Who's the Talk of Every NFL Team's Offseason so Far?
In less than three months, the NFL season will start. The league's vacation is just about over, with organized team activities already started and training camp right around the corner.
To get a head start on the preseason hype, we'll go over the top conversation points for all 32 franchises in the league over this offseason. Some players need to play beyond the bar they have previously set. Others need to rebound to their former selves. More have proven themselves, but have expiring contracts that are franchise-changing.
Heading into the summer, we'll give a crash course on where every organization's fans should be focused at the moment.
Arizona Cardinals: Chandler Jones
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It's hard to make the case that the talk of Arizona's offseason isn't Chandler Jones. The former New England Patriot was traded to the team this spring for a second-round pick and guard Jonathan Cooper, one of the highest-drafted interior offensive linemen in NFL history.
Jones, who has posted double-digit sacks in his last two healthy years, is in a contract season, which is why the Patriots moved him when they did. Essentially, the Cardinals lost a second-round rookie contract and two seasons of Cooper for the right to extend Jones before he sees the open market, a rare move in the NFL.
The Cardinals were one of the more successful teams in 2015, finishing with a 13-3 record and a first-round bye in the playoffs. Still, their clear weakness defensively was their pass rush, which allowed Green Bay to throw two Hail Mary passes in an overtime playoff game and got scored on for 45 points against the Carolina Panthers, who were then decimated in the Super Bowl by Denver's pass rush.
Between Jones and Robert Nkemdiche, the team's first-round pick who is a Sheldon Richardson-like force as an edge defender, the team has turned a negative into a potential strength, far from last year when a 35-year-old Dwight Freeney, in limited reps, was the franchise's best pressure threat.
Atlanta Falcons: Keanu Neal
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Keanu Neal was made to be a Dan Quinn Atlanta Falcon. Assuming that Quinn runs Cover 3-heavy looks in Atlanta, like he did as a defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks, the first-time head coach needs to have strong safety play.
In Seattle, that was no problem. Earl Thomas, who most consider to be the best free safety in football, hangs over the middle of the defense while Kam Chancellor, one of the better enforcers that the sport has to offer, was allowed the freedom to play in the box. The Falcons personnel prior to the draft didn't look anything like that before the selection of Neal, who was the team's first-round pick out of Florida, where Quinn recruited him as the Gators' then-defensive coordinator.
Safety play is similar to offensive line play in that young players rarely see success early on, but due to the coaching background, scheme and chemistry between Quinn and Neal, you can make a safe bet that Neal will be worth the cost of taking a "non-premier position" player with 17th overall pick. Neal is also only 20 years old, and with athletes coming out of college at 24, his entire rookie contract is almost considered a head start for the defensive back.
Baltimore Ravens: Breshad Perriman
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In 2015, the Baltimore Ravens drafted Breshad Perriman, a receiver from Central Florida, with the 26th overall pick of the draft. The wideout, then only 21 years old, ran a 4.26-second 40-yard dash at his pro day, according to NFL Draft Scout. The hope was Perriman could replace Torrey Smith, Joe Flacco's top deep threat who left in free agency for the San Francisco 49ers.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, Perriman didn't record a single snap during his rookie season. After slightly tearing his PCL in the summer, the receiver did further damage to his knee in the fall, when he was testing his health in pregame workouts, eventually landing him on the injured reserve list. Like many, Perriman's season ended early due to a surgery.
In recent years, young receivers like Amari Cooper and Odell Beckham have had instant impacts for their offenses, and Ravens fans hoped that Perriman could bring that to the table in 2016, after his knee fully recovered. This was before another setback, though.
Again this summer, Perriman sustained another knee injury, this time to his ACL. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, though, during Perriman's surgery, his ligament was deemed stable, meaning he isn't likely to miss an entire season.
The injury-prone label is going to be slapped on the former Knight, right or wrong. The franchise is on the edge of its seat waiting to see what it has in Perriman, though, and fans are just as anxious to see him on the field.
Buffalo Bills: Shaq Lawson
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It's hard for fans to lose a key player in the offseason, let alone a first-round pick. Shaq Lawson, a pass-rusher from Clemson, had shoulder issues while in college, which is why he wore a brace for the majority of his career with the Tigers. In May, a few weeks after the draft, it came out publicly that Lawson was going to have surgery on said shoulder, and ESPN's Schefter reported that Lawson was going to miss five to six months.
That's a tough pill to swallow for Buffalo Bills fans, whose second-year head coach, Rex Ryan, is already perceived to be on the hot seat. Losing a high draft pick could be the difference in hitting the reset button again for the franchise, which is facing the longest playoff drought in American sports.
