It's hilarious people on here think they know better than the coaching staff.
"Next man up" is coach speak. Everyone knows it. I've listened to NFL Radio where on multiple shows and IIRC, especially Moving the Chains, where they laugh at that comment. Your backups aren't as good as your starters, that's why they are backups. Now quality depth and that quality depth playing well when their number is called is important.
Injuries derailed the season, that's an absolute fact. Games 1 and 2 prove that. However, it was when the injuries started to mount up DA being on thin ice and not being able to keep the team from falling apart gave Gayle all she needed to move on. The defense where he excels regressed and they weren't hit as bad with injuries so that added more fuel.
Rizzi rallied the team for a bit, but he also benefited from some of the players getting healthy as the season went on.
The whole point of the article and comments from the coaches, is the team isn't as bad as the record last year. That's it. It doesn't mean it's a SB team, but it's not a 1st overall pick team. They are adding pieces to the foundation to try and take down TB in the division as that is always the 1st goal, win the division.
The NFC is top heavy with Philly, Detroit, and Washington, but after that there are question marks due to player and coaching turnover.