| Of course quarterbacks and running backs get all the | | | | pressure off guys like Jason Babin. Payne has had |
| attention. They score touchdowns, they sell Chunky | | | | injury problems in the past, but the ninth-year man out |
| Soup, and they get to bang the homecoming queen. | | | | of Cornell impressed Houston brass enough to |
| They're the ones with the big contracts and the guys | | | | warrant them resigning him in the offseason. |
| who can be rewarded with either too much blame or | | | | |
| too much credit. | | | | John Tait, LT, Chicago |
| | | | Tait was the Bears prized free agent signing in 2003, |
| Then there are the dozens of free agents that | | | | inking a $33.65 million deal. Tait, who was part of those |
| meander into your team's locker room each year. One | | | | dominating Kansas City lines a few years ago, was |
| team's trash is another team's treasure kind of deal. | | | | solid at right tackle for Chicago last season. However, |
| These hired guns are generally heralded as the Missing | | | | the Bears yielded a league-high 66 sacks which |
| Link, and you know you're guilty of over-hyping some | | | | prompted Tait to approach coach Lovie Smith and |
| journeyman nickel back or offensive tackle to your | | | | offer to switch to the critical left tackle position. Well, |
| wife or co-workers. | | | | with Rex Grossman out for the year Tait's importance |
| | | | becomes even greater. If the Bears are going to win |
| Then there are the rookies. The quick fix. The | | | | with Chad Hutchinson he's going to need plenty of time |
| hotshots. They are the future and the present. Every | | | | to survey the field. |
| team is hoping that they scored not only that | | | | |
| first-round blue chipper, but that late-round gem that | | | | DeAngelo Hall, CB, Atlanta |
| can turn a team from wannabe to world champs | | | | The electrifying Hall suffered a hard-luck hip injury last |
| quicker than you can say "signing bonus". | | | | year that caused him to miss six games. He came |
| | | | back for the end of the season and the playoffs and |
| This season in the NFL there are a slew of guys | | | | performed admirably, intercepting two passes and |
| whose performances will have a direct connection to | | | | scoring one touchdown. Atlanta had the 23rd-ranked |
| their team's win-loss records. It will be very interesting | | | | pass defense in the league last season, and didn't |
| to see how guys like Kurt Warner (Arizona), J.P. | | | | make any noticeable upgrades. In a division with Joe |
| Losman (Buffalo), Deshaun Foster (Carolina), Randy | | | | Horn, Steve Smith and up-and-coming Mark Clayton, |
| Moss (Oakland) and Mike Williams (Detroit) will perform. | | | | the Falcons are hoping that Hall can be the shutdown |
| Very interesting indeed. | | | | corner that their defense has been missing. |
| | | | |
| That being said, right now I have no interest in any of | | | | Chad Brown/Monty Beisel, LB, New England |
| those subcategories of players. I'll leave the big-name | | | | Its got to be pretty tough to come in as a low-key |
| free agents, cocky rookies and pretty-boy | | | | free agent and find yourself filling in for the |
| quarterbacks to be talked about by the gossip | | | | heart-and-soul of the two-time defending Super Bowl |
| mongers and bobble heads. | | | | Champions. Well, with Tedy Bruschi sidelined as a |
| | | | result of his offseason stroke and tough-as-nails Ted |
| Instead, I've compiled a list of players who might make | | | | Johnson retired, that's precisely where Brown and |
| for exciting talk at the water cooler but will play a | | | | Beisel find themselves. To make matters worse, Mike |
| crucial role in determining the course of their team's | | | | Vrabel suffered a lower leg injury and has been |
| franchise in 2005. Some are names you know, some | | | | sidelined for the Pats. Beisel came over from Kansas |
| are names you may have heard in passing. In my | | | | City and their pathetic defense, and Chad Brown is |
| estimation these guys represent the types of | | | | hoping to recapture a bit of the nastiness that he |
| storylines - veterans holding on to that last chance, | | | | exuded throughout the mid-90's. However, they're |
| disappointing draft picks seeking salvation, unheralded | | | | replacing two New England legends and better come |
| role players trying to break into the big time - that | | | | out of the corner swinging. |
| make the NFL worth watching. | | | | |
| | | | Jimmy Smith, WR, Jacksonville |
| Ryan Sims, DT, Kansas City | | | | The 36-year-old Smith is hoping that he can keep the |
