If I see anything Bengals related I'll throw you a request and toss you some FG.

Nice service.

I'm sure you can get similar analysis and stories elsewhere, but unlike watching Sportscenter, a lot of the stuff on here is actually quality. Most of it isn't even ESPN writers - it's people who proved successful elsewhere and were brought in by ESPN to write there. If it came down to paying market price, no way in hell I would have done it, but I got a sale online and an offer from ESPN that ended up netting me 2 years of Insider and ESPN magazine for less than $5.

can i get that sale too?

Not at the moment. The sale was off some site around six months ago and the second year of it was an offer mailed from ESPN.

looking forward to the NFC south one. jaja

Not out yet, will check for it again before I go to work.


Pressure point series still needs to do both East divisions, I'll post all 8 of those when they're out in case anybody is interested.

Was posted literally moments after I posted.


NFC South

Atlanta Falcons: Returner
With the departure of Eric Weems to the Chicago Bears, the Falcons need to find a punt and kickoff return man.

Head coach Mike Smith said early in the week that slot receiver Harry Douglas and reserve cornerback Dominique Franks were "leading candidates" for the return jobs. Douglas returned punts as a rookie in 2008, averaging 11.9 yards per return and scoring one touchdown. He also returned four kickoffs, uneventfully, that year. Franks returned one punt for zero yards last year.

The Falcons did not address the return game or receiver depth in the draft, but they did sign some rookie free agents who fit the return man profile.

James Rodgers returned kicks and punts for Oregon State until his senior season. The 5-foot-7 jitterbug played the 2011 season with his left knee in a brace after a 2010 ACL tear, but he has the quickness to be a factor in the return game. Marcus Jackson of Lamar returned both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in his college career, though he did so against opponents like Oklahoma Panhandle State. Other free agent rookie receivers, like Michael Calvin of Cal or Kenny Stafford of Toledo, are big guys who are more likely to stick as gunners.

The Falcons are contenders, and contenders cannot afford to have kickoffs fumbled away or punts fielded at the 3-yard line by raw rookies or uncomfortable veterans. There are not many professional return men on the free agent market right now (no, Kevin Faulk will not sign with any team but the Patriots), but the Falcons may want to kick tires on a player like Greg Camarillo, who has enough experience to call a fair catch and field the ball cleanly.



Carolina Panthers: Wide Receiver
The Panthers let No. 2 receiver Legedu Naanee depart via free agency and do not appear interested in re-signing second tight end Jeremy Shockey. That leaves them with 81 receptions and over 900 yards of passing offense to replace, but they did little to address the wide receiver or tight end positions in the draft.

The absence of Naanee and Shockey will be felt in the red zone, where they were targeted a total of 23 times. Naanee was not very successful in the red zone (seven catches in 15 attempts, one touchdown), but Shockey caught four touchdowns. Someone will need to step up and provide the counterpunch to Cam Newton options and Steve Smith fades.

Brandon LaFell caught 36 passes last season and pushed Naanee into a supporting role. David Gettis is on the mend from an ACL tear and is the favorite to take over in the slot. Rookie Joe Adams is shifty and can contribute in the slot and on end-arounds. There is no real "difference maker" in the bunch, but the second receiver in the Panthers run-heavy offense is typically the fourth or fifth option.

Replacing Shockey may be trickier. Gary Barnidge showed promise in 2009 but has played in just three games since and is now recovering from a broken ankle. Veteran Ben Hartsock is not a viable second tight end on a team that uses two tight ends on such a high percentage of snaps. The Panthers may tweak their offense, replacing some two-tight end sets with two-back formations that make use of free agent acquisition Mike Tolbert, an all-purpose fullback.



New Orleans Saints: Cornerback
The departure of Tracy Porter left the Saints dangerously thin at cornerback, and the team's dearth of draft picks made it hard for them to address the problem.

Starters Jabari Greer and Patrick Robinson are set, but beyond them loom question marks. Johnny Patrick, last year's third-round pick, played sparingly in 2011. Kamaal McIlwain, who bounced around the Falcons and Niners training camps and practice squads in 2011, is among the most experienced backup cornerbacks on the roster.

