50 NFL Offseason Moves That Would Make 2012-13 Season the Best Ever

The 2011-2012 NFL football season wasn't lacking in terms of drama and intrigue. We saw multiple quarterbacks shatter the passing-yard mark, while running backs took a back seat in the newly minted "passing league."

Defenses stepped up and proved they can be the primary reason why a team wins the Super Bowl, as multiple teams carried that unit to success.

One proud franchise took a step back down to mediocrity with their future Hall of Fame quarterback sitting on the bench, while another heralded franchise took the step back up towards elite status.

Tim Tebow captivated an unsuspecting audience and we didn't hear one peep from the enigma that is Brett Favre.

Overall, it was one amazing season.

Can it be duplicated in 2012-2013?

Sure. Here are 50 reasons that it could be.

50. Terrell Owens Joins Randy Moss in San Francisco

I never said that these would be plausible scenarios, did I?

The idea of Terrell Owens joining Randy Moss and maybe even Brandon Lloyd in San Francisco would make for one heck of a reality television show by the bay.

Alex Smith, if he returns, would probably have bought the entire stock of ear plugs at the local Rite Aid.

49. Carolina Panthers Acquire Mike Wallace

It is highly unlikely that the Carolina Panthers would be willing to give up a first-round pick in order to acquire Mike Wallace.

With that said, just imagine Cam Newton throwing the ball to Wallace and Steve Smith on the outside. Now that would be dynamic.

48. The NFL Stops Its Sissification

I am not talking about "Bounty Gate" here. This is an entirely different situation. What I am talking about is the fact that whenever an elite quarterback gets hit hard, there seems to be a flag thrown at the defender, who is just doing his job.

Defensive backs have to hold back when hitting a receiver in the middle of the field as well. This has caused many, including myself, to believe that the likes of Ronnie Lott and Lawrence Taylor wouldn't be successful in the league today.

If that is the case, something needs to change.

47. DeAngelo Williams Is Traded to the New England Patriots

This really isn't far-fetched at all. The New England Patriots have four picks in the first two rounds of the 2012 NFL Draft.

The Carolina Panthers really don't need two No. 1 running backs and could use some young talent on the defensive side of the ball.

Of course, Williams' contract might be the sticking point here.

46. Colin Kaepernick Becomes the 49ers Starting Quarterback

This is probably not going to happen, but Alex Smith is yet to sign his contract with the San Francisco 49ers. They also drafted Colin Kaepernick in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft.

San Francisco's team is not built around great quarterback play. In fact, they don't need it to win. Kaepernick has a much stronger arm than Smith.

Imagine a situation where the young quarterback is able to stretch the field with Randy Moss, while leading the 49ers to a conference championship.

45. Indianapolis Colts Pass Up on Andrew Luck

I actually had someone ask me on Twitter the other day what the Washington Redskins would do if the Indianapolis Colts decided to take Robert Griffin III.

As dumb of a question as that was, it got me thinking. What if this happened?

Heads would spin in Indianapolis, while America's capital would be dancing in the street to the greatest event to happen since the 1776 revolution.

44. Matt Forte Is Traded to the New York Jets

Matt Forte isn't happy with being franchised and the New York Jets need a running game behind the horribly mediocre Mark Sanchez.

A match made in heaven, right?

43. Donovan McNabb Is Brought to New York in Order to Compete with Sanchez

At this point I am not too sure that Donovan McNabb couldn't beat out Mark Sanchez when all is said and done. After all, the former Pro Bowler is one of the most overrated quarterbacks I have ever seen.

In reality, the Jets do need a backup quarterback.

42. The New Orleans Saints Lose All of Their 2012 NFL Draft Picks

By now we all know about Bounty Gate. The NFL is in the midst of coming up with a penalty for the New Orleans Saints.

Considering Roger Goodell's nature, I could easily see a stiff penalty.

He could set precedence here and send a message to the rest of the league. In doing so, the New Orleans Saints would be severely weakened, making for a more interesting battle between four good teams in the NFC South.

Stay tuned.

41. Jerry Jones Gives Up Control of Player Decisions Prior to the Draft

Realizing that he is a really bad general manager, Jerry Jones comes to the conclusion that he shouldn't run the personnel matters for the Dallas Cowboys.

In doing so, Dallas comes up with their best draft since the late 1980s and early 1990s.

40. Mike Wallace Signs with the San Francisco 49ers

This is actually a possibility that has some legs to it. Mike Wallace is a restricted free agent, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in an unenviable salary cap situation and the San Francisco 49ers need a wide receiver.

