and Kyle Pitts. It’s unclear what direction the team will go at quarterback next season, but a more capable passer under Arthur Smith could put the Falcons back in position to compete in the winnable NFC South.

The perceived distance between Jackson and the Ravens regarding his contract continues to widen, with no clear end in sight. It remains to be seen if the two parties will come to terms in 2023 or if he will play under the franchise tag, but the current situation is untenable over the long term. The former league MVP remains the face of the franchise in the meantime, and most Ravens fans would be heartbroken to see him go elsewhere.

Buffalo’s playoff luck couldn’t be much worse, including their string for four consecutive Super Bowl losses in the early 1990s, the Music City Miracle, and last year’s 13-second miracle against the Chiefs. Bills fans deserve a championship and have the squad to do it.

The Panthers have used patchwork quarterbacks since moving on from Cam Newton, and the results haven’t been favorable. They have an opportunity to address the position in the draft or free agency this offseason. They can ill-afford to make the same mistakes they did with Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, and Baker Mayfield.

Chicago has a wealth of draft and cap resources heading into the offseason, so the pressure is on second-year GM Ryan Poles to produce. The team is set to make a splash in free agency as they build around Justin Fields, and they can also add another franchise player or add more draft capital with the first overall pick in the draft. Poles’ offseason decisions could determine the team’s success or failure for the next five years.

The Bengals just fell short in last year’s Super Bowl against the Rams, though they arguably have more momentum going into this year’s playoffs. Joe Burrow and company are playing at an extremely high level after a slow start to the season, while the offensive line and secondary have been rectified after showing weakness last year. Cincinnati could be headed to a second consecutive Super Bowl but would prefer a better result this time around.

After sitting 11 games due to a suspension, Watson wasn’t quite right when he returned to action in Week 13. Understandably, nearly two years off the field would cause some rust. Still, the Browns desperately need the former version rather than the quarterback who completed only 58% of his passes and threw five interceptions in six games.

As he gets deeper into his golden years, owners Jerry Jones seems more anxious to win another Super Bowl ring. The Cowboys suffered a disappointing loss in last year’s playoffs despite a star-studded roster, but they have much higher hopes this time around. Anything short of an NFC Championship appearance would disappoint fans and put head coach Mike McCarthy on notice.

Few teams were more disappointing than the Broncos in 2022, and the root of that disappointment was Wilson’s regression. He went 4-11 as a starter, completing a career-worst 60.5% of his passes with only 16 touchdowns. We did start to see some improvement from Wilson after Nathaniel Hackett was fired, so perhaps a new voice will get Wilson back on track. If not, the Broncos will be in poor shape, given the amount of money owed to Wilson.

The Lions missed the playoffs in 2022 but had an encouraging turnaround under Dan Campbell, finishing 9-8 with one of the top offenses in the NFL. Campbell has clearly brought a new attitude to Detroit, and there seems to be buy-in from players and fans. The NFC North looks wide open for the foreseeable future, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the Lions will be favored to win the division entering next season.

The Aaron Rodgers saga will play itself out for another offseason, but regardless of what happens with Rodgers, the Packers need to address their offensive personnel. They saw promise from rookie wideouts Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, but the team needs to add more weapons for either Rodgers or Jordan Love.

Houston lost the first overall pick in the draft after beating Indianapolis in Week 18. However, they still have a great opportunity to find their next signal caller with the second pick and plenty of additional draft capital. It’s expected the rebuilding squad will add a rookie quarterback this year, likely from the trio of Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Will Levis, and making the right choice could determine the team’s success over the next 10-plus years.

Since the surprising retirement of Andrew Luck in 2018, the Colts have used one bandage after another to fill in at quarterback. That strategy has come back to bite them over the last two seasons, as Carson Wentz and Matt Ryan failed to lead the team to the playoffs. It appears the Colts are finally committed to adding a top prospect in the draft.

Head coach Doug Pederson has been everything the Jags could have hoped for since he was hired last offseason, developing Trevor Lawrence and leading the team to an AFC South title immediately. For all the progress the Jaguars made this season, there’s still a lot of room for growth from the squad that finished 10th in points scored. There might not be much help added after the team spent so aggressively in free agency last offseason. Still, young players like Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Christian Kirk, and the return of Calvin Ridley from suspension could allow Jacksonville to keep ascending.

Incredibly, the Chiefs have hosted four consecutive AFC Championships but have only one Super Bowl ring to show for those efforts. Mahomes is set to win his second MVP this year, but he’d probably prefer his second Super Bowl ring. As the top seed in the AFC, the Chiefs have a golden opportunity to host another parade.

The first year of Josh McDaniels in Vegas was a huge disappointment at 6-11, and a rebuild looks imminent. The path is similar to McDaniels’ time in Denver when he moved on from Jay Cutler early in his tenure. The end to that stay was ugly, as handpicked quarterback Tim Tebow floundered in the NFL. McDaniels has another critical quarterback decision to make with the Raiders with the expectation that the team will move on from Derek Carr.

For all the criticism head coach Brandon Staley has received this season, he has done a remarkable job keeping his team together for a playoff run despite multiple major injuries. Injuries have been a theme for the Chargers organization over the last several years and sidetracked some outstanding rosters. While injuries are the name of the game in the NFL, the Chargers seem to have worse luck than your average team. Perhaps their fortunes will finally turn around in 2023, leading to a Super Bowl run.

