NFL
For players, the preseason break between June Minicamp and July Training Camp is a godsend. It’s an opportunity to spend time with family, rest aching bodies and mentally prepare for the upcoming season’s grind.
For writers, this lull in the preseason program is also a blessing.
While often overwhelmed by the constant stream of NFL headlines, rumors and transactions, the laid-back nature of this stretch allows for NFL writers and analysts to get creative with their work.
Although NFL Awards aren’t announced until February, the NFL Department at TSJ has been working hard to preview potential front-runners. In these way-too-early predictions, three NFL experts will provide their insights into how the 2018-2019 NFL Honors landscape will look.
Previewing the Front-Runners for 2018-19 NFL Awards
Although still eight months away, NFL minicamp has given us a clear insight into how the league will shape up in 2018. With fields for various awards no longer clouded, it’s now an appropriate time to project success for teams and players this season.
Although individual awards aren’t the main reason for cleating up, they generally come as a byproduct of a players impact on his team’s success. While the NFL Honors award a number of prestigious accolades at their annual event, six of them stand out among the rest.
The League’s “Most Valuable Player”, “Offensive Player of the Year”, “Defensive Player of the Year”, “Offensive Rookie of the Year”, “Defensive Rookie of the Year” and “Comeback Player of the Year” are among the prestigious awards an athlete can receive in the NFL.
In this article, the TSJ writing staff will project front-runners for each of these League Awards.
Will Zurcher’s Predictions
MVP: Patriots QB Tom Brady
Blah blah blah Tom Brady’s the G.O.A.T. blah blah.
Ok, now that we have that out of the way, let’s get serious. The 41-year-old had a historically great season, pacing the league in passing yards (4,577) and ranking top-three in passing touchdowns (32) and passer rating (102.8). He also lead the Patriots to a 13-3 regular season record and another Super Bowl birth.
While I think Brady will yield the statistical leads in 2018 to Aaron Rodgers (check OPOY), his predictably immaculate regular season record will give him a slight edge over the Packer signal caller.
(Not to mention he’s married to the gorgeous Gisele Bündchen. Have you seen her!?!? Another big win for the future Hall of Famer! #TeamGisele)
OPOY: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers
Although narrowly getting beaten out in a tight MVP race with Brady, Aaron Rodgers will still receive some prime hardware. No, I’m not talking about the George Foreman Panini Grill that guests receive at the award ceremony. I’m referring to his OPOY trophy.
While Rodgers was sidelined much of 2017, he returns to an offense flooded with talent.
As the Packer Quarterback looks to stat-pack his way to a MVP title, the young Packers defense is still a year or two away from becoming great. With incredible individual production, but not as much team success, Rodgers will settle for being the second best NFL quarterback behind Brady.
(Like Rodgers, his new girlfriend Danica Patrick will also finish second on a different list to a member of the Brady household. #TeamGisele)
DPOY: Rams DT Aaron Donald
Aaron Donald is a man among boys in the NFL. Over the last three seasons he has made offensive lineman look silly, blasting by them with unbelievable speed, perfect technique, and unparalleled strength.
The three 1st team All Pros and 2017 Defensive Player of the Year award are evidence enough of that.
As long as the Rams and Donald resolve their contract stalemate prior to the start of the regular season, Donald is far and away the DPOY favorite. Heck, even if he misses a few games he’s still the favorite.
OROY: Giants RB Saquon Barkley
When your most common NFL comps are All Pros Ezekiel Elliott and David Johnson, you’re doing something right. And Saquon Barkley does a lot of things right.
The Penn State product is the most polished RB prospect to enter the draft since Adrian Peterson and has the potential to be an all-time great. After a stellar career with the Nittany Lions, Barkley looks to continue his success on Sundays.
Even when paired with a porous New York Giants offensive line, you can all but pencil in Saquon Barkley as your NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
DROY: Broncos OLB Bradley Chubb
After getting drafted by the Denver Broncos, Bradley Chubb is poised for a huge year. Lining up opposite of an elite pass rusher in Von Miller, the duo will wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks this season.
Sliding into the strong-side linebacker position in defensive coordinator Joe Wood’s 3-4 scheme, Chubb will accumulate BIG sack totals.
CBPOY: Cardinals RB David Johnson
In 2016 David Johnson exploded onto the NFL scene. After taking the reins of the Arizona backfield the tail end of the 2015 campaign, Johnson went on a historic tear. Over just 22 NFL starts, the tailback has racked up over 3200 yards from scrimmage and 32 total touchdowns.
Entering last year primed for a historic campaign, Johnson suffered a wrist injury that ultimately cost him the season.
Now fully healthy, the back is yet again primed for a huge season. As a legit candidate to exceed 1000 yards both rushing and receiving, the Cardinal running back leads the CBPOY pack.
Maxfield Mullins’ Predictions
MVP: Packers QB Aaron Rodgers
The MVP award primarily goes to quarterbacks and there will be a strong crop of field generals competing this season.
Among the talented field, a standout candidate resides in Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers, a perennially elite passer, will earn serious consideration if he can carry the Packers in a tough NFC North.
