The Chargers came out smacked the Packers around, showing us their true potential as a team. If they can play like that every week, they can beat just about anyone. That kind of play will beat the Raiders, but the Raiders are no easy win. They’ve proved to be a lot more competitive, and the competitiveness always comes out for divisional games.
Prediction: Chargers
Giants @ Jets
Both the Giants and Jets are bad teams, but the Jets just lost to the Dolphins. I’ll take the Giants.
Prediction: Giants
Falcons @ Saints
I believe the Saints are the best team in the NFC, possibly the league right now. They’re not taking a loss to their division rivals.
Prediction: Saints
Chiefs @ Titans
There’s a better chance Mahomes returns this week, but even if doesn’t, the Chiefs have proved they can play with anyone with Matt Moore as quarterback. Their game plan is being executed perfectly with Moore. The Titans still don’t seem to have a true identity, which is why they continue to be inconsistent. I’ll take the good game plan against the inconsistency.
Prediction: Chiefs
Ravens @ Bengals
Well, the Bengals are officially the worst team in the league. They’re not beating the Ravens.
Prediction: Ravens
Bills @ Browns
Let’s face it, the Browns are just bad. Yes, they’re still bad. They couldn’t even beat the Broncos without their starting quarterback, although that probably made it harder….. Despite the Bills not playing very many good teams so far, they still have a good record. They’ve proved they’re a better team than the Browns.
Prediction: Bills
Cardinals @ Buccaneers
Both the Cardinals and Buccaneers went blow for blow with two of the best teams in the league in the 49ers and Seahawks. We saw how competitive these two teams can be. Now it comes down to which team can repeat that competitiveness.
Prediction: Cardinals
Lions @ Bears
What happened to Mitch Trubisky and the Bears offensively? They’ve been terrible recently. That has to change if the Bears are going to climb back into the playoff race. The Lions are still a team I think can beat anyone, but also lose to anyone. Which version of them do we get?
Prediction: Lions
Dolphins @ Colts
The Miami Dolphins have won a game! I repeat, the Miami Dolphins have won a game! Can they make it two in a row? The Colts might be without Jacoby Brissett in this one because of injury, but he does have a chance to play. Their chances of winning are better with him, but I think they can still win without him.
Prediction: Colts
Panthers @ Packers
The Packers getting destroyed by the Chargers last week makes me feel like they’re going to bounce back. The only way they don’t win is if they can’t contain Christian McCaffrey, which is hard to do. If they can just contain him even a little bit, I think they’ve got this.
Prediction: Packers
Rams @ Steelers
The Steelers got lucky getting that win against the Colts last week, but a win is a win. They’ll have to be more than lucky to earn a win against the Rams, though. The Rams may not look like the team we saw last season, but they’re still a winning team who can score at any time. The Steelers might have to play a perfect game.
Prediction: Rams
Vikings @ Cowboys (Sunday night)
Dallas has gotten off to several slow starts this season, which has really hurt them in each of their losses. They started off slow again against the Giants last week, but were able to recover because the Giants couldn’t cash in offensively. If the Cowboys start slow and turn the ball over early against the Vikings, the Vikings will cash in, leaving the Cowboys in another hole.
Prediction: Vikings
Seahawks @ 49ers (Monday night)
In my opinion, the Seahawks are the toughest test the 49ers have had this season. Russell Wilson is playing lights out and is the front runner for MVP. The 49ers have a legit defense, though. We’ll see if the MVP candidate or MVP defense takes control.
The 49ers are one of, if not the best team in the league right now. The Cardinals have been able to stay competitive this season, but they’re simply just no match for the 49ers. This defense will smother Kyler Murray all game long.
Predictions
Adam: 49ers
Aman: 49ers
Dan: 49ers
Joel: 49ers
Rahim: 49ers
Texans @ Jaguars
Last time around the Texans came out with a one point victory over the Jaguars. I foresee this game being similar to the last. I don’t see a ton of points, but rather a defensive battle ending with one team barely getting past the other.
Predictions
Adam: Jaguars
Aman: Jaguars
Dan: Jaguars
Joel: Texans
Rahim: Jaguars
Bears @ Eagles
This game is going to be interesting. Both teams have been up and down. One week they’re dominating their opponent, but then the next they’re getting walked all over. I can see another close game between these two teams, with it possibly coming down to a field goal. Hopefully for the Bears, that’s not the case!
Predictions
Adam: Eagles
Aman: Bears
Dan: Bears
Joel: Eagles
Rahim: Eagles
Vikings @ Chiefs
With the way the Vikings have been playing, I don’t think I can take the Chiefs to win this game. Matt Moore did a nice job hanging in there with Aaron Rodgers, but he couldn’t get it done when it really mattered. I can see the exact same thing happening in this game.
Predictions
Adam: Chiefs
Aman: Chiefs
Dan: Vikings
Joel: Vikings
Rahim: Chiefs
Colts @ Steelers
Pittsburgh got the win over Miami last week, but they did not look good for a half. The Colts have been quite the surprise this season, being one of the better teams in the league halfway through. Mason Rudolph didn’t look too good last week, and I can honestly see the Colts’ defense smothering him the entire game.
Predictions
Adam: Colts
Aman: Colts
Dan: Steelers
Joel: Colts
Rahim: Steelers
Jets @ Dolphins
This is a game I can actually see the Dolphins winning. The Jets have looked horrible over the last two weeks. The Dolphins have looked horrible all season, so it really could go either way. I’ll take the Dolphins just for the fun of it!
Predictions
Adam: Jets
Aman: Jets
Dan: Jets
Joel: Dolphins
Rahim: Jets
Redskins @ Bills
The Redskins have proved they can be competitive for a while, but they can’t put it together for an entire game. The Bills may let the Redskins hang around for a little while, but eventually they’ll walk away with a win when the Redskins can’t hold on anymore.
Predictions
Adam: Bills
Aman: Bills
Dan: Bills
Joel: Bills
Rahim: Bills
Titans @ Panthers
The Panthers got wrecked by the 49ers last week, but that’s exactly why they’ll bounce back against the Titans. You can’t really blame Kyle Allen for having his worst game against the 49ers’ defense. The Titans have been better with Ryan Tannehill at quarterback, but I still don’t have much confidence in them after being one of the most inconsistent teams in the league.
Predictions
Adam: Titans
Aman: Titans
Dan: Titans
Joel: Panthers
Rahim: Panthers
Lions @ Raiders
In my opinion, the Lions are one of the best teams with an average record. If a few calls had gone their way, they’d have a much better record right now. I think the Lions can compete with any team. The Raiders have been better this season, but they’re still a losing team.
