The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good

Last year’s playoff teams went 5-7 in week 1 indicating that the trend of parity in the NFL will continue.  Pre-season favourites such as Indianapolis, San Diego, Dallas and San Francisco all started their 2010 campaigns with a loss.  Only five of the sixteen games this week were won by double digits giving more credibility to the argument that the NFL is the most competitive professional sports league from top to bottom.  For us as NFL fans, it makes the season that much more exciting because on any given Sunday, any team can win.

The Bad

A number of contenders had elements of their team exposed.

Indianapolis Colts Run Defense:  Peyton Manning threw for 433 yards and 3 touchdowns and personally outgained the entire Houston Texans offence, yet the Colts fell to their division rival.  The Colts pass defense held Matt Schaub in check but let Arian Foster run wild.   The second year back averaged 7 yards per carry and gashed the Colts for 231 yards and 3 touchdowns.  As good as there offence is, the Colts are doomed if they can’t repair their swiss cheese run defense.

Cincinnati Bengals Secondary:  The Bengals actually looked good in this game and should not panic after losing to a strong New England team.  One cause for concern is that Tom Brady had his way with the Bengals secondary all day.   Jonathan Joseph and Leon Hall are coming off big years but the Bengals need to be able to cover the slot receivers and it doesn’t appear that their safeties can handle that assignment (see Wes Welker).

New York Jets Offence:  If you want to talk the talk you better be able to walk the walk.  The Jets did a lot to try and boost their offence this off-season by bringing in some big names and praising the development of Mark Sanchez.  Well that leap that everyone was expecting from Sanchez was not apparent Monday night.  The Ravens have a great defense but 6 first downs is not going to cut it, no matter how good the Jets D is. 

San Francisco Quarterback Alex Smith:  The ‘make or break’ year for the former 1^st overall pick could not have gotten off to a worse start.  Smith completed less than 60% of his passes and threw two costly interceptions in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks.  The time is now for Smith who is surrounded by talent.  If he doesn’t step up soon, the Niners would be wise to see if another former 1^st overall pick, David Carr, can get the job done.  

The Ugly

Earlier in the offseason I blogged about the Cowboys and Lions ignoring their offensive lines and how it would come back to haunt them.  We didn’t have to wait long.

I knew at some point this season Jerry Jones would regret his decision to let Flozell Adams walk.  With Marc Colombo out, Alex Barron started at right tackle and looked more like a wrestler than an offensive linemen.  On the final play of the game, Barron didn’t even attempt to block Brian Orakpo.  Instead he rung his neck and committed the most blatant holding penalty in recent memory, which cost the Cowboys the game.  For all the talk about Super Bowl aspirations for Dallas, Jones erred when he released a quality offensive tackle in an uncapped year.  The lack of depth on the line will continue to plague this club going forward. 

In the draft, the Lions decided to take Ndamukong Suh and Jahvid Best instead of addressing their issues on the offensive line.  While Suh and Best look like emerging stars, the repercussions of ignoring the o-line have already been felt.  The Lions rushed for a dismal 20 yards on 21 carries, but the bigger impact was the injury suffered by Matthew Stafford.  Stafford has all the tools to be a top quarterback in this league but if Detroit doesn’t make it a point to protect him, they are doomed to remain in the basement of the NFC North.

Week 1 Pick'em

It's just about time to get the 2010 NFL Season underway and with a look at this week's match-ups, here's instalment one of Pick'em.

Vikings @ Saints (-5.5)

Favre and the Vikings return to the scene of the crime, albeit with a skeleton crew of receivers.  The Superdome will be rocking but Adrian Peterson has a big night.  Saints win a close one.

Spread: Vikings +5.5

Straight up: Saints

Panthers @ Giants (-6.5)

With all the talk about the Cowboys this offseason, the Giants have quietly gone about their business.   The Panthers are in a transition year but will be a tough team to play against.  The Giants ability to pressure Matt Moore with their front four will lead to turnovers.

Spread: Panthers +6.5

Straight up: Giants

Dolphins @ Bills (+3)

This line is nowhere near where it should be.  As a rookie, CJ Spiller is the most threatening player on a terrible offence.  Dolphins need this divisional win if they want to be in the hunt.

Spread: Dolphins -3

Straight up: Dolphins

Falcons @ Steelers (+2)

If the Steelers want to remain relevant in the AFC North before Big Ben returns, Rashard Mendenhall is going to have to carry the load.  Michael Turner is healthy and the Falcons are hungry to unseat the Saints.

