2017 NFL Draft to be Held in Philadelphia

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The 2017 NFL Draft will be held in Philadelphia, PA, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. League and city officials will be holding a press conference on Thursday to officially announce that the draft is coming to the City of Brotherly Love. Eagles legend Ron Jaworski will also be speaking at the press conference.

Philadelphia had been labeled the favorite for a long time, but now it appears the deal is official. The location and the date has not been released yet. Eagles fans won't be able to see their team make a selection in the first round, because they traded that pick to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for the pick that became Carson Wentz.

If the league doesn't change the dates from last year, then the first round would be held on April 27. New York hosted the draft for 50 straight years from 1964-2014. Chicago has served as the host for the past two drafts.

Philadelphia, who used to be the headquarters for the league offices, last hosted the NFL Draft in 1961, when it was held at the Warwick Hotel. Philadelphia has hosted 16 NFL Drafts, which is second all-time behind New York for the most times a city has hosted the draft.

New York Giants 2016 Season Preview

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The New York Giants look to have it all together now. They have their future hall of fame quarterback in Eli Manning, three star wide receivers in Odell Beckham Jr, Victor Cruz and rookie Sterling Shepard, a running back with potential in rookie Paul Perkins, and a stellar defense. 

The only problem is that they are not the only powerhouse in the NFC East. The Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins also have great teams. The Giants will need to limit the turnovers that they have committed over the years. They will also not want to lose leads late in the game, like they did at least twice in 2015. 

San Diego Chargers 2016 Season Preview

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The San Diego Chargers have had an interesting start to the 2016 season and the season hasn't even begun yet.  The Chargers drafted Joey Bosa out of Ohio State third overall but he still has yet to sign with the team. Things do not sound good either since he is still far away from agreeing to terms with the Chargers. They also lost Ladarius Green to the Pittsburgh Steelers but it sounds like he might take a while before he plays for Pittsburgh.  The Chargers will still rely on surefire Hall of Famer Antonio Gates this season as well while also hoping the rookie Hunter Henry can step up to fill the void that Green left and Gates will soon leave behind.

The Chargers did bring in Travis Benjamin to help out their receiving corps this season.  Stevie Johnson went down with a torn meniscus and will be out the entire 2016 season.  The Chargers went out and signed James Jones to help make up for the Johnson injury.

San Diego has a tough division if they want to get some wins this season.  The Oakland Raiders have improved this off-season and a lot of people are picking them as a sleeper pick.  The Denver Broncos just won the Super Bowl and lost Peyton Manning who might have been on the Broncos last season but was not the Manning that everyone was used to seeing.  The Kansas City Chiefs placed second in the AFC West last season and bring back most of their team as well so it will be tough for the Chargers to make a lot of noise in the AFC West.

Philip Rivers is still quarterback for San Diego so that will keep them in a few games but can this will probably be a rebuilding year for the team from Southern California.  There is a lot of outside stories surrounding the Chargers this season that will be locker room distractions as well.  There is a lot of rumors about the Chargers moving to Los Angeles and with the Bosa situation it might just be a tough year for the San Diego faithful.

Carolina Panthers 2016 NFL Season Preview

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The Panthers finished the 2015 season possibly one play from completing the second 16-0 season in NFL history. They wound up finishing 15-1 and cruised their way to Super Bowl 50. Unfortunately, they fell in the Super Bowl to the Denver Broncos.

Believe it or not, the Panthers are an even better team than the 15-1 team fans saw last season. They have the same talent coming back, including quarterback Cam Newton, but they'll also have an old flame back in wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin.

Benjamin tore his ACL in training camp and missed the entire 2015 NFL season. With him coming back, and with the same team coming back from their Super Bowl run, the Panthers are serious Super Bowl contenders. 

Cincinnati Bengals 2016 Season Preview

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2015 was one of the best Bengals seasons in recent memory, and if it wasn't for two games against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati could have made the Super Bowl. Marvin Lewis's squad won the AFC North and had the second best defense in the league and looked primed to make a Super Bowl run. Andy Dalton was having the best season of his career before he broke his thumb in Week 14. While that could have been disastrous to most teams backup A.J. McCarron was able to steady the ship, going 2 – 1 as a starter.