Predictions
Adam: Raiders
Aman: Raiders
Dan: Lions
Joel: Lions
Rahim: Raiders
Buccaneers @ Seahawks
There’s usually at least one game every week where I don’t have to give any explanation as to why I’m picking a team. This is that game this week. Seahawks win.
Predictions
Adam: Seahawks
Aman: Seahawks
Dan: Seahawks
Joel: Seahawks
Rahim: Seahawks
Packers @ Chargers
The Chargers barely got by against the Bears last week, but that won’t be the case against the Packers. The Packers are one of the best teams in the league, and I see them walking all over the Chargers in their home stadium.
Predictions
Adam: Packers
Aman: Packers
Dan: Packers
Joel: Packers
Rahim: Packers
Browns @ Broncos
Joe Flacco is out for this game due to injury. That might actually help the Broncos…. Everything points to a win for the Browns, so let’s see if they can actually follow through with it.
Predictions
Adam: Browns
Aman: Browns
Dan: Browns
Joel: Browns
Rahim: Browns
Patriots @ Ravens (Sunday night)
This game will by far be the biggest test for both sides. Lamar Jackson will be tested by a dominating defense, while the Patriots will be tested by a team who’s actually good. It’ll be interesting to see what game plan Bill Belichick comes up with to stop Lamar Jackson and this offense. Whatever it is, I think it works.
Predictions
Adam: Ravens
Aman: Patriots
Dan: Patriots
Joel: Patriots
Rahim: Ravens
Cowboys @ Giants (Monday night)
Dallas put a beating on the Eagles before their bye week, which makes me want to pick them, but I wouldn’t be confident in that decision. Dallas has been very inconsistent this season, which is why I said I wouldn’t pick them again for the rest of the season. I’ll stick with that because I can honestly see the Giants winning this game.
What a surprise…… The Patriots play yet another terrible team. The easiest schedule in the NFL continues and the Patriots get another win to stay undefeated.
Predictions
Adam: Patriots
Aman: Patriots
Dan: Patriots
Joel: Patriots
Rahim: Patriots
Panthers @ Buccaneers
Last time these two teams faced off, the Buccaneers dominated the Panthers. This time around, the Panthers are a different team. McCaffrey is dominating defenses, while Kyle Allen is still performing well in place of Cam Newton. For the Buccaneers, they must stay turnover free. That comes down to mostly Jamies Winston. If he can avoid turnovers, the Bucs are in good shape.
Predictions
Adam: Buccaneers
Aman: Buccaneers
Dan: Buccaneers
Joel: Panthers
Rahim: Panthers
Redskins @ Dolphins
One of these winless teams will get their first win of the season. After seeing the Redskins hang with the Patriots for a half of football, I’m thinking it might be them who comes out on top.
Predictions
Adam: Dolphins
Aman: Redskins
Dan: Redskins
Joel: Redskins
Rahim: Dolphins
Saints @ Jaguars
Let’s face it, the Saints are one of the best teams in the NFL. That’s with or without Drew Brees. This team is too well built, and they’ll continue to find a way to win against a competitive Jaguars team.
Predictions
Adam: Saints
Aman: Saints
Dan: Saints
Joel: Saints
Rahim: Jaguars
Bengals @ Ravens
The Ravens are better than they showed last week against the Steelers. Against a winless Bengals at home, they shouldn’t have a problem coming up with a win this week.
Predictions
Adam: Ravens
Aman: Ravens
Dan: Ravens
Joel: Ravens
Rahim: Ravens
Seahawks @ Browns
With a win over the Rams last week, Seattle made it clear they can compete with and beat any team in the league. The Browns still have many problems to solve, with the offensive line being one of them. They got wrecked by the 49ers’ defensive line. Seattle’s D-Line is one of the best, so it’s likely they’ll duplicate the success the 49ers had against Cleveland.
Predictions
Adam: Seahawks
Aman: Seahawks
Dan: Seahawks
Joel: Seahawks
Rahim: Seahawks
Eagles @ Vikings
The Eagles seem to have found their groove, but so have the Vikings. After throwing the ball more last week, the Vikings were able to dominate the Giants. They finally took advantage of their dynamic receivers. For the Eagles, they have to get pressure on Kirk Cousins in order to stop their passing attack. With one of the best defensive line units in the NFL, it shouldn’t be a problem.
Predictions
Adam: Vikings
Aman: Vikings
Dan: Eagles
Joel: Eagles
Rahim: Vikings
Texans @ Chiefs
The Texans went off last week against Atlanta, while the Chiefs suffered their first loss of the season. The Colts set a blueprint for how to beat Patrick Mahomes. After he lost his ability to move out of the pocket, he couldn’t make as many plays. We’ll see how well the Texans can contain Mahomes in the pocket. If they can do that, the Texans’ offense shouldn’t have trouble putting up enough points to earn a victory.
Predictions
Adam: Chiefs
Aman: Chiefs
Dan: Chiefs
Joel: Chiefs
Rahim: Chiefs
Falcons @ Cardinals
Neither of these two teams are good, and it’s hard to predict who will win because they’re so similar. The Falcons are ranked 19th in points per game, while the Cardinals are ranked 20th. On defense, the Cardinals are ranked 28th in points allowed, while the Falcons are 31st. We’ll see which team can come up with the better game plan.
Predictions
Adam: Cardinals
Aman: Cardinals
Dan: Falcons
Joel: Falcons
Rahim: Falcons
49ers @ Rams
This game will likely be one of, if not the best game of the week. The 49ers are still undefeated, but the best team they’ve played so far is the Browns. The Rams are by far the best team they’ve played. They have a dynamic offense, but they could get into trouble if Jared Goff has one of those games where he throws multiple interceptions. The 49ers have been very good defensively this season. If they can create multiple turnovers, it will help their offense a ton, much like it has all season.
Predictions
Adam: Rams
Aman: Rams
Dan: 49ers
Joel: Rams
Rahim: Rams
Titans @ Broncos
What the Broncos did to Philip Rivers and the Chargers, I feel they can do to Marcus Mariota and the Titans. Then again, the Titans can go off at any time. The problem is, they’re usually just mediocre. After their dominating performance over the Browns in Week 1, we haven’t really seen that again. Will their lackluster offense continue into Week 6?
Predictions
Adam: Titans
Aman: Broncos
Dan: Titans
Joel: Broncos
Rahim: Broncos
Cowboys @ Jets
After losing two straight games, this game against the Jets looks like the perfect bounce back game for the Dallas Cowboys. Sam Darnold has been cleared to return, but I don’t think it really makes a difference.
