NFL Free Agency: Salary Cap Status of All 32 NFL Teams and Potential Signings

The NFL lockout is seemingly nearing its end with the talks becoming more frequent between the NFL Players Association and the owners which allows casual fans and reporters to speculate a tentative, albeit optimistic agreement happening sometime next week before July 25th.

If an agreement is reached by then, all 32 NFL teams will enter a frenzy to sign potential free agents and draft picks before the start of their respective training camps, giving some teams as short as a seven-day window.

Each year teams rely on free agency to address needs that weren't filled by the draft and the possible proposed salary cap of $120 million for the 2011-12 season will drastically affect a handful of teams and how they address those needs.

According to ESPN's Chris Mortensen, under this new proposed collective bargaining agreement teams will be required to spend between 90-93 percent of their cap.

In addition to the proposed salary cap, there have been talks of allowing veterans to become unrestricted free agents after four years, which may result in teams losing several players that were previously classified as restricted free agents under the old collective bargaining agreement.

Also realize that some of the figures quoted in this article are subject to change due to teams not yet getting a chance to sign their draft picks and the ruling on dead money. The placement of the franchise tag on some players will lower the overall cap number for some teams as well.

But regardless of the exact numbers of the new CBA, certain teams will struggle to get under the new cap while others will relish the opportunity the cap provides.

Arizona Cardinals

2010-11 NFL Record: 5-11

Total 2011 Payroll: $83 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$37 million

Key Free Agents: RB Tim Hightower, C Lyle Sendlein, DT Alan Branch

Team Needs: Quarterback

To think only a few years ago the Cardinals represented the NFC in the Super Bowl against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Tsk tsk how the mighty have fallen.

Despite their recent woes, the Cardinals have plenty of cap room to address their needs. Look for them to release their leading rusher in Tim Hightower after drafting Virginia Tech's Ryan Williams.

They will be crossing their fingers hoping Beanie Wells can return to form from his promising rookie season or Williams will develop into their lead back.

On paper the Cardinals have a solid team with a top 3 wide receiver in Larry Fitzgerald and key defensive playmakers in the form of Darnell Dockett, Adrian Wilson, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and newly acquired Patrick Peterson, but the one vital element they're missing is a quarterback.

Fitzgerald has stated publicly that he wants the Philadelphia Eagles' Kevin Kolb in a Cardinals uniform next season and it seems as if the trigger on this deal will be pulled almost immediately after the lockout is lifted.

If so, look for the Cardinals to bounce back from an abysmal 2010-11 season and possibly walk away division winners in the weak NFC West.

Atlanta Falcons

2010-11 NFL Record: 13-3

Total 2011 Payroll: $102.1 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$17.9 million

Key Free Agents: CB Brent Grimes, C Harvey Dahl, OT Tyson Clabo, FB Jason Snelling

Team Needs: Defensive End, Linebacker

With the emergence of quarterback Matt Ryan as one of the league's premier passers and an already solid offense, before the addition of Julio Jones, the proved to be the NFC's best regular season team.

They have a nice mixture of a solid running game behind Michael Turner and a potent passing attack led by All-Pro wideout Roddy White but their weakness lies with their defense.

The first task of the Falcons should be to resign All-Pro cornerback Brent Grimes, who led the team with five interceptions and was second with 76 tackles.

Grimes is a player they groomed from obscurity and without the presence of another No. 1 corner signing Grimes should be priority number one. After Grimes is locked up, the Falcons will need to try to bring back at least one of their offensive linemen and Jason Snelling.

Tackle Tyson Clabo would be the preferred choice out of their two free agent linemen but I have a feeling Clabo will sign elsewhere due to the fact that the Falcons may not be able to afford him or he is offered more elsewhere.

Also despite the presence of aging veteran John Abraham the team lacked a true presence that allowed them to consistently pressure opposing teams' quarterbacks.

With what money they have left after re-signing Grimes look for them to go after a solid defensive end or outside linebacker, possibly in the form of David Harris or James Anderson.

Baltimore Ravens

2010-11 NFL Record: 12-4

Total 2011 Payroll: $101.3 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$18.7 million

Key Free Agents: DT Haloti Ngata, FB Le'Ron McClain, OT Jared Gaither, G Marshall Yanda, CB Josh Wilson, S Dawan Landry, S Tom Zbikowski

Team Needs: Pass-Rusher, Wide Receiver

As always the Ravens had one of the league's most ferocious defenses led by perennial All-Pros Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. Last season, their defense was top three and limited opponents to only 212 yards per game.

Their offense benefitted from the addition of wide receiver Anquan Boldin but late in the season defenses starting keying in on him and limited his efficiency.

If quarterback Joe Flacco is going to continue to improve the Ravens might need to look into a second option at receiver opposite Boldin, but that's down their list of priorities.

Their first interest is defensive tackle Haloti Ngata who will only be available if the previous CBA's franchise tagging rules do not apply in the new CBA, but most likely they'll give Ngata a long-term deal and further free more cap space.

It seems as if the Ravens are willing to let McClain, Wilson and Landry walk seeing that they just drafted Colorado's Jimmy Smith and will probably re-sign Zbikowski.

McClain will most likely demand a lot of money seeing he is one of the better fullbacks available so look for the Ravens to find a cheaper option maybe in the form of Atlanta's Jason Snelling or Cleveland's Lawrence Vickers.

Addressing the need of a pass rusher will be a little more difficult problem for the Ravens to address mainly because the players in this year's defensive end free-agent class aren't necessarily suited to play in the Raven's 3-4 defensive scheme.

They may reach for a player or conserve their money and look in-house for a competent pass-rusher.

Buffalo Bills

2010-11 NFL Record: 4-12

Total 2011 Payroll: $96.4 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$23.6 million

Key Free Agents: LB Paul Posluszny

Team Needs: Quarterback, Defensive End, Offensive Tackle, Wide Receiver

As evidenced by their record, the Bills have many needs to address on both sides of the ball. They have adequate cap space to fill certain positional needs with solid players but their main concern should be re-signing Paul Posluszny.

Posluszny is one of the lone bright spots on a horrid defense and pairing him with newly acquired defensive tackle Marcell Dareus could provide a solid foundation to build their defense upon.

Once Posluszny is resigned the Bills need to focus on their offensive line. Since they have not made any attempt to acquire a replacement for quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick it looks as if they are content with him going forward despite an unimpressive season.

Therefore it they're going to Fitzpatrick a legitimate chance to lead the Bills back to respectability he needs the type of protection that this team's perenially bad offensive line could not provide.

Look for them to try to acquire a cheap but solid tackle, maybe in the form of Oakland's Mario Henderson or Tampa Bay's Jeremy Trueblood.

If they feel Fitzpatrick is not the answer at quarterback they have been linked to rumors of trying to pursue Philadelphia's Kevin Kolb, but their asking price may be too steep.

