NFL Off-Season: Free Agency (Defence)

Having taken care of the offence, my look at the NFL off-season now turns to the defensive side of the ball. Big name free agents are plentiful at every position along the defence. As Seattle has shown this year, having a dominate defense can win championships. Look for a lot of shuffling of high-caliber players as teams will look to retool and take a run at the Seahawks to declare themselves the best team in the NFL next year.

Defensive End:

There are a bunch of solid, young, prime-of-their-career players included in this talented group of edge rushers hitting free agency this year. Along with some older but still effective superstars, this group is one to watch out for this off-season.

Jared Allen: The long time Viking will finally hit the free agency market at the age of 32. Having a quietly solid season last year for the underachieving Vikings racking up 11.5 sacks his services will still be in demand. I expect his former head coach who is now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator to push hard for Tampa to sign him, if not the Oakland Raiders or Denver Broncos to be good spots for Allen to land as well.

Michael Johnson: With Cincinnati's glut of pass rushers on their team, don't expect Johnson back with the Bengals. Johnson had a down year, only totaling 3.5 sacks this year. Considering the Bengals used the franchise tag on him the year before, Johnson should not be expecting anywhere near that kind of money. The most likely landing spot for Johnson would be with the Vikings as Jared Allen is hitting free agency. With new coach, and former Bengals defensive coordinatior, Mike Zimmer taking over for Leslie Fraser, the Vikings seems like the most likely landing spot for Johnson.

Michael Bennett: Bennett's gamble on himself coming off an injury last off-season was a good one, turning in a campaign that will net him a long-term contract from a team. Having racked up 8.5 sacks this year while maintaining good run support, Bennett is an all around defensive end. Bennett's last two teams will be in hot pursuit of him when it comes to signing him back. Look for Tampa Bay and Seattle to push hard for him, but for him to remain with his Super Bowl winning team in Seattle.

Other top free agents include: Lamarr Houston, Justin Tuck, Arthur Jones

Defensive Tackle:

An interesting mix of players are free agents this year at the tackle position. A lot of players coming back from injury, bad years, or finally breaking out after switching from defensive end to tackle. There are no superstars in this group, but some solid depth is out there for teams to sign.

Henry Melton: I don't see the former Chicago Bear returning to his team. They might try, but I think he will test the market. Having battled injury problems last year, he is one of the top disruptive tackles in the league when healthy. Look for teams like the Buccaneers or the Cowboys (if they can get under the cap) to make a push for him. If the Cowboys release DeMarcus Ware and free up cap, I think that would be a nice landing spot for him to go to.

Linval Joseph: The New York Giants absolutely need to re-sign this giant of a man. With the Giants being up against the cap wall and having multiple holes to fill on the team, it is very unlikely to happen. Joseph is a big run stuffer with some pass rush ability. He can play a nose tackle for a 3-4 team or run stuffer for a 4-3 team. The Atlanta Falcons would be a nice spot for him to land with ATL needing all kinds of help along their line.

Jason Hatcher: After switching from a 3-4 defensive end to a 4-3 defensive tackle, Jason Hatcher had a career year for the Dallas Cowboys. Racking up 11 sacks as a tackle is incredibly impressive, especially after just switching roles on the defensive line. Hatcher will not be taking a hometown discount from the Cowboys. Look for Dallas to try to re-sign him, but instead going with younger Melton. Expect the team who loses out on Melton to sign him, with those most likely to be the Buccaneers or the Bears.

Other top free agents include: BJ Raji, Randy Starks, Kevin Williams

Outside Linebacker:

After the re-signing of the big outside linebackers on the market in Brian Orakpo and Jason Worilds, the outside linebacker market has become kind of bare. There is still some decent depth linebackers out there but the top end talent is not there this year.

Shaun Phillips: Having joined the Denver Broncos last season, Shaun Phillips was inconsistent without the presence of Von Miller on the other side of him. Phillips is a pass rusher who needs someone else on the other side of the defense to take the heat away from him so he can do what he does. As a number two pass rusher on a team, you cannot ask for more. I believe the Broncos will re-sign Phillips, with maybe the Oakland Raiders being a second option if the Broncos option falls through.