Just a few years ago, the Bills defensive line of Mario Williams, Kyle Williams, Marcell Dareus and Jerry Hughes was one of the best in football. The former Williams left in free agency this year and the later missed double-digit games last season. Lawson was supposed to be the catalyst who kick-started that line back to life, but that dream seems to be postponed until the early winter.
Carolina Panthers: Devin Funchess
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This offseason, there has been consistent praise for Devin Funchess, the Carolina Panthers' second-year receiver. The 22-year-old, 6'4" target is perfect for Cam Newton's skill set and should improve on his five-touchdown rookie season.
Combined with the return of Kelvin Benjamin, the team's 2014 first-round pick who posted a 1,000-yard year in his first professional season, the Panthers can quickly turn a negative into a positive in 2016 without making a single offseason transaction.
Newton and Carolina already finished with a 15-1 record and went to the Super Bowl. If the team is able to kick it into second gear offensively, it's going to be an endless question as to how anyone can stop the reigning NFL MVP in the air.
Chicago Bears: Kevin White
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At one point early on in the 2015 season, the Chicago Bears were the favorites to land the first overall pick in the 2016 draft, per FPI (h/t ESPN Stats & Info). One reason for that was their erratic quarterback, Jay Cutler, and another was the fact that their first-round pick, receiver Kevin White, wasn't healthy.
Cutler's 2015 season was much better than 2014, which is why he's in full control of the starting job in Chicago in 2016, and White has undergone surgery for the stress fracture in his shin. White is now participating in team activities after missing his entire rookie season.
No one knows what the Bears have with White, but the 6'3" wideout matches up well with 6'3" Alshon Jeffery, who is looking for a long-term contract with the team, per Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com. In 2017, White can easily take over as the franchise's top pass-catcher should Jeffery walk, or he can be part of a dynamic duo of stretch targets who make life hard for any defense in the league. The bust rate for receivers is high, and young receivers rarely produce, but White in his second year has a chance to instantly blow up.
Cleveland Browns: Robert Griffin III
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Whenever a former Heisman Trophy winner is signed to a team, he'll make headlines in local media. When that player is a quarterback and had the early-career success that Robert Griffin III had in Washington, he'll grip headlines by the throat.
Griffin signed with the Cleveland Browns late in the free-agency process, but that doesn't mean he has the chance to be any less impactful than his peers at the position from the same talent pool. Right now, Griffin is battling for a starting gig, with Josh McCown, a soon-to-be 37-year-old veteran, and Cody Kessler, this year's third-round pick, as the other major characters in the competition.
As a rookie, Griffin was named as a non-replacement Pro Bowl quarterback, the first since Dan Marino, for his 2012 that included a 65.6 percent completion percentage, a 102.4 passer rating and 815 yards on the ground. After multiple knee injuries, an issue which was also highlighted in the draft process, Griffin hasn't been able to return to his rookie form. In 2015, the Redskins, who didn't allow him to make a single pass all season, used him as a scout team safety in practice.
If Griffin does manager to turn around his career in Cleveland as one of the league's best dual-threat passers, it will be a comeback story of epic proportions. With the Cavaliers winning a title in the city, northeast Ohio is willing to believe, and the combo of Griffin and head coach Hue Jackson, who isn't afraid to use the option offensively, has gears turning in the minds of fans.
Cincinnati Bengals: Tyler Boyd
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The Cincinnati Bengals have been known for years as one of the cheapest franchises in the NFL, and the 2016 free-agency period only furthered that notion. This offseason, the top two highest-paid receivers, Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu, came from the Bengals' roster.
Jones signed a five-year, $40 million contract with the Detroit Lions, while Sanu signed a five-year, $32.5 million deal with the Atlanta Falcons. To put it simply, the Bengals needed to replace their receiver output from 2015, and for the draft and develop team, they had to address it via an outgoing college player.
The answer to the Bengals problem was Tyler Boyd, a second-round rookie from the University of Pittsburgh. With the Panthers, Boyd was able to post 3,361 receiving yards, 520 receiving yards, 1,124 kick return yards and 238 punt return yards in his three active years with the team. He had a high impact in college, and Cincinnati, which at one point was thought of as one of the toughest teams in the league after an 8-0 start, will need that type of splashy play from Boyd as a rookie to replicate their 2015 success.
Dallas Cowboys: Ezekiel Elliott
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There may not be a rookie running back who has entered the league with higher expectations for his first year than Ezekiel Elliott. After running counter plays against the Oregon Ducks for a national championship, the NFL world salivated over the idea of the back, who wouldn't even be eligible for the draft until 2016.