It would be fun to see them go after Matt Leinart and possibly revive his career and the fortunes of this franchise.

Carolina Panthers

2010-11 NFL Record: 2-14

Total 2011 Payroll: $73 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$47 million

Key Free Agents: QB Matt Moore, RB DeAngelo Williams, DE Charles Johnson, LB James Anderson, CB Richard Marshall

Team Needs: Offensive line, Defensive Tackle

Not much positive can be said about the Panther's 2010-11 season except that they came away with a possible franchise quarterback in Cam Newton. It looks as if the Panthers are not going to throw Newton directly in the fire pit but have him take a year or two learning from the bench.

With that said, expect the Panther's 2011-12 season to be comparable to last season.

Wide receiver Steve Smith has voiced his displeasure with the direction this team is going and has said he wants out of Carolina. This could be a blessing in disguise for the Panthers despite losing an All-Pro receiver. Smith will warrant a lot of attention and as a result the Panther's asking price should be high.

If the Panthers get good compensation in return for Smith added with their expected top-five 2012 draft pick then this team will be putting themselves in a position to build for the future through the draft.

Don't look for the Panthers to be big spenders once free agency starts. Panther's management has never been one to go out and spend tons of money, so the Panthers will most likely sit tight save the few hole pluggers they may go after to fill roster spots.

Chicago Bears

2010-11 NFL Record: 11-5

Total 2011 Payroll: $104.9 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$15.1 million

Key Free Agents: S Danieal Manning, DT Anthony Adams, TE Desmond Clark, C Olin Kreutz

Team Needs: Wide Receiver, Guard

Da Bears are a team that has shown the desire to consistently compete for a championship for the next few years. Last year's signing of Julius Peppers showed the team is in a win-now mode and look for them to fill the few remaining holes they have through free agency.

The first priority of the Bears should be resigning their own personnel, namely center Olin Kreutz and defensive tackle Anthony Adams. Kreutz is a savvy veteran part of one of the league's worst offensive lines, to lose someone who already knows the system would be viewed as taking a step backwards rather than trying to win.

Their offensive line benefited from the addition of draft pick Gabe Camiri but they need more help especially being in the same division as B.J. Raji and Ndamukong Suh, so look for them to possibly pursue Tampa Bay's Davin Joseph.

Another need of the Bears is to find a strong option at wide receiver. They have three capable but small receivers in Johnny Knox, Devin Hester, and Earl Bennett so they are in definite need of a larger receiver that can help them in the red zone.

Quarterback Jay Cutler has had his ups and downs throughout his time in Chicago but giving him a big, speedy target like Sidney Rice or Braylon Edwards will only frequent his "ups."

Look for Chicago to make another splash by getting one of these capable receivers in this strong wide receiver free-agency class.

Cincinnati Bengals

2010-11 NFL Record: 4-12

Total 2011 Payroll: $90.7 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$29.3 million

Key Free Agents: WR Terrell Owens, WR Chad Ochocinco, CB Johnathan Joseph, TE Reggie Kelly, FB Brian Leonard, RB Cedric Benson

Team Needs: Cornerback, Quarterback

Quarterback Carson Palmer and the Bengals need to sort out their situation almost immediately after the lockout ends so the team and Palmer can move forward.

As you probably already know, Palmer has threatened retirement if the Bengals don't move him, and it looks like the Bengals are taking his threats seriously which is why they drafted TCU's Andy Dalton.

If they do decide to trade or release Palmer, Dalton is not ready to start so they'll need to look for an option via free agency. Maybe giving proven veteran Matt Hasselbeck a chance while Dalton learns will be their best option if they want to prove last year's horrific season a fluke.

With a little spending money expect the Bengals to re-sign Cedric Benson. He has produced two consecutive plus 1,000-yard seasons so they'll need his consistent offensive presence especially since they're probably losing both Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco.

Even though the will be losing their two starting receivers it looks as if A.J. Green will soften the blow of their departure.

But another big name that will most likely leave Cincinnati is Johnathan Joseph. Joseph is widely considered the best cornerback option behing Nnamdi Asomugha, and they'll need to fill his void especially considering the recent legal troubles Adam Jones has experienced lately.

Pursuing a cheap option in Ike Taylor or even Josh Wilson would be a worthwhile idea and with Leon Hall at the other cornerback slot they'll have a little leeway to less attractive options.

Cleveland Browns

2010-11 NFL Record: 5-11

Total 2011 Payroll: $99.2 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$20.8 million

Key Free Agents: CB Eric Wright, FB Lawrence Vickers, QB Seneca Wallace

Team Needs: Cornerback, Safety, Wide Receiver

The Browns appear to have stumbled upon a decent offensive foundation last season with the average but promising play of quarterback Colt McCoy and the emergence of the man-beast we all know as Peyton Hillis.

Hillis is the type of physical specimen that the Browns should be able to rely on for years thus easing the pressure on McCoy until he is truly ready to take the reins of this offense.

In the meantime, it would not hurt the Browns to looks to acquire a stud receiver McCoy can build a relationship with. Braylon Edwards surely will not be returning to Cleveland and other options such as Sidney Rice or Santonio Holmes may have too high of an asking price.

Look for Cleveland to pursue a cheaper option maybe like Seattle's Mike Williams, who is not necessarily young but has shown he still has room for improvement.

As insurance in case McCoy does not pan out or gets injured Seneca Wallace should be returning to Cleveland along with cornerback Eric Wright. Wright will be an essential re-signing if they continue to wish to strengthen their secondary.

Also look for the Browns to try to grab one of the premier safeties available. They'll be losing Abram Elam to free agency so bringing in someone like Donte Whitner would be an ideal situation seeing that Whitner is an Ohio native and played four years under Dick Jauron in Buffalo.

Whitner was fifth in the league with 140 tackles so pairing him with T.J. Ward could create a potentially devastating safety duo. The only problem here is that Whitner is a restricted free agent and showed a willingness to return to Buffalo, so they'll have to throw some money at him if they want to convince him to come to Cleveland.

Dallas Cowboys

2010-11 NFL Record: 6-10

Total 2011 Payroll: $136.6 million

Over/Under Cap: minus-$16.6 million

Key Free Agents: DE Stephen Bowen, DE Jason Hatcher, OT Doug Free, S Gerald Sensabaugh, CB Alan Ball

Team Needs: Safety, Defensive End

As mentioned before, the new CBA will benefit certain teams but it could also potentially devastate others and unfortunately for Cowboy fans they're included in the latter category.

While other teams are going to be looking for roster improvements via free agency, the Cowboys will be looking at their roster deciding what veterans to retain to allow them to be under the cap.