After a historic meltdown in the AFC Wild Card game against the Steelers, Cincy looked to upgrade the roster enough to make the Super Bowl. The Bengals drafted Pittsburgh wideout Tyler Boyd, giving Dalton another deep target to go with All-Pro A.J. Green. As for their defense they were able to sign linebacker Karlos Dansby. Other additions came though the draft in first round pick Houston corner William Jackson III and third rounder out of Utah State, Nick Vigil.

As long as Dalton can continue to play at a Pro Bowl level the Bengals offense should continue to move the ball. He'll be assisted by the running back duo of Gio Bernard and Jeremy Hill who ran for over 1,500 yards last season. As long as Vontaze Burfict and Adam Jones keep their cool and Geno Atkins continues to be an amazing defensive lineman, Cincy will have a top flight defense. With both sides of the ball solidified, the Bengals are the favorite to repeat as AFC North Champions and Super Bowl contenders.

Houston Texans 2016 Season Preview

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Last year the Houston Texans were very fortunate that they play in the AFC South, or else they were would be absolutely no chance for them to make it to the playoffs. Their many weaknesses were showcased in an embarrassing 30-0 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Wild Card Game. Houston finished the season with a 9-8 record, and that is mostly because they could never find consistency at quarterback. Head Coach Bill O’Brien made the decision to start Brian Hoyer, but multiple injuries would sideline him for most of the season. 

Houston’s quarterback situation was an absolute mess, as they would end up playing four different quarterbacks (Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T.J. Yates, and Brandon Weeden). Those four quarterbacks didn’t really have a running back either, as Arian Foster tore his Achilles early in the season against the Miami Dolphins. Alfred Blue wound up becoming the starter, but he never gave the Texans much to get excited about. Knowing that they had major holes to fill on offense, the Texans went to work during free agency. General Manager Rick Smith made sure he got his quarterback, as they reeled in the biggest fish on the quarterback market. 

Houston signed former Denver Broncos quarterback Brock Osweiler, and they hope that he’ll become the franchise quarterback. Osweiler started for half of the season while Peyton Manning was nursing a series of injuries. Osweiler did his job, as he threw for 1,967 yards and 10 touchdowns, while completing 61% of his passes. Houston decided to waive Foster, so they were searching for a running back. Houston would end up swapping running backs with Miami, as Foster bolted for South Beach, and former Dolphins running back Lamar Miller decided to sign with the Texans. 

Despite injuries to the offensive line, Miller still turned in a rock solid season. Miller rushed for 872 yards and eight touchdowns, which tied a career-high for touchdowns scored. Even though the Texans didn’t have a reliable quarterback or running back, Houston had one weapon that kept them afloat. Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins had a career season in his third year in the league, as he caught 111 passes for 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns, which were all career highs for the former Clemson receiver. 

Other than the weak competition in their division, Houston made the playoffs last year because of their defense. Houston only allowed 19 points per game, and they defense is anchored by J.J. Watt. Watt was the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year last season, and that accolade most certainly belonged to Watt. Watt recorded 57 tackles and 17.5 sacks last year. Behind a strong defense, and a revamped offense, Houston should be in playoff contention, but the AFC South improved drastically, so a playoff appearance won’t come easy for Houston. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2016 Season Preview

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The Buccaneers are coming off a 6-10 season featuring 2015, first overall pick Jameis Winston’s rookie season. Now entering his second season, Winston and the Bucs look to build on successes from last season, and have attempted to sure up some holes.

The addition of Robert Ayers, Brent Grimes, and rookie Vernon Hargreaves III should help to stabilize a defense that gave up over 26 points per game last season, which was the seventh most in the league.

A resurgent Doug Martin hopes to continue to stay healthy and lead the young offense. Playing a full season for the first time since his rookie season, Martin finished with over 1400 rushing yards, second to only Adrian Peterson.

Mike Evans and Vincent Jackson continue to be Winston’s primary targets, however Tight End Austin Seferian-Jenkins showed flashes of brilliance in his limited time during the 2015 season. New head coach Kirk Koetter is looking for Seferian-Jenkins to take the next step, and use his athleticism to become an elite target for Winston.