Predictions
Adam: Cowboys
Aman: Cowboys
Dan: Cowboys
Joel: Cowboys
Rahim: Cowboys
Steelers @ Chargers (Sunday night)
With Mason Rudolph likely to not play, the Chargers should have themselves a win walking out of this one. However, the Steelers gave the Ravens a run for their money at the end of the game, so we’ll see if they can stay competitive with so many key injuries.
Predictions
Adam: Chargers
Aman: Chargers
Dan: Chargers
Joel: Chargers
Rahim: Chargers
Lions @ Packers (Monday night)
The Packers have made it clear they’re one of the best teams in the NFC, but we can’t count out the Lions. They’re a very underrated team who’s been in every game they’ve played. This is a divisional game, so we really never know what will happen.
Despite being 0-2 and not having Nick Foles, the Jaguars are playing surprisingly well. Rookie quarterback Gardner Minshew hasn’t been anything special, but he’s shown he can at least keep the Jaguars in a game. The Titans have a pretty good defensive unit, so it’ll be interesting to see how Minshew reacts to facing one of the better defensive teams in the NFL.
For the Titans, they still need to show us what they’re really made of on offense. Mariota, Derrick Henry and company were on fire in Week 1, but looked very different last week. They weren’t bad a week ago, but they didn’t pack the same punch. Which offense will we see in this game?
Predictions
Adam: Titans
Aman: Jaguars
Dan: Titans
Joel: Titans
Rahim: Titans
Dolphins @ Cowboys
Miami has scored a total of 10 points in their first two games. First they got blown out by the Ravens 59-10, and then last week got blown out 43-0 by the Patriots. With Dak Prescott and the Cowboys’ offense on fire right now, another blowout seems likely in this one.
Predictions
Adam: Cowboys
Aman: Cowboys
Dan: Cowboys
Joel: Cowboys
Rahim: Cowboys
Bengals @ Bills
The Bengals’ defense got shredded by the 49ers last week. Can they rebound against Josh Allen and the Bills? The Bills looked good against the Giants, but we know the Giants aren’t very good defensively. Can Josh Allen continue making strides as an accurate passer? If not, it could be a tougher day for the Bills.
A key for the Bengals is to get their running game going. They had just 25 yards rushing against the 49ers last week, and just 34 against the Seahawks in Week 1. That has to change if the Bengals are going to get things right on offense.
Predictions
Adam: Bills
Aman: Bills
Dan: Bills
Joel: Bills
Rahim: Bills
Lions @ Eagles
Predictions
Adam: Eagles
Aman: Eagles
Dan: Eagles
Joel: Eagles
Rahim: Eagles
Jets @ Patriots
The Patriots have scored a total of 76 points in their first two games, while allowing a total of three against the Steelers and Dolphins. The Jets are without Sam Darnold in this one, but even if they had him, we would all see another blowout coming.
Predictions
Adam: Patriots
Aman: Patriots
Dan: Patriots
Joel: Patriots
Rahim: Patriots
Falcons @ Colts
Predictions
Adam: Falcons
Aman: Falcons
Dan: Falcons
Joel: Falcons
Rahim: Falcons
Raiders @ Vikings
Predictions
Adam: Vikings
Aman: Vikings
Dan: Vikings
Joel: Vikings
Rahim: Vikings
Ravens @ Chiefs
This game will most likely be the most watched game of the entire weekend. Lamar Jackson vs Patrick Mahomes. These two quarterbacks are surely going to light up the scoreboard in this one. With that in mind, this game will likely come down to which defense performs the best. We know the Chiefs’ defense has had its issues. Can they slow down Lamar Jackson in either the passing or running game? The Baltimore defense is solid, but can they slow down an elite offense led by Mahomes?
Predictions
Adam: Chiefs
Aman: Ravens
Dan: Chiefs
Joel: Chiefs
Rahim: Chiefs
Broncos @ Packers
The Packers proved their defense was no one game wonder against the Vikings last week, as they held the Vikings to just 16 points. They did allow Dalvin Cook to have a nice day running the ball, but they made Kirk Cousins look like absolute garbage. After what I’ve seen from Joe Flacco so far, I’m not confident he’ll perform well against this Packers defense. Then again, you just never know.
Predictions
Adam: Packers
Aman: Packers
Dan: Packers
Joel: Packers
Rahim: Packers
Panthers @ Cardinals
Carolina looked pretty bad against the Buccaneers last week. They turned a three interception Jameis Winston into a good looking quarterback. Giving up 20 points isn’t terrible for the Panthers defense, but it looked worse because they didn’t get any help from their offense. Cam Newton completed under 50% of his passes. The Panthers ran for a total of 39 yards. That’s not how you win football games.
Kyler Murray and the Cardinals haven’t had the most explosive offense through two games, but they haven’t looked terrible either. Murray has been able to keep his offense in both games. If the Cardinals’ defense can slow down Newton and the Panthers, I won’t say it’ll be easy going for the Cardinals, but things will be much easier.
Predictions
Adam: Cardinals
Aman: Panthers
Dan: Cardinals
Joel: Cardinals
Rahim: Cardinals
Giants @ Buccaneers
Saquon Barkley remains the only offensive threat for the New York Giants. There’s only so much he can do, and it’s shown in their first two games. However, the defense may be the real reason this team has started 0-2. They let Bills quarterback Josh Allen look like a much better passer than he actually is. This secondary really needs some work. They keep giving up big plays, and it’s not helping the Giants’ offense at all.
With the Giants struggling defensively, Jameis Winston has a chance to build on a strong showing against the Panthers last week. If he can avoid turnovers, like he did against the Panthers, this Bucs offense should be in good shape.
Predictions
Adam: Buccaneers
Aman: Buccaneers
Dan: Giants
Joel: Buccaneers
Rahim: Buccaneers
Saints @ Seahawks
Drew Brees is out for a while, so it’s up to Teddy Bridgewater to take control of the Saints’ offense. This is why they signed him. Bridgewater looked horrible against the Rams, so now it’s time to see how he looks with a lot more time to prepare for his starting role. It won’t be any easy task taking on the Seahawks’ defense. It’s pretty likely the Seahawks are going to watch film on how the Rams dominated the Saints after Brees went down, and then try to duplicate it.