Some of the more familiar names we've seen in blue and white for the past years may be gone so prepare yourselves. Two of those familiar faces are running back Marion Barber and wide receiver Roy Williams.

Both players have not lived up to the potential many Cowboy fans though they would and as a result the Cowboys have brought in younger talent in the form of Tashard Choice and Dez Bryant that have exceeded the production of Barber and Williams in the few years they have been playing.

Jerry Jones has stated that their main off-season priority is re-signing tackle Doug Free and whether that priority is based in reality is left unsaid. Free will at least demand $40 million to $50 million which the Cowboys will have to further decimate their roster to come up with.

But if they're unsuccessful in persuading Free to sign for less he'll most likely walk along with safety Gerald Sensabaugh and cornerback Alan Ball leaving their secondary in worse condition than last year's horrid state.

We all know Jerry Jones has a flair for the eccentric and there have been rumors of the Cowboys possibly pursuing Oakland's Nnamdi Asomugha.

Acquiring Asomugha will instantly upgrade their secondary and in theory would be a good haul, heck he would be a good haul for almost every team, but teams are going to be in a bidding war over Asomugha which may knock the Cowboys out of the fight early.

They have other needs to address, such as defensive end, so signing a cheaper albeit less attractive corner and put whatever money they have left into acquiring a capable defensive end would be the sensible solution.

Denver Broncos

2010-11 NFL Record: 4-12

Total 2011 Payroll: $125 million

Over/Under Cap: minus-$5 million

Key Free Agents: QB Brady Quinn, OT Ryan Harris

Team Needs: Defensive Tackle, Cornerback

The Broncos addressed a lot of their needs on defense through the draft but they still have a few holes to fill if they want their defense to at least have a grain of respectability.

With the No. 2 pick, they had a tough decision to make in choosing between cornerback Patrick Peterson, linebacker Von Miller or defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and they chose Miller, time will tell if their selection is the right choice but they have to address the other positions.

To address the defensive tackle position the Broncos did draft Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year Jeremy Beal and he may be the solution but they need to add more depth to the position just in case, even though they don't have the wiggle room of other teams.

But before they pursue a a defensive tackle they need to provide protection to whatever quarterback John Fox decides to go with.

Tim Tebow performed admirably during the times he was on the field, but he would be best served to sit another season and familiarize himself with the more intricate details of the quarterback position.

Their secondary needs help, but it does not look like the Broncos will address that need this offseason and rightfully so with cornerback Champ Bailey and safety Brian Dawkins still performing at a high level.

But both players are nearing the end of their careers so a replacement for each position will need to be found sooner than later if Denver hopes to stop division rivals Matt Cassel and Phillip Rivers.

Detroit Lions

2010-11 NFL Record: 6-10

Total 2011 Payroll: $113.8 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$6.2 million

Key Free Agents: CB Chris Houston, DE Cliff Avril, FB Jerome Felton

Team Needs: Cornerback

The fortunes are seemingly turning for this once abysmal franchise because of consecutive successful drafts, an increase in the win column, and keeping it close and competitive in several very tough games.

If Matthew Stafford can stay healthy the entire season this team looks poised to compete for one of the last playoff spots in the NFC. During the times he was on the field, Stafford has proven he has the talent worthy of a No. 1 overall pick but talent means nothing without production.

Their number one need coming into the draft was cornerback and despite getting a huge haul in Nick Fairley and Titus Young, the cornerback position was left unaddressed.

That being said, their secondary was unimpressive last season and that trend will continue if they allow cornerback Chris Houston to walk so re-signing him and defensive end Cliff Avril will ensure the progress of their defense.

Avril is a key component in what figures to be a potentially nasty defensive line, and although the line will still be good if he is not re-signed, having him on the team will only solidify the ferocity of this line.

Even when the Lions re-sign Houston they'll still need additional help in the secondary in the form of another cornerback.

The drawback is that they do not have tons of money to spend on one of the deeper free agent positions, so they'll most likely have to settle for a cheaper option like Eric Wright or Josh Wilson, still both corners will upgrade the secondary.

Green Bay Packers

2010-11 NFL Record: 10-6

Total 2011 Payroll: $129.8 million

Over/Under Cap: minus-$9.8 million

Key Free Agents: S Atari Bigby, WR James Jones, DE Cullen Jenkins, Daryn Colledge, FB John Kuhn

Team Needs: Linebacker?

The Super Bowl champs do not have many problems to address hence the reason they're the Champs! In fact they can possibly improve without ever having to make one offseason move due to the fact that they'll be returning 17 players from injured reserve, including starting running back Ryan Grant.

The one position that can be improved for the Packers was offensive line but they addressed that concern through the draft taking Mississippi State's Derek Sherrod.

Sherrod may not be immediately ready to contribute, but this is the same offensive line that gave Aaron Rodgers enough time to win the Super Bowl, so they can afford to wait on the development of their pick.

Linebacker is another position that can be addressed to improve the team's defense.

Linebacker Clay Matthews has been doing such an amazing job on the outside rushing the quarterback that teams are now going to structure their game plan to limiting his presence.

If Green Bay can get another solid linebacker, maybe not of Matthew's talents but solid still, to force teams to stay honest it will only help with the improvement of Matthews and the defense overall.

Defensive end Cullen Jenkins is their biggest free agent and was a key contributor of the Packers' championship defense, but sadly, he most likely will not be returning to the green and yellow next season.

Jenkins is one of the few available quality defensive ends that have the ability to play in a 3-4 defense, so he will be sought after by more than a few teams that are looking for a big presence on the outside.

Even if Green Bay does lose Jenkins there defensive line is formidable enough to make up for the loss.

Houston Texans

2010-11 NFL Record: 6-10

Total 2011 Payroll: $118.4 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$1.6 million

Key Free Agents: QB Matt Leinart, RB Arian Foster, FB Vonta Leach, TE Owen Daniels, CB Jason Allen, S Bernard Pollard

Team Needs: Cornerback, Defensive Tackle, Safety

Last year the Houston Texans boasted the league's worst passing defense by getting picked apart in the tune of 267.5 yards per game. Aside from that many thought the Texans would make a playoff push.

They have a spectacular cast of offense players in quarterback Matt Schaub, running back Arian Foster, and wide receiver Andre Johnson, but their play in the secondary is eventually what dashed their playoff hopes.

To address that need look for the Texans to be one of the bigger players in the Nnamdi Asomugha sweepstakes.

Although there have been reports of Asomugha saying he does not want to play in Houston because he wants to play for a contender, still look for the Texans to heavily pursue him, and if they decide they cannot sign him, they will also pursue the likes of Jonathan Joseph or Ike Taylor.

Safety is another area of concern in the Texans' secondary and they most likely will be looking to add a veteran strong safety to compete with their current crop. Quintin Mikell fits that description perfectly and if he does not re-sign with Philadelphia there's a high chance that he'll make Houston his new home.