Calvin Pace: The long-time Jet had a good season last year on the surprisingly solid Jets defence last year. At 34, this will more than likely be the last contract Pace receives. A two to three year  deal is likely in the cards. Pace is still an effective pass rushing option having racked up 10 sacks last year. Any team with the need for a pass rusher at the end would be wise to give Pace a look. I believe he will re-sign with the Jets at the end of the day and finish his career in New York.

Other top free agents include: Keith Rivers, Erin Henderson

Inside Linebacker:

Even with the re-signing of Donald Butler in San Diego, this linebacking group is quite deep and talented. With a lot of guys who can step in and contribute right away, look for teams with needs in the middle of their linebacking core to jump on some of these top guys immediately.

Karlos Dansby: After leaving Miami last season and re-joining the Arizona Cardinals, the team by which he was drafted into the NFL, Karlos Dansby had an outstanding year. Next to Darryl Washington in the Cardinals 3-4 defense, Dansby racked up 121 tackles, six sacks and four interceptions. Dansby would be unwise to try to test out the market. He is a great fit in Arizona and they want him back. I believe in the end he will end up back in Arizona, but the Browns might be a good fall back option to fill in for D'Qwell Jackson, who was recently signed by the Colts.

Brandon Spikes: After switching from the 3-4 to the 4-3 Brandon Spikes the New England Patriots felt they needed to move on from their former run stopping middle linebacker. Great against the run and a liability in pass coverage he will need to go to another 3-4 team to be effective. The Houston Texans would be a good option to play next to often injured Brian Cushing in their 3-4 and take on the bigger offensive linemen  allowing Cushing to run free and make plays and hopefully stay healthy for the year.

Jon Beason: The former All-Pro middle linebacker for the Carolina Panthers was moved around the trade deadline last year to the New York Giants. Slumping while playing for the Panthers, his move to the Giants this season revitalized his game. Beason is a quick, rangy linebacker whose bread and butter is as a 4-3 linebacker who is good against the run. He is also one of the best cover linebackers and will be coveted by teams in free agency. I believe a return to the Giants would be the best option for Beason, put Oakland or Minnesota would also be good options.

Other top free agents include: Daryl Smith, D'Qwell Jackson (signed with Colts before posting), Kavell Conner

Cornerback:

Cornerbacks are always in demand in this new NFL with wide open offences. This year's class of corners does not disappoint. With some hall of fame caliber vets out there, and some young guys just hitting first agency for first time this will be an interesting position for teams to go for coming up March 11.

Aqib Talib: The talented Aqib Talib is a mystery. While on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he was a troublemaker and talented playmaker who would get beat way too often. When he was traded to the New England Patriots, he became one of the top corners in the game. What Talib will a team get? If put into the right system with the right coaching staff, Talib is one of the best in the game. That is why I believe he sticks in New England.

Alterraun Verner: Looks like the talented former UCLA Bruin and Tennessee Titan will more then likely be moving on from the team who drafted him. Verner is a solid cover corner who racked up five interceptions this past year. At the age of 25, he will be in high demand. Verner would look fantastic on the other side of Joe Haden in Cleveland. If not, the Raiders could also use help on the back end of their defence.

Vontae Davis: The former Miami Dolphin standout and current Indianapolis Colt is an outstanding cover corner. While he isn't the biggest playmaker out on the market (only racking up one interception last year for the Colts), his cover skills are second to none. The Colts would be crazy to let Davis go, especially after spending a 2nd round pick to trade for him in the first place.

Other top free agents include: Sam Shields, Dominique Rodgers-Cromarte, Charles Tillman

Safety:

This class of safeties are led by two of the best young safeties in the league. With Seattle setting the example of what two outstanding safeties can do to make your secondary fearful, look for teams to try to learn from their example and go out and spend big to improve their safety play.

