Byron Maxwell and Super Bowl "Guarantees"

Byron Maxwell, cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles, recently guaranteed a Super Bowl berth. Here is my only reaction to his guarantee, and any other guarantee made by any player in history. So what? What are they supposed to do, think their team isn't going to make the playoffs? Super Bowl guarantee's among other things should actually be viewed as a positive statement. I inferred one thing from Maxwell saying this. What I inferred was that Maxwell really believes in Chip Kelly's team, and he thinks they can be very good. A very underrated attribute to good teams, is the coach getting the players to buy into the system. When every single player buys into what the coach is doing, they play their hearts out and leave everything on the field. This is the root of the common saying that a coach gets the most out of his players. A terrific example of this is the Seahawks over recent years. Believe it or not, a lot of their current star players weren't born star players. Michael Bennet and Cliff Avril were both castoffs from teams and they have become vital pieces in both the Seahawks Super Bowl appearances. It's important to get your players to buy into the system, and I think this shows that at the very least Byron Maxwell has bought into what Chip Kelly is doing, and I'm sure other Eagles players have too.

Offseason Outlook 2015: San Fransisco 49ers

Offense

Colin Kaepernick has a lot riding on him this season. Possibly more than public opinion realizes. I can't overanalyze what Kaep can or can't do at this point, because over the last two and a half years there has been a lot of good, and a lot of bad. So 2015 is a complete question mark for what to expect from him. With that being said, the 49ers offense actually has a lot of solid pieces throughout it, and '9ers brass has done a good job of surrounding Kaep with talent. At wide receiver, San Fran signed Torrey Smith to reunite with Anquan Boldin. These two have played together before, and they both complement each other very well. Boldin is one of the most reliable pass catchers in the game, with terrific hands and route running ability, and what he lacks in straight line speed, Torrey Smith more than makes up for it. Smith excels under a big armed QB, and with Kaep's arm strength and his elite speed, they will really be able to stretch the field. They also have two potential surprise breakout candidates in Quinton Patton and Bruce Ellington. My money is on Ellington carving out a nice role in the slot, and having a breakout year. At tight end, Vernon Davis is coming off of the worst year of his career since his rookie season in 2006, but he is still obviously a very talented player, and his bad numbers can partially be attributed to his usage and the offense. The '9ers also have Vance McDonald as their number 2 TE, and he is a solid player. On the offensive line, San Fransisco is still in good shape even after losing Mike Iupati. They have an elite left tackle in Joe Staley who is consistently among the leagues best pass blockers, and he can more than hold his own in the run game too. At left guard and center, two young players should be getting the starting nods. Brandon Thomas and Marcus Martin are both talented players, and should be able be reliable starters at left guard and center respectively. San Fran's offensive line is closed out with a very strong right side. Alex Boone is a terrific guard, and the leader of this offensive line. When he was holding out last season, their O-line really struggled and not just at the RG spot, but because of what he brings to the entire line. At right tackle, the '9ers have Anthony Davis who has been a great pro ever since he was drafted and thrust into the starting job. This should be a good offensive line to support a mobile quarterback, and a very young, but potentially very good running game. Carlos Hyde is the presumed starter taking over for Frank Gore after he signed with the Colts in the offseason. Hyde is a big back with surprisingly quick feet, and he should be a solid starting running back in the NFL. San Fran also signed Reggie Bush to complement Hyde as a change of pace, home run hitting running back. Another player to watch out for is Mike Davis. He was drafted in the fourth round, but he's a grinder of a back and can get the job done if Hyde doesn't. Nobody is going to mistake this offense for the Green Bay Packers offense, but there is talent behind a very good offensive line. I'll say it one more time, it is all up to Colin Kaepernick though, because this offense (and team) will only go as far as he will take them. I think they could be a league average offense if Kaep has a good year, but I'm expecting them to be around the 20th best offense, which by the way is still an improvement over last season.

Defense

They lost Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Chris Culliver and Chris Borland. That hurts, a lot. Are they screwed? No they really aren't. This defense still has A LOT of talent, and they still have a terrific group of linebackers that will lead a very good defense. A lot of football fans don't realize that arguably their best player last season, NaVorro Bowman, didn't play a down of football in 2014. He is a top 5 defensive player when he's healthy, and should be huge for them this season. Alongside him on the inside, Michael Wilhoite or Phillip Wheeler will start, and both of those players are solid veterans. Outside, they have threats. Aldon Smith is one of the best pure pass rushers in football, and if he can stay out of his own way off the field, then he will be a dominant force for the 49ers on the field. Opposite Smith, Aaron Lynch is coming off of a surprisingly productive rookie season for a 5th round rookie. He should continue to grow as a player, and put up substantially better numbers in more playing time. San Fran also has Ahmad Brooks, Eli Harold and Corey Lemonier as added depth, and I expect all three of those players to be involved in this defense in some manner. On the defensive line, it is tough as a general football fan to see the Cowboy hang up his boots, but they have a lot of young talent to replace him. They drafted Arik Armstead in the first round for that purpose, and even though he's very raw he has a very high ceiling and could be great. Entirely focusing on next season, I don't expect Armstrong to have much of an impact, but he should figure to at least get a lot of snaps. In the middle, Glenn Dorsey is also returning from injury, and if he comes back successfully from his injury he is a big upgrade in the middle at nose tackle. Opposite Armstead, the 49ers signed Darnell Dockett who is coming off of a torn ACL himself. When healthy he is a very good player to have upfront, specifically in the pass rushing department. One depth guy to keep an eye on is Ian Williams. In very limited snaps last season, he was very good and he should be great again. The only question with him at this point is snaps, because they have a lot of veteran talent on this team returning from injury. In the secondary, this team is fairly thin at cornerback, but excellent at safety. At cornerback, they have Tramaine Brock who is a good cornerback, and actually a decent option for them as their number one guy. As depth, they have Shareece Wright, Chris Cook and Dontae Johnson who are all solid best case scenario. At safety, they have Antoine Bethea who is coming off of a very good season, and Eric Reid as the starters. Eric Reid took a step back in 2014, but I love his upside and I still think he can be a star. They also have Jimmie Ward who will most likely be playing slot cornerback for them in 2015, and he has good ball skills and could be a great slot cornerback. The 49ers also drafted Jaquiski Tartt who they drafted in the second round of this years draft, and apparently San Fransisco is in love with this kid. I graded him as a solid player (thought he was a round 3-4 guy) but I think he could be a big factor in their defensive plans sooner rather then later. Throughout all the craziness that has been going on in San Fransisco this offseason, their defense still looks solid. The losses are big, but the depth on this defense was always very good and it shows up big time after going through three key retirements and a big free agency loss. The returns of NaVorro Bowman and Glenn Dorsey are huge for this defense, and if it wants to continue to be good it needs both of those players to step up. There are still holes at cornerback, and question marks on the defensive line, but I think this will still be a top 10 defense in 2015. They can flat out bring the heat up front, and a lot of very talented players were either injured, suspended, or had down seasons which puts them in a position to potentially rebound in 2015.

San Fransisco is a weird team in 2015. I have seen a lot of people predicting them to be a bottom 5 team in the NFL, and there is such a negativity after their offseason but there shouldn't be. This is still a good team. A lot depends on their QB, which can be concerning, but this team will be very competitive and tough to beat once again in 2015. I don't think they will make the playoffs, and I feel like they are destined for an 8-8 season (give or take a game), but don't be surprised if they beat some very good teams come fall. There is also a lot of pressure on this new coaching staff. I think losing Jim Harbaugh will hurt them a lot (if they still had Jim and he had control of the locker room, I'd predict a playoff berth), and it will show in the first few games because he was an incredible coach. Who knows? Maybe Jim Tomsula will be good and they won't regret moving on from Harbaugh. Frankly, I can't possibly know that now, and I won't analyze that situation because it would all be bullshit. Purely speaking off of their roster though, this is a good team that will go as far as their QB, which seems to me like an .500 season.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Seattle Seahawks

Offense

THE SEAHAWKS GOT JIMMY GRAHAM! THE SEAHAWKS GOT JIMMY GRAHAM! I know. Probably the most talked about thing this offseason apart from Chip Kelly doing his crazy thing out in Philly. Jimmy Graham is a huge threat to a Seahawks team that doesn't really have a red zone receiving option for Russell Wilson. Don't expect Graham to have the same numbers he did with New Orleans, because he is entering the least productive passing offense in the NFL, but he could end up having a bigger impact on his new team. Even though it's completely obvious and this is very basic analysis, getting the second best tight end in the NFL is huge for a team with few established threats in the passing game. At quarterback, the Seahawks have one of the brightest young stars in football with Russell Wilson. He is easily a top 10 QB in the NFL, and there is an argument to be made that he should be in the top 5. He is mobile, has incredible skills when the pocket breaks down, makes good decisions, and has one of the best pure arms in the NFL too. Unfortunately, there was some regression in 2014 with Wilson (he regressed as a passer), but if he bounces back and improves on his 2013 Super Bowl winning season, then this kid will easily be a top 5 QB. Either way the Seahawks should be handing him a hefty contract soon if they are smart. In the backfield, Seattle has one of the most entertaining, and one of the best running backs in football. Marshawn Lynch is outstanding. As much as Russell Wilson is the star and face of this team, I would say that this offense relies on Marshawn Lynch just as much as Wilson, if not more so. Lynch is the classic power back, and about once a year he runs for one of the craziest 60 yard "bust through the entire team" runs. It's not just about one run with him, he is so consistent and even though defenses stack the box he can break off a touchdown at any time. Literally any time. Watch the two crazy runs he had against the Saints and Cardinals. This offense works so perfectly with Lynch and Wilson too because they help each other so much. This team had 25 rushing yards per game more than the next highest in the NFL, because Wilson and Lynch are terrific off of read option plays, and they both spread out the field for one another. At wide receiver, the Seahawks look better than they have in recent years. I think Tyler Lockett will have a huge impact on this team right out of the gate. He is explosive, has versatility, and is just a flat out playmaker. Russell Wilson will love him, and I wouldn't be shocked to see him lead Seattle in receptions next season. They also have Doug Baldwin who just goes about his business being a very good wide receiver for a run first team. As added depth, they have Ricardo Lockette, Paul Richardson, Super Bowl breakout player Chris Matthews and Jermaine Kearse. In my opinion, I don't think any of those players will be consistent players for them, I'm sure all of them will have a big game or two, but Baldwin and Lockett are going to be the receivers to watch on a consistent basis. Past the skill position players is where I have a problem with this offense. I don't like this offensive line one bit. They have one good established player, and that is Russell Okung at left tackle. Unfortunately, even he has had some injuries and has struggled to stay healthy. From left guard to right tackle, the Seahawks have Alvin Bailey, Lemuel Jeanpierre, J.R. Sweezy and Justin Britt. All of those players are either unproven, or just not very good. Sweezy and Britt (even though they both had bad seasons last year) could be decent, but that's no guarantee. I feel like this is an issue that a lot of people have been overlooking because of the Jimmy Graham trade. Wilson has the ability to mask a lot of issues on the offensive line, and he's been very healthy thus far into his career, I just worry about him holding up behind this offensive line. Especially having to face the St. Louis Rams defensive front twice this year. I really am expecting more moves to at least add some more depth, because they have very little depth behind these underwhelming starters too. Overall, this offense should still be good. If a team has a good defense, it can really help out an offense by giving them better field position, creating turnovers, etc. This is what Seattle has done over the last couple of years, and I expect them to do it again in 2015. In my opinion, the struggles along the O-line cancel out the additions of Jimmy Graham and Tyler Lockett, so I'm predicting the Seattle offense to rank similar to where they were last year, which was around 10th in the league. If Seattle does finish around the top ten, then Seahawks fans should be very happy about that because their defense will be elite again and that is more than enough offense to win with.

