Grading the 2021 Offseason for the NFC’s 2020 Playoff Teams

In 2020, it would be seven and not six cubs to reach the postseason in each conference. The No. 1 seed in both the AFC and NFC earned the bye. There would be three wild card games per the two conferences. And as it turned out, home field advantage didn’t seem to matter much in that first round.

And ironically, it didn’t matter to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. An 11-5 wild card team defeated Washington, New Orleans, and Green Bay on the road before dethroning the reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium. So how has the 2021 offseason gone for the 2020 NFC playoff field (in order of last season’s playoff seeding)?

1. Green Bay Packers: C

Yes, it’s been quite the few months for the reigning NFC North champions and the future of Aaron Rodgers is a daily topic. Is his season really in jeopardy? Meanwhile, the organization was once again extremely quiet when it came to adding veteran talent and are relying on the draft to bolster their roster. The Packers did add versatile linebacker De’Vondre Campbell. The Rodgers’ situation has made for lots of drama but will there be ramifications?

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2. New Orleans Saints: C+

The team finished 12-4 a year ago and won its fourth straight NFC South title. But this club was inconsistent at best and imploded in the fourth quarter in divisional playoffs vs. the visiting Bucs. It’s the end of an era in the Crescent City as Drew Brees has retired. It appears that six-year pro Jameis Winston is the Saints’ new starting quarterback (but don’t rule out Taysom Hill). And salary-cap issues prevented Sean Payton’s team from adding a lot of veterans.

3. Seattle Seahawks: B-

The reigning NFC West champions come off a year in which they started 5-0 but finished 12-4 and were one-and-out come playoff time. It was an up-and-down year for Pete Carroll’s club as the defense was a team weakness early on and the offense and Russell Wilson shined. It was just the opposite late in the year and down the stretch. Veteran guard Gabe Jackson was acquired from the Raiders via trade and should upgrade a shaky offensive front.

4. Washington Football Team: B+

The franchise won its second division title in a six-year span and did it despite a 7-9 record. Including the playoff loss to the Buccaneers, Ron Rivera’s club utilized four different starting quarterbacks in 2020 but Dwayne Haskins and Alex Smith are no longer with the club. But the team did add journeyman Ryan Fitzpatrick and playmaker Curtis Samuel to aid the offense. Linebacker Jamin Davis (Kentucky) joins an already-fearsome defensive unit.

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5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A

It’s hard to ignore the fact that the reigning NFL champions are returning all 22 starters from the club that rolled the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, 31-9. General manager Jason Licht re-signed the likes of linebackers Shaq Barrett and Lavonte and also brought back wide receiver Antonio Brown. No team has repeated as Super Bowl champs since the 2003 and ’04 Patriots with quarterback Tom Brady. But will the Bucs win their first division title since 2007?

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6. Los Angeles Rams: C+

There’s a new quarterback in town in Matthew Stafford, part of a trade that sent Jared Goff to Detroit. Sean McVay’s team always finds way to score points. But what about the top-ranked defense from a year ago? The Rams gave up an NFL-low 296 points but coordinator Brandon Staley is now the head coach of the Chargers. Also gone are defensive tackle Michael Brockers, standout safety John Johnson III and play-making cornerback Troy Hill.

7. Chicago Bears: B

The team opted not to pick up the fifth-year option on Mitch Trubisky and now the second overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft is a member of the Bills. But general manager Ryan Pace did move up in this year’s draft and secured the services of Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields. The Bears also signed Andy Dalton before the selection of Fields. The team made sure wide receiver Allen Robinson didn’t get away and he’s already signed his franchise tag tender.

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