Tampa opens the year with only two home games in their first seven contests, including trips to Arizona and Carolina. However, a three game home stand mid-season against Oakland, Atlanta and Chicago could prove to be a pivotal stretch for the Bucs to have a successful season.

Tampa then ends the season with three of their final four games against division rivals, with a trip to the Superdome in New Orleans week 16, and a game in Raymond James against the Panthers in their final game.

Tennessee Titans 2016 Season Preview

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The Tennessee Titans have had a rough few seasons.  They haven't seen a playoff game since 2008 and just traded their second round draft pick from 2015.  Dorial Green-Beckham was drafted by the Titans in 2015 but was traded just last week for Byron Bell to help bolster their offensive line.  The Titans GM wasn't sold on Green-Beckham's dedication to the team and wanted to help their young quarterback out.  The team from Tennessee appears to be trying to build on Heisman winners Marcus Mariota and Derrick Henry in their backfield.

The Titans know they need to improve their run game as they ranked 25th overall in 2015.  Tennessee knew they had to fix that so they went out and received Demarco Murray from the Philadelphia Eagles.  They didn't stop with Murray though as they drafted Alabama standout Derrick Henry in the second round.  This will give their running game a nice one-two punch in 2016.  This will also help Mariota out to give him a legit threat in the backfield.

The Titans had the 12th best defense in 2015 and will need to have a top defense if they want to make some noise in an AFC South that could actually be somewhat difficult in 2016.  Delanie Walker will need to continue to be a valuable Tight End as the receiving options for the Titans are mostly unproven.  They signed a veteran wide receiver in Andre Johnson during the off-season but how much does he really still have left in the tank?  These are questions the Titans will have to answer in 2016.  For Tennessee to really make noise they will need a legit threat at receiver.

New Orleans Saints 2016 Season Preview

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The New Orleans Saints finished the 2015 NFL season with a 7-9 record, earning third place in the NFC South division, ahead of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but behind the Atlanta Falcons and Super Bowl-bound Carolina Panthers. After on 0-3 start, New Orleans won four of five to reach .500 at the midway point of the season. Four subsequent losses in a row ended their hopes of a playoff run, though they won three of their last four to end on somewhat of a high note heading into the offseason.

Heading into the 2016 season, the Saints offense doesn't seem to be lacking for production. They finished with the 8th-most points in the league and second-most yards, lead again by quarterback Drew Brees. His 4,870 yards led the league, and his 32 touchdown passes ranked seventh. Of his top six targets last season, he returns almost 70% of their total receiving yards, led by Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead. Tight End Ben Watson left for the Baltimore Ravens, but he is ably replaced on the depth chart by Coby Fleener, who had at least 50 receptions each of the last three years with the Indianapolis Colts. If running back Mark Ingram can stay healthy for a full season (missed 12 games in the last three years), the backfield can help balance the offensive workload.

Defense is full of all of its own question marks. New Orleans allowed the most points (29.8 ppg) and second-most yards (one of three teams to allow over 400 per game) in the league. With only one standout player in the front seven (defensive end Cameron Jordan had 10 sacks and five pass breakups), the Saints needed to add some play-making during the offseason. And they did.

Nick Fairley brings his 6'5", 290-pound presence to the middle of the line from the Rams, and they drafted Louisville lineman Sheldon Rankins to add to the front four. The defensive backfield is lead by second-year corner Delvin Breaux (3 interceptions, 19 passes defended), veteran safeties Jairus Byrd and Kenny Vaccaro, and hope that P.J. Williams can rise to the level he showed at Florida State after spending all of his 2015 rookie year on injured reserve.

The NFC South faces the West division in both conferences, so that means going up against powerhouses Seattle, Arizona, Denver and Kansas City, with up-and-comers Los Angeles and Oakland posing serious threats. Plus their two matchups with intradivision foe Carolina, and traveling to New York to play the Giants. While the offense will be able to keep up with anyone as long as Brees is at the helm, the defense will have to prove they have made major improvements and strides in the right direction.

Cleveland Browns 2016 Season Preview

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As the case has been most years since professional football returned to Cleveland, the Browns finished 2015 as a team without an identity. Second year signal-caller Johnny Manziel partied his way out of the league and ownership decided that a full rebuild was the way to move forward. This started with the hiring of Head Coach Hue Jackson and bringing in a new front-office led by fomer New York Mets executive Paul DePodesta.

