Offseason Outlook 2015: New York Giants

Offense

So this offense is just Odell Beckham Jr. doing ridiculous things that no human being should ever be able to do right? Well either way last season was the most fun I have had watching a wide receiver in the NFL ever. What makes it even crazier is that last year was his rookie season, and he played injured throughout it. This offense is utilizing his talents too. They understand that they have a player of his skills, and they get him the ball whenever they can. Aside Odell Beckham Jr. at wide receiver, the Giants have Victor Cruz. He is coming off of a season in which he played scarcely due to injuries, but he is still a very good wide receiver nonetheless. As their third receiver, New York has Rueben Randle. He played well last year, and had a very strong finish to the season so hopefully he can carry that over to 2015. The Giants have some depth in Corey Washington and Dwayne Harris among others, but the first three receivers will get the bulk of the targets. At tight end, New York has last years breakout player Larry Donnell. The issue with Donnell is that he had flashes of dominance, but he was not consistent at all, and needs to improve desperately in that department this season. As depth, they have Adrien Robinson, who is solid, but not great. Eli Manning was the quarterback for this great group of wide receivers. Eli is known for his playoff runs, and the general consensus is that he isn't good in the regular season. That was definitely wrong for last season, as Eli quietly put forth the best season of his career. In the backfield, Manning has even more weapons in 2015. Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams, and Shane Vereen can be one of the most well rounded stable of running backs in the NFL. Rashad Jennings is a talented, well rounded back, and should still get the bulk of the carries. Andre Williams is a big bruiser who can be a terrific backup RB and short yardage back too. Shane Vereen is one of the best pass catching running backs in the NFL, and will be a huge help to a QB who often utilizes dump off passes to RB's. The offensive line for New York has been going through a transformation these past couple years, and it finally looks like it's coming together. The Giants have their staple of a left tackle in Will Beatty, and he is coming off of a pretty good season after struggling the year before. Opposite Beatty at right tackle, the Giants will play either Justin Pugh or Ereck Flowers and move the other to guard. This is a good situation though, as both of these players are very talented, and whoever moves to guard should upgrade that position immediately. The other guard spot will have Geoff Schwartz manning it. Schwartz is coming off of an injured season in which he only played two games, but in 2013 he was stellar and he should bounce back to form in 2015. At center, the young Weston Richburg will take over, and he was a good center prospect coming out of college so he is a solid option there. Update: As I'm writing this I saw that Will Beatty tore his pec and will be out until late in the season. Ouch, that's a big blow for the Giants. They will have to rely on Justin Pugh or Ereck Flowers to play LT for them, and John Jerry will take over at the other guard position opposite Schwartz. Losing Beatty for most of the season is a big blow for what should be an explosive offense. This isn't a season ruiner though, and the Giants O-line should still be improved from last season. Ben McAdoo has done wonders for Eli and this offense, and with a full season of Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz, I still expect a top 10 finish out of this offense. I also expect at least a handful of gravity defying catches from OBJ this season.

Defense

I think this defense as a whole is underrated. The defensive line should be very good this coming year, as the Giants have built one with a lot of talent and depth. They franchise tagged Jason Pierre-Paul, and I think that will pay off in dividends for New York. JPP had 9 sack in his last five games, and he was terrific against the run last season too. He is the best player on this Giants defense, although last season the player directly beside him gave him a run for his money in that department. Johnathan Hankins was quite possibly the most underrated defensive player in all of 2014. Giants fans know how good he was last season. He was really good against both the run and as an interior pass rusher too. Next season he has a chance to join the ranks of the elite defensive tackles, but he might even already be at that level. Cullen Jenkins is going to be playing inside with Hankins this season, and he put up a solid year last year. At the other defensive end spot, the Giants have a few options. Damontre Moore and Robert Ayers are both coming off of solid seasons, and they drafted Owa Odighizuwa too. I expect some sort of rotation, but all three of those players will have an impact on this Giants team. At linebacker, this Giants team is nowhere near as deep as they are on the D-line. Jon Beason is a solid option at ILB, although he is often injured as was the case last season. On both sides of him, the Giants have underwhelming options in Devon Kennard, J.T. Thomas, and Jameel McClain. All three of those players are decent options at best, but aren't at all reliable. In the secondary, this Giants team has a lot of talent at cornerback, but are very thin at safety. At CB, New York has Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara as their two starters. Both of these players are very talented, and should have great seasons. Amukamara especially has a chance to turn into a star this year. In the slot, their best option is Trumaine McBride who was hurt for a lot of last season, but is a reliable starter. At safety, the Giants were completely void of talent until they drafted Landon Collins. The first pick of the 2nd round, Collins is a terrific in the box safety, and will have a huge impact on their defense straight out of the gate. Beside him, Cooper Taylor will probably be the guy. He didn't play at all last year and is a complete question mark, but he is a big and physical player, and might be solid alongside Collins. New York does have some talent though, and they have built quite the defensive line over these past couple of years. The linebacker group is still a glaring weakness, but they young talent across the board and should be even better than last year. I predict a middle of the pack finish for these Giants, although I wouldn't be completely shocked at a top 10 finish for them either. I still think their linebacker and safety depth is troubling, but the talent along the D-line and at cornerback is hard to ignore. 

This Giants team will be a lot of people's sleeper division winner for 2015. They have the talent to win the NFC East, and Eli has never had more weapons on offense in his career. Personally, I think they won't win the division, and I predict them to just miss the playoffs and be drafting in the late teens come 2016. I like most of the moves they made this offseason, and I think there team is a lot better than the 2014 Giants, but on paper this team doesn't have the talent that Dallas and Philly have. With that being said, expect OBJ to have another huge year, and if they stay healthy, then this team could easily be a playoff team. On top of that, if this team does make the playoffs, then they are an instant Super Bowl contender because of Eli's postseason prowess.

NFL Moving PAT's Back

I'm second guessing writing an article about this rather than a tweet, but here it is. The NFL has moved extra points back from the 2 yard line, to the 15 yard line. That means now the extra point kick will be a 33 yard kick instead of a 20 yard kick. Another change is that defenses will be allowed to return 2-point conversions for scores and they will get 2 points instead. The NFL is trying to fix something that they believe to be broken. NFL kickers have made 99.5% of PAT's the last four seasons, and this could bring some actual excitement to the extra points. It could also force teams to go for 2-point conversions more often, which adds another layer of excitement to the changes made. My only issue with this change, is that nobody wants actual games to be decided by extra points, and if there is a situation where a team needs seven points to tie a game, and they miss the PAT and lose the game, then that could be a huge problem. Overall though this could be a change for the better, and kickers still hit the majority of 33 yard field goals anyways, so the level of risk isn't that high. At least it could bring more 2-point conversion attempts, because they are always fun to watch.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Washington

Before I write anything, I'll say that personally I'm not a fan of the name of the team and I think it should be changed, so I will refer to them only as Washington throughout the article. If it makes you upset, then I'm sorry but I think if it offends and percentage of people, and justifiably in this case, then there is no point in writing it. I still hope you enjoy the article, and I hope this doesn't take anything away from my roster breakdown of Washington.

Offense

I will immediately tell you that this season relies entirely on Robert Griffin III. This should be no surprise, as most teams seasons will be made or broken by QB play, but Washington doesn't have the roster to support mediocre QB play like the Cincinnati Bengals do. I'm a fan of RGIII's. I know that's not a credential to his play whatsoever, but I think he can be a solid quarterback next season. Jay Gruden and Washington's front office did the smartest thing they could do during the draft, which was invest in Griffin. At this point if he falters, then they can't say they didn't try and make things work. My opinion hasn't changed from last season though, I still think Griffin can be good because he is very talented and has one hell of an arm. Washington has upgraded the supporting cast around him though, and this offense has a chance to be very good, health provided. At wide receiver, they have the talent to compete with most NFL teams. DeSean Jackson had a great season despite inconsistent QB play throughout the year, and his running mate Pierre Garçon was also very good. In the slot Andre Roberts was the guy last year, but he might be replaced by the recently drafted Jamison Crowder. Crowder is very small (5'8/185 lbs) but he is extremely quick, and is a very good route runner too, which could really give him the edge in a battle against Roberts to be the starter. At tight end, they have Jordan Reed as the starter and Niles Paul behind him. I want to believe in Jordan Reed, I really do. I still remember his 2013 season, when you actually watch him play you saw why people thought he could be special, but at this point in his career, I need to see him healthy first. Barring health though, he could be in for a big year, especially because Griffin likes his TE's. At running back, Washington has a good one in Alfred Morris. He had an inconsistent year last year, but the entire Washington team was inconsistent so I think it was good enough that it doesn't hurt his stock. Behind Morris, Washington drafted Matt Jones in the third round. Jones is in a perfect situation, because he doesn't have the talent to be a three down RB, but he is a bruising back and can be very good behind Morris if he averages 5-10 touches a game. The biggest addition to this offense by far comes on the offensive line. Brandon Scherff was the 6th overall pick in the draft, and he is an instant impact starter. Alfred Morris may be happier than RGIII that Washington drafted him because he is an absolute mauler in the run game. He is still an upgrade in pass protection, but there is some work for him to do in that department. This upgrades the entire offensive line though, as he slots in as Washington's right tackle to upgrade the weakest part of their O-line. At guards, Washington has two league average players in Chris Chester and Shaun Lauvao. Nothing flashy or special, but they aren't horrible options for Washington. At center, Kory Lichtensteiger is coming off of a good season at center, and unbelievably that was his first year as a center in the NFL. He has a chance to build off of 2014 and become even better next season. The star of this O-line is their left tackle Trent Williams. He isn't quite in the elite tier yet, but he is easily a top 10 left tackle in the NFL, and he is scary athletic for his size. I almost forgot to mention Darrel Young at fullback. Washington uses their fullback quite a bit, and Young is a damn good one. This is a talented Washington offense. Staying healthy and consistent is their biggest issue, which is why they ended last season as a bottom 7 offense. I really hope Jay Gruden doesn't do what he did last year. Gruden got in his own way, and stunted the growth of RGIII by 1. Not publicly supporting him 2. Not putting him in a position to succeed. It seems like RGIII has the support of Gruden at this point, and that is the smartest thing for the franchise. I think Griffin will have a good season IF he stays healthy (and that's a big if), and this Washington offense will be a mid-tier scoring O, which is a big improvement over last year.