Defense

Seattle's defense is elite, and is the favourite to have the number 1 ranked defense by the end of 2015. Should I keep going? Well I may as well start with the Legion of Boom. It starts with Richard Sherman. He is the most talkative (trash talk wise) player in the NFL, but he always backs it up on the field. He is the premier cornerback in the National Football League, and he has games where he shuts down one side of the field. Remember the first game of the season when Green Bay didn't pass to the right side of the field? Yeah, good times. Not saying he can't be beat (Odell Beckham Jr. did it), but he is not only the best cornerback, but one of the best players in all of football. While Sherman gets all the publicity, Earl Thomas might be the most important player on this defense. The best safety in all of football, Thomas is just incredible to watch. He has instincts out the wazoo, terrific ball skills, and insane closing speed too. He really is the perfect player to have manning center field for any football team. He also works perfectly in the Seahawks Cover 3 defensive scheme. His running mate Kam Chancellor is the enforcer of this secondary. He's basically a linebacker with the speed and athleticism of a safety. One play that describes him perfectly, (this is purely off memory so bear with me) Seahawks were playing the 49ers, and Kaep threw a ball near the sidelines, a foot away from the end zone too, and Crabtree (I think?) went up and Chancellor hit him. He hit him so hard that the refs threw a penalty flag. It wasn't an illegal hit, or he didn't show any intent to hurt him, he just destroyed him and got penalized for it. Kam isn't perfect, he's definitely no Sean Taylor back there, but he does his job very well in Seattle's scheme. The Seahawks signed Cary Williams to be their second CB to replace Maxwell, and... Well... Maybe he'll be okay? I thought he was very bad with the Eagles. At times he was a liability in coverage, so I'm not really a fan of that signing to replace a very good cornerback in Byron Maxwell. Jeremy Lane will be their slot cornerback, and he's solid. Nothing special or flashy like the rest of the LOB, but he's fairly reliable. Seattle has quietly (I say quietly because all of the attention is on the LOB) put together a deadly front seven. At linebacker, this team has three very good starters. Bobby Wagner is an incredible inside linebacker, I don't think he's elite yet, but if he shows any more development in coverage, he'll be right up there with Kuechly and Bowman. Seattle also has two very good OLB's in K.J. Wright and Bruce Irvin. Wright is a terrific coverage linebacker, and Irvin is more of a pass rushing LB. On the defensive front, this team showcases two very successful free agent signings. Michael Bennett being one of them, is one of the most versatile defensive lineman in football, and he is a terrific pass rusher too. He can move all around the line, and the Seahawks line him up inside a lot of the time as well as outside. Opposite Bennett, Cliff Avril is another very successful free agent signing. He didn't put up ideal sack totals last season, but he was constantly getting pressures on opposing QB's and still managed to have a huge impact in their pass rush. Inside, Brandon Mebane is coming off of an injury riddled 2014 season, and he looks to bounce back to form. He wasn't great last season even when healthy, but he was sensational in 2013, and if he can recapture that form then he will once again be one of the most vital pieces of their defense. Tony McDaniel will play alongside Mebane, and he's decent. He can struggle at times, but he's not a horrible option, especially on a defense with so much talent. This defense has been the best defense in the NFL for 3 straight years and after 2015 it should be 4. They lost their defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and that could hurt them as he was loved by players and clearly a very good coach. They also lost a key piece in Byron Maxwell, and that could hurt them more than they think because their number 2 cornerback can be more easily targeted based off of their scheme. That shouldn't matter in the long run, as this defense exhibits strength across the board. Their D-line is strong, their linebackers are very versatile, and their secondary is almost legendary at this point. This is the defense to beat going into 2015. Every team knows it, now it's just a matter of doing it.

Seattle on paper is a ridiculously good team. They are incredibly strong at every single position group on their team, except for WR (which they are young) and offensive line. I have them as the second best team in the NFL, behind the Green Bay Packers. I still do really think their offensive line is an issue, and until they prove to me they can keep Russell Wilson upright I won't think differently. The Seahawks have been to two consecutive Super Bowls, and are one misplay (run with Marshawn!) away from winning both of them. They are one of the elite franchises in the NFL, and they have a historic defense behind them. Pete Carroll is a terrific coach too, and he should once again have no trouble posting one of the best records in the NFC, and returning to the NFC Championship game once again.

Offseason Outlook 2015: St. Louis Rams

Offense

I might be in the minority here, but I love what the St. Louis Rams did during the draft and what direction they are taking their offense in. Todd Gurley is an Adrian Peterson type back that you can build an offense around. He has breakaway speed, terrific power, incredible vision (something Trent Richardson lacked, which is a big reason why he hasn't done well) and can be a good receiver too. The Rams are pairing Tre Mason with him too, and Mason was a very good runner last season. These two could get over 2,000 combined rushing yards next season when just looking at their talent. The Rams made a huge investment in their offensive line throughout the draft. AT left tackle, Greg Robinson is the presumed starter. He had a really rough rookie season in 2014, but he has all of the tools to be one of the most dominant left tackles in football, and he should be much better in his second year. At left guard, the Rams have Rodger Saffold. He's a very solid guard, and can go through very dominant stretches. At center, Tim Barnes takes over for Scott Wells and at this point in Wells' career Barnes is an upgrade. He was solid last season, but should be better with consistent playing time. On the right side of the line, there will be either Barrett Jones or Jamon Brown playing guard, and Rob Havenstein at right tackle. Havenstein is just an enormous human being, and he'll be an impact player in the run game straight away. Right guard will most likely be the weak spot of this line, but Jones and Brown have talent and they could be solid. The most controversial and publicized trade of the NFL this offseason was the Sam Bradford/Nick Foles trade. The Rams got the big armed player in the deal, and this offense could be really good for Foles, or really bad. Foles is terrible under pressure, so if there are still a lot of troubles along the O-line, then this might be a long season for him. With that being said, this offense is clearly turning into a run first offense, and defenses will have to stack the box against Gurley which will really allow Foles to stretch the field. It's a question mark at this point in the offseason, but St. Louis could really benefit from Foles being their QB. At wide receiver, the Rams have depth, but no stellar talent. Kenny Britt continues his career revitalization as he resigned with St. Louis, and Brian Quick can hopefully return from injury and continue right where he left off at, which was seemingly his breakout season. They also have Tavon Austin who has yet to justify his top 10 draft choice, Stedman Bailey who has been okay, but a better kick returner than receiver and Chris Givens who had a good rookie season but has been shaky at best since then. So again, it's not the best situation for the Rams as they don't have a go-to-guy for Nick Foles, but all five of those guys have talent or have shown at least something positive, and they all are young enough to develop and improve their respective games. At tight end, the Rams have another couple solid players in Jared Cook and Lance Kendricks. Cook is the more athletic, better receiver of the two, and he has shown that he can be a solid option across the seams. Kendricks gets moved around a lot in the offense. He is very versatile, and a solid all around player for them. Upper management was smart with the decision to make this a run-centric offense in 2015. They don't have the pure talent to keep up with any of the good passing offenses in the NFC, and they need to have their own game plan for them to win. If they have a good rushing attack, kill some time off the clock, try to limit turnovers and rely on their defense to get stops, this team can surprise people in 2015. I'm predicting a bottom 10 finish on offense, but I think they will have a top 5 rushing attack in the NFL next season.

Defense

The St. louis Rams have one of the most important things a defense can have. An identity. They have invested in their defensive line, and it has paid off in a huge way. Robert Quinn is a bona fide superstar. He is coming off of a subpar season (for his standards), but he should be one of the better defensive players in the NFL in 2015. Opposite Quinn, Chris Long is coming off of a big injury, but when he's healthy he is one of the most consistent defensive ends in football. He is terrific against the run and more than holds his own against the pass. The Rams also have William Hayes as added depth, and he is coming off of a solid season in relief of Chris Long. In the middle, the Rams have the most dominant trio of defensive tackles in the league. Aaron Donald had one of the best rookie seasons for any defensive player, let alone DT, in a long time. He finished the year with 9 sacks, and was a constant disruptor in the opponents backfield. He should already be looked at as a top 5 defensive tackle, and if he shows any development in 2015 he will be the best defensive tackle in the NFL. They also signed Nick Fairley this offseason. Fairley is an interesting case, because if he is inspired and plays with a fire under him, then he is a top 5 defensive tackle in football. If Jeff Fisher can get him to play up to his potential, there is no telling what this D-line can do. They also have Michael Brockers, who despite the Fairley signing, is a very good defensive tackle in his own right. He has stretches where he is absolutely dominant against the run, but he is coming off of a somewhat down season. This defensive line is the equivalent of the Cowboys offensive line, it has a very good chance to be special. At linebacker, St. Louis is solid but not spectacular. James Laurinaitis is a solid inside linebacker. He's a tackling machine and he's good against the run, but he can struggle in coverage. Alec Ogeltree is one of their starting outside linebackers, and he is an intriguing player. Another tackling machine, he is extremely athletic and can make jaw dropping plays but he's also very inconsistent. Hopefully he can have a better all around season in 2015. Opposite Ogletree, Jo-Lonn Dunbar is manning the other spot. He's a decent starter, but not terrific. The Rams also signed Akeem Ayers too. I have no idea if they are going to play him as a linebacker, or an edge rusher, but if they do play him as an OLB then he could steal the starting job from Dunbar. In the secondary, this Rams team is decent all across the board, with no established star players. Janoris Jenkins and E.J. Gaines are their two starting outside cornerbacks, and both of those players are solid young players. They have their inconsistencies (especially Janoris, he often gets caught trying to go for the interception and then can get burned) but they both have shown that they can be starting NFL cornerbacks. In the slot, Lamarcus Joyner enters his second season, in what should be a good one for him. He has the skills and size to be a terrific slot cornerback, and with regular snaps I think he could breakout this season. At safety, a combination of T.J. McDonald, Rodney McLeod and Mark Barron will get most of the playing time. All three of those guys are pretty young, but again they don't inspire much confidence as they all have their flaws and are just average players. The success of this defense relies on two things. First, the incredible defensive line. If this defensive line plays to its ceiling, it will cover up a lot of short comings in the rest of this defense and they will be able to dominate as a unit. Second, Jeff Fisher. He is a good coach, and if he gets this defense playing hard like they often do against better teams (see Seattle and Denver last season), then this team will be very competitive.