Predictions
Adam: Seahawks
Aman: Seahawks
Dan: Seahawks
Joel: Seahawks
Rahim: Seahawks
Texans @ Chargers
I’m honestly not sure what to make of these two teams. The Texans looked pretty good against the Saints in Week 1, but then took a big step back in Week 2 against the Jaguars. It’s weird that they lost the game they looked good in, but then won the game where they didn’t look so good.
The Chargers are pretty much in the same boat, except the outcome of their games were how we would have thought based on their performances. In Week 1, the Chargers didn’t look like they need Melvin Gordon. However, Week 2 was much different. They really struggled to move the ball. Let’s see if we can get a more clear picture for at least one of these teams in Week 3.
Predictions
Adam: Chargers
Aman: Chargers
Dan: Texans
Joel: Chargers
Rahim: Chargers
Steelers @ 49ers
Despite losing and dropping to 0-2, the Steelers looked much better last week against the Seahawks. Unfortunately, Ben Roethlisberger was hurt, but backup quarterback mason Rudolph looked pretty good. Will we see Roethlisberger or Mason in this game? It may not matter if the 49ers explode like they did last week. Jimmy Garoppolo looked much better in Week 2 than he did in Week 1, throwing for 297 yards and three touchdowns. The defense didn’t look too bad either. Can the Steelers avoid an 0-3 start, or will the 49ers start 3-0?
Predictions
Adam: 49ers
Aman: 49ers
Dan: 49ers
Joel: 49ers
Rahim: 49ers
Rams @ Browns (Sunday night)
After the beatdown the Rams gave the Saints last week, it’s hard for me to see the Browns beating them. Cleveland looked horrible in Week 1 against the Titans, and the only reason they looked good against the Jets in Week 2 is because they were playing the Jets, without Sam Darnold and part of the game without Trevor Siemian. A lot needs to change for the Browns to be who they were hyped up to be, but it’s not likely to change against one of the best teams in the league.
Predictions
Adam: Rams
Aman: Rams
Dan: Rams
Joel: Rams
Rahim: Rams
Bears @ Redskins (Monday night)
Despite getting a win last week, the Bears still didn’t look great offensively. On the other side we’ve got the Redskins, who just got shredded defensively by the Dallas Cowboys. Either the Bears’ offense or the Redskins’ defense needs to get on track in this game. Which one will it be?
We’ll provide a round by round breakdown of all the teams who will make the playoffs, working our way to the Super Bowl. You can take a look at all eight of the divisions as we listed the standings. Each division covers the biggest acquisitions and departures for all teams, as well as who we have winning each division. Follow the links to find out more!
1. Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) 1. New England Patriots (12-4)
2. Dallas Cowboys (9-7) 2. Buffalo Bills (9-7)
3. Washington Redskins (6-10) 3. New York Jets (7-9)
4. New York Giants (4-12) 4. Miami Dolphins (4-12)
Now that you’ve had a chance to look at all the divisions, it’s time to take a look at which six teams from the NFC and which six from the AFC will make the playoffs.
Playoff Picks
Rahim’s Picks:
NFC West: Rams (2) AFC West: Chargers (1)
NFC North: Bears (3) AFC North: Browns (4)
NFC South: Saints (1) AFC South: Texans (3)
NFC East: Eagles (4) AFC East: Patriots (2)
Wild Card 1: Seahawks Wild Card 1: Chiefs
Wild Card 2: Cowboys Wild Card 2: Steelers
Aman’s Picks:
NFC West: Rams (2) AFC West: Chiefs (2)
NFC North: Bears (3) AFC North: Ravens (3)
NFC South: Saints (1) AFC South: Texans (4)
NFC East: Eagles (4) AFC East: Patriots (1)
Wild Card 1: Vikings Wild Card 1: Browns
Wild Card 2: Seahawks Wild Card 2: Jaguars
Breakdown:
Aman and I agree that the Rams, Saints, Bears, Chiefs, Patriots, Texans and Browns (you read that right) will make the playoffs. The Eagles and Seahawks are also two teams we agreed upon to make playoffs, but what about the Chargers and Cowboys?
As of yesterday, the Cowboys and running back Ezekiel Elliott agreed to a new deal. That will boost the Cowboys, helping them become a playoff team again. I believe that despite Elliott, the Cowboys would’ve made the playoffs anyway. However, Aman doesn’t believe so, as he has the Vikings sneaking into the last playoff spot in the NFC. That means teams like the Falcons, Packers and Panthers will miss the playoffs again.
I’m a big believer in the Chargers, as I have them being the top team in the AFC without Gordon all season long. I think this will be a good year for the Chargers, as long as they can manage to stay healthy. Aman doesn’t think the Chargers can repeat from last year, but does have better hopes for the Ravens and QB Lamar Jackson to win their division again.
I say the Browns will edge out the Steelers for a division title, but the Steelers get the last playoff spot in the AFC. Aman is believing in QB Nick Foles to lead the Jaguars to a playoff spot.
Who will get the final two spots? Do the Broncos, Colts, Raiders, Titans, Jets or Bills have a chance? Let us know what you think in the comment section below while we jump into the Wild Card matchups!
Wild Card Matchups
Rahim’s Picks:
5. Seahawks over 4. Eagles
5. Chiefs over 4. Browns
3. Bears over 6. Cowboys
3. Texans over 6. Steelers
Aman’s Picks:
4. Eagles over 5. Vikings
5. Browns over 4. Texans
3. Bears over 6. Seahawks
3. Ravens over 6. Jaguars
Wild Card Recap:
There’s no wrong choice here, because all the teams are more than capable of beating each other on any given Sunday.
For the NFC, we will see a lot of rematches from the regular season, with teams looking to get revenge. Can the Eagles hold their own in the playoffs without QB Nick Foles? I think the Seahawks’ defense will be too much for the Eagles to handle, especially with their new defensive line acquisitions. The Vikings will be a bit lighter for the Eagles to worry about, as Aman has the Eagles advancing.
We both think the Bears will advance, and it won’t come down to a kicker this time, as their defense looks to prove why they are one of the best defensive teams in the league.
For the AFC, it’s different in both games. I have the Chiefs as a Wild Card team beating the surprising Cleveland Browns. Aman has the Browns making the playoffs as a Wild Card and beating the Texans. I believe the Texans will beat the Steelers, while Aman has the Ravens beating the Jaguars. How will the AFC North look going into the playoffs? Can any one of them go far this season?