This offseason the Texans brought in Cowboy-reject Wade Phillips in hopes that the 3-4 defense he's bringing with him will improve the team's pass rush and ultimately their pass defense.

With their first two picks, the Texans drafted defensive ends J.J. Watt and Brooks Reed, so Phillips has a few new toys to play with but, as we all know, for a 3-4 defense to be successful a dominant defensive tackle is needed to stuff the run.

While a seemingly perfect fit in Aubrayo Franklin is available it looks as if the Texans might decide to be conservative and look in-house for a solution.

The emergence of running back Arian Foster was not only one of the surprises of the Texans' season but of the entire league's season.

Foster is a extremely hard runner, and this offseason he will be classified as an exclusive right free agent, so look for the Texans to restructure his contract the first available chance they get.

Foster's success can mainly be attributed to his running style and dedication to improve but let's not forget fullback Vonta Leach's contribution.

Leach is arguably a top 5 fullback in the league so the Texans will do everything in their power to try to retain his services and ensure the future success of Foster.

Former golden boy quarterback Matt Leinart likely will not re-sign in Houston and will look elsewhere for a chance to become a team's starting quarterback.

Indianapolis Colts

2010-11 NFL Record: 10-6

Total 2011 Payroll: $115.5 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$4.5 million

Key Free Agents: S Melvin Bullitt, RB Joseph Addai, DT Eric Foster

Team Needs: Defensive Tackle, Running back, Kicker

The first order of business the Colts absolutely need to take care of is locking up four-time MVP, Super Bowl champ quarterback Peyton Manning long term.

Before the start of the lockout the Colts placed a franchise tag on Manning which would most likely hold up in the new CBA, but expect them still to make Manning one of the richest players in the league.

The two teams that suffered the most injuries last season were the Green Bay Packers and the Indianapolis Colts. As we all know, the Packers went onto win the Super Bowl, but the Colts suffered an early playoff loss.

Therefore, like the Packers, the Colts are going to naturally improve with the return of some of their injured players, so they might not look to free agency as a saving grace as much as other teams will.

Longtime running back Joseph Addai is going to be a free agent this off-season but will most likely return to Indianapolis. If they do pursue a free agent or two look for them to address the defensive tackle position.

They ranked 25th in rushing defense, so they'll be looking for a big run stuffing tackle like Seattle's Brandon Mebane.

Kicker is also an area of concern for the Colts. Kicker Adam Vinatieri will be a free agent, but the Colts may be looking to invest in a younger player rather than throw money at the 37-year-old Vinatieri.

Jacksonville Jaguars

2010-11 NFL Record: 8-8

Total 2011 Payroll: $78.1 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$41.9 million

Key Free Agents: TE Marcedes Lewis, QB Luke McCown, WR Mike Sims-Walker, S Sean Considine, LB Kirk Morrison, LB Justin Durant

Team Needs: Safety, Linebacker

All three of Jacksonville's starting linebackers are slated to become free agents this off-season and most likely none of them will be returning thus making linebacker the largest area of need for the Jaguars.

The Jags are soundly under the cap but with three linebacker positions needing to be addressed it looks as if they'll be spending a more than a few dollars of that money, if they want to remain competitive.

Tampa Bay's Barrett Rudd looks like an ideal fit for the Jags at linebacker. He will not demand too much money and being that he is only 28 years old, he is in his prime and could have an immediate impact with this defense.

Other possible solutions at linebacker are Stephen Nicholas, James Anderson or Paul Posluszny.

Another area of concern for the Jaguars is their secondary. They led the league in opponent's yards per pass attempt and was 28th overall in passing defense.

They opted to draft their future quarterback in Blaine Gabbert instead of addressing their needs in the secondary thus one would assume that their plan is to go after a quality safety or cornerback opposite Rashean Mathis.

This is the position I expect the Jaguars to spend most of their money on. It is rumored they covet safety Eric Weddle and in return Weddle will be looking to cash in.

Signing Weddle will immediately spark life in their pass coverage, and his presence will cover many of their secondary's still present deficiencies if they choose not to sign another cornerback.

As mentioned before, many of the Jaguars' free agents will not be returning to the team especially the defensive players but look for the Jags to re-sign tight end Marcedes Lewis. Lewis led the team with 10 receiving touchdowns in what seemed to be a breakout year for him.

His presence is needed if the Jags still wish to progress with their young receiving core, most likely minus Sims-Walker, and the Jags recognized this and aptly placed their franchise tag on him.

Kansas City Chiefs

2010-11 NFL Record: 10-6

Total 2011 Payroll: $74.7 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$45.3 million

Key Free Agents: TE Leonard Pope, LB Tamba Hali, QB Brodie Croyle

Team Needs: Defensive Tackle, Offensive Tackle

The Chiefs, like the Detroit Lions, are one of the few teams in the league that have been synonymous with losing but through the years have bolstered their player personnel with high draft picks and as a result are significantly below the cap with a young, very solid team.

They continued their drafting trend by selecting Pittsburgh's Jonathan Baldwin with their first pick. Baldwin stands over 6'4'' and has tremendous upside and addresses their need for a playmaking receiver opposite Dwayne Bowe.

The draft actually filled many of the Chiefs' needs after the 2010 season, so their dive into free agency may not be a big one. If they do decide to sign a few players, it will be more for the sake of depth than need.

At the defensive tackle position, the Chiefs drafted Mississippi's Jerrell Powe who might make a push for a starting position but if they wish to give him competition they may look to sign a cheap but quality tackle.

They'll be returning two starters from an offensive line that boasted the league's best rushing attack but also one of the worst passing attacks. Like defensive tackle, they'll most likely aim to add reinforcements at the tackle positions in preparation of an injury.

The Chiefs have a few free agents available but out of that crop their most coveted free agent will be linebacker Tamba Hali. Prior to the lockout the Chiefs placed their franchise tag on Hali and will most likely re-sign him with their first opportunity.

Longtime tight end Leonard Pope will most likely be let go due to the emergence of rookie Tony Moeaki.

Miami Dolphins

2010-11 NFL Record: 7-9

Total 2011 Payroll: $103.1 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$16.9 million

Key Free Agents: RB Ronnie Brown, FB Lex Hilliard, RB Ricky Williams, QB Tyler Thigpen

Team Needs: Guard, Running Back, Quarterback

Miami boasts one of the league's better defenses ranking top 10 against both the pass and rush, and this is with their 2010 first and fourth-round picks out for most of the season.

So in all likelihood, there will be no major additions to their defense this offseason. The offense, on the other hand, is a totally different story.

The Dolphins are looking to lose both running backs Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown, who helped make their Wildcat offense a staple in the NFL, but that may viewed as a good thing for Miami.

