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The doldrums of summer never last too long in this league.The NFL grinds to a bit of a halt in the month leading up to training camp. But with most teams set to report this week, it's again time to give our attention to the gridiron. Dontay Bassett Jersey Among other things, the return to the practice field puts a spotlight on the biggest weakne ses acro s the league. Every team has at least one serious question mark at a specific position often due to a lack of depth or experience or a lingering injury. How those matters manifest will determine a lot about the 2024 season.With camp upon us, this article seeks to identify the most pre sing concern for each club.ADVERTISEMENT Today, we look at the AFC.EASTBuffalo Bills efensive endEveryone is going to harp on the receiver situation, but I'm not as worried as others. The Bills might not have a true top dog like they had in Stefon Diggs, but there are plenty of options in this pa sing game. can help turn rookie , or into a star. Instead, I wonder if Sean McDermott has enough juice in his pa s rush. left for San Francisco in free agency. gave the Bills nothing last year, and he just turned 35. and are both still around, but is that enough? The Bills are also breaking in several new faces in the secondary, and a great pa s rush would do wonders to help them out. They just might not have that luxury in 2024.Miami Dolphins:GuardThe way last season went, it's fair to be concerned about Miami's offensive line until further notice. Injuries battered the group last year, which makes that something worth watching again. The tackle duo of and is a solid one, but Armstead has mi sed 25% of his games since signing with the Dolphins in 2022. More important might be the two new starters at center and guard. Aaron Brewer was a plus starter during his time in Tenne see, but right guard has mostly been a backup to this point in his career. Mike McDaniel is smart enough to scheme around i sues on the offensive line but only to a point.New England Patriots eft tackleThe Patriots ultimately drafted a young left tackle to begin the Era, but they took their sweet time doing it. With all due respect to , it's rare to see a third-round draft pick step in and excel Greg Pyke Jersey at left tackle from Day 1. It's even rarer to see that from a guy who only started at right tackle in college, as is the case with Wallace. If Wallace isn't up to it, veteran tackle is also primarily a right-side player. Whether it's Maye or starting at quarterback, it's hard to feel good about the guys on the blind side.New York Jets:Slot receiverA lot of people are going to focus on tight end, but has quietly been a solid producer since landing in New York. The options in the slot look like a bigger mystery heading into training camp. was primarily a return guy as a rookie, catching just 21 pa ses on the year. Rookie is an intriguing talent, but the draft scouting community has raised questions about his route running as well as his consistency. will want to find a steady option for easy completions aside from the obvious in Garrett Wilson.NORTHBaltimore Ravens:Offensive lineIt feels like the changes to the Ravens' offensive front are flying a bit under the radar. Three of Baltimore's five starters from the AFC Championship Game departed this offseason and off to the Jets, and signing with the . To be fair to them, and are probably the Ravens' two best offensive linemen, but they can't do everything themselves. Andrew Voorhees and need to step up at the guard spots, and rookie tackle needs to be ready to go. If not, life is going to be a lot tougher for .Cincinnati Bengals:Running backIn the long run, it makes a ton of sense for the Bengals to get younger and cheaper by moving on from . But with a roster that's ready to contend for a Super Bowl, it is at least a slight gamble heading into the season with such little proven production at running back. Getting on a two-year, $8 million deal was solid value, but Mo s has just one season of sustained succe s acro s his four years in the league. Even still, the i sue isn't Mo s so much as the entire RB room. showed some flash as a rookie but has just 60 career touches. has hung around the roster for five years but has yet to play a major role on offense. The depth here is a quiet concern.Cleveland Browns uarterbackIt's surreal that this is the biggest question mark for a team with a $230 million quarterback, but here we are. This is a loaded Browns roster. The defense was borderline historic in 2023, David McCormack Jersey and the offense is loaded. will (hopefully) be back to 100 percent after last year's knee injury. Cleveland was a playoff team despite playing five different quarterbacks last year. If they can get quality play out of this year, the Browns are a Super Bowl contender. It's obviously a big if. Watson hasn't played near that level in two years with the Browns, and he hasn't looked like a franchise quarterback since 2020.Pittsburgh Steelers:Offensive lineAll the focus in Pittsburgh is going to be on and , and that's understandable. While that steals the headlines, it feels like the Steelers' true X-factor is the group of guys blocking for them. There is real potential here. Left tackle looked like a budding star in his first year, and new rookies and came with great draft grades. If all these youngsters play up to their billing, they could pave the way for an offensive resurgence in Pittsburgh. If they stumble, the offense could struggle yet again Cam Fuller Jersey regardle s of who's under center.SOUTHHouston Texans:CornerbackIt's wild how quickly Houston has turned this roster into a contender because it's tough looking for obvious weakne ses. Even cornerback isn't a true need, as the Texans do have a young star in Derek Stingley Jr. manning one side of the field. The i sue is the other side. is a big-time prospect coming out of Georgia, but he is still a rookie. Likely pushing him for that job is , who lands in Houston after a so-so season with the . The Texans have the talent to overcome this i sue, but it's worth noting.Indianapolis Colts:CornerbackThe Colts opted to addre s their pa s rush over their secondary when they took with the No. 14 overall pick in the draft back in April. Hopefully, Latu blo soms into an elite edge rusher and quickly because Indy's secondary could use the help. Kenny Moore is one of the most underrated players in the NFL, handling slot corner duties, but the Colts' options on the outside don't inspire as much confidence. Julius Brents and Jaylon Jones showed promise as rookies, but they've combined for just 18 NFL starts.Jacksonville Jaguars:CornerbackStarting to sense a theme in this division? There are questions all over the group in Jacksonville after CB1 left for L.A. in free agency. has been solid when healthy, but he mi sed six games due to injury last year. The Jags did sign , who had a strong season in Baltimore. But Darby turned 30 last season, and he also wasn't asked to carry a heavy load in the Ravens' loaded defense. Some of the Jags' primary competitors for playing time, De'Antre Prince and , are rookies.Tenne see Titans inebackerOne of the sneakiest lo ses of the league year came in Nashville Bruce Smith Jersey , when the Titans lost to their division rivals in Houston. Al-Shaair played under DeMeco Ryans in San Francisco, so it's no surprise the Texans' head coach snatched him up after a staggering 163-tackle campaign in 2023. That departure creates questions in the middle of the Titans' defense. Tenne see did sign to fill the hole, though Murray's career to this point has been up and down since the Chargers made him a first-round pick in 2020. Other than Murray, there's , who was solid in his first season as a regular starter, rookie and second-year player . A proven group, this is not.WESTDenver Broncos uarterbackLet's keep this nice and simple: On paper, the Broncos have one of the thinnest quarterback rooms in the NFL this year. is trying to resuscitate his career under Sean Payton after three disastrous years in New York, Jarrett Stidham has just four NFL starts to his name, and rookie has obviously yet to take a profe sional snap. Payton must be hoping that Nix is ready to hit the ground running after selecting him No. 12 overall in the spring. If Nix isn't, this is a solid Broncos roster that could be hamstrung by bad quarterback play again.Kansas City Chiefs eft tackleAt this point, you |
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