Predicting The 2023 NFL Awards
It’s easy to come into the new season saying Patrick Mahomes will win MVP, but we don’t know what the future holds. Every year newcomers arrive on the scene to win awards and cement themselves as NFL greats forever. This year, we could see some new faces receiving hardware at the end-of-season award ceremony for a couple of awards, if not all of them.
Most Valuable Player: Jalen Hurts
It’s not a bold selection, we could see the young play-caller in Philadelphia capture his first MVP. Last season, Jalen Hurts was on track to hoist the MVP trophy before an injury cost him a couple of starts, effectively removing him as the favorite for the award. Hurts tore it up last year, posting a 14-1 record for the Philadelphia Eagles in games he started. He had a 66.5% completion rate, 3,701 yards, and 22 passing touchdowns. He threw only six interceptions. He was lethal with his feet as well, rushing the ball 165 times for 760 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.
Hurts will be back in the NFL MVP conversation again for a multitude of reasons. He’s returning all his lethal weapons like AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert. The Eagles have revamped the running back room by adding Deandre Swift and Rachaad Penny to go with Kenny Gainwell and Boston Scott. Hurts was a first-team All-Pro last season and received the Bert Bell Award for Player of the Year. The former second-round pick finished second in MVP voting last season and will be in the mix again.
Offensive Player Of The Year: Tyreek Hill
Another guy who tore it up last season, Tyreek Hill will very much be a threat again this year in one of the best divisions in football. Hill played all 17 games last year in his first season as a Miami Dolphin and thrived in the games that Tua Tagovailoa was throwing him the ball. If Tua can stay on the field this season, Hill should be in the mix for OPOY. He finished fourth in OPOY voting last season despite not having Tagovailoa every week. He posted 1,710 yards on 119 receptions for seven touchdowns. He finished second in Receptions, Receiving Yards, and Receiving Yards per Game behind the OPOY winner Justin Jefferson who had one of the best seasons for a wide receiver in a while.
Defensive Player Of The Year: Micah Parsons
There’s some tough competition these days for the DPOY award in the NFL. So many guys capable of having record-shattering seasons. Micah Parsons has been knocking at the DPOY’s door in his first two seasons in the NFL, just falling short of TJ Watt and Nick Bosa. In his third season as a pro, we could finally see Parsons get the love he deserves. Last season, Parsons appeared in all 17 games for the Dallas Cowboys and managed 65 combined tackles with 42 being solo. 13 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, three passes defended, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. Parsons has made the Pro Bowl in both of his NFL seasons, posting 26.5 sacks in his short time as a pro.
Offensive Rookie Of The Year: Jahmyr Gibbs
This year’s rookie crop is a good one. Jahmyr Gibbs finds himself in an interesting spot and could be electric right out of the gate, although he shares a backfield with David Montgomery in Detroit. Gibbs plays very reminiscent of a young Alvin Kamara. Lightning quick and can turn on a dime, excels in catching the ball as well as rushing it, and could be lethal on this Detroit team that Dan Catmpbell has ready to compete for a division title with Aaron Rodgers finally gone for the New York Jets. Gibbs was the 12th overall pick in the draft and will likely have to go toe to toe with the eighth overall pick of the Atlanta Falcons, Bijan Robinson.
Last season at Alabama, Gibbs posted 926 rushing yards on 151 attempts for seven touchdowns, as well as 44 receptions for 444 yards and three more touchdowns in 12 games. Many thought he might be available towards the bottom of the first round or early on the second day, but the Lions didn’t take the chance. They got their guy and barring injuries; he will be competing for the NFL OROY Award.
Defensive Rookie Of The Year: Will Anderson
Will Anderson was the third overall pick in this past draft and looks to be a key piece in the rebuild that has been going on in Houston for what feels like 20 years. Anderson is a force to be reckoned with, standing at six foot four and 243 pounds. The 22-year-old was incredible at Alabama, posting 34.5 sacks in his three seasons to go with 58.5 tackles for loss. In his senior season last year, Anderson brought home some hardware including the Chuck Bednarik Award for Defensive Player Of The Year, The Bronko Nagurski Award for the Most Outstanding Defensive Player, the Ronnie Lott Trophy, and the Vince Lombardi Award to go along with being a Consensus All American and SEC Defensive Player Of The Year. Oh, and his head coach? The incredible defensive mind of DeMeco Ryans, the guy who coached last year’s Defensive Player Of The Year Nick Bosa in San Francisco.
NFL Comeback Player Of The Year: Damar Hamlin
This one shouldn’t need a lot of explaining. The man died on the field last year on primetime television and after a long road back, he looks ready to roll for the 2023 season. Hamlin and the Buffalo Bills are ready to lift the franchise’s first Lombardi Trophy. If Damar Hamlin plays a regular season snap, which it looks like he’ll play many, the award already has his name engraved on it.
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