Spread: Falcons -2

Straight up: Falcons

Lions @ Bears (-6.5)

The Lions D-line went from pathetic to solid this offseason.  The Bears have a weak O-line and have struggled in the preseason. 

Spread: Lions +6.5

Straight up: Bears

Bengals @ Patriots (-4.5)

The Bengals haven’t won in Foxborough in what seems like forever.  The Pats still have a healthy Brady throwing to a healthy Moss and Welker. 

Spread: Patriots -4.5

Straight up: Patriots

Browns @ Bucs (-3)

In the week 1 toilet bowl, the Browns travel to Tampa.  Josh Freeman and Jake Delhomme will try and see who can turn the ball over the most.

Spread: Bucs – 3

Straight up: Bucs

Broncos @ Jaguars (-2.5)

Don’t fool yourself, this is a home game for the Broncos anytime Tim Tebow steps on the field in the Wild Horse formation.  I guarantee he gets himself a homecoming touchdown.

Spread: Broncos +2.5

Straight up: Broncos

Colts @ Texans (+2)

Last time we saw Peyton Manning he walked off the field as a Super Bowl loser in Miami.  The road back begins Sunday in Houston and no one is getting in his way.

Spread: Colts -2

Straight up: Colts

Raiders @ Titans (-6)

The Raiders are finally becoming respectable and their defense will be better than many expect.  Beating the Titans at home is too lofty just yet.

Spread: Titans -6

Straight up: Titans

Packers @ Eagles (+3)

The Kevin Kolb era will not begin as smoothly as Philly fans hope.  Best case scenario, Kolb is even close to Rodgers in a year or two.

Spread: Packers -3

Straight up: Packers

49ers @ Seahawks (+3)

The niners are my pick to win the NFC West and with a high octane defense led Patrick Willis, they will come away with this divisional road win.

Spread: 49ers -3

Straight up: 49ers

Cardinals @ Rams (+4)

Bradford looked great in the preseason and the Cardinals have gone from Kurt Warner to Derek Anderson.  Cards simply have a more talented roster at this point.

Spread: Cardinals –4

Straight up: Cardinals

Cowboys @ Redskins (+3.5)

For all the hype the Cowboys are getting, I’m more pessimistic.  They better hope the offensive line stays healthy or Romo and the Boys are in trouble.  Even still they’ll beat the Redskins.

Spread: Cowboys -3.5

Straight up: Cowboys

Ravens @ Jets (-2.5)

This could be a preview of the AFC championship game.  Now that Revis is back, the Jets will be tough to beat at home.  The Ravens have problems in the secondary.

Spread: Jets -2.5

Straight up: Jets

Chargers @ Chiefs (+4.5)

Chargers are a playoff team with Super Bowl aspirations.  The Chiefs are a few years from being a playoff team.

Spread: Chargers -4.5

Straight up: Chargers

Season Total

vs. Spread : 0-0

Straight up: 0-0

The Key to 3-4 vs 4-3: Recognize the Equilibrium

Throughout the history of football, coaches have developed new schemes, formations and philosophies to try and give their team a competitive edge. As every football fan has heard, the NFL is a ‘copycat’ league and when teams have success doing things a certain way, it is not long before other teams begin to implement aspects of their playbook. For evidence, look at how popular Bill Walsh’s 49ers made the west coast offence or how many teams adapted the Dolphins wildcat formation last season. As opposing offences change, defensive coordinators alter their own schemes to ensure that they matchup better. It’s an ongoing game of cat and mouse.


In the 1990’s the most common defense was the 4-3 and only the Pittsburgh Steelers and Buffalo Bills ran the 3-4.  When Bill Belichick took over in New England he implemented the 3-4, which he ran as the defensive coordinator of the New York Giants when they won Super Bowls in 1986 and ’90. The Patriots and Steelers won five of the last 10 Super Bowls with dominant defense and other teams took notice. Over the last five years there has been a mass exodus away from the 4-3 and toward the 3-4. Analysts and sports writers were quick to describe the 3-4 as the ‘optimal’ defense to matchup against today’s pass heavy offenses. As football fans watched Peyton Manning consistently struggle against the Patriots defense, many began to believe that having an extra linebacker made it harder for quarterbacks to read the coverage and identify blitzes. But before we get ahead of ourselves, let’s take a look at some factors that often go overlooked.


