I’ve said before that the only way for the Iowa Hawkeyes to get better was to change their ways and I didn’t believe that that was possible under Kirk Ferentz because all evidence I’ve seen said so.  I’m not convinced that yesterday’s destruction of Illinois St. was absolute proof that things have changed but all I’ve asked for is for Ferentz to show us all that things are different and not just talk about.  There were so many positives in yesterday’s game it’s tough not to get at least a little excited that things could go well this season but there are still a few things that temper my expectations.

The first major thing people want to talk about is the QB change and CJ Beathard had a nice game against the Redbirds and while I’m not about to anoint him the second coming of Chuck Long like some he was a nice improvement.  The one thing that Beathard did that made a huge difference was his decisiveness with the football.  On short throws to WRs or RBs in the flat timing is everything and Beathard recognized who was open quickly, decided which player to go to and delivered the ball quickly and without hesitation.  He did this several times to WR Matt Vandeberg and RB Jordan Canzeri and getting the ball in the hands as quickly as possible is a key to them having a chance to make a play.  Beathard wasn’t perfect and he missed the only deep throws he tried but the offense was able to sustain drives, wear out the defense and convert on third and fourth down when it counted.  He also did a nice job using his legs to gain yards, buy time and keep the chains moving.

The biggest difference in the offense overall was the proper usage of the players and their abilities.  The first of these was RB LeShun Daniels who brings the same power to the position as Mark Weisman did but has far more burst and much better patience and both showed yesterday.  Daniels is the type of RB that punishes defenders when he hits them, frustrates them because he’s tough to bring down yet has enough burst through the hole that he catches them off guard with his speed.  He wore down the Redbirds defense and while they became more fatigued as the game went on he just got stronger.  The Hawkeyes also found that Jordan Canzeri is the perfect complementary back to Daniels and his usage was exceptional.  Canzeri only carried the ball 5 times but he added 4 catches and he made the most of his touches and perhaps he should get a few more of each but 5-7 carries and 5-7 catches is about right.  The Hawkeyes need to keep Canzeri healthy and effective in his role because he keeps the defense guessing.  Using Canzeri a couple of times to run up the middle, a few times running to the edge and four times catching the ball out the backfield means the defense has to prepare for all of those things when he enters the game.  When your personnel doesn’t give away your play call (we didn’t see Jonathan Parker running the jet sweep at all yesterday) it makes life fa more difficult for the defense.

Only three WRs caught passes yesterday as the Hawkeyes did most of their damage in the running game and they need to get some more guys involved (TE George Kittle and WRs Jerminic Smith and Adrian Falconer for starters) but the way they used Tevaun Smith, Matt Vandeberg and Jacob Hillyer was far better than anything they did last season.  Smith only had 3 catches but they were important catches especially the one on 4th down.  The fact that Iowa went with a passing play on 4th and short is in and of itself noteworthy but CJ Beathard was smart enough to go to his best WR and the play call put Smith in a great position to make the play.  He needs to be more involved in the offense but yesterday’s game didn’t really require a lot from him as the team dominated in other ways.  Iowa finally took advantage of the skills Matt Vandeberg does possess instead of asking him to do things he is ill-suited for.  Vandeberg has a quick burst and decisiveness and throwing the quick out to him worked well against a Illinois St. team that doesn’t have the outside speed to close quickly on him.  This is a far better use of him than trying to have him run go routes down the field and catch long passes with a CB or safety draped all over him.  Jacob Hillyer is the big, tall WR and while he only had two catches they went for 18 and 20 yards so they used him to stretch the field a bit and that’s how you should use your bigger WR.

The Iowa offensive line had a distinct size advantage over their FCS opponent but they did the work to make it count.  Illinois St. DE Teddy Corwin is a pretty good player and Boone Myers and the rest of the line neutralized him to the point where he was a non-factor.  They dominated in the run game and while they will have to step up as their opponents get tougher this game served as a nice confidence boost to start the season.  Two notes on the offensive line; 1. C Austin Blythe is as good as advertised and he’s going to have a great year and 2. True Freshman OG James Daniels (LeShun Daniels “little” brother) played at the end of the game and he’s going to be special.

The defense absolutely destroyed Illinois St.’s offense and while I would usually be loath to give credit to one player it’s hard not to give most of the credit to senior DE Drew Ott.  QB Tre Roberson left yesterday’s game with a 95 tattoo on his body after Ott relentlessly hit and harassed him.  Ott only recorded two sacks but that doesn’t even come close to telling the story of his dominance.  Truthfully the entire defensive line deserves the credit but Ott was the star.  While most people knew Ott was in for a great year DT Jaleel Johnson was the guy being asked to step into the rather large shoes of DT Carl Davis (now a Baltimore Raven) and he didn’t just fill in he had a breakout game.  Johnson recorded a sack but he did far more than that as he was the major reason why the Redbirds running game was non-existent.  RB Marshaun Coprich is no slouch but he couldn’t get anything going and only had 32 yards rushing on 13 attempts.  Johnson spent almost as much time in the Redbirds backfield as Coprich did.  The attention they had to pay to Drew Ott on the outside helped Johnson get free on the inside and when they tried to concentrate on both of them DE Nate Meier took advantage too.  When the entire defensive line (new DT Nathan Bazata played pretty well too) dominates the rest of the defense’s jobs get a lot easier.  CB Greg Mabin got a lot of work yesterday and he really played well but one thing that fails to get mentioned during TV broadcasts is that one of the reasons Mabin had so many opportunities to make plays was because QBs Tre Roberson and Jake Kolbe were smart enough to avoid throwing towards Desmond King’s side of the defense.

While I am very happy with the way the Hawkeyes played and the fact that the actually beat an FCS opponent the way they should beat an FCS opponent there are still a few things to fix over the next couple of weeks especially before the Big Ten schedule starts.  On offense the team has to find a way to stretch the field in the passing game.  Tevaun Smith has to get open down the field because averaging 8.0 yards per catch like he did in the Illinois St. game is not going to get it done.  Whether they need to get the freshmen Jerminic Smith and Adrian Falconer on the field to do it it has to be done.  Running every play within 10 yards of the line of scrimmage makes life a lot easier on your opponents and makes it much tougher on your running game.  I realize the team is missing a major playmaking component of their offense without TE Jake Duzey but they need to use George Kittle and even possibly get TE Jameer Outsey some early playing time to see if they can get something going over the middle.  My friend Bill pointed out one thing to me that I completely agree with and we both agree it is nitpicking the play calling but worth mentioning the last QB sneak TD by Beathard should have been a hand off to LeShun Daniels to get him a TD after he put in such a great performance all day.  If you’re going to give a guy 26 carries in a game and he’s going to average nearly 5 yards a carry and his backup got an easy short TD earlier in the game you should throw the guy a bone in the fourth quarter.  He did the lion’s share of the work for the day but you don’t let him run it in from a couple yards out?  Daniels deserved a little glory.

A few notes.

• 3rd string RB Derrick Mitchell didn’t see action in the game because he was a little dinged up and the coaches wanted to let him heal up a little more.  Akrum Wadley, who played last year but had been passed up in the off season by Mitchell, stepped in when the game was well within hand and promptly showed why Mitchell is ahead of him.  Wadley had fumbling issues last year and he fumbled on his second carry of the game.  Something tells me Mitchell will be just fine from now on and Wadley is about to enter the witness protection program, meaning he’ll never be heard from again.
• Three true freshmen played; WR Jerminic Smith and OG James Daniels we knew would play because Ferentz said so last week.  Falconer was a bit of a surprise but not completely surprising given the fact that the WR group needs playmakers.
• As I suspected Miles Taylor and Jordan Lomax make a much better safety tandem than Lomax and Lowdermilk did as both of them were flying all over the field.  Neither is afraid to hit or to cover and while Taylor had a bad missed tackle on a running back early on that wasn’t indicative of his overall play.
• The LBs played pretty well overall although life is a lot easier for LBs when the defensive line is owning the offensive line.
• Desmond King is a special talent at CB and you won’t hear his name called a lot because no one is going to be dumb enough to throw at him this year.  He also did an excellent job at punt returning, I don’t remember him fair catching anything and that’s a start.
• The Hawkeye punting game wasn’t used a lot yesterday but when it was…it wasn’t pretty.
• K Marshall Koehn might hit someone in the front row behind the end zone (or the fourth row), they should consider lifting the net they put up for field goals just for safety sake.  Our kickoff coverage team is just running wind sprints at this point.  If Koehn has a consistent year at FGs he’ll be kicking in the NFL next year (if anyone had uttered that sentence at this time last year they would be laughed out of the room, oh how things can change).  Also you have to love the fact that he came up 2 yards short of a first down on a fake field goal attempt and basically got a standing ovation because the crowd was so stunned the Hawkeyes called for a fake field goal.  He was part of the most popular turnover on downs ever.
• Two fifth year seniors that played well and I hope have good years.  OG Jordan Walsh looked pretty solid and after a couple of inconsistent seasons hopefully he can have the Matt Tobin-like senior year I mentioned in my preview.  WLB Cole Fisher has been a backup his whole career and played special teams and he never complained, never threatened to quit and never looked to transfer and yesterday he started and led the team in tackles.  He may be from Nebraska but that kid is all Hawkeye.
• Final Note: None of this matters if the Hawkeyes can’t get over their mental block when it comes to playing the Cyclones next Saturday.  The game is on the road but the Hawkeyes need to get the win, not because beating Iowa St will mean anything overall but because they need the mental health it will provide for the rest of the year.

