With The First Pick
Fansided

Super Bowl LV: Ranking top 5 NFL NFC contenders

By Nicholas McGee

SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 19: Head Coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers addresses the team in the locker room following game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers defeated the Packers 37-20. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - JANUARY 19: Head Coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers addresses the team in the locker room following game against the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium on January 19, 2020 in Santa Clara, California. The 49ers defeated the Packers 37-20. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images) /
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DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 15: Head coach Bruce Arians of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walks off the field after a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on December 15, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 15: Head coach Bruce Arians of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers walks off the field after a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on December 15, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Adjusting to a new offense at the age of 42 during an offseason where his practice time will be abbreviated is one of the biggest challenges of Tom Brady‘s career.

There’s no reason not to expect him to relish it, however, and with the team the Buccaneers have assembled around him, Brady has the supporting cast to immediately contend at the sharp end of the NFC.

In Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, he may have the top starting wide receiver duo in the league at his disposal. O.J. Howard, Rob Gronkowski and Cameron Brate is a potentially frightening trio to have at tight end while Ronald Jones II and Ke’Shawn Vaughn are set to form an extremely intriguing young running back pairing.

Tampa made a move to better protect Brady by trading up for tackle Tristan Wirfs in the first round of the draft and the New England Patriots legend should also receive plenty of support from a defense that ranked fifth in the league in DVOA last year.

Shaquil Barrett and Ndamukong Suh are both back to re-join a fearsome front seven on which nose tackle Vita Vea and linebacker Devin White should continue to make strides.

Head coach Bruce Arians has thrived in his career while working with older quarterbacks. Working with the greatest of all time and a roster stacked with talent on both sides of the ball, the former Arizona Cardinals head coach can afford to have legitimate aspirations of going deep into the postseason in 2020.

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