Jairus Byrd: This one has got to hurt Sports By Schmucks writer and massive Bills fan Brett Smith (Editor's note: Bye bye, Byrdie) Probably one of the top three safeties in the league, Byrd's play making capability and coverage skills are second to nearly no one. The Buffalo Bills have made plenty of offers to Byrd in order to get him back. While I still believe there is a chance Byrd still can head back to Buffalo (EN: I don't), it is more then likely he is moving on. The Cleveland Browns would be a great landing spot for the Byrdman if other top free agent safety TJ Ward isn't re-signed. The Houston Texans would also be a good landing spot to pair with D.J. Swearinger.

T.J. Ward: Another one of the top young safeties out there on free agency market, T.J. Ward is much more of a steady tackler than other top safety Jairus Byrd. Ward is a solid defender against the run and good in coverage as well, racking up 112 tackles this season for the underrated Cleveland defence. The Browns would be wise to try to re-sign this force in their secondary. If he decided against re-signing, the Bills would be a good place for him to go. The Philadelphia Eagles need a steady player on their back end as well and could be a good spot for Ward.

Donte Whitner: Another former Buffalo Bills safety and another one of the better safeties in the league is hitting free agency. Whitner is known for his hellacious hits and fierce play. He's not much of a playmaker with his ball skills, but Whitner can turn a game around with one big hit. He makes going over the middle of the field scary for a receiver. The 49ers would be wise to make it one of their top priorities to bring him back. If not, the St. Louis Rams would be a good spot for Whitner to land as the Rams need safety help. The Rams would also hurt a division rival at the same time.

Other top free agents include: Louis Delmas, Antoine Bethea, Chris Clemons

So that wraps it up folks. That is my look at the NFL free agency period. Keep an eye out for my first mock draft coming up shortly after the free agency period begins.

NFL Off-Season: Free Agency (Offence)

It is that time of year again. The Super Bowl has just ended and now all 32 teams must turn their attention to winning the 2015 Super Bowl. First up in my off-season preview is free agency. With cellar teams like the Oakland Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns having upwards of $40 million to spend and more veteran teams like the Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers over the cap, this off-season could be very interesting. I will be taking a look at the offence in this article, key free agents who can make a team better and the team I believe they will sign with.

Quarterbacks:
This year's quarterback class is a stinker with Michael Vick and Josh McCown being the only semi-decent options out there. Even that is a stretch with both being backups at this point. Let's take a look at where I think some of the "key" quarterback free agents will end up.

Michael Vick: Vick is the best option available this year in a weak class of quarterbacks. If healthy, he could be a nice stop-gap option for a team who drafts a quarterback high in this year's draft class and wants the pick to develop. He could also be a fit for a team with a young quarterback who needs an established backup. Look for the Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills or Cleveland Browns to be his top suitors, with the Raiders giving him the best chance to be a starter again.

Josh McCown: If McCown turned the clock back a decade and gave his performance this year back when he was 25, he would be a hot commodity. But with him turning 35 this year, he is the best backup on the market. After putting the Chicago Bears on his back to keep team in playoff contention so late in the season after Jay Cutler went down, he earned himself a nice multi-year deal, which will probably lead to his last of his career. Look for him to head down to Tampa Bay to join and mentor Mike Glennon. If not, he can return to Chicago to continue to back up Jay Cutler.

Josh Freeman: This one hurts me personally being a Buccaneers fan, thinking how far Freeman has fallen and how fast it has taken. I even have a Freeman jersey myself. Beyond that, he is the only quarterback who, with his age and his potential, could be a good "buy low" option for a lot of teams with aging quarterbacks and no heir apparent. The Pittsburgh Steelers or the New York Giants would be a good landing spot for him to go and develop as a person and a player with already established winners at quarterback he can learn from.

Other key free agents include: Matt Cassel, Chad Henne, Matt Flynn and Shaun Hill.

Running Backs/ Fullbacks:
The class at running back this year is actually quite deep in talent, but with a lot of runners who have question marks about durability and if they can be the main guys for teams. At fullback, there is a small list of solid guys hitting free agency who could really help teams that implement a power running style.