2016 should be a better year for the Browns faithful than 2015. Coach Jackson has had success developing quarterbacks in the past and has third round pick Cody Kessler to mold a franchise signal-caller. Until that day comes DePodesta signed former Heisman Robert Griffin III.

An instant upgrade over Manziel Griffin will have more talent around him with the return of All-Pro receiver Josh Gordon from drug suspension. The receiving corp will also be bolstered by the addition of Baylor's Corey Coleman and the emergence of Terrell Pryor in the preseason. These guys should improve an offense which ranked in the bottom third of most categories last season.

One issue that Jackson and his staff will have to deal with is the roster turnover. With so many new faces on the field and sideline, it's going to take a while for everyone to get on the same page. This will be even more pronounced since the Browns play in the AFC North which is consistently one of the best divisons in football. Cleveland won't see a significant jump in their win totals, likely five or six wins. However, they will be more competitive in the games which they lose.

Oakland Raiders 2016 Season Preview

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The Oakland Raiders only finished with a 7-9 record last year, but everyone could tell that the team was set up for long-term success. After defeating the eventual Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos towards the end of the season, the Raiders picked up a signature victory, and it was a sign that the Raiders could compete with top-tier teams in the AFC West. Oakland has a very favorable schedule to open the season, as seven of the eight games they will play will be against teams that failed to make the playoffs last season. 

However, the back-end of their schedule will be a challenge for the young Raiders, as they’ll face the Broncos twice, and they’ll also face the Carolina Panthers, who lost in Super Bowl 50 last year. Also, they’ll take on the Houston Texans at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. All-around, Oakland arguably has one of the best offenses in all of the AFC. Quarterback Derek Carr built off a strong rookie season last year, as he threw for 3,987 yards and 32 touchdowns, while throwing only 13 interceptions. 

Carr’s performance earned him his first Pro Bowl appearance in his career. Carr was very successful last year because of the weapons that are all around him. Running back Latavius Murray had a career year, as he was the third leading rusher in the NFL last season. Murray rushed for 1,066 yards and six touchdowns, while only fumbling the ball three times. Second year wide receiver Amari Cooper had a stellar rookie season last year. Cooper caught 72 passes for 1,070 yards and six touchdowns, which earned him Pro Bowl honors. 

What’s scary about this Raiders team is that offense isn’t even their true strength. What makes the Raiders an intriguing playoff pick is their youth and athleticism on defense. When you mention the Raiders defense, you must mention defensive end Khalil Mack. Mack compiled 57 tackles, 15 sacks, and two forced fumbles last season. Oakland significantly improved their defense in the offseason, as they brought in Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin, while also drastically improving their secondary. Oakland signed cornerback Sean Smith from the Chiefs, and he’ll likely be the starting cornerback along with David Amerson. 

With legendary safety Charles Woodson retiring, Oakland signed Cincinnati Bengals safety Reggie Nelson, and they drafted Karl Joseph out of West Virginia to strengthen their secondary. Troubled linebacker Aldon Smith is eligible to apply for reinstatement to the NFL after being suspended for a year, but it is unclear at the moment whether or not he’ll be able to play at all. With a favorable schedule, a budding superstar at quarterback, and a frightening defense, the Raiders have the talent to make the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons.    

Buffalo Bills Cut Ties With Running Back Karlos Williams

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The Buffalo Bills have decided to release second-year running back Karlos Williams, the team announced on Saturday afternoon. The Florida State alumni was suspended for the first four games of the upcoming regular season after he violated the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. Williams was plagued by off the field issues at Florida State, which is why he was selected by the Bills in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Buffalo was willing to take him because they that they’d be able to help him improve his behavior. 

Williams was able to stay out of trouble, but that didn’t mean that there were many other problems surrounding the troubled running back. Other than the four-game suspension, Williams showed up to training camp having gained 30 pounds, but he was able to slim down, as he weighs 229 pounds according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Many reports are saying the main reason that Williams got cut was because of the other running backs around him. Williams was just one of many running backs in a crowded Bills backfield, and once he wasn’t able to practice because he was overweight, the Bills noticed that they be better off with what they had.