The Rams kicked the can down the road the last several years while they traded draft picks and turned a blind eye to their long-term cap situation. The moves finally came back to haunt them in 2022. Without much draft pick capital or cap room, the Rams are in a tough spot, yet they still have the core of the roster that won a Super Bowl one year ago. It’s not impossible that LA could make some noise once more in 2023 if Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald, and company have healthier seasons.

We’ve seen good and bad in Miami this season, as Tua Tagovailoa has taken a major step forward on the field under Mike McDaniel but also suffered at least two concussions. It’s fair to ask about his football future at this point, and it’s also worth pointing out Tagovailoa’s history of other injury ailments in college and earlier in his NFL career. The Dolphins have the weapons to be AFC contenders again, but Tagovailoa’s status is what’s most pressing heading into the offseason.

What a year its been for the Vikings, finishing the regular season 13-4 with a close, memorable win almost weekly. The run has included a record 33-point comeback against the Colts, a miracle fumble recovery at Buffalo, and more. The run has been a treat for Vikings fans, though it remains to be seen if the wins are sustainable. With a negative points differential during the regular season, Minnesota will likely be picked by many to regress next season. Still, the hope is that Kirk Cousins and company can keep the magic going.

The thought that the Patriots would replace veteran offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels with former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia this season was laughable, but it’s no laughing matter. New England and quarterback Mac Jones faded with the change, and it’s clear that the Pats need to bring in a true offensive mind for 2023.

It’s never easy to replace legendary quarterbacks, and the Saints have had their issues replacing Drew Brees. Between injuries and poor play, Jameis Winston has been unable to be a viable option, and Andy Dalton wasn’t much better in 2022. The organization knows they need improvement, though they’re also handicapped without a first-round pick and minimal cap space.

Daniel Jones’ improvement was one of the best stories of 2022, as the fourth-year quarterback proved he could be the team’s long-term signal caller with the help of new head coach Brian Daboll and coordinator Mike Kafka. His improvement also came with a motley crew of unknown weapons at wideout, an area that the Giants are likely to address this offseason. While breakout seasons from Richie James and Isaiah Hodgins should be applauded, the team needs to bring in a more reliable No. 1 wideout.

The Jets can’t seem to catch a break at quarterback, with past first-round picks Sam Darnold and Zach Wilson struggling in the Big Apple. Even before that duo, the Jets have had a long run of poor quarterback play, and we need to go back to Chad Pennington in the 2000s for a signal-caller that was universally liked by fans. With a strong defense and offensive weapons, the Jets could search the quarterback market for a proven veteran to complete the team.

The Eagles’ loaded roster has really come together this season, earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC despite some struggles late in the year with Jalen Hurts sidelined. The team has looked elite on both sides of the ball, though late-season injuries to the secondary, offensive line, and Hurts could derail what has otherwise been a great run. Philly desperately needed the playoff bye week that they earned and hopes that Hurts is 100% for a playoff run when their playoff season begins.

The jury is out on Kenny Pickett, but he played some entertaining football in the process, with three fourth-quarter comebacks. A change at offensive coordinator is the most popular solution offered by the fanbase, though the team also needs to keep improving the offensive line. A 7-5 record as a starter from Pickett was a fine accomplishment for a rookie, but the expectations will be much higher in 2023.

It’s been a long season for the 49ers, losing quarterbacks Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo to season-ending injuries. Fortunately, rookie Brock Purdy has looked like a seasoned pro since he was installed, going 5-0 as a starter in Kyle Shanahan’s quarterback-friendly offense. Obviously, his biggest test is yet to come in the playoffs, but Purdy wouldn’t be the first backup quarterback to lead his team to the Super Bowl.

Seattle has been one of the biggest surprises of 2022, earning a playoff berth despite moving on from veterans Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner last offseason. Geno Smith’s strong play has been the big story, but the team’s youngsters have also come up big, including rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen. With the Rams and Cardinals showing a clear decline this season, the window is open for the Seahawks to continue their climb with a very young roster and an enviable stock of draft capital.

Tampa Bay managed to win a weak NFC South division, though they’ve shown very little semblance of the team that won the Super Bowl two years ago and challenged the Rams in the playoffs last season. Big changes could be in store for the veteran roster this offseason, though there remains enough talent for the team to remain a contender in a poor division. Whether Tom Brady remains the quarterback is unclear, but it’s not unrealistic that the team could rebound.

The Titans might need to go back to square one on offense after one of the worst offensive seasons in their history. Even before Ryan Tannehill was lost for the year due to an ankle injury, the offense sputtered with the loss of A.J. Brown, creating a clear void. The team has already fired coordinator Todd Downing, and a new offense could bring more big changes. The hope is that those changes will be for the better, with the window on elite running back Derrick Henry possibly closing as he nears age 30.

Washington traded for Carson Wentz last offseason, and yet they’re no closer to solving their quarterback issues. The team has struggled at the position since losing Kirk Cousins six years ago, and it remains to be seen who will be under center in 2023. Washington can no longer afford to keep treading water at the position in one of the league’s toughest divisions.