Ten Things I Think
1. I think the Browns will be a pleasant surprise this season. While I am not a Hue Jackson fan, Cleveland’s talent is indisputable. Yes, they went winless last season, but they have accumulated an array of assets, most notably Myles Garrett. They also acquired Tyrod Taylor and Jarvis Landry this offseason. The former was quarterbacking in the playoffs eight months ago while the latter has never caught less than 80 passes in a season. If Josh Gordon can stay on the straight and narrow maybe, just maybe, the Browns can compete for a playoff berth.
2. I think Amari Cooper will have an All-Pro caliber season. Last year was a colossal disappointment for the Raiders, but especially for Cooper. The heralded wide out caught just 48 passes for 680 yards. Cooper is too talented and has too good of a quarterback to have had such little production. In Jon Gruden’s offense, I expect Cooper to insert himself into the conversation as one of the most potent receivers in football.
3. I think the Yankees will make a serious run at Bryce Harper this offseason and might very well wind up with him. I understand that their outfield already consists of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton, but why can’t they add a third superstar? The mechanics aren’t all that complicated: they would have to allow Brett Gardner to walk in free agency and convince Harper to play centerfield. If $300-plus million can’t do the trick in convincing the slick-haired National to join the Bronx Bombers, and join what would be one of the mightiest lineups of all-time, he’s was never leaving DC to begin with.
4. I think the Steelers will regret playing hard ball with Le’Veon Bell. He does so much for their offense. Bell alleviates some of the pressure off of Big Ben and open things up for Antonio Brown; he forces opposing defenses to crowd the box. If the Steelers and Bell cannot reach a pact prior to Week 1, Pittsburgh’s season could crumble in a hurry.
5. I think the Rockets are no longer the clear-cut second best team in the Western Conference. Losing Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute will prove to be a total gut punch. While neither was a featured player, both swingmen played pivotal roles, particularly defensively. Adding Carmelo sounds good in theory, but in practice I could see him holding the Rockets back similarly to how he did the Thunder last season: Mike D’Antoni will feel obligated, due to Melo’s pedigree, to have him on the floor in key minutes. That is problematic, especially against Golden State, because Carmelo is a sieve on defense.
6. I think if the Seahawks didn’t have Russell Wilson they would be the worst team in the NFL. Their offensive line is putrid, their defense that was once a strength is decaying, and their weaponry outside of Doug Baldwin is mediocre at best. Now, a quarterback in the NFL is in some ways a golden ticket so I expect Seattle to hover around .500, but their roster is uninspiring to say the least.
7. I think the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year Award is stupid. I understand that it is important – if not necessary- to have a lethal second unit to have success in the NBA, but rewarding a player for being the best non-starter seems foolish to me.
8. I think Joe Girardi will be the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals on Opening Day of 2019. It is clear that the former Yankees skipper wants to get back in the game, and the Cardinals make perfect sense. Girardi is from the Midwest, and with the Cardinals recently firing Mike Matheny, St. Louis seems like a logical match.
9. I think the Chiefs will have a top-five offense this year. I truly believe that moving on from Alex Smith in favor of Patrick Mahomes will prove to be an upgrade. The second-year quarterback out of Texas Tech can really sling it and is surrounded by playmakers. Tyreek Hill is as explosive as any wide receiver in football; Travis Kelce is second to only Rob Gronkowski at his position; Kareem Hunt is coming off of an uber-impressive rookie campaign out of the backfield; and Sammy Watkins will be regarded as one of the most underrated acquisitions of the 2018 offseason. Andy Reid will have a few tricks up his sleeve to help propel his offensive unit to an elite level.
10. I think the Pacers will be a top-three team in the Eastern Conference this year. They return everyone (and added Tyreke Evans) to a team that a season ago took the Cavaliers to seven games. I anticipate the Raptors and Celtics to be in a class of their own in the East, but on their heels will be the Pacers and the 76ers, who I expect to regress a bit this season.
