This is turning the NFL into the new NBA

The National Football League has a problem. There are few strategies to win the Super Bowl other than "Having Patrick Mahomes."

It's nothing new that quarterback is the most important position in sports, and that the great ones win it all, repeatedly, and that it's hard to overcome not having that player. But more and more, the NFL is becoming more like the NBA, in that the potential champions have shrunk to no more than a tiny half-handful of teams.

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Now that Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs won back-to-back Super Bowls, it's hard to envision anyone else stepping up to challenge them. Mahomes beat Jalen Hurts in Super Bowl LVII, then in 2023 blew through Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson before predictably outclassing Brock Purdy in Super Bowl LVIII.

The idea that a more complete team with a lesser quarterback - which the 49ers and Eagles arguably were in each game - is now laughable. The idea that you could get a 2007 Giants, a 2013 Seahawks, a 2017 Eagles, even a 2021 Rams, these days, is a foggy memory.

Joe Burrow has upstaged Mahomes in the playoffs before, and wasn't in his way this time as he recovers from a season-ending wrist injury. But, that's great. Anyone other than the Chiefs and Bengals can't feel great about their Super Bowl chances. They don't have Mahomes or Burrow. What do you want them to do?

The NFL’s quest for parity went poof as soon as Tom Brady and the Patriots took over the league. But even they won in 2001 with a balanced team and a game-managing quarterback, and Brady came up short in Super Bowls against better overall teams. It mostly felt right when they won, and when they lost.

This is a different league. And it just doesn’t feel right.

Because this article is being written from New England by a native New Englander, this column might be just dismissed in other parts of the country. But this isn’t anything against Mahomes, a transcendent athlete worthy of admiration and appreciation. It’s the idea that only the Chiefs and perhaps a very select few other teams even have a shot at the Super Bowl every year, and only because of who their quarterback is.

To quickly pivot back to the NBA: who would be surprised if the 2024 NBA Finals was Celtics-Nuggets? How many players other than Jayson Tatum and Nikola Jokić do you even give a chance to win? A few, I suppose. It’s become the same in the NFL, maybe even worse.

The Eagles and 49ers did most, if not all the right things to build a champion. Philadelphia, especially, had plenty going for them on both sides of the ball, and had Hurts playing winning football. San Fran had playmakers everywhere for Purdy, and the young, physically limited QB was making the most of it. They have arguably the two best, deepest defenses in the NFL. One would think they’d been getting good coaching.

Not good enough. None of it was good enough. Both hung around. But neither could keep up with Mahomes. That’s a terrifying thought for any team that isn’t Kansas City.

Outside of Missouri, there are other states that could feel better than most, because of their quarterbacks. There’s the aforementioned Ohio, where a healthy Burrow should have them squarely in Super Bowl contention in 2024. In New York, the Bills have Allen and the Jets could be getting Aaron Rodgers back.

California should feel pretty good, with Justin Herbert and Jim Harbaugh joining forces in Los Angeles. Maryland’s still got Jackson. Pennsylvania’s still got Hurts. Texas has a lot of hope in C.J. Stroud.

These teams should feel fortunate to have figured out that most important piece. Even then, how many of these guys will ever do enough to beat Mahomes? But those are the guys you’d expect to be able to do it. Possibly the only ones.

And yet, once you really whittle it down, you’re looking at maybe 5-6 teams you could give a realistic shot at the Lombardi Trophy in 2024. You could make that declaration right now, and again in July, and again in September.

That’s the NFL we’ve got now. The new NBA. If you’re not one of the lucky ones, you better hope you get lucky and land an elite quarterback of your own. Otherwise, see ya never.

Free-agent wide receivers are about to have a great year.

Starting off as one of the strongest receiver markets we've seen in years, the pool has shallowed a bit at the position, with arguably the top-2 names - Mike Evans and Tee Higgins - getting a new two-year deal and a franchise tag, respectively. But there are still some talented guys expected to cash in with receiver-needy teams.

