Thirty-two teams, 32 predictions. That’s what you’ll find in our 2011 NFL Season Preview, which consists of division-by-division breakdowns, playoff projections and of course, a Super Bowl prediction. (Let's see if I can't make it two in a row after correctly predicting the Packers to win last year.)

Let’s get nasty...

AFC EAST

1. Patriots
2. Jets
3. Dolphins
4. Bills

Go ahead and pick against the Patriots but it won’t help you sleep better at night. Fact is they addressed their biggest weakness in the offseason by adding more pass-rushers and they’ve improved as a whole. I wonder if releasing James Sanders and Brandon Meriweather will hurt their depth in the secondary but Bill Belichick knows what he’s doing on that side of the ball, even if others don’t see it…Mark Sanchez needs to be just as good in the regular season as he has been in the postseason so that the Jets can win this division and host a couple of playoff games (as opposed to having to win on the road every year). I don’t think the Jets will surpass the Pats this season but Rex Ryan is once again at the controls of a Super Bowl contender…The Dolphins have a real nice linebacker corps and I love their young cornerback duo of Sean Smith and Vontae Davis. But they’ve got a real problem at quarterback in Chad Henne and outside of left tackle Jake Long, their offensive line is shaky as well. What’s the over/under for number of days before Brandon Marshall blows a gasket?…Chances are the Bills are going to be better than their overall record indicates but they play in a tough division, their offensive line is still a weakness and Ryan Fitzpatrick will only take a team so far. That said, Buffalo is slowly getting better each year and it has a couple of playmakers on defense in Shawne Merriman and George Wilson.

AFC NORTH

1. Steelers
2. Ravens
3. Browns
4. Bengals

I contemplated having the Ravens win the division but in the end, the Steelers are just too strong. Pittsburgh’s offensive line is seemingly an issue heading into the season but it was also a problem in 2008 when they won the Super Bowl and it was supposed to hold them back last year, too. The bottom line is that defense is still a dominating force and as long as he can stay healthy, Ben Roethlisberger will lead this team back to the playoffs and beyond…The Ravens (whom I predicted to represent the AFC in last year's Super Bowl) need to play with more consistency throughout the season, especially against top competition. They lost a couple of good defensive players in Dawan Landry and Josh Wilson and all things being equal, I don’t think they’re better than the Steelers. That said, this is still a solid football team and I envision the Ravens making the postseason again…The Browns have something good brewing in Cleveland. Colt McCoy is the perfect fit for the West Coast Offense and his blindside is protected by the NFL’s best left tackle in Joe Thomas. Defensively, former top 10 pick Joe Haden looks like a stud in the making and the same can be said for safety T.J. Ward. Still, the defensive end and wide receiver positions are question marks and the Steelers and Ravens are just too good for the Browns to make the playoffs…The Bengals have big-time issues. They’ve got a rookie second-round pick starting at quarterback, they lost one of their top cornerbacks in free agency (Jonathan Joseph/Texans), the safety position is a mess, and their running back just got out of jail. If Cincy wins five games this year it would be a miracle.

AFC SOUTH

1. Texans
2. Colts
3. Titans
4. Jaguars

It’s the Texans’ year, plain and simple. I love the hiring of Wade Phillips, who has a track record of turning teams around in his first year as either head coach or defensive coordinator. They also addressed one of their biggest weaknesses with the signing of corner Jonathan Joseph, and Kareem Jackson should be much better in his second year as well. As long as Matt Schaub can stay healthy and be consistent, and running back Arian Foster’s hamstring won’t be an issue all season, the Texans will make the playoffs. They just have too much firepower…The Colts’ season hangs in the balance, as Peyton Manning’s neck injury continues to be a concern. This team has looked really bad without Peyton under center in the past and Kerry Collins (while a better option than Curtis Painter) won’t be able to keep them afloat if Manning misses more than a couple of weeks. It’s usually not wise to bet against Colts but they have a real problem on their hands with Manning’s injury…I almost moved the Jaguars up to second place after they bolstered their defense with the additions of Paul Posluzsny, Matt Roth and Dawan Landry this offseason. But after the team jettisoned David Garrard I updated this paragraph and moved them down to fourth. Nobody is going to mistake Garrard for Peyton Manning but he certainly could have kept the Jaguars in contention throughout the year. An eight or even nine-win season was in reach with Garrard under center but not now. Not with Luke McCown or rookie Blaine Gabbert. The coaching staff in Jacksonville has seemingly wanted Garrard out of there for years and they finally got what they wanted. Well good luck with that decision…It’s hard to know what to make of the Titans. Will Matt Hasselbeck’s back be a concern? Will Chris Johnson be injury-prone after missing all of camp and preseason due to a holdout? Does the defense have enough playmakers? The Titans aren't bad by any means. But are they a contender? They have way too many question marks heading into the season, especially seeing as how they have a new coaching staff.

AFC WEST

1. Chargers
2. Chiefs
3. Raiders
4. Broncos

This is a better division than people think but as long as the Chargers don’t get in their own way, there’s no reason they shouldn’t return to the top of the AFC West Mountain. They have an outstanding quarterback in Philip Rivers, who will have a healthy Antonio Gates and a less-disgruntled Vincent Jackson at his disposal all season. The defense might not be as talented as it has been in past years but it’s a solid unit nonetheless and if this team can start fast this season (for a change), the Bolts should win the division…Not many people are picking the Chiefs to repeat but it’s not like they’ve gotten worse. In fact, they may have gotten better in some areas and they certainly have enough offensive firepower thanks to guys like Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe. Where the doubt comes in is at quarterback, as many observers don’t expect Matt Cassel to play with the same consistency as he did a year ago. Either way, this team will compete with the Chargers and it wouldn’t be shocking if they won the division again…The Raiders swept the division last year but for some reason people still view this team as one of the doormats in the AFC. If Jason Campbell can turn in a steady performance and young guys like Darren McFadden and Darrius Heyward-Bey have career years, there’s no reason to think the Raiders couldn’t win this division. That said, losing Nnamdi Asomugha could dramatically change the way Oakland plays defensively. If they still want to go man-to-man the majority of the time without Asomugha locking down one side, then good luck…Outside of his final year in Carolina, John Fox always got the most out of his players, which is why the Broncos will be better than people expect. That said, Knowshon Moreno needs to stay healthy all season, the offensive line has issues with the exception of Ryan Clady, and a number of young players are expected to start on the defensive side of the ball. Just like the Titans in the AFC South, this isn't a bad Denver team but it's unlikely that they finish higher than third in the West.

