Some notes on each NFL team before the 2016 season

Arizona Cardinals

• This is one of the more balanced powerhouses in the league, with difference-makers on both sides of the ball
• Carson Palmer has proved to be a top 5 regular season quarterback for this team, slinging bombs that connect with Arizona's array of speedy receivers such as John Brown and J.J. Nelson
• That is not to mention future hall of fame Larry Fitzgerald, a great receiver and one of the best blocking ones, as well as the long and athletic Michael Floyd
• Palmer, however, has been very shaky in the playoffs, throwing 4 picks in an NFC championship meltdown against the Panthers
• If Evan Mathis can maintain his excellence at age 35, an offensive line with him, Mike Iupati and Jared Vehldeer is top notch
• On defense, the Cardinals have Chandler Jones and Calais Campbell up front, with Patrick Peterson and Tyraunn Mathieu roaming in the back. Does not get much better than that
• Still, people quibble over the CB2 opposite Peterson. Justin Bethel and rookie Brandon Williams should be competent enough

Atlanta Falcons

• Although some positions are occupied by studs such as Julio Jones at wide receiver and Desmond Truant at cornerback, there is simply not enough talent on the football team
• Matt Ryan has regressed in recent years; he is not as reliable as he once was for some reason, perhaps having to do with the coaching change or lack of receiving options beside the indestructible Jones
• Jake Matthews seems like he's going to be a future fixture at left tackle while Vic Beasley looks like a future pass rushing star 
• With the Falcons, they lose on defense, having one of the worst linebacking corps in the league to go along with average defensive lines and secondaries
• A trip to the playoffs is far from promised

Baltimore Ravens

• Injuries have decimated this squad over the past year, but a dominant defense could be emerging from the wreckage
• After the glory days of Ed Reed and Ray Lewis knocking the living daylight of opponents, the Ravens have drafted their next batch of defensive playmakers
• On the D line, Brandon Williams is an extremely underrated nose tackle, while Timmy Jernigan is a nice, young pass rushing presence
• Linebacker CJ Mosley has strung together very solid first and second seasons. At only 24, he is taking over Lewis' role as the MLB and leader of the defense
• The secondary has been a little problematic, but with the addition of savvy and hard-hitting veteran Eric Weddle and Ladarius Webb's move to safety and Jimmy Smith looking to rebound after a tough campaign, there is certainly hope
• The offense is a little on the old side, with 37-year-old Steve Smith and 31-year-old guard Marshal Yanda being counted on to hold down their team's position corps
• Joe Flacco is an elite quarterback, but with a shaky run game and unpredictable receiving one, it remains to be seen if he can rally these troops and command a top 15 offense

Buffalo Bills

• It's surprising the team was ranked 24th on defense last year considering all the talent in place and having Rex Ryan as their coach
• Really tough break losing 1st and 2nd round picks Shaq Lawson and Reggie Ragland to injury for the year. The two players looked promising, and missing your rookie year is one of the hardest obstacles to overcome 
• There is still talent: Marcell Dareus, Jerry Hughes and Kyle Willams make up a stingy defensive front
• Corners Stephone Gillmore and Ronald Darby are both young, lockdown corners. In fact, they may be a top 3 corner tandem in the league
• Kudos to the Bills brass for giving Tyrod Taylor a shot. Taylor, a former Ravens backup, made the most of his chance and looks to be a potential franchise quarterback, a title that Bills fans have not heard of for a while
• Sammy Watkins is well on his way to becoming a top 5 wideout in the NFL, it's just that injuries have shown him down
• Besides Watkins, there is a real dearth of quality receiving talent, with the unspectacular Robert Woods manning the WR2 spot 
• When he is healthy, Charles Clay is one of the most explosive catching tight ends in the league. Alas, knee injuries have sapped him of his athleticism and he has become just another tight end who cannot block or do much after the catch

Carolina Panthers

• This is a team that went 15-1 last year and just brought back its most dangerous receiver in 6'5 athletic specimen Kelvin Benjamin, who is still just 25-years-old
• The Panthers' bread-and-butter is in their diverse zone scheme and their stifling defense
• Cam Newton is one of the best, if not the best quarterback in the league. His combination of athleticism, running ability, speed, strength and grit is very rare, all at the still youthful age of 27
• The interior of Carolina's offensive line is definitely a top five bunch, with Ryan Khalil sandwiched between Andrew Norwell and the mauling Trai Turner 
• Newton being a constant big-play run threat to go along with his dynamic passing skills makes whoever is playing the role of running back easy. And when the back is the tough and powerful Jonathan Stewart, you have yourself a complete offense
• Even though the Panthers boast a respectable offense, their defense is the crown jewel of the organization
• Pass rushing forces Kawan Short and Star Lotulelei form a destructive interior combo along the defensive line, along with emerging end Kony Ealy, who flashed some nice stuff in the Super Bowl
• The linebacking corps is easily a top 3 unit in the league, and the best on the team; anchored by the elastic and intelligent Luke Kuechly and forceful veteran Thomas Davis, the group can hang with receivers and tight ends as well as get after the quarterback. Kuechly is the best middle linebacker in football at just 25-years-old.
• Don't sleep on explosive and hard-hitting second year outside linebacker Shaq Thompson, who is in line to replace the 33-year-old Davis soon.
• It was a major surprise to see GM Dave Gettleman let Josh Norman just stroll out of town, but the Panthers drafted three cornerbacks who have all reportedly played well in camp

