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We're finally allowed to talk about 2018 NFL starting lineups instead of mock drafts. Everyone pat yourselves on the back for making it through another cycle.
With selections complete just over two weeks ago and post-draft free agency rarely influencing ideal starting lineups, we can begin to project how all 32 teams' rosters should look with four months until Week 1.
The majority of the NFL is spent in 11 personnel offense (one running back and one tight end) and nickel defenses (a 4-2 defense with a fifth defensive back), which is how we defined the lineups here. The idea of a "4-3" or "3-4" defense has been whittled down so much in the league that it can no longer accurately depict what you see on the field.
Taking into account injuries that will last into the season, early-season suspensions and unsettled positional battles, these are our best projections for what we'll see this coming season.
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Offense: QB Sam Bradford, RB David Johnson, WR Larry Fitzgerald, WR Christian Kirk, WR Chad Williams, TE Jermaine Gresham, LT D.J. Humphries, LG Mike Iupati, OC Mason Cole, RG Justin Pugh, RT Andre Smith
Defense: DL Corey Peters, DL Pierre Olsen, ED Chandler Jones, ED Markus Golden, LB Deone Bucannon, LB Haason Reddick, CB Patrick Peterson, CB Brandon Williams, S Budda Baker, S Antonie Bethea, DB Bene Benwikere
The quarterback battle between veteran Sam Bradford and first-round pick Josh Rosen is going to make up most of the headlines this offseason, but the Arizona Cardinals will have plenty of position battles in camp. At receiver, Christian Kirk, Chad Williams and Brice Butler will be battling for roles with only Larry Fitzgerald established as a legitimate starting wideout. Also possible: a center battle between A.Q. Shipley and third-round rookie Mason Cole, and a tackle battle between Andre Smith and Will Holden.
Losing Calais Campbell undoubtedly hurt the Cardinals defense last season, but nose tackle Corey Peters emerged as a long-term answer in the interior. The question is if Pierre Olsen, who produced plenty of splash plays in limited reps, is going to receive full-time 3-technique reps moving forward.
Losing defensive backs over the years has also taken a toll on Arizona's secondary (Tramon Williams and Tyrann Mathieu were the notable losses from 2017). Beyond Patrick Peterson, the team's best cornerbacks might be Brandon Williams and Bene Benwikere. At this point in the NFL cycle, we can call that a liability.
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Offense: QB Matt Ryan, RB Devonta Freeman, WR Julio Jones, WR Mohamed Sanu, WR Calvin Ridley, TE Austin Hooper, LT Jake Matthews, LG Andy Levitre, OC Alex Mack, RG Brandon Fusco, RT Ryan Schraeder
Defense: DL Grady Jarrett, DL Terrell McClain, ED Vic Beasley, ED Takkarist McKinley, LB Deion Jones, LB De'Vondre Campbell, CB Desmond Trufant, CB Robert Alford, S Keanu Neal, S Ricardo Allen, DB Isaiah Oliver
The 2018 Atlanta Falcons offense will be made up mostly of the same roster that went to Super Bowl 51. One of the biggest changes is first-round receiver Calvin Ridley, who was added as an immediate replacement to Taylor Gabriel and a long-term replacement for Mohamed Sanu. The Falcons did not have much wiggle room this offseason, but they did figure out how to add guard Brandon Fusco on a three-year, $12.8 million deal, another improvement on offense.
On the defensive line, Vic Beasley is transitioning back to a full-time DE role after playing a hybrid last season, while 2017 first-round pick Takkarist McKinley is likely going to be a 16-game starter for the first time in his NFL career.
The loss of "prove-it deal" nose tackle Dontari Poe leaves a starting role open. The post-draft signing of former Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins defensive tackle Terrell McClain adds competition to Deadrin Senat, a rookie third-round pick.
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Offense: QB Joe Flacco, RB Alex Collins, WR Michael Crabtree, WR John Brown, WR Willie Snead, TE Hayden Hurst, LT Ronnie Stanley, LG Orlando Brown, OC Matt Skura, RG Marshal Yanda, RT James Hurst
Defense: DL Brandon Williams, DL Michael Pierce, ED Terrell Suggs, ED Matt Judon, LB C.J. Mosley, LB Patrick Onwuasor, CB Jimmy Smith, CB Brandon Carr, S Eric Weddle, S Tony Jefferson, DB Marlon Humphrey
Will Joe Flacco get a full 16 games in 2018, or will he pass the torch to Lamar Jackson? The question is up for debate, considering the fact that Baltimore didn't even take Jackson with its first Round 1 pick in the draft. Its quarterback controversy will be ongoing this season.
The biggest change from Baltimore's 2017 and 2018 roster is clearly wide receiver. The team not only added Michael Crabtree, John Brown and Willie Snead in free agency, but they also drafted UCLA's Jordan Lasley and New Mexico State's Jaleel Scott.
On defense, the team returns everyone who played at least 40 percent of snaps last season. The biggest battle outside of quarterback and wide receiver is left guard, where veteran Alex Lewis and third-round pick Orlando Brown are expected to push each other.