The loss of both players has given Miami a good amount of breathing room under the cap, and they may look to go after one of the better feature running backs like DeAngelo Williams, Darren Sproles or even Reggie Bush.

They seemed to be favored to sign the cheaper Sproles due to using their second-round pick on running back Daniel Thomas and may spend on their offensive line instead.

Coach Tony Sparano looks as if he is giving his vote of confidence to quarterback Chad Henne for next season. Despite Henne's less than average play, Sparano has not tried to upgrade the quarterback position and instead has tried to improve its protection by drafting center Mike Pouncey.

Look for this trend to continue with Sparano as he tries to bolster the interior line. Free agent guards Harvey Dahl or Marshall Yanda are two options the Dolphins may pursue to compete with their current crop of guards.

Minnesota Vikings

2010-11 NFL Record: 6-10

Total 2011 Payroll: $108.4 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$11.6 million

Key Free Agents: WR Sidney Rice, DE Ray Edwards, OT Ryan Cook, DT Pat Williams, S Tyrell Johnson

Team Needs: Safety, Wide Receiver

Brett Favre is finally gone! Many Vikings will argue when I say the Favre drama of the last seasons probably hurt the Vikings more than it helped, but with his departure, the Vikings are poised to move forward behind first-round pick Christian Ponder.

Like a few seasons ago, the Vikings are still built to win now but even with a new quarterback and a new head coach, they still look like they have a ways to go in the stacked NFC North.

Prior to the lockout, the offseason move of placing their franchise tag on linebacker Chad Greenway in lieu of wide receiver Sidney Rice perplexed many.

When the Vikings decided not to do this, Rice immediately became the top free agent wide receiver available, so expect many suitors for him, including the Vikings.

Re-signing Rice is a must for the Vikings this offseason, and if they fail to do so that could have lasting effects on the development of Ponder and create depth issues at the position. If the Vikings do elect to re-sign him, he will be costly and as a result they'll most likely lose defensive end Ray Edwards.

Safety is another concern for the Vikings is their many inconsistent players or players with injuries in their secondary. They could use a sure tackler at the safety position, and this may come in the form of Baltimore's Dawan Landry.

Landry posted 111 tackles last season as opposed to 75 tackles each from current safeties Husain Abdullah and Madieu Williams, so his presence will definitely be noticed.

New England Patriots

2010-11 NFL Record: 14-2

Total 2011 Payroll: $102.3 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$17.7 million

Key Free Agents: DT Gerard Warren, G Logan Mankins, RB BenJarvis Green-Ellis, OT Matt Light

Team Needs: Defensive End

Ever since the promotion of Tom Brady to the starting quarterback position, the Patriots are perenially one of the best teams in the league and are always viewed as a possible Super Bowl contender.

Last year much didn't change and the Patriots posted a 14-2 record on road to an unanimous MVP season by Tom Brady.

It also did not help that the Patriots had six draft picks in the first three rounds of this year's draft, and with their stellar drafting history, they filled the proper holes and likely insured their future successes.

The Patriots have a few dollars to spend this off-season and are in need of a dominant pass rusher that can bolster the league's third worst passing defense.

Last year, it was said coach Bill Belichick almost fanatically pursued defensive end Jason Taylor only to lose him to their division rival New York Jets.

With Taylor again available this offseason Belichick may choose once again to pursue the defensive end or he may choose another route in Cullen Jenkins. Jenkins posted seven sacks last year in only 11 games, so his presence on the outside will only make it easier on the linebackers and the secondary.

Also a bonus in signing Jenkins is that he most likely won't demand too much money therefore they'll have more room to spend on other positions.

Last season, upon his return guard Logan Mankins re-energized the Patriots' rushing attack which allowed lesser known players, like Green-Ellis, to overachieve but for the second year in a row the Patriots placed their franchise tag on Mankins hoping to retain his services.

Obviously, Mankins is unhappy with his contract situation and it looks as if he'll holdout and possibly force the Patriots to trade him if they don't restructure his contract.

Mankins's impact on the Patriots' rushing attack last season is undeniable, and they should try to at least work with the guy but the situation as of now looks like Mankins may be in a different uniform next season.

They'll also most likely be losing offensive tackle Matt Light seeing that Light is the most accomplished of the available offensive tackle free agents, and the asking price may be higher than the Patriots are willing to spend.

New Orleans Saints

2010-11 NFL Record: 11-5

Total 2011 Payroll: $105.2 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$14.8 million

Key Free Agents: TE David Thomas, FB Heath Evans, G Carl Nicks, S Roman Harper

Team Needs: Defensive Tackle, Offensive Tackle

A year after winning the Super Bowl the Saints suffered one of the biggest playoff upsets in history, losing to a 7-9 Seattle Seahawk team in the Wild Card.

The Saints have one of the more profilic passing attacks in the NFL, led by quarterback Drew Brees, but if they wish to return to the Super Bowl they have a few key areas that need to be addressed.

Guard Carl Nicks is probably the best available player at his position and with him being a restricted free agent this offseason, the Saints have the upper hand in re-signing him. His signing is essential if the Saints want to ensure the future success of draft pick and former Heisman winner Mark Ingram.

Ingram is a between the tackles type of player and Nicks has the skill to create the needed space for him to be effective. As most are saying, Ingram's arrival, paired with current running backs Chris Ivory and Pierre Thomas, is a telling sign of the release or trade of Reggie Bush.

The Saints only averaged four yards per carry last year so they should also look to improve their tackle position this offseason. If they want to strike gold, they have enough cap space to pursue tackle Matt Light, and if Light is too expensive, then they have other options in Doug Free or Jared Gaither.

Another area of concern for the Saints last season was their pass rush, which only posted 10.5 sacks as a unit. To address this need they drafted defensive end Cameron Jordan, but they'll still need interior help.

At this position Chris Hoke or even possibly Anthony Adams could provide competition at that spot and bolster the quality of their line.

New York Giants

2010-11 NFL Record: 10-6

Total 2011 Payroll: $126.3 million

Over/Under Cap: minus-$6.3 million

Key Free Agents: DT Barry Coefield, RB Ahmad Bradshaw, TE Kevin Boss, WR Steve Smith, DE Mathias Kiwanuka, LB Keith Bullock

Team Needs: Tight End, Linebacker

The first area of priority for the Giants is to re-sign some of their essential free agents. This should not be a problem since the Giants are considered Super Bowl contenders, so expect to see Ahmad Bradshaw, Kevin Boss, Mathias Kiwanuka and Steve Smith back playing at the Meadowlands next season.

The Giants drafted Michigan State's Greg Jones to man their inside linebacker position but Jones may not be ready to handle starter duties, so do not be surprised to see the Giants pursue someone in free agency to immediately start, like Carolina's Thomas Jones.

