Top 10 NFL storylines for 2018: QB injuries, dynasties on the line

This upcoming season in the NFL comes with many possible storylines for how some teams and organizations will turn out. Here are the top 10.

The 2018 NFL regular season begins on Thursday night when the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Atlanta Falcons.

As the new season approaches, there are many questions and concerns for numerous organizations. That and how teams will deal with these concerns can make for some great stories in pro football this year.

Here are the top 10 NFL storylines in 2018:

10. Pittsburgh Steelers – Can they finally return to the Super Bowl?

Many fans need to realize that getting to the postseason isn’t enough for an organization such as the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have arguably the most talented roster in the entire National Football League.

A franchise quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger, a prominent running back in Le’Veon Bell, and a generational talent at receiver in Antonio Brown. Its a Super Bowl-type roster, however, they haven’t been there as an organization since the 2010 season. That’s right, storied franchise with the talent that they haven’t been able to make it back to the “big game” in the better part of a decade.

That being said, this is a statement year for head coach Mike Tomlin. He needs to figure out how to get past the divisional round of the AFC playoffs. With Roethlisberger’s days numbered, they are in “win now” mode.

If a Super Bowl appearance doesn’t occur, question marks could start to rise regarding this dynasties ability to win titles.

They also need to figure out what to do with Le’Veon Bell. It seems to many that they want him now, but not for the future. This is due to the fact that he’s getting franchise tagged each year and not given a long-term, max contract. The belief is that they need to free up the money to pay both Brown and Roethlisberger.

It’s a passing league and a passing team, so as far as their position with Bell, it needs to be figured out soon. Maybe trade him for a few very early draft picks to help rebuild when Roethlisberger calls it quits? That could very well be an option.

9. Kansas City Chiefs – How will Pat Mahomes II pan out?

Although it’s Pat Mahomes II sophomore season, it can basically be looked at as his rookie season. The 2017 first-round draft pick out of Texas Tech only played one game last season. Not to mention, it was a meaningless game for the Chiefs in Week 17 when they had already clinched a playoff spot. With former quarterback Alex Smith now on the Redskins, it’s time for Mahomes to make his mark in Kansas City.

Throughout his career, such as in college and in preseason games for the Chiefs, Mahomes has proven to have a fantastic arm. The former Red Raider claims he can get the ball to travel a whopping 80-plus yards through the air on a throw. This, of course, increases his stock as arm strength is arguably the most important skill of an NFL quarterback.

However, the concern is if Mahomes is ready to step in as a franchise quarterback. Yes, he learned some things sitting behind Alex Smith his rookie season, however, the regular season experience is minimal. It will be exciting to see and witness if Mahomes is ready to take the throne as the new Chiefs quarterback.

8. Chicago Bears – Is Mitchell Trubisky the answer?

With the second overall pick in the 2017 draft, the Chicago Bears selected the first quarterback of the draft, Mitchell Trubisky. A star at the University of North Carolina, the former Tar Heel was destined to be a great NFL quarterback, however, we just haven’t seen it yet.

Trubisky started 12 games for the Bears his rookie season. He did, in fact, break the franchise record for most single-season passing yards for a rookie quarterback with 2193. However, in those 12 games, he only threw for seven touchdowns to seven interceptions. He also had 10 fumbles, losing three of them.

Many believe the Bears shouldn’t have passed up on guys such as Deshaun Watson and Pat Mahomes II for Trubisky. However, give him time. This sophomore season will be a huge statement year for the young quarterback. He has the work ethic and ceiling to improve into a legitimate franchise quarterback in Chicago.

With Allen Robinson now a Bear, along with Kevin White now healthy, Trubisky has the help to become a prominent pro football quarterback. Again, just give him time.

7. Cleveland Browns – How will the quarterback situation pan out?

On March 10, it appeared that the Browns got what could be the next step towards a franchise quarterback. They received Tyrod Taylor in a trade with the Buffalo Bills. However, it seemed Taylor would be used in a mentor role when it got down to business as they then drafted Baker Mayfield with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

So now they have a stand-out Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback in Mayfield and a quarterback who led the Bills to the playoffs last year in Taylor. The question is, what do they do in this specific quarterback situation?

