Way-too-early NFL award predictions for the 2023 season
As the headline states, it's way too early to be talking about this. The good thing is that way too early works in our favor this time of year. NFL training camps don't open up for a few weeks. That means we're at the fever pitch of trying to figure out what the 2023 season […]
As the headline states, it's way too early to be talking about this. The good thing is that way too early works in our favor this time of year. NFL training camps don't open up for a few weeks. That means we're at the fever pitch of trying to figure out what the 2023 season is going to look like right before we actually start to find out.
The good thing is that these pieces don't go unwasted. There's always the chance to come back at the end of the year and compare and contrast between what we picked and what actually happened. If we get them all right, we'll be sure to supply plenty of lottery numbers and suggestions on which horse to put you money on at the next Kentucky Derby.
Today we're going to be predicting the winners of the NFL MVP award, offensive player of the year award, defensive player of the year award, rookie of the year, comeback player of the year and coach of the year. Let's jump right into it.
Way-too-early Award Predictions
NFL MVP: Bengals QB Joe Burrow
This is a hard one, but also it seems kind of simple. Burrow has been getting better and better as the years have gone by. The Bengals have done that as well. I think this the year that Burrow truly goes off. I'm predicting a 5,000 yard season and a 40 touchdown year for Burrow. The Bengals will win their division and head to the playoffs with a first round bye.
Joe will also pick up a new nickname and another horribly made animated picture of him.
It'll be quite the year for Joey Touchdown Thrower. That's my pick by the way. Almost as cool as the original JTT, Jonathan Taylor Thomas.
Offensive Player of the Year: Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase
These two things seem like they’d go hand in hand. As a quarterback, you can’t ball out like we’re predicting Burrow will without a really good receiver. Burrow has that in Chase.
I'm predicting that Chase will be responsible for the majority of what Burrow throws out there. I think he has a monster season that looks something like 1,800 yards and 15 touchdowns. My guess is that by the end of the year, Chase will be in the MVP conversation too. Ultimately he winds up being the offensive player of the year in my book.
Defensive Player of the Year: Jets CB Sauce Gardner
Maybe I’m jumping to hard into conclusions, but the logical next step to a rookie being an all-pro has to be an award right? Garnder was just so damn good in his rookie year. He has put the league on notice.
My guess is that he'll put the league on notice yet again in 2023. It won't have anything to do with him going to Duncan's toy chest or visiting a pigeon lady in Cental Park with Aaron Rodgers. It'll have to do with his amazing play.
It's hard to pick out stats for a cornerback, but I will say that Sauce at least doubles or triples his interception numbers in 2023.
Rookie of the Year: Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs
Lions GM Brad Holmes will be out on the streets talking about how everyone laughed at him when took Gibbs with the 12th pick after Gibbs win the rookie of the year award. There will be plenty of challengers for this award, I’m sure Bijan Robinson will b e one of them. At the end of the day, Gibbs is going to be asked to do probably more than any rookie drafted who doesn’t throw a football. I think he’ll do it better too.
Gibbs is a home run hitter who just got injected into a top five offense with one of the brightest stars in the coaching world in offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Look for this kid to put up plenty of highlights and be the first Lion to win this award since Ndamukong Suh.
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Will Anderson Jr.
There’s a reason Texans took CJ Stroud and then made sure they traded all the back up to get Anderson. It’s because he’s the best defensive player in this entire draft. Had the Bears not traded down, he’d probably would have been the first pick in the entire draft.
Anderson is going to shine in Houston. That defense needs a lot of help and he can very quickly make himself the anchor of it. All he has to do is light up some quarterbacks and made some plays. He should be used to doing that by now.
Comeback Player of the Year: Bills S Damar Hamlin
Everyone please move out of my way while I head down the lane and drop this layup in. This one is too easy and obvious. It’ll also be very much deserved.
Hamlin had one of the scariest moments in NFL history in 2022 when he collapsed on the field after colliding with Tee Higgins. The collapse was result of a cardiac arrest. Luckily the Bills training staff worked quickly and was able to restore his heartbeat on the field. Those guys deserve a bunch of awards too.
Hamlin was cleared to return to football in April and I, for one, can't wait to hear the reception from Bills mafia when he takes the field for the first time.
Coach of the Year: Dan Campbell
Two Lions getting awards? Is this the Twilight Zone? Is everyone taking crazy pills? The answer is yes to all of those things.
Here's why I picked Campbell at this point. The Lions turn around has been pretty great. This team went from the depths of hell with Matt Patricia, to a team that's expected to win the division for the first time since 1993 and even make some noise in the playoffs.
If Campbell can indeed have the Lions hold up to their expectations and win that division title, I don't see how you don't give him the award. He did what seemingly no other coach could do, make the Lions winners.
Featured image by Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