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So, read below for our top-10 remaining free-agent wideouts. It's still a list worth knowing...

Pittman is more of an inside receiver than outside, but he's better than that. His size and athleticism makes him more dangerous than your typical slot guy. Pittman racked up a career-best 109 catches and 1,152 yards in 2023, as he continued to be one of the league's better separators with his route-running and footwork.

A reliable option over the middle of the field for any quarterback, Pittman would be an elite safety net with high-end production for whoever signs him.

Ridley quietly had an excellent return to the NFL after being suspended for all of 2022 for gambling violations. He played in all 17 games and amassed 76 catches, 1,016 yards, and eight touchdowns. He was productive and durable in an otherwise hit-or-miss season for Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars offense. Ridley has positioned himself to cash in and become the clear No. 1 wide receiver for a new club.

Davis made just 45 catches last season, but really made a lot of them. Nobody comes up with a monster touchdown out of nowhere like Davis and Josh Allen. Davis averaged 16.6 yards per catch, which amazingly is not a career-high number.

One of the league's best pure big-play receivers, Davis might work best as a complementary piece to a go-to No. 1 guy. But you know what you're getting with him, which is a guy that can change the complexion of a game in an instant.

Brown is a guy who has yet to really live up to his status as the first receiver drafted in a loaded 2019 class. But the talent's there. Brown just hasn't been in a great situation with either of his teams. He played with three different quarterbacks and still led all Cardinals wideouts with 51 catches and 574 yards, and led the team with five touchdowns.

The kid is explosive, and simply needs to land in a better situation. He'll have a great chance to set himself up for success by picking his next stop.

Amid the presence of Mark Andrews and the emergence of rookie Zay Flowers, Beckham was at best the third option for NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, who also siphons passing attempts off from himself with his running. So, Beckham was targeted only 64 times and made 35 catches on the season. But he caught them at an impressive 16.1-yard clip, an indication that OBJ is still capable of making explosive plays at age 31 after dealing with serious injuries.

Beckham may be something less than what he was in his Giants days, but he still seems to have plenty in the tank. He'll be a fine addition for his next team, and may be able to provide great ROI.

Considering the situation he was in, with the Carolina Panthers and a struggling offense behind No. 1 pick Bryce Young, Chark had an impressive 2023. He averaged 15.0 yards per catch and caught five touchdowns, while operating as at best the No. 2 receiving option behind Adam Thielen.

Chark has proven himself as a capable outside receiver, if not a true No. 1. Anyone who wants to add a clear top-2 option at the position would do well with him.

Samuel is a slot receiver, but a pretty well-established one. He's made 60-plus catches in two straight years for the Commanders, and he accomplished that without great quarterbacks or much of an offense going on around him. Samuel won't make the kind of impact on a new team that the outside receivers on this list would. But if someone already has those guys and drops Samuel into the middle, that would make for a savvy signing.

Boyd has long proven that he can be a productive inside receiver. His numbers have fluctuated a bit since the Bengals went to the Joe Burrow era, but Boyd has put together seasons with 60-plus catches and 800-plus yards both with and without him. Boyd has been at best the No. 3 option since the Bengals drafted Ja'Marr Chase, which would make him an intriguing addition to a team that could set him up to be a more prolific target.

Tough and dependable, Reynolds is unafraid to play over the middle of the field and comes up with big catches at opportune times. He caught five touchdowns for the Lions in 2023, and added one score in the playoffs. Reynolds is ultimately a complementary third or fourth receiver and is touchdown-dependent for fantasy teams. But for a team in need of a depth addition, Reynolds will make sense.

Bourne would rank higher on this list, if not for a torn ACL that cut his 2023 season short. He was on his way to another solid season, which is extra-impressive because he did it for an awful Patriots team that got bad quarterback play. Bourne made 37 catches for four touchdowns in just eight games for the league's lowest-ranked offense. He'll make a fine addition for a team in need of a "Z" receiver.

Get complete New England Patriots coverage at 985TheSportsHub.com.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Check out all of Matt's content.

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