The NFL remains a quarterback-driven league, even after Sam Darnold won a Super Bowl.
Joe loves the revival of rushing offense in this decade, but teams — and assessing them — are still very much about their quarterbacks.
Former Panthers, Chiefs, Vikings and Giants guard Geoff Schwartz was breaking down the NFC South while co-hosting on SiriusXM NFL Radio this week. He feels good about the Bucs’ roster but doesn’t see it as much better than the rosters of the Falcons and Panthers.
“They’re just getting older, dude, at a lot of positions,” Schwartz said of Tampa Bay. “But their talent is certainly there. Right?
“Look at defensively, I like the Rueben Bain addition and the [Josiah] Trotter addition in the draft. Vita Vea is incredible but he’s getting up there in age. They added A’Shawn Robinson, who has been a good, quality player for most of his career. Obviously, some overhaul at linebacker. … The secondary at times can be good but I don’t know if it’s consistent there.”
Schwartz praised the Bucs offense but thinks the November and December edition of Baker Mayfield was more than just bad luck.
” I think Mayfield did start to show some of his age last year. He’s a guy that chronically sort of has little bumps and bruises with the style he plays,” Schwartz said.
Still, division advantage Bucs. “I think you default to the better quarterback,” Schwartz said, referring to Mayfield in comparison to Bryce Young.
For those wondering, Schwartz was drafted by the Panthers and still lives in the region, so he’s definitely paying attention to the Panthers.
The Joe typing here feels a lot like Schwartz does. Mayfield is the division’s best quarterback until someone proves otherwise, and that’s just about always good enough to make a team the favorite to win the division crown.