Teams Set at QB for the Future

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are comfortable going forward with Ryan Tannehill and while he isn’t in the upper echelon of QBs he is a young player that had a good season last year and could do even better as the talent around him improves. After throwing for over 4,000 yards and 27 TDs the Dolphins decided to remake Tannehill’s pass catching group. WR Jarvis Landry is the only real holdover as veterans Greg Jennings and Kenny Stills were added at WR along with rookie DeVante Parker and Jordan Cameron replaces Charles Clay at TE. This is an upgrade and Tannehill could really break out this year with this group. The one thing that could hold this offense back is the offensive line. They need LT Branden Albert to stay healthy so Ja’Waun James can stay at RT where he could excel and they need to get better play from their OGs.

The Dolphins’ defense got a major upgrade in the middle with DT Ndamukong Suh and he should team with DT Earl Mitchell and DEs Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon to form a very good defensive line. Suh and Wake will cause headaches for every offensive coordinator they face. The LB corps was terrible last year and they finally cut bait with free agent busts Dannell Ellerbe and Phillip Wheeler and they move Koa Misi to MLB hoping the changes provide better results. They are hoping Brent Grimes can squeeze one more good season out of his 32 year old body and that either Will Davis or Jamar Taylor can step up on the opposite side.

Biggest Off Season Move: Signing DT Ndamukong Suh

Bringing in the biggest free agent of the off season has rarely been the best move for any team as it usually just means you spent a lot of money on a guy that needs to fit into your team. Suh is an absolute beast and paired with Cameron Wake on the outside they will create major problems for every opponent. He can basically do everything well so while he was a very costly addition the Dolphins were in a position to make a move and really help their team so it was and understandable expense.

Player to Watch: WR Jarvis Landry

Landry caught a lot of passes last year for not a lot of yards and only 5 TDs but this season he is Tannehill’s only returning receiving threat. He played great out of the slot and became Tannehill’s security blanket, evidenced by his short 9 yards/ catch average. Tannehill should be most comfortable with Landry and while he may still catch a lot of short passes he really didn’t get a lot of playing time early last year so over an entire season he should really excel.

Sleeper of the Season: WR DeVante Parker

Parker had foot surgery this summer and just recently was taken off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. He won’t be ready to start the season but I think he could be this year’s Odell Beckham, a rookie that misses the beginning of the season but once he’s ready to contribute he will explode. Parker may not make the same crazy catches like Beckham but he’s a superior talent and while Greg Jennings and Kenny Stills are veterans Jennings is past his prime and Stills lacks Parker’s overall talent. Landry will dominate in the slot but the team will need a better deep threat than Stills or Jennings outside and Parker will flourish there.

Atlanta Falcons

Whether you love him or are indifferent to him the Falcons are going with Matt Ryan at QB and he’s been pretty solid. He hasn’t been the problem on the offense that has been the offensive line and the running backs and staying healthy and replacing Tony Gonzalez, yeah they have had their issues. Ryan has a superstar WR Julio Jones that the Falcons just gave a major five year extension to and that’s a nice start. WR Roddy White isn’t getting any younger and injuries are starting to affect his ability not only to be a difference maker but also just getting on the field. They moved on from RB Steven Jackson and it’s a battle of the hamstring injuries between Devonta Freeman and rookie Tevin Coleman. Freeman has the experience (although not that much) but Coleman has the skill set to be huge in new offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan’s offense. The signing of veteran TE Jacob Tamme was a sneaky good addition because Ryan needs a good TE as a safety net. The offensive line hasn’t been good the last few years and they didn’t really add any help so that could hinder any offensive improvement.

The Falcons’ defense has been terrible and the team brought in Dan Quinn and a number of veterans and a playmaking rookie to help rescue it. DL Adrian Clayborn, LBs Justin Durant, Brooks Reed and O’Brien Schofield and rookie DE Vic Beasley are being tasked with turning around a front seven that wasn’t very good. Beasley should bring a lot of pressure even if he only plays on passing downs and Clayborn, Reed and Schofield can also get to the QB. CBs Desmond Trufant and Robert Alford struggled at times last year and that had a lot to do with having to cover all day and they will benefit from more pressure up front and rookie CB Jalen Collins should also help out. The LB corps was completely overhauled as Paul Worrilow takes over in the middle and newcomers Reed and Durant flank him.

Biggest Off Season Move: Hiring Dan Quinn as the new head coach

Mike Smith was one of the more successful coaches in Falcons’ history but he just couldn’t get them past being just a playoff team and then when the team fell apart last season it was time for a change. Quinn was the architect of the Seattle Seahawks defense the past couple years and the Falcons wanted him so much they waited until after the Super Bowl to finally hire him. He has a herculean task in fixing a Falcons’ defense that has been bad for a number of years and hasn’t had a decent pass rush since John Abraham was a star. He is also transitioning the team back to a 4-3 alignment after the ill-advised switch to a 3-4 was a disaster.

Player to Watch: RB Tevin Coleman

Davonte Freeman is a solid back but Coleman fits Shanahan’s scheme and he’s a game breaker that could take a lot of pressure off of QB Matt Ryan. Coleman is used to running behind suspect offensive lines and making big plays anyway because that’s what he did his entire college career at Indiana. Once he gets over his hamstring injury, and I think he’s crazy for trying to play through it, he will seize the starting job and be a major upgrade at the position.

Sleeper of the Season: WR Justin Hardy

Julio Jones is the big dog at WR and that isn’t a question but after him things get murky. Roddy White has been a mainstay but he’s 33 years old and questionable to start the year. Veteran free agent Leonard Hankerson was signed from Washington but he’s never been a consistent contributor. Devin Hester is 32 and has never excelled as a WR. The team lost slot receiver Harry Douglas to free agency which means they need someone to step up there and possibly to replace White. Hardy caught everything at East Carolina even though every opponent knew he was the go-to WR. He can be a perfect complement to Jones’ downfield big play ability and he will be a reliable target for Ryan.

Detroit Lions

The Lions are locked into Matthew Stafford at QB and he is just entering his prime years with Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate as his primary weapons. Tate had a very good year as Megatron was never really himself and Stafford finally found someone else that could play. The rest of the offense has its question marks with the offensive line needing a RT, TE needing Eric Ebron to rebound from a disappointing rookie year and the running game looking to rookie Ameer Abdullah for a shot in the arm. Rookie OG Laken Tomlinson should also help clear the way for a better running attack. If Calvin Johnson can get back to being his dominant self this offense has potential.

The defense is dealing with the loss of free agent DTs Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley and while Haloti Ngata isn’t a long term solution he fills a major need for now. Tyrunn Walker was a solid addition at DT too and Ezekiel Ansah could break out after a solid year at DE. The LB corps will be pleased to get MLB Stephen Tulloch back after he missed almost all of last season but unfortunately they still won’t get back Kyle Van Noy as he is fighting an injury again. They did well extending the contract of OLB DeAndre Levy because he has been an underrated player and is a steadying presence. CB Darius Slay stepped up big time last season and assumed the #1 CB spot while Rashean Mathis continues to fight off father time and the Lions refuse to find a replacement. The drafting of CBs Alex Carter and Quandre Diggs adds some depth but one of them will have to take a big leap to replace Mathis.

Biggest Off Season Move: Losing DT Ndamukong Suh in free agency

Suh is a destructive force on the field and the Lions will miss that but his contract was cost prohibitive and the Lions couldn’t afford to keep him around. They made a trade to bring in Haloti Ngata from Baltimore and he’ll hold the fort for now but they will have to look for long term solutions at DT soon.

Player to Watch: RB Ameer Abdullah

I am admittedly not Abdullah’s biggest fan but he seems to have taken control of the RB position and he does have skills. He’s an all-around back although I question if he can hold up to the rigors of the NFL. At Nebraska he seemed to have a habit of going out of the game with an injury only to return a short time later and he would do this repeatedly. If he got nicked up that many times in college he’ll spend a lot more time on the sidelines in the NFL. He could be a huge key to the season as the Lions’ running game has been pretty hit-or-miss throughout Stafford’s tenure.

Sleeper of the Season: OLB Kyle Van Noy

He missed half of last season with a hernia and was never quite healthy and now he’s fighting injury again so it’s tough to see him making a big difference. However, if Van Noy can get healthy the only thing standing between him and playing time is Tahir Whitehead and while he’s alright he is nowhere near the playmaker Van Noy could be.

Carolina Panthers

The Panthers were unlucky enough to win their division while only finishing 7-9. I say unlucky because it caused them to pick lower in the draft where the otherwise could have gotten franchise QB Cam Newton some real help. The team desperately needs help on the offensive line, especially at OT and at WR, especially now that Kelvin Benjamin is injured. They can talk all they want about how much they love Devin Funchess but they really could have used one of the top WR prospects. The offensive line is counting on Michael Oher at LT and Mike Remmers at RT and that should concern everyone especially Cam Newton. Funchess and Corey Brown are penciled in to start at WR and Brown has had a really rough preseason. TE Greg Olsen is the only pass catching threat Newton has at the moment. RB Jonathan Stewart is finally the unquestioned starter now the DeAngelo Williams is gone but what will the Panthers do for the four or five games Stewart is injured.

Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott have done a fantastic job even after losing DE Greg Hardy last year to a “roster exemption” because of his domestic violence incident. This year starting DE Frank Alexander went down with a season ending injury already and they need Kony Ealy to step up. Second year DTs Star Lotulelei and Kawann Short form a fantastic inside duo that frees DE Charles Johnson up on the outside. MLB Luke Kuechly and OLB Thomas Davis are the dynamic duo and while AJ Klein might hold down the other spot rookie Shaq Thompson could take it away. The secondary added CB Charles Tillman for a veteran presence but they need more talent to get better.