Chicago Bears

• This team's trajectory is definitely on the upswing. They have specks of intriguing and proven young talent at almost every position 
• Their linebacker corps is perhaps one of the deepest in the entire league. It sports the pass-rushing demon Pernell McPhee, versatile middle men in Danny Trevathan and Jerell Freeman as well as 9th overall pick Leonard Floyd, who could be better than anyone. Lastly, there is the underrated Lamar Houston, who has flashed unexpected pass-rushing chops
• The D line sports Eddie Goldman, who had a fine rookie season and seems to be on his way to becoming an interior force for years to come
• While the defensive secondary is average at best, looking at the offense, there is major potential around veteran signal man Jay Cutler
• If Kevin White plays up to his draft status, him and Alshon Jeffery could form the NFL's best receiving tandem fast. Also, Jeffery and White are only 26 and 24, respectively
• Running back Jeremy Langford proved he was ready for an increased workload last year, and that is the mean reason GM Ryan Pace felt comfortable cutting veteran back Matt Forte
• While the offensive line has its rightful question marks at tackle, guards Cody Whitehead and Kyle Long will be around for a long time and both possess that toughness coaches die to see in one of the most physically demanding positions in sports

Cincinnati Bengals

• Ah, the Bungles. They are the Clippers of the NFL, a really good and balanced regular season team that completely collapses in the playoffs
• This year's playoff defeat at the hands of the Steelers might have been the worst yet. The Bungles were so sure they won the game that some players had already ran into the locker room. Alas, a brutal Jeremy Hill fumble as well as some ill-timed Pacman Jones and Vontaze Burflict hot-head moments gave the Steelers enough yards in penalties to win on a field goal
• Free agency also stripped the team of Reggie Nelson, Marvin Jones and Muhammad Sanu as well as savvy offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, who accepted a head coaching job with the Browns
• Although, thanks to years of consistently good drafting, the Bengals are still one of the deepest teams in the NFL
• Combing through each unit, the Bengals have a stable of valuable football players. Quarterback? Andy Dalton and one of the best young backups in the game in AJ McArron. Running back? A double-headed monster in Jeremy Hill (when he's not making fateful fumbles) and Giovani Bernard
• Wide receiver? May not be as deep as it once was, but AJ Green is still here and he is a top 7 wide receiver easy. Rookie Tyler Boyd has shown some nice moves so far in training camp and has promising measurable and sure hands
• Tight end? If he's healthy, Tyler Eifert is a top 5 tight end in the league and Tyler Kroft is a solid backup who can block and catch
• Offensive line? Andrew Whitworth is a top 5 left tackle even as he ages and guards Kevin Keiter and Clint Boling are as good as they come
• I really could do the same thing for the defense, but you get the point. Tackle Geno Atkins is one of the most disruptive rushers the league has to offer. He is also underrated yet very adept at stemming the flow of the run game
• The team is deep, but they need to overcome their post-season meltdowns to take the next step

Cleveland Browns

• North of San Fransisco, the Browns are the most talent-deprived team in the league
• It pretty much starts and ends with All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas and rising left guard Joel Bitino in players the team can for sure count upon. Seriously, every other player has questions
• Can Joe Haden return to form after a string of concussion-related injuries? Can Gary Barnidge re-create a magical season? Can Josh Gordon be an impact player after not playing for so long?
• There is a fair amount of promise with running back Duke Johnson, receiver Corey Coleman and defensive tackle Danny Shelton, but its just that, the promise of something great when there is far from a guarantee that production will come, although I have high hopes for all three
• Hiring Hue Jackson was a home run and Paul DePodesta knows what he's doing as a sports team executive, even though he's more of a baseball guy. His strategy of acquiring as many picks as possible is a proven way to go

Dallas Cowboys

• With what could be the worst defense in the league thanks to suspensions and an overall lack of playmakers, the team will have to heavily rely on its offense, which is not the worst thing in the world
• Starting with quarterback Tony Romo, 36, the Cowboys have themselves a reliable and sometimes superstar quarterback
• While recent injuries have led to concerns over Romo's long-term health, there is no better offensive line to be behind than the one Dallas has build
• Left tackle Tyron Smith is the best at his position in the league. He is so fast and so strong its unfair
• Right guard Zack Martin is simply a beast; he can protect the passer and open up holes in the run game. After Marshal Yanda, Martin is the best at his position
• Center Travis Frederick, another Cowboys lineman who is the best at his position in the league, is sturdy is keeping Romo's pocket clean and the best run-blocking center in the NFL
• If those three studs weren't unfair enough already, guard La'el Collins went undrafted and has proved everyone who passed on him wrong. 
• Also, every one of the linemen just mentioned are all 25 or younger. Sheesh
• If that was not enough, Ezekiel Elliot is the team's running back, sure-handed veteran Jason Witten the tight end and spectacular playmaker Dez Bryant the WR1. What is that? You hear something? That is the collective sigh of every team hoping to contain this Cowboys offense over the next 5 years

