Jets Signing Rodgers Leads Top 5 Moves Of The 2023 NFL Offseason

The countdown is on to the start of NFL training camps. One month from now, nearly all teams will have established their summer routine and will be going at it in practice. The Baltimore Ravens will be the first to start their camp, as rookies will report July 18 and the Carolina Panthers will bring in their first-year players July 22.

Many teams will have their veterans report by July 25, and that’s when the 2023 season will begin to take form. That’s when it’s no longer about potential or hope for the future; on-field production and performance will take over.

Every team in the league professes to have improved in the offseason. Some of the moves made by signing free agents, drafting star players or making coaching changes will pay off, while others will be disastrous.

In this piece we look at the five best and most significant moves of the off season.

1 — Jets acquire Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers is 39 years old and clearly in the sunset of his Hall of Fame career. He is also light years better than any of the quarterbacks the Jets have had in the last 11 years. Instead of having a quarterback named Matt Sanchez, Geno Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Josh McCown, Sam Darnold or Zach Wilson, the Jets will have one of the game’s best quarterbacks of the last 20 years.

As long as Rodgers is healthy, he has the ability to carry an offense with his accuracy, ability to sense the pass rush and the game-changing skill to put the ball in a place where his receiver can catch the ball and the defense can’t touch it.

That was not the case last year for Rodgers, as the quarterback was not healthy. He battled a broken thumb and he was unable to throw with significant velocity or accuracy. All reports indicate Rodgers is healthy and happy, and if he can remain that way for 17 games, the Jets will have a chance to battle the Buffalo Bills for the AFC East title

2 — Eagles re-sign Jalen Hurts

The Eagles dominated for the large majority of the regular season, and Hurts became one of the top quarterbacks in the league. Few players have been more impactful than Hurts was with the Eagles. He was rewarded with a five-year, $255 million contract.

That means Hurts will have the greatest annual salary of any player in the league. The Eagles are committed to Hurts, and he is simply one of the most accomplished players in the league. He is a sharp leader who displays enough arm strength, accuracy and maximum courage. He is also one of the most effective runners at his position.

As long as Hurts is healthy, the Eagles are clear-cut NFC East favorites and have a great chance to get back to the Super Bowl.

3 — Panthers draft QB Bryce Young

It’s not just a matter of bringing in the most talented quarterback in the NFL Draft. It’s the full picture of what the Panthers did to give Young a winning environment in his first year.

The Panthers have a head coach in Frank Reich who may be better at making a quarterback feel comfortable than any other coach in the league. Add in assistants Jim Caldwell and Josh McCown, and that means that Young should be able to get the answer to any question he needs answered.

The rookie quarterback has a team of receivers in Adam Thielen, Miles Sanders and Hayden Hurst who will sell out for him to make every catch on an every-game basis. There are no guarantees about rookie quarterbacks, but the Panthers have done everything they can to help Young succeed.

4 — Seahawks draft Jaxon Smith-Njigba

This is the early pick for offensive rookie of the year. Smith-Njigba displayed incredible ability at Ohio State in 2021 with 95 receptions for 1,606 yards and 9 touchdowns, and he should be more prepared than any other first-year receiver.

If Geno Smith can come close to matching what he did a year ago when he exceeded all expectations in his first year as Seattle’s QB1, Smith-Njigba should be able to take advantage of single coverage throughout the season. With fellow receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf commanding most of the attention, Smith-Njigba will be able to run free in the secondary and dominate with his speed, moves, hands and big-play ability.

5 — Patriots send Matt Patricia and Joe Judge packing

Whether Mac Jones is truly the answer at quarterback for the Patriots has still not been determined, but he had no chance to succeed last year with Patricia and Judge providing the play-calling leadership. Patricia’s inability to get effective plays in on time was an issue throughout the 2022 season, and Jones was unable to work effectively in this quagmire of an environment.

Jones made it clear that he was unhappy and Bill Belichick responded by parting company with the coaching duo. He has brought back Bill O’Brien, who has been one of Belichick’s most successful lieutenants in the past. If he can give Jones a good working environment and the Pats play effective offense, this could be one of the surprise teams in the league because the defense looks dominant