Fifth-round pick Corey White is also in the mix at cornerback, though many draft experts considered him a better prospect at safety.

The Saints finished 27th in the league in DVOA (Football Outsiders' defense-adjusted value over average metric, explained here) against third and fourth receivers last year, and that was with Robinson as the third cornerback and Porter in the lineup. They are now relying on a mouthy mid-round pick and a little-used sophomore in the critical slot corner role. And they have so many other things to worry about that they cannot shop for veterans at the position.



Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Center
With Jeff Faine gone, the current Buccaneers center is Jeremy Zuttah, who signed a new four-year contract with the team in March. Unfortunately, Zuttah is: a) a guard, and pretty terrible.

Last season, while playing mostly at left guard, Zuttah committed seven holding penalties and committed four blown blocks that led directly to sacks, according to Football Outsiders' game charting project. His numbers in 2009 and 2010 were better, but Zuttah has never been able to settle into a permanent position on the line.

Zuttah has started nine NFL games at center and did not play the position at all in college. As an emergency swing lineman who can play all five positions, he is valuable. Bucs coach Greg Schiano likely has faith in him based on their time together at Rutgers, but Zuttah is an unlikely choice to be the long-term solution at a critical position.

Behind Zuttah on the depth chart are Ted Larsen, a college center who has started 14 games for the Bucs at guard (including three last year when Zuttah was hurt or filling in for Faine), and undrafted rookie Moe Petrus, a 26-year-old try-hard guy from Connecticut. The team appears unlikely to pursue a veteran.

Perhaps Zuttah has finally found a home in the middle of the line. Or perhaps Schiano is making the classic "college coach" mistake of being too optimistic about a former player.

o ok, well thanks all i wanted to know how much is it usually for insider?

Following posts will be the pressure point series.


Arizona Cardinals

The 2012 season should be less challenging for Kevin Kolb than the one that came before it, but Kolb still qualifies for consideration on a varied list of NFC West players with tough roads ahead. Quarterback is a difficult enough position without the added burden of unrealistic expectations. The $12.4 million annual average Arizona paid to Kolb demanded immediate production, and at a high level. Kolb struggled, raising the stakes for 2012.

Kolb should benefit from the added preparation time this offseason affords players in general. Last year, Kolb remained property of the Philadelphia Eagles until late July. Rules prevented him from practicing with his new teammates until Aug. 4. This year, Kolb gets a full offseason to master the offense. The Cardinals also expect Kolb's fundamentals to improve now that the detail-oriented John McNulty has shifted over from receivers coach to handle quarterbacks.

Kolb faces at least three tough challenges.

First, he must hold off John Skelton for the starting job. Skelton faces no pressure as a 2010 fifth-round draft choice earning $490,000 in base salary. Skelton scored points with fans and the team for his role in a few fourth-quarter comeback victories last season. Skelton has also proved durable, which leads into the second challenge for Kolb: staying healthy. Concussions have knocked Kolb from the lineup in Philadelphia (2010) and Arizona (2011).

Finally, Kolb enters what is clearly a make-or-break year for him with no assurances that the Cardinals can protect him adequately. Arizona has questionable pass-protection credentials at both tackle spots. Kolb did not demonstrate much feel for the pocket last season. The Cardinals did add weaponry for Kolb by using a first-round pick for Michael Floyd. Floyd, unlike Kolb, will be given a couple of years to develop.



St. Louis Rams

Jason Smith should be hitting his prime years as an offensive tackle for the Rams. There's a chance that will be the case, unlikely as it seems after three underwhelming seasons marked by injuries. The Rams reworked Smith's contract and will find out whether new line coach Paul Boudreau can help Smith, still only 26, fulfill more of his potential. Smith, limited to six games last season after suffering a concussion during a freak collision, will need better luck with injuries for that to happen.

It's instructive to recall the Rams' thinking when they made Smith the second player chosen in the 2009 draft. The feeling then was that Smith remained in the early stages of a transition from tight end to tackle, and that Eugene Monroe, selected eighth overall that year by Jacksonville, was more polished coming out of college.