Divisional Round
Rahim’s Picks:
1. Saints over 5. Seahawks
5. Chiefs over 1. Chargers
1. Rams over 3. Bears
2. Patriots over 3. Texans
Aman’s Picks:
1. Saints over 4. Eagles
1. Patriots over 5. Browns
2. Rams over 3. Bears
2. Chiefs over 3. Ravens
Divisional Round Recap:
There will be no Wild Card surprise in this year’s playoffs either. We each had at least one of the No. 5’s to advance, but they will lose to the No.1 teams. Well, at least the Seahawks and Browns will lose. I have the Chiefs as a No. 5 beating the top ranked Chargers to advice to their second straight Conference Championship. In fact, we have all four of the same teams from last year’s Conference Championships in there again, as they continue to dominate the NFL. For the sake of good ratings, we might actually want to see the Browns or the Bears make it this far, but are they both ready for that big moment?
Conference Championship
Rahim’s Picks:
2. Rams over 1. Saints
5. Chiefs over 2. Patriots
Aman’s Picks:
1. Saints over 2. Rams
1. Patriots over 2. Chiefs
Conference Recap:
I guess it’s time for me to explain why I have the Chiefs as a No. 5 seed in the AFC playoff standings, but still the AFC representative in the Super Bowl. I think the Chiefs’ offense won’t be as explosive as we saw it last year. Everyone was wowed by what QB Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs did despite all the Kareem Hunt controversy. Mahomes surprised us all, as he threw for 50 touchdowns in a season and earned MVP honors last year, but I don’t think he’ll be able to have the same numbers this season, and the team will lose at least five games.
The thing that sucks is that they will finish with a better record than the Browns and the Texans, but still be a Wild Card team. I think they will thrive off the energy of the fans that cheer for them away from Arrowhead and make it to the Super Bowl.
I also think the Rams will win their second Conference Championship game against the Saints, and this time it won’t be controversial. Aman thinks differently, and that’s what makes this interesting. He has the Patriots going to their fourth straight Super Bowl. I think the Chiefs will beat the Patriots and start a new era. I like who Aman picked for the Super Bowl matchup, because honestly, I wanted to see the Saints and Patriots matchup last year, so let’s see who we both have winning the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LIV
Rahim’s Pick: Los Angeles Rams over Kansas City Chiefs
Aman’s Pick: New Orleans Saints over New England Patriots
Super Bowl Recap:
As you can see, Aman and I both picked the NFC champs to win the Super Bowl, and this is a start of a new era that could see the Patriots championship runs come to an end.
Now let’s see who earns the greatest honor of the season, with awards like Most Valuable Player and Offensive player of the year. Aman and I will share our picks for those awards as we wrap up our predictions and head into the 2019 NFL season.
Award Predictions
Most Valuable Player:
Rahim’s Pick: QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
Aman’s Pick: RB Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints
Offensive Player of the Year:
Rahim’s Pick: RB Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
Aman’s Pick: QB Mitchell Trubisky, Chicago Bears
Defensive Player of the Year:
Rahim’s Pick: DE Bradley Chubb, Denver Broncos
Aman’s Pick: OLB Khalil Mack, Chicago Bears
Offensive Rookie of the Year:
Rahim’s Pick: QB Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals
Aman’s Pick: WR Marquise Brown, Baltimore Ravens
Defensive Rookie of the Year:
Rahim’s Pick: DE Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
Aman’s Pick: CB Justin Layne, Pittsburgh Steelers
Comeback Player of the Year:
Rahim’s Pick: QB Jimmy Garoppolo, San Francisco 49ers
Aman’s Pick: RB Devonte Freeman, Atlanta Falcons
Coach of the Year:
Rahim’s Pick: Freddie Kitchens, Cleveland Browns
Aman’s Pick: Sean Payton, New Orleans Saints
After agreeing on most of the playoff teams, Aman and I find disagreements on the awards. I like Brees as MVP, simply because he has never won it before. Aman is all in on Kamara this year. He even drafted him on his fantasy team.
I think Barkley will come into the season looking to get the rushing title, but he’ll also be one of the leading receivers on his team. Can Trubisky become Offensive Player of The Year?
How about Defensive Player of The Year? I think Denver’s new defensive scheme will help Chubb lead the league in sacks and QB hits, which will earn him the award. You can’t forget about Mack or Aaron Donald either, though. It’s going to be an interesting season.
When I say interesting, I mean interesting, because this could be a year where we see the No. 1 and No. 2 picks from this year’s draft win the Rookie of the Year award, but Aman doesn’t think so.
How about Comeback Player of The Year? Both Garoppolo and Freeman will be in the running for this award, and it’s honestly going to be good to see these guys back on field.
Can Kitchens lead the Browns to the players and earn himself Coach of the Year honors? A lot of us think the Browns are a favorite to win. If they make playoffs, Kitchens should win this award.
Now that you’ve read our thoughts, let us know yours in the comments below!
The 2019 NFL season kicks off tomorrow night! That means it’s time for us to bring back our friendly competition to see who can predict the most games correctly throughout the season. Last season our winner was Cullen Jekel, but he has since moved on and is no longer with us. Now we start our competition over to see who can claim the new title! Let the picks begin!
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the Bears and Packers face off in their first game of the season. It was just last season we saw the division rivals in a Week 1 matchup. The Bears held a 20-0 lead on the Packers with just over four minutes to go in the third quarter. What came next was Aaron Rodgers at his finest. Rodgers led the Packers back to a 24-23 victory.
Anything can happen when Aaron Rodgers is on the field. However, the Packers have a very different team than they had a season ago. Between coaching and player changes, this is a very different Packers team. Although the Bears made a few changes as well, they feature the NFL’s best defense from a season ago. Can the Packers come together with all their new pieces, or will the Bears’ defense get the best of them?
Predictions
Adam: Bears
Aman: Bears
Dan: Bears
Joel: Bears
Rahim: Bears
Chiefs @ Jaguars
After missing the playoffs last season, the Jacksonville Jaguars aim to make it back this year. A win against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs would certainly place them in the playoff conversation early on. This offense should get back to its 2018 form because of a healthy Leonard Fournette. He’ll carry the load for this offense once again, but there are still question marks surrounding the passing game. Nick Foles is an upgrade at quarterback, but their doesn’t seem to be a number one receiver for this offense. If the offense can’t move the ball, they’ll have to rely on their defense, who didn’t get as much credit as they deserved last season.
Although the Jaguars have one of the best defensive units in the league, they’ll face a tough test against the electrifying offense of the Chiefs. With Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, they’re already hard enough to stop. Now they’ve added Shady McCoy to the mix, as if they weren’t hard enough to stop already.