I can easily imagine a receiving corps in San Francisco consisting of Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, Randy Moss and Mike Wallace.

Now that would be interesting.

39. NFL Announced 18-Game Schedule to Take Place Immediately

Now this would be really cool.

We would get football a couple weeks earlier and don't have to suffer through four meaningless preseason games.

If Major League Baseball can change the structure of their postseason two months before the regular season starts, surely the NFL can do this.

38. NFL Cancels the Pro Bowl

Please, just do it.

I couldn't suffer through this sad excuse of a football game. Instead, I was seriously considering having tea with my aunt. Seriously, this is how bad the 2012 NFL Pro Bowl was.

Just end it already.

37. Pro Bowl Is Replaced with Skills Competition

Replace the Pro Bowl with a NBA-type skills competition. I would love to see Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees going up against one another, kind of like the Michael Jordan-Larry Bird commercial of yesteryear.

The NFL could get really creative with this.

36. Some Team Signs JaMarcus Russell

This would be just for giggles.

Maybe the Philadelphia Eagles bring in another troubled quarterback to backup Michael Vick. I doubt very much that JaMarcus Russell gets another shot in the NFL. If he did, it would be quite the circus.

35. Mark Sanchez Is Sent Packing After Jets Trade for Tony Romo

The New York Jets fans are not too happy with Mark Sanchez. The Dallas Cowboys fans love to hate Tony Romo. 

Why not switch the two?

Besides, we could use an overhyped trade between two overrated players to heat up the offseason.

You know I am not wrong.

34. Trent Richardson Falls to the Seattle Seahawks

This would make for an interesting time in the NFC West. Just imagine Marshawn Lynch and Trent Richardson going up against the best rush defense in the modern history of the NFL.

The rivalry between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers would take on a whole other storyline.

33. NFL Announces the 49ers and Giants Will Open Up the Season on Wednesday

A lot of things would have to be changed around if this were to occur. First, the NFL would have to move this game to New York in order to allow the defending Super Bowl Champions to open the season at home. The trickle-down effect would be too much at this point.

With that said, the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers NFC Championship Game was one for the ages last season.

What better way to open up the 2012 NFL regular season?

32. Occupy Dolphins Headquarters Is out at Full Swing

Seriously, if the Miami Dolphins miss out on Peyton Manning after trading Brandon Marshall, it would be a downright disaster for the franchise.

Where would they be left?

I could easily imagine a herd of angry Dolphins fans picketing at their facility in South Beach.

31. Miami Dolphins Immediately Fire Jeff Ireland Due to Pressure

I am not too close to the situation in Miami, but I am pretty sure that the Dolphins fans are growing tired of Jeff Ireland.

I can easily envision the Dolphins firing their general manager if the offseason continues to play out like it has started.

Of course, this would probably be a good thing for the franchise in the long term.

30. Mario Williams Signs with the New England Patriots

It is all about the Patriots being relevant in the grand scheme of things. Speaking as an outsider, the NFL is just a more interesting league when Tom Brady and Co. sit atop the headlines.

Of course adding a player like Mario Williams would go a long way in helping the Patriots continue their dominance in the AFC East.

29. Michael Bush Signs with the Detroit Lions

I am pretty sure that the Detroit Lions are looking for some help in the running game this offseason. After Calvin Johnson restructured or signed an extension—whichever way you want to look at it—the Lions have more salary cap room.

Michael Bush would be in full beast-mode in that offense. It would get much more interesting rather quickly in the NFC North.

28. Dez Bryant Is Traded to the Houston Texans

I think that it is safe to say that the Dallas Cowboys are not happy with the production that Dez Bryant has given them in his first two seasons.

The Houston Texans are in need of a receiver opposite Andre Johnson.

This scenario would include Houston giving up a first-round pick to Dallas in return for Bryant. Pure conjecture, but it could make some sense.

27. Brett Favre Mounts a Comeback in the IFL

Wouldn't it be awesome to see Brett Favre attempt to make a comeback and no NFL team shows interest? Not to hate on the old man, but I would pay to see this.

I am pretty sure that Terrell Owens is looking for a veteran quarterback to complain about with the Allen Wranglers of the Indoor Football League.

26. Houston Texans Trade Ben Tate to the Cincinnati Bengals

This is an idea that could actually gain some traction. The Cincinnati Bengals are in need of a young running back; the Houston Texans have a couple of great ones.

