2023 NFL Season Review

The 2023 NFL season is scheduled to be the 104th season of the National Football League (NFL). The season is planned to begin on September 7, 2023, with defending Super Bowl LVII champion Kansas City hosting Detroit in the NFL Kickoff Game, and end on January 7, 2024.

A Brief Overview

The NFL announced its 18-week, 272-game regular-season schedule for 2023, which kicks off on Thursday night, September 7, in Kansas City and concludes with 16 division games in Week 18 – two on Saturday, January 6, and 14 on Sunday, January 7. The NFL’s 104th season begins with the league’s annual primetime kickoff game, as the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs host the Detroit Lions at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday, September 7 (8:20 PM ET, NBC).

The NFL schedule will feature each team playing 17 regular-season games and three preseason games for the third consecutive year. The 17th game will feature teams from opposing conferences that finished in the same standing within their respective divisions the previous season. The AFC will be the home conference for the 17th game in 2023.

Week 1 continues Sunday, September 10, with a double-doubleheader featuring four Sunday afternoon games in every market. On CBS at 4:25 PM ET, two 2022 playoff teams meet as Miami visits the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas travels to Denver in an AFC West showdown and Philadelphia visits New England in a rematch of Super Bowls XXXIX and LII. On FOX at 4:25 PM ET, the two teams with the most regular-season wins in NFL history – Green Bay and Chicago – meet at Soldier Field to renew their rivalry while the Los Angeles Rams travel to Seattle in a rematch of their thrilling Week 18 overtime contest that helped the Seahawks secure a 2022 playoff berth.

Later that day, NBC’s Sunday Night Football begins with the Dallas Cowboys visiting the New York Giants (8:20 PM ET), in a matchup between NFC East divisional rivals and 2022 playoff teams. NBC will televise one game each Sunday night in Weeks 1-15 and Week 17. On Saturday in Week 16, NBC will feature Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (4:30 PM ET) while Peacock will exclusively stream Buffalo at the Los Angeles Chargers at 8:00 PM ET.

Kickoff Weekend concludes on Monday, September 11, with ESPN/ABC’s Monday Night Football, featuring Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets hosting Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills (8:15 PM ET) in an AFC East showdown. ESPN will televise 16 games this season (one game each Monday night in Weeks 1-15 and Saturday night in Week 17) and will be simulcast on ABC in Weeks 1, 11 and 17.

Player Movements

There were several notable player movements during the 2023 NFL season. Free agency began on March 15. Notable players to change teams included:

• Quarterbacks: Jacoby Brissett (Cleveland to Washington), Derek Carr (Las Vegas to New Orleans), Andy Dalton (New Orleans to Carolina), Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco to Las Vegas), Taylor Heinicke (Washington to Atlanta), and Baker Mayfield (Los Angeles Rams to Tampa Bay).
• Running backs: Melvin Gordon (Kansas City to Baltimore), Damien Harris (New England to Buffalo), David Montgomery (Chicago to Detroit), Latavius Murray (Denver to Buffalo), Miles Sanders (Philadelphia to Carolina), Devin Singletary (Buffalo to Houston), and Jamaal Williams (Detroit to New Orleans).
• Wide receivers: Nelson Agholor (New England to Baltimore), Odell Beckham Jr. (Los Angeles Rams to Baltimore), D. J. Chark (Detroit to Carolina), DeAndre Hopkins (Arizona to Tennessee), Allen Lazard (Green Bay to New York Jets), Jakobi Meyers (New England to Las Vegas), JuJu Smith-Schuster (Kansas City to New England), Adam Thielen (Minnesota to Carolina), and Robert Woods (Tennessee to Houston).

Free Agency

Free agency began on March 15 during the 2023 NFL season. Notable players to change teams included:

• Quarterbacks: Jacoby Brissett (Cleveland to Washington), Derek Carr (Las Vegas to New Orleans), Andy Dalton (New Orleans to Carolina), Jimmy Garoppolo (San Francisco to Las Vegas), Taylor Heinicke (Washington to Atlanta), and Baker Mayfield (Los Angeles Rams to Tampa Bay).
• Running backs: Melvin Gordon (Kansas City to Baltimore), Damien Harris (New England to Buffalo), David Montgomery (Chicago to Detroit), Latavius Murray (Denver to Buffalo), Miles Sanders (Philadelphia to Carolina), Devin Singletary (Buffalo to Houston), and Jamaal Williams (Detroit to New Orleans).
• Wide receivers: Nelson Agholor (New England to Baltimore), Odell Beckham Jr. (Los Angeles Rams to Baltimore), D. J. Chark (Detroit to Carolina), DeAndre Hopkins (Arizona to Tennessee), Allen Lazard (Green Bay to New York Jets), Jakobi Meyers (New England to Las Vegas), JuJu Smith-Schuster (Kansas City to New England), Adam Thielen (Minnesota to Carolina), and Robert Woods (Tennessee to Houston).

