NFL: The Biggest Developments so Far

Offseason signings were a nice appetizer for football fans. Now the main course is about to arrive. The big money players who just signed are going to start, but there are 11 spots for each side of the ball to be filled. What athletes will find ways onto the field, and who will get less playing time than first thought going into camp?

Ravens' Offensive Line

Joe Flacco wasn't well protected against the Redskins last night, and the team is shuffling its tackle spots. Oher has played better as a right tackle, which is the blind side for lefties, but Bryant McKinnie would have to play the left. How much weight could McKinnie lose in three weeks?

Jared Gaither was not resigned, but sometimes familiar flaws from familiar faces are better than the unknown or knowing that McKinnie is even lazier.

Quarterback Issues in Carolina

Cam Newton will excite fans unlike Jimmy Clausen, but he hasn't played any better. Newton didn't convert a third down until the third week of preseason, and it looks like he's playing backyard football at the professional level. There are only so many completions to be made to the tight ends.

The Panthers have a chance at being the worst team in the league, meaning tattoos will be the last thing on Jerry Richardson's mind when deciding whom to pick in the draft. There is no worse quarterback tandem in the entire league than that of Carolina, not even Washington.

Hasselbeck Hurt

Hasselbeck went out of preseason game two against the Rams after being shook up. It's nothing serious, but it has to give Titans' fans the feeling that they'll see Jake Locker sooner rather than later. Locker has shown the same accuracy he had at Washington.

While the quarterback situations in Indianapolis and Jacksonville could likely be bad, Kerry Collins and whomever the Jaguars play would be better than Jake Locker.

Secondary of the Giants

Losing Terrell Thomas for the season is a huge blow. The Giants also lost Bruce Johnson and Amukamara for a good period of time. The pass rush will have to be more consistent this season to bail out the cornerbacks.

New York was supposed to have a good secondary to pair with their front four, but now it looks like it could be a weak spot along with the linebackers.

Backfield of the Patriots

Stevan Ridley, the third round draft pick out of LSU, gives Brady and the offense a little of everything. Green-Ellis is a straight forward and grind out the yards kind of back, but Ridley gives the threat of receiving and making guys miss. Belichick will still trust Green-Ellis with the goal line carries as opposed to a rookie, but Danny Woodhead may get less plays with the offense.

Ridley is a much bigger back who can receive the ball out of the backfield nearly as well. Woodhead may have been on the field for special teams in the fourth quarter against Tampa Bay for a reason.

Kansas City Play Calling

Todd Haley will call the shots for Matt Cassel this season on offense rather than Charlie Weis. Through two preseason games, the Chiefs have only one touchdown.

While Haley came to be a head coach through being an offensive coordinator, he worked better with Weis' and Ken Wisenhunt's creativity for offense.

Redskins' Running Backs

The once-thought starter Ryan Torain is going to have a lot more time on the sideline regardless if he's injured or not. At first glance, Hightower may appear to be Laurence Maroney. However, Hightower is working well in the zone-blocking scheme of Shanahan while Roy Helu is showing promise.

Washington's offense will be ready to "punch" division rivals, like Philadelphia and Dallas' finesse defenses, where it hurts if this smash mouth attack can carry into the regular season.