"The way we look at it, he has played at a high level with only three years at the position," Billy Devaney, then the Rams' general manager, said of Smith at the time. "So you try to project a year or two down the road with that kind of development that we see, he’ll be that much better. If you take Monroe, he comes in and lines up on Sunday, if we're playing, at left tackle and plays. He's been there longer. Jason has been a right tackle and that’s what gives us flexibility. ... His production is good now and his potential is outstanding."

The Rams are envisioning more of a run-oriented offense this year. That could help Smith, their projected starter at right tackle, find his bearings. The schedule presents challenges, however. Smith opens the season on the road against Detroit and the Lions' franchise player, Cliff Avril. The Washington Redskins' Ryan Kerrigan is on the schedule in Week 2, followed by matchups against rookie first-round picks Shea McClellin (Chicago) and Bruce Irvin (Seattle). Green Bay's Clay Matthews is also on the schedule in the first seven games.



Seattle Seahawks

Tarvaris Jackson earned the respect of his Seahawks teammates by playing through much of the 2011 with a torn pectoral muscle on his right side. Jackson never complained or made excuses. The injury made it tougher for Jackson to take hold of the starting job for the long term. The Seahawks' inability to make key plays in critical moments left them with a 7-9 record and kept them in the market for help at the position.

Jackson has gone from probable starter to potential roster casualty over the last two months. Seattle's signing of Matt Flynn from Green Bay in free agency made Jackson the presumed underdog in a two-man race for the starting job. The dynamic changed again when the Seahawks used a third-round choice for Wisconsin quarterback Russell Wilson, who subsequently impressed coaches during a recently completed rookie camp. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is now talking about a three-man race for the starting job.

The Seahawks acquired Jackson primarily for his knowledge of coordinator Darrell Bevell's offense during a lockout-shortened 2011 offseason. Sure, they hoped Jackson might turn into something more than a stopgap, but they entered into that relationship with the shorter term in mind. That is one reason Carroll broke from his competition mantra by installing Jackson as the starter heading into camp.

Circumstances are different now. The Seahawks targeted Flynn and Wilson as potential franchise quarterbacks, not as stopgap solutions. The team has a pretty good idea what Jackson offers. Expectations are higher for Flynn and Wilson. It's now an upset if Jackson wins the starting job. It's probably an upset if the Seahawks pay him $4 million in base salary, the figure spelled out for 2012 in the two-year deal Jackson signed in July 2011.

This is looking like a most challenging year for Jackson.


San Francisco 49ers

Frank Gore ranked sixth among NFL rushers with 1,211 yards last season, at one point rushing for at least 100 yards in five consecutive games. He earned Pro Bowl honors for his work in the regular season before adding 29 carries for 163 yards (5.6 per attempt) over two playoff games. Gore, with 7,625 yards for his career, passed Hall of Famer Joe Perry for the most in franchise history. He's been the 49ers' best and most consistent offensive player for years.

The challenge will be to remain productive and fend off challengers in an increasingly competitive backfield.

Gore's 29th birthday was Tuesday. Running backs generally slow considerably by that age. Injuries have slowed Gore at various points in recent seasons, including when he missed the final five games of the 2010 season. The good news for Gore is that his average for yards per attempt has remained strong, never dipping below 4.2 during any of his seven seasons. He's an exceedingly tough player. And although Gore is plenty physical, he runs low to the ground, making it tougher for opponents to deliver the most damaging blows.

It's possible Gore will defy the odds for older backs, putting together another robust season. He'll continue to benefit from playing within one of the NFL's best running schemes. The 49ers have bought insurance. They used a 2011 fourth-round pick for Kendall Hunter and a 2012 second-rounder for LaMichael James. They signed Brandon Jacobs in free agency. Gore remains the clear favorite to start and lead the team in rushing, but an already difficult job will become even more challenging at this stage of his career.



Oakland Raiders

Oakland’s brass isn’t facing much pressure. General manager Reggie McKenzie and new head coach Dennis Allen are starting a new regime, and they will be given time to build their program.

However, that doesn’t mean no one in Oakland faces pressure in 2012. The heat is on quarterback Carson Palmer. He is one of the keys to quick success in Oakland. If Palmer fails to deliver in 2012, the Raiders may have to think of the future, whether that means trying to draft a franchise quarterback in 2013 or turning to 2011 supplemental draft pick Terrelle Pryor.