 Lesean McCoy is by far the best running back that the Bills have, but Buffalo also has Reggie Bush, Jonathan Williams, James Wilder Jr, and Mike Gillislee, and clearly the Bills like all of those running backs more than they liked Karlos Williams. The Bills announced the move just a few hours prior to their preseason game against the New York Giants, which will give Buffalo three games to sort out their depth chart. It looked like General Manager Doug Whaley had made a fantastic pick after how well Williams played last year. 

Despite having to deal with many injuries, including a concussion, Williams had a very successful season while backing up McCoy. Williams, 23, rushed for 517 yards and seven touchdowns last year, while averaging an impressive 5.6 yards per carry. Williams recorded nine total touchdowns, which was tied with wide receiver Sammy Watkins for the most touchdowns scored on the team. Williams also made NFL history last year, as he rushed for a touchdown in each of his first six games, which tied New England Patriots running back Robert Edwards for the longest streak of touchdowns to start a player’s career. 

Philadelphia Eagles 2016 Season Preview

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The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off a disappointing 7-9 season in which head coach Chip Kelly was fired for. Enter new head coach, Doug Pederson, who was a member of Andy Reid's coaching staff in Kansas City.

The Eagles followed up the new coaching hire by trading up to the No. 2 spot in the NFL Draft in order to grab quarterback Carson Wentz out of North Dakota State. Fortunately for the Eagles, Wentz won't have to start in his rookie year. Instead they can bring him along slowly while they rely on current starter, Sam Bradford, who they signed to a two-year deal during this past off-season. They also signed veteran quarterback, Chase Daniel, who played for Pederson with the Chiefs, to be the backup.

Bradford threw for over 3,700 yards last season, while throwing 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Hopefully Bradford can be a little more efficient this season, but that could prove to be difficult given his lack of weapons at the wide receiver position.

The main weapons for Bradford include wide receivers Jordan Matthews (997 yards, 8 touchdowns) and Nelson Agholor (283 yards, 1 touchdown) who was the Eagles 2015 first-round pick. Another weapon is tight end, Zach Ertz (853 yards, 2 touchdowns). With the lack of options on the outside, the Eagles signed former New York Giants wide receiver, Ruben Randle, this past off-season, and traded for Tennessee Titans 2015 first-round draft pick, Dorial Green-Beckhman, this preseason. Green-Beckhman led all Titan wide receivers last season with 549 yards receiving.

The Eagles will try to rely on their run game when, and if they can. Last year's big acquisition, DeMarco Murray, is no longer a member of the team. Murray was traded to the Tennessee Titans this past off-season, leaving Ryan Matthews (539 yards, 5.1 avg., 6 touchdowns) and Darren Sproles (317 yards, 3.8 avg., 3 touchdowns) to anchor the running game. Their fifth-round pick out of West Virginia, Wendall Smallwood, may also see some action this season as well.

The Eagles defense last season was terrible to say the least, ranking 30th overall, 32nd against the run, and 28th against the pass. They also finished 28th in points allowed. This season the Eagles will switch to a 4-3 defense, courtesy of new defensive coordinator, Jim Schwartz. When Schwartz was with the Buffalo Bills in 2014, his defense led the NFL in sacks. The defensive line looks to be the strongest unit on the Eagles defense, with the linebacker corps close behind. Fletcher Cox (104 tackles, 9.5 sacks) returns at tackle and Mychal Kendricks (91 tackles) at outside linebacker; both players will play integral parts in the defense's success. The secondary remains an area of concern heading into the 2016 season.

The 2016 Philadelphia Eagles are a team in transition. It's going to take some time for Doug Pederson to bring this team together. Carson Wentz is the future of the Eagles, but don't expect to see him on the field anytime soon.

Jacksonville Jaguars 2016 Season Preview

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It’s not often that one of the league’s young, premier offenses adds three top five defensive talents in a draft class, but that is essentially what the Jaguars have done heading into the 2016 season.

Quarterback Blake Bortles is entering his third season in the league, after passing for the seventh most yards in the league last year. Bortles, along with fellow third year receivers Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, lead one of the league’s premier young offenses.