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Offense: QB Josh Allen, RB LeSean McCoy, WR Kelvin Benjamin, WR Zay Jones, WR Andre Holmes, TE Charles Clay, LT Dion Dawkins, LG John Miller, OC Ryan Groy, RG Vladimir Ducasse, RT Jordan Mills
Defense: DL Star Lotulelei, DL Kyle Williams, ED Jerry Hughes, ED Trent Murphy, LB Tremaine Edmunds, LB Lorenzo Alexander, CB Tre'Davious White, CB Vontae Davis, S Micah Hyde, S Jordan Poyer, DB Phillip Gaines
AJ McCarron is going into his fifth year in the NFL, and if you asked me at any point since he was drafted 164th in 2014, "Do you think McCarron can fend off a first-round pick?" my answer would have been, and still is, "no" every single time. First-round quarterbacks rarely sit in the NFL, especially behind quarterbacks with three career starts and six career touchdown passes. Josh Allen will be a starting quarterback by the end of September.
The biggest concern for the Buffalo Bills is their offensive line situation. It's not often that you lose three start linemen in one offseason. Between Cordy Glenn (trade to Cincinnati), Richie Incognito (retirement) and Eric Wood (retirement) the team lost 347 career starts and five Pro Bowls. When relatively inexperienced players like Ryan Groy (11 starts in four seasons) enter a lineup to replace long-time anchors on the offensive line, you pin down a regression candidate.
On defense the team added major competition on every level. Star Lotulelei, formerly of Carolina, is now the team's top defensive tackle, while Trent Murphy, by way of Washington, should compete with former first-round pick Shaq Lawson for a starting defensive end job. After spending their first first-round pick on Allen, the Bills used their second on the athletic off-ball linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. At cornerback, the team hopes to be a rehabilitation location for Vontae Davis, a two-time Pro Bowler coming off one of his worst seasons.
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Offense: QB Cam Newton, RB Christian McCaffrey, WR Devin Funchess, WR Torrey Smith, WR D.J. Moore, TE Greg Olsen, LT Matt Kalil, LG Taylor Moton, OC Ryan Kalil, RG Trai Turner and RT Daryl Williams.
Defense: DL Kawann Short, DL Dontari Poe, ED Mario Addison, ED Julius Peppers, LB Luke Kuechly, LB Shaq Thompson, CB James Bradberry, CB Ross Cockrell, S Mike Adams, S Da'Norris Searcy and DB Donte Jackson
The positional ambiguity of "running back" Christian McCaffrey is going to influence the 2018 Carolina Panthers. There's a scenario where he is the team's top rusher. There's a scenario where he is still split out to receiver often, and the newly signed C.J. Anderson is the team's top rusher.
The pecking order at receiver isn't clear, either. The big-bodied Devin Funchess is going to be the team's top wideout, but the squad also traded for Torrey Smith and drafted D.J. Moore in the first round. That's not including the McCaffrey factor or the fact that 2017 second-round pick Curtis Samuel, a hybrid back-receiver at Ohio State, still hasn't found his role in the NFL.
The Panthers lost Andrew Norwell to Jacksonville after the Jaguars made him the highest-paid guard on the market. Former Vikings guard Jeremiah Sirles signed a one-year deal worth less than $1 million to compete with Amini Silatolu and 2017 second-round pick Taylor Moton for Carolina's left guard slot.
Defensive tackle Star Lotulelei left town to sign a $50 million contract with the Buffalo Bills, but the Panthers responded by paying Dontari Poe, a former Atlanta Falcon, this offseason. A four-game suspension for Thomas Davis should push Shaq Thompson into a nickel defense role early on, which he might not give back. Elsewhere on defense, free-agent signing Ross Cockrell, second-round rookie Donte Jackson and third-round rookie Rashaan Gaulden are fighting over one starting cornerback and one slot role.
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Offense: QB Mitch Trubisky, RB Jordan Howard, WR Allen Robinson, WR Taylor Gabriel, WR Anthony Miller, TE Trey Burton, LT Charles Leno, LG James Daniels, OC Cody Whitehair, RG Kyle Long, RT Bobby Massie.
Defense: DL Akiem Hicks, DL Eddie Goldman, ED Leonard Floyd, ED Aaron Lynch, LB Danny Trevathan, LB Roquan Smith, CB Kyle Fuller, CB Prince Amukamara, S Adrian Amos, S Eddie Jackson, DB Bryce Callahan
After they were allergic to throwing the football last season, the Chicago Bears completely revamped their passing game this year. Kendall Wright was the only wide receiver to record 25 or more receptions, so the Bears signed free-agent receivers Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel and drafted second-round pick Anthony Miller out of Memphis.
Trey Burton, a No. 2 tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles last year, will be a full-time starter after signing a $32 million deal. The addition of second-round guard James Daniels will help ease the loss of Josh Sitton, a cap casualty.
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