Defense

This Washington defense is bad. I think they've improved on paper, but there still isn't much to like about it going into the season. On the defensive line they have two good players. Jason Hatcher put forth a great season last year when he was healthy, continuing his amazing career resurgence. The other player is Terrence Knighton who will take over at nose tackle. He had a solid year last season, and a very good one the year before, but I'm hesitant to bank on him because a lot of teams were very reluctant to sign him this past offseason. Opposite Hatcher will probably be Stephen Paea who signed a four year deal with Washington this offseason after spending his entire career in Chicago. He's a solid player, but there isn't anything overly special or jaw dropping about the way he plays, just fairly reliable overall. At linebacker, Washington has one star, followed by question marks. Ryan Kerrigan has turned into a terrific outside linebacker, and is the star of this Washington defense, and possibly team. Without him, Washington's defense might be the worst in the NFL, but he is a high impact player. Opposite Kerrigan, Preston Smith (2nd round pick in 2015) and Trent Murphy (2nd round pick in 2014) will fight for playing time. Both are talented players, and should be fairly reliable in replacing Brian Orakpo. At inside linebacker, Washington has two unspectacular players in Keenan Robinson and Perry Riley. Both players are coming off of shaky seasons, and both aren't overly reliable either. In the secondary, Washington has... Well let's just say they aren't in the best position. At cornerback, Washington has two solid starters in DeAngelo Hall and the recently signed Chris Culliver. As depth, Washington has very little reliable talent. Bashaud Breeland might end up being an okay slot cornerback, and David Amerson is still very young so he could develop into something, but as of now there is very little to be excited about as a Washington fan. At safety, there is even less to be excited about. Washington traded for Dashon Goldson in hopes of getting the 2012 version of him, but at this point in his career he isn't reliable whatsoever. Alongside Goldson, Washington has either Duke Ihenacho or Phillip Thomas. Both players weren't good last year, and shouldn't be expected to raise their respective games all that much in 2015. On paper, this defense doesn't inspire much hope for Washington fans. I think that even with all of the moves Washington made, they didn't make up much ground as a whole. I'm going to be more negative than usual and predict a bottom five finish for this team. I think that the improvements that defenses ranked below Washington last year made are more impactful than Washington's moves, and that will show in the standings come seasons end. Now it's not all bad for this D, Kerrigan is a player to build a defense around, and they do have some young talent on the edge. They might be in need of a full makeover by seasons end, which is never ideal, but it may be for the best. Sorry Washington fans, but I think your teams going to be a bit of a pushover on defense in 2015.

RGIII. RGIII. RGIII. Just keep repeating his name because that's what this season comes down to. Griffin took Washington to the playoffs in his rookie season, and the team was worse than the current team is. What I predict will happen next season is Robert puts up a solid effort, but not enough to inspire confidence from the Washington front office. That will lead to a blowup of the entire roster (except for young talent like Scherff, Williams, Kerrigan, and Morris) and them going into full rebuild mode. As bad as that sounds, it really is for the best because the overall talent level just isn't up to standard with the current competitive NFL teams. I also don't feel as though Jay Gruden was the best fit as the coach, and moving on from him would be wise too. It's going to be a long season Washington fans, but good news is that 2016 seemingly has a good quarterback draft class if Washington does indeed move on from Griffin, and at least the Washington Nationals have Bryce Harper!

Offseason Outlook 2015: Dallas Cowboys

Offense

This is an elite offense coming off of a terrific year. Tony Romo got his second career playoff win in what should be considered a successful season for the 'Boys. Romo had the best season of his career in 2014, and he should be looked at as an elite quarterback now. Romo is unbelievable in his pocket movement, and the offense Dallas runs suits him perfectly. The true backbone behind this offense, is the Dallas offensive line. Their O-line is almost legendary at this point, and now with the addition of La'el Collins, it can be even better. At left tackle, Dallas has arguably the best LT in the game in Tyron Smith. A couple years ago it would have been crazy to think that a left tackle could be better than Joe Thomas, but Tyron Smith has a good case that he is. At left guard, the Cowboys signed La'el Collins to take over for Ron Leary. Now Leary was still good last season, and Collins isn't the sure fire starter yet, but it seems very likely that the first round talent takes over the LG spot. Travis Frederick mans the center position, and he has developed into one of the leagues best. He still has some work to do in the pass protection department, but Frederick is an absolute mauler in the run game. At right guard the 'Boys have the much talked about Zack Martin. He was applauded for his rookie season, and rightfully so as he instantaneously was one of the best guards in football. Finally, Doug Free holds the right tackle spot, and he is coming off of a very solid year. This O-line is so good, it gave Jerry Jones the confidence to stroll out Darren McFadden and Joseph Randle as the Cowboys running backs. You read that right, Dallas is going from DeMarco Murray, to McFadden and Randle. The saddest part is that it could work because the O-line is so dominant. Even though the Cowboys are shockingly thin at running back, they have a lot of weapons in the passing game for Romo. The biggest name is Dez Bryant, and rightfully so. He is a terror for opposing defenses, and a top 5 wide receiver in the NFL. Dallas was smart to franchise tag him, because they can't afford to lose him in free agency to another team. Opposite Dez, Terrence Williams mans the ship as the 2nd receiver. Williams is solid, not spectacular, but as a second option with a QB like Romo, he can be more than serviceable. In the slot, the Cowboys have another solid receiver in Cole Beasley. He is a typical slot receiver, small in stature, but a solid option on third down and for short passes. Behind those three receivers, there doesn't appear to be much depth. Dallas does have a lot of talent and depth at the tight end position though. Jason Witten is still playing at a very high level, and is an excellent blocker and receiver. Apart from Rob Gronkowski, there is a legitimate case that he was the second best TE last year (especially because of the impact he had in their run game). Behind Witten, they have James Hanna and Gavin Escobar. Both of these TE's are fairly young, and showed a lot of promise at times in 2014, they just need to be more consistent. This offense did lose DeMarco Murray, and they are going to take a hit from that. They will still be a great offense though. Romo has proven that he can lift the play of those around him, and if he is healthy (he did play hurt for part of last year, which is even more amazing considering the numbers he put up) then this offense will be a top 10 offense with ease. Realistically they could be top 5 just like last year, but I'm anticipating a little bit of regression with the loss of Murray.

Defense

On defense the Cowboys are actually starting to put a seemingly dangerous team together. Jerry Jones has really invested in edge rushers this offseason. Alongside Demarcus Lawrence, the Cowboys signed Greg Hardy to a one year deal, although he will be out 10 games due to his suspension. Among those two players, Dallas also took a gamble on Randy Gregory. On the field, he was my favourite edge rusher in the entire draft, but due to character concerns he fell to the end of the second round. If Gregory and/or Hardy pay off, the 'Boys will have seriously amped up the pressure on opposing quarterbacks. An underrated loss for this Cowboys defense is Henry Melton. Although he isn't Ndamukong Suh, he was one of the better pass rushing DT's in the NFL last season, and the interior pressure he brought will be missed. His replacement will most likely be Nick Hayden, who will play alongside Tyrone Crawford on the interior D-line. Crawford is coming off of a very nice season, and he will be relied upon even more as his role should increase with Melton gone. The Cowboys have also built a solid group of starting linebackers. Rolando McClain had an incredible career resurgence last season, and was huge in stopping the run for them. They also have 2014 4th round pick Anthony Hitchens that will play the SAM beside McClain's MIKE. The biggest question mark, yet possible game changer is Sean Lee. When healthy, Sean Lee is one of the most talented linebackers in football, especially in coverage, and as of now he should be playing the WILL for them. If Lee is healthy, that gives them a difference maker in their linebacker group, and also gives them a leader on the defensive side of the ball. In the secondary, Dallas has a lot of question marks. Orlando Scandrick had a really good year in the slot, but the rest of the secondary is average at best. Brandon Carr has not lived up to the expensive deal Dallas gave him in free agency a couple years ago, and Morris Claiborne has not played up to his draft status at all. So to improve the cornerback position, the Cowboys drafted Byron Jones. He blew up the combine, and now Dallas is hoping he can have an immediate impact on their team. It would be smarter for them to initially play him at safety, as his ball skills would immediately transition there, but either way he should have a big impact on Dallas' defense. Speaking of safeties, the Cowboys have an underwhelming pair starting for them. Barry Church and J.J. Wilcox are fine, but in an ideal world Dallas could use an upgrade. This defense, on paper at least, is greatly improved. The additions at edge rusher and Sean Lee being healthy are two huge factors in this defense taking a step forward. Best case scenario in my mind, this will hover around a top 10 defense. That seems way too high with this roster, but the offense being a clock controlling O helps a lot. It was a big reason why Dallas had a top half finish in defense last year. I think a more reasonable prediction, is a middle of the pack defense, and that's what I'm betting on. It's improved, but it can't keep up with the stronger defenses in the NFC, let alone the NFL.

Dallas is a good team. Last year they showed that investing draft picks in the O-line can pay off in a huge way, and they should be extremely competitive this season too. I predict them to be fighting for the division all season with the Philadelphia Eagles, but for them to just come up short. I still think a playoff berth is very, very likely through them getting a wildcard spot. Romo is an elite quarterback, I don't care what anybody says about him being not clutch and all of that ridiculousness in the 4th quarter, he is elite. Their running game is still very nerve racking going into the season, because DeMarco Murray is an incredible running back and it's a bigger loss than people seem to realize. Yes the offensive line helped him a lot, but people can't just assume Dallas can roll anyone out at running back and they will automatically be successful. Aside from the RB situation, Dallas looks just as good as last year, if not better. Retaining Dez was huge, but the Eagles improved much more than the 'Boys did, so I can't predict them to win the division with any confidence at this point. This is still a good Dallas team though, and if they make the playoffs, then they have just as good of a chance to win it all as every other team.