Denver Broncos

• The reining Super Bowl champs have lost their top two QB's from last year due to retirement and free agency. In comes Mark "Sanchize" Sanchez as well as rookie 1st-round-pick Paxton Lynch, a raw but very intriguing prospect who has the tools to one day be a star quarterback
• Even though the defense lost a bit of depth with the departures of DE Malik Jackson, MLB Danny Trevathan and SS David Bruton, they are still the most dominant and deep unit in the league
• Derek Wolfe is still terrorizing opposing offenses, and at only 25-years-old and on a below-market contract, he's here to be a force for a long time
• A top three defender in the entire league, Super Bowl MVP Von Miller is the best linebacker in the league. His 2.5 sacks and forced fumble in the Super Bowl highlights the insane strength and speed he possesses
• At 34, DeMarcus ware is getting up there in age, but if Denver can limit his snap count, he should still be a really scary pass rusher
• With a tight salary cap structure, the Broncos were essentially forced to choose between keeping Trevathan or Brandon Marshall, both very elastic and effective linebackers. GM John Elway's decision to hang onto Marshall was correct, since Trevathan, while talented, brought redundant skills while Marshall offered someone who can quarterback the defense
• To cap off a frightening defense, the Broncos' secondary is the best in the league by a mile, due to the quantity of quality players roaming around. Cornerbacks Chris Harris, Aqib Talib and Bradley Roby can all shut down opposing receivers and tight ends. Their ability to hold their own without help allows Defensive Coordinator Wade Phillips to let Miller and Ware loose on the opposition
• Going into the season with one of the shakiest quarterback situations in the league is a big risk, but if the Broncos can teach their eventual starter to just play game manager and let the defense do the grunt work, another Super Bowl could be within reach 

Detroit Lions

• They just lost the most dominant wide receiver in the game to retirement and are coming off a 7-9 season. Looking through that prism will certainly lead to pessimism, but there is real talent on both sides of the ball
• Quarterback Matthew Stafford has never faced the prospect of playing without Megatron, but luckily the Lions have another great wideout in Golden Tate to ease Stafford's burden. Quick, shifty and sure-handed, Tate is a fine number one target. His skills match well with OC Jim Bob Cooter's vision for a quick-twitch offense that gets the ball out fast in the hopes of breaking open big plays
•  Theo Riddick is the best pass-catching running back this side of Danny Woodhead. problem is, he is an average at best runner and there are no better options to hand the ball off to unless RB Ameer Abdulla rebounds from a fumble-laden rookie campaign
• Ziggy Ansah could lead the league in sacks next year. He has a great nose for the ball, and it doesn't hurt that he is a 270-pound package of physicality
• Linebacker DeAndre Levy has been sidelined by a mysterious hip injury since 2015. He missed all of last season and has not seen the field in training camp so something is definitely up
• Cornerback Darius Slay and safety Glover Quinn compose a vastly underrated secondary. The two players don't have eye-popping athleticism and Slay's interception numbers are lacking, but they do their jobs really well and rarely give up big plays
• The offensive line is littered with former 1st round picks, but a cohesive unit has still yet to spring from the clump of potential

Green Bay Packers

• Last year was a down year all around for the Packers. Invaluable wide receiver/Aaron Rodgers mind melder Jordy Nelson tore his ACL before the season even began. His absence caused everyone on the depth chart to jump up a spot, and as a result the offense as a whole suffered dearly
• I think Aaron Rodgers and Randall Cobb are both going to bounce-back immensely in 2016. Rodgers is too good to have another down year (for Rodgers, a 3,821 yard, 31 touchdown season is a down year and that is why he's the best QB in the league).
• Cobb being able to move back into the slot is huge for him. He's obviously more comfortable operating from there, since he can utilize his smooth route running skills and negate his size disadvantage by playing inside
• The Packers offensive line was decimated by injuries last season, but the group remains intact and it's a top 5 unit in the league when healthy. Guards Josh Sitton and T.J. Lang form a menacing combo at guard. Both are fantastic run blockers and dominate on pass defense. Left tackle David Bahkitari is solid if not spectacular, while 2014 5th round pick Cory Lindsey was a pleasant surprise
• The Packers have the cleanest cap sheet in the league, but at the same time they are also one of the deeper teams in the league. Their only weak position is inside linebacker, where it looks like 4th rounder Blake Martinez may get the starting nod.
• Defensive end Mike Daniels and outside linebacker Clay Matthews are the stars of the defense. They are both so disruptive at getting after the quarterback and are both adept at run defense that the Packers D will never drop below league average with those two manning the front seven.
• While there is no superstar in the Packers' secondary, it is one of the deepest units in the league, with three good corners and a triplet of valuable safeties

