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NFL Forum :: - EF5-36-81's Season Preview NFC West Complete

Keep in mind these are my opinions, and if you agree with them cool, if not, give a worthwhile explination of why you diasagree. NFC East NFC East 1 - Dallas Cowboys Record Projection : 12-4 1st Place in NFC East Quarterbacks - Tony Romo has become one of the best QBs in the NFL.

He can make all the throws, and can move around in the pocket.

The only knock on Romo is that he is 4-7 record in December and January, and the fact that he has no wins in the playoffs.

Behind Romo, the Boys have Brad Johnson.

Johnson is a former Super Bowl winning QB, but has lost his arm strength.

He is however a smart QB who can still read a defense.

He has also been a good mentor for Romo.

Richard Bartell reportedly impressed team officials on the practice squad last season, and is a sleeper to make their roster this season. Grade : A Running Backs - Marion Barber III is a touchdown machine, and this year almost surpassed 1000 yards.

That said, he did wear down in the games he started, and that has to worry some people.

However the addition of Felix Jones should help, as the team could give Jones the ball early in games, using his speed to tire a defense, and punish them with Barber, or use Barber to pound the ball early and Jones to capitalize with his speed.

Tashard Choice could be a steal in round 4, and at the very least will give solid depth.

Their FB Deon Anderson was solid before injury last season, unless he is utterly horrid in camp, he will likely be the lead blocker Grade : B Receivers - Terrell Owens is one of the top 3 wide outs in football, and despite him getting up there in age, he is strong enough to be the jam, and fast enough to burn defensive backs deep.

He still drops passes, but he also provides a spark to the offense, and is probably the most clutch player on the offense.

Jason Witten is arguably the best TE in football as far as an all-around game goes.

He is a mismatch for every team, for the simple fact you can’t cover him with a S, because he will use his power to beat him, and you can’t use a LB to cover him, because he is quicker than most linebackers.

Behind TO, Patrick Crayton is the #2 , and while he is solid, He is better suited as the slot option in an offense.

There is going to be a drop off in production from Terry Glenn.

Martellus Bennett, will likely be the #2 TE, and Isaiah Stanback and Sam Hurd, and Miles Austin are the other receivers. Grade B+ Offensive Line - The offensive line for the Cowboys is as good as they come.

They are a road grading line who also can protect the passer.

The addition of G Leonard Davis helped a lot, but they also had Flozell Adams, who while he is a penalty machine, is also very good when on top of his game.

C Andre Gurode is a road grading C, who struggles in the shot gun, but is very good in other aspects.

LG Kyle Kosier and RT Marc Colombo are both unheralded, but good players in their own right. Grade : A- Defensive Line - Jay Ratliff surprised many by his great play after the injury to Jason Ferguson, in the process getting a nice contract extension.

Chris Canty has proved to be a very good 3-4 DE, who the team is high on, however, the team would like to see more pass-rushing production out of him.

Marcus Spears has been a bit of a disappointment, but he has the talent to be more productive.

Backup end Jason Hatcher has shown skill and looks like a future stud.

Tank Johnson will spell Ratliff at the NT spot. Grade : B Linebackers - DeMarcus Ware is by many people’s estimations is the best 3-4 OLB in football.

He can rush the passer, but is also great in pass coverage, and is probably the teams MVP on defense.

Across from him is Vet Greg Ellis, who put up 12.5 sacks last season in route to a pro-bowl and Comeback Player of the Year honors.

2nd year man Anthony Spencer will likely see a lot of time, and could surpass Ellis if he slows down at all this season.

Zach Thomas is one of the smartest and toughest players in the NFL.

He is however getting up there in age, and that has to be questioned.

Bradie James led the Cowboys in tackles last season, and will start at the other ILB position next to Thomas.

Kevin Burnett and Bobby Carpenter are likely te backups on the inside. Grade : A Secondary - Terrance Newman is a shut-down corner, plain and simple.

The guy is as good as it gets.

After a year out of football, Adam (Don’t call me Pacman) Jones will try to beat out incumbent Anthony Henry at the RCB spot across from Newman.

Prior to his suspension, Jones was one of the best corners in football and if he comes back in full effect, the Cowboys have a damn good secondary.

With the 2nd of their 2 1st round selections, Dallas took CB Mike Jenkins out of USF, and Jenkins has return ability, and is good in coverage, but is a bit inconsistent, still learning behind Newman will help a lot.

FS Ken Hamlin just got a new deal, and was very good last season.

He surprised many last season, and look for him to still be solid, but he won’t duplicate the number of INTs.

The weak link of their secondary was a pro-bowler, but it was not warranted.

Williams has been described by his own teammate Newman as a “Dear in headlights” in coverage, and has been picked on a lot by opposing offenses.

Enter CB Anthony Henry, who will spot him in passing situations at S. Grade : B+ Special Teams - Nick Folk and Matt McBriar are among the top players at their respective positions (P & K) in the NFL.

They lost their best special teams player in Keith Davis, but they have depth and potential with their return men in Adam Jones, Felix Jones, Mike Jenkins and Miles Austin. Grade : B+ 2 - Philadelphia Eagles Record Projection: 11-5 Wild Card Quarterbacks - Donovan McNabb when healthy is a top QB in the NFL.

He showed he was healthy in the last 3 games of the season and the team went 3-0.

Despite the knee problems McNabb had, he still had a very good season.

He is the best option as the Eagles starter, and those thinking otherwise are misguided.

Kevin Kolb has upside, and is the favorite to win the #2 spot, but he is just that right now, a #2.

He showed promise in pre-season, but as we have all seen before, the pre-season is a different animal than the regular season.

That said I have confidence in Kolb to be a very good QB in the NFL, just not yet.

A.J. Feeley is the #3, who is a solid #3 in the WCO, and he threw scares into New England and Seattle, but threw interceptions that cost the Eagles 2 wins. Grade : B+ Running Backs - Brian Westbrook is a top 3 back in football.