#DeflateGate

So the news today is that Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, will not appeal. That means that he accepts the $1 million fine, and the loss of his 2016 1st round draft pick, and 2017 4th round draft pick. This has absolutely nothing to do with Brady's appeal, the expectation is that Brady will still appeal, and his suspension will probably be overturned to 2 games.

This all seems a little strange to me, as the initial reaction from the Patriots was an extraordinarily negative one, and that they were going to fight through the entire process. I think the media is missing something, because the initial reaction from Kraft and this decision don't add up. Unfortunately I think the situation isn't quite over yet, and there's going to be Deflate-Gate 2: Revenge of the Pats.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Philadelphia Eagles

Offense

This is going to be fun! I'm actually very excited to write about a team that has a crazy genius running it! The 2014 Eagles will have very few things in common with the 2015 Eagles. One thing they do have in common for the most part is the O-line. The Eagles did lose Todd Herremans to the Colts, but the rest of their stellar O-line is intact. At left tackle, they have Jason Peters who is elite. He is ridiculously athletic for a 330 lb man, and he can go one on one with the best pass rushers in the game with ease. Right beside Peters, well would you look at that they have another elite O-lineman. Evan Mathis is a top notch guard, and even though there have been rumours that Chip Kelly wants him gone, as long as he's in Philly, then the Eagles have an elite guard. At center, they have... Wait for it... Another elite player. Jason Kelce is an absolute stud, and he might be the most valuable center in the NFL just based on Philly's offensive scheme and reliance on him. On the right side of the line, the Eagles have Allen Barbre at right guard, and Lane Johnson at right tackle. Lane Johnson had a good year last year and should look to build off of it in 2015. Allen Barbre was on injured reserve last season, but Eagles brass is very high on him and they don't believe he is a downgrade from Herremans at all. With a pretty stacked O-line, let's see how the new Eagles offense looks with it. At QB, the newly acquired Sam Bradford looks to establish himself as the face of the franchise. He has been riddled with injuries for the past couple years, but he looked really good during the portion of 2013 in which he played. If anyone is going to get all of Sam Bradford it's Chip Kelly, so I'm expecting a pretty big year out of him provided he stays healthy. At tight end, the Eagles have Zach Ertz and Brent Celek. Both of those TE's are good players, and compliment each other really well as Ertz is more of a threat in the passing game and Celek is a good blocker. At wide receiver, the depth chart is a little thin for what should be a pretty explosive passing attack. Nelson Agholor should be their immediate number one receiver, as he is definitely the most talented receiver on the roster. Opposite him will probably be Riley Cooper or Miles Austin. Both of those players are underwhelming, but should at least be solid veteran presences for a young team. In the slot, Jordan Matthews is looking to build off of a promising first year. As little depth as the Eagles have at WR, they make up for it at running back. They stole the rushing leader away from Dallas, as DeMarco Murray will now don the green and silver jersey. The general consensus is that Murray only put up good numbers because of that O-line, and while the Dallas line did help, that's wrong. Murray had 998 yards after contact last season. Jamaal Charles had 35 more total rushing yards last season than Murray had... AFTER CONTACT!!! That is absolutely ridiculous, and as much as people want to credit the 'Boys offensive line, Murray is also one hell of a back. Behind Murray, Kelly also signed Ryan Mathews. He is a great back in his own right, and combined with the returning Darren Sproles, they could easily be the best backfield in football. The loss of LeSean McCoy does hurt, but these players were smart signings in a depressed running back market, and Murray actually fits this type of offense better than McCoy so expect big results. With Mark Sanchez and Nick Foles at quarterback last season, Chip Kelly put up 29.6 points per game. That was third best in the NFL, and less then one point away from being the best offense. Chip Kelly seems crazy sometimes, but he gets incredible results. This could be the best offense in the NFL next year, but to be safe, I'm going to expect a top 5 finish out of this team.

Defense

Defensively, this team has seemingly improved leaps and bounds. The additions of Byron Maxwell, Kiko Alonso, and Eric Rowe should all be immediate upgrades in a big way. On the defensive line, the Eagles have talent and depth. Fletcher Cox is an incredible young talent, and he is a top five 3-4 DE in the NFL already. Beside him, Bennie Logan is a very solid nose tackle, and is a good penetrator at the nose tackle position. Another spot over, Cedric Thornton is coming off of a really good year as left defensive end. As added depth, the Eagles might have the best backup DE in Vinny Curry. The Eagles have a pretty strong defensive line, but the strength of this defense is in their linebackers. The inside linebackers for this team are awesome. They traded LeSean McCoy for one of the most exciting ILB's to watch in football, in Kiko Alonso. He missed all of 2014, but if he develops off of his rookie season in 2013, then it won't be long before he is a top 3 inside linebacker in the NFL. Mychal Kendricks, another player Chip Kelly attempted to trade, is another great, young ILB, and he is coming off of a very good season and will look to build off of that. DeMeco Ryans is the veteran, and although he struggled a bit last season, he is still a very good player and should bounce back. On top of those three players, the Eagles drafted Jordan Hicks in the third round, and he should be a solid player for them too. On the edge, the Eagles smartly resigned Brando Graham to a 4 year/$26 million deal, which I think will end up being a bargain. He should see more snaps this season, and he is such a good pass rusher that the numbers will catch up with him eventually. Opposite him, Connor Barwin is coming off of a monster season in which he had 14.5 sacks. He probably won't put up those numbers again, but he should have another good season in him, especially with more help on defense in 2015. The Eagles also have added depth in Marcus Smith II, who was their 2014 first round pick. He had very scarce playing time last season, but he is still a very talented player and could be a factor this year. Philadelphia is strolling out a shiny, brand new secondary. Well, at least a couple of the cornerbacks are. Philly shelled out some serious money to bring in Byron Maxwell to fill the void of a number one cornerback. They may have overpaid just a tad, but the CB market was very inflated and his presence helps the rest of the defense too. Maxwell had a great year with Seattle as their number 2 CB last season, and showed enough to make me believe he can be a solid number 1 guy. Opposite him, Philly drafted Eric Rowe in the second round. He should slot in nicely, and even though he's a rookie, he's very long and lanky, and could be a good starter early on in his career. In the slot, the Eagles may have the best slot CB in Brandon Boykin. He is quick, has terrific ball instincts, and even though he is small, he plays big. At safety, Philly has Malcolm Jenkins who is coming off of a solid season and Earl Wolff. Both players aren't too flashy, but they aren't bad by any means. This defense has a chance to make big strides. They were in the bottom third of the league in points allowed per game last year, and they have a shot at a top 10 finish in 2015. That might be high, and I'm predicting a finish closer to the middle of the pack, but I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest. They retained their best free agent defender from last season, and they also added two huge impact players in Maxwell and Alonso. I didn't expect this defense to have this much depth and talent, but it's hard to bet against at this point in the offseason. I still think their secondary isn't overly strong, the addition of Maxwell helps so much, but they definitely won't blow anybody away with it. Still, a league average defense can do wonders with a Chip Kelly offense, and the pure talent leads me to believe that this is a better than league average defense.

Chip Kelly you crazy SOB how do you do it? Just through the process of writing this article, and really looking over the roster he has put together, makes me more of a believer in the 2015 Eagles. I still don't think they are in the tier of the NFC elite teams, as the Packers and Seahawks are still more reliable at this point, but there is talent across the board. The reason why I have trepidation about this team is because of Sam Bradford. I have no doubt that he can still be a good NFL QB, but I don't know if he can stay healthy. He's missed most of the last two seasons, and I just can't bank on him being 100% healthy. The Eagles did resign Mark Sanchez, and he has actually had success in this offense, so they at least have a backup plan. That being said, if Bradford stays healthy, this can be an explosive offense to go along with an opportunistic defense. That is always a scary combination, and it's scarier with Chip Kelly heading the ship. Oh, and they also signed Tim Tebow. It's not really relevant as he won't have a big enough impact (if any) on the offense, but it's hilarious and Chip Kelly is awesome.

Justin Smith is Retired

Another bit of news today was the announcement from Justin Smith that he is retiring. It's not exactly breaking news, because I think that most people expected this to happen, but it definitely hurts San Fran. It's not entirely about replacing the Cowboy's production either, his presence and locker room impact cannot be understated. He was a consummate professional, and was a 5 time Pro-Bowler in his 14 year career. The 49ers do have some talent on the defensive line to replace the 5-technique star. Arik Armstead was drafted as his future replacement, and Tank Carradine is also extremely talented if he can put it together. Injuries apparently played a part in Smith's decision, but hopefully they won't affect him living a happy and full life! Have a fun retirement Cowboy!

Ryan Tannehill, Locked Up

Yes it's true. Ryan Tannehill is now on track to be a Miami Dolphin through the 2020 season. He signed a $96 million deal over 6 years. That includes the final year of his rookie deal, and the club option they have for 2016.

