NFL Pre-Season Central...Previews,Injuries,Results,Signings,Pictures,Etc,Etc.

[Greenbacks]

Kaepernick makes roster; Gabbert named starting QB.

Colin Kaepernick's roster spot is safe in San Francisco, but he won't be the starter. The veteran quarterback made the team's 53-man lineup, but 49ers coach Chip Kelly announced Saturday that Blaine Gabbert will serve as starting quarterback against the Rams in Week 1. Kaepernick will play the No. 2 role ahead of Christian Ponder.
It comes as little surprise that Kaepernick made the club. He played relatively well in Thursday's preseason finale, guiding the team on a 16-play touchdown drive and showing better arm strength than the previous week. Gabbert, though, spent nearly the entire offseason running Kelly's attack while Kaepernick nursed multiple injuries.
Kaepernick's sparse on-field work has been completely overshadowed by his controversial decision to sit during the playing of the national anthem. Kelly, who has supported that decision from Kaepernick, could hardly afford to dump him with nothing more than an ineffective Ponder waiting in the wings.

The question going forward is how much playing time -- if any -- Kaepernick receives in 2016. As NFL Media's Mike Garafolo reported Friday on NFL Network, the quarterback's contract is a potential issue.
Kaepernick is already guaranteed $11.9 million and can earn another $2 million in roster bonuses depending on playing time. His deal also comes equipped with nearly $25 million in injury guarantees after this year.
"If they have those injury guarantees going forward," Garafolo said, "you could see (a Robert Griffin III)-type situation where they don't let him do much because they're afraid of him getting injured."
That debate is for another day. Kaepernick, for now, still has a home.

 

[Greenbacks]

NFL roster cuts tracker: Teams trimming to 53 players.

Arizona Cardinals



Cuts to 75: G Jake Bernstein, WR Amir Carlisle, TE Gerald Christian, QB Jake Coker, T Clay Debord, LS Daniel Dillon, DT Iosia Iosia, CB Asa Jackson, WR Franky Okafor, CB Shaun Prater, P Garrett Swanson, S Tyrequek Zimmerman, CB Elie Bouka, CB Alan Ball
Cuts to 53: QB Matt Barkley, C Taylor Boggs, CB Cariel Brooks, DT Red Bryant, WR Marquis Bundy, LB Donald Butler, S Chris Clemons, T Rob Crisp, S Matthias Farley, WR Brittan Golden, CB Trevon Hartfield, WR Chris Hubert, G Antoine McClain, CB Harlan Miller, TE Ifeanyi Momah, RB Elijhaa Penny, T Given Price, LB Shaq Riddick, WR Jaxon Shipley, TE Hakeem Valles, RB Kerwynn Williams, CB Ronald Zamort

Atlanta Falcons



Cuts to 75: S Sergio Brown, OL Michael Huey, RB Gus Johnson, WR Jordan Leslie, TE Arthur Lynch, LB Ivan McLennan, QB Sean Renfree, CB Ryan White, DL Brandon Williams
Cuts to 53: OLB Max Starr, K Shayne Graham, OT Bryce Harris, DE Nordly Capi, OT Laurence Gipson, DE Malliciah Goodman, DT Cory Johnson, CB Devonte Johnson, S Damian Parms, OL Collin Rahrig, WR Corey Washington, LB Matt Wells, RB Brandon Wilds, WR J.D. McKissic, S Sharrod Neasman, QB Matt Simms, TE D.J. Tialavea


Baltimore Ravens


Cuts to 75: G Jarell Broxton, DT Trevon Coley, WR Dobson Collins, C Anthony Fabiano, WR Chuck Jacobs, QB Jerrod Johnson, LB Mario Ojemudia, WR Darius White, K Wil Lutz

Cuts to 53: RB Justin Forsett, WR Keenan Reynolds, QB Josh Johnson, OG Vladimir Ducasse, LB Arthur Brown, S Terrence Brooks, LB Brennen Beyer, WR Daniel Brown, WR Jeremy Butler, OT Blaine Clausell, DT Kapron Lewis-Moore, LB Victor Ochi, LB Patrick Onwausor, C Matt Skura, DB Julian Wilson