Why not swap a first-round pick for Tate? I am pretty sure the Bengals would seriously consider this. After all, they do have two first-round picks.

25. Houston Texans Let Mario Williams Walk

While it appears that the Houston Texans are holding out hope that Mario Williams returns, it seems highly unlikely at this point.

Do they really need him?

This is a defense that made tremendous strides without him under the leadership of Wade Phillips in 2011.

It would also make for an interesting storyline if these two entities crossed paths in the 2012-2013 postseason.

24. LaDainian Tomlinson Goes Back Home to San Diego

At 33 years old, Tomlinson doesn't appear to have anything left in the tank in terms of running the ball. With that said, he might actually be a decent option for San Diego in the passing game.

Either way, LT returning to southern California would be pretty awesome.

23. Raiders Trade Darren McFadden

The Oakland Raiders are in a precarious position both in terms of the salary cap and a lack of draft picks. One thing could change this very quickly.

Trade Darren McFadden.

He would enable the Raiders to save a lot of money off of the cap and acquire a few important draft picks.

Imagine "Run DMC" on a team like the Washington Redskins with Robert Griffin III or the New Orleans Saints with Drew Brees.

22. Raiders Re-Sign Michael Bush

Following up on the previous slide, Oakland would then re-sign Michael Bush to a cheaper contract than what they were paying Darren McFadden.

I am assuming that a backfield of Carson Palmer and Bush would be pretty solid.

The "stepsister" of the bay might become relevant once again if this were to happen—especially with the cap room and draft picks they would acquire if this scenario played out.

21. Shahid Khan Files Paper Work to Move the Jaguars to Los Angeles

Obviously this isn't in the cards and I don't want to offend any Jacksonville Jaguars fans.

But the NFL needs football back in Los Angeles, like now!

20. The Younger Davis Declares His Plan to Move the Raiders to L.A.

Despite being extremely unlikely, this holds more ground than the Jacksonville Jaguars moving to Los Angeles.

The Oakland Raiders do not have a new stadium in Northern California and might be forced by piggyback with the San Francisco 49ers in their new stadium—furthering the idea that they are the stepsister of the bay.

Why not take advantage of that huge southern California media market? Of course, this isn't going to happen.

19. Seattle Seahawks Sign Matt Flynn

Remember the last Green Bay Packers' backup quarterback to go to the Seattle Seahawks? For you youngsters out there, it was Matt Hasselbeck.

All he did was lead the Hawks to their first and only Super Bowl in franchise history.

Adding Flynn probably wouldn't enable Seattle to compete with the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West, but it would make the dynamics that much more interesting.

18. Brandon Jacobs Signs with the New York Jets

I can just imagine the banter between Brandon Jacobs and Rex Ryan in the New York Jets locker room. The running back drops by to give Ryan a plate full of nachos while saying, "Fat men need to eat." Oh, the saga continues.

This couldn't possibly further destroy the chemistry in New Jersey, could it?

17. President Obama Switches Allegiance to the Detroit Lions

Goes something like this: "If the voters of Michigan land me this important battleground state I will no longer be a Chicago Bears fan." Politics joining sports is never a good idea.

After all, who doesn't want to root for a player nicknamed "Megatron"?

16. No. 1 Pick Andrew Luck Leads the Indianapolis Colts to the Playoffs

Peyton who?

This would be the overriding motto if the likely No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft was able to lead the Indianapolis Colts to the playoffs.

There is no questioning that Andrew Luck is going to be a stellar NFL quarterback; this is just pretty much a pipe dream.

Hello Humboldt.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers Continue to Model the Washington Redskins

Teams that spend freely in the free-agent market are usually sitting at home when the postseason starts the following winter.

We have seen this with the Washington Redskins, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys in the past.

Mostly, the Redskins.

Now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have decided to spend big. What does this mean?

Well it is a completely different ball game. Tampa Bay has a tremendous amount of young talent on their roster and are actually attempting to supplement it via free agency.

This could actually work out well and with the Saints' recent issues, there is a possibility that the Buccaneers could contend in 2012.

14. Plaxico Burress Stays in New York and Goes Back to the Giants

He was an integral part of their last Super Bowl Championship, shot himself in the leg and then joined their brother franchise in New Jersey while they won another title.

Of course, I am talking about Plaxico Burress and the New York Giants.

Actually, this isn't too far out of the realm of possibility.