Trades

The following notable trades were made during the 2023 league year:

• March 15: The Los Angeles Rams traded CB Jalen Ramsey to Miami in exchange for TE Hunter Long and a 2023 third round selection.
• March 15: Indianapolis traded CB Stephon Gilmore to Dallas in exchange for a 2023 fifth round selection.
• March 15: Las Vegas traded TE Darren Waller to the New York Giants in exchange for a 2023 third round selection.

Top Rookies to Watch

Here are some top rookies to watch in the 2023 NFL season:

1. Devon Achane, RB, Dolphins: Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has already proven to be a master at producing in the running game, and Achane fits his scheme. The third rounder out of Texas A&M lacks size but makes up for it with his speed, running a blazing 4.32 40-yard dash at the combine. He could emerge from the shadows of Jeffrey Wilson and Raheem Mostert in the Dolphins backfield early this season.
2. Jordan Addison, WR, Vikings: Minnesota needed a replacement for Adam Thielen, and might have found their man with Addison. The first-round pick doesn’t have the upside of Justin Jefferson, but like Thielen, he’s a tough target who can produce. He did that to the tune of over 3,100 yards in three seasons between Pitt and USC.
3. Will Anderson Jr., OLB, Texans: The Texans traded a king’s ransom to move up to third overall in the draft and select Anderson. His upside is worth it as one of the truly elite pass rushers to come out of the draft in the last several years, with 34.5 sacks over the last three seasons.
4. Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DE, Chiefs: The Chiefs have now selected a defensive end in the first round in back-to-back seasons, with George Karlaftis last year and now Anudike-Uzomah. The hometown kid has big shoes to fill after the Chiefs lost Frank Clark and Carlos Dunlap, and will get every opportunity to impress with one-on-ones while defenses focus on Chris Jones.
5. Jack Campbell, ILB, Lions: Perhaps it wasn’t the best use of draft resources in the first round, but there’s no doubt Campbell will make an impact immediately for Detroit. He was a tackling machine at Iowa over the last two seasons, with a combined 265 tackles, and should go a long way in improving the Detroit defense this season.

Coaching Staff Changes

Several NFL teams have made significant changes to their coaching staff for the 2023 season. Here are some of the notable changes:

• Arizona Cardinals: Jonathan Gannon (PHI DC) was hired as the new head coach, Drew Petzing (CLE QB) was hired as the new offensive coordinator, and Nick Rallis (PHI Asst DEF) was hired as the new defensive coordinator.
• Carolina Panthers: Frank Reich (IND HC) was hired as the new head coach, Thomas Brown (LAR Asst HC) was hired as the new offensive coordinator, and Ejiro Evero (DEN DC) was hired as the new defensive coordinator.
• Denver Broncos: Sean Payton (NO HC) was hired as the new head coach, Joe Lombardi (LAC OC) was hired as the new offensive coordinator, and Vance Joseph (ARI DC) was hired as the new defensive coordinator.
• Houston Texans: DeMeco Ryans (SF DC) was hired as the new head coach, Bobby Slowik (SF Pass Coord) was hired as the new offensive coordinator, and Matt Burke (ARI DL) was hired as the new defensive coordinator.
• Indianapolis Colts: Shane Steichen (PHI OC) was hired as the new head coach, Jim Bob Cooter (JAC pass Coord) was hired as the new offensive coordinator, and Gus Bradley was hired as the new defensive coordinator.

Rule Changes

Here are some of the rule changes for the 2023 NFL season:

1. Fair catches on kickoffs.
2. New jersey numbers allowed: The NFL now allows all players except for offensive and defensive linemen to wear No. 0, which had been out of circulation since the early 1970s.
3. Change to the definition of “a launch”: The definition of a launch was changed to leaving one or both feet.
4. Tripping is now a personal foul.
5. Stricter guidelines for read-option handoffs.
6. Change made to a postseason tiebreaker.
7. Preseason roster cutdown change.
8. Flex scheduling for Thursday night games.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 2023 NFL season promises to be an exciting one, with many changes and developments to look forward to. From new rule changes to significant coaching staff changes, there is no shortage of storylines to follow. With the season set to begin on September 7, 2023, fans can look forward to another year of thrilling football action. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a casual observer, the 2023 NFL season is sure to deliver plenty of excitement and drama. So get ready for another unforgettable season of american football!

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Noah Belanger

Noah Belanger is a seasoned sports bettor with a decade of experience in the industry. He is the driving force behind the test reports and strategies on the LoonieBet Blog. With a unique perspective, Noah writes from the player's point of view, offering firsthand insights and expertise to help readers make informed decisions.

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