Biggest Off Season Move: Signing Michael Oher and thinking he can play LT

When Jordan Gross retired after the 2013 season the Panthers decided to replace him with Byron Bell and he was ill-suited for the job and now he’s playing guard in Tennessee. The Panthers decided to double down on ill-suited left tackles and they signed Michael Oher who has struggled to even play right tackle very well in the NFL. Oher signed a big contract a year ago to be the Titans RT but they cut him after a year and now the Panthers are going to line him up on the left side (I refuse to use Michael Oher and blind side together in a sentence, per Oher’s wishes).

Player to Watch: RB Cameron Artis-Payne

Jonathan Stewart has always been a tease with his size, speed and vision and people have always blamed his lack of breakout numbers on sharing his workload with DeAngelo Williams but I think Stewart is just good enough to not be replaced but he isn’t elite. He also has a tendency to get banged up and so the Panthers will need someone to start four or five games. There is a reason why Fozzy Whitaker and Jordan Todman aren’t NFL starters and Artis-Payne has the ability to step in when Stewart is unavailable.

Sleeper of the Season: DE Kony Ealy

Ealy was the less talked about Missouri DE in the 2014 draft but he was the better prospect. Greg Hardy and Frank Alexander were supposed to be ahead of him last year and now that Hardy is in Dallas and Alexander is on IR Ealy is going to get a chance to play. He isn’t the speed rusher teams dream about but he can hold his own and I think he’ll play well especially since the other three guys on the defensive line will command great attention.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens signed Joe Flacco to a massive contract after they won the Super Bowl a couple years ago so they are set at QB. They also have one of the best offensive lines in football led by arguably the best lineman in football RG Marshall Yanda. Yanda even stepped in at RT last season when Ricky Wagner was injured and they didn’t miss a beat. RB Justin Forsett can thank that offensive line for his breakout year running the ball and his new contract with the team. The passing game is in a state of flux as Flacco’s weapons change. WR Steve Smith came over last year and he says this is it for him, Torrey Smith left for a big contract in San Francisco and the Ravens replaced him with rookie Breshad Perriman (a workout warrior if nothing else). TE Dennis Pitta is injured again so holdover Crockett Gillmore and rookie Maxx Williams will be counted on to contribute.

The Ravens defense has always been their calling card and this season shouldn’t be any different but they are starting to replace the old parts with new ones. NT Brandon Williams stepped up last season and they are expecting DE Timmy Jernigan to replace Haloti Ngata this season. They drafted DL Carl Davis with an eye towards replacing aging DE Chris Canty eventually. ILB CJ Mosley stepped in as a rookie last year and was very good but they need to look at younger replacements for ILB Daryl Smith and OLBs Elvis Dumervil and Terrell Suggs. They drafted Za’Darius Smith out of Kentucky hoping he can fill the role vacated by Pernell McPhee and potentially replace either Dumervil or Suggs in the future. Free safety Kendrick Lewis was signed last year and strong safety Will Hill replaced the ineffective Matt Elam and he played very well. The CBs just need to be healthy as they both (Ladarius Webb and Jimmy Smith) should be in their prime.

Biggest Off Season Move: Replacing DE Haloti Ngata and WR Torrey Smith with Timmy Jernigan and Breshad Perriman

The team moved on from Ngata because defensive linemen over 30 have a short shelf life and the Ravens have always been willing to look to the next guy. Jernigan was drafted last year and showed them enough to think he can handle the job. Smith was a free agent that the team knew would get a big enough offer that they wouldn’t want to match. The Ravens know the value of a player like Smith and knew they could replace him. Perriman was a workout star and his blazing speed will fill Torrey Smith’s role just as soon as he is healthy enough.

Player to Watch: OLB Terrell Suggs

Suggs replaced Ray Lewis as the leader of the Ravens defense after Lewis retired and while Suggs was still an affective pass rusher last season the end is coming sooner rather than later for him. He is the straw that stirs the drink for the defense but they need other playmakers to step up to give him a hand and they have to hope Za’Darius Smith can rotate in for both Suggs and Dumervil to keep them fresh.

Sleeper of the Season: TE Maxx Williams

Joe Flacco has always liked a good pass catching TE and he’s really missed Dennis Pitta the last couple of years as he has been out with multiple hip injuries. Crockett Gillmore is listed as the starter but Maxx Williams brings a nice skill set to the table and I think he’ll become Flacco’s security blanket. A good TE can be a QB’s best friend.

Seattle Seahawks

Russell Wilson has led the Seahawks to one Super Bowl title and one Super Bowl loss in his three years in the league and while you can make a case he wasn’t the driving force you can’t let a QB that has done that get away. Wilson has Marshawn Lynch carrying the load on offense but he fits what Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Derrell Bevell want to do so his contract extension while expensive was understandable. The team has gotten along without great playmakers in the passing game but it came back to haunt them in the Super Bowl so they traded their starting center Max Unger and a 1^st round pick for TE Jimmy Graham. Graham gives them a great target especially in the red zone but they are still going with Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Richardo Lockette and rookie Tyler Lockett at WR so Wilson will have to make plays. He will likely also have to rely on his legs a bit more as the offensive line is in major transition. LT Russell Okung is the only sure then in front of Wilson and that could affect the passing game but more importantly could disrupt their formidable running game. Marshawn Lynch’s “Beastmode” won’t work as well if the blocking up front is suspect.

Pete Carroll has built the Seahawks into one of the most impressive defensive teams in the league and they have sustained it through Gus Bradley and Dan Quinn as the coordinators and now it’s up to former DB coach Kris Richard to carry on. The Legion of Boom (the secondary) has lost guys like Brandon Browner, Walter Thurmond III and Byron Maxwell the last two years and they are counting on Tharold Simon and newcomer Cary Williams to step up beside star Richard Sherman. The holdout of SS Kam Chancellor could really affect the play of the unit overall. DEs Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril bring pressure as does OLB Bruce Irvin and MLB Bobby Wagner is the unsung hero of the group.

Biggest Off Season Move: Trading for TE Jimmy Graham

Giving up their starting center and a first round pick could come back to haunt this team even if Jimmy Graham is as good in Seattle playing with Russell Wilson as he was in New Orleans playing with Drew Brees. Seattle gave up a pretty good center in Unger and a draft pick they could have used to get a WR or more help on the line for a TE that won’t help their run blocking.

Player to Watch: TE Jimmy Graham

Graham is a fantastic pass catching TE and he gives the Seahawks a major red zone weapon and a guy that will command attention in the passing game. He cost this team quite a bit in a trade so the pressure is on and he doesn’t have the same type of passing offense in Seattle that he had in New Orleans where guys like Marques Colston and other WRs took focus away from him. The Seahawks still don’t have a true #1 WR and Russell Wilson is not Drew Brees throwing the ball.

Sleeper of the Season: Rookie WR Tyler Lockett

Lockett is a playmaker and he will make the team’s roster simply because he’s an excellent return man. The Seahawks WR depth chart is far from formidable so he could make a move. Richardo Lockette and Chris Matthews both played in the Super Bowl but they are far from sure things at this point. After Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse no one is a safe bet.

Indianapolis Colts

No team in the league is as set for the present and the future at QB as the Colts. Andrew Luck is 25 years old, a Pro Bowl player, a threat to win the MVP award and he took his team to the AFC Championship game last season. He threw for over 4700 yards and had 40 TDs to 16 INTs those are incredible numbers that he could actually surpass this year. No team has the depth of weapons the Colts offer Luck this year either. WRs TY Hilton, Andre Johnson, Donte Moncrief, Phillip Dorsett and Duron Carter are the most impressive collection of WRs 1-5 in the league. TEs Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen are two very good players that make Luck’s life easier. RB Frank Gore was brought in to solidify the running game and they hope Vick Ballard can return to health to give them depth. The biggest issue facing the Colts offense is the line protecting Luck. LT Anthony Costanzo is solid but they need new RG Todd Herremans and new RT Jack Mewhort to play very well. Lance Louis and Khaled Holmes are slated to be the starting LG and C and they are fine but not great players.

The defense needs either a couple of old war horses to step up or a couple of young bucks to do it. The defensive line is solid with DEs Kendall Langford and Arthur Jones flanking behemoth NT Josh Chapman but they don’t make a lot of plays so it falls on the LBs. OLB Robert Mathis isn’t young and he’s coming off a torn Achilles tendon and OLB Trent Cole just came over from Philadelphia. Young OLB Bjoern Werner needs to step up and former free agent signee Erik Walden needs to make more plays. The secondary was surprisingly good as Vontae Davis, Greg Toler and Darius Butler make a very solid group at CB. The safeties aren’t great but they got they are veterans.

Biggest Off Season Move: Signing veterans RB Frank Gore and WR Andre Johnson

The team went through a number of running backs last year and they needed some consistency at the position and consistent is Gore’s middle name. He’s been a stalwart in San Francisco and he’ll have a nice end to his career in Indy. Johnson comes in to replace long time Colt Reggie Wayne and while he isn’t a top WR anymore he is a perfect veteran complement to young star TY Hilton. Johnson gets to play with Andrew Luck and finally gets to play with a top notch QB.

Player to Watch: WR Donte Moncrief

Last year the Colts needed a WR to step up opposite TY Hilton when Hakeem Nicks and Reggie Wayne were out and Moncrief did a nice job. He is fighting off Phillip Dorsett and Duron Carter for the third WR spot behind Hilton and Johnson but he showed he can handle the role. Moncrief is the best bet to be a consistent playmaker after Hilton and he doesn’t have to transition like Johnson does.