Houston Texans

• The team was dragged down last season by terrible quarterback play and no real offensive threats outside of superhuman receiver DeAndre Hopkins. In free agency and the draft, GM Rick Smith went to work, signing quarterback Brock Osweiler to a deal with $37 million guaranteed and explosive running back Lamar Miller
• In the draft, Smith took two receivers will eye-popping speed in Will Fuller and the highly intriguing Braxton Miller
• The key to going from good to great is how much Osweiler can command the offense. He has all the weapons one could ask for, as well as a sturdy offensive line. It's up to him to string all the pieces together into a winning team
• JJ Watt's back injury should scare Texans. Back injuries are always tricky business and a vast majority of the time a player noticeably loses a notch of explosiveness. Watt's whole game relies on just wreaking havoc on opposing offensive lines through sound technique but also an endless motor
• The Texans are really deep at linebacker and in the secondary. Bernard McKinney, Jadaveon Clowney, Brian Cushing, Whitney Mercilus, Jonathan Joseph, Kareem Jackson and Kevin Johnson are all good to great at their respective positions. It really looks like this team can be a force on both sides of the ball

Indianapolis Colts

• Outside of Andrew Luck, Vontae Davis and T.Y. Hilton, this Colts team is pretty bad
• After many abominable drafting years, GM Ryan Grigson finally sought out to pad the offensive line, drafting a rock in Ryan Kelly at center. Left tackle Anthony Castonzo and left guard Jack Mewhort both are good-not-great at their positions
• The Colts could really struggle without a big target for Luck, seeing as their top three receivers are either really small (T.Y. Hilton and Phillip Dorsett) or play really small (Donte Moncreif)
• Aside from Davis, a premiere talent at cornerback, the entire defense has no big-time play-makers. It's just the cold, hard, undeniable truth

Jacksonville Jaguars

• This is a super exciting team with splotches of young, promising talent scattered throughout the roster. Blake Bortles, at just 24, threw for 4,428 yards and a whopping 35 touchdowns last season
• 22 year old wide receiver Allen Robinson caught a league high 14 touchdowns last year. At 6'3, Robinson is huge for a receiver and he uses his height to the utmost advantage
• The Jaguars may have drafted the two best defenders in the whole draft in Jalen Ramsey and Myles Jack. They were able to snag Jack due to knee concerns, but he has been on the field just like everybody else
• They get the #3 overall pick, defensive end Dante Fowler, back from injury and also signed  the disruptive Malik Jackson to a massive contract
• After three years and a cumulative 12-36 record, GM Cave Caldwell and his coach Gus Bradley are definitely on the hot seat, and while this Jaguars team has young pieces that will eventually blossom into a powerhouse, there will be a painful growth period that Bradley and/or Caldwell don't make it out of

Kansas City Chiefs

• After what looked like a lost season when they started off 1-5, the Chiefs pulled a 180 on themselves and went on a blistering 10 game winning streak. They dismantled their opponents with their aggressive yet not brash defense and an offense that flowed through fantastic tight end Travis Kelce
• Justin Houston's injury should definitely frighten the Chiefs. when healthy, he's their difference maker, and all-around stud at linebacker and probably a top 10 defensive player in the league. He has not played a snap yet in training camp and his season is in doubt
• If Houston is unable to go, that puts even more pressure on aging backers Derrick Johnson and Tamba Hali
• Taking cornerback Marcus Peters in the 1st round of last years draft was a phenomenal selection for the Chiefs brass. They truly have themselves a number 1, lockdown corner who has a nose for making big plays
• The Chiefs beefed up their offensive line this summer by signing the best right tackle in the game in Mitchell Schwartz. In Andy Reid's scheme, the quarterback needs a lot of time to get the ball out, so having viable linemen is crucial for success
• Smith is a very conservative QB, which is mostly good for a team with a defense that can carry the load. (Hey, it worked just fine for the Broncos). However, there will always be moments in a game where a team just needs a commanding drive from its leader. With that in mind, the Chief's disastrously slow and horrible two-minute drill in last year's playoffs reminded folks that this team has a certain ceiling on how great they can be unless Smith gets a little more fiery with his throws in key situations