Buffalo Bills


Cuts to 75: LB David Hawthorne, LS Reid Ferguson, C Robert Kugler, WR Greg Little, TE Jimmay Mundine, LB Eric Striker, DT Alameda Ta'amu, QB Austin Trainor, DT Justin Zimmer, CB Jonathan Dowling, TE Chris Gragg, T Justin Renfrow
Cuts to 53: TE Blake Annen, LB Kroy Biermann, WR Jarrett Boykin, CB Mario Butler, WR Kain Colter, DT Brandon Deaderick, DL Lavar Edwards, FB Jerome Felton, RB Dan Herron, LB Randell Johnson, LB Manny Lawson, WR Dezmin Lewis, OL Marquis Lucas, OT Chris Martin, CB Sterling Moore, G Cyril Richardson, CB Sammy Seamster, LB Max Valles, C Fernando Velasco, DT Casey Walker, RB James Wilder Jr.


Carolina Panthers


Cuts to 75: LB Jared Barber, WR Avius Capers, TE Braxton Deaver, G Reese Dismukes, DT Ray Drew, OT David Foucault, WR Stephen Hill, DE Tom Lally, C Matt Masifilo, WR Miles Shuler, OT Willie Smith
Cuts to 53: RB Brandon Wegher, CB Zack Sanchez, S Stevie Brown, DT Kyle Love, S Marcus Ball, LB Brian Blechen, DT Eric Crume, S Travell Dixon, WR Keyarris Garrett, TE Marcus Lucas, DE Arthur Miley, TE Beau Sandland, RB Jalen Simmons, DT Robert Thomas, TE Eric Wallace, DE Larry Webster, G David Yankey, CB Lou Young


Chicago Bears


Cuts to 75: LB Jarrett Grace, LB Lamin Barrow, LB Roy Robertson-Harris
Cuts to 53: DB K'Waun Williams, CB De'Vante Bausby, TE Ben Braunecker, WR Daniel Braverman, CB Taveze Calhoun, WR B.J. Daniels, QB David Fales, C Khaled Holmes, CB Kevin Peterson, LS Patrick Scales, ILB John Timu, OT Jason Weaver, NT Terry Williams, DE Ego Ferguson, OLB Danny Mason


Cincinnati Bengals


Cuts to 75: LB Jayson DiManche, K Zach Hocker, WR Michael Bennett, FB Jeff Luc, TE John Peters, S Floyd Raven, DE Jack Gangwish, WR Antwane Grant, LB Darien Harris, QB Joe Licata, CB Corey Tindal, WR Brandon Tate
Cuts to 53: S Jimmy Wilson, FB Andrew Bonnet, DE Ryan Brown, RB Tra Carson, C Alex Cooper, DT David Dean, OT Aaron Epps, RB Bronson Hill, CB Darius Hillary, G Trey Hopkins, WR Jake Kumerow, TE Matt Lengel, CB Tony McRae, G Alex Redmond, WR Alonzo Russell, WR Rashaun Simonise, G Trip Thurman, OT John Weidenaar, QB Keith Wenning


Cleveland Browns


Cuts to 75: QB Austin Davis, DL Nick Hayden, LB Paul Kruger, DB Sean Baker, TE E.J. Bibbs, WR Josh Boyce, K Travis Coons, WR Ed Eagan, FB Robert Hughes, TE David Reeves, OL Cory Tucker
Cuts to 53: WR Taylor Gabriel, WR Marlon Moore, DL Kenton Adeyemi, DL Chigbo Anunoby, CB Pierre Desier, RB Jahwan Edwards, DB Mikell Everette, OL Dan France, DB Charles Gaines, OL Garth Gerhart, TE Connor Hamlett, TE J.P. Holtz, WR Darius Jennings, OL Kaleb Johnson, OL Mike Matthews, LB Jason Neill, DB Eric Patterson, P Kasey Redfern, LB Justin Tuggle


Dallas Cowboys



Cuts to 75: DL Shaneil Jenkins, LB James Morris, CB Jeremiah McKinnon G Mike McQueen, WR Richard Mullaney, WR Rodney Smith, C Dan Buchholz, DB Arjen Colquhoun, LB Henoc Muamba
Cuts to 53: DB Jeremiah McKinnon, LB Henoc Muamba, DT Zach Wood, DE Ryan Russell, WR Devin Street, TE Rico Gathers, LB Derek Akunne, C Jake Brendel, DT Rodney Coe, CB Isaiah Frey, LB Brandon Hepburn, QB Jerrod Johnson, WR Andy Jones, LB Deon King, OT Ryan Mack, WR Vince Mayle, CB Deji Olatoye, DL Lawrence Okoye, G Boston Stiverson, TE Austin Traylor, K Matt Wile, OT Bryan Witzmann, DE Mike McAdoo