Sleeper of the Season: WR Duron Carter

Duron Carter is the son of Vikings legend Cris Carter and his career path has been anything but easy. He went to multiple colleges and never really accomplished much at any of them because of his off the field issues. He didn’t get drafted several years ago when he was eligible and he spent some time in the Canadian Football League. He dominated the CFL last year and the Colts signed him before they signed Andre Johnson or drafted Phillip Dorsett and now he has to fight for playing time. He has speed and big play potential and he has great size at 6’5 205 lbs. He could break out if he gets enough playing time.

Green Bay Packers

The only team in the league with a better QB than Indianapolis is Green Bay with reigning MVP Aaron Rodgers but the Colts are in a slightly better overall position because Luck is almost as good and six years younger. Rodgers has plenty of time left and he is at the top of his game now which makes the Packers one of the best teams in the league no matter what. The offense rolls right along with Rodgers at the controls and Eddie Lacy toting the rock. Lacy is the type of big back that has become the norm in the league and pounds defenses into submission. The Packers had one of the best WR corps until top WR Jordy Nelson went down with a torn ACL. The Packers will be fine but it means Randall Cobb and Devante Adams have to step up into more prominent roles. The offensive line is talented but thin and injuries could take a toll.

The Packers defense is led by the pass rush of LBs Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers and they need some others to step up either inside (Carl Bradford or Jake Ryan) or outside (Nick Perry). The defensive line is pretty good but it’s not deep. DEs Mike Daniels and Datone Jones do their jobs well and the return of a healthy BJ Raji helps since Letroy Guion is suspended for the first three games. CBs Sam Shields and Casey Hayward are pretty good but they need rookies Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins to add quality depth. Safeties Morgan Burnett and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix form a pretty nice pair and Micah Hyde can play just about anywhere in the secondary.

Biggest Off Season Move: Not addressing their needs at LB

To me this could be a move that comes back to haunt them because they need have Clay Matthews free to rush the QB and if he’s playing ILB it limits his options. I’m not sure rookie Jake Ryan is much of an answer and while I like Carl Bradford they need more help than that. They resigned RT Bryan Bulaga and WR Jordy Nelson and those were great moves but sometimes it’s the ones you don’t make that matter most.

Player to Watch: WR Devante Adams

I love Adams and what he brings and with Nelson out for the year with a torn ACL they are going to need someone to replace his production. Randall Cobb obviously is a top notch WR and he becomes Rodgers’ favorite target but he had 91 receptions last year so asking for much more is unfair. Adams had 38 receptions and he is capable of producing much more and if he goes for 90 catches I won’t be surprised.

Sleeper of the Season: WR Jeff Janis

If Adams steps up into a much bigger role then someone has to step into his #3 WR spot and I think it’s Janis. The small school product didn’t do much last year but he’s very talented and being Rodgers’ #3 WR is a pretty good gig. A lot of people are expecting Ty Montgomery to be the guy but I see Janis filling the spot.

 

 

 

So today the U.S. Federal Judge Richard Berman sided with justice, fairness and common sense and slapped Roger Goodell and the NFL upside the head by vacating Tom Brady’s suspension.  The Commissioner so thoroughly screwed this up I can’t figure out how he makes $30 million a year.  This case was about a misuse or mishandling of equipment during a game and it was such a meaningless violation that no one recorded it properly, no one knew if it was intentional or if the pressure in a football could be affected by outside weather or air.  It was so meaningless that the NFL had caught teams/players/staff doing similar things before and hadn’t even fined a player for it.  Roger Goodell and the media then blew this up like it was the Watergate scandal (an actual scandal) and let it drag on for months.  I guess I’m not surprised Roger can’t follow the rules because that’s what happens when you make them up as you go.  Roger would have you believe that he suspended Tom Brady because he obstructed the investigation into this non-event yet in the past when Brett Favre sent lewd pictures to a woman and refused to turn over the evidence to the league Roger only fined him.  Roger doesn’t seem to mind fining and suspending people when he has absolutely no evidence just ask anyone from New Orleans that eventually had their suspensions overturned during the whole bounty fiasco.  Of course if there was video evidence of Tom Brady deflating the football by punching it in an elevator his suspension may have only been two games.  Anyone that works in a field where you have to follow rules or enforce rules or laws knows that the biggest way you get yourself in trouble is not enforcing things evenly.  Roger Goodell believes he is the end-all-be-all of everything in the NFL and his word is gospel and today Judge Berman said “No you are not”.   I haven’t read the 40 page rebuke Berman penned but I’ve seen a lot of the coverage and read some of the excerpts and I find it amusing that when Judge Berman referred to the “independent” investigation run by Ted Wells and NFL general counsel Jeffrey Pash he literally puts the word independent in quotation marks.  How could an investigation run by a man being paid $2-3 million by the NFL and a guy who’s office is literally right next to Goodell’s in the NFL headquarters in New York be considered independent?  How could Roger Goodell, the man who handed down the initial suspension (he says it was Troy Vincent’s call, bullshit) be a neutral arbiter for Brady’s league appeal?  Neither of these things is possible and anyone with any common sense can figure that out and Judge Berman obviously has some common sense.

I have one other problem with the way the media has spoken about Roger Goodell and something they don’t seem to be willing to pursue with the owners, who are Roger’s employers.  Many media members say that when they ask the owners about whether or not they support Goodell keeping his job they all seem to say they do and the media says it’s because Goodell has made the owners so much money since he’s been commissioner.  The television money is better than ever, ticket sales are good and people actually show up to games and somehow this is Goodell’s doing?  I don’t believe for a second that if they fire Goodell it will somehow hurt them financially other than having to buy out his ridiculous contract.  People do not go football games because of Roger Goodell, they do not tune in every Sunday, Monday and Thursday night because of Roger.  I don’t buy NFL gear because of Roger and I’ve never met a single football fan that has.  The idea that the NFL would be unable to replace Roger Goodell because he has some sort of super power that makes the NFL more profitable is ridiculous of course I suppose if we left it up to the owners they would probably just replace Goodell with Jeffrey Pash.

Any person with half a brain in Goodell’s position would go to the NFL Player’s Association and ask to sit down and find common ground.  Roger Goodell wants the players to be held to a certain standard off the field and that’s understandable.  The players want a fair and neutral party to determine the punishment in a case and they want to know what the rules are and what punishments they face if they break them beforehand, also completely understandable.  Goodell is the guy that hands out the punishment so he by definition isn’t impartial when it comes to a players appeal.  None of this should have ever happened and if the week after the AFC Championship game the NFL had announced that the Patriots had been fined $25,000 and Tom Brady had been fined $10,000 because some of the footballs the Patriots used had been underinflated that would have been the end of the story.  The conspiracy theorists out there now believe Goodell blew this whole thing up and let it drag on in order to take attention away from the domestic violence issues and the concussion issues that were plaguing the NFL last season.  Normally I would say that crazy but given the idiocy of this whole thing I’m starting to feel like it just might be possible.  That’s how incredibly stupid this whole thing has become, I’m actually willing to believe that Goodell did this on purpose.  I have to say, I’ve never been this ready for some real football.

 

 

Teams With Old QBs That They Still Like

Arizona Cardinals

While guys like Aaron Rodgers and JJ Watt play great football and vie for the MVP award if you put any emphasis on the “Valuable” part of the award Carson Palmer should have won it in a landslide. The Cardinals were beating teams left and right until he went down and then their season did a 180. Palmer is the perfect fit in Bruce Arians vertical passing attack and while the team likes Drew Stanton he’s no Palmer. WRs Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd and John Brown make a nice trio if they can stay healthy (Floyd is out right now). RB Andre Ellington is a threat to score every time he touches the ball but he spends far too much time on the sidelines and he isn’t built to handle a heavy workload. David Johnson was drafted and Chris Johnson was signed as a free agent to take the pressure off of Ellington and hopefully free him to just make plays. The team has made some moves over the last couple of seasons to revamp their offensive line to hopefully keep Palmer healthy and upright. LT Jared Veldheer was signed last year, OG Jonathan Cooper was drafted, C A.Q. Shipley was signed this off season and RT DJ Humphries was drafted and the hope is all of these guys step up and become a legit starting group (they haven’t looked stellar this preseason).

The loss of DE Darnell Dockett could be seen as the biggest one of the off season but it’s actually losing DC Todd Bowles who became head coach of the Jets. Bowles did an excellent job of getting the best out of his players and scheming his way to the best defensive results. The team needs big years out of DE Calais Campbell, OLBs LaMarr Woodley and Alex Okafor, CB Jerraud Powers and a return to health by free agent signee LB Sean Wetherspoon. CB Patrick Peterson and the team’s safety group of Tyrann Mathieu, Tony Jefferson, Deone Bucannon and Rashad Johnson makes for a very good secondary if Powers can replace Antonio Cromartie but this defense might take a step back.

Biggest Off Season Move: Getting QB Carson Palmer back from injury

No team’s season was affected as much by an injury as the Cardinals losing Palmer. They were rolling along and leading the very tough NFC West when he went down and while they were able to hold on for a while and get a playoff spot they folded like a cheap suit when the pressure was on. Palmer makes the offense go because his skills fit Arian’s offense like a glove.

Player to Watch: RB David Johnson

Ellington doesn’t have the size to be an every down back and Chris Johnson is past his prime. David Johnson has a complete skill set and he’s big enough to hold up to the rigors of the NFL. He may come from a small school but he can play with the big boys and while Ellington will still have his place eventually Johnson (David not Chris) will get the bulk of the carries.

Sleeper of the Season: WR John Brown

Last year’s small school rookie played pretty well as the third WR and this year with Floyd coming in to the season with an injury and Fitzgerald not really a deep threat anymore Palmer is going to have to go deep to someone and that’s Brown. He has excellent speed and while he did some damage in the slot last year he’s primed for some more outside playing time and Palmer will look for him.