NFC EAST

1. Cowboys
2. Eagles
3. Giants
4. Redskins

In 2004, Michael Vick was coming off a devastating leg injury that he suffered the season before so the expectations for him and the Falcons were rather low. But he led them to the NFC Championship Game anyway. In 2005 when many people were picking the Falcons to head to the Super Bowl, Vick didn’t play consistently enough from week-to-week and was ONE OF the reasons the Falcons fell flat on their faces. The same thing happened in 2006 when many analysts were predicting a rebound year for Vick and Co and instead, he was only marginal. My point is that when the expectations for Vick’s teams are high, he doesn’t deliver. Granted, Andy Reid is ten-times the coach Jim Mora was in Atlanta and Vick says he has a better worth ethic now than he did earlier in his career. But I’m not totally convinced. I think he’ll either get hurt or he won’t play with enough consistency (or both) and with that, the Eagles will fail to live up to the hype…On top of having a healthy Tony Romo back under center and a full year of Jason Garrett at the controls, I like the Cowboys this year for the opposite reason I don't like the Eagles: because the expectations are low. The ‘Boys have issues at cornerback but the roster is otherwise chockfull of talent and I see a major bounce back year for this team, which includes them making the playoffs…The Giants are going to struggle to finish 8-8. Injuries keep piling up and their limited cap space had a major impact on what they were able to do in free agency (or weren’t able to do, that is). Tom Coughlin will have his team ready to play most Sundays but it's hard to envision the Giants making the playoffs…Thanks to Mike Shanahan’s zone-blocking scheme, the Redskins will have a sound rushing attack. But 16 games of either Rex Grossman (the current starter) or John Beck (the possible starter if Grossman falters) sounds terrifying.

NFC North

1. Packers
2. Lions
3. Bears
4. Vikings

The Packers have the most talent in the NFC and they’ll welcome back a healthy Jermichael Finley and Ryan Grant to an already Super Bowl-winning roster. They’ll also get James Starks involved from Week 1 and if he runs as well this season as he did in last year’s playoffs, Aaron Rodgers will once again have another weapon at his disposal. The Pack didn’t win the division last year but they should have no problems this season as long as Rodgers and Co. stay healthy…The Lions are many people’s chic playoff pick but they still have too many question marks to overtake Green Bay in the division. For starters, can Matthew Stafford and Jahvid Best stay healthy? Will the secondary and offensive line hold up? This is an ever-improving team and their defensive line is one of the best in football. As long as Stafford stays healthy, I like the Lions to finish 8-8 but to miss the postseason…The Bears’ offensive line and receivers scare me. Granted, their O-line improved over the course of the preseason but I think we’re going to see a repeat of Jay Cutler’s performance in 2009 when his sack and interception totals were high. That’s not a knock on Cutler, whom I think is a better player than his critics make him out to be. That is a knock, however, on the Bears’ inexperienced offensive line and inconsistent receiver corps. (Signing Roy Williams was your answer at wideout, Jerry Angelo? Wow.) Granted, Julius Peppers was incredible for the defense last year and this team still has playmakers at linebacker. I just don’t see Chicago having the same success it did a year ago…The Vikings lost Sidney Rice, Ray Edwards, Pat Williams and Bryant McKinnie this offseason and they failed to restock their cupboard. Their front seven is still strong defensively and in players like Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin and Antoine Winfield, the Vikes have enough on both sides of the ball to be dangerous. But the offensive line is a major issue, the depth at receiver is thin, and Donovan McNabb’s play has digressed for years. Minnesota will struggle this season.

NFC SOUTH

1. Saints
2. Falcons
3. Buccaneers
4. Panthers

Everyone seems to be falling asleep on the Saints this year, which is a mistake. Outside of Drew Brees’ inconsistency woes, the biggest reason the Saints weren’t as explosive as they were in 2009 was because Sean Payton lost his offensive balance. That’s what made his offense so good the year New Orleans won the Super Bowl and it wasn’t the same last season because of all the injuries the team suffered in its backfield. But after adding good depth at the running back position this offseason with the selection of Mark Ingram in April’s draft, and the signing of free agent Darren Sproles, Payton’s offense should go back to putting opponents on their heels. I also love the depth the Saints added to their defensive line and I think they’ll wrestle the South away from the Falcons this season…Speaking of the Falcons, Atlanta is a solid football team from top to bottom. They added an explosive playmaker in receiver Julio Jones and signed Ray Edwards to complement John Abraham and Jonathan Babineaux on the defensive line. Atlanta is also moving away from its ball-control offense, so if Matt Ryan is as good as he was a year ago this team could soar. That said, the Falcons need big contributions from Jones and fellow youngsters Sean Weatherspoon, Garrett Reynolds, Joe Hawley and Peria Jerry if they’re going to take that next step. It’s going to be battle between the Saints and Falcons all season…The Bucs have a quarterback in Josh Freeman who is on the rise, an improving defense under head coach Raheem Morris, and a solid young core on both sides of the ball. That said, the Saints and Falcons are still a notch above and I’m concerned about the Bucs’ offensive line. I also didn’t like the moves the front office made this offseason, including overpaying punter Michael Koenen and not heavily pursuing Nnamdi Asomugha despite the fact they had the cap space. This team will compete, but they’re still a year or so away from making the playoffs…The Panthers could once again be a total disaster. Cam Newton will be fun to watch, but he’ll also want to make fans beat their head against the wall as he learns the nuances of being an NFL quarterback. The game will likely be too fast for the young QB and if Carolina isn’t picking in the top-5 of next year’s draft, I’ll be shocked.

NFC WEST

1. Cardinals
2. Rams
3. 49ers
4. Seahawks

Flip a freaking coin. The Rams are probably the most intriguing team, but their schedule is brutal and Sam Bradford will suffer through some sophomore slumps. The 49ers should be better now that they have an actual head coach instead of an assistant posing as a head coach, but it's hard to put a lot of faith in Alex Smith. (I was burned by him and the Niners last year.) Pete Carroll, meanwhile, is the only person on this planet who thinks Tarvaris Jackson should start over Charlie Whitehurst and the Seahawks' defense has a plethora of issues as well. That leaves the Cardinals, who have plenty of question marks themselves but the addition of Kevin Kolb should dramatically improve the offense. Granted, Kolb will struggle in his first year but I think he'll do just enough for Arizona to sneak into the playoffs.