He is a small guy who can finish with power or elusiveness, has great hands, and is one of the best route runners out of the backfield.

The only thing that has to worry you is his injury history.

That said he is one of the smartest, and most versatile football players in football.

Lorenzo Booker will be put in the backfield with Westbrook to present mismatches in the passing game.

Booker is a good receiving threat out of the backfield.

Correll Buckhalter is likely get the rushes if Westbrook misses time or needs to be spelled, and Tony Hunt’s role may expand as a backup.

Ryan Moats is as good as gone.

Jason Davis and Luke Lawton will likely battle to start at FB, and Davis will be the favorite.

That said, Lawton could make the team due to his ST ability. Grade : A Receivers - By far, the weakest spot on the offense is the WR position.

While Kevin Curtis was solid, most of his production came against zone coverage, or a horrible CB.

He is a very good #2, but questionable as a #1.

Reggie Brown is the other starter, and has been expected to break out for the last 2 years, and has yet to do so.

While he may this season don’t hold your breath.

DeSean Jackson will likely be the slot guy, and has the most upside among any receiver on the roster.

Think a Santana Moss type player, speed quickness and agility, and can get YAC.

Hank Baskett and Jason Avant will likely be the other 2 WR on the roster, and Greg Lewis should, and likely will get cut.

L.J. Smith has all the physical tools, and has flashed skill, however has struggled as well, and was injured last season.

He has been a solid red-zone threat, and the team struggled without him in the redzone last season.

Brent Celek looked a lot like former TE Chad Lewis, and looks like at least a good #2.

Kris Wilson is a good football player who can play TE or FB.

He could be the #2 TE, and may be on the field in different spots to throw off the D, and potentially play ST. Grade : B- Offensive Line - On paper, the Eagles have one of the best lines in football, however, the unit struggled in their first meeting with the Giants, surrendering a staggering 12 sacks.

That said, starting LT Tra Thomas missed that game with injury, and the backup, Winston Justice never played a game in the NFL.

Also RT Jon Runyan was playing with a tailbone injury, limiting his leverage, and LG Todd Herremans had and injured shoulder.

RG Shawn Andrews wasn’t healthy all year either, as he was dealing with a foot injury.

The unit should improve, and look like the dominant unit we saw in 2007.

Herremans may be in a camp battle for his LG spot, as when Max-Jean Gilles filled in for Andrews he was dominant.

If he can improve his pass blocking skill, he will win the job. Grade : B+ Defensive Line - Trent Cole is one of the best all-around ends in football.

He showed pass rushing skill, pressuring the QB almost at will despite double teams, and playing equally well against the run.

He is quickly becoming a top DE in football, and is an elite DE.

Across from him one of Victor Abiamiri or Juqua Parker will start at the LE spot.

Parker was consistent last season against the run, and is okay as a pass rusher.

Abiamiri showed talent in the season finale against Buffalo, getting 3 QB pressures and also playing well against the run.

Abiamiri was touted as a more complete and polished Justin Tuck coming out of Notre Dame, and looked like a stud against Buffalo.

Chris Clemons will be a 3rd down pass rusher, and could even see time standing up as a LB.

He could add 7-10 sacks this season.

At DT Brodrick Bunkley took on double teams and was dominant against the run, freeing up the linebackers and Mike Patterson in the middle, propelling Mike Patterson to a pro-bowl type season.

Patterson is one of the best penetrators in the NFL, and will soon be in Hawaii.

Rookie Trevor Laws may also see time in a rotation with Patterson.

Darren Howard, Kimo VonOlehoffen, Dan Klecko and Montae Reagor will battle for the final 1 or 2 DT spots. Grade : B+ Linebackers - The Eagles have a young group of Linebackers, but they all showed potential in 2008.

Weak-side backer Omar Gaither started at the MIKE and led the team in tackles, and was very good in pass coverage.

He moves to the WILL this season, where he is more comfortable and where he is free to roam around the field.

Strong-side linebacker Chris Gocong showed promising pass-rush ability against the Pats, and has the physical abilities to succeed in coverage.

He also played well against the run.

Middle Linebacker Stewart Bradley probably has the most upside of the group, and against the Saints was dominant against the run, providing key play after key play, and was a key cog in a goal-line stand.

He also had a key interception, sealing the game.

The 4th LB, Akeem Jordan excels in coverage at the WILL, and showed solid special teams ability.

Rookie Joe Mays will likely backup at the MIKE, and Vet Rocky Boiman will likely backup at the SAM and play special teams. Grade : B- Secondary - The Eagles on paper have one of the best, if not the best corner trios in football.

Asante Samuel, who is a zone specialist, should fit in well with the Eagles zone-blitz scheme, which is essentially the same secondary system he played in New England.

Sheldon Brown is the man coverage specialist, and will likely start at the RCB spot, and kick inside when it comes to nickel situations.

Lito Sheppard will come in on nickel situations, and play a zone along with Samuel on the outside, while Sheldon plays man on the slot receiver.

The #4 Corner Joselio Hanson is a solid corner, who could start for some teams.

Since Jack Ikegwuonu was placed on IR, the #5 spot will be between Nick Graham and Therrian Fontenot.

Free Safety Brian Dawkins is still an elite Free Safety, but his age is a question.

He will likely be backed up by rookie Quintin Demps.

At Strong Safety, Quintin Mikell is the starter, and was solid last season, and he will be backed up by either J.R.

Reed, Sean Considine, or Marcus Paschal, with only one likely making the roster. Grade : A Special Teams - With the additions of DeSean Jackson, Quintin Demps, and Lorenzo Booker, the Eagles have more viable options in the return game than they have had in the past few seasons.