New York Giants

Eli Manning has two Super Bowl rings and he’s been a consistent for the Giants his entire career. He is under the mistaken impression that he deserves to be the highest paid QB in the league and while the Giants may give in just to keep him happy he owes his Super Bowl rings as much to the great defenses he’s played with as he does to himself. WR Odell Beckham took the league by storm last year once he was healthy and now the Giants hope he can team with Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle and give Eli the best WR corps he’s had in years. The running game will be divided between Rashad Jennings and Andre Williams on the ground and free agent signee Shane Vereen will do some damage through the air. The offensive line has been a problem lately as it has aged so the Giants tried to address it in the draft by taking OT Erick Flowers. The plan was for Flowers to take over at RT and move Justin Pugh inside to OG but then starting LT Will Beatty was lost to a pectoral tear so now Flowers moves to LT and newly signed Marshall Newhouse gets first crack at RT. Flowers is going to have some growing pains at LT especially with speed rushers but he’s the best option they have, really the only option they have.

The defense has some major questions going into the season and first and foremost is the status of DE Jason Pierre-Paul. Pierre-Paul is the biggest difference maker on the defense but his Fourth of July fireworks accident that cost him a finger has complicated his future because he was a free agent that the Giants designated with their franchise tag. Things are messy and it’s probably going to be a situation for a while. The team needs youngster Damontre Moore and rookie Owamagbe Odighizuwa to step up at DE. The LB corps never seems to be a priority for the Giants so they will go with MLB Jon Beason flanked by underwhelming Devon Kennard and Jameel McClain. CBs Dominique Rogers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara are a solid due but injuries have ravaged the safety position and a lot will be asked of rookie Landon Collins.

Biggest Off Season Move: DE Jason Pierre-Paul losing a finger

The Giants didn’t make any grand personnel moves and the one thing they did do was designate their own free agent Pierre-Paul as their franchise player but they didn’t cut a deal before he blew his own finger off. Pierre-Paul is a devastating pass rusher when he wants to be (he hasn’t been quite as effective lately) and it’s not inconceivable that losing a finger won’t actually hurt his effectiveness. It’s more about the time it takes to heal and how he and the team approach a contract after he did something dangerous and stupid and was injured.

Player to Watch: WR Odell Beckham

At this point the hype surrounding Beckham has reached a point that anything less than 150 receptions and 2000 yards receiving will seem like a letdown. That isn’t Beckham’s fault he just played so well after finally getting healthy and made some amazing catches almost weekly that he’s a victim of his own success. The truth is with the return of Victor Cruz the Giants won’t have to rely completely on Beckham and that will help their offense but maybe slow Beckham down to 100 catches or so. He is still a human highlight reel so he’s the guy to watch.

Sleeper of the Season: RB Andre Williams

I’ve never thought Rashad Jennings was a top notch RB and while Williams has his limitations (watching him try to catch a ball is painful) he’s a better back on 1^st and 2^nd down. The best news for Williams is that the Giants signed the ultimate 3^rd down back to alleviate the need for him to play on that down. RB Shane Vereen is fantastic out of the backfield and that’s what they signed him to do. If Williams takes over as the primary RB he’s a 1200-1400 yard back.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints have Drew Brees and Drew Brees wants to play forever but that seems unlikely. Brees is one of the best in the league but his job got a little bit harder when they traded TE Jimmy Graham but his life got a little bit safer because they got back C Max Unger. Unlike some of the teams that have old QBs they like the Saints took a chance in the 2015 draft on Colorado St. QB Garrett Grayson and with some time they may have an eventual replacement for Brees. The Saints are hoping TE Josh Hill can be solid but he’s no Graham so the passing game will fall on the shoulders of veteran WR Marques Colston and second year man Brandin Cooks who’s returning from injury. The team will also lean on RB Mark Ingram and newly signed CJ Spiller in the backfield. The hope is that Spiller can fill the role once played by Reggie Bush and Darren Sproles in the Sean Payton offense. C Max Unger was a big upgrade in the middle of the line and while LT Terron Armstead has great potential the rest of the line needs to play better.

The defense took a massive hit when OLB Junior Galette was cut due to his off the field issues so now the hope is that other players step up and that the new additions in the secondary can help the pass defense. DE Cameron Jordan can be a star but he needs a pass rushing partner and the best bet right now is rookie OLB Hau’oli Kikaha. They are counting on the resurrection of Dannell Ellerbe’s career after he tanked in Miami and rookie MLB Stephone Anthony has looked good in the preseason. CBs Brandon Browner and Kyle Wilson were signed and PJ Williams was drafted to give depth and talent to a secondary that needed it. Browner will start opposite holdover Keenan Lewis while they hope either Wilson or Williams step in as the nickel back. The healthy return of Jairus Byrd could really help over the middle too.

Biggest Off Season Move: Trading TE Jimmy Graham for C Max Unger and a draft pick

While the Saints will miss the mismatch Graham created for the offense Max Unger is a terrific center and he fills a major need. The second part of the trade was Seattle’s pick towards the end of the 1^st round and the Saints took MLB Stephone Anthony. While Anthony wasn’t my favorite ILB he has played well in the preseason and he’s likely going to start in week 1. The Saints traded a TE for a starting center and a starting middle linebacker, that’s a very good move.

Player to Watch: WR Brandin Cooks

With Jimmy Graham off to Seattle and Marques Colston not getting any younger Drew Brees is going to need to find another threat in the passing game. Cooks was off to a great start last year before his thumb injury ended his season prematurely and he could step in and actually exceed what he was doing last year. He is the type of WR that beats his opponents with great route running and quickness, he won’t overwhelm an opponent physically but his change of direction is stellar.

Sleeper of the Season: OLB Hau’oli Kikaha

Rookie MLB Stephone Anthony is going to put up some numbers this year but people are starting to expect that but fellow rookie Kikaha is stepping in for Junior Galette and those are some big shoes to fill. Kikaha has his limitations but he can bend the edge and get to the QB and DE Cameron Jordan needs some help doing that and DC Rob Ryan will figure out a way to get Kikaha in a position to succeed.

Denver Broncos

Peyton Manning is closing in on the end of a fantastic career and the Broncos might even have his successor in backup Brock Osweiler. It will not be an easy task being the one to replace Manning but new coach Gary Kubiak is more likely to rely on the run game this year and beyond to help his QB out. RB CJ Anderson stepped up big last year when Montee Ball wasn’t able to handle the job but Ball still has potential and he and Anderson should excel in Kubiak’s offense. WRs Damaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders make a good duo (when Sanders is healthy) and Cody Latimer looks like he is ready for a bigger role. The offensive line took a major hit when LT Ryan Clady went down for the year with an ACL tear and the ensuing shuffling of the line could determine how the season goes. Losing TE Julius Thomas hurts but veteran Owen Daniels is a Kubiak favorite.

The strength of the defense is its OLB’s DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller and its CBs Aqib Talib and the underrated Chris Harris. The rest of defense isn’t spectacular but they get the job done. Losing NT Terrence Knighton might hurt the run defense but getting back some healthy bodies at LB should help. The team will likely use a variable front and they can do that because of the versatility of both Ware and Miller as pass rushers. Rookie OLB Shane Ray should also help bring some extra pressure on passing downs. The loss of safety Rahim Moore may not seem big but the team will feel it more than they realize.

Biggest Off Season Move: Hiring Gary Kubiak as head coach

John Fox’s tenure was a success in almost every way except the one that counts, they never won a Super Bowl. When John Elway decided to make a change he went with someone he was extremely comfortable with in Gary Kubiak. Kubiak was Elway’s long time backup at QB on the Broncos and then was the offensive coordinator under Mike Shanahan before he took the Texans job. Kubiak isn’t a perfect fit with what Peyton Manning does but Elway took the long view at the coach’s job because he knows Manning isn’t going to be around much longer. The new offense will be designed to take some pressure off of Manning by making the running game more important.

Player to Watch: LT Ty Sambrailo

Ryan Clady’s injury was a major blow and now the important job of protecting Manning’s blindside falls to a rookie the team intended to play at RT (the Manning brothers have something in common this year). Sambrailo is the type of athletic tackle Kubiak wants but it’s a lot to ask of a rookie to take over such an important position on a team that hopes to compete for a Super Bowl. I think Sambrailo will excel and surprise people because he does have the right skill set for Kubiak’s zone blocking scheme.

Sleeper of the Season: RB Montee Ball

Ball hasn’t lived up to his college reputation so far in the NFL but I think that’s about to change. CJ Anderson has the starting job for now and even Ronnie Hillman is playing better but Ball fits what Kubiak wants in a running back. Ball racked up his yardage and touchdowns at Wisconsin running behind a big offensive line and being a one-cut-and-go runner and that’s what the zone blocking scheme needs. Perhaps Ball is overmatched on the NFL field but I think he could break through this year and be a major player.

San Diego Chargers

The Chargers have Phillip Rivers and after some unnecessary back and forth he signed a contract extension that should keep him in a Chargers uniform for the rest of his career whether it’s in San Diego or Los Angeles. The team’s offense goes as Rivers goes but the team made some moves to help him out. Rookie RB Melvin Gordon is a game changer and after years of hoping Ryan Mathews would break out they let him walk and its Gordon’s show now. The team signed offensive guard Orlando Franklin from division rival Denver and brought in RT Joe Barksdale too. Even though Barksdale is still listed as backing up RT DJ Fluker he gives the team the option of moving or replacing Fluker if he struggles like he did last year. WR Keenan Allen didn’t have huge numbers last year but he’s still a #1 caliber WR and hopefully having Stevie Johnson along with Malcolm Floyd will take some pressure off. Starting the year with all-time great TE Antonio Gates suspended for the first four games hurts but it’s time for Ladarius Green to produce or the team needs a new plan for their post Gates days.