I wish I could say that this Rams team will be better than 6-10 or 7-9, but that's where I think they will fall again. I think they will shock a couple of very good teams this season, and often play up to the competition, but also play down to competition below them. I like the direction this team is taking, and their defensive line is so ridiculous. I mean ridiculous enough that I will watch Rams games with the sole intent of watching their D-line. They still lack an overall talent level, and a good QB, to compete for a playoff spot.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Arizona Cardinals

Offense

When Carson Palmer is healthy, this team wins it's as simple as that. They had a bottom third offense last season, but for roughly half the season they were strolling out Drew Stanton or Ryan Lindley who just aren't very good. Carson Palmer on the other hand is a good NFL quarterback, and under Bruce Arians he has shown that he can lead a great NFL team. He has the tools Arians wants in a QB, and they have found a way to limit his mistakes and utilize his big arm. The best way they have done that, is they found him three very good weapons. The trio of Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and John Brown are really going to turn some heads next season. Fitz is just a reliable star, and even though he didn't put up good numbers last season that can partially be attributed to Carson Palmer's injury. Michael Floyd seemed due for a big time breakout year in 2014, but I think the entire offense going through QB change delayed it. He has all the tools to be a great WR, and I think he'll surpass 1,000 yards with at least 8 touchdowns in 2015. In the slot, I think John Brown is ready to burst onto the scene. He had an up and down rookie season, capped by an incredible touchdown catch against the Rams in week 14. He needs to be more consistent, but he has a very high ceiling and gives the Cardinals three very big threats at wide receiver. At tight end, last years second round pick Troy Niklas should be the starter. He is enormous for a tight end (6'6/270 lbs) and is a great blocker too. If he can be solid in the passing game, he will be an impact player for Arizona. The Cardinals have invested a lot into their offensive line in recent years. At left tackle, they have Jared Veldheer who is coming off of a terrific first season in Arizona. They also just signed Mike Iupati who has incredible talent (especially in pass protection) and should be an anchor for them in the middle. He will really help their run game, but also be a big factor in keeping Palmer upright because their guards were subpar last season. At center, Ted Larsen should take over, and he isn't great but he has the advantage of being beside an elite guard in Iupati that could help take pressure off of him and minimize his role. Opposite Iupati, Jonathan Cooper is looking to get his career back on track. He has been injured, and inconsistent, and this will probably be his last chance to prove he can start, BUT he still has a lot of talent. He is extremely athletic and hopefully he can stay healthy and put together at least a decent year. At right tackle, D.J. Humphries should be the starter. Bobby Massie wasn't bad last season, and he should get regular playing time either inside or as a swing tackle, but Humphries is a more talented tackle. Management has done a terrific job with this O-line and should be applauded for it. In the backfield, Arizona will rely on a combination of Andre Ellington, Stepfan Taylor and David Johnson. Andre Ellington is still their most talented back, and if he stays healthy he should be very good, but don't sleep on David Johnson either. He's a big back, and he has Le'Veon Bell like traits in the passing game (Mike Mayock's words not mine, to be honest I haven't seen much of him yet, just reading scouting reports). This offense could be in a position to surprise people. They aren't thought of as a great offense, but I don't really see a weak spot on this team if Carson Palmer is healthy. Their O-line should be greatly improved, they have two young talented running backs, they have a big armed gunslinger of a quarterback and they have a dangerous trio at wide receiver. I don't think it will be a top 10 offense, but I think it could be top 12 offense, and I think it will be at least a league average offense. Andre Ellington has less pressure on him, because last season he was being compared to Jamaal Charles after 118 carries in his rookie year. If he plays closer to how he did as a rookie, and Palmer stays healthy, this offense will produce. Plus, Bruce Arians. Yeah, the guy can flat out coach.

Defense

This is a special defense. I don't mean it will go down in history as the most dominant defense ever, or they don't use a cool name (that I know of?) like the Legion of Boom, but no matter what changes they go through, they are shutting down opponents. On the defensive line, they lost Dan Williams which could spell trouble for them, but either Corey Peters or Alameda Ta'amu should be srevicable replacements. Both players are solid, and Peters can move along the defensive line so his versatility might lead Ta'amu to start and Peters to be a key rotation player. At one 3-4 end spot, the Cardinals have their best overall player anchoring down the spot in Calais Campbell. Yes, I said best player. I think he is better than Patrick Peterson, Larry Fitzgerald and anyone else on the team. He is an elite defensive end that is dominant in the run game and is a weapon as a pass rusher too. Opposite Campbell, Kareem Martin will probably split reps with Cory Redding. Martin should be the better option as a pass rusher, so in obvious passing downs (3rd and long, etc.) Kareem Martin will probably get a chance to show what he can do in his sophomore season. At linebacker, Arizona is missing star talent, yet they end up getting a lot of production out of their guys anyways. Outside, a combination of Alex Okafar, Matt Shaughnessy and Markus Golden will take up most of the snaps for them. Golden is a hard working guy with a non-stop motor, and the Cardinals are relying on him to have a big rookie season. Inside it's not as bad, as Arizona has Kevin Minter, Sean Weatherspoon and Darryl Sharpton. Kevin Minter was solid last season, but Weatherspoon is my sleeper impact player for this team. If he's healthy, he has a lot of talent and could be huge in replacing Daryl Washington because of his suspensions and unreliability. They are fairly thin at linebacker, but this coaching staff has historically gotten more production then they should out of their linebackers. In the secondary, this team should be pretty damn good in 2015. Patrick Peterson should have a bounce back season. Not that he was bad in 2014, he was very good, but he got burned for touchdowns more than he would like. I definitely think he'll be an elite cornerback again in 2015. Opposite Peterson, Jerraud Powers and Justin Bethal are the options they have. Neither one of those players inspire much confidence, so I'm expecting opposing offenses to attack the slot and 2nd cornerback. At safety, this team has a few very good players. Tyrann Mathieu is the star at safety, and being another year further removed from his knee injury should bode well for him. I wouldn't be surprised if he was a top 3 safety after this season and led the entire NFL in forcing turnovers. He's just that good. Beside Mathieu, the Cardinals have two young safeties in Tony Jefferson and Deone Bucannon. Jefferson will probably start, but Bucannon will play a lot too, and has the size and strength to play linebacker in the nickel defense. I think Bucannon will take a big step forward in 2015, and be the physical presence in the secondary that the Cardinals need. This defense on paper looks worse in 2015. They don't have Antonio Cromartie, they seem very thin on the edge and they also lost Dan Williams at nose tackle. My biggest worry for them is the loss of Todd Bowles as defensive coordinator, but I think them staying in house was smart and all the players should still be very comfortable with this defense. I think they will still be a top 10 defense, and the coaching staff will get the most out of their players like they always do.

The Cardinals were 9-1 last season. They most likely would have won the division if Carson Palmer hadn't have gone down with an injury. Bruce Arians can inspire players, and he is one of the best coaches in the NFL. With that being said, I still think this team isn't as good as Seattle, and they seemed destined for a wildcard playoff berth. I think that what separates this team from Seattle is the depth that Seattle has on defense. Mainly up front, I have concerns about whether this team can still bring the pressure even though they have taken a hit on the edge and up the middle. Arizona is still a very good team, and they will be extremely competitive in every game they play because that is how Bruce Arians coaches his teams.

Adrian Peterson STILL Wants Out of Minnesota

In a report that should surprise nobody, Adrian Peterson still wants to leave Minnesota. I really thought that this drama was going to end at the NFL draft, but I guess I was wrong. Adrian and his agent are playing hardball with the Vikings even though they have little to no leverage. All Day is going to hold out of OTA's, and potentially lose $250K if he misses over 90% of them. What are you doing Adrian? Is there a chance Minnesota trades Peterson? Of course, there's always a chance. Is it likely? Hell no. Minnesota holds all the leverage here. If Peterson wants to not play, then he just saves the Vikings over $12 million. Maybe they could get a 2nd round pick for him, or maybe they could get a small asset, but that's it. Peterson isn't in a position of power because very few teams want to pay a running back $12+ million per year.

This is how I can see this playing out...

1. Adrian Peterson returns to OTA's and stops this bullshit because he isn't going to get traded.
99.999% likelihood of happening.

2. Adrian Peterson retires because the Vikings aren't going to trade him.
0.0005% likelihood of happening.

3. Adrian Peterson gets traded.
0.0005% likelihood of happening.

I'm not going to say the last two situations are definitely not going to happen because it's the NFL, but come on now. They aren't going to happen. Adrian Peterson gets $12.75 million guaranteed if he shows up to the first game. He is playing for the Vikings this season, and he should go into it with a better attitude than he currently is showing because this Vikings team will be good.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Atlanta Falcons

My bold prediction is that the Atlanta Falcons will win the NFC South. If you want to read the article and argue with me, awesome! If you want to just read my prediction and argue with me, less awesome, but I'm still up for it! Here we go...