The Eagles also improved their coverage units with the additions of Rocky Boiman, Luke Lawton, Joe Mays, and Kris Wilson.

Kicker David Akers struggled outside of 40 yards last season, but he is still automatic inside 40.

Punter Sav Rocca improved as the season went on, and should continue to improve this season. Grade : B 3 - New York Giants Record Projection 10-6 Wild Card Quarterbacks - No one expected Eli Manning to do what he did in the 2008 playoffs.

He was finally consistent and led his Giants team to a Championship.

Can he turn that success in the playoffs into a great career and a possible hall-of-fame type career we all thought he would have due to the success of his father and brother, or will he be another Trent Dilfer?

I think he will be somewhere in the middle, a winner, and a good not great QB.

Behind Eli the G-Men boast another former #1 pick in David Carr.

Carr showed great potential and talent in Houston, but due to the constant pressure he faced, he was never able to become a franchise QB.

He also got beat out by Vinny Testeverde on the Panthers starting spot after Delhomme went down with injury, which has to worry Giants brass and fans alike.

Andre Woodson is likely the #3 and project at QB. Grade : B Running backs - Brandon Jacobs may be the most underrated back in football right now.

The dude pts up erringly similar stats to MBIII, yet doesn’t get the same attention despite being a Champion.

He is a big bruising back who punishes defenders and hit’s the hole hard.

He is the epitome of a power back.

Behind him is Ahmad Bradshaw, who is the lightning to Jacobs’ thunder.

Bradshaw showed late in the season and all through the playoffs he was a steal in the draft, helping the G-Men when Derrick Ward and Brandon Jacobs went down.

Derrick Ward showed great vision and running ability before he was lost for the season with a broken leg.

The Giants may decide to keep 4 RBs, so Rueben Droughns and Danny Ware will battle their.

Lead blocker Madison Hedgecock will return to block for the Giants plethora of talented runners Grade : B+ Receivers - Many thought the loss of Jeremy Shockey down the stretch would hurt the team, but it did the exact opposite.

Kevin Boss played well in his absence and will now be the full-time starter after the Giants traded Shockey to the Saints.

Boss is a big guy who has the frame to be a 3 down TE, and has the athletic ability to be a very good TE.

He runs the short routes well, and will work well with Eli.

Plaxico Burress despite not being healthy was downright dominant at times last season, and torched some very good corners such as Al Harris in the process, expect a similar season from him.

Amani Toomer is still a great route runner, but he is slowing down and the G-men may decide that 2nd year man Steve Smith out of USC may be the best option to start opposite Plax.

He showed potential when he played, and will likely be Amani’s replacement.

Either way Toomer and Smith are the #2 and 3 respectively.

Rookie Mario Manningham is the #4 and disappointing 3rd year man Sinorace Moss is the #5.

They have depth, but the depth are unproven for the most part. Grade : B Offensive Line - David Diehl was as good as anyone could have expected at LT last season, and got rewarded handsomely with a nice contract extension.

He is not a physical or athletic marvel at LT, but he is a gritty hard worker who studies the film.

At RT Kareem McKenzie is able to get 1 up on smaller edge rushers because of his long arms, but don’t look for him to dominate anyone.

Chris Snee is a great player, who is in a tight battle with Shawn Andrews and Leonard Davis as the best G in the NFC East.

He is a mauler who can absolutely dominate.

LG Rich Steubert is a very smart guy who knows where to be at all times.

Shaun O’Hara is a very good lineman who has the smarts to beat a defender to the spot every time.

The Giants have one of the most underrated lines in football. Grade : B+ Defensive Line - Sure they lost Strahan, but Justin Tuck was the best DE on the roster last season, and will start at LDE in place of Stray, and will also get a lot of reps at defensive tackle.

Osi Umenyiora is opposite him and is a good pass rusher when he is on, that said he is a very hot and cold player as far as pass rushing goes.

He is also solid against the run, but not great.

The Giants will also reportedly use Mathias Kiwanuka as a DE/LB to throw fastballs at an opposing offense.

Other than Tuck on the inside, Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins are a solid duo against the run.

Jay Alford also provides depth at DT. Grade : A Linebackers - Mathias Kiwanuka will start at the SAM, and transition between LB and DE as previously stated.

He is a very good pass rusher, who showed flashes in coverage late before his injury, due to his great athletic ability.

He has upside, and could get 10 sacks this season.

MLB Antonio Pierce is an elite MLB.

He is smart, and is able to read and diagnose plays quickly and get to the ball carrier.

The WILL job is Gerris Wilkinson’s to lose, he has Danny Clark pushing him, but Wilkinson has flashed skill in coverage and ability to go sideline to sideline, and has a high upside.

They also have depth with Chase Blackburn, Zak DeOssie, and rookies Jonathan Goff and Bryan Kehl. Grade : B Secondary - Aaron Ross looked like a seasoned vet and a future pro bowl corner.

Look for him to lead the team in picks and challenge for a pro bowl spot at corner.

Corey Webster had a great Super Bowl locking up Randy Moss, and I feel he will become the starter opposite Ross.

The 3rd corner will likely be Sam Madison who is still decent in man coverage, and still is a great leader.

R.W. McQuaters is a very good return man, and is a solid corner, however he is older and has an injury history, so don‘t be surprised to see him transitioned to S.

Also don’t be surprised to see Kevin Dockery, who is one of the better dime backs in football, or 2nd round pick Terrell Thomas surpass him on the depth chart.

With their 1st round pick the Giants selected Kenny Phillips out of Miami.

He will be given every chance to start at the FS hole left by Gibril Wilson.

He is talented, but didn’t always play to his talents at Miami.

If he does, he has immense potential, and could be a good one.

James Butler and Michael Johnson will battle for the SS spot. Grade : B- Special Teams - Jeff Feagles is still one of the best directional punters in football.