Denver Broncos


Cuts to 75: S Brandon Ross, TE Manasseh Garner, S Antonio Glover, OL Mathu Gibson, DL Calvin Heurtelou, OT Cameron Jefferson, NT David Moala, WR Durron Neal, WR DeVier Posey, ILB Darnell Sankey, ILB Frank Shannon
Cuts to 53: QB Mark Sanchez, RB Ronnie Hillman, DL Henry Melton, RB Juwan Thompson, C Dillon Day, LB Vontarrius Dora, WR Mose Frazier, OT Lars Hanson, DE Lars Koht, LB Kyle Kragen, TE Henry Krieger-Coble, DB B.J. Lowery, S Ryan Murphy, OT Justin Murray, G Robert Myers Jr., OL Aaron Neary, CB Taurean Nixon, LB Dwayne Norman, WR Kalif Raymond, LB Sadat Sulleyman, CB John Tidwell, LB Eddie Yarbrough


Detroit Lions


Cuts to 75: CB Crezdon Butler, TE Matthew Mulligan, G Geoff Schwartz, K Devon Bell, WR Quinshad Davis, G Chase Farris, DE Deonte Gibson, DE Louis Palmer, CB Rashaad Reynolds, DE Quanterus Smith
Cuts to 53: LB Chi Chi Ariguzo, WR Jace Billingsley, CB Alex Carter, WR Quinshad Davis, LB Jayson DiManche, TE Adam Fuehne, LB Zaviar Gooden, LB Khaseem Greene, C Gabe Ikard, S Isaiah Johnson, WR TJ Jones, WR Jay Lee, T Luke Marquardt, T Michael Ola, DT Caraun Reid, QB Jake Rudock, OL Brandon Thomas, DB Charles Washington, RB George Winn, DT Gabe Wright, C Lemuel Jeanpierre, CB Darrin Walls


Green Bay Packers


Cuts to 75: DT Demetris Anderson, CB Randall Jette, WR Jamel Johnson, LB Derrick Mathews, P Peter Mortell, WR Ed Williams, WR Harvey Binford, TE Kennard Backman, RB John Crockett, C Jacob Flores, TE Mitchell Henry, G Josh Walker
Cuts to 53: WR Geronimo Allison, LB Sam Barrington, LB Carl Bradford, LB Beniquez Brown, CB Robertson Daniel, CB Warren Gatewood, LB Reggie Gilbert, LS Rick Lovato, G Lucas Patrick, TE Casey Pierce, DT Brian Price, RB Brandon Ross, FB Alstevis Squirewell, WR Herb Waters, S Jermaine Whitehead, QB Marquise Williams


Houston Texans



Cuts to 75: DT Ra'Zahn Howard, WR Tevin Jones, ILB Ryan Langford, WR Josh Lenz, T Matt Pierson, OLB Carlos Thompson, T Arturo Uzdavinis, DE Jeoffrey Pagan, OLB Gerald Rivers, CB Duke Thomas
Cuts to 53: OT Jeff Adams, S Antonio Allen, OG Karim Barton, WR Quenton Bundrage, LB Reshard Cliett, TE Anthony Denham, DT Brandon Dunn, C Dalton Freeman, RB Kenny Hilliard, RB Akeem Hunt, DE Ufomba Kamalu, LB Eric Lee, OT Andrew McDonald, CB Terrance Mitchell, CB Robert Nelson, DE Dan Pettinato, LB Shakeel Rashad, WR Cecil Shorts III, OG Chad Slade, TE Eric Tomlinson, LB Tony Washington Jr., WR Wendall Williams

 

[Greenbacks]

[h=3]Indianapolis Colts[/h]

Cuts to 75: TE Konrad Reuland, WR Daniel Anthrop, OL Keith Lumpkin, RB Trey Williams, ILB Anthony Sarao, CB Darius White, S Dezmen Southward
Cuts to 53: DT Kelcy Quarles, RB Stevan Ridley, DE Sterling Bailey, LB Trevor Bates, S Alden Darby, CB Tay Glover-Wright, S Lee Hightower, S Stefan McClure, WR MeKale McKay CB Christopher Milton, G Kitt O'Brien, LB Earl Okine, G Adam Redmond, WR Tevaun Smith, OT Mitchell Van Dyk, OT HJeremy Vujnovich, LB Nate Irving


