New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton thinks the Tampa Bay Buccaneers bringing in future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady makes the NFC South even stronger. Via Luke Johnson of Nola.com, Payton said,
“It was a great [signing] by Tampa, and this division has gotten a lot stronger.”
Payton doesn't just think that Brady signing with the Buccaneers makes the division more difficult to win because the Saints have to now face Brady twice a season. Payton knows Brady brought out of the best of his teammates in New England and he expects the same thing to happen in Tampa Bay.
“It’s also what he brings to the rest of the team … One of the great strengths a player like Tom has is those others around him get better. I’m sure that we’ll see an entirely different type of Tampa Bay team because of his presence.”
Payton isn't wrong with Brady making the division better, and it feels like the NFC South could be one of the most competitive in football. The Saints still have Drew Brees, Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara. The Atlanta Falcons had a down year last season, but Matt Ryan and Julio Jones could be in line for a bounce-back year. The Carolina Panthers have been aggressive during free agency and Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback could improve their team.
None of the four teams are known for having elite defenses so the NFC South could be home to numerous shootout finishes. As such, it wouldn't be shocking if this was a division that went down to the last week of the season.
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