He is entering his 21st season, and will most likely be the same old guy, not a huge leg, but can put the ball next to the sidelines, and stop it on a dime.

Lawrence Tynes was solid last season, but had a few shaky moments, but overall he made some clutch kicks.

McQuaters is a good return man, and can make plays with the ball in his hands on return situations. Grade : B 4 - Washington Redskins Projected Record 8-8 Quarterbacks - Jason Campbell is a solid young QB, but still has a lot to prove.

He is a smart, athletic QB, with a good arm, but he is also entering a new offensive scheme, and we saw how much that hampered Alex Smith of San Francisco.

Campbell could be different, and has the make up of a WCO QB, but being a prototype anything doesn’t make anything a lock (see Ryan Leaf).

I am not saying Campbell isn’t good, but I am saying he may struggle in a new offense.

Todd Collins was solid in the time he saw when Campbell went down, he provides insurance for Campbell in case he again gets hurt.

The #3 is a battle between Colt Brennan and Sam Hollenbach. Grade : B- Running backs - Clinton Portis is probably the 2nd best back in the NFC East, and led the NFL in carries last season.

He led also had 1262 yards, but only had 3.9 YPC, but that could be attributed to the right side of his line missing substantial time last season.

Ladell Betts will spell him and Betts is a solid option to do just that.

He proved in 2006 that he could carry the load should Portis go down, but partly due to Portis in Washington, he had not done much prior, or since then.

Rock Cartwright is a special teams guy almost exclusively, and will be his normal self as far as that goes.

Lead Blocker Mike Sellars is a beast.

He should fit in well with this offense. Grade : B+ Receivers - Chris Cooley is a very good TE, who is among the games elite at that spot.

Although he is more of an H-Back, he is used all over the field, creating mismatches for Jason Campbell to take advantage of.

He is too big for a DB to cover him, and too fast for a LB.

Rookie Fred Davis is behind him.

Davis won’t contribute much this year, but he is a lot like Chris Cooley and will be a good H-Back in the future.

At WR, Santana Moss is a speedy scat type of receiver who’s speed allows him to break tackles due to his explosion, and has solid hands.

Across from him Antwaan Randle El is more of a slot receiver than a #2, and while he has started there for the past 2 seasons, he will likely be replaced soon.

The team drafted both Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly in round 2, but neither will likely see a lot of time.

Their rating will be higher in the future due to Thomas and Kelly. Grade : B Offensive Line - When healthy, this is the strong point of the team, however, lately this unit has been far from healthy, and to add on to that, they are aging, bringing into question how they will fare after injury.

Right Tackle Jon Jansen is great when healthy, but he has missed 2 of the past 3 seasons.

Randy Thomas has also missed time with a torn triceps last season, and previous injuries include hamstring issues and ankle problems.

LT Chris Samuel is still elite, but he too has had an injury history, and like the others are aging.

At 30, he still has 3-5 good years, and possibly elite seasons left barring injury.

Pete Kendal was a nice pickup, and is as tough as they come.

He is a mauler, but is 35 and may be past his prime.

Casey Rabach is one of the better centers in the league as far as technicians go.

He may not be big, but that doesn’t stop him.

The Skins have good backups such as Jason Fabini, but if someone goes down, expect the running games YPC to plummet.

There is a huge question mark regarding the age and injuries on this line, but I can’t go against them until they prove they are past their prime. Grade : B+ Defensive Line - Jason Taylor at DE is an upgrade, as they added one of the best ends of all time.

He can rush the passer, and is also solid in other areas of the game, and he is a hell of a leader.

Good move by Washington to pick him up.

Opposite him is Andre Carter, who is also a good pass rusher.

He also played better against the run than he was given credit for.

Tackle Cornelius Griffin is still solid, but seems to have lost a step.

He didn’t command many double teams, and it looks as if age has caught on to him.

Anthony Montgomery is solid against the run, but that’s really it.

Kedrick Golston has upside, and flashed potential, but it needs to be seen if he can play full-time, and why was his spot taken by a one dimensional player.

All in all the outside rushers are good, but on the inside the skins have more questions than answers at this point. Grade : B Linebackers - London Fletcher is a beast.

He is a downhill thumper who is smart and plays with sound technique in all facets of the game.

He is also the team’s leader on defense, and after the tragic loss of Sean Taylor, his leadership was a key in the Skins playoff run.

Rocky McIntosh looked like a stud at the WILL before tearing his ACL, and ACL tears have given many players trouble (Julian Peterson, Takeo Spikes, etc) and this will likely continue and it will likely take him a full year to fully recover.

At the SAM, Marcus Washington was elite, but much like Cornelius Griffin, looked to have troubles fighting off age.

He didn’t look like the same player most expected, and suffered hamstring injuries, limiting him even more.

H.B. Blades is the future at the MIKE, as he is a clone of Fletcher, and special teams ace Khari Campbell will likely play both outside spots. Secondary - Speaking of aging, Shawn Springs is no “spring chicken”, (yes horrible pun I know) at 33, and has battled a slew of injuries over his career, and struggled in the playoff loss to Seattle.

He also contemplated retirement in the offseason due to the health of his father, but don’t count him out just yet.

He reportedly is in the best shape in his life.

S Laron Landry looked great last season and is a future Pro Bowler.

His only flaw is sometimes his emotions can get the best of him, but the same could be said about Brian Dawkins and Ray Lewis.

Carlos Rodgers has been okay, but hasn’t lived up to the top 10 selection, and he may not even return until mid-season.

He as been beat deep way too much for a top 10 pick, but was looking solid before tearing the ACL in his right knee.

Fred Smoot looked a lot better as a Redskin then he did as a Viking, but that said he often bites on double moves.

Still, Smoot is solid in the nickel role, and as a solid starter in the Skins system.