Offense

Is Matt Ryan elite? Elite is so subjective, but what's not subjective is that Matt Ryan is a very good quarterback. He has lifted the play of his entire offense for the better part of a decade and has overcome struggles along the O-line and in the run game too. Matt Ryan is terrific under pressure, he gets the ball out quick to minimize his offensive line struggles and he has enough arm strength to make every throw on the field. He is a great quarterback to build around, and even though he's not in the Aaron Rodgers/Tom Brady tier of QB's, he's well entrenched in that second tier. At wide receiver, Julio Jones leads a group in need of some new life. Jones is terrific, and if he stays healthy he could easily be the best wide receiver in the NFL next season. He has all the tools you want in a WR, he has speed, strength off the line, route running ability, explosiveness and he is a terror with the ball in his hands. Opposite him, Roddy White returns for his 10th season, and he is still a reliable 2nd receiver to Julio. He doesn't have the same explosiveness as he used to, but he should be in for another solid season. The Falcons made a very underrated pick in this years draft in 4th rounder Justin Hardy. He should step in immediately and be a huge upgrade for Atlanta in the slot. They should also be running a lot of 3 and 4 wide receiver sets too, because they don't have a lot of talent and depth at tight end. I think Hardy is in for a big year, and he'll help this offense a lot by giving them another reliable option other than Julio and Roddy. The Falcons also have Devin Hester and Leonard Hankerson as depth, but neither receiver should be expected to have much of an impact. At tight end, Atlanta has had trouble replacing Tony Gonzalez since he retired. Levine Toilolo is still the starter, but he had a rough 2014 and isn't that promising of a player anyways. In the backfield, Atlanta is going to roll with two young backs for the 2015 season in Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman. Both of these backs have talent, and they could be a good one-two punch with the assumption being that they will split reps. Neither of these backs are heavy hitters, but they are both very fast and can be solid receivers out of the backfield for Ryan. Atlanta has done a lot of retooling across the offensive line over the past couple of seasons. It starts at left tackle where Jake Matthews looks to improve off of a horrid rookie season. I'm a big fan of his, and I think he could be a great LT, but there are a lot of things he has to fix from his inaugural season. At left guard, the Falcons have some decisions to make because they didn't resign Justin Blalock and don't have an obvious choice to take over the position. Sam Baker will be back this year, and he should probably play right tackle, which would then move Ryan Schraeder inside. That would be best case scenario for their O-line, with Jon Asomoah playing right guard and Joe Hawley playing center. This is the best offensive line they can put on the field, yet it still isn't terrific. This is the weak point of their offense, but if Matthews play improves (which I think it will) then it should be passable. This offense was 12th in the NFL in 2014, and I think it will crack the top 10 in 2015. The addition of Kyle Shanahan as the offensive coordinator is huge, and he should bring about better play in a lot of their offensive players. He also has a knack for getting the most out of a team's run game, so expect Tevin Coleman and Devonta Freeman to put together big seasons too. Matt Ryan hasn't worked with a lot of talent in the past couple years (despite Julio, Roddy has been solid but he's out of his prime now), but this roster has been infused with a lot of young players with high ceilings, and what should figure to be an improved O-line. This is a good offense. Period.

Defense

Dan Quinn. I believe in Dan Quinn, and I will fall on board that ship if it gets to that point. I think he is going to bring out the best in Atlanta's defense, and also turn Desmond Trufant into a superstar (although he already is really awesome). Trufant leads a so-so secondary, but he is a terrific corner. He has the ability to shut down an opposing wide receiver, and he very rarely gets burned too. Opposite him, I believe that rookie Jalen Collins will win the job, and he will be an immediate upgrade at right CB. Collins has size, strength and speed. The triple threat at cornerback. He needs to hone is technique, but he could be the best cornerback from the 2015 draft class. Robert Alford should move inside, and I think he could flourish in a slot cornerback role. At safety, the Falcons have Dezmen Southward and William Moore. With more development from the young Southward, I think both of those players should be solid safeties. At linebacker, this team invested in Vic Beasley and that should pay off in a huge way. Beasley is in a terrific position with the Falcons, he will get immediate playing time, and he has the speed, power and explosiveness to be an impact pass rusher for a team that desperately needs one. They also signed Brooks Reed to help raise their talent level at linebacker. To go along with Brooks, they signed O'Brien Schofield who could be a solid situational pass rusher and he adds depth to the edge group. One more quiet free agent signing they made was signing Adrian Clayborn. He is coming off of an injury riddled 2014, but if he's healthy he can be a solid pass rusher. In the middle, they have Paul Worrilow, Justin Durant and Prince Shembo. They should get decent production out of these players. All of them have their strengths and weaknesses, but if you limit Worrilow in the passing game, and ease Shembo into a bigger role, they could be successful. On the defensive line, the Falcons have surprisingly a lot of depth. They made a couple free agent moves last offseason, and they still have Tyson Jackson and Paul Soliai on the line. Both of those players had rough first seasons with the Falcons, but they should play better in 2015 under Dan Quinn. The Falcons also have last years 2nd round pick Ra'Shede Hageman who could be looking at a starting job this season. He has a high ceiling and could be really dominant if he works on his consistency issues. Another young player to watch with Atlanta is Grady Jarrett, this years 5th round pick. I thought he was a second round talent, and the knock on him is that he's undersized but he has a lot of talent and is quick in shedding blocks. Rounding off the defensive line, Atlanta has veteran Jonathan Babineaux. He has been an anchor for roughly a decade, and should be in for another good season. This defense isn't the most talented in the NFL, but I think they could be a league average defense next season. Dan Quinn is where my faith resides, and I think that he will get more out of this defense than anybody else could. Vic Beasley will play a huge factor in whether this defense is successful or not, but I think he is up to the challenge. If the Falcons front 7 can bring more pressure, which I do believe they will, then this defense can help make Atlanta relevant again.

On paper, I can admit that this team is not as talented as the New Orleans Saints. Why do I think they will win the division then? I think it's a combination of the major philosophical change the Saints are going through on offense, but mostly because of this new coaching staff. My love for Dan Quinn is already well documented, and Kyle Shanahan is a terrific offensive coordinator and a big upgrade too. I'm expecting a Mike Zimmer/Minnesota Vikings situation, except the Falcons already have an amazing QB and a great offense to go along with a transformed defense. I think they had one of the best drafts this past season, and should get some instant playmakers out of it to go along with the established veterans, who will lead the Falcons to their first playoff berth in three years.

Offseason Outlook 2015: New Orleans Saints

Offense

The Saints were not good last season. There are a lot of people that think last season will start the downfall of Drew Brees too. THIS IS NOT THE END OF DREW BREES PEOPLE! He was a lot better than given credit for last season, and for an entire Saints team that struggled, he was once again their best player. Brees did have a subpar season by his standards, but he is still elite, and until he is actually bad, then I'm not going to count him out. Apart from Brees, the Saints made a lot of changes. The most notable one is the trade of Jimmy Graham to the Seahawks. I might be crazy, okay I'm definitely crazy, but I don't think this was as lopsided of a deal as NFL analysts imply it is. Jimmy Graham is an elite tight end. Is he Gronk level elite? No, but he's the second best tight end in the NFL that's for sure. Still, the Saints upgraded their biggest weakness on offense (center) through the trade, and they got a first round pick too. Max Unger is a good center, and when he's fully healthy he can be a great one. He's going to be in the middle of what figures to be a very good offensive line for New Orleans in 2015. At left tackle, Terron Armstead should be the guy moving forward. He had a solid season, although he needs to be more consistent, and he's a young guy that should grow as a player. At left guard, the Saints first 1st round pick should start there for them Andrus Peat has a future as a good starting tackle in the NFL, but the Saints one hole on their O-line is at left guard and he should have an immediate impact and in fact has high upside at the position. At right guard, Jahri Evans returns for his 10th season with NO, and he has been a staple for them his entire career. He is extremely durable (starting all but two games in his 9 year career), and is as reliable as they come at the position. To round out the O-line, at right tackle the Saints have one of the most underrated offensive lineman in Zach Strief. He is incredibly reliable and was the Saints best offensive lineman last season. This strong offensive line will really help the Saints in changing their strategical approach as a team. By the moves they made this offseason, New Orleans seems to be leaning more towards a run-centric offense to preserve Brees' arm. In the backfield, the Saints resigned last years breakout running back, Mark Ingram. They also signed C.J. Spiller who could prove to be a huge signing. Ingram will probably be the lead back, but adding the change of pace Spiller to the mix brings a huge home run threat to go along with Ingram's hard running style. These two could quietly become a great RB tandem, so watch out. At tight end, the Saints have two players that will be key to their offense in 2015 and for entirely different reasons. First, Benjamin Watson is going to be relied upon to be an impactful blocker at the position. He has been an underrated player for years now, but his blocking has opened up a lot of opportunities in the run game, and passing game, for this Saints team in recent years. The other player the Saints will rely on at tight end in 2015 is Josh Hill. Reports say that New Orleans was willing to part with Jimmy Graham because they really believe in the talent of Hill. He won't be a Jimmy Graham, but if he can be a solid red zone option for Brees and occasionally stretch the seems, then he will be huge for this offense. At wide receiver, the Saints are not as deep as they have been in recent years. Marques Colston is getting older, and apart from Brandin Cooks they don't have a lot of talent at the position. Cooks is awesome though. He had an up and down rookie season, but he could quickly become Drew Brees' safety blanket and most reliable target if he isn't already. This offense put up the highest total yards in 2014, and were top 10 in points per game too. They are not doomed by the loss of Jimmy Graham. This is an improved O-line, and they are changing their philosophy on offense too. With the shift to a more run focused offense, this should cut down on the turnovers, and actually help them score more. I think this offense will be a top 7 offense in the NFL next season, and their new approach will work wonders. Brees will also have a terrific season again, and even though I don't think he will throw for 5,000 yards or 40 touchdowns, he will be more efficient then he has been in recent years.

