The Lions made the playoffs last season for the first time in seemingly forever and they are clearly headed in the right direction as a franchise. However, one area where they still lack elite talent is cornerback. Last season their starters were Chris Houston and Eric Wright, two players who are best described as mediocre to average at best. This offseason, they lost starter Eric Wright. Wright got an undeserved giant contract from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Right now, it appears that Aaron Berry will replace him in the starting lineup. Berry has never been a full time starter, but the organization has been high on him since they signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Pittsburgh after the 2010 NFL Draft. He’s been working out with the first team in OTAs and will be given every chance to be the starter. He will, however, get competition from Dwight Bentley and Chris Greenwood, rookies drafted in the 3^rd round and 5^th round respectively of the 2012 NFL Draft.

They’ll be bailed out by one of the best front 7s and pass rushes in the league, but no matter who ends up starting next to Chris Houston, the Lions will have some of the worst defensive back talent of any playoff contender once again, unless one of their rookies steps up big time or Berry has a breakout season. It’s worth noting that the Lions did rank 8^th in the league in fewest YPA allowed last year with 6.8 YPA, despite only having 3 of 12 defensive backs grade out above average on ProFootballFocus. One of those 3 was Berry, who played very well in the slot last year (the other two were Chris Houston and Don Carey).

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It was originally reported that Lions’ 2^nd year receiver Titus Young was absent from OTAs because he had been suspended from practice by the team, following a fight with safety Louis Delmas. This was according to noted beat writer Anwar Richardson. However, multiple reports have refuted that report, including the official website of the Detroit Lions. If Young has indeed been suspended, the Lions do not want to publicly admit it.

It’s not clear exactly what happened with Young, if he did get in a fight or not. And if he wasn’t suspended, why was he, in fact, not at OTAs? Young was also the only Lions wideout not in attendance when Calvin Johnson threw out the first pitch at a Tigers game last week. Young is expected to start the season as their #2 receiver opposite Calvin Johnson in his 2^nd season after being selected in the 2^nd round. However, if he’s in the doghouse, it could hurt his chances and the Lions have no shortage of receivers with veteran Nate Burleson as the incumbent starter and 2012 2^nd round pick Ryan Broyles behind him on the depth chart.

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It has been revealed in a report on houstontexans.com that wide receiver Andre Johnson had knee surgery earlier this month. The surgery was described as “minor” and Johnson says he’ll be ready for Training Camp. Andre Johnson has been one of the most talented wide receivers over the past decade, but has always had issues with injuries.

Now on the wrong side of 30, it’s reasonable to question Johnson’s longevity and how long he’ll be able to remain an elite wide receiver. Even elite wide receivers drop off a cliff statistically around age 34. It’s definitely possible that Johnson, who turns 31 in July, could do so earlier than that. There’s a reason why the Texans used 2 draft picks on receivers in the 2012 NFL Draft, DeVier Posey in the 3^rd round and Keshawn Martin in the 5^th round. In 9 seasons, Andre Johnson has 706 catches for 9656 yards and 52 touchdowns. He ranks 39th all-time in receiving yards.

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The Eagles took Brandon Graham 13^th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft, a pick that has been widely criticized since, especially since the divisional rival New York Giants selected Jason Pierre-Paul 2 picks later. However, Graham’s struggles so far have not exactly been the Eagles’ fault or anything they could have foreseen. Graham has had a lot of issues with injuries in his first 2 years in the league and got out of shape while not playing.

Graham is now going into what the Eagles are calling a make or break 3^rd year for him and it appears to have flicked a switch for him. He has spent the entire offseason getting in shape, dropping from 285 pounds to 265, which is around where he was in 2010 coming out of Michigan. He appears to have a fire lit under him and the Eagles still believe in his potential, both “publicly and privately,” this according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Graham will have to compete with 2^nd round rookie Vinny Curry for snaps in a rotation behind Trent Cole and Jason Babin. The Eagles were already among the league leaders in sacks with 50 last year and used that 2^nd round pick on Vinny Curry so it’s not like they need Graham, but they’d obviously prefer that Graham were able to contribute in a situational role this season. If he doesn’t, this could be his last year with the team.

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Browns’ 2^nd year defensive tackle Phil Taylor tore his pectoral earlier this month and had surgery on it last week. However, the Browns have not ruled him out totally for the 2012 season. ESPN Cleveland believes he’ll miss about 12 games, while GM Tom Heckert says he will “definitely” return this season and gives late October, early November as a target date.

Taylor was given a 6 month recovery or so, which means that date seems about right. However, if the Browns are out if it by that point, a very real possibility, the Browns might opt to shut him down for the entire season rather than rush him back for a non-contending team. Taylor will begin the season on the PUP and career backup Scott Paxson has been penciled in as the starter in his absence. Rookies Billy Winn and John Hughes will give Paxson a run for his money in Training Camp and the preseason. All 3 figure to see snaps this season.

