The Wild, Wild West and the Trades Heard Around the World
In what has been one of the most mind-boggling off seasons in recent memory, the AFC West is looking like the alpha of the National Football League. Starting with Russell Wilson to the Broncos, the division soon saw more stars coming out west, like Khalil Mack to the Chargers Davante Adams to the Raiders, and Juju Smith-Shuester to Kansas City. In addition, the West saw some players, like Tyreek Hill and Von Miller, leave for bigger and better contracts.
Russell Wilson, middle, poses with GM George Paton, left, and HC Nathan Hackett in his introductory meeting on Mar. 16, 2022. Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images.
With the AFC West’s strength, the rest of the league soon followed, starting with the return of TB12. In a tweet he sent out Mar. 13, Brady said “"These past two months I've realized my place is still on the field and not in the stands.That time will come. But it's not now. I love my teammates, and I love my supportive family. They make it all possible. I'm coming back for my 23rd season in Tampa.'' With this, the LA Rams quickly extended Matthew Stafford’s contract, as they look to go back-to-back.
Although this off-season has been one of the most exciting, one can only ask: how long can this sustain? With each new blockbuster signing, will teams be able to hold their superstars or once were superstars? One must look at the drama last season in Green Bay between Rodgers and the Packers, BEFORE Adams left. Baker Mayfield, the former number one overall pick, has been quietly shuffled away and around the league, since the signing of Deshaun Watson. It appears we are on the dawn of the true super team era. The experiment in the AFC West will prove how sustainable it truly is, as the new era of quarterbacks and teams will start to emerge. With everyone wanting bigger and longer contracts, who knows how long it will take until a team will declare bankruptcy or overshoot its cap space.
Baker Mayfield walks off Heinz Field after a loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers (John Kuntz, cleveland.com)