June AFC Team Dispatches

(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

But that's not a shocker. Who believed in backup Matt Cassel before last season? Or Brady when the then second-year man won the backup job behind Drew Bledsoe, for that matter?

The Pats have played plenty of two-tight end sets over the years, and there's competition dejour in 2009 with returnees Ben Watson and David Thomas, former Bucs starter Alex Smith, and former Jets starter Chris Baker.
 
Baker is a solid all-around guy. Smith never showcased the speed needed to stretch a defense down the middle of the field in Tampa. The Bucs had hoped he would take pressure off the wideouts when they took him out of Stanford in 2005, but he wound up losing most of his time to Jerramy Stevens in 2008.

Sometimes-fullback Heath Evans wasn't brought back and no replacement was signed, so two tight ends will be employed when three wideouts aren't.

Look up "stopgap" in the dictionary and you might see a picture of cornerback starters Shawn Springs and Leigh Bodden. Bodden wasn't bad in Cleveland, but was brutal in the cover-two in Detroit in 2008. Springs has always been solid when healthy, which he normally is for half the season.

Youngsters Jonathan Wilhite, Darius Butler, and Terrence Wheatley will pounce on the chance when Springs or Bodden are out.

JETS

Second-year tight end Dustin Keller needs to continue developing as a blocker and stay healthy for the Jets to have offensive success.

Recently re-signed backup Bubba Franks is not ready to practice yet and looks downright geriatric. That leaves only recently-converted defensive lineman Kareem Brown around to man the spot. The Jets will be taking the waiver wire seriously.

Special teamer Wallace Wright (six catches in 2008) was singled out by coach Rex Ryan as looking good in mini camp. Jericho Cotchery is the only experienced starter at wideout the Jets.

Chansi Stuckey (32-359-3) would be tough to beat out as the other starter, but Wright could make a move against No. 3 wideout Brad Smith (12-64-0) or David Clowney (one catch) for time in multiple wideout sets.

The Jets are not overpowering here, and they need someone like Wright to step up their game.

There will be good competition in camp for the third cornerback job between Dwight Lowery (who started 10 games as a rookie before Ty Law's signing), Drew Coleman, and ex-49er Donald Strickland, who has also played safety.

AFC NORTH

RAVENS

Willis McGahee is working his way back from another knee surgery. That leaves Ray Rice alone as the only proven halfback. That makes it even more curious as to why the Ravens are dedicated to Le'Ron McClain strictly as a fullback.

With Lorenzo Neal around in 2008, McClain was free to be the team's primary ball carrier for chunks of the season. But with Neal not brought back, there are no real alternatives outside of McClain at fullback.

Maybe the Ravens are talking tough with McClain showing up to mini camp overweight, but even so, there's no one on the roster to line up in front of him like Neal did last year.

The days of the Ravens being thin at corner are over. The signing of Domonique Foxworth from Atlanta, Chris Carr from Tennessee, the drafting of Ladarius Webb in the third round, combined with the return of starters Samari Rolle, Fabian Washington, and Frank Walker

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