After Todd Gurley's success last year with the St. Louis Rams, Dallas Cowboys fans aren't going to settle for anything less than a stellar year from their fourth overall pick. For the most part, rookies are given manageable expectations, but Dallas passed over the opportunity to find a long-term replacement at quarterback for Tony Romo this draft, and it has a loaded offensive line. The selection of Elliott is viewed as a "win-now" move, and if he doesn't produce early on, his selection is going to be judged negatively.
At left tackle, he has a top-five offensive lineman in Tyron Smith. At left guard, La'el Collins, a former LSU All-American, is opening up holes. At center, two-time Pro Bowler Travis Frederick is leading the way. At right guard, Zack Martin is starting, the first offensive lineman in nearly seven decades to make an All-Pro list as a rookie. At right tackle, Doug Free, with 98 starts under his belt, is the "weak link" of the line. There are no excuses for Elliott.
Last year, Darren McFadden was signed as a free agent and rushed for 1,089 yards for the Cowboys. For the most part, his production was viewed as an extension of the line, not his own talent, which only sets the bar even higher for Elliott. Only three backs in the NFL totaled more rushing yards than McFadden's 2015 mark, which Elliott seemingly needs to clear as a rookie to be considered successful. With McFadden breaking his elbow, though, Elliott should be afforded as many touches as he can possibly ask for in 2016.
Denver Broncos: Von Miller
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This is going to be short and sweet: Von Miller is the best pure pass-rusher in the NFL, and the Denver Broncos will eventually pay him as such. Last season, he played on his fifth-year option, which Denver picked up. This past offseason, after becoming the Super Bowl MVP, Miller had the franchise tag placed on him, a one-year deal.
In essence, without playing on a true second contract yet, Miller is slated to head into what is effectively his third contract year in his career. Per his Instagram, he refuses to play on a one-year tag.
John Elway, who runs the personnel department for the Broncos, has been known as a notoriously thrifty spender during his time as the architect of the team, but Miller is one of few players in the league for which you should be willing to sign a blank check.
Miller may set records for money given to a defender, including guaranteed money, signing bonus and money given up in the first three years of a contract, but he's worth it. For a championship team that lost its top two passers in the same offseason, the fact that a defender's contract negotiation process is controlling the direction of the team is telling as to how talented Miller really is.
Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford
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In 2007, Calvin Johnson was drafted second overall by the Detroit Lions. In 2009, Matthew Stafford was drafted first overall by the Detroit Lions.
Stafford isn't so much of a pivot point in Lions football, but how their passing game will go without Johnson, a six-time Pro Bowler who retired this offseason, is. Stafford has yet to enter a season in which he didn't have the 6'5" wideout ready to catch anything in his radius.
2016 marks a new era in Stafford's career. He no longer has the training wheels of an All-Pro target. With two years left in his contract, Stafford will count over $22 million against the Lions salary cap. He'll need to prove he's worth every penny to warrant another deal extending past the 2017 season.
Green Bay Packers: Jeff Janis
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Last season, the Green Bay Packers struggled with the deep ball, leading to their second-place finish in the NFC North, a division the Packers had previously won four straight seasons. One major reason for their passing struggles was the loss of Jordy Nelson, their top receiver who was lost for the year due to a preseason non-contact knee injury.
With Nelson back and Randall Cobb in the slot, the Packers' biggest question is who will be their third receiver, presumably their starting outside receiver opposite Nelson. Their third-year second-round pick Davante Adams was supposed to be that last season, but his struggles didn't leave much room for the imagination heading into 2016.
Instead, Jeff Janis, who has caught four passes for 95 yards in two regular seasons, is who the hype is building around. Janis, an amazing athlete, can't run routes efficiently yet, but his deep speed is one reason why he can stick on the roster as a developmental receiver while gunning punts. In the playoffs against Arizona, the last time we saw Green Bay, he had a breakout performance of 145 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
There are plenty of reasons to be cautious about buying into a third-year seventh-round pick who has really only been able to post one good game in a two-year NFL career, but it's undeniable that he has at least become a major talking point this offseason.
Houston Texans: Jadeveon Clowney
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In high school, Jadeveon Clowney was a super recruit. After his sophomore season at South Carolina, he was a preseason Heisman contender. After three seasons with the Gamecocks, he was drafted first overall by the Houston Texans. Clowney's career coming into the NFL was straight from a sports movie, when he was thought of as one of the best pass-rushing prospects ever.
Since then, though, Clowney has struggled with health. He is 23 years old, younger than some prospects in the 2016 draft, but a prospect's third season is what we judge NFL draft picks by, and after that year is when franchises must make decisions on fifth-year options for first-round picks. Clowney is quickly approaching that judgement day.
Clowney has made it through bone spurs and microfracture surgery, but it's now time to prove that he can put it all together at the next level. In two years, the former two-time All-American has posted 4.5 total sacks, on a defensive front that includes J.J. Watt and Whitney Mercilus, who ranked first and sixth in sacks last season with 17.5 and 12, respectively.
