Soon after the Dallas Cowboys finished the 2012 regular season 8-8 and out of the playoffs for the third straight year, owner Jerry Jones vowed that big changes were coming. On defense, those changes are glaring, with Dallas switching to a 4-3 after changing coordinators. But on offense, things remain murky in Big D. 

It's beginning to look as though the biggest "change" the Cowboys will undergo on offense is a transition of power from Jason Garrett to Tony Romo.

Romo—as I'm sure you've heard—is planning to play less golf, and Jones has made it clear that he wants Romo to increase his office hours to Peyton Manning-like levels. He reportedly played a role in drafting Gavin Escobar and Terrance Williams, and there's even talk that he could gain some play-calling duties. 

This isn't surprising. After all, Romo was signed to a fresh seven-year, $119.5 million contract earlier this offseason, indicating Jones believes he can handle an increased workload. But by practically turning the 33-year-old into a player-coach, the Cowboys could be pushing it. 

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In 2011, all four NFC East teams were in the top 10 in the league in terms of sacks and sack percentage. In 2012, all four plummeted to the bottom 12 in sacks and bottom 16 in sack percentage. 

It's hard to explain what exactly happened to the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles, which is also why it's hard to predict that any of those teams' pass rushes will get back on track in 2013. 

But many forget that the Washington Redskins suffered an extremely harmful and tangible loss when top pass-rusher Brian Orakpo went down with a season-ending pectoral injury in Week 2. 

Earlier on Monday, Grantland's Robert Mays listed Orakpo as a back-from-injury star not to forget in 2013. That's because Orakpo was rated by Pro Football Focus (subscription required) as the fourth-best pass-rushing outside linebacker in football in 2011, and his presence combined with the emergence of rookie edge-rusher Ryan Kerrigan resulted in the Redskins posting 41 sacks and the sixth-best sack percentage in the league. 

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While I've committed much of my life to the world of sports, I've always been adamant that professional athletes shouldn't typically be viewed as role models. If or when I have kids of my own, I'll make a special effort to ensure that my spawn don't idolize the players they watch for anything more than what they do on the field, ice or court. 

I know a lot of real good dudes who play NFL football, NHL hockey, NBA basketball and Major League Baseball, but far too many are man-children with a penchant for abusing substances and/or womanizing and/or disobeying the law. 

Once in a while, though, a player comes along who fully gets it. No ego, no sense of entitlement, no terrible knee-jerk investments. 

Second-year Washington Redskins running back Alfred Morris fits that profile.

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Those in Michael Vick's corner seem convinced that Vick will be the man under center for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013. And while Vick probably enters the offseason program with an edge on the competition, the reality is that the starting quarterback job is wide open. 

Vick has missed 14 starts due to injury over the last three years and was outplayed last year by rookie Nick Foles...who wasn't even particularly good in relief. The Eagles gave Vick a new contract earlier this offseason, but it's one they can walk away from. And with Foles on the roster and with Chip Kelly bringing in former Pac-10/Pac-12 stars Dennis Dixon and Matt Barkley, there's a lot to be determined.

Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote on Sunday that he wouldn't be surprised to see Barkley land that No. 1 spot on the depth chart. Kelly and Co. traded up to the top spot of Round 4 in order to add the seasoned USC product to the roster, which is why I share McLane's sentiment here. 

McLane also notes that fourth-round quarterbacks don't historically become NFL starters, especially as rookies. Let's go back in time to get a better feel for how rookies drafted in Barkley's range have traditionally fared.

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For something light on a Friday afternoon, the B/R NFC East blog is going to extrapolate in order to prognosticate.

See, Cantor Gaming in Las Vegas has released point spreads for every 2013 NFL regular-season game excluding the ones that will take place in Week 17, and our pal Joe Fortenbaugh has published each spread at the National Football Post, along with a breakdown of how often teams are favored. 

Of course, game-by-game spreads don't necessarily mesh with full-season futures odds, so there's only so far you can take this. But it's still interesting to get a feel for what some of the smartest people in the sports world think might go down in the upcoming season. 

The good news for Washington Redskins fans is that, based on those 15 games, Vegas is giving them an edge on the rest of the division. Cantor has Washington favored to win eight games, has the 'Skins as an underdog in six games and has them listed as a pick 'em in Philadelphia in Week 11. 

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A shelf doesn't sound as glamorous as a car, but you could argue that what Philadelphia Eagles rookie safety Earl Wolff is about to do in the video below is actually more impressive than what former MLB outfielder Joey Gathright did when he leaped over a Mitsubishi and a BMW. 

Wolff, who was found to be 5'11" at the NFL Scouting Combine, jumped onto a shelf which is allegedly 5'8". 

That actually took place last year but was brought to light this week by our friends at the 700 Level, just as Wolff was signing his first NFL contract. 

Regardless of how tall the shelf officially is, this is amazing. How does a human being do that? I had to play it a few times just to wrap my head around it.

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Exactly four months ago today, Robert Griffin III had reconstructive surgery to repair the lateral collateral ligament and the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

For a few weeks post-surgery, the Washington Redskins quarterback went into hiding. But once he could start walking only with a limp, Griffin couldn't help himself.

Less than a month after the procedure, he walked to the stage problem-free to collect his offensive rookie of the year award from Drew Brees and Olivia Munn.

And then there he was in Texas, getting a street named after him in a public ceremony. And then back to D.C. to throw footballs to a circus elephant. He followed that up by visiting with Barack Obama while attending a March Madness game.

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In 2011, New York Giants fans were certainly fearful that rookie first-round pick Prince Amukamara was headed down a path that would label him a bust. The cornerback out of Nebraska broke his foot one day after signing his first pro contract, and he struggled while playing only 144 snaps in seven games that season.

But with the rest of the defense in shambles, Amukamara took what looked like a big step forward in his second NFL season, outplaying No. 1 corner Corey Webster and emerging as New York's best cover man. 

The Giants defense ranked 31st in the league in yards allowed, though, so that's sort of like being the best hockey player in Brazil or the best basketball player in Iceland. 

So how good was Amukamara really?

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