POSTSEASON PREDICTIONS

AFC Division Winners: Patriots, Steelers, Texans, Chargers
AFC Wildcard: Ravens, Jets

NFC Division Winners: Cowboys, Packers, Saints, Cardinals
NFC Wildcard: Falcons, Eagles

WILDCARD ROUND
Jets over Texans
Ravens over Chargers
Falcons over Cardinals
Cowboys over Eagles

DIVISIONAL ROUND
Patriots over Jets
Steelers over Ravens
Packers over Cowboys
Saints over Falcons

CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY
Patriots over Steelers
Saints over Packers

SUPER BOWL PREDICTION

Bill Belichick and the Patriots won't make it three-straight years of losing in their first postseason game while the Saints will win an absolute battle royal against the Packers in the NFC title game (and a rematch of the season opener). It's hard to repeat, which is why I think the Packers and Steelers will fall short and why we'll have two new representatives from each conference. In Belichick and Payton, I think it would be fantastic to see two of the best minds in football go head to head. In the end, I like Brees and Payton to overtake Brady and Belichick.

2012 Super Bowl Prediction: Saints over Patriots

The Rams make an easy choice for NFC West champions this year, don’t they? They’re like the Almond Joy in a candy bowl that’s also hosting Tootsie Rolls, Spice Drops, and those black and orange-wrapped pieces of awfulness that people hand out at Halloween.

Coconut? Yeah, I can deal with coconut.

But while most media members are predicting the Rams to win their division this year, I actually envision them taking a step back. In fact, I think 8-8 would be quite an accomplishment for a team that is definitely on the rise but has some major hurdles to overcome to make the postseason.

Have you checked out the Rams’ schedule this year? It’s freaking brutal. They open up at home against everyone’s chic pick the Eagles before heading to New York to play the Giants in Week 2. They come back to St. Louis for two home games and while one of those contests is a Week 4 matchup with the Redskins, the other is a Week 3 tilt against the Ravens.

After they come back from their BYE in Week 5, the Rams travel to Green Bay and Dallas before hosting the Saints in Week 8. So in six of their first seven games they play the entire NFC East, the defending Super Bowl champions, and the team that won it all in 2009 and might be poised to do it again in 2011.

Thanks, schedule makers!

Another problem, of course, is the dreaded sophomore jinx for Sam Bradford. In all honesty, I think it’s foolish to believe that all young players are destined for failure in their second seasons, as if life always warns us when we’re about to fall on hard times. But while the jinx itself is a rather juvenile way of looking at the situation, there is something to a quarterback struggling in his second year. The playbook expands, responsibility grows, and now defensive coordinators have 16 or so games to dissect your weaknesses. It’s not a jinx – it’s maturation.

Bradford had an impressive rookie campaign and I do believe he’ll only get better. But I’m willing to bet he’ll suffer through different kinds of hurdles than he did as a rookie, especially seeing as how he must learn a new offensive system under Josh McDaniels and as expectations continue to rise. (Keep in mind that this is a team that many people believe is a playoff contender, circumstances like a weak division be damned.)

There are plenty of reasons why some observers have fallen in love with the Rams. The spotlight is on Bradford, but this team has also built an impressive-looking defensive line and acquired one of the most productive safeties in the NFL this offseason in Quintin Mikell. The Rams vastly upgraded the right guard position with the signing of free agent Harvey Dahl (who replaces the highly ineffective Adam Goldberg), and gave Bradford another weapon in Mike Sims-Walker.

But the schedule stinks, Bradford will suffer more growing pains in his second year and it’ll be interesting to see how long Steven Jackson continues to rumble on as the Rams wear him down to the treads. Outside linebacker, depth in the secondary, and uncertainty at the wide receiver position are three other causes for concern heading into the season.

So who will win the West? My guess would be the Cardinals, although I don’t write that with much conviction. I just have a hunch it won’t be Bradford and the Rams.

Pre-season predictions are rather silly, aren’t they? I mean really, we haven’t seen any of these teams play and yet we’re all ready to predict who will appear in the Super Bowl. Ridiculous. Just ridiculous, I say.

But damn it they’re fun. You can’t deny that. If we as fans don’t partake in a little pre-season shenanigans then I ask you, what are we doing with our lives?

My regular season and Super Bowl predictions won’t be released until next week, but here’s a little something to whet your appetite in the meantime.

Ten Predictions for the 2011 NFL Season:

1. The Eagles won’t win the Super Bowl.
I’m not a big believer in Michael Vick. I used to be. I used to believe that he could walk on water and was going to lead the Falcons to not one, but about 16 Super Bowls when he was in Atlanta. Then I realized the guy was completely fine with not putting in the work to raise his game to the next level. I realize he was complacent and was fine with being an extraordinary athlete but not a championship-caliber quarterback. I don’t know Michael Vick personally so maybe I have him all wrong. And maybe he really has grown as a player and a person in Philadelphia. Hey, Andy Reid is 10-times the coach Jim Mora was, so maybe all Vick needed was better guidance. That said, I don’t think Vick will win a Super Bowl this season with the Eagles. He's never done well when the expectations were high and if you want proof of that, look at his 2005 and 2006 seasons in Atlanta. (Pundits were more than willing to hitch their wagon to Vick back then, just as they are now.) There were no expectations for him at the start of last season because it was Kevin Kolb’s team. But now it’s his team and I don’t think he’ll see the Eagles through to the end. This prediction may look foolish for most of the regular season, but let’s see what happens come January and February.

2. The Texans will finally reach the playoffs.
As I wrote last week, I think it’s the Texans’ year. The Colts have a cloud of doubt hanging over their heads because of the uncertainly surrounding Peyton Manning’s neck, so now is Houston’s chance to seize the AFC South. I love the hiring of Wade Phillips, who always seems to turn teams around in his first year, and the signing of former Bengals corner Jonathan Joseph. Assuming Phillips does fix the defense and Arian Foster’s hamstring injury isn’t something that will linger all season, the Texans have more than enough firepower to finally make their first postseason appearance in franchise history.

3. The Lions will finish 8-8.
Some people won’t think this is a bold prediction but a .500 season would be proof of just how far the Lions have come since the Matt Millen era (which don’t forget included an 0-16 season). Matthew Stafford’s ability to stay healthy is obviously key. If he stays on the field for all 16 games the Lions will give most teams trouble this season, especially at home. Their defensive line might be the best in football and GM Martin Mayhew did a nice job upgrading the linebacker corps in the offseason. Can the Lions contend for a playoff spot this season? Sure, why not. But I think an 8-8 record would still be the mark of a successful season, especially given the troubles this team has had over the past decade.

