Last year I put my teams on the Rise for 2020 were the Arizona Cardinals and the Miami Dolphins. Honestly, I believe those were good picks obviously; but remember, these are teams 'ON THE RISE'; so it could take them a year or two to actually take off. In 2020 with Arizona just two wins from being playoff contenders and Miami having a future contesting team. This year, they both I believe will be pushing for playoffs. I predicted Arizona will win the NFC West division; and for Miami, I have them missing the playoffs by losing to New England but, with Cam gone and Mac in, they could flip flop and take the 5th or 6th spot in the AFC playoffs.
Now, for 2021 Teams on the Rise, I have thought about this for a while and my two teams are: the Los Angeles Chargers and the Carolina Panthers.
The Chargers had a great year last year and not by wins and losses but by competing and learning how to win. They have found their next franchise QB and have a young defense that's competing and making plays that will find them in the playoffs this year. This team I see jumping a year of production and going straight into playoff contenders. With Veteran wideouts and vet at running back, they have drafted amazing at they back up wideouts and tight ends that could be playmakers late in the season. This would allow veterans to rest a couple more plays in games down the season and lead to the defense being more fresh and potentially creating turnovers. As a defensive mind person my self; turnovers lead to points and wins and thats what I see from the Chargers in year two of the "makeover".
The Panthers were a team with big projections last year with a offensive guru from Baylor a year before and a explosive running back with fast wideouts on the outside and a vet quarterback finally getting his shot. A year later, Darnold take the QB spot and some new wideouts added with a elusive rookie running back in Chuba Hubbard who was great at screens and getting to the outside at Oklahoma State; this offense looks to take a leap this year in being more efficient. Efficiency won't equal a lot more wins this year but will equal competitive play and a huge step in the next direction for this team. I see them finishing 3rd in their division and grabbing the 10th spot in the draft in 2022. After a good growing and learning year with a off season full grabbing and redeveloping their Offensive line and a couple tweaks to the D, this team could be playoff bound in a year and Division winners and top seeds in two years. I don't see Tampa being as elite in 2022 and 2023, leaving a great path for the Panthers to take over in that division.
Image from panthers.com