The Chargers defense is long on potential and short on production. The defensive line is not well known but they can hold their own. The ILB duo of Donald Butler and Manti Te’o is productive and will be pushed by rookie Denzel Perryman. The outside duo of Jeremiah Attaochu and Melvin Ingram need to play big. Ingram has fought injuries throughout his career and Attaochu wasn’t a big name but both have the potential to wreak havoc. CBs Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett aren’t big but they can both cover and they aren’t afraid of contact.

Biggest Off Season Move: Drafting RB Melvin Gordon

After years of waiting for Ryan Mathews to seize control of the running game and having to settle for guys like Donald Brown and Branden Oliver covering for him the Chargers spent a 1^st round draft pick on the incredible Wisconsin back. Gordon is a threat to score every time he touches the ball and he can carry the load in the backfield. His overall skills are impressive and his on the field speed is deceptive. Gordon is in a prime position to be the Offensive Rookie of the Year because of his talent and his opportunity.

Player to Watch: WR Keenan Allen

Allen has all the tools to be a top WR in the NFL he just needs to put it all together. With what is hopefully an improved offensive line and an actual running game the pressure should be off a bit and Allen can relax. At times he was pressing too hard to be a playmaker and he needs to just trust Phillip Rivers to get him the ball and then make plays. He’s a supreme talent that shouldn’t go to waste.

Sleeper of the Season: OLB Jeremiah Attaochu

Everyone is waiting for Melvin Ingram to have his break out season as a pass rusher and while that is certainly possible I think Attaochu could really surprise with more playing time. Ingram struggles to stay healthy but the Chargers’ defense would be much better if both these guys got it together and helped each other reach their potential. I think Attaochu could be a double digit sack guy if given the opportunity.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Ben Roethlisberger had an incredible season last year and he’s found quite the partner in WR Antonio Brown. He seems to be on the same page now as OC Todd Haley and the offense should be clicking of course that would be easier with all of its parts. RB Le’Veon Bell is suspended for the first three games and now word comes down that promising second year WR Martavis Bryant is suspended for the first four games. Add in C Maurkice Pouncey missing the first half of the season with a broken leg and things aren’t going to be easy for this offense. The offensive line was finally solidified after Kelvin Beachum and Marcus Gilbert had locked down the tackle positions. It will be up to RB DeAngelo Williams and WR Markus Wheaton to fill in the first few weeks of the season for Bell and Bryant.

The Steelers defense has always been built around the strength of their LB corps and this year there are more questions than answers. James Harrison was brought back last year but he’s 37 years old, Arthur Moats is the other starter outside but he’s just a guy, Jarvis Jones hasn’t lived up to his 1^st round pick status and is running out of time and Bud Dupree is a rookie who might be the best bet to make a difference. Inside Lawrence Timmons returns but is in year nine and second year man Ryan Shazier missed most of his rookie year with an injury. The defensive line is solid but the secondary needs to play a lot better. Newly acquired CB Brandon Boykin is going to be called on to help out presumed starters Cortez Allen and William Gay, two guys that have to play better because they can’t play much worse. Shamarko Thomas gets the unenviable task of replacing Troy Polamalu.

Biggest Off Season Move: Replacing long time DC Dick LeBeau with LB coach Kevin Butler

Butler was poised to get a promotion to DC somewhere so the Steelers decided to move on from LeBeau and promote him. Butler has been in Pittsburgh awhile and has learned from LeBeau but this change may give the defense a little jolt and perhaps get some of the underachieving veterans to step up.

Player to Watch: OLB Jarvis Jones

This is Jones’ last chance to prove he’s the future of the position for the Steelers. If Jones can’t hold off the 37 year old James Harrison the team will have to look for a long term replacement. Jones was a skilled pass rusher in college and he has fought injury in his first two years but he has to become effective getting pressure at some point.

Sleeper of the Season: WR Sammie Coates

The suspension of WR Martavis Bryant means someone has to step up outside opposite Antonio Brown and with Markus Wheaton looking to establish himself full-time in the slot Sammie Coates should get some playing time and could be huge for the Steelers. Coates isn’t polished and he drops too many passes but with some consistent playing time his big play ability might shine through.

Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo is 35 years old and coming off one of his best seasons and a pretty good year for the Cowboys too. They don’t have an heir apparent but with the best offensive line in the league protecting him they don’t have to worry as much about his health. Losing RB Demarco Murray to the Eagles in free agency hurts and they hope the combination of Joseph Randle and Darren McFadden can give them enough of a running game to keep their offense moving. WRs Dez Bryant, Terrance Williams and Cole Beasley along with the ageless one TE Jason Witten give Tony Romo plenty of weapons in the passing game. The best offensive line in the league got even better with the addition of undrafted free agent La’el Collins. Collins’ unfortunate pre-draft situation turned out great for the Cowboys and it could be great for Collins’ future.

The Cowboys defense was better than anyone thought they would be even with some injuries to key players. With an offense as good as the one they have the defense doesn’t have to be great it just has to be average. They hope that getting a healthy season out of second year DE Demarcus Lawrence, adding DE Greg Hardy after his suspension and the addition of rookie Randy Gregory will seriously improve the pass rush. The return of LB Sean Lee will help and moving him outside should lessen the physical strain. CB Brandon Carr has been a disappointment since he signed as a free agent a few years and former first rounder Morris Claiborne has been a bust but with Orlando Scandrick going down with an ACL tear they need Carr, Claiborne and rookie Byron Jones to step up.

Biggest Off Season Moves: Signing DE Greg Hardy and drafting DE Randy Gregory

The Cowboys weren’t exactly sack machines last season so the team decided to roll the dice, twice. Hardy was signed after a domestic violence incident and he was initially suspended 10 games but upon appeal that was lowered to 4. Gregory dropped down the draft board because of drug related issues while in college and at the scouting combine but the Cowboys pulled the trigger hoping he can straighten his life out. Hardy and Gregory could team with second year man Demarcus Lawrence and turn the Cowboys weakness into a strength or Hardy and Gregory could fail to overcome their issues and it blows up on the team.

Player to Watch: CB Byron Jones

Orlando Scandrick just tore his ACL, Brandon Carr has never lived up to his big free agent contract and Morris Claiborne is a first round bust, enter Byron Jones. Jones is one of the most physically gifted athletes you’ll ever see and he could shoot up the depth chart very quickly on this defense. After missing most of last season in college Jones dominated the combine and the Cowboys took him in the first round. He very well could end up being the Cowboys best CB this year.

Sleeper of the Season: RB Joseph Randle

The plan seems to be for Randle and Darren McFadden to split carries and even to get Lance Dunbar involved in the offense. McFadden hasn’t been able to stay healthy in his career and I won’t believe it until I see it and while Randle hasn’t looked all that good in the preseason he’s a better bet than McFadden. If Randle can get the bulk of the carries behind the Cowboys’ impressive offensive line I think he’ll put up big rushing totals. Randle is a talented running back and while he isn’t Demarco Murray he can be a legitimate NFL starter.

New England Patriots

The deflated football controversy (I’m not using the stupid “gate” word) is a ridiculous story that Commission Goodell has taken too far and I hope the judge in the case smacks the league upside the head over their complete mishandling of the whole thing. Regardless of the outcome I believe the only overall effect it will have on the Patriots season is that it might give them a chance to see QB Jimmy Garoppolo if Brady’s suspension holds and it will certainly place a very large chip on Brady’s shoulder. I’m not sure the other teams in the league are all that enthused about having to play a very pissed off Tom Brady at any point. The defending Super Bowl Champions (remember they beat Seattle with fully inflated footballs) aren’t stacked with great offensive playmakers but that has never stopped Brady before. WR Julian Edelman will catch over 100 fully inflated footballs this season (once he’s healthy) and TE Rob Gronkowski will continue to be the unstoppable force. RB LaGarrette Blount is terrible but I think Bill Belichick will put together a run game between Jonas Gray, Brandon Bolden, James White and newcomer Travaris Cadet. I love the last minute signing of WR Reggie Wayne, he may not be the guy that once dominated playing with Peyton Manning but he’s still got something left in the tank.

The Patriots defense has a large hole to fill both literally and figuratively as they let stalwart DT Vince Wilfork go this off season but first round draft pick Malcolm Brown was an absolute steal and he should fit in nicely. DEs Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich should team well with free agent pickup Jabaal Sheard to bring the pass rush. The return of MLB Jerod Mayo can only help and OLB Jamie Collins blossomed during last season’s playoffs and he should only continue his rise. The secondary took major losses with the departures of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner and the team decided to throw everything they have at it with Super Bowl hero Malcolm Butler and free agents Bradley Fletcher, Tarell Brown and Robert McClain joining Logan Ryan on the CB depth chart. Even Devin McCourty is seeing time at CB although that seems to be a bad idea considering how good he has become at safety.

Biggest Off Season Move: Suing the NFL and Roger Goodell

Hopefully the outcome of the suit is decided before the season starts but whether Brady misses 4 games, 2 games, 1 game or no games he is going to go into the season with something to prove and that is bad news for everyone else. Brady has won 4 Super Bowls and he could certainly add a fifth. As long as Brady and Belichick are together the Patriots are Super Bowl contenders.