Darren McFadden: The former first rounder has tons of talent, but is fragile. He has only broken the 1,000-yard mark once in his career (2010). Injuries have plagued his career. At this point he is not a number one option for a team, but he can be a great second back for a team. He has solid hands, is a hard runner and an okay blocker. A team like the Arizona Cardinals would be a great spot for him to land, teaming with Andre Ellington if Rashard Mendenhall doesn't resign.

Maurice Jones-Drew: It's sad to potentially see Jones-Drew leave Jacksonville as he has been their franchise player/entire offence since Fred Taylor left. This opportunity might be best for him though as he could move on to a contending team and give their ground game a real shot in the arm. MJD has had injury-plagued seasons the last couple years, but carrying the weight of an entire offence on your back will do that. Jones-Drew still has at least 3-4 years left in the tank and, on a solid team with playoff intentions, can be the lead runner. I think he would be a great option for a young team like the Browns, who are a few key players away from a playoff run, or the Titans if they cut Chris Johnson.

Knowshon Moreno: If I was Knowshon, I would hope to goodness that the Broncos would resign me. But with other in-house options to go with, that is very much unlikely. A good all-around back, he is a good change of pace runner who can punish the other teams defence. The New York Giants would be a good spot for Moreno to team with David Wilson to give Eli Manning a good 1-2 punch in the backfield.

John Kuhn: Kuhn is a solid all around full back. He is a punishing blocker, solid runner and has hands out of the back field. A lot of teams could use a solid veteran like Kuhn, but I don't believe he will move on from the Packers. Lead-blocking for offensive rookie of the year Eddie Lacy and blocking for All-World quarterback Aaron Rodgers is a sweet gig. Expect him back in the frozen tundra of Lambeau.

Other key free agents include: Ben Tate, Donald Brown, LaGarrette Blount, Rashad Jennings, Erik Lorig.

Wide Receiver:
A lot of depth in this years receiver class with no real number one guys but a tons of number 2 guys and slot receivers. With so many teams getting away from the run and becoming pass heavy teams these gentlemen will be in high demand.

Eric Decker: Peyton Manning has made Eric Decker a soon-to-be rich man, probably a lot richer then what he should be. Decker is a solid number two receiver with good hands, ball skills and solid run blocking skills. Decker wants to be paid like a number one guy and will more then likely get that money. I am thinking Kansas City would be a good spot for him to land to help out Alex Smith make that offence more potent.

Jeremy Maclin: After suffering an ACL injury last year, Maclin will unlikely be back with the Eagles this year. A speedster and play maker with the ability to stretch the field, he will be highly sought after as long as he is fully recovered. Maclin will be well served in signing a short term one or two year, "prove it" contract so he can get back on the market for a longer term contract shortly. Look for the New York Jets to make a play for him to give Geno Smith some more weapons.

Julian Edelman: Like Eric Decker, becoming a legendary quarterback's new favourite target will make Edelman's bank account very happy. He caught a lot of passes from Tom Brady this season, becoming his number one target. He replaced Wes Welker, catching 105 passes. For a solid possession wide out who runs good routes, a role in the slot would be ideal. Look for a team like Houston or Tampa Bay, who desperately need a good slot receiver, to be good spots for Edelman to ply his trade.

Other key free agent wide outs include; Hakeem Nicks, Golden Tate, Anquan Boldin, James Jones, Jacoby Jones.

Tight End:
The biggest free agent this year is a tight end. New Orleans Saints superstar tight end Jimmy Graham is the stud of this year's crop. There is a lot of depth this year with many quality starters.

Jimmy Graham: The team that signs this game changer will thank their lucky stars that New Orleans is in a real big cap crunch right now or else this would not even be an issue. Not saying that it's not possible for Graham not to be back catching passes from Drew Brees, but there will have to be a bunch of cuts that happen before that's possible. Graham's ability to catch the ball and make plays is top four in the league. His blocking leaves a lot to be desired though. I do believe the Saints will do everything humanly possible to resign Graham, If they can't look, the Green Bay Packers, Buffalo Bills or New York Jets could step up and make a real push for him because of their big need for a game-changing tight end.