Defense

This defense has nowhere to go but up in 2015. They were the 5th worst defense in 2014 after a season in which they were the 4th best defense in 2013. Just based off of them not making a lot of roster changes on defense, there is enough talent for them to succeed. On the defensive line, Cameron Jordan leads a young, improving group. Jordan had an up and down year in 2014 after a really strong 2013, so hopefully he can capture his 2013 form again next season. John Jenkins or Brodrick Bunkley will be the starting nose tackle. Both of those players are average starters, but nothing incredible should be expected out of them. Opposite Jordan, Akiem Hicks is entering his fourth season, and he has proven to be a solid player for them. This linebacker group has gone through some change this offseason. The Saints drafted Stephone Anthony at the end of the first round. He should be a solid player straight out of the gate, but I didn't have him as a great ILB, I think he's an above average player at best. He should still be an upgrade over Curtis Lofton though, and they also traded for Dannell Ellerbe to play alongside Anthony. Ellerbe wasn't great last season, but he has talent and a change of scenery could really benefit him. At the edge rusher position, New Orleans has added depth to a group that just had Junior Galette as a good player last season. This offseason, they signed Anthony Spencer to a prove it deal, and if he reaches his ceiling he could be a game changer for them. He's a great pass rusher, and he could take a lot of pressure off of Galette. The Saints also added Hau'oli Kikaha through the draft, and he should be a key cog in their pass rushing rotation next season. In the secondary, this team is coming off of an atrocious year yet they have a lot of talent. They signed Jairus Byrd in the 2014 offseason, but he didn't play a down for them last season because of injury. Byrd will have a huge impact on a defense that is really missing that ball hawking free safety. Beside Byrd, Kenny Vaccaro is coming off of a bad year, but in 2013 he showed a lot of promise and still has a ton of talent. Vaccaro will definitely have to prove himself in 2015, but I believe he can still do that. At cornerback, the Saints signed Brandon Browner to pair with Keenan Lewis. This should be a big physical duo and an upgrade from 2014, although they still aren't an elite pair. This defense should be solid. Chances are it will fall somewhere in the middle of the 2013 and 2014 ranking, which is enough for Saints fans to be excited about. If this defense is league average, then the Saints have a very good chance to compete as their offense will be very good. The added edge rushers will really help this defense alleviate the pressure off of the secondary, and getting Jairus Byrd back from injury is a huge addition to the team. They had a lot of trouble stopping both the pass and the run, and the additions at ILB and OLB should benefit this team in the near future. I expect a middle of the pack finish, although there is more talent than there 2013 roster so a top 5 finish wouldn't be the most shocking thing in the world either.

This Saints team has a lot of questions. They have gone through a lot of changes and are coming off of a bad year. With that being said, if they are a top 3 team in the NFL next season, that would not shock me one bit. There is so much talent and history of this team, with this roster, doing great things. Rob Ryan needs to fix this defense. That should be the first priority, and the draft and free agency have been indicators that the Saints are really trying to do just that. I think the signing of Anthony Spencer could be a very impactful one, and I also think that the change in philosophy on offense is for the best. I still think the Saints are going to go through their fair share of struggles, as is what usually happens when making big philosophical changes to a team. I think they will finish second in the NFC South and have a shot at the wild card, but ultimately miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

Chicago Bears Release Ray McDonald

Good. Finally they made the right move after making a really wrong one. The Bears should not have signed someone with his history of domestic violence. This is Ray McDonald's fifth arrest on charges for violence against women. That is 5 too many. This is absolutely crazy he is still in the league, and I hope this is the last I hear of him. The Bears should also take some heat, they gave the guy a contract. Even though they did the right thing by cutting him immediately after they heard the news, they still gave him an initial contract after previous history with domestic violence. The NFL needs to fix this problem that if a guy can play, they can get away with committing crimes. If these guys keep getting contracts from teams after arrests then what do they learn? Nothing. Address the issues at hand NFL.

Oh and one more thing, the right guard of the Chicago Bears, Kyle Long, tweeted out "Good riddance" when he heard the news. That is good of him.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Offense

I think Jameis Winston is going to be a very good NFL quarterback. Based off of that, I like what the Buccaneers have done this offseason. Winston has all of the tools you want in a franchise quarterback. He has terrific pocket presence, a big arm, and he is one of the smartest quarterbacks to come out of college in a long time. He is questionable in his decision making at times, but he's reminiscent of a Ben Roethlisberger/Eli Manning hybrid. On top of that, both Big Ben and Eli have won Super Bowls, and I believe that Jameis Winston has the talent and poise to eventually win one too. Tampa Bay has put together a talented offense for him too. Mike Evans will be his go to target, and rightfully so. Evans has some of the strongest hands in football, and he has the size and athleticism to be a threat all over the field. He caught 12 touchdowns, and had over a thousand yards last season with Josh McCown and Mike Glennon as his QB's, so he should put up even better numbers this season. Opposite Evans, Vincent Jackson goes into his 4th season with the Bucs, and he should put up better numbers in 2015. He only had 2 touchdowns in 2014, and that number should go up exponentially in 2015. They don't have a lot of wide receiver depth, but they won't necessarily need it if Evans and Jackson stay healthy. At tight end, Austin Seferian-Jenkins will look to expand his role in 2015. He has tons of talent, and is another big and tall weapon for Jameis to throw to. On the offensive line, Donovan Smith was drafted in the second round to protect Winston's blindside. He doesn't have the ideal athleticism for a left tackle, and he would probably make a better right tackle, but he has good bend and plays with solid pad level in pass protection. He is also enormous (6'6/338 lbs) and a mauler in the run game. At left guard, Tampa traded for Logan Mankins last offseason to bring some stability and a veteran presence to the line. He had a very solid season, and even though he is getting older, he's still a reliable guard. At center, Evan Dietrich-Smith has been a solid player ever since they signed him out of Green Bay. Tampa Bay drafted another offensive lineman in the second round in Ali Marpet. He played Division III football in college, but he has a very high ceiling as a guard. Marpet has quick feet, and he's shockingly strong too. It might take him a while to get acclimated to NFL competition, but when he does he should be a very good player. At right tackle, the Bucs have Demar Dotson who put forth a very good season in 2014. There was talk of moving him to left tackle after Tampa Bay released Anthony Collins, but with Smith playing LT he will man the right side again. He is a big, powerful right tackle, and should have another big season. In the backfield, Doug Martin leads a group of solid but unspectacular running backs. Martin has a lot of talent, and could be in for a big season behind better QB play, but as of now he shouldn't be viewed as anything but an average RB. Behind him, Bobby Rainey, Mike James and Charles Sims all will look to get some work. Sims has a high ceiling as a receiving back, and Rainey and James have both shown that they can put in some good work, but again, nothing overly spectacular. This is a very, very young offense. That much should be obvious. With that being said, it should still be better than it's bottom 4 finish in 2014. Jameis is an upgrade over McCown and Glennon, and Mike Evans should be even better in his sophomore season. A bottom 10 finish is still likely for the Bucs offense, but fans should just be wanting their young stars to show enough that the franchise can build around them with confidence. That would be a win for the 2015 Bucs.

Defense

As weird as it is to say about a bottom ten defense that didn't go through a lot of change in the offseason, there is a lot to like about the 2015 Buccaneers defense. They have two superstars in Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David to build their defense around. They definitely are another draft away from really creating an impact defense, as there are some big holes they need to fill, but they have a solid core of player. On the defensive line, the Bucs have a terrific pair of defensive tackles in Gerald McCoy and Henry Melton. McCoy is one of the best interior penetrators in the NFL, and he dominates guards and centers to a point where you almost feel bad for the opposing O-line. Melton is a very underrated interior pass rusher himself, and he's now further removed from his injury so he could be even better in 2015. At defensive end, Tampa Bay is really thin. I mean really, really thin. George Johnson and Jacquies Smith are slotted as their starters, and both of those players (especially Smith) are underwhelming. At linebacker, as I stated earlier, Tampa has a star in Lavonte David. At middle linebacker, the Bucs are planning to use Bruce Carter (signed out of Dallas). I actually am really intrigued by this move. Carter is a very athletic player, and he has good instincts in the passing game, so don't be surprised if he puts up some big time numbers. As Lovie Smith's strong side "SAM" linebacker, rookie Kwon Alexander will get every chance to win the job. He shouldn't be expected to be an immediate star, but if the 4th round pick out of LSU is solid, then that is a big win for Lovie's Bucs. In the secondary, Tampa has a young group of players that is, for the most part, unproven. Alterraun Verner is solid cornerback, but may be better suited for being the number two guy in a defense. He has very good ball skills, and is very good in a zone coverage scheme, but can struggle when going man-to-man with the opponents number 1 WR. Opposite Verner, Johnathan Banks is coming off of a so-so year. He's okay, but not necessarily the best second CB. At safety, Tampa Bay claimed D.J. Swearinger off waivers from Houston, and they also signed Chris Conte from Chicago. This is an uninspiring duo to have starting for an NFL team. At this point in time, they both just aren't great players, and going into the season, safety is a big hole for the Buccaneers. This is a weird defense in Tampa Bay. They have two gaping positional holes at defensive end and safety. They also have two stars in Lavonte David and Gerald McCoy to go along with quite a few other solid complementary defenders in Melton, Carter, and Verner. The holes on defense are too big for me to predict a top half finish, but they should be just as good as last season (25th) and they should have more hope and promise going into the 2016 season too.

Tampa Bay knows that this won't be the breeziest of years. They are rolling out a rookie QB with a very young offense, and they don't have the elite defense that can smooth over that transition. This year should be about one thing and one thing only for Tampa Bay. Making sure Jameis is the face of the franchise, and doing anything they can to help him become that. I believe that Jameis can be a top QB in the NFL, and Tampa Bay needs to develop him so he can eventually become that. This should be somewhat of a long year for Bucs fans, but not without its fun! How about Jameis Winston and Mike Evans doing bad things to opposing teams for the next decade? That sounds pretty damn good to me.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Carolina Panthers

Offense

After the NFL draft this the first thing I said about the Carolina Panthers was "Are they trying get Cam Newton killed?" and I was serious. I don't have a problem with the actual players Carolina drafted, but what are they doing for their left tackle? Michael Oher is not going to be a smart option there. He doesn't have the foot speed to keep up with fast edge rushers, and it's going to cause a lot of problems for Super Cam. The rest of their O-line isn't awful, it's not good but it's not the worst. Ryan Kalil is a very good center, but every other position is average at best. Left guard is Andrew Norwell, right guard is Trai Turner, and right tackle is Mike Remmers. Trai Turner might be solid next season, but the other two players are replacement level. The biggest issue I have with this O-line comes back to left tackle. I would have expected them to make a hard play for La'el Collins after the draft, but nothing happened. The other position group that worried me was wide receiver, but Carolina has done a solid job over the past couple of years to fix that. Kelvin Benjamin had a terrific rookie season, and he could firmly establish himself as a solid number one wide receiver this season. The Panthers also drafted wide receiver Devin Funchess in the second round. He doesn't have elite athleticism, but he is a huge WR (6'4/232 lbs) and is another good option for Newton. The Panthers have a lot of big and tall pass catchers for Newton, who has been known to overthrow some of his targets throughout his career. Benjamin is 6'5, Funchess is 6'4, and Greg Olsen is 6'6. They are drafting to fit their QB, but they still lack a real speed wideout to stretch the field. Ted Ginn could fill that void, but he doesn't have the route running skills to do so. Philly Brown might be able to develop into that role, but he's still a question mark at this point in time. Also, keep an eye on Jarrett Boykin who had a rough season with the Packers in 2014, but he has talent and could make an impact on this team. At tight end, the Panthers have Greg Olsen, who as I mentioned earlier is a big strong target for Newton. He is one of the most consistent tight ends in football, and is a great pass catcher and blocker too. I am a huge fan of Cam Newton. I think he constantly bears the brunt for Carolina's struggles, but he has had very little to work with in his career. He is the best short yardage QB in the NFL and it's really not close, he's built like a truck, and he has developed exponentially as a passer. In the backfield, Cam has Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert. Stewart was terrific when he was healthy last season, and he made the most out of a struggling O-line. He's very shifty, and surprisingly great at breaking tackles. Tolbert is used as a fullback a lot of the time, which he's great at, but as a runner he's very solid too and can be a great change of pace back from Stewart. This offense is carried by Cam Newton and Greg Olsen. They were just inside the top 20 offenses in the NFL in 2014, and I expect a similar year in 2015 too. Carolina needs to invest in some protection for Newton, because even though he is an enormous, athletic, adonis of a human being, he can't play offensive tackle and quarterback. Wait can he? I'll talk to Ron Rivera and check, but I don't think he can.