First off it is important to understand that the personnel required for either defense are very different. Below is a chart that lists the average weight of NFL starters at their respective position.
 

Weight in Pounds of Average NFL Starter

What this table makes very clear is that a different type of personnel is required for each of these defenses. In a 4-3, outside linebackers are required to cover a larger area of the field in run support and drop into pass coverage more often than those in the 3-4. Therefore, these players are on average 17 pounds lighter. 3-4 outside linebackers spend more time rushing the passer and therefore are heavier to aid them in their matchups with offensive linemen around the line of scrimmage.

Defensive linemen in the 3-4 are given the job of eating up space. Their goal is to occupy offensive linemen so that their linebackers can roam free and make plays. In a 4-3 defensive linemen have different responsibilities. The defensive ends are the primary pass rushers (OLB are in a 3-4) and therefore they must be quicker than 3-4 ends. The two defensive tackles in a 4-3 have different responsibilities. The 1-technique (lines up closest to the centre) is typically more of a run stopper and is heavier than the 3-technique, whose job is to penetrate the offensive line and cause disruption in the backfield. It is no surprise, based on their very different job requirements, that 3-4 defensive linemen outweigh 4-3 d-linemen by roughly 23 pounds on average.

Let's look at a few players to prove the aforementioned job descriptions.  Over the last decade, Richard Seymour and Julius Peppers have to be considered two of the best defensive ends in the NFL.  Seymour played DE in the 3-4 and Peppers in the 4-3.  In 8 seasons, Peppers has amassed 81 sacks, whereas Seymour has only 43 sacks in 9 seasons.  Even though he has roughly half the sacks, Seymour plays his role better than most (taking on blockers and turning himself into an imovable force at the line of scrimmage).  Still not convinced?  How about the interior linemen?

Ask anyone who knows something about the NFL and they will tell youthat Kevin Williams and Vince Wilfork are two of the games best interior defenders.  Williams plays DT (3-technique) in the Vikings 4-3 defence, whereas Wilfork plays NT in the Patriots 3-4 scheme.  In 6 seasons Wilfork has only 7.5 sacks.  In 7 seasons, Williams has 48.5 sacks.  Again, Wilfork is simply doing his job as a space eater and shouldn't be evaluated on sack production the way Williams is. 

Now that we are clear on the differences regarding personnel, let’s look at how teams acquire players and what impact this has on the success of each scheme.

The primary infusion of talent into the NFL comes ever year via the Draft. The vast majority of players drafted come from the NCAA which represents the talent pool for future NFL talent. The college ranks are full of players of all different sizes who have various skill sets. Regardless of what schemes NFL teams are running, the talent pool in the NCAA is relatively constant. At the start of the decade, when only a few teams were running the 3-4, the demand for a certain breeds of player was fairly low. For example, nose tackles that weighed over 330 pounds with limited mobility were passed over by most teams running the 4-3 because they didn’t ‘fit the scheme’. In essence it’s a numbers game. With 30 teams fighting over one type of personnel, and only 2 teams fighting over the other, it is no surprise that the 2 teams in the minority are going to stockpile talent.


A perfect example of a guy who may have slipped through the cracks is Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil is 5’11 and weighs 250lbs. Scouts for 4-3 teams would say he’s undersized to play defensive end and his height would indicate that his arms are too short. At the combine he ran a 4.78 which isn’t slow, but makes him too slow to play linebacker in a 4-3. For a 3-4 team like Denver, he is the perfect mold for an OLB and has proved this over the last few seasons. There are many more cases like Dumervil: Would Dwight Freeney be effective in a 3-4? Would Demarcus Ware be the menace he is if he played a traditional end position?

As I mentioned earlier, sports writers were quick to anoint the 3-4 as the optimal defence in today’s NFL after seeing how much opposing quarterbacks struggled against the Patriots and Steelers. As an ex-quarterback, I can tell you it is not more difficult based on the way they line up. It is more difficult because you spend less time preparing to play against that alignment. When the Colts would play the Patriots and Steelers once a year, they only spent 2 out of 16 weeks watching film and studying up on the 3-4.  This also meant the offensive line wasn't used to picking up the various rushers that come from 3-4 linebackers.  It was foreign to them and that is why it was so successful.