Dennis Pitta: I'll just start off by saying I believe that Pitta will be back in Baltimore. New offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak uses his tight end quite often. If you need to find an example of that, look at Owen Daniels in Houston. Pitta is a great pass catcher that hasn't had the chance to shine yet because of injury and the scheme Baltimore has used in the past couple years. If Pitta somehow does not resign with the Ravens, the Detroit Lions are a good suitor to pair him with new head coach Jim Caldwell. who use to be Baltimore's offensive coordinator.

Jermichael Finley: When healthy, Finley is a top five tight end with ball catching skills and big play capability. That is when is he's healthy. After going under the knife to have spinal fusion surgery, Finley will more than likely have to go the Jeremy Maclin way of things and sign a one year "prove it" kind of deal before heading back out to the market. Any of the New York state teams could use Finley at tight end, so look for Buffalo, the Jets and the Giants to make a play for him.

Other key free agents include; Brandon Pettigrew, Dustin Keller, Brandon Myers, Fred Davis

Offensive Line:
This year more than any there is plenty of young, high-end talent hitting the market. Alex Mack and Branden Albert highlight the list quality of players out there. Let's take a look at a couple of the big free agents on the offensive line and where I think they will end up.

Eugene Monroe: Traded to the Baltimore Ravens from Jacksonville, Monroe played very well after the trade. The Ravens' offence was just a mess in general last year, but the line was one of the better pieces. Look for Baltimore to resign Monroe and let Michael Oher hit free agency.

Alex Mack: The young centre from the Brown will get paid in free agency. A solid all-around centre, Mack is good in pass protection, run blocking and smart at calling line protections. He is probably the best centre in the game. I believe Cleveland will back up a Brinks truck to his door to try to keep him. If he does leave, look for Tampa Bay as a potential landing spot if Davin Joseph or Carl Nicks are cut.

Branden Albert: The writing was on the wall with Albert hitting free agency as soon as Eric Fisher was taken number one overall in last year's draft. One of the top five left tackles in the game, Albert will demand a lot of attention and dollars. Looks for Miami to go hard after him to replace Bryant McKinnie.

Other key free agents include; Jared Veldheer, Jordan Gross, Jon Asamoah, Geoff Schwartz, Michael Oher.

Well, that is my look at the offensive side of the football's upcoming free agency period. Stay tuned for my look at the defensive free agents including where key free agents like Jarius Byrd and Brian Orakpo end up.

NFL Offseason Review: NFC North

We finish our tour of the NFC with a look at the North, which had 3 teams with 10 or more wins last season. Can the Lions bounce back from a down year? Will the Vikings three first round draft picks make a big difference? Will a CFL coach make an impact and get the Bears back to the Super Bowl? Or can the Green and Gold from the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field keep up their domination and be heading back to the Super Bowl?

Chicago Bears

Jay Cutler (Photo from smokinjaycutler.tumblr.com)

The Chicago Bears biggest move this offseason wasn't the addition of Marc Trestman from the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. No, it was the addition of some key offensive linemen who will finally protect Jay Cutler. Oh ya, and letting go some middle linebacker who had been the face of the franchise. Let's get to Jay Cutler first though, and the celebration he must be having at finally having a solid offensive line to protect him with the signing of Jermon Bushrod from New Orleans and the drafting of Kyle Long in the first round. Both should improve this line from terrible to better then average. Cutler should have a big year because of this. In a contract year, expect him to light it up especially if All-Pro running back Matt Forte can stay healthy and bounce back this year. New coach Trestman will open this offense up and be an attacking style team. If you look at his work in the CFL, expect Forte to be heavily involved in catching the ball out of the back field. The receivers for Chicago will be led by another All-Pro in Brandon Marshall, who should continue to be on of the best wide outs in the game. The Bears have to hope Alshon Jeffery can step up and have a bigger role in the offense in his second year in the league. The tight end position should be fine with Martellus Bennett signed in free agency to be the starter. A good pass catcher and blocker, Martellus is a solid option at tight end.