Although he lost his primary target in Jordy Nelson this offseason, the Packers have crafted a strong offense around Rodgers. Lead by the addition of Jimmy Graham and emergence of Davante Adams, the Packers offense should have enough for Rodgers to put up the elite stats we have come to expect from him.
OPOY: Steelers WR Antonio Brown
Only Jerry Rice has won this award at the receiver position, but Brown has a chance to join elite company. If not for a late-season injury last year he had an opportunity to become the first players with 2,000 or more receiving yards in a season.
In a star-studded offense with Ben Roethlisberger and Le’Veon Bell, Brown has another chance. If he can near that milestone again, the Steeler could become the first receiver in decades to secure this award.
DPOY: Chargers DE Joey Bosa
After only two seasons, Bosa has already established himself as one of the best young defenders in the game.
With Pro Bowl teammate Melvin Ingram receiving attention on the other side, Bosa has developed into a matchup nightmare for opposing offenses. Adding the emergence of a star-studded Chargers secondary, the Defensive End is in line for tremendous production in 2018.
With quarterbacks forced to hold the ball for longer, his sack numbers could skyrocket and Bosa will be catapulted to the front of the DPOY conversation.
OROY: Giants RB Saquon Barkley
Barkley had a special career at Penn State, and he brings unparalleled physical tools to the Giants backfield. He has elite speed and power with a versatile skill set. In college he excelled at running both inside and outside, as well as catching balls out of the backfield.
If the offensive line can hold together, he could carry a talented offense back to relevance after a down year.
DROY: Bears LB Roquan Smith
In 2017 Smith was named the Butkus Award winner as the nation’s best linebacker. In his final year at Georgia, the Bulldog defenseman displayed elite vision and explosiveness, even to NFL standards.
Now in the NFL, Roquan finds himself in a great position as the cornerstone of an up-and-coming Bears defense. As a day-one starter, Smith could be a sideline-to-sideline terror in Vic Fangio’s defense.
CBPOY: Texans DE J.J. Watt
J.J. Watt suffered a broken leg last season, but he didn’t let it keep him away from the NFL awards ceremony. He won the Walter Payton Man of the Year award for his incredible humanitarian work in the wake of hurricane Harvey.
If he can return anywhere near the historic dominance we are used to seeing from him on the football field, he’ll be a shoo-in for this award.
John Monroe’s Predictions
MVP: Eagles QB Carson Wentz
The Eagles started out hot last season! Guided by the vast improvement of their second-year quarterback out of North Dakota State, the Eagles were the suprise team of the season. Wentz was a shoo-in MVP prior to his Week 14 ACL tear; expect him to come back with a vengeance.
Leading a loaded Eagle’s team, Wentz and company look to make noise both in the NFC East, and MVP conversation.
OPOY: Steelers WR Antonio Brown
Brown is a stat-sheet filling regular. Who can cover him? No matter what coverage the opposing defense throws at him, he makes plays. Expect Antonio to rack up a ton of catches, yards, and touchdowns in 2018.
DPOY: Panthers LB Luke Kuechly
Luke is the field general and the heartbeat of a Carolina team that is known for its elite linebacking core. Kuechly can diagnose a play before it is called and is rarely out of position. He’s only been in the league for six seasons and has amassed an incredible 818 combined tackles.
Entering the 2018 season poised for continued production, the linebacker is firmly in the conversation for DPOY. Having already won the award in 2013, Kuechly knows what he needs to do to repeat.
OROY: Giants RB Saquon Barkley
Barkley fits right into a decent Giants team in dire need of a lead running back. He is well known for his running in between tackles and getting out on the perimeter. The most overlooked aspect is his pass catching out of the backfield.
Saquon has soft hands for a running back and is a swiss army knife. The back will pay huge dividends in the the Giant’s passing game, as well as in the running game. Look for the back to have a breakout season in 2018.
DROY: Bucs CB Carlton Davis
Davis was selected in the 2nd round of the 2018 NFL Draft after thriving at Auburn University. Tampa Bay coaches have loved his attitude and play thus far in the offseason and have noted that he is as far advanced as ANY rookie prospect they’ve ever seen. He’ll fit right in opposite of veteran Brent Grimes, while Vernon Hargreaves moves to the slot.
CBPOY: Chiefs S Eric Berry
The significance of Berry’s injury was felt late in the season, when the once-hot Chiefs were getting torched on the back end of their defense. Eric’s lone game consisted of one of the single most dominant games we’ve seen from a defensive back. His run stuff at the goal line was epic and with his dedication to the game, he’ll come back with a fire and desire unlike we’ve ever seen.
Big Stars Ready for a Big 2018
As fans anxiously await the beginning of the NFL season, these big-name stars are worth keeping tabs on. Primed for a blockbuster 2018, these starters will hope to be a force both for their teams and within their respective award races.
With the season opener in September, only time will tell if these NFL stars will live up to their TSJ Staff predictions in 2018.
This article was originally written by former TSJ101SPORTS NFL Department Head and writer William Zurcher. Due to systems modalities, the article has been assigned to the author tag designation “Former Writers”.