This seems like a good deal for both parties at this stage. Ryan Tannehill is a young, talented quarterback, and he should continue to develop even further. He also has shown enough already to be above the tier of Andy Dalton and Colin Kaepernick, so this amount of money shouldn't shock anybody. This seemed inevitable, as the Dolphins quite possible have their first franchise quarterback since Dan Marino, and it's common knowledge that if you have a franchise QB, you do whatever it takes to keep him because they are hard to come by. This roster also presents Tannehill with the most talent he has ever had on offense, so expect an even bigger season from the young QB.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Cincinnati Bengals

Offense

The Bengals might have the strangest team in all of football. On paper, their offense looks terrific, except for at quarterback, which isn't necessarily bad, just inconsistent. At QB they have Andy Dalton, and I personally am not a fan of his. He is extremely inconsistent, and even though he shows a lot of promise in certain games, he hasn't stepped up enough to prove to me he can be a franchise quarterback. The Bengals have surrounded him with a ton of talent too. In the backfield, the Bengals have one of the best running back tandems in Jeremy Hill and Giovanni Bernard. Hill is a big, bruising back, while Bernard is a quick, agile, receiving back. They complement each other really well, and together give the Bengals two players that are huge problems for opposing teams. On the offensive line, the Bengals have possibly the best left tackle in all of football. Andrew Whitworth won't get the press of Tyron Smith or Joe Thomas, but he was just as good as them last year. Alongside Whitworth, the Bengals have a lot of talent. They drafted Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher with their first two picks in this draft respectively, and they already have a very good right side of the line to go along with their star LT. Kevin Zeitler is a very underrated right guard, and he is approaching star status. Andre Smith is a mauler in the run game, and had another good year as their right tackle when he was healthy, although he missed 7 games. At center, they have Russell Bodine, a sophomore this season. He was inconsistent last year, but he should get a further grasp on their offense and elevate his game. At left guard, Clint Boling should see some work unless one of the drafted O-linemen beat him out. Either way, they have solid options at the position. At tight end, the Bengals will let Tyler Eifert take the reigns. Jermaine Gresham is no longer in the picture, and Eifert will finally be in a position to reach his potential. Eifert has a high ceiling, and could be a great red zone target for Andy Dalton, and also help spread the field too. At wide receiver, the Bengals are sitting pretty. A.J. Green is a star. Period. He may be the only reason that Andy Dalton is still the Bengals quarterback. Athletic, great route runner, physical, has size, he's pretty much everything you want in a receiver. Opposite Green, Marvin Jones has developed into a great receiver in his own right. Everybody knows him from his 4 touchdown game in 2013, but he was very solid the rest of the year too. Unfortunately he couldn't build off of his breakout season as he was out with an injury for all of 2014, but expect big things from the Robin to A.J. Green's Batman. The Bengals also have Mohamed Sanu for added depth, and he is a good wide receiver in his own right. This is a very balanced Bengals attack. They can hurt you through the air, or in the run game too. The questions I have about this offense remain from the questions I have had over the last couple years. Can Andy Dalton be their guy? I don't think he can, but I am wrong a lot, so maybe this is the year he puts it all together. The Bengals had a middle of the pack offense last season, and with the pure talent they have, it should have been even better. I think they are stuck with Dalton, so their ceiling is a middle of the pack offense, not bad enough to lose them games, but not enough to win them any either.

Defense

This is a good defense. If all goes well, this could be a great defense. They have a very good defensive line as their anchor. Geno Atkins is a great defensive tackle, and he is the heart of their D-line. Being another year removed from his injury could help his game move back to elite status this season. Beside Atkins, the Bengals keep rolling out Domata Peko. He was fine a few years ago, but at this point, they need to find a replacement for him because he is not playing well enough to be a starter. Cincinnati will be reuniting a pair of defensive ends this season, as Michael Johnson was signed back to be the right end to Carlos Dunlap's left end. Johnson was a good value signing, and if he can be a percentage of the player he originally was with the Bengals, then this could be a steal. Carlos Dunlap has developed into a very good defensive end. He is incredible against the run, but has also developed into a solid pass rusher too. At linebacker, the Bengals have another star in Vontaze Burfict. What they have surrounded him with is... Well, it's not great, but they play nickel a lot so it's not horrible. They have Rey Maualuga, A.J. Hawk, Emmanuel Lamur, and Paul Dawson. The only player that intrigues me out of that group is Dawson. He has incredible instincts, and could be the next Chris Borland (Boring comparison heard all the time, but it's true). In the secondary, Cincinnati has a lot of good talent. Not really any star power, but both safeties and all three starting cornerbacks are coming off of good seasons. At safety, they have the tandem of Reggie Nelson and George Iloka. Nothing flashy about either player, but they do get the job done, and are very reliable and consistent. At cornerback, the Bengals have a lot of depth. They have Leon Hall, Dre Kirkpatrick, Adam Jones, Darqueze Dennard, and the recently drafted Josh Shaw (Although he may be better at safety in the long run). The first four players I mentioned are all very talented, and they give the Bengals a lot of options on what to run on defense. Dennard has a chance to take a big step forward after a quiet rookie season that saw him play scarcely. The only issue for him will be playing time, as it is still a very talented secondary. This is a very good defense that could take a step forward permitting health. They have stars in Atkins, Burfict, and Dunlap. They have depth in their secondary, and very good supporting players too. There isn't a lot to pick apart here, they may not have the overall talent level of some of the upper tier defenses, but they are just under them. I expect a top 10 defensive finish, and for them to keep forcing a lot of turnovers, just like last year.

Another great roster built by the front office, and another year that, for the most part, rests on Andy Dalton's shoulders. This entire roster is one of the deepest in the NFL, but everything I say about them will always come back to Dalton. Until I'm proven wrong, I can't predict them winning a playoff game. In fact, this season I'm predicting them to miss the playoffs entirely. The sad part is, I think it's good for them if they miss the playoffs this year. Chances are, if that happened, they would move on from Dalton, and that would be for the best. The 2016 QB class looks awesome at this point in time, and if the Bengals could pick up Cardale Jones, or Jared Goff, then they could make a lot of noise the following year. Sorry Bengals fans, from what I've seen I just don't think you can win with Andy Dalton.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Pittsburgh Steelers

Offense

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a terrific offense, and the biggest reason for that is Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben has for the most part been a really good quarterback all throughout his career. Last year though, he was elite. The Steel Curtain has fallen off in recent years, and Ben has raised his game to carry the Pittsburgh Steelers. His pocket presence and movement is absolutely stunning to watch, and Pittsburgh fans should credit him for keeping them relevant as their defense has gotten older. Ben has gotten help though, most notably from one of the best receivers in football, Antonio Brown. Antonio Brown is the best route runner in football, and even though he doesn't have Calvin Johnson type size, he can beat any cornerback in the game. The Steelers should feel lucky that they have him locked up for a while, because he is still pretty young and might be this dominant for many years to come. Aside from Brown, the Steelers got some solid work out of Markus Wheaton as the 2nd guy. He may not have put up the stats that a lot of people were hoping for, as he was a fan favourite as a sleeper WR this past offseason, but he still played some good football. Speaking of sleeper wide receivers, Martavis Bryant seems to be the one everyone is hollering for, and it's hard to blame them. He proved to be a huge red zone target for Ben, and even with his limited route running skills, he had a great rookie year. I'm sure the Steelers expect him to develop his route running, and combined with his physical presence, he could turn into a terrific wide receiver. Next year, double digit touchdowns should almost be expected, and he has a shot to lead the entire NFL in receiving touchdowns. At tight end, the Steelers have been lucky enough to have a franchise TE for the past decade. Heath Miller has been the definition of consistency, and his play showed that last year as he put forth another solid effort and helped stretch the seam for Big Ben. With an explosive passing attack like this, you would expect their weakness to be in the run game. Wrong. Pittsburgh has arguably the best running back in all of football, in Le'Veon Bell. I don't like to suggest this for a lot of players, but watch his tape. Even go to Youtube and watch 5 minutes of his highlights, they are ridiculous. He has power, speed, evasiveness, and he makes terrific one cut decisions behind his O-line. Oh and did I mention he is one of the best receiving backs in the game? Well he is. Enough with my man crush on Le'Veon Bell, let's move on to the offensive line. The Steelers have really transformed this O-line over the past couple years, because up until recently, it was really bad. Last season though, it was actually great. Pittsburgh has transformed Kelvin Beachum into, dare I say, a franchise left tackle. That might be going a little far, but if we're just talking about last season, he was incredible protecting Ben's blindside. At left guard, they have Ramon Foster who was decent last year, nothing special, but definitely not bad. At center, they have a great player in Maurkice Pouncey. He had a good year last year, but when he is playing his best, he is one of the best centers in the NFL. At right guard, they have one of my favourite young guards in David DeCastro. He was great last year, and I think he could potentially take another step forward and become an elite guard this season. He's strong at the point of attack, a mauler in the run game, and has good hand placement too. At right tackle, the Steelers close out their O-line with another very solid player in Marcus Gilbert. He's not flashy, but he gets the job done. So to answer your question, yes this offense is good. They have very few glaring holes if any, and if Martavis Bryant or Wheaton can be a consistently reliable second option, look out opposing defences. For those of you who are interested, I don't think Bell's suspension will impact them in a huge way. They signed DeAngelo Williams to be their number 2 back, and he can take the load for the first couple games. In fact, this might help Bell stay fresh come seasons end. I would say that this is a top 5 offense, maybe even top 3 by years end. People need to realize that the Steelers identity is no longer a shutdown defense, it's a punch you in the face and blow you out offense.

