Another season of football has come and gone.
We’ve seen the end of an empire, the rising stardom of an unorthodox quarterback type, as well as a head coaching legend getting his first taste of eternal glory as a Super Bowl champion.
But with each end of to the season comes a new offseason, and with each offseason comes new questions that will be addressed in the coming months.
With that in mind, here are some early offseason questions and storylines to keep an eye on this summer.
Tom Brady
Since reports came out that he might be unhappy in New England, the six-time Super Bowl champion has been spotted in Las Vegas, Tennessee, and Miami. The Patriots are expected to be prepared to offer $30 million to the Hall of Fame quarterback, but will his desire to play with more youthful and dynamic weapons push him out of an organization he’s spent 20 years in? Time will tell.
Speaking of signal-callers…
The quarterback names set to hit free agency include Philip Rivers, Drew Brees, Dak Prescott (although likely receiving the franchise tag), Cam Newton, Ryan Tannehill, Teddy Bridgewater, Jameis Winston, and Marcus Mariota. Mix that with Brady and the likely relocation of Andy Dalton if Joe Burrow is selected by the Bengals, and you’re going to have roughly one-third of the league with a new signal-caller.
Will he be signed?
One of the biggest blemishes in the NFL’s 100th season was the seemingly daily antics of Antonio Brown. Will he do enough this offseason to convince commissioner Roger Goodell, as well as the rest of the league that he’s worth another chance? Or will he continue to display the antics, further alienating himself from the NFL?
Where to now?
The Chiefs
Andy Reid finally got his long-awaited Super Bowl championship. With the bullseye that comes with being the best, will they continue to benefit from the MVP-caliber player of Patrick Mahomes and the speed they have on offense? If so, is this the birth of a new dynasty?
The 49ers
Their dominant season came to a crashing halt as they lost control of a 10-point lead in the final 15 minutes of the season. They won’t have much to do in terms of revamping this team, but they definitely are going to need to address their depth in the secondary, or lack thereof.
The Ravens
Their MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson couldn’t get it done in the playoffs for the second consecutive season. How do they duplicate their success from this year, as well as taking that next step?
The Patriots
If Tom Brady does sign somewhere else, will this team immediately go into a rebuild? Or will they plug in another quarterback and continue the Belichick way? Regardless of who will be under center next season, the receiving core is an area that needs much-needed revamping.
Derrick Henry
What is his price tag? Will the Titans pay it? Or will he hit the open market? Either way, he will most likely set the new standard for running backs going forward.
Ben Roethlisberger
What will the 16-year veteran look like coming back from an elbow injury that ended his season almost as quickly as it began? The Steelers’ lacked continuity at quarterback, which ultimately led to their failure to make the playoffs. Will he return to the guy you can never count out, or is this the end of his career?
