NFL offseason storylines to watch: What will Tom Brady decide? Can the Eagles keep their free agents?

How Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs prepare for Super Bowl LVII, the 30 teams not in the Big Game are gearing up for the 2023 season. The league has one game left before the madness NFL the offseason begins, especially with free agency less than two months away and the draft less than three months away.

The NFL offseason won’t be dramatic either, especially after the free agent frenzy that existed last year. The teams will look to raise the stakes to improve their roster to reach the Super Bowl and compete with the Eagles and Chiefs down the stretch. This free agent season will certainly focus on the defensive backs, as the league could see significant movement among the signal callers.

With just a few weeks left in the offseason, here are the top storylines to keep an eye on:

For the third time in the last four offseasons, the NFL world will revolve around Tom Brady and what he decides to do next season. The soon-to-be 46-year-old Brady has several options to consider, including retirement and a 10-year, $375 million contract with Fox.

Brady was retired last season, but it lasted 40 days and he decided to return to Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A return to Tampa Bay seems unlikely for Brady, so there will be several options available. What about Las Vegas Raiders, San Francisco 49ers or Miami Dolphins? Are these franchises enough to encourage Brady to play another season – or two?

This offseason will be crucial for Brady and a franchise on the defensive end of a Super Bowl berth. Any team that gets Brady will get some players with him.

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have been in a dance-off over the past two offseasons, resulting in Rodgers becoming the league’s highest-paid quarterback and the Packers trading his top pass catcher to Davante Adams. With packers having Jordan Love entering the final year of his rookie deal, will Green Bay and Rodgers finally decide to part ways?

The New York Jets hired Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator in an attempt to lure Rodgers, and the Las Vegas Raiders do have Adams in case Rodgers wants to reunite with him. There’s sure to be a bidding war on the trade market for Rodgers, especially since he has two years left on that three-year, $150 million deal.

3. Will it be Ravens make a long-term deal with Lamar Jackson?

Lamar Jackson’s future with the Ravens is just as uncertain, especially since the two sides were unable to work out a long-term deal before the quarterback hit a self-imposed deadline before the season. The Ravens can certainly franchise Jackson this offseason and try to work out a long-term deal, but does Jackson even want to be in Baltimore at this point?

Of course, the Ravens haven’t helped Jackson by stocking him with pass catchers this season, playing to Jackson’s strengths with a run-first offense throughout his tenure with the Ravens. As a result, Baltimore moved on from longtime offensive coordinator Greg Roman and will seek Jackson’s input in the search for a new offensive coordinator.

Jackson’s short-term future in Baltimore appears secure unless the Ravens decide to pay him the lucrative extension he wants and move on. Then things get interesting for Jackson, where he wants to play, how much he wants and how much Baltimore can get for him.

4. Where will be Derek Carr finish?

The Raiders will move on from Derek Carr this offseason, but which team will Carr go to? Will Carr be the consolation prize after the fates of Brady, Rodgers and Jackson are decided — or will Carr be the first domino to fall?

Since Carr has been with the Raiders, the franchise has had the worst rushing defense in the NFL. If Carr gets a second chance with a new franchise, will a more competent defense get the best of him? Carr was the franchise quarterback the Raiders had been missing since the Rich Gannon days, but couldn’t get the Raiders to a playoff victory, even when they were respectable.

How much does the car cost too? What teams will be willing to pay him? With Carr on the market, it will be interesting to see which teams will be the first to pounce on him.

5. Can the NFC champion Eagles keep all of their free agents?

The Eagles have arguably the best roster in the NFL, beating their opponents in the regular season and playoffs to advance to the Super Bowl. Not all of those players are guaranteed to return for the 2023 season, as some key performers are free agents.

James Bradbury, Javon HargraveCJ Gardner-Johnson, Miles Sanders, Fletcher Cox, You are Jay Edwards, Isaac Seumaloand Marcus Epps are key starters set to become free agents next March. That’s a lot of good players the Eagles would have to keep — and Philadelphia can’t keep them all with the available cap space.

The Eagles will once again need to get creative on the salary cap and retain players who are part of the long-term future. This team will definitely not be the same as the NFC Championship team.

6. Who will be the quarterback for the 49ers next season?

San Francisco has basically made up its mind Jimmy Garoppolo before the season when the 49ers decided to go with Trey Lance in the camp. They reworked Garoppolo’s 2022 contract, allowing him to hit free agency in 2023. Garoppolo essentially took the job after Lance was injured and missed the season, only to be injured mid-season himself – and replaced by Brock Purdy.

Pardee injured his UCL in the NFC Championship Game, a blowout that showed the 49ers could be a superstar quarterback away from winning the Super Bowl. with Christian McCaffrey, Maybe Samuel, George Kittle and Brandon Ayuk in tow – It’s important for the 49ers to make the most of all the skill players at their disposal.

Does San Francisco believe Purdy is a 2023 deal, or are the 49ers doubling down on their investment with Lance? When were Brady and other free agent quarterbacks tempted enough to move on from both?

San Francisco has a tough decision to make that could be the difference between winning the Super Bowl or missing the postseason.

Saquon Barkley is the best crop of loaded running backs in free agency, but how much will he command from the Giants? Barkley said he doesn’t want to set the market for running backs, even though he will be the standard after his best season since his rookie year.

While Barkley isn’t the same player he was five years ago, he’s still a player that challenges defenses. The Giants’ offense has lost at times without Barkley in 2022, but New York will pay $10 million or more for its best hitter. The Giants have cap space, but there are other pressing issues on offense.

Barkley shouldn’t be the first domino to fall, but he will be in high demand.

8. How much will the 2020 quarterback class make with the expansion?

Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts all due to lucrative extensions next offseason, especially with Borrow and Herbert having fifth-year options this year. Hurts does not have a fifth-year option since he was a second-round pick, meaning his extension with the Eagles could come sooner rather than later.

Aaron Rodgers earns the highest average annual salary for a quarterback at $50,271,667, which will surely be beaten after Russell Wilson received 49 million dollars Kyler Murray $46.1 million the previous offseason.

Barow and Herbert are going to reset the market and Hurts won’t be far behind. Tua Tagavailoa will be in the mix for an extension as well, with a fifth-year option included.

The quarterback market will be reset with this talented class.

9. Will teams pay any of these running backs in this deep free agent class?

There are plenty of talented running backs who will hit the open market, but how much are these players worth? Saquon Barkley, Josh JacobsMiles Sanders, Tony Pollard, Kareem Hunt, Rashad Penny, Jamal Williams, Rahim Mostert, D’Onta Foreman, Devin Singletary, The very crotch and Jerick McKinnon big names who will be free agents.

There are plenty of good players available for teams, but will these franchises enter a bidding war for some of these players? Will teams lowball some of these quarterbacks and let the market play out before the draft — or after the draft?

Teams are going to look for a running back they want, but running backs are more profitable in a rookie deal instead of paying a player big money for his second contract.

Will it be the same in the offseason? There are many good players.