They have little depth at corner beyond Smoot however, and SS Reed Doughty is a smart player, but is nothing to write home about. Grade : C+ Special Teams - On kick returns they have Rock Cartwright who was very good last season in that aspect.

Rumor has it they may want to see what he can do on punts.

Shaun Suisham is an accurate kicker who had a very good kicker, and he could make the Pro Bowl in the near future.

Rookie Durant Brooks has a huge leg, and while help as far as field position for the defense goes if he learns to angle his punts better.

PR Antwaan Randle El has been disappointing in the return aspect, and is the only weak link on the unit, as the coverage teams are solid. Grade - B

NFC West 1 - Seattle Seahawks Record Projection : 11-5 1st Place NFC West Quarterbacks - Matt Hasselbeck moved his way into the ranks of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL.

He did it all that a franchise QB needs to do to get his team to win, and he did it for the most part without a running game.

His only question mark is his injury history, but last season he showed he can beat injuries.

Seneca Wallace is a highly athletic player who is a solid passer, but can also be used(and has been) as a receiver for Hasselbeck , creating mismatches.

#3 Charlie Frye is a horrendous QB, and shouldn’t be in the league, but I don’t expect him to see many, if any time this season. Grade : A- Running backs - Former MVP Shaun Alexander lost a step and was cut in the off-season.

In his place the Seahawks will use a running back by committee featuring Julius Jones, T.J.

Duckett, and Maurice Morris.

Jones has had a 1000 yard season under his belt, but is vastly overrated as a back, considering the line he had, and last season he struggled with one of the best run blocking lines in football.

Morris is a good slashing back, and I am a fan of his as a change of pace to a more bruising runner.

Duckett will probably be the main power back.

Leonard Weaver is a very good fullback, who is a threat in the receiving game. Grade : C+ Receivers - Deion Branch will be out for at least half the year due to a knee injury suffered in the playoffs.

D.J. Hackett left Seattle for Carolina.

Yet their leading receiver last season wasn’t a starter, but rather Bobby Engram, who had 94 receptions for 1147 yards and 6 TDs.

Nate Burleson who was also a backup led the team in receiving TDs with 9.

They also drafted TE John Carlson, who I feel is the most pro ready TE in last years class.

Look for him to have a solid rookie season, giving Hasselbeck a nice target over the middle.

Once Branch makes it back, the Seahawks have 3 receivers that could start for the majority of teams in the NFL. Grade : B+ Offensive Line - LT Walter Jones is still good, but is past his prime and living off his legacy right now rather than his play.

Make no mistake he is still headed to Canton, but he is not as dominating as he once was.

Mike Wahle will finally give the team someone to ease the void of Steve Hutchinson, but he is not nearly as good as Hutch, that said he is a solid player who has been a former Pro Bowl player.

Sean Locklear is a very good RT, and continues to improve, look for him in a Pro Bowl soon.

C Chris Spencer is a player who has high upside and has shown flashes, he just needs a bit of consistency.

RG is an open competition between Rob Sims, Ray Willis, Floyd Womack and Mansfield Wroto. Grade : B- Defensive Line - Patrick Kerney had a great season after coming over from Atlanta.

He led the NFC with 14.5 sacks and has a great motor.

The guy is a relentless pass rusher who uses his hands and moves well to beat opposing lineman.

Daryl Tapp is on the other side of Kerney, and is a player who like Kerney goes hard every play, however his small frame allows him to be shut down by opposing lineman(see last 9 games, registered only 1.5 sacks).

Rookie and 1st round pick Lawrence Jackson could push Tapp, but should see time regardless.

He is an all around DE who can play the run, or potentially put up 10 sacks in the future.

Brandon Mebane was a steal in last years draft, providing a run stuffing presence in the middle of the defense, and Rocky Bernard provides pass rushing ability.

Marcus Tubbs is very talented at DT, but is a walking injury, and is almost a lock to get hurt.

Larry Triplett and Craig Terrell are the other Dts, while the backup DEs Baraka Bryant and Jason Babin will spell the starters. Grade : B Linebackers - Lofa Tatupu was thought to be a reach when Seattle took him in round 2...How wrong was everyone who said that.

Lofa has quickly blossomed into one of the best MIKE linebackers in football, providing great play against the run and in pass coverage.

He is also a leader for the Seahawks defense, and has a uncanny awareness.

On the Weak-side, Julian Peterson is one of the best pass-rushing 4-3 linebackers in football, if not the best.

He is a speed demon and is capable of 10 sacks every year.

SAM LeRoy Hill is a playmaker, and one of the best all-around linebackers in football.

It is a toss up between him and Atlanta’s Michael Boley for the title of best SAM backer in football.

Will Herring, DD Lewis, and Lance Laury are the backups to the best 4-3 LB corps in the NFL. Grade : A+ Secondary - Marcus Trufant had his best season as a pro last year, picking off 7 passes and leading a secondary that allowed the least passing TDs in the NFL last season.

He showed playmaking skill last season and played a lot more aggressive than he had been for the first few seasons of his career.

Kelly Jennings held his own last season and proved to be a gritty, physical corner that you need across from a gambling type of corner like Trufant.

They were helped greatly by new Safeties Deon Grant and Brian Russell who provided a much better presence over the top than the previous starters at that position.

Jordan Babineaux is a super sub who can play both CB and S, and 2nd year man Josh Wilson will see plenty of time as a nickel or dime corner this season.

S Mike Green provides more depth. Grade : B+ Special Teams - Rookie Brandon Coutu is the favorite to be the starter at Kicker.

He has a strong leg, and should beat out Olindo Mare for the job.

Ryan Placemaker’s numbers dropped last season, but he has become very good with placement.

Nate Burleson will likely see less return opportunities, but he will be back there in big situations. Grade: C 2 - Arizona Cardinals Record Projection 9-7 2nd Place NFC West Quarterbacks - Matt Leinart is a solid QB who still has upside, and could still be a franchise QB, but he has had problems at times.