Los Angeles Rams

• They have a stud on offense in running back Todd Gurley and a human wrecking ball on defense in tackle Aaron Donald. After those two, cornerback Trumaine Johnson and the rest of the defensive line, there are so many questions
• Jared Goff looks like he is going to be a fine quarterback someday, but by watching training camp and Hard Knocks he is still very raw and a ways away from becoming the player he will probably become
• Left tackle Greg Robinson, who was the 2nd overall picking the 2014 draft, has been underwhelming so far, showcasing bad balance and simply not as much brute force that folks thought he had in that massive frame
• The receiving game is still waiting on Kenny Britt's breakout (which won't come) and its best option is when Tavon Austin runs an end around
• If/when Goff unseats Case Keenum at some point this season, having a spotty line and average receivers will make it tough on his to get any rhythm besides handing the ball off to his superstar backfield mate Gurley
• Beside Donald on the Rams' stacked defensive front are Robert Quinn, Michael Brockers and William Hayes. This is undoubtedly a top three defensive line in the entire league and it will carry the rest of the defense most nights
• Johnson is a fine option at quarterback. He's only 25, but he is mature and doesn't bite on quarterback or receiver fakes
• If the team can draft a big receiving target next draft and Goff developes on par with his draft position, the Rams will be really good, really fast

Miami Dolphins

• The Dolphins are a low-key mess. Their GM chooses old and expensive over young and expensive, their 'franchise' quarterback has not gotten it done and Byron Maxwell is by far their best cornerback
• At lease Adam Gase is on board at head coach and he looks to be the real deal. If anyone can get to Tannehill, it's him
• Drafting Laremy Tunsil was one of GM Mike Tannenbaum's better moves seeing as the Dolphins offensive line allowed the most sacks of any team last season
• Besides the indestructible Ndomukong Suh, the Dolphins have no pass rush, unless they really expect a guy who hated playing football last year in Mario Williams to get to the quarterback
• Jarvis Landry and DeAvante Parker at wideout is a young and explosive combo. In a couple years, if they have even an average QB, those two will be laying waste to opposing secondaries
• Safety Reshad Jones is one of the best in the game at his position. He hits almost as hard as Kam Chancellor, but is way better in coverage
• With weak running back, linebacker and cornerback units, don't expect these Dolphins to go far

Minnesota Vikings

• This is a team built the right way by GM Rick Speilman. He hit a home run with the hire of Mike Zimmer as head coach. Zimmer is a master defensive teacher and executioner. He molds players into the best they can be and places them in positions to succeed in his complex defensive systems
• Speilmen has accumulated quite the impressive treasure chest worth of young studs
• 23-year-old quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is a keeper. He's conservative right now, but look for his to ramp it up as he becomes even more comfortable with the game
• In free agency, Speilman re-built the offensive line. Out of Matt Khalil, Brandon Fusco, Mike Harris, Joe Berger, John Sullivan, Alex Boone and Andre Smith, there is a really good unit in there somewhere if Zimmer can crack the combination code. He probably will
• In the 1st round of this year's draft, the Vikings selected receiver Laquon Treadwell, who has drawn comparisons to Dez Bryant. Last year, they snagged Stefon Diggs in the 5th round, who has proven to be the steal of the draft with his combination of length and speed. The next step in his development is fewer drops
• At 31, Adrian Peterson is still a top three player at his position. His presence has eased Bridgewater's burden so much
• On defense, there is depth and serious talent at all three levels. In the trenches, Everson Griffen and Shariff Floyd have a great combo of pass-rusher and run-clogger
• In the middle, fellow former UCLA linebackers Anthony Barr and Erik Kendricks are smart and hit hard.
• In the secondary, safety Harrison Smith is a star, using incredible instincts to always be in the right place at the right time. Cornerback is deep with Xaiver Rhodes, Captain Munnerlyn, Trae Waynes, the immortal Terrence Newman and promising newcomer Mackenzie Alexander

New England Patriots

• Even with Tom Brady suspended for a quarter of the season, the Pats should still be fine. they have one of the best coaching staffs in the league (sans being cheaters), a promising backup in Jimmy Garappalo and a relatively easy schedule
• Trading for Martelius Bennett was a scary good move. With him and superstar Rob Gronkowski entrenched as the tight ends, the Pasts have themselves two guys who can block, catch and make a play at a position where only doing two of those is considered star-worthy
• The running game and the offensive line have major concerns, but knowing the Patriots, Dion Lewis will wreck havoc again after ACL surgery and line coaching legend Dante Scarnecchia will coax an average unit out of the jumble of linemen
• The Pats have no AJ Green on offense, a long and tall target who can run from the outside, but Gronk is pretty close
• They do have two slashers in Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola. These guys are constantly breaking ankles and are fast as heck
• Their defense is stacked with depth and star talent in Jamie Collins, D'onta Hightower, Devin McCourty and Super Bowl-folk-hero-turned-into-great-cornerback Malcolm Butler
• This team will be right back in the playoffs again and as long as Brady is slinging it in meaningful situations, a Super Bowl is always in reach