Will Mayfield not play much at all this season? Will he become a starter by mid-season? Maybe even earlier? Was the move to get Tyrod really worth it? If we’re getting this correctly, the Browns may be making free agency moves that benefit Mayfield. That’s how much they’re invested in him. The act of getting a playoff quarterback in Taylor just so he could help Mayfield learn and grow in the NFL is interesting.

Taylor could be looked at as a franchise quarterback, so the fact they got him just to be in a temporary mentor role could turn out to be genius or pure blasphemy. However, that’s just another aspect of this season we’ll have to look forward to.

6. Carolina Panthers – Is Cam Newton still the answer at quarterback?

In 2015, Cam Newton and the Panthers had a remarkable season. Going 15-1, with Newton winning his first NFL MVP, the Panthers ended up just shy of a Super Bowl title. It seemed there was a legitimate dynasty in the works in Carolina. However, that just hasn’t been the case ever since.

The Super Bowl loss may still be getting to the organization in some way, shape or form. After finishing as the best team in the NFC in 2015, the Panthers failed to make the playoffs in 2016 and lost in the Wild Card Round in 2017. Newton’s numbers have also declined after that 2015 season as well. In 2015 he threw for 35 touchdown passes, however only for 19 and 22 touchdowns in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The dominance he had through the air in the past has simply diminished. His QB rating in the MVP season was 99.4, however, was 75.8 in 2016 and 80.7 in 2017.

The Panthers need to be one of the top offenses this year, with Cam throwing for nearly 30 touchdowns this season along with a rating of 90-plus. Other than that, Carolina may need to look at Newton and say, “is he really still our future?”

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Is Jameis Winston really worth the headache?

In 2015, the Tampa Bay Bucs had the first overall selection in the NFL Draft. And they took none other than stud Florida State quarterback, Jameis Winston. With the exception of his first career pass resulting in a pick-six the other way, Winston proved right away what he’s made of. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2015 and was the Pepsi Rookie of the Year in 2015 as well. He showed he could be a dominant quarterback in this league, with great size to him along with a great arm. Winston is mobile as well, but not too much where it will hurt him or the offense.

However, the last two seasons or so have been a little flaky for the former Heisman Trophy winner. He hasn’t made the Pro Bowl since his rookie season, and he’s becoming less careful with the football. His touchdown pass-total went from 28 in 2016 to 19 in 2017, and his interceptions went up from 15 to 18 from 2015 to 2016. The number of fumbles he’s suffered through each year has also increased, fumbling six, 10 and 15 times respectively in his three seasons.

Winston also has had numerous problems off the field. At Florida State, he was caught stealing crab legs at a supermarket, along with screamed obscenities in a student center. Now in the NFL, it seems his off-field issues haven’t gone away. Winston will be suspended for the Bucs first three games in 2017, for an incident in 2016 where he allegedly groped an Uber driver. And head coach Dirk Koetter mentioned that his starting quarterback role wont be guaranteed when he returns from suspension.

Therefore, due to his declining numbers in certain statistics, along with his off-field issues, is Winston really fit to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL? The Bucs could easily find another guy that could eventually get the job done in Tampa Bay, whether it be free agency or in the draft next year.

The question then stands: Is Jameis Winston really worth the headache for the Bucs?

4. San Francisco 49ers – Will Jimmy Garoppolo be the dominant franchise QB everyone thinks he’ll be? 

Jimmy Garoppolo was traded in early November of 2017 to the 49ers, a team that was in dire need of a quarterback. C.J. Beathard just wasn’t getting it done in San Francisco, and the Niners needed a new solution. Garoppolo thus came in, and got the job done, and led the 49ers to being one of the hottest teams in football towards the end of the regular season. And they didn’t even make the playoffs.

That’s what’s funny about it.

Through his career, Garoppolo is 7-0 as a starter, with five of those wins coming in the 49ers final five games last year. Garoppolo was thus given a new contract in February of this year. A five-year, $137.5 million deal, for a guy that’s supposed to be the next big quarterback in the NFL. However, let’s look at the facts.

Although the former Eastern Illinois quarterback was undefeated as a starter last year, completing 67.4 percent of his passes, it’s still a huge investment. He’s still very young, and only threw seven touchdowns last season to five interceptions. Is he set up to have major success in the NFL?

Everyone does seem to love him and have much confidence and optimism towards how he will perform in the future, but $137.5 million is still a ton of money for a guy that’s only had seven starts in his life. Call it an unpopular opinion, but we should see how Garoppolo handles himself through an entire season before labeling him as a $137.5 million-quarterback.