Clowney is going to have to earn his keep in Houston, and the pressure is on when it comes to juxtaposing him and his fellow 2014 draft class edge defenders. Khalil Mack, the second pass-rusher taken off the board in 2014, had 15 sacks last year, ranking behind just Watt in the NFL in just his second season. Anthony Barr, who was a pass-rusher at UCLA, was drafted eighth by the Minnesota Vikings, where he has become a premium coverage linebacker and a Pro Bowler.
2016 very well might be the year in which the bust label is either tattooed on Clowney's forehead or is shed off his back.
Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck
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Andrew Luck is a focal point of the Indianapolis Colts offseason for multiple reasons. He's already established, earning three straight Pro Bowl nods at quarterback in his first three years, but his 2015 was disappointing.
Only playing seven games last year, Luck had a 74.9 passer rating, his worst season-long total in his career, and his 4.1 interception percentage was also the worst in his career. Between a lacerated kidney and a torn abdominal muscle, the quarterback not only has to prove he can bounce back on the field, but also stay healthy enough to stay available on Sundays.
This is all while he's in a contract season, which may result in him being handed the largest deal in NFL history in terms of guaranteed money and signing bonus, as he's just a 26-year-old quarterback, someone a franchise can build around for the next decade. 2015 looks more like an anomaly than a reflection on who he is going to be for the rest of his career, so fans are, and should be, more focused on locking him up long term than worrying about him rebounding.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Myles Jack
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If not for a knee injury that ended Myles Jack's junior season less than a month after it started, there was a chance he could have been one of the most heralded off-the-ball linebacker prospects since LaVar Arrington. Despite his injury, leading up to the draft there were still some mocks that had the former UCLA star going in the top five, but his health led to him dropping to Day 2, when the Jacksonville Jaguars pounced on him.
Jack played multiple off-the-ball linebacker spots, safety, running back and even some on-the-ball edge-rusher roles for the Bruins in his three years in Los Angeles. As long as he's at full health, he can be molded to wear several caps, depending on what his team's personnel looks like on a given weekend.
At first, it was hard to see Jack getting playing time at linebacker by Week 1, with Telvin Smith, Paul Posluszny and Dan Skuta starting in the Jaguars' 4-3 defense. But Skuta was recently charged with battery, per Brent Martineau of Action News Jacksonville. If he's convicted, it may lead to his release. That would open up a "Sam" linebacker role for Jack to start in, the same role he held as a base defender for the Bruins. Dominoes are lining up in ways to think Jack is going to be an instant impact player in Jacksonville, which needs to turn around its Cover 3-heavy defense to be certain that its staff will return in 2017.
Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Fisher
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It's easy to lose track of offensive linemen in the NFL—and for good reason. Despite the fact that they compose about half of offenses in terms of volume of players on the field, they don't make splashy plays like touchdowns, nor do they make highlights like sacks or interceptions defensively. Still, when one is drafted first overall, like Eric Fisher, one of three bookends to come off the board that early since the Lyndon B. Johnson administration, his career should be ear tagged.
Early on, he struggled, like many offensive linemen. Last year, Ereck Flowers was one of the worst bookends in the league in his rookie year. Before that, it was Greg Robinson and Jake Matthews. One class before them, the trio of Fisher, Lane Johnson and Luke Joeckel were drafted in the top 10. Rarely are linemen ready to compete at the NFL level coming out of college, but what is important is progress.
Unlike Robinson and Joeckel at this point in their careers, Fisher, like Matthews, has taken steps toward consistency later in his rookie contract. This offseason, the Chiefs exercised his fifth-year option, meaning he has two more seasons in Kansas City red, but his extension may be coming before the deal is finished.
If he takes another step in 2016, like he did in 2015, he could be considered a franchise tackle. If he plateaus, he's a midtier bookend, which is a difference in tens of millions of dollars.
Los Angeles Rams: Jared Goff
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Rookie quarterbacks will always feel pressure heading into their first offseason, but Jared Goff is in a special situation. The Rams traded a boatload of future draft picks, including their 2016 and 2017 first-round selections, in order to move up 14 spots to draft Goff. Not only did the Rams move mountains to snag Goff, they’re now asking him to be the face of a franchise that has relocated back to their roots in Los Angeles.
The relocation to the Golden State made it clear that the team was looking to rebuild entirely. Nick Foles was never going to be the answer for the Rams and he is now on his way out the door. "Current” starter Case Keenum is a fine backup option, but shouldn’t start any more games unless it’s absolutely necessary. In a seemingly thin quarterback class, it made sense for the Rams to do all that they could to secure a quarterback.