4. The Steelers won’t repeat in the AFC.
The Patriots look like they’ve fixed their pass rush, the Texans have gone a long way to improving their defense with the additions of Wade Phillips and Jonathan Joseph, the Chargers will have Vincent Jackson and a healthy Antonio Gates back this season, and the Ravens acquired a deep threat in Lee Evans (assuming he can stay healthy). The Steelers, meanwhile, still have question marks along the offensive line and at cornerback, and are another year older at key positions. Don’t get it twisted: This is a playoff team. But do I think that the Steelers will make a repeat appearance in the Super Bowl? Let me just say this: Staying at the top is often harder than getting there.

5. The Saints will rise again in the South.
Nobody seems to be talking about the Saints this season, which is a scary thought given how much firepower they have on offense and given the strengths of their defense. The Saints found out the hard way last season that it’s hard to repeat. But I see Drew Brees rebounding and the addition of rookie Mark Ingram should provide the return of Sean Payton’s balance on offense (something that was lost in 2010). On the other side of the ball, the Saints are now deep along the defensive line and in their secondary thanks to the moves they’ve made the past two offseasons, although outside linebacker remains a question mark. Meanwhile, the Falcons are solid and just recently have started to add some major depth to their defense with the signings of James Sanders and Kelvin Hayden. But they’ve got a tough first-half schedule (Bears, Eagles, Bucs, Packers, Colts, Saints) and I think they’re going to have to grind more this season than in 2010.

6. Colt McCoy will make big strides in the West Coast.
I’ve made it no secret that I think Colt McCoy is a perfect fit for the West Coast Offense and while I don’t think we’ll be seeing the Browns in the playoffs this year, they should be more competitive. Defensively I have my concerns, but I really like what Mike Holmgren has done on the offensive side of the ball. He seemingly has found his WCO quarterback in McCoy, his WCO coach in Pat Shurmur, his WCO running back in Patrick Hillis, and his WCO receiver in Greg Little. (I also like the underrated Ben Watson at tight end.) Obviously the Browns will suffer plenty of bumps in the road, but they’re going to be better than people think this season.

7. The Packers will reach the NFC Championship Game again.
I’ll stop short of predicting the Pack to win it all again, only because I know how difficult it is for teams to repeat (especially in the NFC for whatever reason). But has everyone forgotten that this team won the Super Bowl last season? It seems like nobody is talking about the Packers and they once again have one of the best and deepest rosters in football. Aaron Rodgers is a stud, the defense should once again be solid, and they’re getting players like Jermichael Finley and Ryan Grant back from injury. There’s an argument to be made that Green Bay is better now than it was heading into the Super Bowl (on paper, that is). Nobody should fall asleep on the Packers this season, especially not with how explosive Rodgers and the offense is.

8. The Cowboys will make the playoffs.
It’s funny, at this time last year everyone outside of opposing fans in the NFC East thought the Cowboys were a shoe-in to win their division, if not the Super Bowl. Now nobody is talking about “America’s Team,” even though a healthy Tomo Romo will be back under center and Jason Garrett’s offense showed life after Wade Phillips was fired. The Cowboys have plenty of offensive firepower in Romo, Jason Witten, Austin Miles, Dez Bryant and Felix Jones. Now it’s up to the defense (particularly the secondary) to step up and play significantly better than it did a year ago. I think it will, and I think the Cowboys will head back to the postseason this year.

9. The Rams won’t win the NFC West.
The Rams are the perfect team to win the West because the division is brutal and Sam Bradford ushers in new hope. (They’re also 3-0 in preseason, if that means anything to anyone.) But have you seen the Rams’ first-half schedule? Holy smokes: home versus the Eagles, at the Giants, home versus the Ravens and Redskins, at Green Bay and Dallas and then home versus the Saints. There’s a possibility the Rams may not win more than two games in the first eight weeks of the season. I like the Rams, I really do. But something tells me Bradford will suffer a little in his second year (Matt Ryan certainly did and most players do), and either the Cardinals or Niners will win the division.

10. Julio Jones will win Rookie of the Year.
I know, I know - I’m going out on a limb with this prediction. But honestly, I took my time looking at this year’s candidates for ROY and there’s just no one with more upside at this point than Jones. I almost went with Mark Ingram because I truly believe he’s going to have a big impact on the Saints’ offense this season, but will he receive enough carries in order to put up big numbers? I doubt it. Jones, on the other hand, should receive plenty of opportunities to shine in Atlanta. The Falcons are moving away from their ball-control ways and with teams having to pay attention to Roddy White, Michael Turner and Tony Gonzalez, Jones should see plenty of one-on-one coverage from defenses (which in turn allows him to make more plays). The best part about Jones is that so far he looks the part. He looks like a rookie that is ready to make an impact in his first season and given the talent around him, he shouldn’t have loads of pressure on his shoulders in his first year.

Every morning I have a routine when I log onto the computer for the day. I read as much NFL content from beat writers, columnists and bloggers that I can, and then I outline story ideas that I want to develop for my own articles.

For a couple of weeks I’ve thought about tackling the Detroit Lions and the possibility that they could contend in 2011. But every time I look down at the Lions on my list of ideas, I bypass them because I believe they’re still a year or two away from competing.

But today, for whatever reason, I felt compelled to write about them. Maybe it was because of their impressive performance against the Patriots on Saturday night or the fact that I’m sick of reading about Peyton Manning’s neck, but today was the day I chose the Lions as a topic. And after getting a shocking phone call from an old friend in Detroit, I’m glad I did.

After graduating from Central Michigan University in 2004, I moved to Detroit and lived there for about four years. During that time, I got a job on the promotions team and as a nights and weekends producer for WDFN Sports Radio AM1130. Passing out free swag to people in bars wasn’t the ideal job for a college graduate, but I felt very fortunate to even have a foot in the door at a sports radio station and was more than happy to do the work.

One of my favorite promotional events that I looked forward to every week during the football season was a Monday evening Lions recap show with WDFN host and MLive.com beat writer Tom “Killer” Kowalski. While driving out to the bar and setting up the show together, on-site engineer Albert Dale and I used to talk about our fantasy teams or football games from the previous weekend. When Killer arrived, he and Albert would often trade friendly barbs and I would try to get both of them to bet me on the Monday Night Football game. (I don't remember Tom ever partaking in my sharking, but Albert and I always had something insignificant on the line.)

Killer was a smart ass but he was funny and extremely likable. He was also kind and generous, and most importantly he cared about people whether his exterior expression showed it or not. He was also a little quirky and it never ceased to amaze me how the big guy always wore shorts, even during the coldest of Detroit winters. Lion fans didn’t always agree with him, but he had a big following because he often told it like it was and yet, he had a way of providing optimism even in the darkest of times (which have come all too often for Detroit fans). He was also a damn fine reporter and always provided quality content, which isn’t the case for every beat writer around the country.