Julius Peppers (Photo from suntimes.com)

The defense - even with the lost of Brian Urlacher - will still be solid. Having two All-Pros on your defensive line is a good place to start. Julius Peppers and Henry Melton are two of the best in the game at getting at the quarterback. Melton will be especially motivated this year after being franchise tagged, and a great season will just bring in the dollars in free agency - and this kid is worth every penny he is going to get. At line backer, D.J. Williams comes over from Denver to man the position Urlacher has been playing for over a decade and will be a solid replacement in the Cover 2 scheme the Bears use. Lance Briggs has still got it for an old man, and still will be counted on to be the new official leader of the defense and continue to come up with big plays. This secondary is a bit underrated I think. They don't get the national exposure of say Seattle or now Tampa Bay, but Tim Jennings and Charles "Peanut" Tillman are one of the best corner tandems in the game. Safety Chris Conte is underrated in my eyes. He's a solid tackler and the man makes plays. I think the Bears can win 9-10 games, but in this tough division and conference, that may not be enough to sneak into even a wildcard spot this year.

Detroit Lions

Calvin Johnson (Photo from espn.com)

Coming off a 4-12 year, the Lions should be able to rebound to a better record - closer towards the 8-8 territory. Matthew Stafford, fresh off his new extension, should have another big year again. Now the Lions have a legit weapon in the back field in free agency signing Reggie Bush from Miami. The addition of Bush to the team gives the Lions a proven runner for the first time in a couple years. With his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, teams will have to account for a pass out to the flats and short yardage with the ability to bust it out. Making teams play back on their heels will certainly help Megatron - Calvin Johnson - have another big year. Maybe not record setting like last year, but certainly just as close. Ghe big question will be if another wide receiver like Nate Burleson or Ryan Broyles can step up and take heat off the big man and give Stafford another legit option on the outside. If not, the duo of Brandon Pettigrew and Tony Scheffler give a great 1-2 punch at tight end, both being pass catching threats, especially Scheffler down in the red zone. The offensive line will have to play better this year to help the offense out. The addition of big Larry Warford from Kansas in the third round will definitely help.

Ndamukong Suh (Photo from espn.com)

On the defense, there are big changes along the outside of the defensive line. Top draft pick Ezekiel Ansah joins Jason Jones - who is coming over from Seattle in free agency - to rebuild this line who lost Cliff Avril and Kyle Vanden Bosch in the offseason. Both players should be an improvement on each man they are replacing, but only if Ansah can live up to his draft selection. In the middle, Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley are two über-talented players who have to keep their emotions in check. If they can, this combination can be one of the premier defensive tackle duos in the league. The line backing core of the Lions is very underwhelming. The presence of Stephen Tulloch is the only thing keeping these guys from being one of the worst in the league. Tulloch is a missile on the field: very rangy and a great tackler. The secondary has the potential to be a decent group if second round pick Darius Slay can crack the starting line up and play well. Chris Houston is a solid starter, but is more of a guy you would feel more comfortable throwing on a teams number two wide out. Glover Quin coming over from Houston in the offseason will be a great pairing with Louis Delmas to give the Lions a solid combination at safety. The Lions just need Delmas to get over the injury bug and get an entire full season out of him for this secondary to succeed.

Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers (Photo from profootballrosters.com)

In the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field, the Packers should remain the top dogs in the division. I predict 11 wins, but they will have a tougher go this season to remain on top. Aaron Rodgers - another quarterback who got his money this offseason - is the clear leader of this team, and one of the top quarterbacks in the game. This offseason, the Packers finally went out and got him some potential legit running backs for the first time. With the drafting of Eddie Lacy and Johnathan Franklin in this years NFL draft, the Packers have a nice 1-2 punch they can throw at rival teams. Lacy is the thunder to Franklin's a lightning. This duo should put other teams on notice that Green Bay can run it down your throats if they want to. They won't though because they still have one of the top passing attacks in the league, even without Greg Jennings. Randall Cobb, Jordy Nelson, and James Jones are just playmakers for Rodgers, especially Cobb who's elusiveness can bust out big plays at anytime. The Packers will need a better year out of Jermichael Finley, who struggled last year and fell out of favour as one of Rodgers go-to guys. The offensive line is going to need to shore up this year. Last year, they had Rodgers getting hit left and right. But with the addition of an actual running attack, teams will have to respect the run and not just send the dogs at Rodgers knowing a pass is coming.