Goff is stepping into an offense with a bare cupboard. Todd Gurley quickly established himself as one of the top running backs in the league and Tavon Austin is a nice complementary piece, but the offense is lacking quality receiving options. The offensive line is in shambles as well. As many as three starting linemen were out at any one time, including the team’s offensive line leader, Rodger Saffold. Whether Goff will start Week 1 for the Rams' broken offense is still a mystery, but the starting job will be his in due time and he will have to prove that he was worth a king’s ransom.
Miami Dolphins: Jay Ajayi
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After the 2014 regular season, one could have assumed that Jay Ajayi would have been a future top-50 selection in the coming NFL draft. After 4,567 total yards of offense and 55 touchdowns for the Boise State Broncos, he had little left to prove in the college game.
Throughout the process, though, rumors of failed medicals swirled around Ajayi, with some of the stories being shot down by agent Erik Burkhardt. For whatever reason, the running back lasted until the fifth round, coming off the board with the 149th overall pick, which would have been a shocking prediction the previous winter.
In his rookie season, Ajayi was a reserve back for the Miami Dolphins, as Lamar Miller, who just signed with the Houston Texans this offseason, was the full-time starter. Miller received 194 handoffs and had the second most catches on the team with 47, while Ajayi combined for 56 total touches.
Unless third-round pick Kenyan Drake makes a big push this preseason, Ajayi should take over the reins in the backfield. There's reason for excitement over the sophomore back, if his long-term injury concerns aren't significant.
Minnesota Vikings: Teddy Bridgewater
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There was no transaction that pushed Teddy Bridgewater into the limelight this offseason. Just merely the fact that he's a third-year quarterback has made him a conversation point. Adrian Peterson, a 31-year-old running back, is coming off a 2015 season in which he led the NFL in not only rushing yards, but rushing touchdowns. Historically, backs start to decline around 28 years old and are out of the league by 30, which means that the Minnesota Vikings need to start thinking about a future without their bell cow in the backfield.
This is how eyes are then shifted to Bridgewater. After disappointing seasons from Cordarrelle Patterson and Charles Johnson, Minnesota seems to finally have a pair of pass-catchers in Stefon Diggs, a breakout sophomore, and Laquon Treadwell, a rookie first-round pick, that are starting-caliber by NFL standards.
Despite starting 16 games last season, Bridgewater was only able to throw for 14 touchdowns, an incredibly low number, and possibly one reason why Peterson was able to find pay dirt so often. The Vikings collectively had the second-fewest passing touchdowns in the league, only ahead of the St. Louis Rams, who traded up for the first overall pick to draft quarterback Jared Goff this past spring. Fifteen franchises had at least double the volume of passing touchdowns that Minnesota posted in 2015.
Next offseason, the Vikings will decide if Bridgewater, who was selected with the last pick of the 2014 first round, is worthy of a fifth-year option. Soon after that, the door will be open to negotiate an extension for the former Louisville passer. This is a make-or-break year for the quarterback and the franchise overall. Were his receivers holding him back, or is he the issue? We'll find out in 2016.
New England: Tom Brady
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This offseason is just another chapter in the Deflategate saga. Last offseason, it was announced that Tom Brady was going to be suspended for the beginning of the New England Patriots' 2015 campaign, just for the ruling to be overturned before the regular season began.
If you thought that was the end of it, though, you were wrong. In April, right before the draft, Brady's suspension was upheld, meaning that he was again slated for a four-game suspension. Now, we're in the same spot we were last offseason. Will Brady beat the case? Will Jimmy Garoppolo be baptized by fire in Week 1?
The only character added to this story is Jacoby Brissett, a top-100 draftee from this class who came from North Carolina State after a stint with Florida. The quarterback figures to compete with Garoppolo this preseason for the second slot on the Patriots depth chart, a role that may be active in September. A potential championship swing will happen at some point this offseason, and eyes in Massachusetts and the entire AFC are glued on Brady's case.
New Orleans Saints: Coby Fleener
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Coby Fleener’s NFL career has proved to be more storyline driven than production driven. The Colts drafted him, a Stanford product, the same year they drafted Andrew Luck, immediately giving fuel to the idea that he would have a great connection with his longtime quarterback. For whatever reason, that chemistry never came to fruition the way it was supposed to and there was speculation as to why that was the case.
An emerging Dwayne Allen then began jostling Fleener for targets. The Colts had a bit of a tight end battle on their hands and were indecisive on the matter until Fleener’s eventual departure. After Allen established himself as a threat, fans and analysts everywhere got into heated debates arguing that Allen should be favored over Fleener. Ultimately, the Colts opted for Allen.