Remember, the previous regime was the one that brought Palmer in last October. McKenzie and Allen believe in Palmer and will give him a chance to succeed, but he’s not their guy. They will not feel emotionally attached to him if he fails.

Oakland gave up its first-round pick this year and a first- or second-round pick next year. (It’s a first-rounder if Oakland goes to the AFC title game.)

He was so-so last year. Palmer threw 16 interceptions and 13 touchdowns in 10 games with Oakland. Now, Palmer, who will turn 33 in December, must adjust to the West Coast offense in Oakland. The Raiders need Palmer to succeed.

Hopes are high for him, but if Palmer fails in 2012, so may the Raiders.


Kansas City Chiefs

I wish I could be creative here and point the finger at someone other than Matt Cassel in Kansas City.

I just can’t.

No one is facing more of a pressure situation in Kansas City than Cassel heading into the 2012 season. Sure, Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli (who traded for Cassel three years ago) will feel the heat if Cassel fails in 2012. But Pioli probably will not be fired if Cassel fails in 2012. Pioli probably will be given an opportunity to replace Cassel.

However, if Cassel fails this season, he probably will lose his job. Hence, the immense pressure.

The Chiefs showed confidence in Cassel this offseason when they built around him in free agency and the draft instead of replacing him. Kansas City has put together a strong team, one that appears to have few holes. It is set up to make a playoff run.

But Cassel has to lead it there. Again, it’s all on him. The pieces are there. If Cassel doesn’t seize the moment, he’ll pay for it by losing his job.


San Diego Chargers

San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith and coach Norv Turner have been and always will be linked.

They will succeed together in San Diego or probably will be fired together in 2012. Smith and Turner were expected to be fired after the Chargers failed to make the playoffs for a second straight time in 2011. If the Chargers miss the postseason again, both probably will be fired, barring a stunning chain of events.

Smith has done his job for 2012, and he had a strong free agency before the draft.

Now, it’s all up to Turner.

Arguably, no one in the AFC West faces more pressure than Turner this season. Every time the Chargers lose a game, Turner will be reminded of his tenuous job security. Every time one of his players makes a mistake, folks will wonder what Turner could have done to prevent it.

Turner knows the deal. He’s fine if he wins. If he loses, the pressure could lead to his departure from San Diego.


Denver Broncos

John Elway’s second tenure with the Denver Broncos has gone well so far.

The legendary Denver quarterback has earned rave reviews around the league for his work as Denver’s primary football decision-maker since he took over in January 2011. On the surface, things are looking good in Denver, and there really isn’t a lot of pressure on anyone as the Peyton Manning era begins.

However, if Manning doesn't bounce back from the neck injury that sidelined him for the 2011 season, the heat will be on Elway. By all indications, Manning, 36, should be fine and plenty of teams would have taken the same risk as Elway did.

But if the 2012 season somehow starts without Manning behind center in Denver, Elway is going to hear it from fans. He will be asked every day how he could trade away Tim Tebow and sign damaged goods like Manning.

It will not be a pretty scene if that happens. The odds are Manning will be fine, but Elway needs to hope the odds play out as expected because he is all-in with Manning.

Detroit Lions


Mikel Leshoure has one week of NFL practice to his name. He hasn't played in a single preseason game, let alone in the regular season, and is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in August.

But if the Lions are to achieve more offensive balance in 2012, Leshoure will have to play a primary role. That's why he was drafted in 2011, to serve as a big between-the-tackles runner, and it's what the Lions sorely lacked after his injury.

The presumed recovery of fellow running back Jahvid Best (concussion) is really a parallel issue. Best gives the Lions a playmaker in the passing game but is best suited for a modest role as a runner. Leshoure's full-strength return would allow the Lions to use Best the way he should be while imposing a new power threat on defenses as well.



Green Bay Packers

Today is May 16. That leaves about 2 1/2 months before training camp and almost four months before the start of the regular season for reinforcements to arrive. But for the time being, there is only one player on the Packers' roster who seems suited to be a No. 1 back in the NFL.