Defense

On defense, this team is not the legendary Steel Curtain that would blanket opponents every game. They have been going through a transformation for the past couple years, and it still isn't done yet as there are some holes. On the defensive line, The Steelers will hope that Stephon Tuitt plays a bigger role for them. Last year he showed some promise as a rookie, but was overall inconsistent and will hopefully expand his game. At nose tackle, Pittsburgh has Steve McLendon who had a good year last year. They also have Daniel McCullers who is absolutely enormous (6'7/352 lbs), and the football fan in me wants him to get some playing time because his ceiling as a nose tackle is still really high. Opposite Tuitt, the Steelers have a really good defender in Cameron Heyward. He showed that he can anchor a defensive line last year, and was terrific against both rushing the passer and stopping the run. If the Steelers are going to take a big step defensively, it will be because of this young group of linebackers. Lawrence Timmons is the leader, and he is a very good ILB. Beside Timmons, they have Ryan Shazier, their 2014 1st round pick. Shazier could be a star next season if he stays healthy. He is crazy athletic, and has terrific instincts in the passing game as well. On the edge, The Steelers have a combination of James Harrison, Jarvis Jones, Arthur Moats, and Alvin "Bud" Dupree. Harrison is surprisingly putting up solid seasons at this stage of his career. Jarvis Jones has had a slow start to his career, but he was an extremely productive pass rusher in college and the Steelers are hoping he turns it around. Arthur Moats is another solid player that adds depth too. Finally, Bud Dupree has a chance to be a special edge rusher. He is extremely athletic, with grown man power when rushing the passer. In the secondary, Pittsburgh is going through their biggest makeover since the days of the Steel Curtain. A casual fan wouldn't recognize anybody in their secondary. Their starting cornerbacks will most likely be Cortez Allen and Senquez Golson, with William Gay in the slot. That group isn't particularly strong, although William Gay is coming off a good year. At safety, the Steelers have Mike Mitchell and Shamarko Thomas as their starters. This will be Thomas' first year starting, so he is a question mark as of now, but if he took advantage of learning under Troy Polamalu, then he could be a great safety. The Steelers also drafted Gerod Holliman in the 7th round, but he has the ball skills to be a factor in this defense early on. Pittsburgh is looking like a young inexperienced team on D. The loss of Dick LeBeau might hurt them, but Harrison, Timmons, and Heyward can hopefully set an example for the younger players. This defense shouldn't be expected to make much noise, but last year they were around the middle of the pack and they should be around the same this year too.

The Steelers are one of very few teams in the past few years to completely change their team identity. On top of that, they were successful in doing so. This offense is a threat in every sense of the word. They can run on you, pass on you, they have fast players, powerful players, and one hell of a QB. Mike Tomlin is a very good coach, and this team is always a threat to get to the Super Bowl every offseason. I don't love their defense at this point though, and I think the Steelers will have to rely on Ben's arm more then they ever have before. Even still, this is a competitive team that will most likely be a playoff team. 

Offseason Outlook 2015: Cleveland Browns

Offense

Just because it's the Cleveland Browns, let me start off this article by saying an outlandish statement. I believe in Johnny Manziel. I think that he can be a solid quarterback in the NFL, and I believe that he will start putting it all together next year. There's no evidence I have to support it, but I think that his college tape actually showed a talented player, and from what I hear he is finally putting in the work. I definitely think that he is a better option at QB than Josh McCown, and even if he turns out to be a bust then the Browns can move on from him next year without any backlash. Apart from the messy quarterback situation, the Browns have an incredible offensive line, and not a lot of talent at the skill positions. Let's start with the good though. The Browns have patched together arguably the best offensive line in all of football. Joe Thomas is a rock at left tackle. He is the standard for all other LT's entering the league, and he is most likely a future hall-of-famer that still plays at an elite level today. They also have arguably the best center in the NFL too. Alex Mack was injured for most of last year, but when healthy there is nobody better. In between Mack and Thomas, the Browns have the sophomore Joel Bitonio. He had a terrific rookie season, and was one of the better guards in the league. On the right side the Browns aren't as strong, but they still have quality starters. Both John Greco (RG) and Mitchell Schwartz (RT) are good players in their own right, and should be solid this coming year too. On top of the starters, the Browns actually drafted another first round offensive lineman in Cameron Erving. He is most likely a replacement for Alex Mack in case he chooses to opt out of his contract after this season, but at worst it adds a lot of depth to an already stacked line. At the skill positions, as I mentioned before, the Browns aren't in the best scenario. At receiver, they signed Dwayne Bowe to a 2 year/$13 million deal. He will slot in as one of their outside receivers. Andrew Hawkins was their best receiver last season, and he is a threat in the slot. The Browns also signed Brian Hartline too, and he adds some depth but shouldn't be relied on to have a big season. Add to those three Taylor Gabriel and Travis Benjamin, and they are better off then last season. Even with the added depth, this is overall a weak group of receivers. There isn't a go to guy for the QB to lean on, and the free agent signings are both most likely on the downswing of their respective careers. At tight end, it doesn't look much better for the Browns. They lost Jordan Cameron in free agency to the Dolphins, and even though he was injured last season, he is still a very talented player and a big loss. As of now, their TE depth is Rob Housler, Jim Dray, and Gary Barnidge. So not great. At running back, the Browns have a bit of a logjam, but there is at least some talent there. Terrence West and Isaiah Crowell were okay last year, and they did show some flashes of brilliance at least. The Browns also drafted Duke Johnson who could end up playing a big role for them. This is looking more and more like it is going to be a ground and pound team, so if the Browns can strike lightning in a bottle with their three backs then they won't be in horrible shape. The biggest loss for the Browns might end up being Kyle Shanahan as the offensive coordinator. He adapted an offense to Brian Hoyer and made it work enough that they were actually winning games. Their new offensive coordinator has a good reputation in this league, and may wind up being even better than Shanahan, but as of now it does feel like a big loss. The Browns offense as a whole has a good core to build around with their O-line. Me (foolishly?) believing in Johnny Football doesn't change the fact that this team will be carried by their defense. The biggest thing this offense needs to accomplish is to be able to control the clock, and that can be done with this roster. Having Johnny at quarterback does open up the running game more because of his mobility. They should run a conservative rushing offense, and since their O-line is so dominant, they could be better then people think. I'm still expecting a bottom ten finish with this offense, but that shouldn't worry any fans because that could easily be enough to win games with their defense.

Defense

This is how the Browns win games. On paper, this defense isn't as flashy as the Seahawks, Broncos, Chiefs, or even Ravens. With this current team it won't matter. It starts at the defensive line. They drafted the monstrous Danny Shelton, and that will help their biggest weakness on defense immediately. The Browns actually gave up the most rushing yards per game, so Danny Shelton's presence can really help prevent that from happening again. Beside Shelton, the Browns signed Randy Starks to try and shore up that problem too. Opposite Starks will most likely be Desmond Bryant who is looking to have a bounce back season after one in which he was only okay. There is some depth behind the starters too, as Phil Taylor, Armonty Bryant, John Hughes, and Ishmaa'ily Kitchen all should contribute in some fashion. At linebacker, Karlos Dansby leads what figures to be a solid group. Dansby apparently is like whiskey in a barrel in that he just gets better with age because last season was impressive. Christian Kirksey or Craig Robertson will most likely be the ILB playing beside him, and both players are solid yet unspectacular options. On the edge, this team has Paul Kruger leading a young group of rushers. Barkevious Mingo will most likely start opposite Kruger, and after a down year he is looking to improve on his consistency and hopefully start producing more. The Browns also drafted Nate Orchard who will play a key role very early on. Orchard was a dominant pass rusher in college, and he should show that same burst and quickness in the NFL. The key for this defense to be successful is their secondary. They were very good last year, but they could be even better this year. Joe Haden is an elite cornerback. He had somewhat of a down year last year (still very good, just down for him), so if he bounces back to his elite status then that will bring up the rest of the defense too. Opposite him Tramon Williams figures to be the guy. I would say Justin Gilbert, but they gave Williams a 3 year/ $21 million deal and that is starter money. Also Gilbert will get starters snaps too, as he will most likely be playing slot cornerback for them. He had a rough rookie season, but it wasn't as bad as people assume, and he still has a very high ceiling as a cornerback. They also have K'Waun Williams as a fourth cornerback and he quietly was good for them last season. At safety, the Browns will pair the veteran Donte Whitner, with Tashaun Gipson. Whitner had a stellar year for the Browns last season, so hopefully he can keep up his level of play. Gipson was on pace to lead the league in interceptions but he got hurt near the end of the season. He still was great in coverage when healthy, and he's young enough to keep developing as a player. This defense does look very threatening, and I have a feeling it will be even better than it looks on paper. Haden is the key, his downside is that he can get burned quite a bit for an elite cornerback, but when he is on his game, that's a good indication the rest of the defense will be too. I'm expecting another top 10 finish for this Browns D, and they even have a shot at a top 5 finish if they stay fairly healthy.

Cleveland is a tough team to predict. The most important position on every team is quarterback, and the Browns are a complete question mark there. Their offense is also ridiculously strong in certain places, and very weak in others. On top of that, they play in maybe the most competitive division in football. My prediction for the Browns, and this may frustrate some, is that they won't finish last in their division. I think they will be fighting for a playoff spot late in the season, and they have shot at one if their QB play is at least okay. The biggest thing the Browns need to have this season is that Dog Pound mentality. They are going to win their games in the trenches, both on offense and defense, so they need that tough, beat up the other team mindset. I actually am a fan of Mike Pettine, and I think he has done a good job of coaching up a young Browns team. Even looking past this year, the Browns have a talented roster and once they get help at the skill positions on offense, look out AFC North.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Baltimore Ravens