They also could opt to look in-house at former second-round pick Clint Sintim. Right when Sintim seemed to be picking up on the nuisances of the Giants' 4-3 defense he suffered a season-ending knee injury.

The Giants should also look to address their tight end position which struggled heavily at times last season with blocking and receiving. As I stated before, Kevin Boss will most likely return as their feature receiving tight end, but they need a tight end more suited for blocking.

Denver's Dan Gronkowski is an ideal fit seeing that he most likely can be had for cheap, and he has experience blocking from being a former fullback.

New York Jets

2010-11 NFL Record: 11-5

Total 2011 Payroll: $128.5 million

Over/Under Cap: minus-$8.5 million

Key Free Agents: WR Santonio Holmes, WR Braylon Edwards, WR Brad Smith, DE Shaun Ellis, LB David Harris, CB Antonio Cromartie

Team Needs: Wide Receiver

Seeing that they have several players becoming free agents and combined with the fact that they are $8.5 million over the cap, the Jets are primed to lose a lot of key players this offseason.

But despite the foreseeable loss of those players the Jets have enough depth and talent at those positions to make fans forget about their absence.

The outlook on the Jets offseason is more in the tune of who will they retain rather than who will they sign. Of their available free agents, the general consensus is they are likely to retain at least one of their wide receivers, possibly two and linebacker David Harris, but everyone else will be free game.

Santonio Holmes should be their main receiving target and possibly the cheaper Brad Smith, because of his double duty abilities. Wide receiver Braylon Edwards and cornerback Antonio Cromartie will be out of the Jets' price range and aging defensive end Shaun Ellis may not be worth the hassle.

If the Jets do plan to re-sign Holmes, Harris and Smith, it will put them even further over the cap than they are currently so to meet the league requirements they will have to cut a few players.

Despite a successful season it will almost certain that one of the players to be released will be LaDainian Tomlinson, the Jets are confident to use Shonn Greene as their feature back which will make Tomlinson expendable.

Oakland Raiders

2010-11 NFL Record: 8-8

Total 2011 Payroll: $85.8 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$34.2 million

Key Free Agents: RB Michael Bush, FB Marcel Reece, TE Zach Miller, OT Mario Henderson, DT John Henderson, CB Nnamdi Asomugha, S Michael Huff, G Robert Gallery

Team Needs: Wide Receiver, Cornerback, Safety, Offensive Line

The past season showed a marked improvement on the part of Oakland Raiders, remaining undefeated in the AFC West and successfully finishing the season with a .500 record.

Al Davis and his team are on the verge on becoming an annual playoff team, but they still need to improve some depth issues, re-sign several key free agents and address their offensive line issues.

Due to a contract stipulation Nnamdi Asomugha will become a free agent this off-season and as a result he is the top overall free agent available. Asomugha is one of the core reasons for the Raiders improvement, he is a top-two cornerback in the league and basically shuts down an opposing team's best receiver and half of the field.

This ability allows other members of the defense to gamble more. Every other team knows this and wants Asomugha for that sole fact so he should be expecting a huge contract.

Al Davis has never been shy about throwing money around but due to the possible $15 million to $18 million contract Asomugha may demand and the fact that he has stated he wants to play for a contender, it looks as if he may not be returning to play for Raider nation.

Obviously losing Asomugha is a large blow but it may also be viewed as a blessing in disguise for the Raiders.

The same can also be said for safety Michael Huff. Asomugha and Huff would have demanded so much money that the Raiders may not have had a lot left to give to their other free agents, therefore if they do not re-sign Asomugha or Huff, they'll have more freedom.

With this freedom they'll most likely re-sign running back Michael Bush, tight end Zach Miller and guard Robert Gallery.

They will still need some additional offensive line help so look for them to go after some key young linemen like Jared Gaither or even possibly someone like Tyson Clabo.

Philadelphia Eagles

2010-11 NFL Record: 10-6

Total 2011 Payroll: $80.8 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$39.2 million

Key Free Agents: QB Michael Vick, S Quintin Mikell, K David Akers, LB Stewart Bradley

Team Needs: Defensive End, Cornerback, Linebacker

After trading quarterback Donovan McNabb last offseason, it looked like the Eagles were entering rebuilding mode but with the re-emergence of Michael Vick their season outlook quickly changed and the Eagles were Super Bowl contenders.

After placing the franchise tag on Vick before the lockout, and it is almost guaranteed that they lock him up for a long term deal when it is lifted.

Vick energized the city and with the young core of running back LeSean McCoy and wide receivers Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin they posted one of the best offensive seasons in team history.

But despite their offensive success if the Eagles want to win that elusive Super Bowl they need to address some holes on the other side of the ball.

A growing murmur is that the Eagles will not be pursuing cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha as was initially expected and conserve their funds to go for quantity rather than quality.

The reporters who have spread this assumption really know as much of the Eagle's plans as your two-year-old sister and everyone else, including me.

As evidenced by the Eagles promoting Vick over Kevin Kolb, I am under the impression that the Eagles want to win now and by getting Asomugha they have the best chance to do that even if he does require a majority of their money.

Many objectors will quote that the Eagles also have other needs in different areas of their defense but for the Eagles to bring in a player of Asomugha's quality and to have not one, but two of the top five cornerbacks in the league will do wonders for those other aspects.

Having two elite cornerbacks virtually shuts down an opposing team's passing game and with the outstanding Jim Washburn in charge of the defensive line they can expect nothing but improvements on that front. Asomugha will also bring intangibles that we as fans do not see on the field.

For the past two drafts the Eagles have drafted "project" cornerbacks and who else better to teach them than one of the game's true shutdown cornerbacks?

But if the Eagles do decide to look elsewhere at cornerback look for them to sign Johnathan Joseph, a young underrated cornerback who will also be a nice compliment to Asante Samuels.

As to the Eagles' own free agents, expect longtime kicker David Akers and safety Quintin Mikell to be on different teams next season. The Eagles drafted safety Jaiquawn Jarret and kicker Alex Henery to replace Akers and Mikell.

As for linebacker Stewart Bradley he will most likely return to Philadelphia seeing that the linebacker position is definitely one of need on this team, so if the Eagles do decide to sign Asomugha, they'll need to keep their quality young players at their positions of need.

Pittsburgh Steelers

2010-11 NFL Record: 12-4

Total 2011 Payroll: $116 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$4 million

Key Free Agents: CB Ike Taylor, LB LaMarr Woodley, OT Willie Colon, TE Matt Spaeth, G Trai Essex.

Team Needs: Guard, Cornerback

For the past few decades the Steelers have consistently been in the talks of possible Super Bowl contenders by drafting for need and signing quality free agents and integrating them into their system.

This year they upheld their tradition and addressed two of their major needs by drafting defensive end Cameron Heyward and offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert. They still have issues on other fronts, but they're one of the few teams with lighter concerns.