Fleener enters New Orleans with 2,154 yards and 17 touchdowns to his name. He is not a game-breaking talent, but he’s an upgrade over Benjamin Watson and gives an aging Drew Brees a stable receiver over the middle of the field. Fleener’s role, more than anything, may be to force defenses to clog the middle of the field and allow the Saints' young wide receiver tandem to work the boundary. Whatever his role may develop into, he rounds out a threatening passing attack in New Orleans. This is his chance to prove to the Colts and their fans that he was always the right option.
New York Giants: Olivier Vernon
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A lot of people complained about the contract Ndamukong Suh was given last offseason, but Olivier Vernon is not one of those people. Suh’s presence allowed the edge-rushers in Miami more space to work with. Vernon, a speed rusher, was able to take full advantage of the space Suh provided and proved that his 11.5-sack campaign in 2013 was no fluke.
Vernon was then given a massive contract of his own. As one of the first major signings of the 2016 offseason, Vernon inked a five-year deal with the New York Giants worth $85 million, $52 million of which is guaranteed. As was the case with Fletcher Cox, Vernon’s contract flooded the media with debates, thinkpieces and analytics hashing out whether Vernon deserved his contract. Regardless of whether he is going to prove his worth, Vernon’s contract shook up the market for edge-rushers.
The Giants didn’t mind spending the money. They had already built a good defensive line, both inside and on the edge. Vernon is the cherry on top of a sweet defensive front. Damon Harrison and Johnathan Hankins make for a nasty interior duo, while Jason Pierre-Paul and a young Owa Odighizuwa provide quality play on the outside. Vernon is the speed rushing threat that New York so desperately needed to complete its defensive line. He has every opportunity to earn his contract in full.
New York Jets: Muhammad Wilkerson
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Like Von Miller, Muhammad Wilkerson is another elite defender from the 2011 draft class who is struggling to lock up a long-term deal after his fifth-year option led to a franchise tag. Last season, Wilkerson became the first 300-pounder to record double-digit sacks since Hall of Fame tackle Warren Sapp did in 2006, a feat he was only able to execute four times in his career.
At 315 pounds, Wilkerson is athletic enough to play as an edge defender, but is violent and explosive enough to help as an interior lineman in any scheme, too. He can bounce around as much as the narrative on him has this offseason.
During the draft cycle, there were rumors that Wilkerson could get shipped, but nothing happened. Now, the Jets are stuck in limbo with Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Leonard Williams all potentially coming along as Pro Bowl interior linemen themselves. At some point, one has to walk, and Wilkerson is the first name to hit free agency. It's an odd situation, but it makes sense for the Jets to allow a top-five defensive lineman to walk into free agency. Now, the question is whether the front office in New York has established itself enough to take the negative PR that will surely pop out of the city's tabloid culture.
Oakland Raiders: Bruce Irvin
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Bruce Irvin has had one of the more interesting careers of a rookie contract pass-rusher in recent memory. He entered the league as a 24-year-old, after two stints at junior colleges and the University of West Virginia. He was a surprise selection as the 15th overall pick, as the then-Seattle Seahawk wasn't even considered a consensus first-round selection going into 2012's draft weekend.
He then produced early on as an undersized pass-rusher, transitioning from 3-3-5 defensive end, notching eight sacks as a rookie. Players who are extremely athletic, like Irvin, and produce early on in their careers almost always develop into Pro Bowl pass-rushers, but Irvin was suspended to start his second NFL season due to the NFL's substance-abuse policy, and also transitioned to off-the-ball linebacker, a role in which he wasn't able to flash his pass-rushing talents as often.
Three years into his career, Irvin had 16.5 sacks, and the Seahawks turned down his fifth-year option, which eventually made him a free agent in 2016. He has since signed with the Oakland Raiders, who gave him a four-year, $37 million contract, which, according to Spotrac, is the fourth-largest in terms of average salary on the entire team.
Between Irvin and third-year All-Pro Khalil Mack, the Raiders hope to give their pass rush an identity in 2016.
Philadelphia Eagles: Fletcher Cox
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Fletcher Cox earned himself a monster contract this summer. His six-year, $102.6 million contract sparked a wildfire of conversation as to whether he is worth the money. With J.J. Watt, arguably the best player in the NFL, being guaranteed about $11.5 million fewer than Cox, it was easy for analysts to immediately pin to Cox as an overvalued player.
There’s one fatal flaw in comparing Watt’s contract to Cox’s. Watt received his extension prior to the 2014 season. The NFL salary cap was set at $133 million, whereas the leaguewide cap was set at $155 million when the Eagles signed their star defensive lineman. Jeffrey Lurie and Co. had much more future cap space to work around than the Texans ownership had. Considering the continually rising salary cap and Cox’s talents making him a top-five defensive lineman in the league, his contract was warranted.
