NFL's Top 8 Developing Stories in 2012 Preseason

NFL developments, even the preseason varietal, have dominion over the collective interest of American sports fans.

Whether realizing it in our active conscience, or doing so sub-consciously, most of us lap up topical NFL stories as if we required them for basic sustenance.

This reality is as pervasive as ever in the current year of 2012. From Peyton Manning’s return to the field, to the Andrew Luck vs. Robert Griffin III debate, to Maurice Jones Drew’s contract stalemate, this preseason is a series of developing stories, day in and day out.

For the purpose of honoring finite things, and perhaps for the honest sake of holding the attention of prospective readers, let’s reduce the innumerable storylines into a more palatable bunch.

Here now are the top eight developing stories in the 2012 NFL preseason.

Note: Respecting the NFL’s steadfast commitment to parity, this article highlights one prominent headline from each division. It might even include an honorable mentions section.

AFC West

Denver Broncos

Peyton Manning, Peyton Manning, Peyton Manning.

Is there really another prominent storyline coming out of Broncos camp, let alone the AFC West?

Aside from second-round defensive tackle Derek Wolfe impressing thus far, it’s all about Manning’s viability as an NFL quarterback after returning from a series of neck surgeries.

ESPN’s John Clayton noticed that throwing to his right and down the field still cause him difficulties (via ESPN’s Bill Williamson). His three preseason interceptions could certainly be attributed to those throwing issues (blame for the receivers notwithstanding).

In any case, Manning’s return to his old NFL form will not be a smooth process. He will require the entirety of the preseason for a successful rehabilitation.

Should we expect a full resurrection from arguably the greatest regular-season quarterback of all time?

I wouldn’t bet against it.

But until then, all will be watching.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals

Low and behold—another two-way battle for the starting quarterback position.

Much like the situation in Seattle, the big-name quarterback in Arizona that should be the starter by all reasonable logic is not. Then of course, there’s the young developmental project that should merely be holding a clipboard, but is actually outplaying the big name.

(That would be Matt Flynn and Russell Wilson, respectively.)

For the Cardinals, third-year Fordham product John Skelton has outshined $10 million-dollar man Kevin Kolb in preseason action. The job that Kolb should have easily earned by now is once again in the hands of Skelton.

Or is it?

Both quarterbacks were utterly dreadful last night against the Titans. Skelton made a couple decent throws, but his QB rating and overall performance were positively dreadful at the end of the day. Kolb, for his part, did not appear to be playing in the same game as everyone else.

He missed wide open receivers, threw into areas where only blue and white uniforms could be seen, and wasted a perfectly good drive at the end of the half by throwing a pick-six on his first pass in the third quarter.

(To be fair, we’ll dole out plenty of blame to a pretty awful offensive line.)

This controversy graced the front page of ESPN.com and NFL.com for the majority of Thursday. It’s easily been one of the most prominent NFL headlines since preseason began.

With some great pieces on offense and an up-and-coming defense, Cardinals fans must be seething at the prospect of who’ll man the quarterback position in 2012. One could say that the coaching staff feels a similar contempt.

Huh, John Skelton or Kevin Kolb…

One thing’s for sure, Ken Whisenhunt hasn’t had a full night’s sleep since Kurt Warner retired.

AFC North

Cincinnati Bengals

The Andy Dalton-to-A.J. Green connection: this is one of the more exciting storylines in the NFL preseason, if not NFL in general.

Yes, I realize that I’ve placed a development associated with the perennial "Bungals" as a headline story.

But as of 2012, they’re officially back to Bengals status. Dalton and Green are the main reasons for Cincinnati’s return to NFL relevancy.

The Bengals selected these two phenoms with their first two picks in Rounds 1 and 2 of the 2011 draft. Aside from showing what intelligent drafting can do for an NFL franchise, Dalton (No. 35 overall) and Green (No. 4 overall) together alone brought their team back on the map—the map being nine wins and a trip to the postseason.

After a quiet preseason Game 1, the duo reminded the world why they’re a force to be reckoned with. They combined the following week for a sensational 50-yard pitch-and-catch that resulted in a touchdown. Dalton generated a 110.7 QB rating on the night for his work as well.