B.J. Raji (Photo from espn.com)

The Packers defense comes back pretty much intact from last year, but with the addition of first round pick Datone Jones to play on the defensive line. Mostly known for rushing the passer, Jones should be able to hold up well in the 3-4 system the Packers play. B.J. Raji and Ryan Pickett are solid 3-4 defensive linemen and space eaters. Those space eaters allow the line backers to get to the quarterback and, with outside linebacker Clay Matthews, that happens very often. Yhe line backers are a very good group, with former first round pick AJ Hawk and Nick Perry being solid players. other inside linebacker Brad Jones is serviceable next to those gentlemen. Tramon Williams, Sam Shields, and Casey Heyward make a very solid combination at corner, with Heyward being put into more of a slot role this year. With Shields coming back, look for even more big plays from Heyward. Safeties for the Packers are unspectacular, but the corners make up for their deficiencies.

Minnesota Vikings

Christian Ponder (Photo from twincities.com)

This season for the Vikings and a return to the playoffs will not rest on All Day Adrian Peterson. It will rest on the arm of Christian Ponder and his ability to bring balance to the offense so Peterson can do his thing without nine people being in the box. He now has the weapons in former division-rival from Green Bay Greg Jennings coming over to the Vikings, and one of three first round picks Cordarrelle Patterson now manning the receiver position. So, he has his weapons on the outside. With his two solid pass catching tight ends in Kyle Rudolph and John Carlson, the excuses are gone. Ponder must produce or will be reduced to the bench or free agency, especially with a great class of quarterbacks coming out in this year's draft. The offensive line is anchored by Matt Kalil and is full of road graters who will open up massive holes for their All-World running back.

Jared Allen (Photo from espn.com)

Sharrif's Floyd slide from potential top 5 pick to 23rd overall is a blessing in disguise for this former Florida defensive tackle. Granted, he loses out in millions of dollars. But sliding in next to another stud tackle in Kevin Williams can do nothing but make this kid better. Floyd has plenty of pass rush ability and with Jared Allen on the outside, this line can be incredibly formidable.  Look for Allen to take another run at the sack record this year. The line backers lead by Erin Henderson and Chad Greenway are a great group who are solid at the line, but struggle a bit in coverage. They will be joined by 4th round pick this year Gerald Hodges to make a solid group, making the front 7 a very strong group. The 3rd of the Vikings first round picks Xavier Rhodes will combine with Chris Cook and A.J. Jefferson to give them a bunch of young corners with a lot of potential. If they can live up to that, it will make the entire defense much much better. If they struggle, look for more pressure to be on the front 4 to get things done. Harrison Smith out of Notre Dame was one of the more pleasant surprises last year in the league, playing exceptionally well. He will be a Pro Bowl player one day in this league. I expect a 6 to 7 win season for the Vikings this year, and a new quarterback next year with them selecting one of the great quarterbacks coming out next year.

That is the end of the NFC. Now on to the AFC.

Up first will be the AFC West, where the Denver Broncos will hope to repeat at division champions and make another attempt to get Peyton another ring. Can the Kansas City Chiefs - a team with the worst record in the league last year - bounce back to sneak into a playoff spot? Will a new head coach get the San Diego Chargers back being Super and in to the playoffs? Can the Oakland Raiders make that next step from bottom of the division to even third?

I will let you know.

Be sure to follow the new Sports by Schmucks Twitter for updates on when new articles will be posted. We've also started to live tweet some games and events. You never know which game we'll do. Plus, we added a YouTube channel. Make sure to subscribe to get our latest videos and podcasts.