Defense

The first round of the 2015 NFL draft wasn't all that shocking to me, except for the Carolina Panthers pick. I knew they like Shaq Thompson, as they had him in for pre-draft visits, but with a linebacker core of Kuechly and Davis, I didn't think they needed to spend another first round pick there. I'm a big fan of Thompson, especially in this defense, he could be a great weak side linebacker. In the middle, the Panthers have a player who I think is the second best defensive player in the NFL, Luke Kuechly (Although the gap from number 1 and 2 is pretty big). Luke is so fun to watch, he has ridiculous lateral quickness, and terrific instincts to go along with great coverage skills and run stuffing skills. Alongside Kuechly and Thompson, Carolina also has Thomas Davis. He might be overshadowed by Luke, but he is elite in his own right. He is a terrific all around player, and is a leader of this defense. Talk to any Panthers fan, they love them some Thomas Davis in Carolina, and rightfully so. On the defensive line, the Panthers linebackers rely on their two star defensive tackles to take on blockers and create interior pressure. Star Lotulelei and Kawaan Short both complement each other so well, as Star is the better run stuffer, and Short is the better pass rusher. Bothe players have well rounded games though, and are big difference makers in this defense. Alongside the defensive tackles, Carolina has a terrific defensive end in Charles Johnson. He has spent his entire career with Carolina, and is one of the most consistent pass rushers in football. Expect roughly 10 sacks out of him in 2015, to go along with a constant motor and a ton of pressures. Opposite Johnson, Kony Ealy will have his chance to take the starting job, and while he is talented, he struggled last season and needs to play better this coming year. The Panthers secondary is the weakest part of their defense, but it's not horrible. Josh Norman and Bene Benwikere were both good cornerbacks last season, and are solid starters to have going into the season. The Panthers also signed Charles Tillman, and if he is healthy, he could be a huge game changer for a team that should be looking to force more turnovers this coming season. At safety, Carolina needs to look for eventual upgrades as Roman Harper and Tre Boston are both solid but unspectacular players. Boston could end up being an above average starter as he's still young, but Harper is on the downswing of his career and needs to be replaced. This defense will be better in 2015. Bank on it. There is too much talent for it not to be a top 16 defense, which it wasn't last season. I am very excited to watch the deadly linebacker trio put in work, and along with their stout defensive line, Panthers fans should feel good about their defense. They should look more like their 2013 defense (2nd best in the NFL) than last years defense.

My quick analysis about the 2015 Carolina Panthers: There is a lot to love about this team, and a lot to hate. In the love column, linebackers, defensive line, and Cam Newton. In the hate column, offensive line, safeties, and the lack of a field stretching wide receiver. With that being said, they still have a very good chance to represent the NFC South in the playoffs. This division is the weakest in football, and they have the best defense out of all four teams. I predict them to just miss the playoffs, as I think they will get beat out by the Atlanta Falcons. They play the Falcons twice in their last 4 weeks, and 4 of their last 5 games are divisional games. Based off of that, the Panthers season will come down to the last five weeks, and if they have a good run to end the season, they will be in a good position to win their division for the third consecutive year. 

Offseason Outlook 2015: Detroit Lions

Offense

The Detroit Lions as a team were the biggest surprise of the 2014 season. Yet somehow, their offense still underachieved. Matthew Stafford had his best statistical season since he threw for 41 touchdowns in 2011. The addition of Golden Tate really helped him. Tate established himself as a top 20 WR in the NFL, and the Lions needed him to step up because Calvin Johnson was playing hurt a lot of last season. Even though Johnson was playing hurt, he is still Calvin Freaking Johnson. He still had over a thousand yards, and went on some dominant stretches of football. Combined with Golden Tate, they are the best wide receiver duo in the NFL, and I'm excited to see what they do if both are healthy.  As extra wide receiver depth, they have Corey Fuller, Lance Moore, Jeremy Ross, and Ryan Broyles. Those players are okay for depth, but aren't reliable starters at this point, and as long as Tate and Johnson are healthy, the Lions don't need them to be. At tight end, the Lions have really invested in the position over recent years. Eric Ebron has a chance to be a star. Even after a very underwhelming rookie season, Ebron has the talent to become one of the best TE's in the NFL. I think he'll make a big jump in 2015, and become a top 10 tight end in the NFL already. The Lions also have Brandon Pettigrew and Joseph Fauria at the position. I'm a big fan of Fauria, he's an absolute monster of an end zone target, and I think he is underused in Detroit. Pettigrew is solid, he's athletic but can struggle with drops and staying healthy too. At running back, the Lions aren't looking great, but they look better than last season. Joique Bell and Ameer Abdullah are both very talented running backs and compliment each other well. Bell is a tough, contact runner and he'll be used in most of the short yardage situations. Abdullah has a chance to be one of the better running backs in the NFL, and he is the best pure runner on the team. He's shifty, has top notch speed, and he will immediately be one of the best pass catching running backs in football. Seriously, take 30 seconds and look up his game winning run in college, it's awesome and it shows you what he can really do. Speaking of pass catching RB's, Detroit also has Theo Riddick who really gained Stafford's trust as the season went on. Riddick really doesn't take up any carries, he's just basically a wide receiver in the backfield. The Lions have invested a lot into their offensive line this offseason. At left tackle, they have a solid player in Riley Reiff. He could potentially be a dominant guard, but he has improved since his rookie season and is a reliable blindside protector. At left guard, Detroit just drafted Laken Tomlinson and he should slot in as an immediate upgrade for them. He has a heavy anchor, andis going to give a boost to their run blocking and pass protection. Travis Swanson will take over the center position this season, and he is a talented young player. At right guard, Larry Warford has proven that he is one of the best, young guards in the National Football League. He is an absolute thumper in the run game, and he shuts down interior pass rushers too. To close out the O-line, LaAdrian Waddle has turned into an average starter, and he should be reliable for the 2015 season. The Lions also traded for Manny Ramirez for added depth on the interior line. This offense has the talent to be a top 10 offense in football, BUT they had the talent to be a top 10 offense last season too. If Calvin Johnson is healthy, that alone will have a huge impact on their offense. Abdullah is also in a good position to give a shot of life to this team, as he is the most explosive runner on a pass first team. They have a decent O-line, and between Stafford, Johnson, Tate, Ebron, and Abdullah, I can't see how they won't improve on last season's numbers. I predict a top 12 finish for this offense, which is at least a ten spot improvement from 2014.

Defense

One of the biggest surprises from the 2014 NFL season was the Detroit Lions defense. They had the 3rd best defense, and were one point allowed away from the 2nd best defense. It was obvious that this team had a really good front 7 last season, but the secondary stepped up in a huge way. At cornerback, they have Darius Slay and Rashean Mathis. Slay has turned into a great number one CB, although the one thing he really lacks is ball skills. He has two career interceptions, and even though he was shutting down opposing ones, the lack of forcing turnovers will keep him from joining the elites at cornerback. Rashean Mathis continues to defy his age by putting forth another solid season. A sleeper rookie I like is Quandre Diggs. If he wins the starting slot cornerback job, he could be a high impact player from day 1. At safety, Detroit has one of the more underrated safeties in football in Glover Quin. He had 7 interceptions last season, and even though that number is unrealistic to expect for 2015, he is still a great player to have roaming the field for you. Beside him, James Ihedigbo put forth a solid year, and has turned into a reliable safety. The backbone of this defense has shifted from the defensive line, to the linebackers. Stephen Tulloch injured himself celebrating last season (He really did, tried the discount double check when they were playing the Packers) but he is a great inside linebacker when healthy. DeAndre Levy is one of the best 4-3 outside linebackers in football, and beside Tulloch for a full season will give them a huge tackling duo that will shut down the run. Levy is also terrific in coverage, as evidenced by his 6 interceptions in 2013. Opposite Levy, Kyle Van Noy or Tahir Whitehead should be the starter, and both of those players have talent and will be solid starters. The Lions had two huge losses this offseason in Suh and Fairley. With that being said, their D-line isn't in horrible shape. Ezekiel Ansah is a star defensive end, and will be the anchor of their line for as long as they have him on their team. Opposite Ansah, Jason Jones or Devin Taylor will be getting most of the snaps, and both of those players are fairly underwhelming and that position is a weak spot of this defense. At defensive tackle, the Lions made a bold move and traded for Haloti Ngata after they lost out on the Ndamukong Suh sweepstakes. I loved this move, and even if Ngata doesn't bring the same level of production, the Lions still needed an interior threat on their defensive line to bring some more heat on opposing QB's. Detroit also made another underrated move by signing Tyrunn Walker. He isn't an elite defensive tackle by any means, but he could be a solid player with Detroit and he was one of the better pass rushing DT's in 2014 too. This defense should see some regression after losing Suh and Fairley, but it is still a very good D. Teryl Austin, Detroit's defensive coordinator, deserves a lot of credit as he has raised the level of play of almost every defender on this team in his current tenure. I think that people are expecting more regression just because of the loss of Suh, but this is still a talented team that is also getting back one of their better defenders in Tulloch. I still do expect a top 10 finish for the Lions defense in 2015.