Player to Watch: QB Jimmy Garoppolo

Until Brady’s status is cleared up Garoppolo is the apparent Week 1 starter and he needs to be ready. He looked good in some mop up duty last year but he hasn’t looked as sharp this preseason. It would help if WR Julian Edelman was healthy as he always seems to get open and that isn’t true of the rest of the WR corps. WR Brandon LaFell who had a good year last year also has been missing in action. RB LaGarrette Blount hasn’t helped either. Brady is a guy that raises the level of play of the guys around him; Garoppolo seems to need his teammates to help him out a bit more.

Sleeper of the Season: DE Jabaal Sheard

The Browns never seemed to get the best out of Sheard and that won’t be a problem in New England. While Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich are set as the starting DEs Sheard will be used in pass rushing situations and Belichick will rotate him in regularly to keep his starters fresh. Sheard has good pass rushing skills and in New England’s defense where he will get some one-on-one opportunities he should shine.

*****Obviously I wrote this before my new favorite judge Judge Berman nullified Roger Goodell’s suspension of Tom Brady and of course I published it about 15 minutes before the decision was announced.  My Player to Watch: Jimmy Garoppolo segment is null and void now that Brady is no longer suspended.  The reports are that the NFL will go to the Second Circuit Court and appeal but I think they lose again and someone from the ownership group should tell Roger to take this defeat and shut up.  Brady certainly has to feel vindicated but my guess is that his personality will still allow him to feel like he’s got something to prove and that is bad news for the rest of the league.*****

Teams That Wish They Had a Better QB (but are glad they don’t need a better QB)

Chicago Bears

There is no QB in the league that is loathed by his own fan base more than Jay Cutler. The problem is that he has tantalizing physical ability but rubs people the wrong way. He has one of the best arms in the league but an attitude that turns off fans and some coaches and players don’t like him either. The new offensive coaching staff led by former Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase has its work cut out for them but they may be the best suited to get the most out of Cutler. RB Matt Forte, WR Alshon Jeffery and TE Martellus Bennett give Cutler some nice weapons and even though it looks like first round WR Kevin White might miss the season the offense has plenty of potential.

The defense on the other hand looks like a mess. New head coach John Fox brought in former 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio so the entire defense is changing from a base 4-3 to a base 3-4 and they don’t have the personnel to do it. Rookie NT Eddie Goldman will be a key piece up front and they are hoping Jared Allen and Lamarr Houston can make the conversion to OLB. Free agent OLB Pernell McPhee will be counted on to play a lot more than he ever was in Baltimore. CB Kyle Fuller is the best defender on the team and he needs to stay healthy.

Biggest Off Season Move: Hiring head coach John Fox, DC Vic Fangio and OC Adam Gase

McPhee was the biggest personnel move the Bears made on the field but bringing in John Fox gives them a proven head coach, Fangio ran one the best defenses in the league the last few years in San Francisco and Gase spent the last few years running an offense with Peyton Manning. The Bears are lacking on the defense and some would say their offense needs reinforcements too but they have a fantastic new coaching staff.

Player to Watch: QB Jay Cutler

There may not be a team in the league that needs a bounce back season from their QB more than the Bears. Cutler didn’t mesh with the previous coaching staff but Adam Gase learned under Mike Martz and it was a Martz system that allowed Cutler to have his best years back in Denver. Cutler needs to take the coaching because Gase has worked with the smartest QB in the league the last few years and Cutler just needs to do what Gase tells him to do. He needs to have a better attitude and show some leadership or the Bears are going to be picking high in the draft and looking for his replacement.

Sleeper of the Season: WR Marquess Wilson

The Bears don’t have a bevy of players that look like they might break out this season. With first round WR Kevin White looking like he might miss the season the door is open for someone to step up opposite Alshon Jeffery. Veteran Eddie Royal was brought in but he is what he is and they need a more dynamic playmaker. Wilson is a third year guy out of Washington State with good height but isn’t as physical as Jeffery or Brandon Marshall was before. This is Wilson’s chance and it might be his last chance.

San Francisco 49ers

Colin Kaepernick has led his team to a Super Bowl appearance before but he has a new coaching staff and a lot of new faces around him. The confidence that the franchise and the fan base have had in the past was shaken by a rough season last year. Frank Gore is gone but RB Carlos Hyde is ready to step in as the bell cow and the offense needs him to be effective. WR Torrey Smith was signed to be the deep threat and compliment the ageless Anquan Boldin and the hope is he allows Kaepernick to throw it deep and create some room for Hyde. TE Vernon Davis is coming off a disappointing season and they need him to bounce back. The offensive line had been a strength but the early retirement of RT Anthony Davis leaves a big hole to fill.

The defense has been decimated by retirements, suspensions leading to dismissals and some free agent defections. New defensive coordinator Eric Mangini is left with a tough job of replacing all those players. The defense is going to have to count on DE Darnell Dockett, OLB’s Aaron Lynch and Ahmad Brooks and on their secondary led by safeties Antoine Bethea and Eric Reid. Those players are a far cry from the heyday of Justin Smith, Patrick Willis and Aldon Smith.

Biggest Off Season Moves: Losing DE Justin Smith, ILB Patrick Willis, ILB Chris Borland and RT Anthony Davis to retirement, OLB Aldon Smith being released for off the field issues, losing Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree and Mike Iupati to free agency. Oh and firing Jim Harbaugh and replacing him with Jim Tomsula

To call it a time of transition for the 49ers organization would be a massive understatement. No one knows if Tomsula is ready to be a head coach in the NFL but we do know that with the exception of last season Jim Harbaugh set the bar pretty high for his replacement.

Player to Watch: RB Carlos Hyde

Hyde could be an absolute beast out the backfield and the 49ers are going to ride him as far as he’ll take them. Frank Gore held down the 49ers RB spot for many years but he began to pass the torch last season and Hyde is the big, powerful back teams are going with these days. The offensive line won’t be as strong in the run game without Anthony Davis or Mike Iupati but Hyde can make yards.

Sleeper of the Season: Rookie OLB Eli Harold or OLB Corey Lemonier

Starting OLBs Aaron Lynch and Ahmad Brooks are fine but the two backups need to step up and bring some pass rush and I think one of them will. Lemonier is another year removed from injury and that might make him more effective. Harold is a solid rookie that needs some work but he can get after the QB.

Houston Texans

The Texans just settled on Brian Hoyer as their starting QB so you could say they need to upgrade and apparently they don’t think Ryan Mallet is that guy or they would have gone with him instead. The injury to Arian Foster could keep him out until midseason and that’s tough for a team that was planning on winning with defense and a running game. RB Alfred Blue is a nice backup but expecting him to be as good as Foster would be foolish. The line is solid and DeAndre Hopkins broke out last year but without Foster and the departed Andre Johnson that’s a lot of reliability missing and Hoyer needs playmakers he can rely on.

JJ Watt is one of the rare defenders in the NFL that changes a game so much he legitimately deserves MVP consideration. He has redefined what a 3-4 DE should be and he’s a one man wrecking crew. The Texans wish he didn’t have to be a one man wrecking crew and they are hoping Jadeveon Clowney can come back from his knee surgery and be the player they thought he could be when he was drafted #1 overall. There is a lot of potential on this defense with free agents NT Vince Wilfork and FS Rahim Moore brought in to fill key holes and rookie Benardrick McKinney hopefully lining up at ILB next to a healthy Brian Cushing. Rookie CB Kevin Johnson was added to starters Kareem Jackson and Jonathan Joseph so they should be good there. The Texans have a lot of ifs and plenty of potential but they have to play up to it.

Biggest Off Season Move: Letting WR Andre Johnson leave and watching him sign with Indianapolis

Johnson has been a mainstay with the franchise for a long time and while DeAndre Hopkins surpassed him last year as the top WR he was still a very good player. The other issue is that he went and signed with division rival and champion Indianapolis. Andrew Luck is in the driver’s seat of the division and he just got a very good veteran complement to youngster TY Hilton.

Player to Watch: QB Brian Hoyer (for now)

Hoyer is a pro but he’s never been able to seize the starting job anywhere and hold on to it. He has knowledge of Bill O’Brien’s offense from his time with the Patriots but so does Ryan Mallet and while Hoyer may be the steady choice if he doesn’t make a few plays he could be out the door, again. Hoyer is a placeholder and the only advantage he has in Houston that he didn’t have in Cleveland last season is that the Texans actually have some good offensive skill players.

Sleeper of the Season: Rookie WR Jaelen Strong

From what I’ve heard about Strong in training camp he is coming along slowly. Hopkins is the sure thing of the WR group and free agents Nate Washington and Cecil Shorts are solid veteran guys but Strong can be something more. He has size, strength and speed and with the right playing time and good QB play he can break out. He was one of my favorite WRs in the draft and I hope he gets a chance to show why.

Kansas City Chiefs

It isn’t completely Alex Smith’s fault that the team didn’t have a TD completion to a WR for the entire 2014 season but he deserves plenty of the blame. Dwayne Bowe and Donnie Avery weren’t exactly lighting up the place but you would have thought eventually the law of averages would have caught up and one of them would get in the end zone. WR Jeremy Maclin was signed to add some playmaking to the team but he’s a deep threat and that has never been Smith’s forte. RB Jamaal Charles and his backup Knile Davis might be the best tandem in the league and Davis would start for a lot of teams but the offensive line is still suspect so the offense needs some balance. If TE Travis Kelce could have a fully healthy year he would be a nice weapon for Smith. Alex Smith is just good enough to keep this team from drafting high enough to pick his replacement but if the draft pool is deep enough this next season the Chiefs shouldn’t hesitate to grab his eventual replacement.