Predictions
Adam: Chiefs
Aman: Chiefs
Dan: Chiefs
Joel: Chiefs
Rahim: Chiefs
Falcons @ Vikings
The Vikings didn’t get what they were hoping for from quarterback Kirk Cousins last season. Now it’s time for Cousins to step up and prove he was worth the investment. Their offensive line should be better, and running back Dalvin Cook is back and healthy. This adds dynamics they didn’t have a season ago.
For the Falcons, they’ll be looking to regain their form defensively after suffering many significant injuries on that side of the ball last season. In 2017, they were a top eight defense, but they fell all the way to 25th last season. With a healthy team, can they regain their form defensively. We’re not worried about the offense.
Predictions
Adam: Falcons
Aman: Vikings
Dan: Vikings
Joel: Vikings
Rahim: Falcons
Titans @ Browns
This is probably one of, if not the most anticipated Browns opener in the history of their franchise. Baker Mayfield looks to have a strong second season. They added Odell Beckham Jr. to their group of receivers. Their backfield is absolutely loaded. This defense is led by one of the best pass rushers in the league in Myles Garrett. Is this finally the year the Browns make it back to the playoffs. That’s been the talk all offseason. Now let’s see if they can back it up against the third best defense in the NFL last season.
We know what the Titans can do on defense, but questions remain about their offense. Can Derrick Henry pick up where he left off? He started off slow last season, but was one of the best runners in the league the second half of the season. They’ll need him to start off fast for this offense to get going. Then there’s Marcus Mariota. Can he finally take the next step? If he can, can he stay healthy long enough to take that step? We’ll see how they look against a Brown defense that should be much improved from a season ago.
Predictions
Adam: Browns
Aman: Browns
Dan: Browns
Joel: Browns
Rahim: Browns
Bills @ Jets
With McCoy no longer part of their offense, the Bills will lean more heavily on second year quarterback Josh Allen. Last season, Allen completed just 52.8% of his passes, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns in 12 games. If the Bills really are going to rely on Allen to carry this offense, they’re going to need much more from him than what they got a season ago.
The Jets also have a second year quarterback in Sam Darnold, who will also be relied upon to carry this team. Darnold was better than Allen last season, but not by much. He completed 57.7% of his passes. He did throw more touchdowns than interceptions, but not by much, throwing 17 touchdowns to his 15 picks. Look for the winner of this game to be the team who has the best second year quarterback. Will Allen or Darnold step up?
Predictions
Adam: Bills
Aman: Bills
Dan: Jets
Joel: Jets
Rahim: Bills
Ravens @ Dolphins
After trading away some of their best players recently, the Dolphins look to be in perfect tanking form. Maybe they know something we don’t. They do have Ryan FitzMagic as their quarterback, but if this Ravens defense is anything like it was a season ago, there’s a greater chance we’re going to see FitzTragic instead.
Lamar Jackson looked much improved in the preseason, but now it’s time to really put him to the test. After the Dolphins were second in the league in interceptions last season (21), we know their defense is no slouch. Will we see Jackson simply using his legs to make plays, or will he show us he’s made strides as a passer? This game will be a good first test for Jackson and his receivers.
Predictions
Adam: Ravens
Aman: Ravens
Dan: Ravens
Joel: Ravens
Rahim: Ravens
Redskins @ Eagles
Case Keenum won the starting quarterback job over rookie Dwayne Haskins. How long can he keep it? He has a tough first test against the Philadelphia Eagles, who are looking to regain their title as the NFC East division champs. While how long Keenum can keep his starting job is the question for the Redskins, how long Carson Wentz can stay healthy for the Eagles is a question. We know Carson Wentz can play at a high level when he’s on the field, and we expect him to do so to start the season, but can he be there the entire year? We’ll keep an eye on him as the season goes on.
Although most people are picking the Eagles in this game, we can’t count out the Redskins. This team was leading the division before Alex Smith got hurt last season. With a solid quarterback once again, can the defense carry the load for this team? They look to be one of the best defensive units in the NFL this season.
Predictions
Adam: Eagles
Aman: Eagles
Dan: Eagles
Joel: Eagles
Rahim: Eagles
Rams @ Panthers
After their offense was held in check by the Patriots in the Super Bowl, the Rams want to come out and prove they can bounce back. With a healthy Todd Gurley back and a recently paid Jared Goff, expect nothing less than what we saw from the Rams during the regular season last year. This was the second best scoring team in the league last season, and we expect them to be right there once again.
The Rams’ 20th ranked defense from a season ago remains the biggest question, but they have a great chance to get off on the right foot against Cam Newton and the Panthers. The Panthers can be good on offense, but it only seems to happen when Cam Newton is healthy. He’s coming back from an ankle injury during preseason. Will he be 100% come game time? We shall see.
Predictions
Adam: Panthers
Aman: Rams
Dan: Rams
Joel: Rams
Rahim: Rams
Colts @ Chargers
Both teams are missing key players heading into this game. Andrew Luck recently retired, leaving the Colts a hole at the quarterback spot. However, the Colts are smart to have Jacoby Brissett as their backup. He’s an experienced guy who may be able to keep this offense afloat.
On the other hand, the Chargers are missing one of the better running backs in the league in Melvin Gordon. No progress has been made on a new deal, and Gordon will miss games until he gets what he wants.
Predictions
Adam: Chargers
Aman: Chargers
Dan: Chargers
Joel: Chargers
Rahim: Chargers
Bengals @ Seahawks
Bengals star wide receiver A.J. Green isn’t playing in the season opener. It’s unfortunate, because injuries seem to be a very common problem for the Bengals recently. Green is their best player, and without him, can Andy Dalton get this offense going? It’ll be tough to do against a Seattle defense who ranked 11th in the league last season. This defense also added two dynamic pass rushers this offseason in Ezekiel Ansah and Jadeveon Clowney. Can the Bengals hold up along the offensive line long enough to give Dalton time to throw? Oh, and then there’s Russell Wilson, who’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He got paid this offseason, and he’ll continue showing us why this year.
Predictions
Adam: Seahawks
Aman: Seahawks
Dan: Seahawks
Joel: Seahawks
Rahim: Seahawks
Giants @ Cowboys
Feed Zeke! The Dallas Cowboys open their season at home against their division rivals. To make it even better, Ezekiel Elliott will be on the field after signing a six-year, $90 million contract to make him the NFL’s highest paid running back. This will also give us our first real look at a Dak Prescott who’s on a mission to prove he’s among the NFL’s best quarterbacks. Don’t forget about this defense. Last season they were the NFL’s sixth best defense, but they want more this year.
