Image by xoque via Flickr Much of the ink that has been spilled about the Minnesota Vikings this offseason surrounds the annual “will he, or won’t he” status of quarterback Brett Favre. More important than “Favretirement Watch 2010″, however, is the concern for the Vikings’ ground game with the loss of RB Chester Taylor to divisional rival...

Image via Wikipedia In the two season since the Green Bay Packers traded away quarterback Brett Favre his replacement, Aaron Rodgers, has proven himself capable of leading the team. After finishing a dismal 6-10 in 2008 the defensive staff got a makeover with the addition of new defensive coordinator Don Capers. With an attacking defensive philosophy in place the team rebounded...

Image by Getty Images via Daylife Head coach Jim Schwartz’s first year at the helm of the Detroit Lions was largely forgettable. While the team actually won a game, ending a franchise record 19 game losing streak, they only managed to win one other contest the rest of the season. Franchise quarterback Matthew Stafford had his rookie season cut short and the team’...

Image via Wikipedia Before the 2009 NFL draft the Chicago Bears made a huge deal with the Denver Broncos for QB Jay Cutler in hopes that he would be the franchise quarterback they have been lacking since for what seems like decades. However, their lack of talent at offensive skill positions, a weak offensive line, an aging defense and Cutler’s propensity to play catch with...

Image by simplistic.designs via Flickr For the first time in recent memory the Washington Redskins did not jump out of the gate and make a big name free agent signing. Despite rumors of their interest, the team sat on the sidelines as DE Julius Peppers was quickly snatched up by Chicago. Could the new regime lead by GM Bruce Allen and head coach Mike Shanahan be ushering in...

Image by Getty Images via Daylife After starting out the 2009 season 5-0 the New York Giants finished the season a highly disappointing 8-8 and missed the opportunity to extend their playoff streak to five straight seasons. Two years removed from the franchise’s most recent Super Bowl victory, the New York Giants have lost their best receiver to prison and their defensive...

Image by Getty Images via Daylife This week has been an interesting one so far for the Philadelphia Eagles as rumors heated up regarding a possible trade of 11 year veteran QB Donovan McNabb. Prior to the 2009 season the Eagles made an interesting move by signing disgraced QB Michael Vick upon his release from prison. The team also has second round pick QB Kevin Kolb who is entering...

Image via Wikipedia In 2009 the Dallas Cowboys finally ended a 13 year playoff win drought by defeating the Philadelphia Eagles in the wild card round. Unfortunately, their run ended the following week with a defeat at Minnesota against a rejuvenated Brett Favre. As the Cowboys enter the 2010 offseason they have a large number of restricted free agents, but very few would be considered...

Image via Wikipedia Since their devasting loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl XXXVII, the Oakland Raiders have been a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Over the past nine years the team has had five different head coaches, interim or otherwise, and has been a franchise that has shown little in the way of stability. The Raiders last three first round draft picks have been...

Image via Wikipedia The good news for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009 is that they doubled their win total from 2008. Unfortunately, double the wins still meant a 4-12 season. New general manager Scott Pioli and head coach Todd Haley had their work cut out for them with one of the worst rosters in the NFL. Towards the end of the season the Kansas City Chiefs made the decision...

OAKLAND RAIDERS 2007 Record: 4-12 LAST FIVE 1st ROUND PICKS 2007 - JaMarcus Russell (QB / #1) 2006 - Michael Huff (SS / #7) 2005 - Fabian Washington (CB / #23) 2004 - Robert Gallery (T / #2) 2003 - Nnamdi Asomugha (CB / #31) OTHER RUNNING-BACK 1ST ROUND SELECTIONS (LAST 20 Years) 1995 - Napoleon Kau...

San Francisco 49ers 2007 Record: 5-11 2008 1st Round Selection: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina (UNC) Last Five 1st Round Picks: 2007 - Patrick Willis (ILB / #11) 2007 - Joe Staley (OT / #28) 2006 - Vernon Davis (TE / #6) 2006 - Manny Lawson (OLB / #22) 2005 - Alex Smith (QB / #1) Other DL 1st Ro...