As more and more teams switch to the 3-4, the balance will be restored. Quarterbacks are already becoming as comfortable playing against the 3-4 as the 4-3 and the drafting/personnel benefits regarding the static talent pool will be negated in equilibrium (when an equal number of teams run the 3-4 and 4-3). However, if the pendulum swings the other way, and the majority of NFL teams run 3-4 defences, don’t be surprised if 4-3 defences begin to reign supreme. As unconventional as it may seem, perhaps coming up with a brand new scheme that requires its own specific personnel group would be worth considering…if someone out there is brave enough to test it…

NFC West Offseason Grades

Seattle Seahawks (Grade: A+)


Pete Carroll wasted no time putting his stamp on the Seahawks and receives my highest offseason grade of the 32 NFL teams. He found the ideal replacement for retired LT Walter Jones in Russell Okung, the best tackle prospect in the draft. He should anchor the Seahawks left side for the next ten years. With their second pick in the first round, the Seahawks grabbed safety Earl Thomas who is one of the best prospects in the entire draft. He lacks Eric Berry’s size but makes more plays on the ball. Getting WR Golden Tate where they did was great value. Tate isn’t the best route runner but is outstanding with the ball in his hands and should immediately start in the slot where he can get favourable matchups. The Seahawks gave up very little to acquire QB Charlie Whitehurst from the Chargers. Whitehurst is a promising young quarterback and, at the very least, his presence will make sure Hasselbeck doesn’t get complacent. They also acquired Leon Washington for next to nothing and he will pair with Justin Forsett to give the Seahawks a lot of speed in the backfield. To sum up, the Seahawks were able to find their left tackle of the future, a supreme talent at free safety, an explosive receiver with big play ability, a relatively young quarterback with upside and a speed back who is dangerous in the return game. Christmas came early in the Northwest.

San Francisco 49ers (Grade: A)

If the Seahawks had the best offseason, the 49ers were a close second. I will point out that both teams had an advantage in that they had two high first round picks as assets, but hey, they made good use of them. The Niners are really molding into a Mike Singletary team and nothing made that more clear than the two first round picks of tackle Anthony Davis and guard Mike Iupati. Davis will need some work, but could eventually supplant Joe Staley on the left side (moving Staley over to the right). Iupati is a mauler in the run game and Frank Gore should be ecstatic about these guys joining the team. My prediction is that San Fran has the best O-line in football in 2 years. Singletary also picked a player that fits his mold in safety Taylor Mays out of USC. His pass defense has been called into question, but his potential is through the roof due to his rare blend of size and speed. My guess is Singletary will find a place for him that plays to his strengths. The addition of Ted Ginn Jr will immediately upgrade their return game. Utilizing him in the slot for his straight line speed could help stretch opposing defenses. Bottom Line: I see the Niners winning the NFC West this season, barely edging out the Cardinals.

St. Louis Rams (Grade: B-)

The Rams held the #1 overall pick in the draft and with it, they selected quarterback Sam Bradford who becomes the new face of the franchise. There are always question marks regarding the first overall pick in the draft, especially when it is a quarterback. Bradford is no different. Some say he will struggle converting to an NFL offence after running the spread attack at Oklahoma. Others question his durability after having serious shoulder injuries during his 2009 season. Regardless of how his career turns out, the Rams made the right decision picking him. Ignore the PR talk that they needed someone to inspire the fan base and provide hope for the future. Football clubs should not make picks to appease their fans. They made the right pick because they needed a quarterback, desperately. The Rams would be wise to sit Bradford till at least midway through the season. They are far from playoff contenders and bringing Bradford along slowly gives him a higher probability of success. I like their second round pick Roger Saffold, the OT from Indiana. Pairing him with last year’s 2nd overall pick Jason Smith should, at least on paper, give the Rams their book-end tackles for the next 10 years. These guys will be given the responsibility of protecting Bradford and the millions of dollars he is set to make. Jerome Murphy, a corner from South Florida, adds some talent to a weak secondary and receiver Mardy Gillyard will provide a spark on offence, but this offseason will be judged on Bradford. Quick, name someone that the Colts or Chargers drafted in ‘98 that aren’t named Peyton Manning or Ryan Leaf!......Didn’t think so.