He has an adequate arm, with very good touch and accuracy, but has still struggled.

This has cause the Cardinals coaching staff to split snaps between Leinart and veteran backup Kurt Warner.

Warner is another guy who is solid yet unspectacular, but his veteran leadership helped this team a lot last season.

That said this is Leinart’s job to lose.

Brian St. Pierre is the #3. Grade : C+ Running backs - While Edgerrin James is not the back he once was, he is still serviceable, finishing 4th in the NFC with 1222 yards and 7 TDs.

He is not a break away back, but he will get you about 4 yards before he is stopped.

Marcel Shipp is a very steady backup back who is much like James in the fact he is not a breakaway back.

J.J. Arrington is a speedy back who has been okay as a backup, but when he was drafted out of CAL, he was thought of as a future starter, and e likely won’t be.

Tim Castile and Terrelle Smith will battle for the Fullback job. Grade : C+ Receivers - Fitz and Q are the best WR duo in football today.

Both are strong physical wide-outs who play a fearless game, going over the middle and making the tough catch in heavy traffic.

Rookie Early Doucet is the favorite to earn the #3 spot in camp, but Steve Breaston, Jerhemy Urban, Ahmad Meritt and Sean Morey all have a shot to win the job as well.

Leonard Pope is a very good red-zone threat at 6-8 and has soft hands, but can’t stretch the defense.

Ben Patrick could be that guy however, giving the Cards some options at TE. Grade : A Offensive Line - Levi Brown struggled at times last season, but showed flashes, and looks to be a future stud with his brute strength and football skills.

He will be protecting Leinart’s blindside, and is one of the keys to Matt’s success.

RG Deuce Luitui looked much better last season than in his rookie season, showing better recognition of defensive plays, and was in much better shape.

He like Brown has the potential to be a perennial Pro Bowler.

LG Reggie Wells is a solid and consistent lineman who can get the job done.

He may not be flashy, but he does his job.

LT Mike Gandy also looked very good in his first season in Arizona, he opened eyes with his improved technique and footwork.

C Al Johnson provides a veteran leadership on the line.

The top backups on the line are Elton Brown and Lyle Sendlein. Grade : B Defensive Line - The Cardinals ran a 3-4 and a 4-3, but reportedly are trying to transition to the 3-4 full time.

They have the line set with DE Darnell Dockett, NT Gabe Watson, and a bunch of people who can potentially play the RE in Alan Branch, Calais Campbell, Bryan Robinson, and sleeper Kenny Iwebema.

Dockett made the Pro Bowl last season as an alternate after getting 9 sacks.

He has very good explosiveness and is good against both the run and the passing game.

Watson showed much improved technique and dropped 40 pounds.

However a freak accident causing a knee injury could cause him to miss time this year.

At the very least he will miss time in camp to get back into the swing of playing football.

The RE spot is in question is because of the young yet unproven talent they have.

Branch and Campbell both have immense talent, but both also have a history of underachieving.

Robinson is a solid steady player, but is unspectacular, and doesn’t really stand out.

Iwebema won’t see much time this season, but he is good against the run, and could start down the line. Grade : B Linebackers - Karlos Dansby is a stud.

He can play inside or outside in any scheme and be great at it.

In the Cards 3-4 front the will play inside.

Next to him Gerald Hayes is a team captain and very consistent at avoiding blocks and getting to the ball carrier.

If healthy Bertrand Berry should give the Cards some pass rush help outside, but the team added insurance in former Titan Travis Laboy.

Chike Okafor is likely the other starter at OLB.

Clark Haggans and Monty Beisel are the main backups outside of Laboy. Grade : B Secondary - If you want to talk the about most underrated addition of last off-season, look no further than Cardinals corner Rod Hood.

Hood is a gritty, physical, bump and run corner, with very good ball skills.

He was one of my favorite players as a m Eagle, and its good to see him do well.

SS Adrian Wilson is in my view the best SS in football.

He can blitz, play the run well, is very good in coverage, and is able to read plays well.

He is coming off an injury, but should be healthy in time for the start of the season.

Antrell Rolle will make the transition from CB to FS, and looked great against Cincinnati in that Rover type “Rolle” (Yes, 1 bad pun per division.) and he is also a very good tackler in the open field.

Eric Green is a serviceable starter, but would be a damn good 3rd corner.

Still he will old down the fort until 1st round pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is ready to start.

DRC is a tall corner, who isn’t physical, but has great recovery speed, man coverage skills, and ball skills.

Once he adds some weight, he should be a stud.

Matt Ware and Oliver Celestin are the backups. Grade : B- Special Teams - Neil Rackers has a strong leg, but was inconsistent past 30 yards last season.

He also missed 2 kicks that were late in the game with the game on the line.

Dirk Johnson is the favorite to punt.

Nothing special about him, he is a very average punter.

Steve Breaston is the Cards return ace, and had the first Cardinal punt return for a TD in 14 years.

Sean Morey is the special teams ace, and Oliver Celestin is another guy who is very good on the coverage units. Grade : B 3 - St.

Louis Rams Record Projection : 7-9 3rd Place NFC West Quarterbacks - Marc Bulger is a very good QB, but struggled last season after receiving a 65 million dollar extension before last season.

He had a career low passer rating of 70.3 and a staggering 15 interceptions.

What makes those numbers even worse is that he missed 4 games with injuries.

Most of his problems however came from the lack of time he had in the pocket, but he also developed bad habits, throwing off his back foot and forced bad passes.

Backup Trent Green has been in the Pro Bowl under Al Saunders offense in Kansas City, and is also a leader.

He however does have a very shaky injury history.

If the Rams carry 3 QBs, Brock Berlin will likely be the guy. Grade : B- Running back - Steven Jackson is a great back, but injury problems held him back last season.

