In an ongoing summer season sequence evaluating every place group inside the NFC South, we now have concluded offense and protection and now flip our consideration to particular groups. In case you missed any of the earlier teams, here’s a fast hyperlink tree to every:
Quarterbacks
Operating Backs
Extensive Receivers
Tight Ends
Offensive Tackles
Offensive Guards
Facilities
Defensive Tackles
Edge
Linebackers
Cornerbacks
Nickelbacks
Safeties
One fast observe. Within the final 48 hours, the Falcons made two additions to their roster, buying and selling for edge Matthew Judon and signing free agent security Justin Simmons. The addition of Judon raised them in my rankings from 4th to third within the NFC South whereas the Simmons signing saved them in 2nd, however considerably closed the hole between them and the Bucs. Each strikes will likely be mirrored within the last rankings article I plan to shut this sequence with.
The particular groups rankings will look particularly on the punter and kicker, whereas additionally incorporating how every total unit has operated within the current previous. As I’ve executed with every earlier place group, I’m counting on Ourlads for depth chart projections. I thought of making an attempt to judge returners as properly, however determined in opposition to it because of the new return guidelines. That will likely be an oblique reflection of how every unit has traditionally carried out.
Particular Groups
1. Falcons
Ok Younghoe Koo
P Bradley Pinion
Whereas he has not been the distinctive performer that he was circa 2020-2021, Younhoe Koo continues to be a rattling good kicker. His final two seasons have been the bottom of his profession when it comes to area aim proportion, but every was nonetheless an excellent 86.5%. Exterior of an abysmal Week 14 displaying in opposition to Tampa Bay, he would have had a case for an additional Professional Bowl bid. Koo has been the mannequin of consistency since his second yr within the league and exhibits no indicators of slowing down.
Falcons P Bradley Pinion and Ok Younghoe Koo – Photograph by: USA As we speak
Former Bucs punter Bradley Pinion has re-established himself as an above-average punter in Atlanta, the place he’s coming off of back-to-back stable seasons. Pinion was Professional Soccer Focus’ top-rated punter final yr (88.3 grade), although I’m not satisfied he was.
Pinion’s anticipated factors added per punt was 0.04, rating seventeenth within the league. And whereas 40% of his makes an attempt ended up inside his opponents 20-yard line, there have been different punters who had a better proportion. Nonetheless, he has proven himself to be dependable when wholesome; one thing he was not on the finish of 2021 whereas taking part in for the Bucs.
The Falcons have had loved stable particular groups play the previous three years below particular groups coordinator Marquise Willams and new head coach Raheem Morris protecting him on after taking the reins in Atlanta is a testomony to his skills.
2. Bucs
Ok Chase McLaughlin
P Jake Camarda
Chase McLaughlin is coming off of a profession yr that helped him safe a brand new three-year contract with the Bucs. His season was arguably the most effective season by a Bucs kicker in staff historical past. He transformed 93.5% of his area aim makes an attempt on the yr, together with going 7-of-8 from 50+yards. Each of McLaughlin’s misses got here from blocks. The 2023 season was the second consecutive yr McLaughlin improved his area aim accuracy, shifting from 71.4% in 2021 to 83.3% in 2022 to final yr’s high-water mark.
Behind McLaughlin is the uber-talented, however frustratingly inconsistent Jake Camarda. After displaying the world he had a booming leg able to maintaining with nearly every other punter within the NFL throughout his rookie season in 2022, Camarda improved his consistency and effectivity in 2023. Amongst qualifying punters (minimal 20 punts), he ranked ninth within the league in epa/punt (+0.07), fifth in yards/punt (50.0), however tied for 18th in web yards/punt (41.8).
Camarda additionally ranked simply twenty third in % of punts contained in the 20 (36.36%) whereas he was fifth in touchback proportion (11.69%). The distinction in these two numbers was the sixth-lowest within the league, displaying he’s nonetheless struggling to precisely place his shorter punts. If he can clear that up, he might be the most effective punter within the league.
The Bucs’ particular groups have persistently ranked within the backside third of the league when it comes to protection and return models, and the 2 blocks that prevented McLaughlin from having a clear season all contribute to them not popping out on prime for the NFC South particular groups rankings. The staff hopes {that a} change in management may help with that. Gone is the much-maligned Keith Armstrong. In is Thomas McGaughey, who has coached some well-performing models with the New York Giants, though his most up-to-date models have been extra common than good.
3. Saints
Ok Blake Grupe
P Lou Hedley
Blake Grupe had a stable rookie season, hitting on 30 of his 37 area aim tries (81.1%) and all 28 of his additional level tries. His area aim proportion was twenty fifth amongst 34 qualifying kickers within the NFL final yr. He was 6-of-9 from past 49 yards, which was proper in the course of all kickers in 2023.
Hedley was one of many worst kickers within the NFL in epa/play (-0.11). He was final in yards per try (43.0) and tied for twenty eighth in web yards per try. He excels with shorter fields, placing 45.33% of his makes an attempt contained in the 20. In a contemporary NFL that asks punters to flip fields when offenses stall early, Hedley might want to enhance his consistency on 50+ yard punts. His 2023 lengthy of 62 was tied for the shortest amongst all qualifying punters.
Regardless of having lackluster specialists, the Saints nonetheless rank third in particular groups as a result of they’ve a unbelievable returner in Rashid Shaheed and an total unit that has ranked prime 3-10 yearly since 2018. New Orleans persistently fares properly on protection models and has one of many highest punt return averages within the league.
4. Panthers
Ok Eddy Pineiro
P Johnny Hekker
Panthers P Johnny Hekker and Ok Eddy Piniero – Photograph by: USA As we speak
Eddy Pineiro has been a mannequin of consistency since coming into the league in 2019. He has missed simply 11 of 100 area aim makes an attempt over that point span. As a result of a scarcity of leg energy, he hasn’t had many makes an attempt of fifty+ yards with simply 12. However Pineiro has been superb in these conditions, changing 10 of these makes an attempt. He additionally hit his profession lengthy of 56 yards simply final season.
Johnny Hekker would lead this group in quarterback rankings. However these guys are paid for his or her legs and never their arms. Hekker has made a reputation for himself hitting on some faux punt throws over his profession. However on pure punting, he ranked twenty third in epa/punt. His supporting stats inform an analogous story as he’s twentieth in yards/punt and twenty eighth in % of punts within the 20.
Tracy Smith is the Panthers’ new particular groups coordinator after spending his final three seasons as assistant particular groups coordinator for the Seahawks. Seattle was a top-half particular groups unit in every of the previous two years, whereas the Panthers as a roster have been extra middle-of-the-pack typically.