Now it’s time for Cox to uphold his status as a dominant interior player. His ability to demolish single blockers and split double-teams in the run game makes him a human construction zone, forcing running backs to switch lanes. Cox got paid for his pass-rushing ability. He is an explosive pass-rusher who can disrupt the pocket before the opposing quarterback finishes his dropback. In his four NFL seasons, he’s brought down opposing quarterbacks 22 times, racking up 9.5 of those sacks last season alone.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Ladarius Green
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Ladarius Green is better known for what he hasn't done, rather than what he has done, at this point in his career. He was a long shot coming out of Louisiana-Lafayette in 2012, but many had high hopes for Green in San Diego, assuming that he'd eventually surpass Antonio Gates, one of the best tight ends in NFL history, during his rookie contract.
On paper, Green's athleticism is among the best in the league. According to Mock Draftable, some of his most similar comparisons are Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski and Martellus Bennett, who combined have eight Pro Bowls and six All-Pro team honors. Still, in four years, Green was only able to post 1,087 yards in the air with the Chargers.
This offseason, he signed his second NFL contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, earning him $5 million per year over four years. According to Spotrac, that ranks him right behind Gates, Green's mentor and an eight-time Pro Bowler, and Bennett, Green's perceived ceiling, as the 18th-highest-paid player at the position in the sport.
What makes his situation in Pittsburgh one with promise, though, is personnel. There is no Gates in Pittsburgh, and Heath Miller, the Steelers' longtime tight end, retired from the sport last year. As long as Green can fend off the 32-year-old Matt Spaeth and second-year fifth-round pick Jesse James, he should be a full-time starter off the bat.
Pittsburgh is also a franchise that is looking for a long target, as Martavis Bryant, its 6'4" receiver, is suspended for the season due to the league's substance-abuse policy and 5'10" Antonio Brown isn't exactly what you'd imagine as a typical red-zone target. With Le'Veon Bell in the backfield, there's no reason to not go to the ground in a goal-line situation, but if the team does elect to pass, Green will be an important factor.
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has also stated he wants to go for two-point conversions more often in 2016, despite the fact that the team already led the NFL in both attempts and successful conversions last year. On every attempt last season, they passed the ball for a two-point conversion, and there is no target better suited for that situation than the 6'6" pass-catcher. With that being said, Green's health, after missing organized team activities with an ankle surgery, has stalled some of the hype.
San Diego Chargers: Melvin Gordon
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In 2014, no running backs were drafted in the first round, which only further pushed the narrative that the position was no longer one in which you needed to have an elite starter to win in today's NFL. In 2015, though, two backs were taken in the first half of the first round: Todd Gurley, who landed with the now Los Angeles Rams, and Melvin Gordon, who also plays in California for the San Diego Chargers.
As a rookie, Gurley looked like a top-five back in the NFL after fully recovering from a knee issue that led to his draft slip. On the other hand, Gordon had a pedestrian 641 rushing yards for a 3.5-yard average in 2015. The Chargers, who finished with a 4-12 record and were awarded the third overall pick, need Gordon to step up in 2016. If he doesn't, the team may kick itself for years, as the fourth overall pick, just one selection after the team drafted defensive end Joey Bosa from Ohio State, was used by the Dallas Cowboys to select Ezekiel Elliott, a former Buckeye back who is considered on Gurley's level as a draft prospect. Their careers will be intertwined from here on out by fans.
It was known that Gordon had a surgery on his knee in January, but it wasn't until May, when Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune broke the story, that the microfracture element of the surgery was known to the public. Microfracture surgery has taken the careers of many young athletes across sports, and former first overall pick Jadeveon Clowney is the biggest name to undergo the surgery recently before Gordon made news.
Gordon has since participated in OTAs this summer, a good sign for his long-term potential, but Chargers fans shouldn't be at ease until they see the same back from Wisconsin highlight clips in the fall.
San Francisco: Chip Kelly
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There isn't a single player on the San Francisco 49ers roster who is more important to their 2016 season than head coach Chip Kelly. In his first two years as a head coach in the NFL, he took the Philadelphia Eagles to a combined 20-12 record, but in 2015, the first in which he had full control of the franchise as a general manager, Kelly's Eagles fell to a 6-9 record before his eventual firing.
Kelly's philosophy in the league has been established. He wants to go high tempo enough that splits for offensive linemen and receivers, essentially "cheating" toward a play, go unnoticed, and, defensively he wants to run more true 3-4 looks than just about anyone in the league.
Pairing players like his former Oregon Duck defensive linemen, first-round picks DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead, with their former defensive line coach in Eugene, Jerry Azzinaro, is only a step toward to what he established as his brand in Oregon and Philadelphia.
