Best of the Betz: June NFL Takeaways

The month of June is in the rearview mirror, and the doldrums of the NFL Offseason have hit in full force in this break between the conclusion of Mandatory Minicamps and the start of Training Camps leaguewide when July blends into August. With so much “open air” at this portion of the NFL Calendar, it feels like a good time for my inaugural “Best of the Betz” notebook dump to hit on some of my favorite takes and topics from across the league.

Welcome inside my mind! Let’s dive in.

WHY IS EVERYONE SO DOWN ON THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS?

I don’t know if it was the Aaron Rodgers “is he coming or is he not” saga, or if it’s just fatigue of the team’s failure to get over the hump in the playoffs, but it feels like no one is willing to really get on board the Pittsburgh Steelers hype train right now. I totally understand the trepidation, but in previous seasons I felt the switch earlier among Steelers Nation to cautious optimism. This offseason, fans seem resigned to the probability that 2025 will likely end up looking the same as the last half decade or more of Steelers seasons where high expectations come to underwhelming conclusions. Perhaps the whirlwind blockbuster trade acquisitions of CB Jalen Ramsey and TE Jonnu Smith will get more fans and pundits on board at this point, but it still feels strange that so many people are very “Meh” on the Steelers so late into the offseason. My advice: don’t predetermine to throw in your Terrible Towels on the 2025 Season before it even starts. I have a feeling something special is brewing in Western PA.

TREVOR LAWRENCE AND THE RISE OF THE JAGUARS

The best thing that could have happened to Trevor Lawrence this offseason was for him and the Jaguars to stay out of the headlines. So far, that has been the case, and in the shadows, I believe new Head Coach Liam Coen is building the perfect offense to allow Lawrence to finally reach the heights he was projected to as a generational prospect. Lawrence thrives when he can settle in by hitting some easy throws early and then work the ball down the field. With Coen setting up some schematic layups, Lawrence’s big arm and athleticism, and a solid cast of weapons around him, I expect a big season from the young passer in a make or break year!

THE CINCINNATI BENGALS AREN’T AS GOOD AS YOU THINK THEY ARE

I get it. Joe Burrow is incredible. He played at a legit MVP level in 2024. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are the best WR duo in football. Chase Brown proved to be a dynamic weapon out of the backfield as a runner and a receiver. But beyond that, this roster is unproven and lacking both star power and depth. The Offensive Line has some interesting pieces, but really struggled to keep Burrow upright in 2024, and in 2025 they’re relying on a 2nd year OT and a Rookie OG to upgrade the unit. The defense is extremely suspect at every level even if Trey Hendrickson and Rookie Shemar Stewart resolve their contract disputes and play in 2025. It all feels extremely fragile, and anyone hyping the Bengals as a Super Bowl contender in 2025 is telling themselves a tall tale.

IS THE NEXT GENO SMITH/SAM DARNOLD PRIMED TO BREAK OUT IN 2025?

After a disappointing and unceremonious end in New York, Daniel Jones crosses the Conference divide to land with a Colts team in flux at QB with former 4th Overall Pick Anthony Richardson entering Year 3 with a substantial injury history and severely inconsistent film real through 2 disaster opening campaigns. In reality, this might already be Jones’s job. The 2019 1st Round pick showed some interesting highs at times during his Giants tender, but the overall product was very underwhelming. In Indy, Jones gets to work with one of the brightest offensive minds in the game in Shane Steichen and he a deeper group of weapons available to him. There’s a real world in which Jones is more than serviceable after this necessary change of scenery and becomes the latest in a recent trend of post-hype success stories at the QB position.

SOPHOMORE SLUMPS OR YEAR 2 LEAPS FOR THE 2024 QUARTERBACK CLASS?

Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, Michael Penix, JJ McCarthy, and Bo Nix will be the story of 2025. Last year’s crop of Rookie passers, highlighted by Daniels’ Rookie of the Year campaign and surprise run to the NFC Championship, has a chance to change the landscape of the NFL this season. Almost across the board, the situations have improved heading for each Sophomore signal caller heading into 2025, but there are significant questions still to be answered, starting with Caleb Williams, who’s relatively rocky rookie year has been heavily scrutinized due to his pre-Draft label as a generational prospect. Daniels took the league by storm last year, but it’s fair to wonder if NFL defenses will be able to keep him more in check after a full offseason of tape evaluation. While McCarthy truly is a blank slate after missing his entire Rookie campaign due to injury, the other three 1st Rounders have high expectations heading into Year 2 after some very impressive showings late in the season. How these 6 Sophomore QBs fare will tell the tale of 2025. My bold prediction? Caleb Williams and Drake Maye will both enter the Daniels stratosphere as high-end starters by season’s end. They have too much talent and are in significantly better situations this year than last, both schematically and structurally, with Ben Johnson and Mike Vrabel now leading the way for each organization, respectively.

What are your thoughts on these topics? Any other storylines I should be tracking? Let me know in the comments!