Now, this rising offense is being joined by three top end defensive prospects in 2015 third overall pick Dante Fowler Jr., and 2016 fifth overall pick Jalen Ramsey and 36th overall pick Myles Jack. While Fowler was not part of this years draft class, a knee injury in the first day of training camp last season left him out for the season, and making his debut alongside Ramsey and Jack.

Fowler and Ramsey were both undisputedly part of the top two defensive prospects in their respective classes, with Jack being a potential top level pick as well if not for a knee injury in college.

This infusion of young talent leaves Jacksonville as one of the most interesting teams in the league. Many experts believe they have the talent to contend for Super Bowls, but nobody is sure when. Some believe that they are two or three years away from a playoff contender, while others see them rising to the top of a weak AFC South division this season.

On top of adding some much needed young talent to the defense, Jacksonville also picked up one of the best interior defensive lineman in the league with Malik Jackson from the Denver Broncos and a lockdown cornerback in Prince Amukamara from the New York Giants.

The Jaguars play one playoff team from 2015 in the first eight weeks of the season, but only have four home games through the first 12 weeks of the 2016.  It will be a test of the young team to play a road heavy schedule, but will allow an easy home stretch to end the season should the team need to make a playoff push.

Indianapolis Colts 2016 Season Preview

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In 2014, the Indianapolis Colts went to the AFC Championship game, but lost to the New England Patriots 45-7.  The AFC Championship game might have sparked deflategate but hopes were high for the Colts headed into the 2015 season.  The Colts went into the off-season following the AFC Championship loss signing key veterans Andre Johnson and Frank Gore believing these moves would help put them over the top.  Unfortunately for Indianapolis they missed the playoffs in 2015 following a rough season.

In 2015 the Colts saw their All-star quarterback, Andrew Luck, go down with an injury.  He only played seven games. The 8-8 season saw some interesting quarterback development as Matt Hasselbeck played eight games, Charlie Whitehurst played in four games, Josh Freeman even started a game, and Ryan Lindley saw some action.  Josh Freeman didn't even play a game in the 2014 season.  The Colts really hope to have Andrew Luck play the entire 2016 season for them to have a chance in an AFC South division that has improved recently.

The Colts went into the draft looking to boost their offensive line.  First they drafted Ryan Kelly, the Center out of Alabama.  In round three, they drafted Le'Raven Clark out of Texas Tech for an outside tackle slot.  They would pick up another tackle in the fifth round, Joe Haeg from North Dakota State to really help protect Andrew Luck.  Finally, in the seventh round, they drafted one more center out of Iowa, Austin Blythe.  Indianapolis saw that they need to protect Luck so that they could give him time to throw the ball as well as keep him healthy.  By keeping Luck healthy, the Colts have the potential to win the division and be dangerous towards a possible Super Bowl run.

Marcell Dareus Suspended Four Games

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The Buffalo Bills have had trouble keeping their defensive line healthy and ready to go for the upcoming season. The team has already lost rookies Shaq Lawson and Reggie Ragland for a significant amount of time due to injury. Perhaps the defense took its biggest hit of the offseason on Monday, when it was announced that defensive tackle Marcell Dareus has been suspended four games after testing positive for marijuana, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Buffalo announced the suspension, but they didn’t offer any specifics. 

“We are very disappointed Marcell chose to put himself first, before his teammates, coaches, the rest of the organization, and the fans through his recent actions,” the Bills said in a statement. “From ownership down we have made it clear his behavior is unacceptable. We will continue to take the necessary steps to work with him in order that he adheres to the policies set forth by our league.” Dareus will lose $1.505 million, which includes his signing bonus and option bonus. The star defensive tackle was suspended for one game in 2015 after he violated the NFL’s substance-abuse policy. 

The Bills will also be without running back Karlos Williams for the first four games of the season because he committed a violation of the substance-abuse policy. Buffalo will be facing a hefty fine from the NFL because of the league’s remittance policy, which only allows a certain amount of players suspended on your team before you get fined for having multiple suspensions. With Dareus gone for a quarter of the season, Buffalo will turn to veterans Kyle Williams and Corbin Bryant to fill in for the Dareus. 