OLB Justin Houston got paid this off season and when you register 22 sacks on the year and nearly break the league record the money is well worth it. Houston is the playmaker on defense but he has plenty of help around him. OLB Tamba Hali is the grizzled veteran that keeps chugging along and while he isn’t as dynamic as he once was and isn’t as dynamic as Houston he’s the heart and soul of the unit. CB Sean Smith played well last year as the #1 corner and while he has to sit the first three games due to suspension he should come back strong. The last player to mention is safety Eric Berry who is making an awesome comeback from cancer and if he can make it back at all it’s a victory but he was once a very bright future star for the team and I hope he recaptures that magic.

Biggest Off Season Moves: Resigning OLB Justin Houston and signing WR Jeremy Maclin

Keeping Houston was expensive and it was a no-brainer. He’s the best player on the team and he’s still young and extremely effective. Andy Reid reached back to his Philadelphia Eagles days and grabbed Maclin who had a pretty good year coming back from a knee injury and fills a gigantic hole on the offense. Dwayne Bowe had ceased to be effective and it was time for him to go now the Chiefs just have to hope Alex Smith can find a way to get Maclin the ball.

Player to Watch: LT Eric Fisher

The Chiefs offensive line is in a state of flux with Ben Grubbs coming over from New Orleans, Eric Kush and Mitch Morse fighting to take over the center spot from the departed Rodney Hudson and the right side being less than stellar. Fisher was the #1 overall pick a few years ago in a less than impressive draft but his transition hasn’t been smooth. Fisher needs to solidify the left side of the line so the offense can move the ball. He has the talent he just needs to put it all together.

Sleeper of the Season: Rookie CB Marcus Peters

With CB Sean Smith suspended for the first three games rookie CB Marcus Peters is going to have to step in next to Phillip Gaines and my guess is when Smith returns in game 4 it will be Gaines that loses playing time. Peters had his issues in college but he seems to have matured and he’s an incredible talent. He has great natural coverage instincts and ability.

Cincinnati Bengals

Andy Dalton has been a pretty good QB in the regular season during his career but when it comes to the playoffs he turns into a pumpkin. The Bengals are a loaded team both offensively and defensively so Dalton usually carries the weight of the franchise and determines their destiny. Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard form an excellent duo in the backfield and AJ Green is a dynamic WR. The offensive line is aging but it is still a very good unit. TE Tyler Eifert needs to step up and become more of a threat but that is certainly possible if he stays healthy.

Last year the defense dealt with many injuries at LB and the return from injury of its most important player DT Geno Atkins. All reports this preseason say Atkins looks like he’s back to his pre-injury form and that is a scary thing for opposing offenses. Atkins is a destructive force when healthy and he makes this a better defense. The team needed a better outside pass rush than it got last year so they re-signed former DE Michael Johnson and he could be key. The health of OLB Vontaze Burfict is also key as he’s a playmaker they count on heavily and they don’t have a strong replacement for him. The secondary needs either Dre Kirkpatrick or Darqueze Dennard to step up opposite Leon Hall and it would be helpful if both of them play well because every team needs as many good CBs as they can find.

Biggest Off Season Move: Re-signing DE Michael Johnson

A year ago the Bengals let Michael Johnson walk when the Bucs offered him a huge free agent deal and it didn’t work out for either party. Johnson had a less than stellar year in Tampa Bay and was cut after only one season and the Bengals pass rush just wasn’t the same. Both sides are hoping that you can go home again and that Johnson can be the type of pass rusher he was that earned that huge free agent deal a year ago.

Player to Watch: RB Jeremy Hill

Something tells me that the Bengals are going to do everything they can to make sure that their season doesn’t hinge on the play of QB Andy Dalton and the best way to do that is to rely on the strength of the running game. Hill is the big, physical back that can carry the load and he gets better the more carries he gets. Giovani Bernard is a great complement as he’s a faster and more elusive player but it’s Hill’s downhill pounding style that wears out a defense and that is what the Bengals need to help Dalton be effective.

Sleeper of the Season: Rex Burkhead

I didn’t list a position for Burkhead because every report this preseason has him playing all over the offense. With Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard clearly ahead of him in the RB pecking order Burkhead has used his versatility to find a way to help the Bengals’ offense. He has lined up as a slot receiver quite a bit and while they have Mohamed Sanu and Marvin Jones after AJ Green both of those players are more possession type receivers while Burkhead brings a more dynamic element. He gives them versatility not only on the field but with possible roster flexibility too.

These next two teams are linked together

Philadelphia Eagles

Chip Kelly’s bold off season move was to trade Nick Foles for Sam Bradford and hitch his wagon to a player that has missed the lion’s share of the last two seasons because his ACL is made of tissue paper. Bradford has talent coming out of his ears but it doesn’t really help when he spends most of his time with the training staff rehabbing a knee injury. He is a nice fit in the up tempo style of offense that Kelly likes but the Eagles have to hope they get more snaps from Bradford than Mark Sanchez because they aren’t really a contender otherwise. In the last two years Kelly has lost or sent packing DeSean Jackson, LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin meaning he’s replaced a number of playmakers. Bradford will rely on Kelly’s guys like Jordan Matthews, Riley Cooper and rookie Nelson Agholor but mostly on RB DeMarco Murray who brings a different style than McCoy did.

The Eagles defense wasn’t very good and they are mostly hoping for improvement from within up front but they did an almost complete rebuild in the secondary. Free agent CB Byron Maxwell was the big move, drafting CB Eric Rowe was a smart move and hoping Walter Thurmond III can be the free safety is a questionable move. Trading for ILB Kiko Alonso should really help the run defense if he’s healthy and they need all the help they can get.

Biggest Off Season Moves: Trading LeSean McCoy for Kiko Alonso, trading Nick Foles for Sam Bradford and signing DeMarco Murray.

Chip Kelly took over as the personnel decision maker this year and he wasted no time making major moves. He decided Nick Foles wasn’t his QB of the future and he rolled the dice on Bradford’s questionable knees. He didn’t think McCoy was his type of RB so he shipped him to Buffalo for a guy he knows is his kind of LB. Then when it looked like he was ridding his team of all playmakers he went out and signed the league’s leading rusher DeMarco Murray, his kind of RB.

Player to Watch: QB Sam Bradford

As much as the team is going to rely on DeMarco Murray’s running ability Chip Kelly’s offense is still QB centric. There is no denying Bradford’s talent and he played in an up tempo, spread type of offense at Oklahoma where he won the Heisman and was the #1 overall pick in the draft. Anyone that thinks he doesn’t fit is mistaken but his career has been defined by the time he has missed due to injury and not by his talent. If he stays healthy he could be the future for the club but if he goes down again with a season ending injury, any season ending injury, Kelly won’t hesitate to replace him for good.

Sleeper of the Season: WR Jordan Matthews

Matthews was one of my favorite receivers in last year’s draft and he had a pretty solid rookie year. He did that without much consistency at QB as they started with Nick Foles and then went to Sanchez and he never had a chance to establish a connection. If Bradford stays on the field he’s an upgrade and he’ll love the way Matthews can get open. He doesn’t “wow” you but he’s effective and he’ll catch a lot of passes from Bradford and keep the offense moving.

St. Louis Rams

The Rams and Eagles are linked together because of the QB trade they pulled off in the spring. It’s pretty rare to see two teams trade their starting QBs for each other and this one could work out for both teams or it could blow up in their faces. Nick Foles was dynamite two years ago in Chip Kelly’s offense but last year was rough and he missed time with an injury. The Rams see Foles as a better bet to stay healthy after two lost years of Sam Bradford and they need some consistency at the position. Jeff Fisher wants to build his offense around first round RB Todd Gurley and a remade offensive line but Foles quick throwing ability might just make WR Tavon Austin a worthwhile player too.

The Rams defense is excellent and it’s built around one of the league’s finest defensive lines. DEs Chris Long and Robert Quinn are fantastic and Quinn is a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate and could win it if JJ Watt were human. DTs Aaron Donald and Michael Brockers are great complements to each other. LBs James Laurinaitis and Alec Ogletree are playmakers and the secondary has added some good talent over the past few years.

Biggest Off Season Move: Trading for Nick Foles and drafting Todd Gurley

After two lost years of Sam Bradford Jeff Fisher decided it was time for change and Nick Foles was a pretty nice get for a QB coming off back-to-back torn ACL seasons. No one is quite sure if Foles is the guy from last year or the player from two years ago but he’s worth the risk. Fisher drafted Gurley with visions of his Tennessee heyday with Eddie George carrying the load and Gurley is a special talent. It looks like he’ll be ready to open the season and while the Rams can afford to ease him in with last year’s RB Tre Mason still around eventually it’s Gurley’s job and it’s his offense.

Player to Watch: RB Todd Gurley

I’m not sure how much more I can say about Gurley but I’ll try. In college his running style was most often compared to Marshawn Lynch as he had a tendency to look like he was going into his own version of “Beastmode”. When Jeff Fisher drafted him the comparison became to Eddie George as Gurley has a similar build and upright running style and was headed to George’s former coach. Now that he’s made a quick recovery from his ACL tear and is such an amazing physical specimen he could be compared to Adrian Peterson, in a good way. Lynch, George and Peterson are three incredible talents to be compared to and Gurley has the ability to live up to those three.

Sleeper of the Season: WR Stedman Bailey

Everyone has been waiting for former first round pick Tavon Austin to break out but I still think he is limited and while he can be a weapon I don’t see him being a top WR. Bailey isn’t a #1 WR either but he’s a very good #2 and I think with a more consistent QB he could really blossom. He has the size to play outside and he’s a solid all-around talent. He may not by the dynamic athlete Austin is but I think he’s a better football player and he knows how to be effective.