Offense

This is a talented Ravens offense that is coming off of a very strong year. The loss of Gary Kubiak as offensive coordinator hurts, but getting Marc Trestman is another strong option, and frankly that might not be a downgrade at all. Joe Flacco is coming off of a solid season, but more should be expected out of the former Super Bowl MVP this year because the Ravens have surrounded him with talent. Out wide, Baltimore has Steve Smith who is coming off a good year as the number one option for Flacco. Smith started out really strong and cooled off during the middle of the season, so consistency is the biggest issue here for him. The Ravens drafted Breshad Perriman to replace Torrey Smith, and Baltimore needs his speed as they don't have very many people other than him to stretch the field. I think he'll take over the number two wide receiver spot early on in training camp as he is their most talented option for that spot. Perriman is also good for this offense because his blazing speed mixes so well with Flacco's big arm. Marlon Brown will be in the slot, and he had a solid year last year. Hopefully with regular playing time this year, he can grow and become an even bigger end zone threat for Flacco. At tight end, the Ravens drafted Maxx Williams in the second round, and he should be expected to be the starting TE straight out of the gate. Baltimore lost Owen Daniels to Denver, but Maxx has higher upside and could be in for a big season behind a QB who often looks for his TE's. At running back the Ravens retained Justin Forsett's services, which was smart because they are thin at the position and he had somewhat of a breakout season last year. Lorenzo Taliaferro is penciled in as their number 2 back, and in scarce playing time last year he was solid. The Ravens offense is one that still uses a fullback, and they have a very good one in Kyle Juszczyk (I had to look up how to spell his last name). He is a versatile player and is only entering his second season of getting actual playing time, so he should continue to grow. The bread and butter of this Ravens offense is their O-line. They have the best tandem of guards in the league with Marshal Yanda and Kelechi Osemele. These two are absolute maulers, and are also terrific in pass protection. I would say that Yanda is easily the best guard in the NFL too. At left tackle, they have Eugene Monroe who is coming off a good season protecting Joe's blindside. At right tackle, they have 2014 breakout player Ricky Wagner, who is coming off a terrific year. He took the biggest leap out of any Raven that year, and it might have been the most vital to their team too because without him they had a huge hole at right tackle. At center they also have a solid player in Jeremy Zuttah, so this O-line is absolutely stacked. I would expect another big year out of this offense. They finished top 10 last year, so another finish in the top 10 seems about right. I'm interested to see the effect of changing offensive coordinators has on this offense, as this is their third in three years. Marc Trestman did get a lot of Josh McCown and Jay Cutler, so there is no reason to believe he won't utilize Joe Flacco to his fullest abilities either.

Defense

This defense is so good. Even with the injuries and struggles of their secondary last year, they were still a top 10 D, and in fact almost top 5. Up front, the loss of Haloti Ngata should be noted, but it might not be as big of a loss on the field as many seem to think. Timmy Jernigan will take over as the left defensive end in the 3-4 defense, and he had a good year last year in spot duty last year. He may even outplay Ngata this year, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Beside Jernigan, the Ravens have a really good nose tackle in Brandon Williams. He was a key cog in their defense last year, and definitely did not get enough credit for how well he played. Chris Canty is opposite Jernigan, and he had a solid year last year too. The real threat of this defense is in their linebackers. From left to right, they have flat out talent that all had terrific years last year. Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs are both terrific pass rushers, and Courtney Upshaw provides excellent depth too. In the middle, C.J. Mosley had an incredible rookie season, and if he continues his development he will be among the elite ILB's in no time. Beside him, Daryl Smith had a shockingly good year, and even though he is getting older he should have another great year. The secondary that had so many questions all throughout last year looks a lot more solidified this season. Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb are a formidable duo at cornerback, and Smith especially is one to watch for a big breakout year this season if he can stay healthy. In the slot, the Ravens got a big upgrade in Kyle Arrington who will replace Asa Jackson who struggled mightily in 2014. At safety, the Ravens may finally be moving on from Matt Elam if he doesn't improve, which is definitely the smart thing to do. He is coming off of a rough season, and the Ravens can't afford the negative coverage grades he consistently gets. Beside him, Will Hill had a very strong year overall, and should look to build off of that possibly beside Kendrick Lewis if he replaces Elam as a starter. Health is the biggest question with this secondary, because it was the reason why this defense wasn't as good as it could have been last year. If Smith and Webb both keep healthy, then this secondary should bounce back to have a nice season. Overall, this defense has so much talent that it will be hard for it to have a bad year. The Ravens know how to build a team, and the roster they currently have proves just that. Suggs and Dumervil are still the key players in this defense, and as long as they continue putting pressure on opposing offenses, then expect player like Mosley, Williams, Smith and Hill to thrive. I'm going to guess a top 5 finish for this defense. Just based off of getting healthy, and how close they were to a top 5 finish last year, they should be able to achieve that goal.

Baltimore is one of the most consistent franchises in football. John Harbaugh is a terrific coach, and he has a great front office too. They know how to build a roster, coach it up, and in general get the most out of their talent. The offense has a terrific core that it has built around, and even though it isn't as strong in the skill position player department as other elite teams, it uses its dominant O-line to make smart plays and put points on the board. Their defense isn't as flashy as Seattle's, but again it is smart and deep across the board, and the Ravens scheme to minimize their weaknesses and utilize their strengths. A playoff berth is very likely for this good Ravens squad, and a Super Bowl berth is not out of the question either. I predict an AFC championship game exit, but I would not be shocked in the slightest if they went on to win it all next year. They are just that good.

The "Short" NFL Player Dilemma

This article was supposed to be a small description of the Chargers cornerbacks in their Offseason Outlook article. I started writing it, and I got very invested because it is actually an amazing situation when you really think about it. What's amazing is that the Chargers two best cornerbacks are both only 5'9. Maybe I'm the only one who is shocked by that, but I could say that a thousand times and it would still surprise me. In today's NFL, receivers are getting bigger and bigger, and because of that, some teams just draw the line in the sand at cornerback and only want them to be 6 feet tall or they won't draft them. Theoretically, I can understand that because 5'9 seems almost tiny going up against 6'5, 230 lb wide receivers. Yet these two cornerbacks, who again are both only 5'9, are making it their personal vendetta to make any team that passed over them because of their height pay. To go on a brief tangent here, Kevin White (6'3, 215 lbs) has gone on record saying that Jason Verrett is the toughest cornerback he has ever faced. Granted he hasn't played a down in the NFL, but he did face some tough CB's in college; and the reason why he said that, is because it is completely true. Verrett makes every WR he faces make them earn whatever yards they get off of him. It starts at the line, he may only be 5'9, but he plays like he is 6'5. He has terrific explosiveness right from the snap, and he has incredible footwork and anticipation to mirror the receiver and not give up an inch of ground. Verrett was passed on by the Browns who drafted Justin Gilbert ahead of him, then the Bears that drafted Kyle Fuller ahead of him, then the Bengals that drafted Darqueze Dennard ahead of him. The reason he was drafted behind those players is not because of talent, but because of his size. In his scouting report on NFL.com, the first thing Mike Mayock says in his weaknesses section is that he does not look the part. The rest of his "weaknesses" are just other ways of saying he's short. Mayock gave him a 2nd round grade. This has absolutely nothing to do with Mike Mayock either, obviously he can miss on certain players just like everybody, and if he gave him a 2nd round grade then he gave him a 2nd round grade there is nothing more to it. I understand the stigma in the NFL about small players. Sometimes they don't work out. Especially at cornerback, almost every NFL team wants big tall cornerbacks like Richard Sherman. The reason why I'm turning this into it's own article is because NFL teams need to wake up. I actually have no problem with putting height or size as a weakness or strength when scouting NFL players. A lot of the times it can be useful scouting scheme fit and all. Except when NFL teams completely take a young, talented player off of their board because of it. Drawing an arbitrary line in the sand and as a franchise saying you won't draft players under a certain height can cripple your franchise. Your team could miss out on the next Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, or Jason Verrett just because they were too short to play professional football. That was also the biggest knock on Wilson too right? He was too short, how could he even see over an NFL offensive line. Well personally I think that hasn't been too big of a problem for him on his way to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances after only 3 years in the league. Maybe this frustrates me because I'm 5'9 and am waiting for my shot in next years NFL draft, and that's why I need an entire article to complain about this completely arbitrary (I know I have said it is arbitrary a lot but it truly is) line that prevents players under a certain height at a specific position being drafted. Or maybe I see something wrong with the way certain teams are scouting players and I want my voice to be heard. Whatever the reason is, the Chargers are going to reap the rewards this season if/when Jason Verrett proves that he can stay healthy so Verrett and Flowers can be a dominating duo.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Kansas City Chiefs

Offense

Do the Chiefs have a franchise QB in Alex Smith? No idea. He's pretty good though, and Kansas City has put him in a position offensively that limits mistakes and works well for his style of play. This year marks the first year under Alex Smith's tenure as the Chiefs QB that he has offensive weapons not named Jamaal Charles. The Chiefs gave Jeremy Maclin a 5 year/$55 million deal this offseason to come in and be their number one guy. Fact: All of the Chiefs WR's last year combined to catch 0 touchdown passes. The Chiefs know their WR's were not good last year, and they needed to change the dynamic at the position, ergo Jeremy Maclin. They also released Dwayne Bowe, and even though he was playing uninspired last year, he is still a good WR so they needed to fill the void even more. I'm taking a bit of a shot in the dark here, but I also think De'Anthony Thomas' role as a receiver will increase this season. I know he was drafted as mainly a returner and a gadget player, but he has ridiculous speed and I think he could be used more often this season. Another player to keep an eye on for Kansas City is Jason Avant who wasn't that bad last year in a brief stint with the Chiefs and he might be even better with Jeremy Maclin as the first receiver. The Chiefs are still clearly thin at the receiver position though, but they have other threats on offense too. Travis Kelce at tight end, is basically mini Gronk. I'm sure he's not a fan of that nickname, because he will eventually carve out his own legacy whatever that may be, but he plays with that same intensity. There will be plays where he will be impossible to take down. I honestly mean that, this guy gets hit and he shakes it off like it was a bug that flew into him. He is a monster, and if he stays fully healthy, expect big things from him even out of the conservative Kansas City offense. In the backfield, the Chiefs have Jamaal Charles. Most people know how good he is, so I'm not going to dive into too much detail here, but yeah he's really, really good. Knile Davis backs up Charles, and he is a curious case because he had a rough year last year, but was great in limited action the year before. He's still very young (only 23), and I think he can be a solid backup for Charles this season. The Chiefs offensive line is... Rough. The Chiefs only spent one pick on it in this draft, when they have holes all across it. They picked Mitch Morse, who will slot in at center to replace their one good O-lineman Rodney Hudson who got signed by Oakland. On the left side they have Eric Fisher at tackle, who has struggled mightily ever since he was drafted first overall, and they traded for Ben Grubbs who was solid last year, but he's getting older and is a bit of a question mark himself. On the right side the Chiefs have Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson respectively, and they were both below average starters last season and haven't shown anything to make me think they will turn it around. The silver lining for this team having a weak O-line is they know how to minimize mistakes. The conservative offense they run gets the ball out of Alex Smith's hand very quickly and tries to get their speed players (Charles, Thomas) in space. They run a lot of slants and get their WR's blocking well, which plays to their strengths in the long run. They were surprisingly a decent offense when it came to points scored per game last year, and they should have no trouble repeating what they did last year based on the upgrade from Bowe to Maclin and another year of development out of Kelce.