Even though they may have lighter concerns than others they still have a pressing need to lock up linebacker LaMarr Woodley and cornerback Ike Taylor to a long term deal. Woodley is a young, only 26, and already accomplished linebacker earning double-digit sack totals in three of his four years.

Taylor is one of the better cornerbacks in the league but is slightly older therefore he may be looking for a long term deal the Steelers are not willing to give him. Regardless if they re-sign Taylor or not, they need to add a player of at least his quality, someone like Baltimore's Josh Wilson or Chris Carr.

The Steelers addressed their tackle position through the draft but they also want to protect their franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, so they will need to upgrade the talent at the guard position, as well.

There are a solid group of guards available but the higher quality guards also come with a higher price tag so the Steelers will pursue the quality mid-level available guards like Tampa Bay's Davin Joseph or Atlanta's Justin Blalock.

Both players would be an upgrade to the position and provide depth or possibly starter minutes if they do not re-sign guard Trai Essex.

San Diego Chargers

2010-11 NFL Record: 9-7

Total 2011 Payroll: $85.8 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$34.2 million

Key Free Agents: RB Darren Sproles, FB Mike Tolbert, WR Vincent Jackson, WR Malcolm Floyd, LB Kevin Burnett, S Eric Weddle

Team Needs: Linebacker, Wide Receiver

Ironically, the San Diego Chargers ranked No. 1 in both total offense and total defense but failed to make the playoffs despite also having a winning record. Personnel and talent-wise, they are a only few pieces away from contending but do not look for them to get those pieces through free agency.

Yearly, the Chargers are one of the few teams that do not look to free agency to solve their problems but prefer to address them through competent drafting and development of players.

The Chargers look to rely on several players returning from injury to make that push for the playoffs but they still will need help at all of their linebacker positions. They will most likely re-sign Kevin Burnett and look to add one more player at the position.

Wide receiver is also an area of concern after the debacle they had with Vincent Jackson all of last season. Jackson is a very good receiver and to lose a player of his quality will be hard to replace.

They should re-sign Malcom Floyd to soften the blow and hope recently drafted Vincent Brown will step up.

Their biggest free agent and the best available player at his position is safety Eric Weddle. Weddle was one the Charger's best defensive players and led the team in total tackles, but he may be too expensive.

Weddle has let it be known that he is willing to stay in San Diego if the price is right, but then the question becomes how much is too much for the Chargers?

If the Chargers want to retain the honor of having the league's top ranked defense they'll also need to retain Weddle.

San Francisco 49ers

2010-11 NFL Record: 6-10

Total 2011 Payroll: $100.9 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$19.1 million

Key Free Agents: QB Alex Smith, DE Ray McDonald, LB Manny Lawson, DT Aubrayo Franklin, C David Baas

Team Needs: Defensive Tackle

Ever since drafting quarterback Alex Smith with the No. 1 overall pick in 2005 the 49ers have been stuck with him and his average play at quarterback.

They addressed this need by using their second round pick on Nevada's Colin Kaepernick but Kaepernick may not be ready to contribute for another few years, so it looks as if they will continue to be stuck with Alex Smith.

Most likely the 49ers will re-sign Smith being that the individual that would replace him as the starter would also be a former number one pick, David Carr. Carr is not an upgrade from Smith, so if the 49ers want to compete this upcoming season, they have no other options.

New coach Jim Harbaugh will look to transform the culture in San Francisco back to its past glories and his plan to do that is to implement the popular 3-4 defense. For a 3-4 defense to be effective, a big strong nose tackle is needed to manage the middle, and the 49ers had that in defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin.

But for some odd reason for the second straight year the Niners have decided not to franchise Franklin and as a result he will be able to test the market this off-season.

As many others before him, Franklin has stated that he is looking to "cash in" and seeing that outside of Haloti Ngata he is possibly the best 3-4 interior lineman available.

The Niners have the cash to bring him back, but it is just a matter of wheter they decide to do so or not.

Seattle Seahawks

2010-11 NFL Record: 7-9

Total 2011 Payroll: $81.1 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$38.9 million

Key Free Agents: QB Matt Hasselbeck, RB Leon Washington, DT Brandon Mebane, OT Sean Locklear, WR Mike Williams

Team Needs: Defensive Tackle, Quarterback

The Seattle Seahawks are coming off of one of the most zaniest seasons in NFL history. After beating out division rival St. Louis Rams for the NFC's final playoff spot, despite possessing a losing record, the Seahawks then proceed to score 41 points on the defending champs and knock them out in the Wild-Card round.

The Wild-Card game is highlighted by an amazing run through the entire Saints defense by running back Marshawn Lynch.

The Seahawks have the distinction of playing in the worst division in the league which can be viewed as a positive since it will allow them to continue to grow but also continue to be in the playoff picture until they are annual members.

They will need that time to grow because it appears as if starting quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will be departing and career backup Charlie Whitehurst will assume the mantle.

Even though he has shown average play at times, Whitehurst is not the solution at quarterback but the Seahawks may be content with him there for now and look to upgrade the position through the draft rather than free agency.

Even though Hasselbeck may be leaving, wide receiver and former USC Trojan Mike Williams will most likely be staying after a breakout year under his former coach, Pete Carroll.

It seems like Williams and Carroll have a special bond that inspires productivity out of the both of them so they will not be looking to mess that up anytime soon.

Defensive tackle is also a position of need for the Seahawks. Defensive tackle Brandon Mebane is one of the top three available defensive tackles available, so he will be demanding to interested teams but the Seahawks have the resources to re-sign him and will possibly slap their franchise tag on him to lock him up for another season.

In addition to re-signing Mebane, the Seahawks will also sign an additional defensive lineman. Some say they might try to make a splash and sign defensive end Mathias Kiwanuka, or they could go after another former Giant in Brandon Coefield to play alongside Mebane.

St. Louis Rams

2010-11 NFL Record: 7-9

Total 2011 Payroll: $102.4 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$17.6 million

Key Free Agents: DT Clifton Ryan, TE Daniel Felts, S O.J. Atogwe

Team Needs: Safety, Wide Receiver

With last year's No. 1 overall pick the Rams selected Oklahoma's Sam Bradford. Bradford went on to post a stellar rookie season and turned around the future hopes of this franchise.

The Rams are also competing in the league's worst division so Bradford and the Rams have a high possiblity of landing in the playoffs next season. They just need to supply Bradford with the weapons to continue his development.

The Rams addressed the need at wide receiver by using their third and fourth round picks to draft Austin Pettis and Greg Salas but the two rookie receivers may not be enough for the Rams to make a playoff push.

The Rams have adequate cap space so signing one of the younger, talented available free agent receivers is not out of the question.