Even with an unremarkable day at the office last night against the Packers, their performance in Week 2 was sufficient to keep them in the collective conscience of NFL fandom. The pundits at ESPN and Scouts, Inc. sure recognize it as such.

With Dalton, Green and a fierce defense, the Bengals will remain a viable entity in the ultra-competitive AFC North. All three have reminded us of that so far in the preseason.

NFC North

Chicago Bears

Regenokine…uh, what?

For all those unfamiliar with the seeming gibberish, it is the name of the alternative treatment undergone by linebacker Brian Urlacher in Germany over the offseason.

According to reports by the Chicago Tribune (via ESPN), Urlacher paid for the non-U.S. sanctioned procedure himself after the team diagnosed him with an MCL/PCL strain in January.

ESPN’s Kevin Seifert did a fine job describing various implications surrounding the treatment, Urlacher, the Bears and how both refuse to comment. But I’ll take a different angle.

This reminds me of the fiasco behind those unconfirmed reports of Peyton Manning having mysterious neck and spine surgeries in obscure European countries. It reminds me of the disturbing uncertainty of whether a transcendent Hall-of-Fame player in his mid-thirties will ever see an NFL field again.

We all remember the unmitigated disaster that occurred in Indianapolis when Manning missed the 2011 season.

Losing Urlacher for the year (pure speculation, of course) would not produce that severe a fallout in Chicago. Yet, without a reliable backup behind the most important player on the defense, the Bears are in a precarious position.

Chicago is a team that many have as the vogue pick for the Super Bowl out of the NFC.

Vogue, though, can quickly turn into the periphery. Or in football terminology, a popular pick for the Super Bowl can quickly become worse than a dark horse when a player of Urlacher’s stature is lost for the year.

Stay tuned, Bears fans.

AFC/NFC South

Tie: Jacksonville Jaguars, New Orleans Saints

Ugh. There’s really no getting around this, is there?

Maurice Jones-Drew wants roughly $14 million per season (top RB money).

You’re a running back, your NFL lifespan is fleeting, you want to get paid, or traded or not—we get it.

The Saints appoint offensive line coach Aaron Kromer as the interim head coach.

Bountygate, suspended coaches, suspended players, maintain continuity, promote a good man in-house—we get that too.

Blanketing cynicism aside, these are indeed the most relevant stories emerging from the AFC and NFC South.

Would discussing a more football-related story be more entertaining? Sure.

I’d love to examine Tampa Bay’s rejuvenated offense with the likes of Vincent Jackson, Doug Martin and others in conjunction with Josh Freeman, the dynamic quarterback desperate for a rebound campaign.

Or even how the heralded Andrew Luck is wasting no time in assuming the reigns within an unprecedented post-Peyton Manning era in Indianapolis.

(Spoiler alert: stay tuned for more on this topic.)

Or what about Atlanta as the team to beat in the NFC South, Jake Locker as the new Titans QB, Cam Newton anything—yes, these are all important topics in the current NFL preseason.

But at the end of the day, the MJD contract holdout and New Orleans Saints situation post-Bountygate are the headlines that deserve the most attention.

Please don’t allow my cynical remarks to make you think otherwise.

AFC East

New England Patriots

There was a Twitter campaign out there—long since quashed by The Hoodie—that read along the lines of, #KeepBradyUpright2012.

Well, it was actually a witty hashtag from a concerned Patriots fan posed within a question to the reputable Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com.

(Don’t tell The Hoodie that the page is still up on ESPN.)

To the point, not only was that Twitter hashtag witty, but it was also quite apt. Not since the American nightmare that was Tom Brady gruesomely tearing his ACL in Week 1 of 2008, did the anxiety over Brady’s future health be as pervasive a concern among Patriots fans as it is right now.

Brady took an absolute beating by the Saints in his team’s first preseason game. He suffered through a brutal sack by Will Smith in the first series and was hit and chased in another. The box score completely fails to do justice to the atrocious play by the Patriots offensive line (please go back and review the film).

Case in point: Brady didn’t play a single snap the next week against the Eagles. It was the obviously prudent move by Bill Belichick, but the point remains. Just ask poor backup Brian Hoyer about his day at the office.