Buffalo also signed defensive lineman Brandon Deaderick and Alameda Ta’amu to add depth to the Bills depleted defense. Dareus was selected with the third pick in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Bills. Dareus, 26, was named to the Pro Bowl in 2013 and 2014, but he hasn’t made it back since then. Dareus played collegiate football with the Alabama Crimson Tide. He recorded 38 tackles and two sacks in 15 games played last season. Dareus signed a six-year contract extension worth $100 million in September.

Chicago Bears 2016 Season Preview

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The 2015 Chicago Bears finished with a predictable 6-10 record, continuing multiple trends despite the presence of John Fox as the team's new head coach: running back Matt Forte had at least 1,200 yards and seven total touchdowns for the eighth straight season, quarterback Jay Cutler put together another average season resoundingly criticized by Bears faithful through and through, and they closed out their season by losing at least four of their last six games for the third year in a row.

With all that in mind, there are signs that things are moving forward for Chicago. After finishing at least 30th in points allowed and yards allowed during the '13 and '14 campaigns, the defense improved to 20th in points allowed and 14th in yards allowed in 2015. Second-year running back Jeremy Langford is flooded with optimism despite his less-than overwhelming production according to some pundits. Despite playing in just nine games due to injury, wide received Alshon Jeffery showed his worth by hauling in 54 receptions and gaining 807 yards, averages that would have placed him in the top 10 in the league in both categories had he played the full season.

Additionally, Jay Cutler is in the third year of the seven-year, $126.7 million contract he signed in 2014. His seven years in Chicago have been tumultuous at best, despite his production. He is, by significant margins, the franchise leader in passing yards, passing touchdowns, completion percentage, and quarterback rating.

While the league looks and operates different than it used to, the Bears have continued to be lead by their defense and run game, yet Cutler still puts up numbers beyond anything any Chicago quarterback had ever dreamed of before. Positive feedback from hometown fans could fuel a strong performance, but history suggests Cutler will be scrutinized aggressively and falter in important situations.

With a schedule that includes the NFC East and AFC South, the task in front of them isn't particularly daunting. Surpassing the always-tough Green Bay Packers and defending division champion Minnesota Vikings may be a reach, but clawing towards a wild card spot seems plausible. Most likely, another sub-.500 finish for the proud but under-performing franchise.

Baltimore Ravens 2016 Season Preview

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It's pretty obvious that the 2016 season will be better that 2015 for the Ravens. Baltimore's 2015 campaign can only be described as a catastrophe. By the time Week 17 came around 22 Ravens were on the Injured Reserve. Things did not get any easier during the off-season with the passing of first year Cornerback Tray Walker.

While John Harbaugh and his staff will be happy to have starters like Joe Flacco and Terrell Suggs back in the fold they're still in a franchise re-toolling. Since they're Super Bowl victory to conclude the 2012 season a number of franchise stallwarts have left Charm City. The defensive side was hit particularly hard with the retirement of future Hall-of-Famers Ray Lewis and Ed Reed. There have been some steps made to address these holes.

While former All-Pro Eric Weddle probably isn't the long term solution at Saftey he will help solidify a secondary which finished last in interceptions. As for the front seven two of the Ravens' first three picks were defensive linemen. Ozzie Newsome also addressed the some issues on offesne. After Eugene Monroe's injury plagued tenure Baltimore's sixth pick was used to select his replacement Notre Dame's Ronnie Stanley. Newsome also signed Mike Wallace to bolster a receiving corps which was decimated by injury.

As previously stated, the Ravens will look more like the team they were in 2014 than last year. That being said they'll likely finish third in the AFC North. After spending over a decade with a top flight defense the aging of Baltimore's core has taken a toll. The Ravens will be competitive and likely finish with 9 wins and be in the hunt for the Wild Card all year.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2016 Season Preview

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Plagued by injuries last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers were never able to reach their full potential. Pittsburgh finished 10-6 last season, but they very easily could’ve had a better record than the Cincinnati Bengals if they were healthy, which means they would’ve won the AFC North. Pittsburgh was a problem in the playoffs, as they defeated the Bengals in one of the craziest games in recent memory by a score of 18-16. They advanced to the Divisional Round, but they were without superstar wide receiver Antonio Brown, and they didn’t have running back Le’Veon Bell who was still nursing an injury from the regular season. 

