Survival-Readiness

What's an offseason without rankings of some kind? Of course we've already released plenty to whet your appetite for the 2023 season, including and . But now, in the spirit of , we're turning to the contenders -- and wannabe contenders -- in the NFC, which produced some of last year's juiciest storylines in the form of the ' dominant title bid, the ' QB turnover, the ' rejuvenation and own revival.Which teams deserve the preseason hype? Which ones could be headed for rockier roads? Here's one opinion on the NFC landscape going into 2023, with all 16 clubs separated into five different tiers:Philadelphia Eagles,San Francisco 49ers, The gap between these three and the rest of the conference feels pretty substantial. The Cowboys are technically the least qualified among the trio, failing to reach the NFC Championship Game since 1995, but they've won 12 games in back-to Mike Conley Jersey -back years, upgraded at two premium spots with and , and po se s some of the game's best young defensive talent in , and . Conservative coaching remains a concern with Mike McCarthy, and QB is still in search of a defining late-year run, but as is often the case, America's Team has the star power.The Eagles and 49ers, meanwhile, have combined for five NFC Championship appearances and two bids in the last six years. San Francisco is a bigger question mark due to a convoluted Justin Holiday Jersey QB situation; was unusually poised as a rookie, but he's coming off elbow surgery and a small sample size of production, and the alternatives, and , are reclamation projects in their own ways. Even so, coach Kyle Shanahan constructs the closest thing to a QB-proof system in the league, and he's still got a defense with imposing playmakers at every level. Philly probably owns the NFL's best all-around roster for a second consecutive year, thanks to general manager Howie Roseman's crafty ways. QB has the makeup to be a perennial MVP candidate, provided his physical rushing doesn't take him off the field, and the weapons acro s the board -- , , , -- coupled with an all-star O-line bode well. The biggest roadblocks to another trip may well be internal; while facing a tougher schedule, coach Nick Sirianni will be juggling new coordinators on both sides of the ball., , New York GiantsTwo of these three were surprise 2022 playoff teams, and the other is angling to snap a six-year streak of non-postseason action. In other words, none of them feel particularly trustworthy, and yet, on paper, they register as organizations built for another step forward. Let's start with the Giants: it's still unclear whether QB has the help or wherewithal to stretch the Dillon Brooks Jersey field as a pa ser, but if Brian Daboll can guide a road playoff win with last year's makeshift setup, adding vets like and shouldn't hurt. With underrated, ascending youth on both sides of the line, they should at least be scrappy again.Like the G-Men, the Seahawks are betting their QB's breakout wasn't a fluke, and while Geno Smith reverted to some turnover tendencies down the stretch, he's got deep skill-position support and a defense that looks vastly improved. Pete Carroll might finally have a stingy group again, adding physicality up front (), in the middle () and on the back end (). The Lions are just as promising, surrounding with a sturdy line and young playmakers like and . Their "D" also got more physical with a secondary makeover. It's been a long time, however, since they had such high expectations to meet, and Goff has his own hurdles to clear when it comes to off-script, big-game deliverance. , , , , Call this the middle ground, full of teams destined to hover around .500 and tease -- or surprise -- with a playoff push. The Vikings almost never bottom out, and they've C.J. Miles Jersey still got top-shelf offensive weaponry between , and , but Brian Flores' arrival as a more aggre sive schemer can only do so much to mask a stripped-down defense. The Packers have dropped off the radar since trading , and their pa s catchers are very young, but lively arm, plus a formidable ground game, should keep them feisty. The Saints still tout a suffocating "D" and should enjoy gutsy leadership at QB, but key players like and have questionable availability. The Panthers figure to endure the hiccups of a reset, lacking elite weapons, but with a growing "D" and the poised pairing of and Frank Reich at QB and head coach, they may have the moxie to make noise in the NFC South. TheFalcons have a slew of young playmakers like and , but Arthur Smith is married to an old-school recipe of winning on the ground, with the unproven leading the charge., , , This group features four franchises with very different track records but equally uncertain futures. The Bears finally added help for the dynamic but still- Marko Guduric Jersey developing this offseason, but it remains to be seen how much better they'll be under defensive coach Matt Eberflus. The Commanders have legit weapons in and the defensive front, but coach Ron Rivera, who hasn't led a winning season since 2017, is betting on a total unknown at QB in . The Buccaneers are equally, if not more, talented on "D," but they're also in QB limbo with replacing . The Rams, meanwhile, have the coach (Sean McVay), the QB () and the star wideout () but very little else, dumping many of their high-profile defenders in the name of long-term growth. On an island of their own, the Cardinals could be without mercurial franchise QB for the start of 2023, if not a big chunk of the year, as he recovers from injury. That leaves and/or a rotation of other reserves to shepherd a roster headlined by aging and/or injury-prone cogs like and , and overseen by first-time coach Jonathan Gannon. Arizona signaled its slow-burn approach by stocking up on 2024 draft capital this offseason, but the journey to the next stage of the rebuild isn't likely to be without major bumps.