It's difficult to know for sure, but from the outside it appears the Packers are clearing the road for James Starks to take over that role in his third NFL season. Veteran starter Ryan Grant has not been re-signed and the Packers did not draft a running back last month. Behind Starks are veteran fullback/short-yardage specialist John Kuhn and two second-year players in Alex Green and Brandon Saine; Green is recovering from a torn ACL in his knee.

Grant could always re-sign at a later date, but if not, the Packers are taking a bit of a leap in hoping that Starks can stay on the field for a full season. He missed the first 13 games of 2010 because of a hamstring injury and was limited during the second half of 2011 because of knee and ankle ailments. Overall, he's missed as many games (16) as he's played. The pressure is on Starks to demonstrate he is not a part-time back.



Chicago Bears


For months, the Chicago Bears have systematically picked off their roster holes, large and small. They traded for receiver Brandon Marshall, giving quarterback Jay Cutler his long-sought "big target." They signed backups at quarterback (Jason Campbell) and running back (Michael Bush), drafted a pass-rusher (Shea McClellin) to complement Julius Peppers, and added another big receiver in rookie Alshon Jeffery.

But rather than address two years of uneven play along their offensive line with additional personnel upgrades, the Bears instead placed their faith in new offensive coordinator Mike Tice to handle that job. The Bears are confident that Tice's background as an offensive line coach will ensure a scheme that offers his blockers plenty of help and limits the difficulty of the position they find themselves under.

In the end, however, football is about the skills of the players more than it is the schemes of the coaches. If Tice can't help the Bears' incumbent linemen play at a winning level, then the rest of the Bears' upgrades won't matter for much. That's an awful lot of pressure to put on one coach.



Minnesota Vikings

As the Vikings' interim coach in 2010, Leslie Frazier won three games and lost three games. Promoted to the permanent job shortly thereafter, Frazier was part of a 3-13 disaster in 2011 that prompted an organizational shift in power to general manager Rick Spielman and a significant overhaul of the roster.

So in sum, Frazier has a 6-16 record, is entering the second year of a three-year contract and will be asked to compete with a roster that is at least a year from legitimate contention. The team plays in arguably the NFL's toughest division, and he'll have a second-year quarterback in Christian Ponder, three new starters on the offensive line, a rookie place-kicker and first-time starters down the middle of his defense -- at nose tackle, middle linebacker and possibly both safety positions.

Oh, and Frazier's best player -- tailback Adrian Peterson -- is recovering from a serious knee injury suffered in December. Peterson insists he will be ready for the opening of the season, but the Vikings' medical staff has refused to confirm that timetable.

Frazier is a good person and a good coach, but that's a challenging series of obstacles for someone hoping to make it to a third season. At 6-16, the honeymoon period of his tenure is over. If nothing else, he'll be undermanned as he attempts to steer the team toward more victories.



Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers talked about running the ball more after parting ways with offensive coordinator Bruce Arians. It remains to be seen how the offense will look under Todd Haley, but the responsibility of the running game falls squarely on Isaac Redman.

An undrafted rookie out of Bowie State in 2009, Redman gets the first crack at being the Steelers' featured back this year. Rashard Mendenhall, the team's leading rusher for the past three seasons, is expected to miss at least the first six games of the season after having knee surgery in January, and Pittsburgh didn't draft a running back until the fifth round this year. At this point, the Steelers are saying this is Redman's job to lose.

The pressure is on Redman because this is more than holding onto the job for a season. Mendenhall is in the final year of his contract, so Redman is auditioning to be the primary runner for next year as well. Redman has earned this opportunity by his play after Mendenhall tore his ACL in the regular-season finale. He ran for 92 yards in the final regular-season game and 121 yards in the playoff loss at Denver.

The challenge for Redman is to prove he can handle the workload for a full season. He's had double-digit carries in only four of 36 career games (including the playoffs). Unless the Steelers sign a veteran before the regular season, there's no experienced safety net at running back. The backups behind Redman are Chris Rainey, Jonathan Dwyer, John Clay and Baron Batch. They have a combined 35 NFL carries. That's why the Steelers need Redman to step up and take charge of the position.