To make matters worse, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had an injured shoulder, but somehow the depleted Steelers competed with the eventual Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos. The Steelers enter this season with their roster healthy and ready to go (sort of). Pittsburgh will be without wide receiver Martavis Bryant, who is a suspended for one season. Bell has recovered from his leg injury, but he faces a four-game suspension for missing multiple drug tests. The suspension hasn’t been officially announced, which means Bell will be allowed to play in week one unless a suspension is announced. Other than that, the Steelers figure to be one of the best teams in the AFC. 

Despite getting older, Roethlisberger is still playing at an extremely high level. Roethlisberger threw for 3,938 yards and 21 touchdowns last year, while completing 68% of his passes. Despite throwing 16 interceptions, Roethlisberger is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Behind him are two very quality running backs that are capable of taking over a game. Bell’s season was cut short last year, but he’s still had a very solid career through three seasons. Bell has rushed for 2,777 yards and 19 touchdowns, and he’s fumbled the ball just once in his career. 

DeAngelo Williams is another running back that the Steelers can use in their high-powered attack. While filling in for Bell, Williams rushed for 907 yards and 11 touchdowns. However, Roethlisberger’s biggest weapon is wide receiver Antonio Brown. Brown caught 136 passes for 1,834 yards and 10 touchdowns. Other than Julio Jones of the Falcons, Brown had the most receiving yards in the league. Pittsburgh figures to have one of the best teams in the league with its high-powered offense, and a rebuilt defense that will help create possessions for the offense.

Seattle Seahawks 2016 NFL Season Preview

(photo credit: seahawks.com)

The Seattle Seahawks were I back to back Super Bowls in 2014 and 2015. In 2016, their shot at a third consecutive Super Bowl appearance fell short in the NFC Divisional Round against the Carolina Panthers.

The Seahawks are still an amazing team wit a great quarterback in Russell Wilson. Wilson can make plays with his arms and his legs. The Seahawks will also be bringing back star tight end Jimmy Graham. He was lost for the season after rupturing his patellar tendon back in November. 

The only real difference from this team and the one from the two Super Bowl seasons is running back Marshawn Lynch. He retired after the 2015 season. If Thomas Rawls can execute well with the Seahawks offense, they could be back on top of the NFC in 2016.

Bills Sign Tyrod Taylor to Contract Extension

(photo credit: baltimoreravens.com)

The Buffalo Bills have rewarded quarterback Tyrod Taylor for his strong play last season, as the Bills have decided to give Taylor a contract extension. Taylor is signing a six-year deal worth $90 million, sources told ESPN. Taylor could earn up to $20 million more in incentives that are considered difficult to reach. Buffalo has a $10 million buyout option after the first year, and there is also a buyout option after the second year of the deal. 

“I’m definitely thankful for the Pegulas, for the Bills organization, and for Rex Ryan for giving me an opportunity, first and foremost,” Taylor said. “Them offering me a contract for this many years definitely shows that they’re all in, which is what our phrase is for this year. As far as a mindset going into a game, having financial stability or not having it, I’m a competitor from day one.” Taylor was entering the final year of his contract, and he was going to make $2 million this year, but instead he will now make $9.5 million for the upcoming season. Buffalo announced the deal on Friday, which is a day before their first preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts. 

There are multiple team options included in the deal, which means the Bills don’t have to keep Taylor for all six years if he doesn’t work out. “Every year you have something to prove,” Taylor stated. “This is a competition-driven league. It’s not like the NBA where everything is guaranteed. You can get cut at any given time. Every time you step on that field, you have something to prove, and that’s been my mindset every time I step on the practice field. There’s something for me to prove, and I’m going to continue to keep showing that every time.” 

Taylor, 27, is being rewarded for having a career year last season. Taylor showed that he has the potential to be one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in all of the NFL. Taylor missed two games with a knee injury, but in the 14 games he started, he led the Bills to an 8-6 record.

Taylor completed 242 of his 380 attempts for 3,035 yards and 20 touchdowns, which earned him a spot in the Pro Bowl. He also rushed for 586 yards and four touchdowns, which set franchise records for quarterbacks. The Bills have had 12 quarterbacks since 1996, and he seems like he could be the Bills quarterback that sticks around for a long time.