New Orleans Saints

• They have the worst cap situation in the league, and it's unjustified since they sported a measly 7-9 record last year
• Drew Brees is all of a sudden 37-years-old and the Saints can either franchise him next season for an untenable $43 million or sign him to a long term extension. Neither paths are preferred for the Saints. Committing a potential $43 million to one player is team-building suicide, but tagging on extended years on a guy who could play his last down at any minute is not a good prospect either
• The offense is revitalized with speedy, young wideout Brandin Cooks (22) opposite the huge bodied freak that is Michael Thomas(22)
• Mark Ingram, when healthy, is a fine running back and the offensive line has superstar left tackle Terron Armstead
• The defense is a problem. It ranked dead last in most statistical rankings and Rob Ryan got canned for good reason. The safeties, Kenny Vaccaro and Jarius Byrd have played way worse than their starry names suggest. 
• The linebackers are young and promising, but there is no true force lurking out there, just solid players who will have fine careers in the NFL but not be game-changers
• The closest defensive player the saints have to a JJ Watt type is defensive end Cameron Jordan. Jordan racked up 10.5 sacks last year and he saw constant double teams. With the addition of Sheldon Rankins, look for more holes to open up for Jordan, and with it, more sacks

New York Giants

• While there is a lot of hype surrounding the Giant's reloaded defensive front, I am skeptical. Jonathan Hankins and Damon Harrison are incredible run stuffers, but don't offer much in the pass-rushing game, Jason Pierre-Paul has one good hand and Olivier Vernon did not even net double digit stats even though he had Ndomukong Suh gobbling up double teams next to him
• Their linebacking corps is one of the most dismal in the whole league. There is not one starting caliber backer in the unit
• The Giants attempted to shore up their secondary issues by drafting Eli Apple and signing Janoris Jenkins. Adding them two alongside Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie forms a respectable trio, but there is still no superstar among the bunch
• Eli Manning somehow is already 35-years-old and the team has no promising backups, so the time to win is now
• The running game is once again a weakness. The Giants sport no explosive playmakers back there and have an average offensive line albeit having the stud Weston Richburn at center
• Their receiving corps is going to shine. Odell Beckham is a bona-fide superstar and rookie Sterling Shepherd has flashed that same electrifying catching ability reminiscent of, well, Odell. If Victor Cruz can return to the happy, salsa-dancing blazer he used to be, this corps will be a load to handle

New York Jets

• Under the new Mike Maccagnan-Todd Bowles era, the Jets went an impressive 10-6 last season and will look to build on that this year
• After years of slogging through atrocious, uncreative offensive coordinators, the Jets struck gold with the hire of Chan Gailey. An example of how good Gailey is is that he is the only man who has figured out how to get production out of Ryan Fitzpatrick. Also, when the Jets were weak at tight end last year, Gailey did not try to get cute by force-feeding below average tight ends just for the sake of doing so. Instead he just went with four wide receivers 
• The Jets are known for their incredible defense featuring a stud defensive line including Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams as well as Darrelle Revis and Calvin Pryor in the secondary. While their defense is spectacular (4th in DVOA and 1st in run defense last season), the offense does not get enough credit
• Fitzpatrick threw for 31 touchdowns and formed a valuable connection with star receivers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker
• The running game will be fine even without downhill thumper Chris Ivory. They signed the versatile Matt Forte and re-signed Bilal Powell, one of the most slithery and underrated backs in the league
• The offensive line is aging, but if everyone stays healthy, Nick Mangold, Ryan Clady and James Carpenter make up a great 3/5ths of any line
• After the forgettable John Izdik era left the Jets without much young talent, after two Maccagnan drafts there is real potential
• Under-25 talent includes Richardson, Williams, Pryor, Quincy Enuwa, Charone Peake, Darron Lee, Lorenzo Maudlin, Jordan Jenkins and eventually, if he is developed right, Christian Hackenberg

Oakland Raiders

• There may not be a team with more expectations to make the leap than the Raiders. After two superb drafts by GM Reggie McKenzie, the team has a young franchise quarterback in Derek Carr, a defensive beast in Khalil Mack and an explosive, smooth wide receiver in Amari Cooper. Each of them is 25 or younger
• It can not be overstated enough how much McKenzie hit on the 2014 and 2015 drafts. Those three plus mauling guard Gabe Jackson and stretchy, pass-rushing demon Mario Edwards
• To add more talent and depth around his young core, McKenzie dipped into free agency. Actually, dipped is the wrong word. More like submerged himself. He signed Kelechi Osmele from the Ravens, an imposing guard. He signed the lanky Seas Smith to be the man at quarterback. He snatched the smart and grizzled Reggie Nelson from the Bengals to take over for Charles Woodson. Lastly, he inked Bruce Irving from the Seahawks, a pass-rushing force from the edge
• With so much young and prime talent, there is merit behind all the lofty expectations for the team this year
• The team has no excuses. They are just as talented as any team in the league, and their time is now