For the Giants, the play of Eli Manning will be closely monitored. He’s got rookie quarterback Daniel Jones breathing down his neck for the starting job, so he needs to perform well. Can he do it after the Giants got rid of their best receiver in Odell Beckham Jr.? Manning has Saquon Barkley in the backfield, but his worst performance came against the Cowboys last season. Can Dallas shut him down once again?
Predictions
Adam: Cowboys
Aman: Cowboys
Dan: Cowboys
Joel: Cowboys
Rahim: Cowboys
49ers @ Buccaneers
Is this the year the 49ers make their way back to relevance? Jimmy Garoppolo is back and ready to play at a high level. Can this team finally put things together under Kyle Shanahan? We’ll see how it all comes together.
The 49ers take on a team also wanting to put things together. With Bruce Arians now in Tampa Bay, will this be the year Jameis Winston finally takes the next step and lives up to his draft status? How far this team goes will all be dependent on how Winston progresses under Arians.
Predictions
Adam: 49ers
Aman: Buccaneers
Dan: 49ers
Joel: 49ers
Rahim: Buccaneers
Lions @ Cardinals
The debut of the number one overall pick, Kyler Murray, is upon us! We finally get to see how Murray will adjust to the NFL game. He looked good at times during the preseason, but he also had some struggles. Can he put it all together against the Lions, or will it take him more time to get things going?
It’ll also be a challenge for Murray going against veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford. Although the Lions weren’t a great team last season, this will be their second year under Head Coach Matt Patricia. Will another offseason in his system change how this team performs?
Predictions
Adam: Cardinals
Aman: Lions
Dan: Cardinals
Joel: Lions
Rahim: Cardinals
Steelers @ Patriots (Sunday night)
The reigning Super Bowl champs take on a Steelers team who has been trying to get past them for several seasons now. However, this Steelers team looks a little different, as now they no longer have Antonio Brown. We finally get to see how things will look with JuJu Smith-Schuster as Big Ben’s number one target, but they’ll need more than him to step up for this passing game to be effective. Who will step up for this offense?
There’s not much to worry about for the Patriots. They no longer have Rob Gronkowski, but we all know the Patriots are the best at using the strengths of the players they do have.
Predictions
Adam: Patriots
Aman: Patriots
Dan: Patriots
Joel: Patriots
Rahim: Patriots
Texans @ Saints (Monday night)
After starting off the season 0-3 last year, the Houston Texans ended up winning their division and finishing 11-5. This year they’ll look to have a much better start, but it’ll be tough against the New Orleans Saints, especially with the Saints at home. However, the Texans feel like they’ve made some moves that can take them to the next level. Their biggest problem last season was their offensive line, as Deshaun Watson was sacked more than any other quarterback in the league. They’ve recently addressed that problem by trading for Laremy Tunsil. They hope he solidifies their offensive line. If they can fix that problem, they’re in good shape.
For the Saints, this season feels like a revenge tour of sorts. Not against the Texans, but against everyone standing in their way of a Super Bowl title. We all know they should have gone to the Super Bowl last season, but a blown no call stood in their way. This year they don’t care who it is, they plan on lighting them up. It will be a tough start against a Texans defense who ranked fourth in the NFL last season.
Predictions
Adam: Saints
Aman: Saints
Dan: Saints
Joel: Saints
Rahim: Saints
Broncos @ Raiders (Monday night)
We’ll finally get to see Antonio Brown take the field with the Oakland Raiders. What will he do to create attention for himself this time? We all know Brown has caused many distractions this offseason. How will that impact the Raiders on the field? I can’t help but think it’s going to cause problems. We’ll see how Brown reacts the first time Derek Carr doesn’t throw him the ball.
The Broncos don’t have an Antonio Brown level distraction, but they do have a new quarterback in Joe Flacco. Can Flacco take this offense to a new level this season? The defense of the Broncos was good last year, but their offense couldn’t do enough to help them out. With a defense that should be one of the best once again, can the offense give them enough help?
Every NFL Draft season, there tends to be a thought among fans that only first-round players will be NFL stars. Every single year, that thought gets proven wrong. Some of the most recognizable names to not be drafted in the first-round of previous drafts are QB Russell Wilson, CB Richard Sherman and WR Antonio Brown.
The 2019 NFL Draft likely won’t be any different, as several players who weren’t drafted in the first-round will emerge as NFL stars. After looking over the results of the NFL Draft, I compiled a short list of players who weren’t drafted in the first-round who I believe will be NFL stars.
Standing at 6’3″, 225 lbs, J.J. Arcega Whiteside has the build of an elite red zone threat. His build is similar to that of his new teammate, Alshon Jeffrey. Arcega Whiteside proved his red zone presence by recording 14 TDs in his final season at Stanford. He recorded a total of 28 TDs over his three college seasons.
Arcega Whiteside only had one season of 1,000+ receiving yards at Stanford, but he improved every year he was there. I believe that makes him a perfect fit for the Eagles. It may take a little while for Arcega Whiteside to be among NFL stars, but he’s in the perfect situation to have time to develop.
WR Alshon Jeffrey and TE Zach Ertz will be huge red zone threats to every defense they play. While they’ll be getting all the attention, Arcega Whiteside will be seeing single coverage on less talented DBs. He can play that role until Alshon Jeffrey eventually moves on, whenever that may be. When Jeffrey does leave the Eagles, they will be able to easily replace him with Arcega Whiteside. J.J. Arcega Whiteside may not have the best stats over his first few seasons, but when he gets the chance to play a greater role, I believe he’ll put up huge numbers.
S Juan Thornhill, Kansas City Chiefs (Round 2, No. 63 overall)
What’s one of the most important things for a defense to do in today’s NFL? Get takeaways. What does Juan Thornhill do best? Getting takeaways. In three seasons as a starter at Virginia, Thornhill recorded 13 INTs. Six of those INTs came in his final season, proving he’s continuing to become a ball hawk in the secondary.
Thornhill will instantly provide the Chiefs’ secondary with something they desperately lacked last season. The secondary for the Chiefs gave up a lot of yards and points last season, which was their downfall in the biggest moments. Juan Thornhill won’t fix all their problems in the secondary, but he will provide an instant boost.
With Patrick Mahomes on the other side, the Chiefs’ defense has to find ways to get him on the field as much as possible. Thornhill and his ability to take the ball away will do just that for the Chiefs, making him one of the next NFL stars.