| Remember back in 2002 when the debate between | | | | magic going for one more season. Smith showed no |
| which North Carolina defender - Sims or Julius Peppers | | | | signs of slowing in 2004, finishing with 74 catches for |
| - should be taken first nearly reached Manning-Leaf | | | | 1,172 yards and six touchdowns. He is the only proven |
| proportions? Well, their NFL careers have almost been | | | | wide receiver that the Jaguars have and one of the |
| as lopsided. Sims is in his contract year, and is the | | | | few guys that quarterback Byron Leftwich trusts in |
| most naturally gifted player on a defensive line that | | | | the clutch. The Jaguars defense is going to be one of |
| has been a sieve for the last four seasons. The Chiefs | | | | the best in the AFC this season. But the question mark |
| will feature as many as five new starters on defense, | | | | is whether or not this team can put up enough points |
| including two new linebackers and two new bodies in | | | | to earn a playoff berth. The only way that happens is |
| the secondary. But if Sims can't hold down the point of | | | | if Smith stays healthy and tutors some of the Jags |
| attack (only 30 tackles and two sacks in 2004) those | | | | young receivers. |
| guys will be getting a lot of work. | | | | |
| | | | Jonathan Ogden, LT, Baltimore |
| Darrell Jackson, WR, Seattle | | | | The guy is an eight-time Pro Bowler and potentially a |
| Dropped passes grounded the Seahawks last | | | | Hall of Famer. However, he looked as if injuries and |
| season, and Jackson was as guilty as anyone. Koren | | | | age may have robbed him of a step last season. The |
| Robinson is in rehab and no longer with the team, | | | | Ravens restocked their offense at the skill positions |
| leaving Jackson as the true No. 1 guy in the Seattle | | | | this offseason, and Todd Heap, Jamal Lewis, Derrick |
| passing game. Jackson had 87 catches for 1,199 and | | | | Mason and rookie Mark Clayton are ready to put up |
| seven touchdowns last season. That's not enough. | | | | some points. However, center Casey Rabach and left |
| Jackson will need to not only achieve those numbers | | | | guard Bennie Anderson both split this summer, and |
| again, but set an example by holding onto just about | | | | temperamental Orlando Brown declined sharply in |
| anything he gets his hands on and making clutch | | | | 2004. If the Ravens are going to make another push |
| catches that keep the sticks moving. | | | | for the AFC crown, they're going to need Ogden to |
| | | | anchor that offensive line. |
| Nate Kaeding, K, San Diego | | | | |
| Kaeding, the cherub-faced kicker for the Chargers, | | | | Roy Williams, SS, Dallas |
| was a revelation as a rookie in 2004. Kaeding was 54 | | | | Last season the Cowboys yielded 31 passing |
| of 55 making extra points, and 20-for-25 with field | | | | touchdowns, fourth-worst in the league. They |
| goals. However, he was also responsible for missing | | | | addressed that problem by signing Anthony Henry |
| the kick that more or less ended his team's season. He | | | | from Cleveland this offseason. With Henry and |
| shanked a 40-yarder in overtime in a first-round | | | | Terrance Newman holding down the outside, Williams |
| playoff loss at home to the Jets. That's forgivable, but | | | | should be free to roam the line of scrimmage and |
| Kaeding missed his first three kicks off the preseason. | | | | wreak havoc in the way that he did in 2003. Williams is |
| Those three kicks were between 40-46 yards and in | | | | at his best when he's delivering vicious hits on running |
| a steady rain, but if there's one thing a kicker can't | | | | backs and receivers coming across the middle, or |
| have, it's wavering confidence. | | | | flying through the line on a safety blitz. With Dallas |
| | | | switching to the 3-4, and time running out on the Tuna, |
| Seth Payne, NT, Houston | | | | Williams need a big year. |
| People are expecting big things out of the Texans this | | | | |
| season. If that's going to happen, the defense needs to | | | | Doc's Sports Recent Items Of Interest:NFL season |
| perform better than its 23rd overall ranking in 2004. | | | | predictions2005 NFL previewfootball picksDoc's Sports |
| Payne will be a huge part of that. The 6-foot-4, | | | | Handicapping Service |
| 315-pound nose tackle is the fulcrum in the Texans 3-4 | | | | 1-866-238-6696Since 1971 Doc's Sports has been |
| system. With young linebackers behind him, Payne | | | | recognized as one of the leaders and most trusted |
| needs to cause some havoc up front to take some | | | | names in sports handicapping information. |