As Mike Reiss highlighted in his Patriots Mailbag column, tackles Nate Solder and Marcus Cannon have performed inadequately in pass protection throughout the preseason. They are the primary source for the unfortunate state of the offensive line.

While it is still the preseason, and while we should trust Belichick to devise a solution to this problem, the fact remains: Tom Brady is in trouble.

The prospects of Brady playing later this evening are tenuous at best. It’s fair to say that Patriot Nation can live with that notion.

But just remember: the last time Brady played on such a limited basis was 2008—the year that the collective soul of America found itself in a void, and when the way the game of football is played was irrevocably changed.

If that’s too melodramatic, we can always settle for the year Gisele took Brady away from us and the beginning of Mike Golic’s rants on how quarterbacks get special treatment.

NFC East

All Teams

Say hello to a preseason injury-bug epidemic of, well, epic proportions.

From New York Giants Camp: CB Terrell Thomas

Why is this significant? Thomas is the penciled-in starting cornerback (a very good one at that) if not for his persistent knee problem. His replacement is Prince Amukamara. Yes, Prince Amukamara, the second-year man the Giants deemed appropriate to forcibly submerge in a tub of frigid ice water. This seems like a combustible situation in the making. ESPN’s Dan Graziano thinks they just might not like the guy.

Could Prince be happy that Jason Pierre-Paul may miss tonight’s game?

From Philadelphia Eagles Camp: QB Michael Vick

Why is this significant? The man simply cannot stay on the football field. The latest bone-jarring hit he sustained to the ribs ended his preseason. This happens nearly every year. Vick is the heart and soul of this Eagles squad. If healthy, they’re the favorites to win the division. If not, they’ll likely miss the postseason altogether—even with a roster loaded with talent.

In Twitter vernacular: #VickOrBust #EaglesPlayoffHopes2012

From Dallas Cowboys Camp: Too Many to Count

Why is this significant? QB Tony Romo is playing with a bunch of second- and third-teamers. His receiving core is decimated (i.e. Jason Witten, Dez Bryant, Miles Austin). The offensive line is a revolving door. The defense has seen players go down too. Witten did avoid season-ending surgery, but the simple fact is that this offense is one walking injury. The Cowboys cannot squander this season after an offseason that thoroughly enriched the team with playmakers.

From Washington Redskins Camp: RBs Tim Hightower, Roy Helu

Why is this significant? RGIII is a rookie quarterback. A rookie QB’s best friend is a strong running game (well, and a tight end). The need for balance should not be underestimated—yes, even with Griffin’s prolific arm. Also, developing a rhythm within this offense requires him playing with a complete and consistent 11-man group. Having the top two running backs injured makes that fairly difficult. He’ll have to work with Evan Royster and rookie Alfred Morris for now.

You didn’t think I’d move on without bringing up the most hyped rookie showdown in the history of rookies or showdowns, did you?

On Saturday, Aug. 25 at approximately 4:00 p.m. ET, the NFL world may literally implode. No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck and No. 2 pick Robert Griffin III square off head-to-head in what some are calling the "Preseason Super Bowl."

Sheer pandemonium!

After 10-plus hours of Saturday pre-game coverage on NFL Network, everyone can finally make their first determination of who should have gone No. 1.

In all seriousness, it’s a big story. Please keep up.

Honorable Mentions

New York Jets

This is the only team that hasn’t scored a touchdown yet in the preseason. There’s also that thing about their offensive line being in shambles. And last, but certainly not least, the Sanchez-Tebow saga still exists.

Jacksonville Jaguars

If not for the MJD mess, the players who rightly deserve the attention would indeed have received it. Sophomore Blaine Gabbert and rookie Justin Blackmon have already established a great rapport together. And nobody noticed. Just recall that Gabbert’s disastrous rookie campaign and Blackmon’s offseason transgressions happened not too long ago. It sure looks like things are looking up in Jacksonville. Sorry, MJD.

Baltimore Ravens

Joe Flacco and the Ravens offense just racked up 48 points and 571 yards of offense against the Jaguars. Remember when he outplayed Tom Brady in the AFC Championship game, and only lost because a certain receiver dropped a perfectly good touchdown pass? Mr. Flacco could be on a mission in 2012.

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