Still Jackson is a back capable of getting 2,000 yards from scrimmage.

The guy is a great back with power and very good speed.

He is also one of the better backs at receiving out of the backfield.

Brian Leonard is a threat as a FB receiving the ball as well as running the ball.

He will also get a good amount of touches.

Antonio Pittman is the #2 back on the depth chart, and is a solid backup to Jackson, as he has very good speed and vision, but is needs to improve his catching and blocking.

Travis Minor is the #3. Grade : B+ Receivers - Torry Holt was still Torry Holt despite knee injuries, making his 7th career Pro Bowl.

He did show a lack of explosiveness, but is one of the smartest players in football, and beats defenders much like Jerry Rice did in has seasons with the Raiders.

Drew Bennett is a redzone threat at 6-5, but he did not live up to expectations last season.

Rookie Donnie Avery has incredible speed and will likely fill the role of vertical threat in the slot that Kevin Curtis left open.

Dante Hall, Keenan Burton, Marques Haggans and Dane Looker are the other options at WR.

Randy McMichael was a disappointment, but he had more receptions than any Rams TE in the past 13 seasons.

Anthony Becht will be the blocking TE, and Joe Klopfenstein played poorly, but is still young and could improve. Grade : B- Offensive Line - Orlando Pace has been over the course of his career one of the top Offensive Tackles to play in the NFL, however injuries and age may be bringing his production down.

He missed almost the entire season last year after a torn labrum and rotator cuff.

RT Alex Barron may be the next guy in line to Replace Pace at LT when he retires, and he has immense talent, but he is inconsistent and draws a whole lot of false start penalties, and he also reportedly has a poor work ethic.

Richie Incognito is a physical road grader at G, but he has an injury history with his right knee.

LG Jacob Bell adds durability to a line that lacked it last season, and is a much better pass blocker than Mark Setterstrom.

Brett Romberg, Dustin Frye, and Setterstrom will battle for the starting C job.

Joe Greco is the top reserve Tackle, and Adam Goldberg and Roy Schuening are the top backups at G. Grade : C Defensive Line - LE Leonard Little missed the last 9 games last season with a toe injury.

The injury cost him explosiveness, and held him to one sack.

The Rams hope he will return to full strength, but incase he doesn’t, the Rams have one hell of an insurance policy in #2 overall pick Chris Long.

The son of Hall-of- Fame DE Howie Long, He will play the RE spot and he registered 14 sacks last year at Virginia.

He also plays the run well.

DT Adam Carriker played will play the 3 technique this season, and has a great work ethic.

Clifton Ryan is a good DT with solid upside and is a very good space eater in the middle.

La’Roi Glover is the mentor and backup to both Carriker and Ryan.

James Hall and Victor Adeyanju are the other key backups.

DT Claude Wrotten was suspended for this season. Grade : C+ Linebackers - When Will Witherspoon came over to the Rams to play the MIKE Linebacker spot, many questioned if he could make the move.

He answered those questions with a resounding yes.

He has been very physical, and has been one of the best MIKE linebackers in coverage in the NFL.

Pisa Tinosamoa is an athletic demon, playing with speed and intensity.

He brings playmaking ability from his WILL linebacker spot.

2nd year man Quinton Culberson is the early favorite to start at the SAM, and the Rams brass is high on the guy.

In his lone start last season he had 10 tackles and a forced fumble.

The main backups are veteran Chris Draft, and 2nd year man Tim McGargle. Grade : B- Secondary - Tye Hill is a smaller corner, but he plays a lot bigger.

His athletic ability allows him to match up with bugger receivers, and he also has very good footwork.

His only downfall is that he gets hit by the injury bug, and he still hasn’t played up to his full potential.

Fakir Brown is a physical corner who also possesses solid ball skills, but gets beat deep a lot.

The RCB spot needs an upgrade in St.

Louis. FS O.J. Atogwe has good ball skills and is good in run support, but he gets beat deep a lot.

SS Corey Chavous is aging quickly and has lost a step.

That said he is still a good leader for this young secondary.

Ron Bartell will likely play the nickel, and Jonathan Wade, Justin King, David Macklin, Todd Johnson, and Jerome Carter all add depth in the secondary. Grade : C Special Teams - Josh Brown is in my opinion one of the top 3 kickers in the NFL today.

St. Louis improved, even after loosing a great kicker in Jeff Wilkins due to retirement.

P Donnie Jones was also very good, setting a franchise record for gross yards/punt with 47.2 yards.

Dante Hall is still very good as a return man, but the Rams have a weak coverage unit. Grade : B 4 - San Francisco 49ers Projected Record : 2-14 4th Place NFC West Quarterbacks - Alex Smith looked like an up and coming QB with upside 2 seasons ago with Norv Turner as Offensive Coordinator, but once he left to be the Head Coach in San Diego, Smith struggled.

He struggled with injuries, developed bad tendencies, and made bad throws and reads.

New Coordinator Mike Martz is considered a QB genius much like Turner, so we will see if he can help Smith turn it around.

If you were to ask me right now who has the potential to be like Derrick Anderson and come out of nowhere and have a solid season, I just might say Shaun Hill, except his strength is his accuracy to where Anderson’s accuracy is shaky at best.

He also has a quick release.

That said, Hill will only play if Smith is Charlie Frye bad, and not many are that bad.

J.T. O’Sullivan is the #3. Grade : D+ Running Backs - Frank Gore is among the elite backs in football.

That said he struggled with injuries and a horrible offensive line last season.

He still did put up over 1100 yards and 5 TDs.

Mike Martz also feels Gore can be a good receiver out of the backfield, but it would be stupid for him to revert to his pass first, second, and third mentality because Gore is so good.

Backup DeShaun Foster is a nice backup to Gore, as he is another physical back who is a solid receiver out of the backfield.