Wide receiver Sidney Rice fits this mold perfectly and is the type of receiver Bradford could grow with and developed the envied quarterback-receiver relationship that many of the league's elite quarterbacks have.

If they cannot sign Rice, look for them to try to trade for Carolina's Steve Smith or try to sign Braylon Edwards.

Safety and longtime staple of the Ram's defense O.J. Atogwe will not be returning to St. Louis next season, so he will leave a huge void at that position. If they do not spend too much money at the receiver position look for them to go after a veteran in free agency like Quintin Mikell.

Mikell is going to be 30 years old, so he still has few years of quality play left in him and could have an impact that'll make fans forget about Atogwe.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2010-11 NFL Record: 10-6

Total 2011 Payroll: $59.7 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$60.3 million

Key Free Agents: LB Barrett Rudd, S Tanard Jackson, G Davin Joseph, CB Ronde Barber, LB Quincy Black, DE Tim Crowder, OT Jeremy Trueblood

Team Needs: Safety

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one of the few teams in the league that are significantly under the cap and that bodes extremely well for this young team that posted a 10-6 record last year and just barely missed the playoffs.

The Bucs have a solid young core of players led by quarterback Josh Freeman and running back LeGarrette Blount and both are players the Bucs developed, showing their organization is heading in the right direction.

Before the draft the largest area of concern for the Bucs was the defensive end position, and they made a huge splash to fill that hole with their first two picks by drafting Adrian Clayborn and DaQuan Bowers.

Bowers was projected to be a top-10 pick, but concerns about his health dropped him to the second round, so if he proves his health problems are in the past the Bucs will walk away with two top-20 caliber defensive ends.

After using their first two picks of the previous year's draft on interior defensive linemen it seems as if the Bucs have constructed their dream line if all the pieces fall into place.

The Bucs figure not to be a major participant in this year's free agency due to them already being a solid team and not having many weaknesses, but they do need to make it a priority to sign their key free agents or look for their upgrades through free agency.

It is likely that linebacker Barrett Rudd and guard Davin Joseph will test free agency which in the case of Rudd is not necessarily a bad thing.

The Bucs need to upgrade their talent at the linebacker position and a player like Carolina's James Anderson provides that needed bump in athleticism. Anderson will be one of the better linebackers available and if they do decide to re-sign either Rudd or outside linebacker Quincy Black, Anderson should still remain on their radar.

The Buc's safety position is in flux at the moment. Last year safety Tanard Jackson was suspended for the entire year for violating the league's substance abuse policy so his reinstatement and return are not guaranteed.

If he does return with no problems then the Bucs are fine at the position but they need to prepare for otherwise rather than be left high and dry. Finding a solid, non-expensive option to temporarily spell rookie Cody Grimm would not be a bad idea.

Someone like Houston's Bernard Pollard could be the perfect choice, and if Jackson does return, he could provide competition and depth at the other safety position.

Tennessee Titans

2010-11 NFL Record: 6-10

Total 2011 Payroll: $107.4 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$12.6 million

Key Free Agents: TE Bo Scaife, LB Stephen Tulloch, DE Jason Babin, WR Randy Moss

Team Needs: Quarterback, Offensive Guard, Tight End

At the end of the season it seemed as if the Titans had put themselves in a horrible position by declaring quarterback Vince Young will not be returning and by firing longtime coach Jeff Fisher, but through competent drafting the team has shown that it is heading in the right direction and had the plans in place to stay competitive all along.

After last year the Titans seemed content to go along with the idea of having veteran Kerry Collins as their starting quarterback while they developed whatever talent at the position they found in the draft.

Well they did select one of the better quarterback options in Washington's Jake Locker, but unfortunately, Collins decided it was time to call it quits, leaving a huge void at the position.

The Titans are not confident with having Locker go forth as their starting quarterback, and the shortened offseason did not help the fact, so look for them to try to acquire one of the available veteran free agents.

Matt Hasselbeck is a name that keeps appearing on the Titan's radar, and he is not a bad option. Hasselbeck has proven he has the ability to win and lead less than spectacular teams to greater heights and also his clock will probably stop ticking around the same time Locker will be ready to assume the mantle.

Another option at the position is former Pro Bowler Marc Bulger, who also has characterisitcs comparable to that of Hasselbeck.

The Titans will most likely lose a majority of their free agents due to the fact that players like defensive end Jason Babin having a breakout year and other players looking for more money and playing time.

Even though they will be losing key players at these positions, their more pressing need is their offensive line. In 2009, their line was spectacular due to the presence of Kevin Mawae, but the line obviously suffered after his departure.

If they wish to have a solid line in front of Locker when he is ready then they need to get the pieces together now so they can start to gel. A player like guard Marshall Yandal is similar to Mawae's mold.

Yandal will be an expensive player to acquire, but having him on their line will not only benefit the future of Locker but also the present of running back Chris Johnson.

Washington Redskins

2010-11 NFL Record: 6-10

Total 2011 Payroll: $93.3 million

Over/Under Cap: plus-$26.7 million

Key Free Agents: QB Rex Grossman, WR Santana Moss, OT Jamaal Brown, LB Rocky McIntosh, CB Carlos Rogers

Team Needs: Quarterback

I can honestly say that the Washington Redskins are the worst team in the entire league. Even though some teams posted worse records than the Redskins, my disgust with the team does not derive from on-field production but rather in-house issues.

For years, the Redskins have been saddled with one of the worst decision-making owners in the league until recently when he decided to shift his power to head coach Mike Shanahan.

With Shanahan, a Super Bowl winning coach, calling the shots it seems like he wants to enforce his will upon this team at all costs inspiring conflicts with key players like quarterback Donovan McNabb and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth.

Both individuals were brought in and expected to bolster the Redskins at their positions, but instead, at season's end, both were demoted to the bench.

The Redskins' obvious most pressing need is at the quarterback position. Coach Shanahan has stated that he is content at having John Beck start the season as their starting quarterback but if the Redskins want to remain competitive he is not a viable option.

As many have speculated, their plan may be to throw the season in hopes of landing franchise-caliber quarterback Andrew Luck, but that kind of thing does not usually happen in the NFL.

Shanahan has coached Hall of Fame player John Elway, so he might see something in Beck that others do not.

The Redskins have more than a little cap space to work with and that number will most likely grow after the either trade or release the contracts of McNabb and Haynesworth.

Therefore, that will give them more than enough room to sigh their own free agents, most likely only wide receiver Santana Moss, tackle Jamaal Brown and quarterback Rex Grossman.

Since converting to a 3-4 defense linebacker Rocky McIntosh will look to sign elsewhere with a team that plays a 4-3 defense and cornerback Carlos Rogers will be looking for a big payday.

With their space look for the Redskins to bring in some big names like possibly defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin, to replace the expected production of Haynesworth and another wide receiver to give Beck quality options.p