In the middle of writing today’s column, I listened to a voicemail that Albert left for me on my cell phone and I could tell by his tone that something was wrong. Apparently Tom passed away this morning after his fiancé found him unresponsive in his home. The long-time Lions beat writer was only 51-years-old.

When I called Albert back, we both expressed our shock over the news but eventually started talking about all of the nights spent with Tom putting on his show. When I eventually got off the phone, I looked back at my computer screen and saw the half-finished Lions column that I had started.

Yeah, today is a good day to talk Lions football. This one is for you Killer, may you rest in peace.

The Detroit Lions should be an improved football team in 2011, but they’re still a year or two away from seriously competing, right?

…

…

…Right?!

After watching them completely dismantle the Patriots in their third preseason game on Saturday night, I have to admit the Lions Kool-Aid that some people are passing around tastes pretty good right now. I’m not entirely sold that they can be a playoff contender this season, but it’s getting harder and harder to not like what you see.

Even though they didn’t win the division in 2010, the Packers seem like an immovable object atop the NFC North. And while the Bears did win the division last year, they have some serious concerns at offensive line and receiver heading into the regular season. (The same can be said for the Vikings, who also have a new quarterback and a new offensive coordinator.)

No longer are the Lions the doormats of the league or their division. Thanks to the work GM Martin Mayhew has done over the past few offseasons, Detroit now has the pieces in place to be competitive. Led by the ferocious Ndamukong Suh, the strength of the team is its defensive line, which not only does a quality job of stopping the run but it can also get after the passer. The linebacker corps has also improved, as Mayhew has surrounded middle linebacker DeAndre Levy with two proven veterans in Stephen Tulloch and Justin Durant.

Offensively, Matthew Stafford obviously needs to stay healthy but he certainly has plenty of weapons at his disposal in Calvin Johnson, Brandon Pettigrew and Nate Burelson. Another guy who needs to stay healthy is running back Jahvid Best, especially since rookie Mikel Leshoure was lost for the season after tearing his Achillies’ tendon in practice a few weeks ago.

As of right now, this is how I see the top 4 teams in the NFC: Packers, Saints, Eagles, and Falcons. In that next tier I have the Cowboys, Giants and Bears but if Stafford stays healthy, I don’t think there’s any reason why the Lions can’t leapfrog Chicago (or even the Giants for that matter, who keep watching the injuries pile up).

That said, the Lions’ two biggest weaknesses are their secondary and offensive line. The D-line should help mask some of the deficiencies in the defensive backfield but players like Chris Houston and free agent pickup Eric Wright must raise their level of production if the Lions are to go anywhere this season. In fact, outside of Suh and Calvin Johnson (who are beasts on a weekly basis), the entire team must take it up a notch if Detroit is going to contend for the postseason. Simply put, a lot of Lions will have to overachieve this season.

Next week when I post my 2011 NFL season preview, I don’t think I’ll have the Lions qualifying for the playoffs. Given their offensive line and secondary issues, I think 8-8 would be a very successful season for them.

But I’ll tell you what, they certainly give you something to think about, don’t they?

It’s now or never for the Houston Texans. Either they win the AFC South this season or spend the rest of their miserable existence in NFL purgatory.

All right, so that was a little extreme. But you’d have to be a corpse not to feel the sense of urgency that is surrounding the Texans as we draw closer to the 2011 regular season.

Peyton Manning’s neck injury has cast a cloud of doubt around the Colts. Tony Dungy was probably right when he recently said that unless Manning is dead, he won’t miss Week 1. But even if he does suit up, Manning, or Mr. Preparation as his poker buddies call him, hasn’t done much prepping for the 2011 season. How effective will he be early on? Will this be an injury that nags him the entire season? Will he be Peyton Manning? Because if he isn't, then it's fair to say that the Colts are a rather average team.

Nevermind that though; the Texans can’t be worried about what Manning and the Colts are doing. They need to focus on themselves because their moment to shine is here. Besides re-signing running back Arian Foster and tight end Owen Daniels to keep their explosive offense intact, the biggest move Houston made this offseason was hiring Wade Phillips to be its new defensive coordinator. Say what you will about Phillips’ inability to be a head coach, but the man knows how to run a defense. And he knows something about quick turnarounds, too.

The last seven times that Phillips has taken over as a head coach or defensive coordinator, his new team has reached the playoffs in its first season. And only once in those seven years has Phillips taken over a club that was coming off a winning record, which is a testament to the impact he can have on new teams. That’s a good sign for Houston, which finished 6-10 last year largely because of a defense that finished third to last in yards allowed and fourth to last in points per game.

The Texans also signed a key piece this offseason to help Phillips turn around the team’s defensive misfortunes. While they heavily pursued corner Nnamdi Asomugha in free agency, the Texans did well to land the second-best DB on the market in Jonathan Joseph. Still in his prime at 27, Joseph flashed shutdown corner ability in Cincinnati and should dramatically improve the league’s worst secondary from a year ago.

Of course, the defense wasn’t the only problem last year. The Texans have been a team that has struggled against divisional opponents the last two years. After going 1-5 in 2009, the Texans did finish 3-3 against the AFC South last season, but 3-3 usually doesn’t win divisional crowns. In fact, the 2010 Kansas City Chiefs have been the only team in the last four years to win their division despite having a losing record, which shines light on how important it is that the Texans take care of business against Indy, Jacksonville and Tennessee this year.

I joked earlier about this season being a “now or never” opportunity for the Texans to win the AFC South. Unless owner Bob McNair abruptly folds the franchise after this year, the Texans may be favored to win in 2012 or beyond. That said, when are the Texans going to have a better opportunity than now? Phillips was the right man for the defensive job, Manning’s injury leaves a lot of uncertainty in Indy, and Jacksonville and Tennessee are largely devoid of talent.

Now or never? Not quite. But then again it might as well be.

The Oakland Raiders selected former Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor with a third-round pick in the 2011 supplemental draft. Seeing as how they now don’t own a second, third or fourth round pick in 2012, it was quite a gamble for Al Davis and his franchise.

But here are three reasons why Pryor was worth the gamble for Oakland (and three reasons why he wasn’t).