Arizona Cardinals (Grade: B-)
The Cardinals, not necessarily by choice, had a very active off-season. Let’s start with the departures. LB Karlos Dansby left for Miami, S Antrel Rolle moved to the big apple and Anquan Boldin was dealt to the Ravens. All three are top 10 in the NFL at their respective positions and when you throw in the retirement of future hall of famer Kurt Warner, the Cardinals seem to be in some trouble for 2010. That being said, the Cards did a good job trying to restock the cupboard (or stop the bleeding). They drafted the best player available in NT Dan Williams who, alongside Darnell Docket, gives the Cards a powerful, young defensive line. Veteran Joey Porter was brought in to provide leadership and replace some of Dansby’s production and S Kerry Rhodes is an upgrade over Antrel Rolle, in my opinion. I also like their second round pick Daryl Washington out of TCU. He is extremely athletic for his size and, under the guidance of Joey Porter, could develop into a feared edge rusher. Arizona picked up QB Derek Andersen from the Browns to add some depth following Warner’s retirement. I’m a big believer in Matt Leinart and look for 2010 to be his breakout year.

AFC West Offseason Grades

Denver Broncos (Grade:T (for Tebow)….B)

I have come to admire the way Josh McDaniels handles his business. He is not prepared to put up with players that don’t fit his culture. This is strikingly similar to how Bill Belichick used to conduct business until he felt the culture he had created was strong enough to bring in ‘troubled’ personalities. The Broncos got a ‘decent’ return for Brandon Marshall and hope that first round pick Demaryius Thomas will develop into his replacement. Thomas has great size and speed but needs to improve his route running. The big move though was drafting Tim Tebow. Tebow is lucky to go to Denver and get coached by Josh McDaniels, one of the best QB coaches in the league. He also doesn’t have any pressure to play right away with Kyle Orton and Brady Quinn on the roster. I also liked the addition of Brady Quinn, a talented young quarterback who was run out of Cleveland. Ultimately this offseason will be judged on how Tim Tebow does in the coming years and whether or not the Broncos will struggle to find a replacement for Brandon Marshall. I have faith in McDaniels and believe this team will finish around the .500 mark this year, but will look good for 2011.


Oakland Raiders (Grade:A+++….for the Raiders)

Raider nation should be ecstatic that Al Davis did not pull another workout warrior out of his hat in the first round. Rolando McClain is the highest drafted inside linebacker of the decade but could perform up to that standard. He is athletic, hits hard and has good instincts. McClain, along with Thomas Howard and recently acquired Kamerion Wimbley, give the Raiders a formidable core at the linebacker position. Lamarr Houston is explosive for a nose tackle and will immediately compete for playing time on the defensive line. Al Davis still got his workout warriors but this year he did so at great value. Bruce Campbell’s raw talent is the highest in the draft and getting him in the fourth round was a steal. Tom Cable had him at guard in the OTA’s which is a great place for him to learn while making an immediate impact. As far as the QB situation is concerned, I had Russell pegged as a bust since before the draft. His Sugar Bowl performance elevated his status but what people forget is Notre Dame had the 97th ranked pass defense in Division 1A whereas LSU had the 3rd. It’s not surprising that Russell outshone Quinn in that game. I’m glad that Al Davis was able to let go of JaMarcus and move on. Jason Campbell and Bruce Gradkowski will provide stability at that position which will pay dividends this season.


San Diego Chargers (Grade: C+)

The Chargers must’ve had reason to believe that a team was getting ready to move up and take Ryan Matthews. That’s the only justification for moving up that far to pick him. Matthews is a talented running back but I think they reached to get him. I really like Donald Butler at ILB in the 3rd round. He could end up being a better NFL player than Rolando McClain. Not picking a NT in the draft makes the release of Jamaal Williams harder to swallow, but the Chargers are high on the youth they have at the position and could still sign a veteran free-agent. Releasing LT was a necessary move, as sad as it is to see him end his time in San Diego without a Super Bowl. Even though the Chargers lost more than they added, this team will once again win the division and challenge for the AFC Championship.


Kansas City Chiefs (Grade: B)

Scott Pioli went away from his traditional draft philosophy and took two playmakers with his first two picks. I really like the Eric Berry pick at #5. Some say it was too high to select a safety, but Berry is a hard-hitting ballhawk with great range. All the characteristics you want out of a safety. His ability to make plays on the ball will result in at least one, if not two more wins for the Chiefs this season. In my opinion they reached a bit to grab Dexter McCluster, the RB/WR from Ole Miss. He is made in the image of Darren Sproles and will provide a spark for the Chiefs out of the backfield, at receiver and in the return game. I was surprised they didn’t select Jimmy Clausen after he slid to the second round. I do believe Matt Cassel will rebound from last season, but it never hurts to have some competition at the position, especially considering Clausen played under new offensive coordinator Charlie Weis for 3 years at Notre Dame. Javier Arenas will likely be a rotational DB for his career which is why I’m surprised the Chiefs took him in the second round. I like them picking Jon Asamoah, a powerful guard out of Illinois in the 3rd round. Tony Moeaki is a developmental project at TE with lots of upside.

