A move from every NFC South rival that should concern Atlanta

In truth, the NFC South comes down to the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Bucs. A valid argument in favor of the Saints or Panthers cannot be formed without extensive mental gymnastics. However, looking objectively at all three teams’ offseasons, there are areas of concern for Atlanta.

The Falcons are projected to win the NFC South in the 2024 season. Barring a huge leap forward from Tampa, anything less should be considered a complete failure. With that in mind, let’s look at the most concerning decision for the rest of the NFC South.

It was truly impossible to evaluate Bryce Young with the total mess the quarterback was in. Yes, he was undersized and looked lost at the next level at times. Struggles that could easily be the result of no weapons and very little protection.

Carolina spent a lot of money on the offensive line this offseason and, in doing so, significantly improved the chances of Young taking a step forward. Carolina’s path to challenging their clear ceiling is for Bryce Young to become a star quarterback and carry them.

While this path remains incredibly unlikely, it’s on the table now that Carolina has effective protection and a handful of weapons. However, it is worth pointing out here that the loss of Brian Burns will certainly cause what was a solid defensive core to take a step back.

It’s hard not to like what Baker Mayfield did for Tampa last season after being pushed out by the Browns for Deshaun Watson. A failed tenure with Carolina ended with Mayfield signing a one-year deal with the Bucs.

Mayfield cashed in and took a rebuilding team to the playoffs and upset the Eagles in the first round. Not only did the Bucs reward Mayfield with a contract, but they also brought back his top target, Mike Evans.

The Bucs have won the NFC South three years in a row and aren’t going to give it up easily. They kept their two most impactful players on offense. Players with the advantage of playing within the division and together for a full season. Something that could work in their favor in the race for the division.

Perhaps absent any legitimate quarterback controversy, Derek Carr will improve in New Orleans. Of the three teams in the division, the Saints are by far the least concerning. At least Carolina is trying to rebuild and improve.

The Saints continue to slide even though they missed the playoffs and are a year older. This is partly because the contractual situation leaves them no other choice. With Winston gone, maybe the locker room buys into Carr a little more and the offense becomes more cohesive.

A catch which is due to the few problems with this New Orleans team. As long as they continue to refuse a necessary rebuild, the team will remain mediocre and without a legitimate playoff hope.