Does anyone else remember D.K. Metcalf, the shredded 6’3″, 228 lbs WR who ran a 4.33 40 yard dash, put up 27 bench reps, had a 40.5 inch vertical and a 134 inch broad jump at the NFL Combine? Yeah, I thought so. Metcalf was widely considered a first-round talent, at least we thought.
The Seahawks got their star WR of the future when he fell to them at No. 64 in the second-round. Metcalf never really had great production at Ole Miss, but he’s also never had a QB like Russell Wilson. Metcalf has the ability to be Wilson’s go to guy. It might take a little bit of time, but he’s got the talent to do it.
Russell Wilson has the ability to place the ball in the perfect spot, while Metcalf has the ability to blow past and jump over defenders. He’s also stronger than probably any WR in the NFL right now. Metcalf needs to work on his fluidness and route running, but that will come in time. The Seahawks have their star WR of the future.
RB David Montgomery, Chicago Bears (Round 3, No. 73 overall)
I loved this select by the Bears in the third-round. Montgomery is a big RB who can be effective as both a runner and receiver. In three seasons at Iowa State, Montgomery recorded 2,925 rushing yards. He went over 1,000 rushing yards in each of his last two seasons. In addition to those two seasons of 1,000+ rushing yards, Montgomery record 10+ TDs in both those seasons.
Montgomery recorded 71 receptions for 582 yards during his three seasons, proving he can impact the game in multiple ways. Now he steps in to a Chicago team who needed to get better at running the ball. Montgomery will step in as the starter right away, and will play a big role in leading the Bears’ offense.
How many times in recent history have we seen a rookie RB lead the league in rushing yards? I’m going to go out on a limb and say David Montgomery has a legit chance at being the next rookie RB to do so.
There was a time when Jaylon Ferguson was mocked in the first-round of the NFL Draft. Unfortunately for him, he fell to the third-round because of poor workouts during the pre-draft process. While that may have been unfortunate for him, it was fortunate for the Baltimore Ravens.
Jaylon Ferguson holds College Football’s all-time record for sacks (45). Yes, he played against lesser competition while at Louisiana Tech, but I don’t care. If you can get sacks, you can get sacks. Jaylon Ferguson can get sacks. He may not become the NFL’s all-time leading sack artist, but he will be a guy who can consistently get after the QB.
I think Ferguson landed in the perfect spot in Baltimore. He feels like a player who belongs on the Baltimore defense. He fell because of poor workouts, and now the all-time leading sack artist in College Football gets his chance to prove everyone wrong.
After being franchised tagged by the Seattle Seahawks, it became quite clear Frank Clark was likely not signing the one year deal. He wanted to be paid like an elite pass rusher, but the Seahawks didn’t want to go that high on price, especially after just breaking the bank for QB Russell Wilson.
After no progress had been made on a deal to sign Frank Clark long term, the Seahawks have decided to send their star pass rusher elsewhere, facilitating a Frank Clark trade with the Kansas City Chiefs.
I’m going to give each team a grade for this trade which shakes up the NFL Draft, but first, let’s take a look at what each team received.
Trade Recap:
Seahawks receive: Chiefs’ 2019 first-round pick (No. 29), a 2020 second-round pick and a swap of a 2019 third-round pick.
Chiefs receive: DE Frank Clark and a swap of a 2019 third-round pick.
No that we’ve recapped what each team received in this trade, let’s get into some team grades for the Frank Clark trade.
Seattle Seahawks
In my opinion, the Frank Clark trade makes perfect sense for the Seahawks. Frank Clark was franchised tagged earlier this offseason, but the two sides had yet to come to an agreement to keep him around long term. The Dallas Cowboys signing DE DeMarcus Lawrence to a huge contract not too long ago probably had something to do with that.
Clark wanted to be paid about the same amount of money Lawrence received from the Cowboys. I think it’s safe to say the Seahawks didn’t see him as that type of player. After earning 13.0 sacks last season, it’s clear Clark can make a huge impact on a defense. It will be tough for Seattle to replace his production, but they now have the draft capital to replace him with production at a much cheaper cost.
In return for Frank Clark, the Seahawks receive the No. 29 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. They also get a second-round pick next year, in addition to swapping a third-rounder with the Chiefs this year. Getting that second-round pick in 2020 was nice, but let’s focus on the first-round pick this season.
Seattle already held the No. 21 pick in this draft, meaning they have two first-rounders now. The No. 29 pick was a huge get for this team, especially considering they don’t have a second-round pick and only had four picks total in this draft before the trade.
Now having two first-rounders, if the Seahawks wish to do so, they can trade up in this draft to get an elite player of their choosing. Or, if they choose to do so, they can stay put at No. 21 and No. 29 and select two top players in this draft.
To recap, losing Frank Clark hurts, but he’s not the type of player who makes this Seattle defense significantly worse if he’s not around. He wasn’t worth the money for the Seahawks. Instead, they can now focus their draft on filling some needs with cheaper players who can be just as impactful. The Frank Clark trade was a smart move by Seattle.
Grade: A
Kansas City Chiefs
I was just telling you about how it was a smart move for the Seahawks to not pay Frank Clark DeMarcus Lawrence type money. Well, the Chiefs did give him that money.
After trading for Clark, the Chiefs signed him to a five year, $105.5 million deal with $63.5 million in guaranteed money. His contract is larger than Lawrence’s overall, but with slightly less guaranteed. I personally don’t think Clark is on the same level as Lawrence, so I’m not a huge fan of this signing.
It’s not just about giving that contract to Clark though. It’s also about the salary cap. Before this trade, the Chiefs had $21.9 million in cap space. With this signing, most of, if not all of that cap space will be gone. That will only create problems for them in the future.
Although I’m not a huge fan of the deal the Chiefs gave Clark, I do think the Chiefs got a great player. He’s totaled 35.0 sacks in his first four NFL seasons. He’s been very productive rushing the passer, and should only help this Chiefs’ defense, especially after the movement they’ve had on that side of the ball this offseason.
In terms of the picks the Chiefs gave up, I think it may have been a little too much. Had they given up just a first-rounder, I think that would’ve been perfect. I believe the first-rounder and second-rounder next year were too much. With that being said, I do like that the Chiefs went and got a proven NFL pass rusher. That’s better than reaching for a guy at No. 29 who may or may not turn out to be a good NFL player.
To recap the Chiefs’ end of the Frank Clark trade, I love the player they got. Frank Clark is a legit NFL pass rusher. I think that’s better than reaching for a guy who may not pan out. The Chiefs got a great player, but I believe they gave up too much for him. They did that while paying him a crazy contract. Good move to get a talented player, but was it the best business decision?