Defense

This is one scary defense on paper. On the D-line, they have a star in Dontari Poe, who consistently is in the backfield being as disruptive as any other nose tackle in the league. They also have Mike Devito to put on one side of him, and he is a very underrated player. He has a motor that never turns off, and I think is a key player for this elite defense. Opposite Devito, the Chiefs have options. Allen Bailey was solid last year, but they also have Mike Catapano and Jaye Howard who both could be good options too. Whoever they end up choosing, there is depth at the end positions for KC. At linebacker, the Chiefs have some serious talent. In the middle they have a star in Derrick Johnson. Who they pair up with him is the real question because they run a 3-4 defense. James-Michael Johnson was okay last year, but they drafted Ramik Wilson in the 4th round this year and he could help them a lot against the run. Then at outside linebacker, the Cheifs have a couple okay players I guess... They have this guy Justin Houston who had 22 sacks last year, and this other guy Tamba Hali who is consistently at the top of QB pressure leaderboards and has almost 80 career sacks. Oh and they have last years first round pick Dee Ford too. The craziest thing about this defense is that their secondary is shaping up to be one of the best in the league. Sean Smith, who has been terrorized in his career for having bad hands and dropping interceptions, was great last year as the Chiefs number one cornerback. They also drafted Marcus Peters, who I thought was the steal of round one, and he has all the tools to be a star in this league. If his off field issues are completely in his past, then he will put the NFL on notice quickly because he has everything you look for in a cornerback. He has straight line speed to keep up with receivers, fluid hips, he is very physical in press coverage, and he has terrific ball skills too. Call me out if I'm wrong, but this kid is a star in the making if he gets past his off field troubles. At safety the Chiefs resigned Ron Parker, which was a solid signing because he is a good safety. They also have Eric Berry who is a star, but due to being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma nobody knows what his future in football entails, we just wish him the best and hope for a speedy recovery. The Chiefs have Husain Abdullah to play beside Parker, and he is also a very solid option at safety. In the slot, Phillip Gaines will most likely be the man, and he also had a decent season last year and should get even better. This defense won't get as much press as the Seahawks D, but maybe it should. It was the second best defense last year, and frankly it looks even better this year. The mix of established stars and young talent implies that this defense can continue to grow, and continue to win Kansas City games.

This is a good looking Chiefs team. I predict them to be competing for a wild card spot just like last year, but just because I'm calling a similar finish doesn't mean that this team didn't get better. The questions on offense prevent me from being all in on KC, but this defense is no laughing matter. I think that this team has a chance to be good for a long time too, as they have a lot of game changers on defense that are really young, and they appear to be drafting pretty well (at least in my opinion). They franchise tagged Justin Houston, so his status is up in the air after next season, but he could easily be going for the sack record again this year so let's just take his contract details in stride. Andy Reid has put together a good ball club with John Dorsey their GM, and with the raw talent they have on this roster, I could easily see them in the playoffs next season and maybe even winning a playoff game or two.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Denver Broncos

Offense

Any offense with Peyton Manning will be a top offense in the NFL. That is just a fact. Manning is one of the best quarterbacks of all time, and even at his age he still plays at an extremely high level. The people that say Manning is done after a rough December are completely crazy, he was playing hurt and throughout the year he still played at a very high level. Critics of Manning consistently talk about his arm strength. Everybody knows that Peyton throws ducks out there, that hasn't prevented him from torching a defense, because he is the smartest QB possibly in NFL history. The Broncos are a curious case at running back. C.J. Anderson was actually incredible in his time as the starter last season. The issue is, his career at RB is such a small sample size, there is no sure fire bet that the Broncos are getting that same player. They also have Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman as depth, but none of these backs have shown me enough that they can be the guy next year. Also, any running back in a Manning offense benefits greatly from having Peyton as the QB too, which can skew the numbers. I'm a little bit hesitant because of this to already anoint this as a great ground game, but the talent is there. At wide receiver, the Broncos offense should feel very confident about the players they have. Demaryius Thomas is a top 5 wideout in the NFL, and Emmanuel Sanders flourished in this passing game last year. I'm also predicting Cody Latimer to have a breakout year this year. He struggled to get on the field last year, but this year there are targets to give after the loss of Julius Thomas and Wes Welker. He's also a talented player and if he can build up Peyton's trust early then he should have no trouble in playing a big role for this offense. At tight end, the talent took a big hit this year. Not only did the Broncos lose Julius Thomas in free agency to the Jaguars, but they also lost the recently drafted Jeff Heuerman for the year. He may not have started immediately for them, but he was definitely the most talented TE on the roster, so it was a big blow. Owen Daniels will be a solid starter though as he consistently excels under Gary Kubiak's offenses. The offensive line struggled last year, and this year doesn't look much better. Ryan Clady was good last year, but he used to be an elite left tackle before he got hurt, so there is a possibility of him regaining that form this year. To go along with him, Louis Vasquez is a great right guard. Apart from those two, there are holes among the O-line. Chris Clark was average last year, but he was very consistent and there were some bad stretches. They lost Orlando Franklin and Manny Ramirez, so there will be position battles over center and left guard, but whoever the starters may be are unreliable at this point. Ty Sambrailo should help with Tackle depth, but he doesn't figure to have a huge immediate impact as both starting tackle positions seem to be locked up. The O-line may struggle, but this offense will keep churning out points like it's nothing. I can't stress this enough, Peyton Manning is one of the smartest players in all of sports, and he knows how to utilize his players strengths, and how to pick apart a defense. He will also help his O-line as he is one of the best at getting the ball out of his hands quickly. A top 5 finish on offense is almost a guarantee at this point, and nothing that happened in the offseason changes that.

Defense

I can't believe that this defense wasn't a top 10 overall defense, let alone top 5. The talent all across the board is crazy! On the defensive line, they are only okay. Derek Wolfe, Sylvester Williams, and Malik Jackson are all young players who struggled at times last season, but they have talent and can be solid starters this year. Their linebacker group is ridiculous. Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall (no not the WR for the Jets now) are two young players that were very good last year and could get even better (although Trevathan was injured last year, he was really good in 2013). On the edge, the Broncos have Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware, and Shane Ray. It's almost unfair how good that group of edge rushers is. Von Miller is elite, and DeMarcus Ware is still playing at a very high level even though he's getting older. On top of those two players, the Broncos drafted Shane Ray in the first round this past year who was one of the best pass rushers in the entire draft. He fell due to some injury and character concerns, but he has a lightning quick first step, is an extremely explosive athlete, uses his hands very well when rushing the passer, and is very strong for his size. I understand that this is a pick for the future, but he could contribute right away with his talent. In addition to the linebackers, this is an extremely talented secondary unit as well. Chris Harris is the most underrated cornerback in all of football, and he played at an elite level last year. Aqib Talib is another great CB to pair with Harris, and they also have Bradley Roby who had a solid first year and should take a big jump this coming year. At safety they have the very talented T.J. Ward, and he played a big role for them last year and should continue to be a big presence on their defense. They will most likely pair him with Darian Stewart, who is an average starter at best. If Roby takes the jump that many people expect, including myself, then the Broncos could have three top tier cornerbacks to pair with their elite pass rushers. Just based off of that, this defense has the talent to be the number one defense in the NFL. Those expectations may be a little too high, but the talent is clearly there. Under a new coaching staff, I could see how there would be a transition period for the Broncos D. Yet last year, they seemed to be uninspired by former defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio, so I predict a top 10 finish for their defense this year.

This is still a deadly Broncos team. Everybody is going to talk about the Patriots, Seahawks or even the Packers as the best team in the NFL right now. Don't get me wrong, those three teams have a legitimate claim to fame for that title, but the Broncos are not far behind them. The Broncos offense is going to be elite once again as long as Peyton Manning is healthy, and their defense on paper at least, looks extremely threatening. This is a team that has struggled in the playoffs, so I can understand feeling wary to say a Super Bowl berth is on its way, but let's not pretend that it is out of the question either. The Broncos may have gotten even better, and if Manning stays completely healthy and plays like he did at the beginning of last year, then they could be Super Bowl bound.