13. Gregg Williams Gets Liftime Ban

No one is really sure how the NFL is going to penalize those involved in Bounty Gate. What we do know is that the New Orleans Saints are going to face a loss of draft picks and some heavy fines.

Gregg Williams just cannot come out of this without facing a penalty.

Some talk has been about a lifetime ban for the mastermind of the scandal. This might be severe, but who knows; Roger Goodell is one unsuspecting beast.

12. New England Patriots Make a Splash

It really isn't an offseason until you hear something about the New England Patriots making a big splash. Up until now, nothing of substance has come up in regards to the defending AFC Champions.

Maybe they make a play for Mike Wallace?

11. NFL Unforms Look Like This, Effective Immediately

Now, I understand that teams choose how their uniforms look. With that said, this would be pretty awesome or absolutely horrid depending on the way you look at it.

Either way, just check the video out.

10. NFL Announces Expansion Team in London

This idea has been bandied about within the NFL for quite some time now. The league could make a decision to expand by two with one expansion team in the west coast, most likely Los Angeles, and the other in London.

Logistically, this could be a mess and actual expansion couldn't occur until 2014 at the earliest.

9. Donovan McNabb Signs with the Eagles to Back Up Michael Vick

Wouldn't this be a story? The Eagles are in need of a backup and Donovan McNabb isn't a starting quarterback in the NFL anymore.

I wonder what the scene would be in Philadelphia when McNabb comes in to replace the injured Michael Vick.

Boo (and I am not using a Casper the Friendly Ghost analogy here).

8. The NFL and UFL Announce Joint Venture

I have been an advocate for a minor league football league for some time now. With the UFL struggling to stay afloat, there isn't a better time for them the NFL to get involved.

It would be a process, but something that could easily happen.

I don't see an issue with them coming up with 32 cities to host teams, with each one representing a farm system of sorts for each NFL franchise.

7. Miami Dolphins Select Ryan Tannehill in the Top 10

Cowboy up in South Beach.

After missing out on Peyton Manning, the Miami Dolphins decide to pull the plug on acquiring a veteran quarterback, instead reaching for the overrated signal-caller from Texas A&M.

Maybe he proves us all wrong and becomes the next Dan Marino. He had a pretty solid rookie season, didn't he? The comparisons are definitely there, as the Hall of Fame quarterback lasted until late in the first round in 1983 because many believed he was too much of a project.

6. Andrew Luck Pulls an Eli Manning and Demands a Trade

This would be a fun strategy for Luck to throw in our direction as we approach April. Just imagine him coming out and saying that the Indianapolis Colts are not a good fit and he just doesn't want to play there.

The entire landscape of the National Football League would change.

Obviously this is as far fetched as me suiting up and beating out Aaron Rodgers in a training camp battle with the Green Bay Packers.

Still fun to think about.

5. Andrew Luck Is Traded to the San Francisco 49ers

This obviously isn't going to happen, but read the title. Most of these are not going to come true. There is, however, some precedence for this.

A former Stanford Cardinal quarterback bucking the system and demanding a trade from the Colts during  the draft.

You got that right. This happened with John Elway during the 1983 NFL Draft.

Of course, the San Francisco 49ers would be the team stepping up under this unlikely scenario.

4. Kyle Orton Signing Leads to Tony Romo Benching

I am pretty sure that Jerry Jones and Co. didn't bring in Kyle Orton to challenge Tony Romo for the starting job.

With that said, it would make for a great storyline if the two had to battle it out in training camp or during the regular season. In terms of odds, I am pretty sure that some Cowboys fans would love to take the over on this.

3. Rex Ryan Resigns Because He Just Can't Handle Mark Sanchez Sucking It Up

We have seen stranger things happen in the world of sports. To say that the New York Jets are a disaster right now would be an understatement.

They went beyond the realm of reason by signing Mark Sanchez to a massive contract extension.

Maybe Rex Ryan gets fed up and calls it quits.

2. Peyton Manning Signs with the Denver Broncos

No offense to the good people of Miami, Arizona and Tennessee, but this situation would be awesome.

Peyton Manning, arguably the best quarterback of all time, replacing the savior Tim Tebow in Denver. Imagine if this scenario played out and the Broncos missed the playoffs.

Would Manning immediately become the Joker of Mile High?

1. Tim Tebow Is Traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars

Building off of the previous slide, Tim Tebow gets traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars. While this is highly unlikely, it would be most epic.

Just imagine the Broncos missing the playoffs in lieu of the Tebow-led Jaguars.

Oh, the storyline.