01-01-2025, 01:41 AM
As July winds down, NFL training camps are opening up! The and -- who will face off -- will welcome back veterans on Saturday, with everyone else set to follow suit next week. Of course, as players return to the practice field, every team faces the same, simple question ...How are things looking this season?Some squads -- like the and -- carry " or bust" expectations. Others -- like the and -- aren't quite predicted to set the league on fire in 2015. But between these two extremes, there are a whole heap of teams that are tough to gauge.Heading into training camp, which is the hardest team to read in the NFL? Two teams come to mind: the and . It's hard to remember another team that's made as many changes in one offseason as the did this year. And there are questions around so many of the players they added. Can perform at a high level without the benefit of running behind the ' monstrous offensive line? I like rookie receiver a lot, but he's also never played an NFL snap. And then, of course, there's quarterback , who has promise -- promise that he famously has yet to really fulfill. Malcolm Brogdon Jersey Then there are the , who traded away two significant offensive pieces in premier tight end and big-play threat ; what will this one-time aerial juggernaut look like in 2015? The defense, which was abysmal in 2014 after a not-bad 2013, has plenty to answer for. Finally, there's the matter of the team regaining its dominance at home. Unbeatable in New Orleans for much of recent history, the lost an unimaginable five games at Donte DiVincenzo Jersey the Superdome last season. There are a lot of teams that you could pick here, but I'm going with the , who have experienced an offseason of great change -- on both sides of the ball. They have a first-time head coach in Jim Tomsula and new offensive and defensive coordinators, too. Lots of changes and questions. Where is in his career? On offense, the line, which had been a strength of the team in the past, slipped last year in its performance and will be without longtime starters Anthony Davis (retirement) and (free agency). has been replaced by second-year runner as the No. 1 back. On defense, top-flight starters Justin Smith and Patrick Willis (both retired) are gone, as are other key contributors. Factor all of these changes together, and it's just so difficult to get a feel for how the Niners will be this season. Dear , I've tried to forget about you; it's not going very well. Your depre sing quarterback situation pollutes so much of your promise, but I still can't quit you. Your defense is insanely good (first in sacks and fourth overall last year), and it should only improve with Rex Ryan. New offensive coordinator Greg Roman and offseason addition will resuscitate what was the 25th-ranked rushing offense in 2014. And you finally have a capable tight end on the roster in . Plus, put up 982 yards Ray Allen Jersey and six touchdowns with questionable quarterback play last year. He will do it again (probably) with a respectable run game in place. Yet I still worry. The run blocking was a horror show last season. , one of the projected starting guards, has yet to take an NFL snap. wasn't even in the league in 2014. The pa s protection was a me s and is a wild card. Can a nine-win team really improve without upgrading the quarterback? I wonder. That handsome logo and uniform can only take you so far. Yours, Colleen The league has never been more unpredictable, a quality found in abundance in the . , coach Sean Payton's team floundered to a 7-9 mark that had plenty to do with a junky, porous defense that gave up the fifth-most points in the NFL. I like the look of this team heading into camp because of the (presumed) offensive transformation from a high-flying air show to a clock-chewing, run-heavy squad set to pound teams with and scorch 'em with . A cast of new wideouts will angle to make up for the lo s of tight end , but that burden also falls on . One way or another, I like the idea of in a ground-centered attack as we saw with and the last season. Still, this defense remains foggy enough to sideswipe a squad that feels like a playoff team on paper (but only if everything goes Bobby Portis Jersey perfectly right). The are the toughest team for me to read heading into training camp. On paper, this team looks like a title contender in the NFC. These 'Boys are built to make a deep postseason run behind a powerful offense that features a franchise quarterback ( ), big-play receiver ( ) and a dominant offensive line. Although there are questions at running back, the physicality of the front five should allow ANY runner to have succe s on the ground. On defense, and upgrade the ' pa s rush while first-round pick should improve the team's coverage in the back end. Despite those moves, I'm reluctant to go "all in" on the because they typically underachieve when they are anointed the favorites heading into the season. Last year, they were able to sneak up on opponents as an underdog. But this season, everyone will use Dallas as a measuring stick, giving the 'Boys their best effort each week. The pre sure is vastly different when you're the favorite, and I'm not convinced the are mentally tough enough to withstand it. From a tactical standpoint, I worry about the Sam Merrill Jersey lo s of Bill Callahan and how his absence will impact the play of the offensive line. He did a great job developing the ' young front; I wonder if his succe sor, Frank Pollack, can keep this development going. Finally, I still have reservations about the ' defense. The unit plays hard and flies around the ball, but I wonder if the can continue to win with a simplistic scheme (over cover 1) that's a staple in high school play books. Rod Marinelli did a great job of getting his guys to outwork opponents last year, but can he get the group to heed his me sage with everyone touting them as contenders? Based on appearances, the have the tools to make a real run at the Lombardi Trophy. But I can't wait until the season kicks off to see if they can handle the weight of enormous expectations.
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