AFC East Offseason Grades

New York Jets (Grade: A-)
The Jets had one of the busiest offseason in recent memory, which was even more surprising given the restrictions placed on the final eight teams with regards to free-agency. The team got rid of Thomas Jones, Alan Faneca and Leon Washington, and brought in Antonio Cromartie, LaDanian Tomlinson and Santonio Holmes. Tomlinson is a better fit than Jones in the backfield due to the emergence of Shonn Greene. Greene will pound the ball between the tackles whereas LT will get 8-10 carries a game and be used more on third down where he excels at catching the ball out of the backfield. Leon Washington’s injuries have stunted his career and USC’s Joe McKnight can fill his role as the change of pace back/kick-returner. On defense, Cromartie’s aggressive style of play fits perfectly with Rex Ryan’s scheme. Since he will always matchup against the opponents second receiver and get a lot of balls thrown his way (no one wants to throw on Darrel Revis) I believe he will have a Pro Bowl caliber season. The only move I didn’t like was releasing Alan Faneca. His veteran leadership is valuable as is his contribution to the run game. With no salary cap this season, I’m left scratching my head at this move. The Jets entire game plan is predicated on running the football. If rookie Vladimir Ducasse struggles to step in or the Jets suffer some injuries, the release of Faneca will be highly scrutinized. The Jets first round pick, CB Kyle Wilson is a physical man-to-man player who will step in as the nickel and will allow Rex Ryan the freedom to dial up his exotic blitzes.

Miami Dolphins (Grade: A-)

The big storyline here is obviously the trade for Brandon Marshall. The Dolphins had a serious void at receiver and filled it with arguably the best young receiver in the game. He single-handedly adds a dimension to this offence that they didn’t have before and Chad Henne should post career numbers this season. Sigining ILB Karlos Dansby improves the front seven considerably.  His speed and range will allow the edge defenders focus more on rushing the passer.  Bill Parcells traded down in the first round to accumulate more picks (since he lost a handful in the Marshall deal), and selected DE Jared Odrick from Penn State. Odrick was thought of highly by most teams that run the 3-4 defense and the ‘Fins needed help along their D-line. I also like Koa Misi and he will likely be used in a rotation at the start as he adapts to the OLB position. John Jerry is a powerful guard prospect who fits nicely in Miami’s straight ahead run offence.

New England Patriots (Grade: B+)

There are a lot of people out there who thought the Patriots should’ve selected Dez Bryant but consider this. Next year will be the year of the receiver in the NFL Draft with Julio Jones, AJ Green and Malcolm Floyd all projected to go in the top 10. None of those players have the character concerns that Bryant had and remember that the Patriots hold two first round picks next year (Oakland’s from the Seymour deal). Randy Moss is aging but the Patriots will not require a replacement for him until at least next season. As usual, Bill Belichick traded down and amassed a number of picks that he used to upgrade his team all over. The Patriots picked Devin McCourty, Jermaine Cunningham and Brandon Spikes in the first two rounds to help fix the problems they had last year on defense. Cunningham has potential to be an effective pass rusher off the edge but will require some time to adjust to the hybrid position. His college teammate Spikes is a player I really like and fits nicely in the middle as a compliment to Jerod Mayo. Belichick picked two excellent TE’s early in the draft. Rob Gronkowski could be the next Jason Witten if he can stay out of the training room whereas Aaron Hernandez is more of a receiving threat but will create matchup problems for opposing linebackers. Zoltan Mesko went early for a punter but is very talented. Belichick knows the value of good special teams. In a division full of tough defenses, a quality punter that can win field position battles is essential.

