NFL Offseason Mailbag with Kevin Roberts

This article will be a mail-in question/comment response, depending completely on reader feedback. You can contact me by e-mailing me at [e-mail] with any questions regarding the NFL for the entire offseason, leading into the 2009 season. For this first installment, I fielded questions from several of my own colleagues, and came up with five interesting questions.

1. After trading for Kellen Winslow, the Buccaneers signed him to a lucrative six-year, $36 million contract. Is he worth it, and can he make the Bucs contenders? John—Milwaukee, Wis.

If we're talking fantasy football, then yes, Winslow is worth it. However, last year was a bit of a down year, and the change of scenery could really go either way. He's quite a talent, though, and his attitude and history suggests he'll be in the top ten for tight ends for years to come. With Luke McCown or Brian Griese throwing him passes, though, I'm not so sure even adding another strong receiver would make them a contender.

2. What will happen with Julius Peppers? And if he stays, can Carolina re-group and make a run at the Super Bowl? Scott—Green Bay, Wis.

With or without Peppers, I firmly believe the Panthers have a solid corps to make another run.

Let's be honest: If it weren't for the crazy run the Cardinals were going on, as well as Jake Dehlomme's horrific five-interception night, they very well might have gotten to the Super Bowl. But to answer your question, I believe he will stay. They franchised him, so unless they work something out on Draft Day, he'll continue to be their engine on defense.

3. Al Harris and Charles Woodson are both over 33 years old, and there's no true insurance policy. What is Ted Thompson thinking?  John—Guernsey, Ill.

I couldn't agree with you more. Thompson is clearly hoping both can keep it together until he can add more depth through the draft, and he's also banking on the youth behind them to develop. The Packers drafted Auburn corner Pat Lee in the second round in last year's draft, and we still don't know what he's capable of.

Let's just hope he fairs better than Justin Harrell has.

4. Plaxico Burress, Marvin Harrison, Torry Holt, and Matt Jones are all available. If my team needs a receiver, who should I go for? Matt—Milwaukee, Wis.

Pick your poison. Are you looking for guns, drugs, or bad knees? You'd get at least one of them with any of these choices, and only two of them are still pressing on elite talent.

I actually like Jones the best, mostly because of his speed, size, and youth. Harrison is closer to the end than anyone wants to admit, Holt is at about 75 percent (and likely to stay that way), and like Jones, Burress still doesn't know if he'll be playing football or sitting in jail. Jones is a risk, but I like his potential.

5. Who wins the quarterback battles in Denver, Cleveland, and Minnesota? Brad—Tucson, Ariz.

This will ultimately depend on how the draft plays out, but however these teams draft, I think the most likely starter is going to be the guy.

For example, Kyle Orton has a solid head on his shoulders, knows how to win, and actually played last year. Chris Simms hasn't, so the coin goes for Orton. I also think Derek Anderson will lose the battle to golden boy Brady Quinn, and he could eventually still be involved in a trade, maybe even with Denver. Minnesota is a toss-up, and here's to hoping they draft a quarterback earlier than last year's fifth round John David Booty.

Keep an eye on the Matt Cassel versus Tyler Thigpen duel as well.

Thanks to all who sent back questions, and to those in the future who send more in. I will be writing this article once a week, and hopefully it does well enough that I can get at least five good questions for each column.

Again, I can be reached at my e-mail, [e-mail].