Three Most Improved AFC Teams of 2023 NFL Offseason
Rankings 5/6/23
The 2023 NFL offseason programs are ramping up, so teams will get a first-hand look at the players they’ve drafted and signed in free agency. The activity gives us a better idea of which AFC teams have improved the most.
>>READ: Three Most Improved NFC Teams
3 Most Improved AFC Teams
1. New York Jets
Notable additions | Notable losses | 2023 Draft picks |
QB Tim Boyle | WR Braxton Berrios | Edge Will McDonald IV |
S Chuck Clark | C Dan Feeney | C Joe Tippmann |
WR Randall Cobb | G Nate Herbig | OT Carter Warren |
WR Mecole Hardman | P Braden Mann | RB Israel Abanikanda |
WR Allen Lazard | WR Elijah Moore | LB Zaire Barnes |
QB Aaron Rodgers | RB James Robinson | CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse |
DL Solomon Thomas | DT Sheldon Rankins | TE Zack Kuntz |
T Billy Turner | DL Nathan Shepherd | |
LB Quincy Williams | QB Mike White |
This one is pretty straightforward. The New York Jets set out to acquire a quarterback who they believe could put them in Super Bowl contention. They landed one in Aaron Rodgers, who has won a Super Bowl and owns four MVPs. That solidified a position they’ve longed to solidify for ages.
Then the Jets acquired some familiar faces for Rodgers at wide receiver, Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, to pair with Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson, a budding NFL star. They also have running back Breece Hall, who is recovering from an ACL injury. The Jets drafted center Joe Tippmann and tackle Carter Warren to bolster their offensive line, which was a priority.
They also added to the league’s fourth-ranked defense, taking edge Will McDonald IV in the first round. McDonald is an explosive pass rusher who joins an already deep, excellent defense.
These moves drastically improved the Jets, but none of them would have happened if it weren’t for the most important signing, and that wasn’t even a player. It was a coach.
Nathaniel Hackett, who coached the Denver Broncos in 2022, helped Rodgers win this third and fourth MVPs the two years before as the Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator.
When the Jets hired Hackett for the same role, that obviously caught Rodgers’ attention and encouraged him to bring his talents to the AFC East and give the Jets a chance to make a Super Bowl run.
2. Houston Texans
Notable additions | Notable losses | 2023 Draft picks |
TE Andrew Beck | QB Kyle Allen | QB C.J. Stroud |
WR Noah Brown | TE Jordan Akins | Edge Will Anderson Jr. |
QB Case Keenum | RB Rex Burkhead | C Juice Scruggs |
G Shaq Mason | WR Brandin Cooks | WR Tank Dell |
DT Sheldon Rankins | WR Phillip Dorsett | Edge Dylan Horton |
DT Hassan Ridgeway | QB Jeff Driskel | LB Henry To'oTo'o |
TE Dalton Schultz | Edge Raheem Green | C Jarrett Patterson |
RB Devin Singletary | G Justin McCray | WR Xavier Hutchison |
S M.J. Stewart | Edge Ogbo Okoronkwo | S Brandon Hill |
DB Jimmie Ward | LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin | |
WR Robert Woods | CB Tremon Smith |
The Houston Texans may be the most improved team in the entire NFL.
The Texans started by returning to their roots and hiring DeMeco Ryans as their coach. Ryans was part of great Texans defenses as a player.
Houston then made headlines at the 2023 NFL Draft, taking quarterback C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 overall pick and trading up to pick edge Will Anderson with the next pick. That gives the Texans star power on both sides of the ball and solidifies the team’s identity moving forward.
Then they added pieces in the trenches on both sides of the ball — center Juice Scruggs and defensive end Dylan Horton — and an explosive receiver in Tank Dell.
>>READ: Final 2023 NFL Draft Grades for Every Team
The Texans also had a sneaky good free agency. They signed wide receiver Robert Woods, tight end Dalton Schultz and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins. They also traded for guard Shaq Mason.
The Texans drafted a mixture of young firepower and star power, and they added some guys who have proven they know how to win and how to get after quarterbacks. Add it up, and it won’t take long for this team to rebuild and resurface as an AFC South contender.
They may not be a playoff team yet, but the Texans have improved dramatically because they hired Ryans, who will solidify the defense and team culture. He’s the face of the franchise. And he has a franchise quarterback and a face of his defense, thanks to the draft.
The Texans are a team that’s going to give a lot of opponents fits during the 2023 season.a
3. Baltimore Ravens
Notable additions | Notable losses | 2023 Draft picks |
WR Nelson Agholor | DE Calais Campbell | WR Zay Flowers |
WR Odell Beckham | S Chuck Clark | LB Trenton Simpson |
RB Justice Hill | RB Kenyon Drake | Edge Tavius Robinson |
LS Nick Moore | CB Kyle Fuller | CB Kyu Blu-Kelly |
CB Trayvon Mullen | Edge Justin Houston | OT Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu |
DB Del'Shawn Phillips | OT Ja'Wuan James | OL Andrew Vorhees |
TE Josh Oliver | ||
CB Marcus Peters | ||
Edge Jason Pierre-Paul | ||
G Ben Powers |
There are other AFC teams that made some great moves, such as the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Baltimore Ravens made impact moves.
The Ravens were on the cusp of losing an elite MVP quarterback. When they re-signed Lamar Jackson, it re-established the belief that the Ravens, who always have a strong defense, are capable of being a Super Bowl contender. They know their defensive identity, and they addressed it in the draft.
The offense is where they made drastic improvements. Signing Jackson ensures you don’t have a quarterback who’s possibly going to sit out, and it secures the team’s future. The players know and understand that not only is the organization all in on Jackson, but Jackson is all in on the organization.
They acquired wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who provides experience in the slot and outside. Everyone knows what he can bring when he is healthy. Then the Ravens drafted wide receiver Zay Flowers, who can provide explosive plays out of the slot. They join Rashod Bateman and Pro Bowl tight end Mark Andrews. And the running game always is a huge part of what they do.
Baltimore also made an important coaching hire, bringing in Todd Monken as the offensive coordinator. That’s going to change the offense’s approach. The Ravens always have been a run-first team, but Jackson has expressed he wants to throw more. That’s why they went out and signed Beckham and drafted Flowers. We’ll see them run sets with three, four or five receivers. That will allow Jackson to be the run emphasis and all those guys to get open and make plays all over the field.
The Ravens will look completely different on offense, and that’s scary to think about when you consider what they’ve accomplished without many weapons around Jackson.
Greg Jennings is a former NFL wide receiver who played for the Packers, Vikings and Dolphins. A two-time Pro Bowl player, Jennings was a member of the Packers’ Super Bowl XLV championship team and is inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame. Follow him on Twitter @GregJennings.