The 2015 Detroit Lions are a good competitive team. I don't think that last season was a blip on the radar, and 2015 will prove that. Even still, I think this team will have a tough time making the playoffs. I'm grouping the Lions with the Vikings, Cowboys, and Cardinals as the teams that will be fighting for wild card spots in the NFC. They are definitely in the hunt for a playoff spot, and it would not shock me at all if they won a wild card spot, but if I have to split hairs I think they have a tougher schedule and a little less talent than those three teams. The Lions aren't in a bad position though. Stafford is a good young QB, and he is definitely no Andy Dalton. They have elite talent at WR with Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate. They also have stars on defense with Ansah, Levy, Tulloch, and Slay. This is a young team that is going to be good for a while, but they still seem like they are a couple pieces away from being truly great.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Green Bay Packers

Offense

This is the best offense in the league. Aaron Rodgers is, in my humble opinion, the best quarterback in the NFL, and it isn't that close. He has a cannon of an arm, incredible pocket presence and awareness, can throw footballs into windows that no other player can, and is one of the smartest players in the National Football League. He also has the best hard count in all of football. That isn't one of the most vital attributes to have, but it's awesome to watch. What could be better than having the best QB in the NFL? How about having the best wide receiver group in the NFL! I do believe that Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and Davante Adams lead the best group of receivers in all of football. Nelson is "sneaky athletic", well actually he's just athletic and very fast, but announcers always seem surprised when he breaks away for a 60 yard touchdown. He also has the best body control out of any receiver in football, and that is a very underrated trait. Seriously, watch some YouTube videos of his sideline catches, they are awesome. He's really just an elite receiver, and does almost everything at an extremely high level. On top of that, the Packers have the best slot receiver in Randall Cobb. He isn't exclusively a slot receiver, but he dominates there. He is also a terrific end zone target for Rodgers, and when A-Rodg extends the play, he is amazing at getting open and being on the same page as his QB. The Packers also have Davante Adams, who I think is in for a huge year. He had a slow start to 2014, but really showed a lot of promise. His huge game against New England in week 13 showed what he can do, and expect him to take on a bigger role in 2015. As depth, the Packers also have a lot of young talent in Jared Abbrederis, Jeff Janis, and the recently drafted Ty Montgomery (Although his impact will be on primarily special teams). At tight end, the Packers don't have star talent. Andrew Quarless has shown himself to be a solid starter, and Richard Rodgers could potentially be very good, but at this point in time both players are only decent starters. In the backfield, the Packers have one of the NFL's brightest young stars in Eddie Lacy. He is so physical, and a terrific addition in the passing game too. Also, he has the best spin move in the NFL, it's so violent and quick. Behind him, Green Bay has James Starks who is one of the best backup running backs in football. Starks is so underrated, but he does everything well. He isn't elite or special at one specific thing, but he has the speed and elusiveness to break off long runs, the power to run between the tackles, and has great hands in the passing game. Green Bay's offensive line really helps these running backs shine. Their entire starter group is very strong. They have one of the best guards in football in Josh Sitton. He is the leader of this line, and is very strong in the running game, but he is almost unbeatable in protecting Aaron Rodgers. Opposite him, they have another amazing guard in T.J. Lang. Another great overall guard, and he goes through stretches where he completely shuts down opposing defensive players. At center, the Packers have sophomore Corey Linsley. He might have been the biggest surprise out of every rookie in the NFL. A 5th round pick in 2014, he started his career playing at Seattle, and the stage didn't look to big for him at all. I'm expecting some more development out of him and he has a chance to become an elite center, which would give the Packers arguably the best interior offensive line in football. At tackle, Green Bay has David Bakhtiari and Bryan Bulaga. Bakhtiari is solid but not spectacular, although he is still young and should get even better next season. Bulaga may have been the best free agent signing in (Well, resigning) in the NFL, and he is a great right tackle in A-Rodg's offense. This offense is scary good. I can't see a weakness they have. They have the best QB in the NFL to pair with the best wide receiver group in the NFL. They will be the best offense in football next season, just like they were in 2014. I know that's not really a bold prediction, but I'm going for what is right not what is bold. I think the scariest part of this offense, is that every player on it is signed through at least 2016, so they will most likely be together for a long time too. This is a dynasty level offense, it's very young, led by the premier quarterback, has a great offensive line, a dynamic passing attack and an awesome run game. Like I said, scary.

Defense

No one will mistake this defense for being as good as their offense. With that being said, this is still a pretty good D. They finished in the top half of the league last season, and I think they could be even better in 2015. On the D-line, the Packers are still trying to find their footing. The past few years they have been desperately trying to draft good players on the defensive line, but they just haven't had great luck. Mike Daniels is the exception, as he has turned into an incredible defensive end. His motor seemingly never stops, and his repertoire of pass rush moves have grown to a point where he is a real threat in not just running situations anymore. Beside Daniels, the Packers signed B.J. Raji to a one year prove it deal. After being hurt for all of 2014, Raji will look to capture his 2010/11 form where he was one of the best nose tackles in football. As added depth, the Packers still have Letroy Guion who was solid in lieu of Raji's injury. Opposite Daniels, Datone Jones will seek to expand his role in this defense. He is another first round defensive line pick by the Packers, and he was solid last season but he has the ceiling to be a lot better. This linebacker group is an interesting conundrum. On the inside, the Packers are probably going to be playing Clay Matthews there in 2015, but that's not a problem as he was really good inside in 2014. They might miss him outside, but he'll still get snaps outside in obvious passing situations, and they desperately need him inside because of their lack of depth. Beside Matthews, Carl Bradford, Sam Barrington, or the recently drafted Jake Ryan will be playing. My bet is on Jake Ryan, I think he is the most talented of the bunch, but Bradford has a pretty good shot too. Those three players aren't reliable players at this point in their careers though, so the need for Clay on the inside is obvious. Outside, the Packers have Julius Peppers who had an incredible career resurgence, and Nick Perry who was a lot better than people think in 2014. Those two should bring the heat, and with Clay inside, the Packers have a trio of outstanding potential pass rushers. The Packers secondary seems very controversial. I'm a big fan of their versatility, but there are potential problems that they could run into that I will address. At cornerback, Green Bay has Sam Shields. He is a very physical player, and I think a very solid number one CB. As GB's number 2 cornerback Casey Hayward will take over for Tramon Williams. This is where it can get controversial. Hayward was the Packers best cornerback last year, but he did his work in the slot. There is a sense of unknown if his skills will translate to the outside. He dominated in the slot, but I think he has the ball skills and athleticism to be a very good CB opposite Shields. In the slot, Micah Hyde and Damarious Randall will see the most action. Hyde has been a very good SCB before, and Randall has the talent and ball skills to become a high impact player immediately. The versatility in this defense comes in Hyde, Randall, and 2nd round pick Quentin Rollins. All three of those players can play outside, in the slot, and at safety (Some people think that's where they fit best) and it gives the Packers a lot of options on how to approach opposing offenses. Dom Capers is a good defensive coordinator, so I believe that he will utilize the talent that the Packers have in their secondary to the best of their abilities. At safety, Green Bay has a great young duo in Morgan Burnett and Ha Ha (Ha'Sean) Clinton-Dix. Clinton-Dix has a chance to be really special, and I think he will make the biggest jump out of any Green Bay defender this season. Burnett had the best year of his career last season, and he has established himself as a leader of this defense. Another huge plus from the Packers investing in their secondary is that because their offense is so good, teams will be forced to play catch up and throw the ball. The Packers versatility and talent will allow them to be extremely opportunistic and force turnovers as well as shut down opposing air attacks. There is a lot to like about this Packers defense. They have a lot of pure talent in the secondary, and a ton of versatility there too. Up front, they have some star power with Daniels, Peppers and Matthews. Their inside linebacker depth is a tough pill to swallow, and their defensive line (Apart from Daniels) has some questions too, but this is a top 10 talent level defense with the pieces they have added. I'm not going to confuse them for Seattle or Kansas City's defense, because they aren't in the elite tier of defenses. I think they will sneak into the top 10 of defenses this season, and they will be led by that young, talented secondary. 

The 2015 Green Bay Packers are the best team in the NFL. Their offense will receive all of the headlines, and rightfully so, but their defense will be very good in 2015 too. This team seems almost destined for a Super Bowl Berth. They are one of the few elite teams that improved going into the 2015 season, and they were so close to a Super Bowl appearance last season before their collapse. That collapse happened with Aaron Rodgers playing basically on one leg too. If Rodgers stays completely healthy this season, then I don't see how any defense, even Seattle, can stop this offense. Green Bay is in an amazing situation right now. The Bears are in shambles, the Lions lost their best defensive player to free agency, and the Vikings still seem about a year away from really competing. The Packers just have to stay healthy, and play up to their standards and they have the best shot at the number one seed in the NFC, home field advantage throughout the playoffs, and a Super Bowl appearance in the Bay Area.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Minnesota Vikings

Offense

The Vikings may have struck gold in the 2014 NFL draft. Teddy Bridgewater stepped into a struggling offense, and he looked the part. The O-line was atrocious last season, but Bridgewater stayed cool under pressure, and even without All Day he led a solid offense. This season, expect Teddy's development to continue even more. Minnesota has added quite a few weapons this offseason, but none will have a bigger impact than the return of Adrian Peterson. All Day is one of the best running backs in the NFL, and he will be fresh as he's coming off a year off from football. Last year, Matt Asiata had 9 rushing touchdowns. Matt Freaking Asiata. In this Norv Turner offense, Adrian Peterson could have one of the best years of his career. On top of that, Peterson has only had a passing offense like this one year in his career with Brett Favre. In that year, he rushed for 18 touchdowns. Expect something similar this year. Out wide, the Vikings swapped Greg Jennings for Mike Wallace. I don't normally like Wallace, but I think he could be a great fit in this offense. His speed can be utilized better in Turner's offense, and Bridgewater needs a guy who can stretch the field. Wallace and Tannehill weren't good with downfield passes, but I don't think it was entirely Wallace's fault. I think that they just didn't sync up and it is a situation that can be solved with a change of scenery. Opposite Wallace, Charles Johnson will see the bulk of the work. He's a solid wide receiver, and Minnesota's coaching staff apparently loves him too. The most polarizing receiver on this team is Cordarrelle Patterson. Anybody who played fantasy football last year knows the struggle with him, but he should be expected to have a better year than 2014. At tight end, the Vikings have Kyle Rudolph. He is coming off of his second straight season in which he got hurt, but I still like his ceiling. Norv Turner is notorious for getting the most out of his TE's (Antonio Gates, Jordan Cameron) and Kyle Rudolph is a big, athletic pass catcher that will be a great red zone target for Bridgewater. The real issues with this offense com at the line. Matt Kalil really struggled last season, but the Vikings are rolling with him again this year and they should. He is still a very talented player, but they smartly invested a lot of picks in their O-line as a backup plan. Beside Kalil, David Yankey will be taking over the left guard spot this season. In college, he was a very good guard, except he needed to work on his footwork and hand placement, he also isn't the best athlete at guard, but he could be solid. At center, the Vikings have John Sullivan who is one of the better centers in the NFL. He is a great pass blocker, solid against the run, and a very smart player at the line too. On the right side of the line, the Vikings have two very good players. Brandon Fusco and Phil Loadholt, at guard and tackle respectively, are both strong offensive lineman. Loadholt especially is a terror in the run game, and he just runs through people. This offense has a chance to take the biggest step forward in 2015. The growth of Teddy Bridgwater, and the return of Adrian Peterson are enough to make me lean that way. Both of those players will benefit from the other, so much so that I think this can be a top 10 offense. Bridgewater will end up being the best quarterback from the 2014 draft class, and Adrian Peterson could end up being one of the best running backs of all time. Deadly combination.

