One month ago, the NFC South was a laughingstock in the making. Tom Brady had retired, Sean Payton had walked away from the Saints, the Falcons were entering the second year of a multi-year roster renovation, and the Panthers were Panthering at a very high level.
It still may turn out that way—things don’t often work out as cleanly as they’re supposed to in the NFL—but one month later the division is looking very different in a shaky NFC South. Brady is coming back, and even if that Buccaneers team figures to be a little diminished minus Ali Marpet and other talent they’re going to bleed, Tampa Bay will still be good.