Philadelphia Eagles

• After 14 years with Andy Reid, it was time for a change. In came Chip Kelly, who was not a good people person and sported a depressing 6-10 record on a team he hand-picked
• The Eagles basically came crying back to Reid, poaching his offensive coordinator in Kansas City, Doug Pederson. Pederson is like a Reid-clone. He practices his teams hard like Reid. He has the same offensive style as Reid. He likes his QB's just like his former boss. He cannot orchestrate a two-minute drill just like Reid.
• A return to the grit and grunt is good for the Eagles as opposed to Kelly's free-styling disaster.
• There is talent on the team for Pederson, but no position is dominant and the team has very little depth
• The best player on the team is defensive end Fletcher Cox, who is versatile enough to attack from anywhere along the line. His mixture of power and quickness off the snap make him a sack-leading candidate
• Malcolm Jenkins is a top 5 safety is the league. He is rangy and has a nose for making plays
• The offensive line is definitely a strength if Lane Johnson can fight off his suspension. Him alongside sturdy Jason Kelce, beastly Brandon Brooks and stalwart Jason Peters makes a fabulous line
• Sadly, this offensive line may be wasted on an offense bereft of a star quarterback, wide receiver or running back. The only star on offense is young tight end Zack Ertz, who has quickness and force after the catch
• Sam Bradford is not a starting quarterback. His breakout season was supposed to come in 2011, but it has still never come. He is sulky and usually only reads one side of the field 
• Rookie Carson Wentz looks like the real deal and he should be the starting quarterback in 2017, since he's not ready yet

Pittsburgh Steelers

• When everyone is on the field, Pittsburgh is the home of the most explosive offense in the entire NFL
• Problem is, they employ some rule breakers. Running back Le'Veon Bell is the most patient and vicious runner in the league, but he has had many substance abuses. Receiver Martavis Bryant is a blur at 6'4, but he also has violated the NFL's substance abuse policy one too many times
• Since Bell and Bryant have not consistently been on the field, Pittsburgh has never seen what this offense could become. Even without those two, Ben Roethlesburger and Antonio Brown are still the best QB-WR combo in the league. Brown is crazy fast and nifty at navigating in the thicket of bodies that is the NFL's midfield
• The Steelers' ability to identify receiver talent is unbelievable. Over the past 6 years, they have drafted Emmanuel Saunders, Mike Wallace, Brown, Bryant, Markus Wheaton and Sammy Coates, who has turned heads in practice and looks to be the next Steelers star wide receiver
• The offensive line is also excellent. The strength is in the middle, where Maurkice Pouncey is a smart, physically-imposing presence at center and David DeCastro anchors the running game along with fellow guard Ramon Foster. Marcus Gilbert is a top 5 right tackle, holding his own against some of the league's most ferocious pass-rushers
• After the days of Troy Polamalu, the defense has recalibrate under new coordinator Keith Butler
• In the last six drafts, the Steelers have selected five defensive players and it's all starting to pay off. On the defensive line, Cam Hayward and Stephon Tuitt have quietly become a dominant duo
• The linebackers unit is crazy deep and bursting with youth and veteran leadership. Father time winner James Harrison, at 38, is still smashing. Jarvis Jones and Lawrence Timmons are smart and rangy. Recent draft picks Bud Dupree and Ryan Shazier are future fixtures at MLB and OLB. Shazier is especially the crown of the corps. He is only 24 and has become the quarterback of the defense. He is also a violent hitter and can hang with the best of tight ends
• If everyone is healthy, this team should be a Super Bowl favorite

San Diego Chargers

• This team is similar to the Falcons. They have a really good quarterback (Phil Rivers), wide receiver (Keenan Allen) and a lockdown corner (Jason Merrett)
• Beside those three, there is very little talent, however the defense is starting to accumulate talent through the past couple drafts and free agency
• Linebackers Melvin Ingram, Denzel Perryman and Manti T'eo are all young, dual-threat players. They will form a great Chargers linebackers unit for the next five years
• The Joey Bosa situation is very unfortunate and must be extremely frustrating for all involved. The team could really use his explosive pass-rushing gifts
• Signing cornerback Casey Hayward in free agency was a really nice pickup. Brandon Flowers quietly had a poor season last year and he just turned 30. Hayward is only 26 and he can cover the other team's best corner if something happens

San Francisco 49ers

• This poor team has so little talent now after the great exodus of the 2015 offseason
• Left tackle Joe Staley is still a top 5 presence at the position, but the rest of the line is and, and so is whoever will be quarterbacking 
• Running back Carlos Hyde has shown some wiggle and burst. He's young (only 23), so the team has many more good years out of him to look forward to
• Torrey Smith is the only players out of all the receivers and tight ends who is starting caliber. He has elite quickness and will catch some 80 yard bombs this season. Sadly, like Staley, the talent around him will drag him down
• The defense is way more promising. Back-to-back 1st round picks were devoted to the defensive line. Arik Amsted and DeForest Buckner have already become a disruptive duo, and they will be for a long time. neither is older than 22.
• Middle linebacker Navarro Bowman is in his prime and he can cover and hit hard. He's a really intelligent backer that usually won't let many big plays happen near him