The leash on Kelly is short, though. General manager Trent Baalke is on his third head coach, and the team's 2015 head coach, Jim Tomsula, was given only one season before the plug was pulled on him. If the offensive mastermind can't get Colin Kaepernick or Blaine Gabbert, the franchise's top two passers, to put out starting-caliber output for 16 games, he may have to return to the college game in 2017.
Seattle Seahawks: Frank Clark
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According to Stephen Cohen of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Frank Clark, a second-year second-round pick, has lost more than 15 pounds in the past year. After some debate on which position he is going to play in 2016, it seems clear that Clark is going to be something of an end-backer hybrid for the Seahawks' 4-3 defense.
On paper, he looks to replace Bruce Irvin's pass-rushing reps, the edge defender who moved to linebacker in his second year with the team. This past offseason, Irvin signed with the Oakland Raiders, leaving an opening for an undersized pass-rusher to gain some reps with the squad.
As a rotational rookie, Clark was able to post three sacks off the bench in a deep rotation after becoming a preseason star. For his density, he's one of the more athletic players to come into the draft in recent years. All signs point to him being a LaMarr Woodley-like player in the NFL, another former Michigan Wolverine. In all honestly, on the field, he's not too far from where Shaq Lawson, a 2016 first-round pick, was coming out of college. Given the opportunity, Clark can make plays in the backfield.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Austin Seferian-Jenkins
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In 2014, Austin Seferian-Jenkins was drafted as a tight end who had the potential of a Rob Gronkowski, but was inconsistent at the University of Washington. That was enough for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to take the gamble on him as a second-round pick. After two years, Seferian-Jenkins has just 559 receiving yards, far from Gronk-like impact.
This has caused the frustration in fans, and apparently Seferian-Jenkins himself. Early in OTAs, Seferian-Jenkins had an episode that included his removal from the practice field and a now-deleted tweet that once stated "MOVING ON!!!"
The tight end has returned to the field, but the 6'5", 262-pounder is no longer in the loving grace of Bucs fans. Lovie Smith, who was the head coach during the selection of the pass-catcher, was replaced last offseason. If he doesn't start producing soon, under new establishment that may not go to bat for him in the same way some former Buccaneers decision-makers would have, then he can find himself in very hot water heading into 2017.
Tennessee Titans: Marcus Mariota
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Sure, the Tennessee Titans added two running backs in DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry this offseason, but their offense, which has featured plenty of spread elements, still runs through quarterback Marcus Mariota. Mariota had a fine rookie season, but the dual-threat quarterback needs to develop this year, under new full-time head coach Mike Mularkey, for the team to get over .500.
Mariota is quick mentally and has a fast trigger, but that only goes so far when you can't nail a deep ball. If you can't keep NFL defenses honest, then winning a numbers advantage becomes much harder, as they're allowed to "cheat" in the tackle box.
The former Oregon Duck finished 24th in the league in passes over 20 yards and 30th in the league in passes over 40 yards last season. That's one reason why the team finished with a 3-13 record, earning the first overall pick. The Titans pulled the plug on Ken Whisenhunt, who was the head coach when Mariota was drafted, after just 23 games. Mularkey, with a 2-7 record under his belt, might not even be afford two full seasons as a head coach. Unless Mariota wants to see his third head coach in three seasons, he needs to take that next step in 2016.
Washington Redskins: Preston Smith
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Last season, Preston Smith, a second-round pick, led NFL rookies in sacks. With his athleticism, size and production at his age, he's on the fast track to becoming one of the league's top pass-rushers. In the past decade, only a few players have had careers derailed after having as hot of a start as Smith did in 2015, and they usually involve a position change, like Bruce Irvin, or a string of injuries, like Adrian Clayborn.
With Smith rising, the Washington Redskins have elected to move Trent Murphy, previously a starter at outside linebacker, to defensive end, freeing up a full-time role for the former Mississippi State Bulldog. Murphy, who was productive in college at Stanford but lacked the bend to be a premier pass-rusher in the NFL, will now be used to complement Smith and Ryan Kerrigan, who is one of the more quietly productive edge defenders in the NFL.
According to Albert Breer of The MMQB, Smith will be used as a 3-technique defensive tackle in sub-packages, which he is very well-suited to play. At Mississippi State, Smith played some nickel nose, and even drew some Justin Tuck comparisons, the original inside-outside rusher of this generation before Michael Bennett stole some of the shine for the new-age role.
On the interior, Smith can be Tuck. On the edge, it's rare to see someone of his 6'5", 271-pound size bend, other than Robert Quinn, who led the league in sacks in 2013. Expect big things from Smith in the near future.
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