1. Don’t get fixated on the third-round compensation.
No, the Raiders currently don’t own a second, third or fourth-round pick for 2012. But they also just lost cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and tight end Zach Miller via free agency so chances are they’ll recoup that third round pick when the NFL hands out compensatory selections next year. In fact, there’s a good possibility that Oakland will receive a third and a fourth-round pick for next year’s draft. That doesn’t mean that the Raiders should just give away their draft picks, but that's not what they did. In Pryor, they landed a gifted athlete with plenty of potential…

2. …Pryor is a gifted athlete with plenty of potential.
Pryor is raw as a quarterback prospect but there’s no auguring how good of an athlete he is (which is why Al Davis was so attracted to him). He ran in the sub 4.4-range at his recent pro day and if he doesn’t make it as a QB, he has the quickness and body control to potentially become a receiver at the next level. As of right now, the Raiders don’t have any quarterback on the roster signed through next season. That includes Jason Campbell, who becomes a free agent at the end of the year. Even though Pryor will miss the first five games this season due to a suspension, he gives Oakland the developmental quarterback that their roster currently lacks.

3. The reward could outweigh the risk.
As it stands right now, this isn’t a move that will set the Raiders back for years to come. In the end, all they gave up was a third round pick that they’ll probably get back next year anyway thanks to Asomugha’s decision to sign with the Eagles. If Pryor winds up being a starting quarterback in Oakland, all it would have cost the Raiders up front was a third-round pick. That’s also third-round quarterback money, which is nothing. On the flip side, if doesn’t pan out at quarterback, the Raiders could still try him at receiver. If he flames out there, then hey, at least they didn't give up a No. 1 overall selection (eh, JaMarcus?).

THAT SAID…

1. Davis’ meddling could turn this situation into a problem.
The only reason why JaMarcus Russell wasn’t cut sooner is because Al Davis was still infatuated by the bust’s physical tools. Pryor has a long ways to go before he steps foot on a NFL field as a starting quarterback and if Davis meddles with Hue Jackson’s development of the youngster, then things could turn ugly. As previously mentioned, the Raiders don’t have any quarterback signed through 2012, so Davis could force Jackson to make Pryor the starter next year if he really wanted to. Just like he did with Russell, if Davis wants to see a player on the field there’s really nothing to stand in his way (including his head coach). Pryor needs time to develop and if Davis rushes him, then I take back what I wrote about this move not setting the Raiders back for years to come.

2. Pryor has some major flaws as a passer.
Personally, I think Pryor is a better thrower than his critics give him credit for. But that doesn’t mean I think he’ll be a good quarterback (big difference). For starters, his footwork and accuracy are his two biggest issues right now, which are two things that will leave a NFL quarterback looking for work. He also wasn’t forced to go through his progressions a lot in Jim Tressell’s offense, so we don’t even know if this kid can read a defense yet. At Ohio State, Pryor was often at his best when the play broke down and he could use his athletic ability to make something happen. But in the NFL, everybody is athletic. It’s a faster game and Pryor will die a quick death if he tries to get by on his athletic ability alone.

3. Oakland isn’t exactly a great support structure.
There have been plenty reports about Pryor’s lack of maturity while at Ohio State and look no further than “TattooGate” for a glimpse at his decision-making off the field. With that in mind, it’s a little unnerving that he’s headed off to one of the most dysfunctional franchises in the NFL. One of the biggest reasons why Michael Vick is considered a MVP candidate again is because he wound up in Philadelphia under Andy Reid. Granted, Hue Jackson is a good man. He deserved the opportunity to become a head coach and he may work wonders with a kid like Pryor. But Al Davis simply can’t stay away. Again, if he meddles in Jackson’s work with Pryor then this whole thing could blow up in Oakland’s face. Teams should always view third-round picks as potential starters or else why draft them? It’s not until the fourth and later rounds where teams build their depth. So even though it’s important “not to get fixated on the third-round compensation,” the Raiders still need this guy to pan out or else what’s the point? After all, this wasn’t a seventh-round flier. This was a third-round pick.

Much of the focus in the NFC North this preseason is how the Bears’ offensive line could be in major trouble after allowing nine sacks in their preseason debut. But look around - the rest of the division isn’t much better.

Minnesota Vikings
Forget the Bears - the Vikings are the current owners of the worst offensive line in the division, if not the entire league. Once a major strength, Minnesota’s O-line has fallen on hard times over the last couple of seasons. It was major liability last season and somehow it got much worse. Things started off on a bad note when Bryant McKinnie gained so much unhealthy weight during the lockout that the Vikings actually decided to release him just days before camp. Now they have a left tackle in Charlie Johnson who has been manhandled thus far and would probably be better suited to play inside at guard. Speaking of guard, Steve Hutchinson is a shell of his former self and rookie Chris DeGeare will start on the right side because of Anthony Herrera’s injury issues. In the middle, John Sullivan lacks power and remains one of the least productive centers in the league. Good luck this year, Adrian Peterson.

Chicago Bears
Anyone who saw the Bills rack up nine sacks on the Bears last week is well aware of Chicago’s offensive line issues. The good news is that the Bears got Frank Omiyale out of the starting lineup. The bad news is that J’Marcus Webb will be counted on to protect Jay Cutler’s blindside after struggling as a rookie at right tackle last season. At the other tackle position, the Bears had to draft Gabe Carimi in the first round this year after moving Chris Williams (a 2008 first round selection) to left guard. If the team had better options, Williams would probably have been cut already. The most reliable member of Chicago’s O-line is Roberto Garza, but he’s now playing out of position at center after Olin Kreutz signed with the Saints. Mike Tice is a solid offensive line coach but he has his work cut out for him this season. The unit actually started to gel mid-way through the 2010 season but if Chicago’s first preseason game was any indication, it could be a long season for Cutler and Co. The Bears better hope Webb and Carimi develop fast.

Detroit Lions
GM Martin Mayhew deserves plenty of kudos for the way he has slowly rebuilt the Lions’ roster over the last few years. But it would have been more comforting to Detroit fans had he paid more attention to the O-line this offseason. The Lions return five starters from a year ago but they’re not in as good of shape as one would think. Left tackle Jeff Backus has a partially torn pectoral muscle and will likely miss plenty of practice time as he rehabs the injury. At the other tackle position, Gosder Cherilus is coming off microfracture surgery and while he is practicing, the Lions are taking it slow with the former first rounder. Inside, the Lions are actually in decent shape assuming Stephen Peterman’s foot has healed. Rob Sims was a huge pickup from the Seahawks last season and has solidified what has been a big problem area for the Lions over the years. At center, Dominic Railoa is aging and undersized, but the team could do worse. The biggest problem areas are at the tackle positions, which doesn’t bode well for quarterback Matthew Stafford’s health.