Cincinnati Bengals 2007 Record: 7-9 2008 1st Round Selection: Keith Rivers, LB, USC Last Five 1st Round Picks: 2007 - Leon Hall (CB / #18) 2006 - Johnathan Joseph (CB / #24) 2005 - David Pollack (LB / #17) 2004 - Chris Perry (RB / #26) 2003 - Carson Palmer (QB / #1) Other LB 1st Round Selections (La...

Tennessee Titans 2007 Record: 10-6 2008 1st Round Selection: Chris Johnson, RB, ECU Last Five 1st Round Picks: 2007 - Michael Griffin (FS / #19) 2006 - Vince Young (QB / #3) 2005 - Pacman Jones (CB / #6) 2003 - Andre Woolfolk (CB / #28) 2002 - Albert Haynesworth (DT / #15) Other RB 1st Round Selecti...

Patrick Ramsey â€" QB â€" Tulane 2002 Draft / 2nd Round / Washington Redskins The Washington Redskins held the 18th overall draft pick in the 2002 NFL draft and was looking for a replacement to Tony Banks in the first year of the Spurrier regime. They did their best to move up in the draft to get [....

Andre Ware– QB – Houston 1990 Draft / 1st Round / Detroit Lions Andre Ware won the Heisman Trophy in 1989 as a Junior and decided to forgo his senior season. Before leaving the Cougars he would set numerous NCAA records courtesy of the run-and-shoot employed by the Houston offense. Though he wou...

Randall Godfrey â€" LB â€" Georgia 1999 Draft / 2nd Round / Dallas Cowboys After a productive college career at Georgia, Randall Godfrey made the jump to the big leagues when he was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1999 draft. A full time starter by his second season in the l...

Curtis Enis – RB – Penn St. 1998 Draft / 1st Round / Chicago Bears In the last 21 years there have been five running backs selected in the first round out of Penn St. It would be safe to say that four of them failed to live up to their draft status; Ki-Jana Carter, Blair Thomas, [...]

Now that the combine and many pro days are over the sports media are busy cranking out the latest editions of their mock drafts. It has always amazed us how a player who after two or three years as a starter in college could drop like a rock because his 40 time was .005 slower [...]

Todd Marinovich â€" QB â€" USC 1991 Draft / 1st Round / Los Angeles Raiders Wrapping up our hat trick salute to first round QB busts is the granddaddy of them all â€" Todd Marinovich. His father, former NFL lineman Marv Marinovich, was rumored to have raised him to be the first high school athlete t...

Jim Druckenmiller â€" QB â€" Virginia Tech 1997 Draft / 1st Round / San Francisco 49ers Before being drafted as the lastest "heir apparent" to Steve Young, Jim Druckenmiller was a two year starter for the Virginia Tech Hokies. While in Blacksburg his team would go on to win the 1995 and 1996 Big Eas...

Ron Dayne – RB – Wisconsin 2000 Draft / 1st Round / New York Giants The 1999 Heismen Trophy winner will be remebered as one the greatest college football players of all time. His legend not only derived by his stats; a collegiate record 6,397 rushing yards, but also by his post-season performan...

Marvin Harrison â€" WR â€" Syracuse 1996 Draft / 1st Round / Indianapolis Colts Drafted in the receiver rich 1996 draft, Marvin Harrison has become one of the elite receivers in NFL history. It would take more space in this post than we have available to detail his many accomplishments, as well as t...

Yatil Green – WR – Miami 1997 Draft / 1st Round / Miami Dolphins Day 15. From a Green to, well, another Green. A has been to a never was. Yatil Green played for Butch Davis at the University of Miami (sensing our theme are you?) and was a mercurial talent. Green showed flashes of brilliance duri...

Keith Jackson – TE – Oklahoma 1988 Draft / 1st Round / Philadelphia Eagles Whoa Nelly, have you heard the one about Keith Jackson. No, not that Keith Jackson, rather the Oklahoma tight end that parlayed a solid college career into a nine year NFL career. During his four years as a Sooner he woul...