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Andy Dalton fell to the 2^nd round and was the 5^th quarterback off the board in the 2011 NFL Draft because of his lack of arm strength. Dalton showed as a rookie that he has enough arm strength to get by, leading the Bengals to the playoffs with a record of 9-7. However, according to NFL Films’ Greg Cosell, the Bengals do have some doubts about Dalton and say there are some things they’re not comfortable doing with him.

The Bengals obviously refuted the report immediately, but that’s to be expected. That doesn’t mean it’s not true, but it also doesn’t mean it is true. Cosell really has no reason to lie. Dalton played well to start last season, completing 61.5% of his passes for an average of 6.6 YPA, and 12 touchdowns to 7 interceptions, leading the Bengals to a 6-2 record.

However, in the 2^nd half of the season, teams seemed to catch on and the Bengals went just 3-5 as Dalton completed just 54.6% of his passes for 6.6 YPA, and 8 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. The Bengals also didn’t beat a playoff team all last year, going 0-8. Against a tougher schedule and with the league catching on to his game, Dalton could have a down season this year. I think he’s one of the most overrated quarterbacks in the league.

There was a time when Colt McCoy had a decent rookie year, but teams caught on eventually and now he’s a backup. Dalton was a similar player coming out of school. Even if Cosell didn’t actually hear that the Bengals have doubts about Dalton, I would agree with his assessment that Dalton’s lack of arm strength could be a legitimate concern going forward. Cosell knows his stuff and I called Dalton a “backup type prospect” coming out of TCU, a statement that has yet to be completely proven wrong.

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According to the Chicago Tribune, Bears franchise player Matt Forte is seeking 8.5 million per year in contract negotiations. This report comes at the same time that the National Football Post reported that Ravens’ franchise player Ray Rice is seeking 10 million per year. Forte’s asking price is more in line with what backs like Chris Johnson, Arian Foster, and LeSean McCoy have gotten in the past calendar year and there it’s more reasonable. Though there have been no recent talks between the two parties, I do expect a deal to get done and probably earlier than the Ravens get a deal done with Ray Rice.

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According to the National Football Post’s Dan Pompei, Ray Rice is asking for 10 million dollars per year in contract negotiations with the Baltimore Ravens. That amount would make him the 2^nd highest paid running back in the NFL behind Adrian Peterson and is more than what Chris Johnson, Arian Foster, and LeSean McCoy have gotten in the past calendar year. It’s also more than the 8.5 million dollars Matt Forte is asking for from the Bears.

There was a report earlier this week that Rice and the Ravens were making progress in negotiations, but that report was disputed by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. I trust Schefter’s ear on this over anyone else’s and I highly doubt the Ravens are willing to give anywhere near what Rice is asking for. These negotiations could last a while.

Rice is set to earn 7.742 million in 2012 under the franchise tag and the Ravens can actually have him play out the season under the franchise tag and then franchise tag him again next offseason before having to pay him 10 million dollars in a season. Rice would be wise to lower his asking price into the 7.5-9 million dollar range that Johnson, Foster, and McCoy got. That’s what Matt Forte is doing.

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Josh Cribbs’ is one of the Browns’ most dynamic and well known players, with 11 special teams touchdowns in his career, while contributing some offensively as a receiver. However, Jeff Schudel of the Cleveland News-Herald believes this could be Cribbs’ last year with the team as he is a free agent next offseason.

Schudel’s reasoning for this is that Cribbs turns 30 next offseason and kick returners have a relatively short shelf level so they won’t see him as worth what he’ll want and what others might give him. Schudel also mentions the NFL’s new kickoff rules as something that diminishes his value. Cribbs has also not turned into the offensive weapon they envisioned he could be, catching just 84 passes in the last 3 years.

The Browns have used picks on wide receivers like Greg Little, Mohamed Massaquoi, and Travis Benjamin in recent years and it’s possible that all 3 will be above him on the depth chart next year. He’ll compete with 4^th round rookie Travis Benjamin for the slot receiver job in Training Camp and the Preseason. Benjamin was a dynamic return man at the University of Miami so he could be their long term solution on special teams over Cribbs. All signs point to 2012 being the last year in Cleveland for Cribbs. He’ll make 1.438 million.

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Buccaneers’ wide receiver Arrelious Benn was a 2^nd round pick of the previous regime in 2010, but the Buccaneers fired Raheem Morris this offseason and replaced him with Greg Schiano. They also brought in Vincent Jackson to start opposite Mike Williams, pushing Arrelious Benn out of his starting job. However, at Buccaneers’ OTAs it’s become clear just how far out of his starting job he has been pushed.

Benn, a disappointment thus far with just 55 catches for 836 yards and 5 touchdowns in 2 seasons, has been practicing with the 3^rd team behind not just Jackson and Williams, but Sammie Stroughter and Preston Parker. Stroughter and Parker are more natural fits for the slots so it looks like Benn could be as low as 5^th or 6^th on the depth chart. If he stays there, he’d be a complete nonfactor in 2010, assuming he makes the roster. I wouldn’t rule out the Buccaneers cutting him at this point. He’s clearly not on good standing with the new regime.

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