The Chiefs selected Dexter McCluster in the 2^nd round in 2010 to be an elite return man and a dynamic offensive player capable of lining up at multiple positions and scoring from anywhere on the field. However, like many gadget players, he has become none of those things. He’s averaged less than 21 yards per attempt on kick returns and has only scored once in 2 years as a punt returner. Offensively, he has 67 career catches for 537 yards and 2 touchdowns, as well as 114 carries for 516 yards and another touchdown.

The Chiefs are now moving McCluster from running back to his original position, wide receiver, after signing Peyton Hills, drafting Cyrus Gray, and getting Jamaal Charles back from injury. Another position move is not a good sign for a player who has yet to show himself as elite on special teams. As a receiver, McCluster would probably be nothing more than 5^th on their depth chart behind Dwayne Bowe, Jonathan Baldwin, Steve Breaston, and rookie Devon Wylie.

He’ll be squarely on the roster bubble heading into Training Camp and may need to beat out Javier Arenas for one of the two starting return spots to remain with the team. Arenas, a 2^nd round pick the same year as McCluster, has been a better return man than McCluster over the past 2 years. Rookie Devon Wylie can also return both kicks and punts. I’d say it’s more likely that not that he’s cut.

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LaRon Landry was the 6^th overall pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, but when he refused to get surgery on his Achilles, recommended by Redskins doctors, the Redskins were content to let him go. Because of fears about his Achilles, Landry drew little to no interest on the open market, except from the incredibly safety needy New York Jets. However, the Jets may wish they hadn’t signed him at this point.

Landry is frequently absent from voluntary conditioning sessions and now is absent from the start of OTAs and, according to ESPN New York, it’s unclear if the absense was excused. At the very least, Landry is certainly not healthy and I would be shocked if he made it through the entire 2012 season. He’s no sure thing for Training Camp either, which explains why the Jets recently signed Yeremiah Bell. Still incredibly safety needy, the Jets may have to start Eric Smith and Yeremiah Bell at safety in 2012.

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Early this offseason, Cardinals running back Beanie Wells had surgery on his knee, a procedure he called minor. However, that no longer appears to be the case. Wells has admitted he still doesn’t know when he’ll be able to practice and now is saying that the surgery was “more complicated” than repairing his damaged meniscus.

Wells has a history of injury problems, particularly his knee, so this is not good news for Cardinals fans. Wells rushed for a career high 1047 yards and 10 touchdowns on 245 carries last year, but with the latest knee problem and the return of Ryan Williams from injury, he will see a decrease in production across the board this season.

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Brian Urlacher is as synonymous with the Bears as guys like Mike Ditka, Walter Payton, Mike Singletary, etc, but he’s 34 later this month and coming off a major knee injury (MCL/PCL tear). A free agent after the season, Bears fans are starting to worry about Urlacher’s future. Urlacher did a lot to help quell those worries today by saying he was “100%” on track for Training Camp. He admitted he won’t do much work with the team before then, but it sounds like he’ll be fine for his age 34 season. In the final year of a 5 year, 41 million dollar deal, the Bears will reassess his situation with the team after the season.

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The Texans have had one of the best and most underrated offensive lines in the league over the past few years, propelling Arian Foster and Ben Tate to form the league’s most deadly running back duo, and helping protect Matt Schaub. Their scheme is a big part of the reason why, but also the continuity and how well the players fit the scheme is huge. Duane Brown, Wade Smith, Chris Myers, Mike Brisiel, and Eric Winston were not big names, but they were a great bunch.

Now, the Texans have lost two of those, Brisiel and Winston, thanks to their cap situation. The Texans and confident they can plug and play backups in there because of their scheme, but the lack of continuity will hurt. Just ask the Falcons after they lost Harvey Dahl last season and they were just as confident in their scheme.

The inexperienced Rashad Butler will start at right tackle in place of Winston and at right guard there appears to be a position battle brewing between career backup and former 3^rd round pick (2009) Antoine Caldwell and this year’s 3^rd round pick, Brandon Brooks out of Miami of Ohio. According to houstontexans.com, Brooks will, in fact, challenge for that starting job. The earlier drafted player not invited to the Combine, Brooks coming from a small school, but has an amazing mix of size (6-5 345) and speed/athleticism (sub 5.0 at his Pro Day). The Texans are confident they can coach him up.