Buffalo Bills (Grade: D)

I haven’t liked anything about the Bills offseason to this point. I thought they reached on Torell Troup and Alex Carrington, although they needed personnel to help switch to the 3-4. CJ Spiller to me was a luxury pick and the Bills don’t have enough talent on the roster to make luxury picks. Anthony Davis, Jimmy Clausen or even Dez Bryant should’ve been considered here. Now they have a stable of running backs but no line to block for them or their quarterback (whoever ends up lining up behind centre). They added no one worth noting in free agency and lost T.O. In my opinion the Bills will bottom out this year and finish dead last in the NFL (I can’t see them winning a game in their division). The Bills should take a good hard look at what the Rams did with their first two picks because next year they should do the same thing and select Washington Huskies quarterback Jake Locker and the best available OT at the top of round 2.

NFC East Offseason Grades

With the draft completed and the majority of free-agents signed, it's time to debut the 2010 offseason grades for all 32 NFL teams.  These grades are based on the draft and what teams did with regards to trades and free-agent signings.  Without further adieu....

NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys (Grade: B+)
The Dallas Cowboys offseason is somewhat of a mystery to me. They made a number of good moves and some that left me scratching my head. The big head scratcher is the release of Flozell Adams. I do not understand why, in an uncapped year, you would simply release an above average offensive tackle. Even if Jerry Jones and Wade Phillips want to give Doug Free a chance to start, there is no cost to them in keeping Adams. On the other hand, moving up to draft Dez Bryant was one of my favourite moves of the draft. It is nothing short of lunacy that he fell into the mid 20s and I guarantee he will make the teams that passed over him pay for it. I also really like the Sean Lee pick in the second round. Look for this guy to be an integral part of the Cowboys defense for years to come. He could emerge as the best ILB in this draft class. All in all it was a good offseason for the Boys except I think Jerry will be kicking himself if Doug Free goes down to injury as they enter the playoffs.

Washington Redskins (Grade: B+)
The Redskins offseason really comes down to two players: Donovan McNabb and Trent Williams. McNabb still has at least 3-4 good years left in him and fills a void the Redskins have been trying to fill for what seems like forever. Don’t be surprised if either Malcolm Kelly or David Thomas play better than many expect (see Sidney Rice with Favre..but not to the same extent). They didn’t get any younger in the backfield but certainly added some veteran talent in Larry Johnson and Willie Parker. Adding Trent Williams in the draft was necessary, although I still think they should’ve gone with the safer pick in Okung. Nonetheless the Skins were able to fill their two biggest holes, QB and LT, this offseason with a perennial pro-bowler and a top 5 pick. Not bad.

Eagles (Grade: B)
I love Brandon Graham as a player (more as an OLB in the 3-4) but not more than I liked Earl Thomas at that point in the draft. Sure the Eagles took Nate Allen, a quality safety prospect, but let’s get to the point. The Kevin Kolb era is underway and I have to say I’m not a believer. It’s not that I doubt Kolb’s ability. I actually think he has the talent to succeed at the NFL level. The problem is, with the offseason moves Philly made, he has been put in one of the most pressurized situations I’ve ever seen for a first year starter (similar to Aaron Rodgers taking over for Favre). For most first year starting quarterbacks, a record of .500 or better is considered a good outcome. If Kolb were to go 8-8 in his first season as a starter, it should be seen as a great stepping stone. Not in Philly. Not when McNabb could lead a division rival to a better record. Not with Mike Vick waiting in the wings. Just wait and see what happens when Philly gets off to a slow start, McNabb plays well (as always) and reports of Vick looking good in practice/wildcat reps get to Philly fans….Sorry Kevin…It’s not you its Philly.

New York Giants (Grade: B-)
The Giants seem to be content with the pieces they have on offence. They didn’t add any big names in free-agency and the first four picks in the draft they went defense. Their moves this offseason reflect the organizations belief in the formula that won them a world championship: a stout defensive line. Inexperienced Jason Pierre-Paul has been tagged as the ultimate boom or bust pick in this year’s draft. He is the most athletic defensive end prospect to come out of college since maybe Jevon Kearse. He will require some time to adjust to the NFL level before he can be a difference maker. Linval Joseph, the powerful DT, will likely work in a rotation and his contribution will be more in stopping the run than getting after the opposing quarterback. In my opinion the Giants overpaid for Antrel Rolle, but adding depth with veteran Deon Grant and drafting LSU’s Chad Jones will allow Aaron Ross to move back to his natural corner position where he is much better suited. The biggest questions I have are who will play MLB and can the offence be Super Bowl caliber without a true #1 wideout. The Giants will be in the thick of the playoff race but I’m not sure they did enough to be much more than a wildcard team.