Defense

Mike Zimmer can transform a defense pretty quickly. This is such a young defense, but it was top 10 last year, and it is pretty much guaranteed to get better, barring any huge injuries. On the defensive line, this D has a strong front four. Everson Griffin is the star of the defensive line. He is coming off of a huge 12 sack season, and that was only his first season playing starter snaps. He should be even better in 2015, as the rest of the defense continues to develop. Opposite him, Brian Robison is a solid defensive end. Not spectacular, but he's reliable. The Vikings have two really strong defensive tackles in the middle. Linval Joseph and Sharrif Floyd are both very good. Sharrif Floyd especially could develop into a star. He was terrific against both the run and the pass last season, and if he develops a larger repertoire of pass rush moves, he could be a top 5 defensive tackle as early as next season. At linebacker, the Vikings have built a very solid group. Anthony Barr is the star of the linebackers, and by next year he is going to be a star in the NFL. He was supposed to be very raw coming into the NFL, but Mike Zimmer turned him into an immediate impact player. Alongside the recently drafted Eric Kendricks, he will be freed up to rush the passer more, which is where he could really shine. The other linebacker spot will be either Chad Greenway, Audie Cole, or Gerald Hodges. All three of those players are solid options, and that leaves the Vikings with good depth at linebacker too. In the secondary, the Vikings have a lot of young talent. It starts with Harrison Smith, who is my other pick for the most underrated defender in the NFL (My other pick is Johnathan Hankins, DT for the Giants). Smith is already a top 3 safety in the NFL, and he is the backbone of this defense. His versatility allows Zimmer to bring more pressure through blitzes. Adjacent to Smith, Robert Blanton quietly had a very good season, and is developing into a good safety himself. At cornerback, the Vikings have two young studs in Xavier Rhodes and Trae Waynes. Rhodes has already established himself as a good cornerback, and Zimmer will coach up Waynes into a great CB too. They also have Captain Munnerlyn, Terrence Newman, and Josh Robinson all as terrific depth at the position. Munnerlyn will probably be the slot cornerback, as he is established at the position and really good there too. This is going to be a top 5 defense next year. That is how good I think this defense will be. Most of my faith has to do with how good of a coach I think Mike Zimmer is, and how much young, established talent they already have, and have added. Harrison Smith, Everson Griffin, Sharrif Floyd, Xavier Rhodes and Anthony Barr are all terrific players, and the backbone of this defense. It's crazy because they are all also really young too, and they could all get even better.

Look out Green Bay Packers, the Minnesota Vikings are coming. I don't think they are coming to take the throne from the reigning NFC North champions in 2015, but I do think that this Vikings team will be playoff bound in 2015. Before I started this article, I didn't think this team would be as good as it was on paper. From the tape I analyzed of the 2014 Vikings and their players, and on top of that the additions they made through the draft, I was dead wrong. This team reminds me of Seattle three years ago, except with a more established QB. They have one hell of a defense, two young talented cornerbacks, an elite safety, and they can bring the pressure up front too. They have a young talented QB that people said was too small to hold up at the position (With Russell Wilson it was height, Bridgewater it is bulk), not a ton of depth at WR, a great running back, and an even better coach. I think a playoff berth for the Vikings this season is just the start of what they're building. In a few years, we'll look back at a Vikings team that is one of the best in the NFL, and say that 2015 was the start of something special.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Chicago Bears

Offense

This offense has to be better in 2015 right? There is still a lot of talent, and it is only one year removed from being the second best offense in the NFL. Jay Cutler is... Well he's Jay Cutler and if you have seen him play you know exactly what I mean. If you haven't, he has a huge arm, can struggle with accuracy and decision making, and is very inconsistent. He's also very talented though, and before last season he was quite a few noted analysts sleeper MVP pick. The Bears have to roll with him this season no matter what, but unless he puts forth a great season chances are he will be playing somewhere else in 2016. At wide receiver, the Bears have two young studs to roll out for the next decade. Alshon Jeffery and Kevin White could be a dominant duo in this league and bring a lot of excitement to a Bears franchise that currently lacks it. The Bears also gave Eddie Royal a 3 year/$15 million deal to come in and be their slot receiver. Royal should blend well with the two strong outside receivers, and strengthen the Bears underneath passing game. At running back, Chicago has one of the most reliable three down backs in Matt Forte. Once again, Forte put forth another great season in 2014. He actually broke the single season reception record for RB's with 102 catches last season. The Bears also signed Jacquizz Rodgers to be Forte's backup this season, with Ka'Deem Carey as the third back. At tight end, the Bears have one of the best all around TE's in the league in Martellus Bennett. He is a great end zone target, he can stretch the field, and he is a solid blocker when needed. On the offensive line, Chicago is average at best. Kyle Long is a terrific guard, and opposite him Matt Slauson is coming off of a good year too. At center, the Bears have Will Montgomery or Hroniss Grasu, and neither one of those players inspires much confidence. At left tackle, Jermon Bushrod is solid but not great. The real issue is at right tackle, where Jordan Mills still figures to be the guy this year. He is coming off of a really bad season, and he needs to either play better or the Bears need to move on. Chicago's offense is a tough one to judge. If Jay Cutler plays well, if Kevin White plays like a rookie wide receiver in 2014 (amazingly), and if Matt Forte does what he normally does, then this offense could be explosive and more like the 2013 version of it. With that being said, I think this offense will fall somewhere in between 2013-14. Losing Brandon Marshall hurts, Forte is getting older, their O-line has some holes, and Jay Cutler isn't a reliable starter at this point in time. There's enough talent for them to put up points, but it is still going to be a frustrating year for Chicago fans, because the issues that the team had last year didn't just automatically go away. I expect a middle of the pack finish, maybe a little worse, and for the Bears to move on from Cutler after this season.

Defense

On defense, the Bears have gone through quite the makeover these past couple seasons. On the D-line, Chicago has a lot of depth at the defensive end positions, and a lot of youth at the defensive tackle positions. At end, Pernell McPhee was signed out of Baltimore to partner up with Jared Allen, Willie Young, and Lamarr Houston. I expect McPhee to play all over the line though, and in obvious passing situations play beside Allen and Young. All four of those players can be really good, but they all have their questions too. Allen is getting older, Houston is coming off of a big injury, Young has had one good season, and McPhee didn't get starter snaps in Baltimore so nobody knows how he'll play with them. At defensive tackle, the Bears have three very young, but talented players. Eddie Goldman was drafted this year in the second round, and Ego Ferguson and Will Sutton were drafted in the second and third round last year respectively. The Bears also have Jay Ratliff to lead the group of youngsters on the inside. This group has talent, but it might be another year or two before Sutton, Ferguson, or Goldman really steps up. At linebacker, this defense has some holes to fill. Mason Foster is actually pretty solid in the middle. If he stays healthy, I like what he can do for this Chicago defense as he is a 3 down LB capable of making big plays. On both sides of him are the issue. Shea McClellin and Jon Bostic are both talented players, but they are both extremely inconsistent and can get caught out of position. Both players need to step up their respective games this season or they will be replaced in 2016. In the secondary, this is an improving team. At cornerback, Tim Jennings pairs up with Kyle Fuller to form a very dangerous CB duo. They both have a knack for creating turnovers, and if Fuller can stay healthy all season then I have high hopes for him. Chicago also had a very underrated signing in Alan Ball, if he's healthy he could be a very good cornerback and they have him for very cheap too. The Bears have some problems with their safety positions. They signed Antrel Rolle, but he isn't a reliable safety at this point in his career. He plays very inconsistently and he gets burned a lot deep in coverage. Beside him, Brock Vereen will probably be the guy. He was okay last season in limited work, but his ceiling as a player isn't all that high to begin with. Chicago has done a lot with a roster that may have needed even more turnover. The free agent signings they did were for the most part solid values and the players should be impactful, and they had what seems like a very good draft too. To start with the positive, their defensive line looks pretty strong, and they also have a solid group of cornerbacks too. With that being said, this defense lacks any real star power. They are rolling with a lot of average players and are relying on them to play big roles in this defense. Their linebacker group could also be a huge issue, and the additions this offseason may not be enough to solve their problems versus the run that they had last season. Chicago seems like a team that is one or two years away from having a solid defense, and because of that I predict them to be a bottom 5 defense for the third year in a row.

Chicago is in a tough spot this year. The coaching staff and front office are in a position where they are limited in the moves they make, because there is a belief that this team can still win and compete. I don't think they can. They don't come close to the talent that the true competitors of the NFC have, like Green Bay, Seattle, Dallas, Philly, or Arizona. The defense is lacking any elite talent or an elite position group, which is going to be a big problem because they lack an identity. After this season, I think Chicago will have to go into full rebuild mode. Their roster isn't in a position that they can be competitive after some free agent signings, they just need an infusion of young talent through a couple drafts. Jay Cutler is also what I like to call the coach destroyer. There are QB's that can save coaches jobs. Eli Manning has extended Tom Coughlin's career with the Giants because of those two Super Bowl wins. Rodgers and Brady both have two terrific coaches, but both of their coaches are helped by having two terrific QB's too. Jay Cutler on the other hand, will never save a coaches job. The enigma with him is that he has so much talent, and always shows flashes of brilliance. So coaches are under the impression that they can fix him, and also win with him, but when they don't they get fired. Just look at Lovie Smith and Marc Trestman. Chicago just needs to rip the band-aid off and move on from Jay Cutler. I have a feeling this will be a long year for Chicago fans, as a last place finish in the NFC North seems almost inevitable. On the bright side, at least you have Jeffery and White!