23 players and coaches who will define the 2023 NFL season
A new NFL campaign kicks off Thursday. Presented alphabetically, these 23 players and coaches will help decide which squads soar, sink, and ultimately reign supreme in the 2023 season.
Josh Allen: Once an AFC lightweight, the Bills rank second in wins and lead the NFL in point differential since Allen's breakout year in 2020. Allen tossed or ran for 42 touchdowns last season, but his inefficiency posed problems in the playoffs. Surrounded by talent, the adjustments the gunslinging quarterback makes will determine Buffalo's ceiling.
Saquon Barkley: The Giants running back accepted $11 million on a one-year deal - slightly more money than his franchise tag dictated - to avoid a protracted standoff. Josh Jacobs, the reigning NFL rushing leader, settled for $12 million after being tagged by the Raiders. If they can't command top dollar and reset the RB market, what hope exists for the Colts' Jonathan Taylor?
Odell Beckham Jr.: Because of ankle, quad, and ACL injuries, Beckham missed 45 of 98 games over the past six seasons and hasn't played in 18 months. The Ravens signed him to open space for Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers and elevate a passing game that ranked 28th in yardage in 2022. Beckham's partnership with Lamar Jackson has the potential to bust or electrify.
Eric Bieniemy: The Commanders hired Bieniemy to coordinate their offense following his second Super Bowl triumph with the Chiefs. Untethered from Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes, his job is to accelerate second-year QB Sam Howell's development. The Josh Harris ownership era will begin on a bright note if Bieniemy succeeds.
Orlando Brown Jr.: The steadiness of the Bengals' offensive line is always a hot topic. Joe Burrow has taken a league-high 92 sacks over the past two seasons. Protecting him is paramount, especially as he returns from a calf strain. Enter Brown, the perennial Pro Bowl left tackle who cashed in on Cincinnati's $64-million free-agent pitch.
Jalen Carter: The Eagles' elite defense took hits in free agency. The departures of nose tackle Javon Hargrave, linebacker T.J. Edwards, and safeties Marcus Epps and C.J. Gardner-Johnson opened holes to fill at every level. The reigning NFC champs hope Carter, the ninth pick in the draft, can approximate Hargrave's 11-sack output.
Vic Fangio: Defense was the Dolphins' weakness in 2022, so they traded for Jalen Ramsey, but lost him for months following meniscus surgery. They also hired Fangio, the 65-year-old defensive whiz who is the NFL's highest-paid coordinator. His unit has to travel to face the Chargers, Bills, Eagles, Chiefs, and Jets during Ramsey's projected absence.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson: The Lions' new safety snared six interceptions last year to tie for the league lead. Gardner-Johnson also recorded a career-worst 78.6% reception rate when targeted, per PFF. Detroit bet on his upside and made several more changes to the secondary in a bid to finally win a playoff game (it's been 32 years).
Myles Garrett: By PFF's grades, Garrett was the NFL's top edge rusher last season. Only divisional foe T.J. Watt has tallied more sacks over the past five years. The Browns haven't placed second in the AFC North, much less won it, or posted a positive point differential since 2007, and Garrett's at the heart of the effort to change that.
Nathaniel Hackett: The Jets offensive coordinator seeks redemption. Hackett botched managing the clock and got the least out of Russell Wilson over 15 dismal games as Broncos head coach. He's under pressure to help Aaron Rodgers and Garrett Wilson click immediately so that New York's offense can fulfill its explosive potential.
Justin Jefferson: Can he rack up 2,000 receiving yards? The Vikings wideout was on pace last season to break Calvin Johnson's single-year record of 1,964, but was held to five catches over the final two games and denied both milestones. Miami's Tyreek Hill finished second in yardage and has vowed he'll "break 2,000" in 2023.
Trevor Lawrence: Superstardom is in reach for Jacksonville's QB. Lawrence ranked fifth in expected points added per play from Week 12 onward last season, per Ben Baldwin's data, as the Jaguars rallied to win the AFC South and then stunned the Chargers in the wild-card round. His continued progression could lead to deeper playoff runs.
Jordan Love: It's finally Love's turn. The No. 26 draft pick in 2020 has attempted only 83 career passes and will quickly expand on that total after inheriting the Packers starting job from Rodgers. Green Bay's first six opponents all missed the playoffs last year, in some cases by a mile, easing Love into his prove-it season.
Patrick Mahomes: His top wideout, JuJu Smith-Schuster, left in free agency. His team's best defender, destructive nose tackle Chris Jones, is willing to hold out until midseason for a new megadeal. We'll see if either hitch stops Mahomes, the reigning MVP, from leading the Chiefs to the first repeat Super Bowl championship since 2004.
Mike McCarthy: The Cowboys head coach helms an offensive juggernaut that consistently falters early in the playoffs. McCarthy is calling plays himself after overhauling his staff in the offseason. His pressing task is to reduce Dak Prescott's interception percentage, which ballooned to a league-worst 3.8% on 15 INTs in 2022.
D.J. Moore: The Bears offense played one note last season: Justin Fields held onto the ball and ran for dear life. Chicago acquired Moore as part of the trade return for the No. 1 overall pick to diversify the playbook and help Fields grow as a passer in his third year. Moore gained 102 yards - 90 after the catch - on two dazzling preseason receptions.
Sean Payton: The outspoken new Broncos coach admitted he was thinking like a Fox studio analyst - Payton's gig last year - when he ripped Hackett's mishandling of Russell Wilson. Payton apologized for that, but stood by the playoff expectations he established. He'll be ridiculed if Wilson declines further in another losing season.
Brock Purdy: Was Purdy's rookie breakout a fluke? Or did it signal he's competent enough to quarterback a contender? Loaded at most positions, the 49ers have yet to ask Purdy to take risks: his big-time throw rate and average depth of target both ranked 43rd last year, per PFF. They're counting on him to be reliable over 17 games after moving on from Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance.
Bijan Robinson: The Falcons, a throwback team built to run the ball, promise to be a fun fit for the No. 8 overall selection. Robinson's burst, evasiveness, field vision, and power are regarded as special. He's got a chance to humiliate tacklers, light up the lackluster NFC South, and lead the league in yards from scrimmage as a rookie.
Brandon Staley: Justin Herbert is a special QB, but the Chargers have let him down during Staley's coaching tenure. Counting the 27-point playoff meltdown in Jacksonville, Los Angeles went 1-6 last season against postseason qualifiers. The collapse will dog Staley until his club performs like a genuine Super Bowl hopeful.
Bobby Wagner: Shaky defensively in 2022, the Seahawks brought back the franchise legend to provide a boost at linebacker. Wagner's level of play will slip eventually, but his All-Pro streak is at nine seasons. Behind him, the secondary that Riq Woolen headlines could instill fear once Jamal Adams and No. 5 pick Devon Witherspoon are healthy.
Caleb Williams: USC's quarterback, the jewel of the 2024 draft class, inspires comparisons to Allen and Mahomes. Hopeless teams would be ecstatic to land Williams, whose cannon arm and fast feet propelled him to the '22 Heisman Trophy. As Kyler Murray rehabs his ACL tear, the Cardinals are a leading contender to tank.
Bryce Young: Coveting Young, the Panthers traded Moore and a slew of premium draft picks to choose him first overall. Like the Texans with C.J. Stroud and the Colts with Anthony Richardson, Carolina wasted no time installing Young as the starting QB. If all goes swimmingly, he'll join Herbert, Andrew Luck, Cam Newton, and Jameis Winston as the only rookies to throw for 4,000 yards.
Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.