Baltimore Ravens

Four of the the Ravens' five defensive coordinators in their history have gone on to become head coaches. Baltimore's defense has ranked in the top six in eight of the past nine years. So, there's tremendous pressure on new defensive coordinator Dean Pees to uphold the standard of excellence.

His job became much more difficult when linebacker Terrell Suggs, the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year, tore his Achilles. He also faces the delicate situation of how to handle team leaders Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, both of whom showed their age toward the end of last season. Then, add in the season-ending stretch where Baltimore faces seven Pro Bowl quarterbacks in its final eight games (they also account for five Super Bowl rings).

Pees is familiar with strong defenses. He spent the past two seasons as the Ravens’ linebackers coach after a six-year stint helping run Bill Belichick’s defense in New England. During Pees’ four-year tenure as defensive coordinator (2006-09), the Patriots were the only team in the NFL to finish in the top 10 in scoring defense each season. He now gets the keys to an aggressive Baltimore defense that ranked third in the NFL in sacks (48) and first in forced fumbles (21) last season.

In taking over the Ravens' defense, Pees called it a "humbling" opportunity. It's also a challenging one to follow in the footsteps of Marvin Lewis, Mike Nolan, Rex Ryan and Chuck Pagano.



Cleveland Browns

Hot seats in the NFL are typically reserved for head coaches and general managers. For the Browns, the heat is on team president Mike Holmgren.

The Browns added hope when they hired Holmgren as their top executive after he returned the Packers to prominence and guided the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. Rebuilding has been more of a challenge with the Browns, who have won nine games in Holmgren's two seasons. Instead of turning into a winner, the franchise has spun its wheels under Holmgren and the fan base is becoming skeptical.

This is a big year for the Holmgren regime because a potential franchise quarterback (Brandon Weeden) and star running back (Trent Richardson) were drafted in the first round to go with a top-10 defense. Holmgren has promised a "pretty good jump" for the Browns, so another four- or five-win season isn't going to cut it. It's time for Holmgren to erase past mistakes like keeping Eric Mangini around as head coach for a year and failing to trade up for quarterback Robert Griffin III in this year's draft.

Holmgren had a more immediate impact at his other stops. In Green Bay, he inherited a four-win team and led the Packers to the playoffs by his second season. In Seattle, he took over a team that hadn't been to the playoffs in 10 years and guided the Seahawks to the playoffs in his first season. The pressure is on Holmgren to show signs of a similar turnaround in Cleveland.



Cincinnati Bengals

It would be easy to say Marvin Lewis faces a pivotal season because the Bengals coach is in the final year of a two-year extension. But, by all accounts, owner Mike Brown has approached Lewis a handful of times about a new deal, and it's Lewis who hasn't found time for a sitdown.

While it looks like there is no fear with job security, there is still a great amount of pressure on Lewis to take the Bengals to the next level. In his nine years as Bengals coach, Lewis has yet to win a playoff game or guide the team to consecutive winning seasons. If the Bengals want to elevate themselves to the ranks of the Steelers and the Ravens, Lewis has to get the Bengals to make noise in the postseason. During Lewis' tenure in Cincinnati, he has watched the Steelers win two Super Bowls and the Ravens reach the AFC Championship Game twice.

There's no question that Lewis is a good coach. He's done what others have failed to do in Cincinnati. Lewis has become the franchise's winningest coach, holding the team together through the death of a player (wide receiver Chris Henry), an extended holdout by his franchise quarterback (Carson Palmer) and numerous arrests. But Lewis' track record is his team wins when expectations are low but disappoints when the anticipation is high. And the buzz has never been higher in recent years than the 2012 season.

The Bengals surprisingly went to the playoffs last season and improved in most areas this offseason. Cincinnati upgraded at running back (BenJarvus Green-Ellis), guard (Travelle Wharton and Kevin Zeitler) and cornerback (Dre Kirkpatrick, Terence Newman and Jason Allen). The Bengals' top two offensive players from a year ago, quarterback Andy Dalton and wide receiver A.J. Green, are having their first full offseason with the team after last year's lockout.

What hangs over the franchise is the NFL's longest playoff win drought (21 seasons). It's up to Lewis to get this team to end that.