Green Bay Packers
This is the lone exception in the division. Once a major concern thanks in large part to injuries, the Packers’ O-line is now a top-5 unit. Losing Daryn Colledge (Cardinals) hurt, but GM Ted Thompson found a gem in Derek Sherrod, who fell into Green Bay’s laps at the bottom of the first round. Josh Sitton continues to be one of the most underrated right guards in the league and RT Bryan Bulaga looks like he could make major strides in his second year. Barring injuries to the starters, Aaron Rodgers won’t have to worry about eating turf like he did in 2009.

When he was an assistant coach with the Cincinnati Bengals in the late 60s and early 70s, Bill Walsh knew he had to find the right quarterback to fit his system.

Back then, the “right quarterback” had the same attributes as the “right quarterback” does today: Tall, strong-armed, intelligent, etc. But Walsh knew that in order for his offense to work, he needed a signal caller who was accurate first and foremost, and who possessed the ability to make quick decisions in order to get the ball out of his hands in a timely manner.

In Sam Wyche, the Bengals had what some deemed a prototypical quarterback already on the roster. But Walsh clearly didn’t think Wyche was the exact fit to run what is now called the West Coast Offense, so the Bengals acquired former sixth round pick Virgil Carter from the Bears.

Unlike Wyche, Carter wasn’t your prototypical quarterback in that he only stood 6’1” and 192 pounds and didn’t posses a strong arm. But he was smart and accurate, which is exactly what Walsh envisioned for his offense. Carter went on to lead the NFL in completion percentage in 1971 and was third in overall passing. He was the first player to successfully implement Walsh’s system.

Fast-forward to present day where Browns’ team president Mike Holmgren hopes he has found a quarterback to implement his system. Like Carter, the biggest knock on Colt McCoy is arm strength (or lack thereof). He lasted into the third round of the 2010 draft because teams were worried about whether or not he could make all the throws required of a pro quarterback. But Holmgren snatched him with the 85th pick because he too runs a version of Walsh’s West Coast system and sees a signal caller born to run his offense.

In theory, the West Coast predicates itself on using short, horizontal passes to stretch a defense sideline-to-sideline, as opposed to more traditional offenses that want to stretch a defense out vertically. In essence, the WCO uses those short passes to help open up longer running plays and create opportunities for deeper passes to be completed at a higher percentage.

But in order for the offense to work, it needs a quarterback that can read a defense quickly, get the ball out of his hands in a timely manner and most importantly, be accurate with his throws. If his passes are off the mark or delivered too fast or too slowly, the receiver’s timing is off as well and the entire play breaks down. Thus, there’s no need to have a quarterback with Aaron Rodgers’ arm strength running the show. (Although it certainly doesn’t hurt, as the Mike Holmgren-led Packers can attest to with Brett Favre.)

In the Browns’ first preseason game, you can see why fans are starting to get excited about McCoy’s potential. He completed 9-of-10 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown while running Pat Shurmur’s offense to near perfection. He looked comfortable, poised and spread the ball around with little to no hesitation. If he can carry that performance into the regular season, there’s no reason the Browns can’t at least be competitive.

Now, nobody is suggesting that the Browns are playoff bound or that McCoy is heading to the Pro Bowl anytime soon. One preseason game does not a player or team make. But for a franchise that has desperately searched for direction for nearly a decade, this is a positive start for Cleveland. And it’s not like McCoy didn’t posses these same attributes in college: His completion percentage never dipped below 65.1 in any of his four seasons at Texas, and he finished his junior season with a comp percentage of 76.7 and his senior season with a mark of 70.6. He also posses the intangibles that every team wants to see out of their quarterback, including strong leadership skills and the willingness to work on his craft (which was on display this summer when he sought out Favre’s help in Mississippi).

In McCoy, the Browns seemingly have the perfect fit at quarterback for Holmgren and Shurmur’s offense. They seemingly have found their Virgil Carter.

That’s what Bears wide receiver coach Darryl Drake said in this Chicago Tribune article about Johnny Knox and his frustration over being listed behind Williams on the team’s first depth chart of the preseason.

I’d be frustrated too if nonsense like that was spilling out of my coach’s mouth.

You don’t bring a Roy Williams in to sit the bench? Since when did Williams turn into Andre Johnson, Greg Jennings or even Jabar Gaffney? I get what Drake is implying: that Williams is a veteran, has experience playing in Mike Martz’s offense and deserves the respect to see his name atop the depth chart. But are the Bears serious here?

If Cowboy fans ever wondered if Williams could get any slower than he was last year, follow him this year on that patch of dirt the Bears call their home field. This was a guy that struggled mightily trying to gain separation from defenders last season in Dallas, which oh-by-the-way plays half its games on turf. There were also times when he displayed alligator arms and lost focus as his role diminished in the offense.

Granted, the Bears have been vocal about Knox needing to get more aggressive at the line of scrimmage and fighting for the ball when it’s in the air. Plus, he’s going to get opportunities to play because Martz usually roles out three or four receivers in most sets. But the part that is confusing to me is the Bears’ overall thought process. Do they honestly believe that Williams should receive more playing time than Knox? Or that Williams gives them the best chance to win? Knox played in 88.2 percent of the Bears’ offensive plays last year and was easily their best receiver. If the coaching staff believes that Williams is an upgrade, then what in Tom Waddle’s name is going on in the Windy City?

Of course, none of this will probably matter in a couple of months. Once Williams proves that he’s not a reliable full-time starter, Martz and the rest of the Bears coaching staff will wise up and put Knox back in. Because if there’s one thing this Chicago coaching staff knows, its how to manage a receiver corps...

Word has it that the Eagles loaded up this offseason. BIG TIME.

They added Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie, Cullen Jenkins, Jason Babin, Ronnie Brown, Anthony Hargrove and Vince Young to a roster that already included Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson and Asante Samuel. In other words: CHAMPIONSHIP!

Following their huge offseason, there’s no doubt that the Eagles should be favored to win the NFC East, but let’s pump the breaks for a second and play devil’s advocate. Just like any team at this point of the year, they have question marks. Below are three factors I believe could make Philly fail to live up to the hype.

(For those wondering why I didn’t include DeSean Jackson’s contract situation: I fully believe that the Eagles will pay D-JAX at some point, which is why I chose to focus on other factors.)

1. Michael Vick
Last season, Vick compiled career-highs in completion percentage, touchdowns and QB-rating, while posting a career-low in interceptions and interception percentage. Now let’s see if he can do it again. Talent has never been the issue with Vick - consistency has. When he set a then career-high for completion percentage in ‘04 with Atlanta, he regressed as a passer in ‘05 and ‘06. He’s also injury-prone and has a habit of forcing the action when his team is trailing in the fourth quarter and counting on him to make a play. (One example of this came in last year’s playoffs against the Packers in which he was picked off in the end zone on the Eagles’ final drive.)