3. New England Patriots – Is there a power struggle within the organization? 

The most successful and dominant dynasty in all of football may be nearing the very end. Tom Brady is now 41-years-old, an astronomical age to still be dominating as he does. However, he is still 41 which may become a concern. Peyton Manning dominated into a late age and then hit a sudden wall and immediately declined as a quarterback. This led to his eventual retirement.

Also, many have reported or have heard the rumor of a possible power struggle within the Patriots organization. Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and owner Bob Kraft seem to have problems with one another, causing a sort of rivalry within them. There are numerous theories that tie into it as well.

Belichick has made multiple moves that have sort of looked to be sabotaging the Patriots success. He had backup quarterbacks Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett, two options for when Brady called it quits sooner rather than later. However, he basically traded both of them away; Garoppolo to the 49ers and Brissett to the Indianapolis Colts. Why would he even ponder doing such a thing when he knows how old Brady is.

The legendary head coach also decided to bench Malcolm Butler, their starting corner back, in the Super Bowl. The Pats defense eventually let up 41 points and lost to the Eagles in that game. Why would he do such a thing in such a big game? Each of these theories has people thinking that Belichick is trying to sabotage the organization. A possible rivalry between Belichick, Brady and Kraft is imminent, and could cause this dynasty to end very, very soon.

2. Seattle Seahawks – Is the run nearing the very end? 

When Russell Wilson became the Seahawks quarterback and Pete Carroll became their head coach, the NFL became the Seahawks’ league. Everyone loved Wilson, everyone loved Marshawn Lynch, Carroll, Richard Sherman, Kam Chancellor, etc. They were Super Bowl champs in the 2013 season, Richard Sherman was the cover of Madden 15, and the “Legion of Boom” defense was, to say, “booming.”

Then, one very play-call changed everything.

The Seahawks returned to the Super Bowl in the 2014 season. They were at the goal line, knocking on the door of a game-winning touchdown against the Patriots. And then, Pete Carroll decided to throw the ball towards the end zone instead of running it with Lynch. Wilson’s pass was thus intercepted, and they lost the game. Ever since, the Seahawks just don’t seem to be the dominating franchise they once were.

After winning 13 games in 2013, and 12 in 2014, the Seahawks have only won 10, 10 and 9 in the last three seasons respectively. Not to mention, they haven’t gotten back to the Super Bowl or even the NFC Championship since that Super Bowl loss. And then, in 2017, the Seahawks missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Is this dynasty on a slow, but serious decline?

People overlook the fact that they are in a division that includes the 49ers who are on the up and up, along with the very successful LA Rams. And now, first-round selection for the Cardinals, Josh Rosen, is in the division. If the Seahawks don’t return to their own selves, they could be staring down a third or fourth-place finish in the NFC West.

1. Indianapolis Colts – Will Andrew Luck bounce back?

In his first three seasons, Andrew Luck looked to be what could be a prominent quarterback in NFL history when it was all said and done. The Colts were coming off a 2-14 season when they drafted Luck No. 1 overall in 2012. Luck entered the league and led the Colts to the playoffs in his first three seasons. Not to mention, he was chosen to the Pro Bowl each of the those three years as well. However, it’s been concerning for Luck ever since that final Pro Bowl season in 2014.

In 2015 he dealt with injuries, only starting and playing in seven games for the Colts, going 2-5 in those games. In 2016 he did play in 15 games, however, didn’t perform well enough to make the playoffs nor the Pro Bowl. Then, Luck didn’t play a snap in 2017 due to a shoulder injury. An injury that many have doubted and questioned, including the front office of the organization.

The big question becomes, now that Luck is returning for the 2018 season, will he be back to his old self? Will he perform like the Pro Bowl quarterback he once was and lead the Colts back to the playoffs for the first time since 2014? If he doesn’t do either, question marks may rise regarding Luck’s competitiveness.

Will Luck still be the future of the Colts at quarterback after this season? If not, backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett could be a legitimate option. Brissett started 15 games for Indianapolis last season, completing 58.8 percent of his passes along with throwing for 13 touchdowns. Good size, big arm, and mobile but only to the point where he can extend plays. However, not mobile enough where he could become a turnover machine or injury-plagued athlete.

Luck is Luck, but if things don’t work out, Brissett could be a definite option for the future. The right coaching and system just needs to be implemented.