Former Penn State QB turned NFL running back Michael Robinson is the goal-line back, and play a “slash” type role. Grade : B Receivers - Likely #1 Isaac Bruce is way past his prime.

He is still smarter than most receivers and can provide a veteran leadership at the WR position that is lacking.

He also knows Mike Martz’s system, which is another positive.

Bryant Johnson is likely the #2, and he adds a bit of a deep threat, in addition to learning behind 2 of the best in Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald.

#3 is likely Arnaz Battle, who is a poor man’s Hines Ward.

He will be challenged by 2nd year guy Jason Hill, and Ashley Lelie.

TE Vernon Davis is a beast physically and has all the tools to be a great TE, and may be used in some sets of Mike Martz’s scheme as a WR, he needs to hit the playbook hard.

Delanie Walker is a good receiver at TE, and Billy Bajema is the blocking specialist. Grade : D+ Offensive Line - Joe Staley is the LT, after starting last season at RT.

He has all the tools of a good LT, but is unproven at the NFL level at LT.

At LG Chilo Rachal and Adam Snyder will compete and the winner in my view should be Rachal because of his skill and great run blocking.

If he doesn’t win the LG spot however, Rachal can play RT, however it looks as if Jonas Jennings is the favorite to win that spot.

RG David Bass added 20 pounds and will replace the departed Justin Smiley, however he suffered an injury, and could miss time in camp.

Eric Heitman struggled at times last season, but is still a smart player, and the 9ers best option at C.

Cody Wallace could soon supplant Heitman, but it will take at least half the season.

The top backup is Tony Ragge. Grade : D+ Defensive Line - Justin Smith doesn’t fit the 3-4.

He does however have a huge heart, good against the run, and is a smart player who can stay on his feet.

Rookie Kentwan Balmer does fit the 3-4 to a T, but doesn’t have the work ethic or heart of Smith.

If you could merge the 2 together, you would have a great 3-4 DE.

Aubrayo Franklin is a classic lane clogger at 6-1, 334.

He does have problems with injuries however.

Isaac Sopoaga is a NT with upside and is turning into a more well rounded player.

Joe Cohen and Ray McDonald are the other key guys. Grade : D Linebackers - Patrick Willis came in and made an instant impact, and was one of the best linebackers against the run in the NFL.

That said to become mentioned as the next Ray Lewis, he needs to improve in coverage.

Manny Lawson is fast, and has upside, but is still an unknown due to injury.

From what I have seen he looks solid in coverage and against the run, but the pass rushing from college hasn’t adapted.

Tully Banta-Cain should be noting more than a situational pass rusher, as he struggles in coverage, and is undersized in the running game.

Jeff Ulbrich, Dontarrious Thomas, and Brandon Moore will all battle for the other ILB spot.

Parys Haralson is becoming a better pass rusher in addition to being good against the run, and could be a starter in the future.

Roderick Green and Jay Moore add depth. Grade : C Secondary - Nate Clements is a great CB, while he wasn’t worthy of being the highest paid corner ever (Bailey, Asomugha, Samuel, Newman , etc) he did play well enough to not disappoint the 9ers front office and fans.

He is physical and is good against the run and is great in man.

Walt Harris seems to have lost a step, but he is still a good corner.

Shawnte Spencer is a physical corner who has an injury history, but is a lot like Clements.

He could push Harris.

Michael Lewis is a physical, big hitting S who gets a bunch of tackles and is adequate in coverage after struggling in Philly.

Mark Roman is a huge hitter at FS.

Donald Strickland, Reggie Smith, Tarell Brown, Dashon Goldson, Marcus Hudson, and Allen Rossum are the backups in the secondary. Grade : C+ Special Teams - Andy Lee may be one of the top, if not the top P in the NFL.

He had a 41.0 Net Yards/Punt, and had 42 punts dropped inside the 20.

Allen Rossum will likely handle the Punts and kicks, while Michael Robinson and Keith Lewis lead a very good coverage unit.

Joe Nedney is an accurate kicker from inside 50, as he was 16-16 from under 50, but was 0-2 from 50 on.

He is still one of the better kickers in the NFL. Grade ;

B+

Reserved NFC North

Reserved NFC South

Reserved AFC East

Reserved AFC West

Reserved AFC North

Reserved AFC South

Good job so far and I agree with the rankings.

Only complaint with the Eagles is that I would grade us better than a B+

I'd put us at 10-6, 9-7, 8-8, I think 11-5 is a little unrealistic. ^Thanks to lago_vista and Mcnabb05 on the avy. http://youtube.com/watch?v=qe5B8W8ZyR4

Barber only had 975 rushing yards last year.

He didn't break 1000.

Only gripe I have is that he wore down in the games he started. His only start last year was in the playoffs.

I think that was more a case of the Giants defensive line dominating the offensive line than Barber wearing down.

He had 27 carries that game.

He isn't likely to get that many carries more than once or twice a season. Other than that, I think I agree with everything.

Nice work.

You should be a bit more liberal with the "C".

I only saw one. fly eagles Quote: : Nah, I'm not stupid, you're just ignorant as hell.

As a matter of fact, the strong majority of the Giants fans on this site are.

Quote: : You should be a bit more liberal with the "C".

I only saw one. You'll see some Cs Ds and Fs soon, The NFC East and AFC South are the 2 best, most talented divisions in football, hence why they won't have many Cs in those 2 divisions.

EaglesFan5-36-81 very well done. I agree that no nfc east team will lose more then 8 games.

But to be honest its a shuffle the team in nfc that will not make the playoffs is the one who has injuries.

All 4 are talented to be an playoff team.

Luck and injuries will depend which 3 teams make it.

I liked the read.

Thanks for posting. I think you might be a bit stingy on the secondary though.

The Eagles and Cowboys have 2 of the top 4 secondaries in the NFL.

That is better than B+ and A.

That is A+ & A+ (or just A).




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