There’s no doubt Vick has matured as a player and a person. Prison and not being coddled by an owner (Arthur Blank) and head coach (Jim Mora) will do that for an athlete. But let’s see if Vick can put together back-to-back successful seasons before we anoint him a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback. He has a habit of getting complacent in his situation, especially when he has nobody behind him to push him. Granted, Andy Reid is 10-times the coach Mora was, but it remains to be seen whether or not Vick will stay hungry for 16-plus games. Remember, he’s 2-3 as a starter in the playoffs and 0-3 in postseason games in Philly.

2. Juan Castillo
Juan Castillo is a fine coach and I believe in his abilities Monday through Saturday. I’m pro-Andy Reid and despite what many people believe, I don’t think his hiring of Castillo was simply one of his “I’m smarter than everyone and I’ll prove it” decisions.

But the fact remains that Castillo has zero experience as a defensive coordinator. When you look at his resume, the only experience he has on the defensive side of the ball came at Texas A&M University-Kingsville in the early 80s, where he was a defensive line/linebackers coach, and at Kingsville High School in the late 80s when he was a linebackers coach/defensive coordinator. Thus, it’ll be interesting to see how Castillo performs in-game. Thanks to his personnel and the fact that the Eagles will probably be playing with the lead more times than not, he should be fine. But what happens when his unit is playing from behind? What happens when it gives up a big-play or conversely, when it needs to make something happen?

Again, it’s not a matter of if Castillo can put together a game plan, react to what an offense is doing, or get his players to buy into his philosophy. It’s whether or not he can make the right decisions on Sunday. No matter how you slice it, he’s a big question mark heading into the season.

3. Lofty Expectations
Expectations are a bitch. They’re a bitch in any profession, especially in those that garner as much media attention as sports do. How will this team react going into the season as the favorites to win the NFC East and potentially even the Super Bowl? Nobody knew what to expect from the Eagles last year with Kevin Kolb taking over for Donovan McNabb and they wound up winning 10 games thanks in large part to Vick. But heading into this year, Andy Reid and Co. will have a massive bulls-eye on their backs. Opponents will want to down the “Dream Team” and it’s not like the Giants and Cowboys are going to just hand the division over either. Dallas should be much improved with the return of Tony Romo and the Giants won’t be pushovers thanks to Tom Coughlin.

Thanks to their offseason additions, the Eagles should be favored. There’s no argument there. But how will they play when every single one of their opponents will see them coming?

In Saturday’s Quick-Hits, the Eagles shock the masses by signing Nnamdi Asomugha, the Phillies get more bang for their prospects than the Giants, and the Bears’ questionable decision regarding Greg Olsen.

- Where did that come from? Just when it looked like free agent Nnamdi Asomugha was headed to New York to team with Darrelle Revis to form the greatest cornerback duo known to man, the Eagles swoop in and pull off a stunner. Asomugha’s deal is for five years at $60 million, which also includes $25 million guaranteed. There were a lot of people who questioned Andy Reid’s decision to make former offensive line coach Juan Castillo the Eagles’ new defensive coordinator, but now it might not matter who’s calling the shots on that side of the ball. After acquiring Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie this offseason, the Eagles shouldn’t have as many problems in the red zone as they did in 2010. NFL.com’s Mike Lombardi reports that Philly is willing to trade Asante Samuel, which would be a mistake in my eyes. The Eagles are legit Super Bowl contenders now. There’s no reason to part with any talent at this pointt.

- One of the reasons I was so conflicted on the Carlos Beltran trade was because of whom the Giants gave up (top prospect Zach Wheeler) in exchange for the former Met. Granted, Beltran is good and there’s no doubt they needed him. But look at what the Phillies just did in acquiring Hunter Pence from Houston. They parted with two good prospects but landed a 28-year-old outfielder that remains under team control through 2013 – not a 34-year-old outfielder who might not be around in three months when he becomes a free agent. I think the Giants deserve credit for “going for it.” But when the Phillies “go for it” by giving up their top prospects, they land Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and Pence – players whom they knew were going to be around a while (or thought they knew when it came to Lee, who was traded in order to acquire Halladay). It seems like the front office philosophy of the Giants is to get a player it likes no matter what the cost. Seeing as how they’re currently defending a World Series title, it’s hard to knock said philosophy. But after reviewing the trades that the two teams made this past week, I can’t help but to think the Phillies made the better overall deal.

- The fact that the Bears traded former first round pick Greg Olsen this offseason is hardly surprising. Offensive coordinator Mike Martz doesn’t use tight ends in his passing game, so the fact that Olsen racked up 41 catches last year was pretty impressive. But giving up a young talent just because your offensive coordinator doesn't have much need for the player's position is a risky proposition. For starters, what if Martz isn’t around in a year? Then what do the Bears have to show for Olsen besides a third round pick? It cost them a first round pick to draft him in the first place, so GM Jerry Angelo didn’t get good value here. (After all, it's not like Olsen can't play and the Bears were looking to get anything in exchange for him.) Granted, that third rounder could turn out to be a Pro Bowler someday (Angelo is good at finding gems in the middle rounds), but presently the deal doesn’t make sense when you get past Martz's desire to exclude tight ends. Seeing as how he’s a receiver in a tight end’s body, if I were Angelo I would have rather seen my offensive coordinator try to work with Olsen instead of shipping him to Carolina for a third round pick.

- One player that continues to lose money by the hour is free agent defensive end Cullen Jenkins. The former Packer is a solid player, who that is scheme-versatile in that he can play in either a 3-4 or a 4-3. But after the Panthers re-signed Charles Johnson, the Eagles landed Jason Babin, the Patriots acquired Albert Haynesworth, the Cowboys inked Kenyon Coleman and Marcus Spears, and the Falcons got a steal in Ray Edwards, there aren’t a lot of teams that are a fit for Jenkins. Granted, teams always need pass-rushers, but my guess is that Jenkins will wind up back in Green Bay on the cheap.

- The Rams made two moves on Friday that I really liked. The first was signing nasty offensive guard Harvey Dahl away from the Falcons. I keep reading how Sam Bradford will love the addition of Dahl, which is true. But he might not love it as much as running back Steven Jackson. Dahl is an absolute mauler in the run game and brings a much-needed nasty demeanor to St. Louis’ offensive line. The other signing I like was Mike Sims-Walker, who only received a one-year deal because the Rams want to make him prove himself. When healthy and motivated, he’s the big receiver that Bradford sorely needs. But if he winds up being a free agent bust, hey, no problem: he’ll be gone in a year.