Now the regular NFL season is over, it’s time to consider what the upcoming year has in store for fans and sports bettors. While some teams need more chemistry and restructuring for success, others need better coaching in order to see positive results. Here’s a look at what’s in store for the NFL in 2021 and the teams to watch out for where placing your bets are concerned, these can be made even smarter thanks to NFL consensus picks.
Brady Set to Make a Return
Tom Brady left New England last offseason, signing a two-year pact with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has shown no signs of slowing down and while the long-time Patriot may call it quits after this season is up for debate, he will still be one of the oldest QBs in the sport’s history, with the fact that he turns 44 in August.
Rebuilding What’s Been Lost
The Jacksonville Jaguars have bigger problems than quarterbacks, which will be resolved by the selection of Trevor Lawrence. The team needs an upgrade all over though – the offensive line is definitely the team’s strength so re-signing Robinson to support the left tackle spot would be a good move. Allowing coach Urban Meyer to foster new talent is the way to go for the year ahead. Likewise, the New York Jets need to develop a stronger team, particularly in the defensive spots. There’s talent available and over the past year, they had the potential to be a five to six-win team, but they require a rebuild to really stay healthy going forward.
Teams in Quarterback Limbo
The Chicago Bears need to determine if a Mitch Trubisky-led offense can do better in the seasons ahead – they found a late season stride as a movement-zone offense with Trubisky managing games, but they were lacklustre in their playoffs to the Saints. The Bears should also consider re-signing Allen Robinson, which angered fans when the news broke.
The Washington Football Team is in a great place, for the first time in years, with the right coach in Ron Rivera, a great defense and talented players leading the offense. So, this year, the team should take a more aggressive approach when seeking out a quarterback – San Darnold could be a great fit, or the team may target the likes of Matthew Stafford or Deshaun Watson if they’re planning on thinking bigger.
Teams on the Right Track
The Los Angeles Rams only need to take a few minor tweaks to be at the top of their game in 2021, with a few contract restructures to get under the cap, and maybe making a decision between Johnson and Floyd who both command high figures. The Rams also face a tough call with Gerald Everett who has never carried a full load when playing behind Tyler Higbee.
For the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s time to determine the viability of Ben Roethlisberger’s five-wide attack and whether they can make cap concessions by re-signing key players Smith-Schuster and James Conner. The Seattle Seahawks face some big financial decisions in 2021 and little cap room, which could mean some difficult choices ahead of them. The negotiations around Jamal Adams may take up most of the offseason and there’s also a discussion around a new deal with Griffin which could set the stage for a transition tag on Carson.