Seattle Seahawks

• They are not as deep as they were in 2013, when they won the Super Bowl, but there is still major talent at key positions on this team
• The Seahawks, while their best player is dual-threat quarterback Russell Wilson, are a team that leans on their defense
• Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril are still lighting up opposing offensive lines. Bennett is especially valuable since he can still be a rushing force whether he be lined up in the middle or on the outside 
• Linebackers Bobby Wagner and KJ Wright play nasty. They can cover tight ends and stunt the run game
• Cornerback Richard Sherman is a top two cover man along with Cardinals ace Patrick Peterson. Sherman plays in zone, so whichever poor soul matches up on his side will be swallowed into irrelevancy
• Safeties Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas III are the best safety duo in the league. They compliment each other perfectly. Thomas is the rangier one and he hits players mighty hard. Chancellor is even more of an enforcer. He will absolutely crush anybody who comes near him
• The entire defense plays nasty and tough, and it's what drives this Seahawks team
• On the offensive side of the ball, Wilson has proved that he can zip the ball as well as tuck it in and run. While his protection may be suspect, he has valuable weapons at his disposal 
• Running back Thomas Rawls runs ferociously, Doug Baldwin is a top notch slot receiver and Jimmy Graham is a monster target in the middle 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Jameis Winston flashed an advanced understanding of the nuances of the quarterback position in his first season, playing all 16 games and making a Pro Bowl appearance
• Having a pair of mobile, 6'5 giants in Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson was and is going to be a huge aid to Jameis as he may struggle behind a suspect offensive line
• Running back Doug Martin rebounded from two down years and had the best season of his career, earning him a spanking new contract. He ran for 1,402 yards and notched 6 touchdowns. While 2014 second round pick Austin Sefarian-Jenkins has been disappointing, an offense with Jameis, Evans, Jackson and Martin will have plenty of firepower
• Over the past few years, there has been precious little talent on the Bucs' defense other than Gerald McCoy and Davonte David. The Bucs dipped into the draft for more defensive talent, selecting the powerful end Noah Spence as well as feisty cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III
• Firing Lovie Smith in favor of offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter was a bold move for general manager Jason Licht, along with his decision to draft a kicker in the 2nd round. Poor Robert Aguayo missed his first field goal attempt in preseason, and will have unreal expectations correlating with his enormously high draft position
• The talent on this team is relatively young and Koetter seems to have figured out how to let Jameis succeed

Tennessee Titans

• Coach Mike Mularkey has made his intentions clear: He wants to play "Smashmouth" football, using ferocious running backs DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry to run the ball up opponents throats
• It's certainly not a bad idea if it helps the Titans win games, but it's a style of play that doesn't aid in further developing franchise quarterback Marcus Mariota.
• Mariota should be operating in the shotgun as much as possible. The best way for him to thrive is if he plays within a spread-out offense with multiple options that also encourage his sneaky-good scrambling
• Mularkey is basically making Mariota what Teddy Bridgewater has been the last two seasons for the Vikings: A game-manager who hands the ball off the workhouse running back and occasionally throws low-risk passes. While that style of play has been perfect for Teddy since he's still working on his arm strength and the Vikings have one the best runners in the league in Adrian Peterson, it's not the kind of offense suited for a gun-slinger like Mariota
• The Titans have no reliable receiving weapons other than Pro Bowl tight end Delaine Walker, who is quietly a top 5 tight end. Their offensive line is promising with first round picks Taylor Lewan and Jack Conklin bookending the tackle positions
• Defensive end Jurrell Casey is a top player at his position. He is relentless at attacking the quarterback and his whopping 28 quarterback hurries underscore that
• Like the Bucs, this team has a stud young quarterback and is still figuring out how to build around him. 

Washington

• Remember when Washington was just a symbol for a trash can on fire? That pitiful image evaporated when proven personnel man Scot McClougan stepped in as general manager
• His first draft was very strong; he selected rock solid guard Brandon Sheriff, the pass-rushing machine Preston Smith, ragged running back Matt Jones and shifty receiver Jamison Crowder
• To extract 4 starters who all have potential to become real valuable later in their careers constitutes an incredible first draft
• Washington have pulled a complete 180 from the days where it seemed as if the stench of abysmal owner Dan Snyder would never wear off. For some reason, Snyder has backed off recently and the team has shockingly benefitted
• Coach Jay Gruden and young whiz Sean McVay have crafted a simple, yet complex at the same time, offense for quarterback Kirk Cousins, who finally had his breakout year, throwing for 4,166 yards and 29 touchdowns
• Cousins looks like he can be what RGIII never become: Washington's franchise quarterback. He has great pocket poise and has a certain fire in him that is attached to QB's that have the 'it' factor
• Between Sheriff and the immovable Trent Williams, the Redskins have quietly build a very sturdy line to protect Cousins
• Washington is rich with talent at playmaking positions: Jordan Reed is a huge target at tight end who can move and has a great knack for catching TD's, as evidenced by his 11 touchdowns last year
• Desean Jackson has blazing speed and the tough factor that make him an extremely tough cover
• Josh Doctson has been injured so far, but just by looking at his body type, one can tell he's going to make a positive impact once he gets on the field
• The defense is really stout, with Ryan Kerrigan, Josh Norman and Brashaun Breeland forming a great big three