Hello everyone. I hope everyone had a good Winter. The Captain is still alive and although I'm not as active in the off-season (the offseason doesn't give me wood like it does for many), I'm still paying attention. Since I haven’t been around to discuss the off-season moves with everyone at GIF for the past few months, I submit to you a brief summary of my thoughts on each team’s moves since they played their last game. Teams have gone through coaching changes, free agency, the draft, and may have key players facing suspension for the 2010 season. Instead of giving each team a ‘grade’, which is pure guesswork, especially with the draft, I will just list what I think may be the key move(s) for each team during this off-season that could make or break their future. Arizona Cardinals: Tons of off-season moves here. However, the move that is going to make or break this team the most involves a player who was warming the bench during the Cards successful years. The decision to promote Matt Leinart as the starter is going to make or break this team. If he can pick up where Warner left off, this team will keep rolling. If he fails, they have no one else to save them. Atlanta Falcons: After some busy off-seasons the last few years, the Falcons were very quiet this year. They needed to shore up their front 7 and their make or break move is relying on Sean Witherspoon as their only key addition to the front 7 to fix the problem. Should they have done more to address the problems in the front 7? Baltimore Ravens: Boldin won’t make or break this team. We pretty much know what he brings. The fact that Kindle and Cody both fell to the Ravens makes me suspect that the NFL draft may be run by the same guys that run the NBA draft lottery. If both of these players turn into pro-bowl defensive players, the Ravens already have the building blocks in place to remain a dominant defense for another decade. They will make or break this team. Buffalo Bills: I’m not sure if the Bills have done enough to replace their gaping holes on the O-line and on their defense but the make or break move for them this off-season is the hiring of Chan Gailey. Chan is known as a coach who can ‘scheme’ his way to some victories with lesser talent. However, is this team SO void of talent that Vince Lombardi himself wouldn’t be able to win with them? This will be the biggest test of Gailey’s coaching career. We will see just how smart he is. Carolina Panthers: Even though we saw many big-name veterans leave the Panthers this off-season, the make or break move by them is their decision to retain John Fox. There has been a lot of chaos in the front office and coaching staff of this organization over the last few years. Apparently they are comfortable with that and feel that changes in the roster will fix the problem. We will see. Chicago Bears: Julius Peppers won’t make or break this team. This team mortgaged their future with the acquisition of Jay Cutler last year. The make or break move this year is continuing to believe that the current crop of weapons for their QB is adequate. We discussed their weak WR corps last summer and Cutler ended up looking bad last year due to the lack of weapons. The Bears decision to once again rely on the WR’s they have in stock will make or break this team (and Cutler). Cincinnati Bengals: The position of tight end is considered a luxury item for an NFL roster. The Bengals have been spending draft picks and energy on that position recently to try and find 'the guy'. The Bengals decision to spend another high draft pick on this luxury position could make or break this team. Cleveland Browns: Tons of changes here. Holmgren has been the most aggressive GM in the sport this off-season. At times, he has been accused of treating his roster like a fantasy football roster. His dramatic makeover of his roster will make or break this team. Dallas Cowboys: Surprisingly, the Cowboys made very few roster moves this off-season. They seem comfortable with the roster they have in place for the most part. In fact, they feel so comfortable that they felt they could use their 1st draft pick on a wide receiver. Their decision to stand pat with their roster this off-season will make or break this team. Denver Broncos: The numerous trades the Broncos have made over the past couple of off-seasons have garnered them many extra draft picks. How well the Broncos utilized those draft picks will make or break this team. Detroit Lions: The major revamping of the Lions roster continued this off-season. Change is good, especially if you’re the woeful Lions. However, the single biggest move this off-season that will make or break this team is how successful Suh is at the next level. If he can become the premier DT in this league, he can make everyone around him on the Lions defense better. The Lions have some pieces in place to score some points on offense. Their defense has been woeful for a long time. They need a defense-changer and Suh has the potential to be that guy. Green Bay Packers: The Packers once again stayed quiet in the free agent market. Their O-line started to gel as the season progressed in 2009. However, they obviously still needed to add some talent. The decision to stand pat other than Bulaga will make or break this O-line, and this team. Houston Texans: A very quiet off-season for this team. They are hoping Jackson can replace Robinson and that Tate can hold onto the ball. However, the biggest make or break move by this team is their decision to stand pat on their defense for the most part. They apparently feel they have the players to make this defense work with the players they have. Indianapolis Colts: Lots of revamping is in progress on the defensive side of the ball but the changes in the O-line and how well the new unit gels will make or break this team. The QB, WR’s, and RB’s of the Colts have gotten the glory through the last decade but the true strength of this team has been their O-line. They need it to remain strong to keep winning. Jacksonville Jaguars: The decision to retain DelRio once again (I seem to say this every year) is a curious one. Jack must have pictures of the owner cheating on his wife. However, the make or break move for them is the complete overhaul of their front 7. We know what DelRio is. He’s never going to have an explosive offense. This team will win with defense and they will need their new front 7 to be a great one to have a chance in this league. Kansas City Chiefs: The roster continues, once again this year, to go through significant changes. However, the make or break move for this organization is the addition of their big-name coordinators. Do they still have the fire/passion for the game or are they just collecting one last big paycheck? The answer to that will make or break this team. Miami Dolphins: Brandon Marshall will help whoever is going to end up QB’ing this team but we pretty much know the Dolphins are a run-first offense so I don’t see Marshall making or breaking them. More importantly, the Dolphins are making a lot of changes on the defensive side of the ball. How well those changes take effect will have more of an impact on the success/failure of this organization than 1 wide receiver Minnesota Vikings: Obviously, Favre returning or not will be the biggest factor on whether this team will make or break in the near term. However, since that is not determined yet, the biggest move up to this point on the success/failure of this team is the team’s decision to let Taylor go. Taylor may have been more valuable to them than they are willing to admit. When A.P. needs a rest or has one of his regular cases of fumblitis, Taylor was one of the best back-ups in the league to plug in there. Whether they can replace Taylor will affect the success/failure of their team. New England Patriots: The success of the Patriots during the last decade has mainly been attributed to their great drafting. If anyone had noticed, through numerous trades, the Patriots ended up with 12 draft picks this year. Do they still have enough of the draft experts still in their organization to make all of those picks worthwhile or has their front office been stripped of all of its’ talent over the past few years? The answer to that will make or break this team. New Orleans Saints: Curiously, the Saints didn’t seem to feel that Sharper and Fujita were quite the valuable defensive leaders that the rest of us thought they were. Did they make the right decision not retaining those 2 (although at the time of this Sharper was still unsigned)? Replacing the leadership of Sharper and Fujita could make or break this team. New York Giants: Year after Year, the Giants were stockpiling talent on their D-line. Their neglect of their secondary reared it’s ugly head last season. They have acted by adding Grant and Rolle, but is it enough? Attempting to ‘quick fix’ the secondary after neglecting it will make or break this team. New York Jets: Rex Ryan claims the Jets have improved their roster this year. If adding Holmes, Taylor, and L.T. exceeds the subtraction of Rhodes, Washington, Jones, and Faneca, then he’s right. Those big-name moves will make or break this team. Oakland Raiders: Many have stated that the Raiders may have had the best draft of any team this year. We won’t really know the answer to that for sure for a few years. More importantly in my mind is the need for the Raiders to have 1 of the 27 QB’s on their roster to grab the starting role and excel. They have talent at many positions. The main thing holding this team back right now is the QB position. Having one of them turn into a great NFL qb will make or break this team. Philadephia Eagles: The defense was already in the process of being re-built the last couple of years. Now it’s the offenses turn. Obviously the biggest make or break move for the Eagles this off-season is at QB. If Kolb is the guy that the Eagles think he is, they could finally take the next step. If not, well, we won’t discuss that …………… Regardless, the Kolb decision WILL make or break this team. Pittsburgh Steelers: A few additions and subtractions here and there but we all know what’s going to make or break this team. Whether the organization keeps Big Ben, how they handle him if they keep him, how Ben handles his off-the-field issue with his on-the-field performance, and how Ben’s teammates handle the adversity will make or break this team. Saint Louis Rams: As is always the case when a team uses the overall #1 on a QB, the franchise's future now relies on his shoulders. Whether Bradford is the next Ryan Leaf or Peyton Manning will determine their success. San Diego Chargers: Forget L.T. being gone. They will continue to produce on offense. The bigger issue is this team is going through a major transition on the defensive side of the ball. The ability of the Chargers younger players and back-ups to step up will make or break this team. San Francisco 49ers: A fairly active off-season has shaken up the roster in San Fran. However, the biggest decision that will make or break this team is a move they DIDN’T make. Their apparent confidence in Alex Smith will make or break them, unless they’re counting on David Carr to save them? Seattle Seahawks: Possibly the most roster changes here. However, the single biggest move that will determine their fate is the hiring of Pete Carroll. Has he learned enough in his time away from the pro game to do better this time or is he even further away from being successful at the pro level since he’s been away for so long? How Carroll does will make or break this team. Tennessee Titans: If you hadn’t noticed, the Titans are once again going through a major overhaul of their roster, although not as major as the one they embarked on several years ago (2004/2005?). Choosing not to retain so many veterans such as VandenBosch, White, Crumpler, Bullock, Harper, Kaesviharn, Tulloch, Kearse, and Mawae indicates the Titans front office is once again entrusting Fisher to coach up their young talent. Washington Redskins: Well, the Redskins were relatively quiet in the 2009 off-season. So much for that. Snyder is back to his wheeling and dealing ways. Major changes in this roster are taking place, headlined by McNabb. However, the single biggest move that will determine the fate of this organization in the near future is the hiring of Mike Shanahan. Did Shanny figure out where he went wrong in Denver by taking too many front office responsibilities? Will he get back to X’s and O’s, where he thrives? The answers to these questions will make or break the Redskins.
Good stuff I would say the Cowboys make or break move is the release of Adams. Has season making/breaking short and long term ramifications. Doug Free's play will even have an effect on Dez Bryants performance as a rookie. If Free can't be trusted to man up a RDE, we will be forced to use more 2 TE sets with a TE as an extra blocker (not reciever) and will limit how often we can use 3 WR sets Long term, if Free fails that either force's us to draft a LT very high, limiting our draft flexibility which allow's/disallows you to take a Dez Bryant if he falls to you. You now almost have to take a Charles Brown who went over a hole round later. Or overextend for a Free Agent or a trade On the other hand if Free succeeds, which I think he will, you have a much more athletic pass blocker, and the position locked up for a good 8 years Check out Free blocking for Jones n this play [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKuadD07SBg]YouTube - Felix and Free team up for six![/ame]
yep, i was thinking about flozell when looking at the cowboys offseason and that position will be very important to their sucess/failure. however, i was kind of like you and felt like there won't be much drop off, if any, at that position so i went with their lack of changes at all of the other positions as the most interesting/most important decision this offseason.
Great post Capt. They not only acted by adding Grant and Rolle, but they also drafted Chad Jones in the 3rd, and Kenny Phillips should be back in some form, at some point this season. I think the safety position will be fine at worst. I'm more concerned about the d-line getting getting back to the basics of rushing the passer and stopping the run, and how the D will respond as a whole to new coord. Perry Fewell.
yes, good points all around. lots of changes on the defensive side of the ball for them. should be interesting to see how they do.