Offseason Outlook 2015: San Diego Chargers

Offense

It might be a little weird but the biggest question I have about the Chargers offense right now is will Phillip Rivers be their quarterback after next season. Since this is a 2015 outlook, I'll keep myself from talking about that until the time comes. Speaking of Phillip Rivers, he really doesn't get enough credit. Maybe he isn't an elite QB, but he's not far off from that Brady and Rodgers level of play either. The Chargers offense relies on him to perform at a very high level, and he always seems to come through. He does have some good weapons though. Keenan Allen has been a very good wide receiver ever since he was drafted, and hopefully he can take the step forward that many were expecting him to take last year. They also have Malcolm Floyd who I believe was one of the most underrated wide receivers in football last season. He didn't dominate by any means, but he was very consistent and in fact put up the best numbers for a WR on their team last year. They also signed Stevie Johnson who could be a very good 3rd WR for Rivers. At tight end, they have one of the best TE's of all time in Antonio Gates (who by the way caught 12 touchdown passes last year. 12! I just looked it up and am still in awe over it), and a young, high-ceiling TE in Ladarius Green. I don't know if this will FINALLY be the year that Ladarius Green will get an increased role, but even if he doesn't flourish with it, I still am curious as to what he would do with more snaps. He is an absolute behemoth of a TE and at 6'6 and 240 lbs, and being a crazy athletic human being, I just want to see him make a few jaw dropping plays even if he isn't all that consistent. The running back situation looks substantially better for San Diego this year. Melvin Gordon (The 15th pick in this years draft) has a real chance to be a special running back in this league. I think that because of Todd Gurley, Gordon didn't receive as much attention as he deserved, but he's a difference maker in the backfield and he will force defenses to game plan for him as well as Rivers. Apart from Gordon, they have some depth in the Darren Sproles like Brandon Oliver, Danny Woodhead, and Donald Brown. Even though I'm surprised the Chargers didn't focus more on the offensive line in the draft, it should still be better than last year as signing Orlando Franklin was a solid move by San Diego's FO. Orlando Franklin will probably play at left guard, and along with King Dunlap, they will make a formidable left side (not to mention massive, Franklin is 6'7, 320 lbs, and Dunlap is 6'9, 330 lbs!). Dunlap continues to surprise people at left tackle as he has been a good blindside protector for Rivers. Chris Watt had a nice first year at center after Nick Hardwick retired, and if he can stay healthy then hopefully he can take another developmental step forward. At right guard there are serious question marks, but D.J. Fluker should be in for a bounce back year at right tackle. This offense surprised me though. Now I will confess, I didn't watch a lot of Chargers games live last year, but even without Melvin Gordon, I would have expected this to be around the top 10 in points per game last year, but they were in the bottom half of the league. Now that they should have a solid run game, I'm predicting a big year for Rivers (also contract year!) and this offense as a whole. A top 10 finish seems almost overdue.

Defense

This is an interesting defense to say the least, and I will get more into that near the end, but let's start with the defensive line. I'm a big fan of Corey Liuget. He had a solid season last year, but I'm expecting him to make a big jump and be a huge difference maker for this D. Kendall Reyes had a bad year last year, I am well aware of that, but I weirdly still believe in him. I'm not saying he's going to be a superstar, but I also don't think he will be a liability in any means this year. They also have Sean Lissemore at nose tackle, who might be a little below average, but he's a passable NT. The Chargers have a group of linebackers that has gone through an extreme makeover over the last couple of years. Melvin Ingram has bounced back after a slow start to his career to become a productive pass rusher for them. They also have a young trio of inside linebackers in Donald Butler, Manti Te'o, and Denzel Perryman. All three of these players can be solid ILB's for the Chargers for a long time, but Donald Butler has struggled to stay healthy in his career so I'm assuming that is why they drafted Perryman. Their second round pick from 2014, Jerry Attaochu, also has very high potential and could end up being a great pass rusher, but he played in very few snaps last year for San Diego so it is tough to predict how he will fare this season. This is a very young and talented group of linebackers, and if all goes right, they could all be elite players; but this is the NFL, and very rarely does all go right so I guess we'll see what happens with them next year. My opinion is that I do think at least one of these linebackers will break out in a big way next year. On to a very interesting NFL position group, the Chargers secondary. Let's get out of the way what we know. Eric Weddle is an elite safety, that is a fact. He is extremely good at what he does, and has been incredibly consistent throughout his career, so I would expect another big year out of him. Their other safety, Jahleel Addae, was actually pretty good last year too. He clearly benefitted from playing alongside Weddle, but he had a surprisingly strong year. On to what we don't know. The Chargers cornerback duo might be the best in the NFL next year. I'm going to say that again slowly, because it does sound ridiculous. The. Chargers. Cornerback. Duo. Might. Be. The. Best. In. The. NFL. Next. Year. Let me explain myself first, then feel free to mock. Brandon Flowers, who is their number one CB going into next year, had himself a terrific year last year. He wasn't the best CB in the NFL, but being in his first year with the Chargers and on a new defense, he graded out as a top tier number one cornerback. Brandon Flowers partner in crime, Jason Verrett, is my favourite player not enough people are talking about going into the season. He only played in parts of 6 games last year, but if he is healthy, he has the talent to instantly become one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. I could riddle off a bunch of stats in college and his small NFL sample size about how amazing he is, but you can easily Google that so I'm not going to bother. All I'm going to say is watch some of his tape, watch his hips, watch him mirror certain wide receivers at the line, and after you do all of that jump on the bandwagon with me. Overall, this Chargers defense should be better next year. A healthy year out of Verrett would be huge, and if their linebackers start to reach some of their potential, then the rest of the NFL should take notice. I wouldn't be shocked to see a top 10 finish on defense, and considering they were 13th last year, it would shock me if they weren't in the top 10.

The Chargers are making the playoffs this coming year. It's not that bold of a prediction, and if they don't I will own up to being completely wrong, but I think they have a CHANCE to snake the division away from the Broncos. Phillip Rivers has a real run game for the first time since LaDainian Tomlinson, and I'm sure he intends to make the most of it. The Chargers should also get more from their defense in what should be a defining season for a San Diego team that may or may not have Phillip Rivers as their quarterback going into the 2016 season.

Offseason Outlook 2015: Oakland Raiders

Offense

After the 2013 NFL season, there was very little that someone could say about the Oakland Raiders offense that was positive. They were in a tough situation, so they drafted Derek Carr in the second round. I'm not going to just preach about how Derek Carr is a saviour at QB and he is perfect, because he isn't. In fact, he struggled quite a bit in his rookie year. Even still, he passed the eye test, and a lot of people believe he can be a franchise quarterback, including the Oakland Raiders front office. In today's NFL, finding a franchise QB is one of the hardest things to do, so if in fact Carr is one, then the Raiders can feel good about their future. Speaking of future, the Raiders may have the best QB-WR combo over the next decade. Drafting Amari Cooper was a great pick, and it gives Derek Carr a go-to-guy, something he desperately needed last year. They also signed Michael Crabtree, and he can be a solid second option for Carr. Their other weapons consist of Kenbrell Thompkins, Rod Streater, and a few young UDFA WR's. At tight end, the Raiders have Mychal Rivera and the recently drafted Clive Walford. Walford may take over as the number one TE quickly because he is a very reliable blocker and that can be a big help to Derek Carr as there are some questions on the O-line. Speaking of the O-line, the left side was surprisingly productive last year. Donald Penn had a nice bounce back season at left tackle, and Gabe Jackson is a good, young left guard. At center the Raiders struggled last year, so they went out at signed Rodney Hudson who was one of the leagues best centers for Kansas City last year. On the right side the Raiders have some question marks. Austin Howard was okay at right tackle last year, but he didn't live up to his 5/$30 million contract he signed last offseason. Khalif Barnes struggled at right guard last year and he looks to be slotted in there again this year. So while the left side looks solid, Oakland will need some better play out of Howard and Barnes to really help give Carr some time in the pocket. In the backfield, the Raiders believe they have a blossoming star in Latavius Murray. In watching his limited snaps last season, I would have to agree with them. This guy looks so smooth, and if you have time, watch his 90 yard TD run against Kansas City last year. The run was a misdirection and all he did was cut once inside and then he blew by the rest of the defense. I'm not saying he's going to be a star because of that one run, but he has the overall talent to be a very good running back next year if he stays healthy. They also have Trent Richardson... So take that how you will... No matter what production he gives them if any, they signed another good running back in Roy Helu, who in limited snaps last year was very productive with Washington. This offense should be expected to improve drastically solely based on the addition of Amari Cooper, but there is quite a bit to like outside of him and Carr. Even though they lack any sort of star power on offense, they have a lot of quality players and very few, if any, glaring weaknesses. This offense won't blow anybody away this year, but expect them to be significantly better than second last in points scored per game in the NFL, which they were last year.

Defense

The Raiders had the worst defense in the NFL last year, allowing 28.2 points per game. So at least there is nowhere to go but up! On the D-line, they drafted Mario Edwards in the second round. If he plays like he did in 2013, the Raiders have a star player on there hands. They also signed Dan Williams who was a very good nose tackle with Arizona last year, and should play a big role in stopping the run for them. Justin Ellis will most likely play inside next to Williams, and he had a solid year last year too. Justin Tuck rounds out the defensive line, and he was another pleasant surprise for them last year, so hopefully he can repeat his production in a contract year with the Raiders. A solid defensive line is followed by a young, yet very talented group of linebackers. It is led by Khalil Mack, who right out of the gate was a superstar for Oakland last year. They also have Sio Moore playing weak side linebacker, and I might be a lot higher on him then most, but I think he is primed for a huge year opposite Mack. The Raiders also signed Curtis Lofton, and he should be a big upgrade over Dannell Ellerbe between the two young linebackers. The real issues that this defense will have are in the secondary. Charles Woodson continues to defy Father Time at free safety, so I'm in no way going to bet against him, but the Raiders did overpay for Nate Allen to pair with Woodson. Allen at best can be an average safety, but he gets burned quite a bit and can be very inconsistent. At cornerback, D.J. Hayden and Keith McGill will be starting at left and right cornerback respectively, with T.J. Carrie in the slot. This is a very young group of corners, and they are all fairly unreliable too. D.J. Hayden has a high ceiling at cornerback, but unfortunately he has struggled to stay healthy. It's true that overall this defense does look better, and they have a few young players who could develop into very good NFL players, but the lack of depth and current stars on defense draws enough concern that I doubt they will be overly competitive with good offenses.

I might be lower on the Raiders than most, but I can't deny that the future is bright. The new coaching staff should bring some life to the roster too, and even though I don't love Jack Del Rio as the head coach, I don't think it was an awful get, and I think he's a better fit than Dennis Allen. Immediately next year, not much should be expected. An improvement to 5 wins for next year seems like what to expect, but if the coaching staff has these players playing hard, then they will be a tough opponent week after week.Also, Derek Carr, Amari Cooper (even though he hasn't played a snap yet), and Khalil Mack are all stars in the making, and if the Raiders continue to build around that core then they will be the premier Bay Area team in no time.