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Some random thoughts as the bags get pack for a month of NFL training camps:
Talk about turn around. The Redskins only have 30 players remaining from last year's team, and that includes cornerback Deion Sanders, whose future probably won't be decided until the first week of the regular season. That means if everybody makes it, new coach Marty Schottenheimer will have 23 new players. Figuring lots will be sorted out during camp, the Redskins may come close to having 30 new players next season. The Saints started last season with 30 new players.
By adding the speed of James McKnight, Dedric Ward and rookie Chris Chambers, the Dolphins believe they can come close to the 7-yard per pass attempt averages as opposed to the 6.46 of last year. Coach Dave Wannstedt's hope is that Jay Fiedler's 5-yard completions will turn into 10- and 15-yarders. These three receivers are roughly .2 seconds faster than the fastest of last year's core.
|  | | Aaron Brooks will battle Jeff Blake for the starting quarterback job in New Orleans. |
It will be interesting to see how the Jets look with John Abraham and Shaun Ellis at defensive end in Herm Edwards' new 4-3. Jason Ferguson is a good run-stopper in the middle. Edwards tried to use Ellis at tackle in minicamps, however, he decided that Ellis was better suited for end. But that means Shane Burton has to step up and be a major player to take double team blocking off Ferguson.
In the end, Aaron Brooks may beat out Jeff Blake for the Saints starting quarterback job, but Blake won't go down without a great fight. Brooks looks as though he can be another Donovan McNabb like quarterback. The last thing coach Jim Haslett wants to do is hold back a potential star quarterback. Haslett also knows that he can win with Blake, who was 7-4 as a starter last year. It's a good situation and don't count out Blake.
Even Las Vegas oddsmakers are slighting the Saints, which I find to be crazy. For personnel, the Saints can match up against the Buccaneers and the Rams as the NFL's elite. Why? Their best talent is in the right places -- offensive and defensive lines, two great running backs, two great quarterbacks, a Pro Bowl receiver in Joe Horn and good team speed.
Gregg Williams' greatest challenge in Buffalo is not making Bills fans believe Rob Johnson is better than the departed Doug Flutie. His biggest challenge is being able to stop the run after losing nose tackle Ted Washington, inside linebacker John Holecek and outside linebacker Sam Rogers. That's a lot to lose from a front seven that limited teams to 3.5 yards a carry, third best in the AFC behind Baltimore and Tennessee.
To say that Cade McNown won't even make the Bears roster this season would be rushing it a bit. McNown may not have wowed the Bears during offseason workouts and he and Panthers quarterback Jeff Lewis are in tough-win situations this summer. Even if new general manager Jerry Angelo brings in Trent Dilfer sometime in August, it's tough for any team to part with a young quarterback.
Cardinals coach Dave McGinnis has the right idea. He's going to run Michael Pittman and Thomas Jones a majority of the time in the first three quarters, so quarterback Jake Plummer isn't put in the position to throw early interceptions. Plummer's thrown 65 picks in three years and that trend can't continue.
It's hard to debate offense with Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren and Eagles coach Andy Reid. They are considered the best and the brightest when it comes to the so-called West Coast offense. Still, I wonder how they can go into the season with so little experience at wide receiver. Except for James Thrash, Reid had only 20 catches come from his returning wide receivers last year. Holmgren had 53 catches from rookie Darrell Jackson last year, but only 14 from the rest of the running group. Freddie Mitchell and Koren Robinson have to grow up quickly in a very complex system.
Broncos coach Mike Shanahan has managed the cap beautifully. His roster is loaded with veterans. Re-signing key young starters sent the payroll soaring near $100 million. The only problem could be if eight or nine of the 28 veterans signed by Shanahan suffered serious injuries that waste caps space.
In case you are wondering, the Broncos are roughly $10 million over on next year's cap and $32 million over in 2003.
As important as it was to keep Dorsey Levens, Ahman Green has established himself as the Packers franchise back. The Packers are trying to lock him up to a long-term contract after Green gained 1,175 yards last year. Next to the Brett Favre deal, the Green trade from Seattle for Fred Vinson was the second best in Ron Wolf's Packer career as general manager.
Jets quarterback Vinny Testaverde has always been smarter than people believe. Three of his best four seasons have come when he was with new offensive coordinators or new coaches.
As much as the 49ers have been considered a passing team, power running is still one of their specialties. They have power running plays that are the best in the NFL. That's why it's important for Garrison Hearst to be healthy and for Kevan Barlow to develop as a rookie into a running threat.
Little is happening on the negotiating front for a new contract for officials, which is a little scary. The exhibition season is less than three weeks away and officials had their collective bargaining agreement run out in the spring. Both sides are far apart. What the NFL doesn't need is a replay of the bad relationships that another sport, baseball, has with its officials.
Everyone was surprised when Eagles tight end Chad Lewis was named NFC starter for the Pro Bowl. He earned it with 69-catch season. But the NFC should be wide open again. The Packers probably won't have Tyrone Davis this year because his hamstring was torn off the bone. The Cowboys aren't sure if David LaFleur will be ready for the regular season because of back problems. Things are so wide open that a good season by Johnny Mitchell in New Orleans could draw votes.
If some people think that Bill Parcells will surface next year as head coach in Tampa Bay, why is it that the most copied defense in football is that of Bucs coach Tony Dungy? The Bucs are my favorite to go to the Super Bowl, so the next negotiation will be on a Dungy contract extension rather than a new deal with Parcells.
Corey Dillon re-signed. Defensive tackle Bernard Whittington picked the Bengals over the Bears. Rookie Chad Johnson sounds as he is thrilled to be a Bengal. Hey, maybe the Bengals are slowly establishing some creditability among players. Now, if they can drop that silly loyalty clause from their contracts . . .
John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
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