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LeSean McCoy had a career high 321 touches in 2011 (273 carries, 48 catches), up from 285 in 2010 (207 carries, 78 catches). As he is a smaller running back, there was some talk that the Eagles could cut his touches this season, according to Head Coach Andy Reid. This made some sense. The Eagles have been talking up backup Dion Lewis this offseason and added two rookie backs that they really like, Bryce Brown (7^th round), and Chris Polk (undrafted).

However, Jeff McLane, a beat writer for the Philadelphia Enquirer, believes this is a smokescreen and that McCoy won’t see a decrease in touches. McLane points out times in the past when Reid would say they’d be reducing Brian Westbrook’s carries, but never would. McCoy is every bit as talented as Westbrook and without the injuries so the Eagles would be wise to use him as much as possible. Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg has mentioned possibly moving McCoy around more and using him in the slot since he’s such a good pass catcher. He may see less carries, but just as many touches because he’ll catch more passes.

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When Wes Welker was hit with the franchise tag earlier this offseason, he said he was looking forward to signing a long term deal that would take him until 2016-2017 or so, so he could play the rest of his career in a Patriots uniform. Owner Bob Kraft seconded that sentiment today, showing the front office’s support for Welker and saying that he wants him to be a “Patriot for life.”

Kraft did acknowledge that it would take two sides to get a deal done, but after an alleged squabble between the two sides earlier this week, it sounds like the two sides are still on good terms. Welker has so far not been offered anything more than a deal he said was worse than the 2 years, 16 million he was offered last season, but he doesn’t seem too upset about it.

Unlike many franchise players, Welker seems content to play out next season under the 9.5 million dollar franchise tag if he has to. Welker, a class act, understands the Patriot way and that he’s not irreplaceable and that he might not have similar success elsewhere. He’d be more than happy with 9.5 million this year, but obviously wants a long term deal. Ownership does too so we’ll have to see how this plays out.

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Stephen Tulloch is one of the best middle linebackers in the league, especially in Detroit’s wide nine scheme, and was paid accordingly this offseason, signing a 5 year, 25 million dollar deal. However, there are now injury concerns with Tulloch. Tulloch has yet to practice in OTAs with a knee injury and while it was originally viewed as minor, Head Coach Jim Schwartz now says he’ll miss the rest of OTAs and possibly June minicamps with knee tendinitis. Tulloch insists his injury is minor, but we may differ in the definition of minor as he recently had an injection into the knee and reportedly cannot put any weight on it. He should be fine for Training Camp and onward, but these types of things can linger so it’s something to keep an eye on.

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After waiting until the 4^th round to draft a wide receiver in this past draft, the Browns still have one of the worst receiving corps in the NFL. According to Head Coach Pat Shurmur, Greg Little and Mohamed Massaquoi are penciled in as starters as of right now, but he acknowledged that could change. The organization is very high on 4^th round rookie Travis Benjamin and believe he could challenge Massaquoi opposite Little, as well as Josh Cribbs in the slot. Carlton Mitchell and undrafted rookie Josh Cooper are other players the organization really likes. It looks like it’s going to be a rough 1^st year for Brandon Weeden finding open targets, even if Greg Little has a breakout year.

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The Bengals failed to resign their #2 receiver, Jerome Simpson, this offseason as he had been arrested in a drug related incident and was facing league suspension. Simpson is now with the Vikings and will start the season with a 3 game suspension, while the Bengals are seemingly holding open auditions for Simpson’s old role opposite AJ Green.

The Bengals drafted Mohamed Sanu in the 3^rd round and Marvin Jones in the 5^th round to compete for that job and separate reports have also said that 2011 undrafted free agent Armon Binns and Patriots castoff Brandon Tate are also in the running for that job. That’s 4 players compete for one spot. With Jordan Shipley solidified in the slot, the losers will become nothing more than depth receivers and might not make the final 53 at all, unless the Bengals carry 6 receivers.

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