[h=3]Jacksonville Jaguars[/h]

Cuts to 75: LB Joplo Bartu, WR Shaq Evans, K Sam Ficken, CB Mike Hilton, RB Cameron Marshall, P Ryan Quigley, WR Jamal Robinson, DE Bjoern Werner
Cuts to 53: LB Ryan Davis, G Mackenzy Bernadeau, WR Arrelious Benn, OL Jacques McClendon, S Josh Evans, DE Tyrone Holmes, LB Thurston Armbrister, DL Richard Ash, DL T.J. Barnes, CB Briean Boddy-Calhoun, OL Kadeem Edwards, WR Shaq Evans, OL Rashod Hill, WR Rashad Lawrence, CB Nick Marshall, LB Sean Porter, OL Pearce Slater, LB Jordan Tripp, WR Shane Wynn


[h=3]Kansas City Chiefs[/h]
Cuts to 75: DB Bryce Cheek, DL Dominique Davis, OL Curtis Feigt, CB Malcolm Jackson, WR Seantavius Jones, LB Jonathan Massaquoi, WR Kashif Moore, C Drew Nowak, WR Mitch Mathews
Cuts to 53: QB Aaron Murray, S Jeron Johnson, LB Tyrell Adams, WR Da'Ron Brown, DB Deveron Carr, DB Jamell Fleming, OL Reid Fragel, WR Frankie Hammond, QB Kevin Hogan, DL David King, LB Andy Mulumba, C Daniel Munyer, TE Brian Parker, OL Jarrod Pughsley, S Shak Randolph, RB Darrin Reaves, LB Terrance Smith, DL Jimmy Staten, T Zach Sterup, DB Brock Vereen


[h=3]Los Angeles Rams[/h] Cuts to 75: K Taylor Bertolet, TE Benson Browne, DB Michael Caputo, DT Zach Colvin, C Brian Folkerts, LB Darreon Herring, RB Zach Laskey, WR Marquez North, LS Jeff Overbaugh, WR David Richards , TE Jake Stoneburner, T Jordan Swindle, QB Dylan Thompson
Cuts to 53: DE Ian Seau, WR Austin Hill, LB Akeem Akyers, DT Cam Thomas, OT Isaiah Battle, DB Christian Bryant, LB Brandon Chubb, TE Justice Cunningham, DT Morgan Fox, DB Rojan Gaines, RB Aaron Green, CB Michael Jordan, DB Jordan Kovacs, C Eric Kush, LB Cameron Lynch, RB Terrence Magee, WR Paul McRoberts, DB Marcus Roberson, DB Jabriel Washington, WR Duke Williams


[h=3]Miami Dolphins[/h]

Cuts to 75: LB Akil Blount, C/G Ruben Carter, WR A.J. Cruz, LS Ryan DiSalvo, WR Matt Hazel, TE Gabe Hughes, K Marshall Koehn, CB Al Louis-Jean, G Vinston Painter, WR Brandon Shippen, CB Brandon Harris
Cuts to 53: RB Daniel Thomas, T Sam Young, OL Sam Young, G Jamil Douglas, LB James Burgess, DT Deandre Coleman, TE Thomas Duarte, QB Zac Dysert, S Shamiel Gary, LB Tyler Gray, S A.J. Hendy, T Ulrick John, DT Chris Jones, DE Cleyon Laing, CB Rashaan Melvin, CB Lafayette Pitts, DE Cedric Reed, WR Rashawn Scott, DE Jordan Williams, CB Chimdi Chekwa, LB James-Michael Johnson, TE Dominique Jones


[h=3]Minnesota Vikings[/h]

Cuts to 75: DE Theiren Cockran, G Sean Hickey, TE Brian Leonhardt, DE Claudell Louis, WR Marken Michel, LB Terrance Plummer, G Austin Shepherd, WR Terrell Sinkfield, QB Brad Sorensen, C John Sullivan, WR Troy Stoudermire, DT Scott Crichton, S Antone Exum
Cuts to 53: WR Moritz Boehringer, DT Kenrick Ellis, G Willie Beavers, T Carter Bykowski, TE Kyle Carter, G Isame Faciane, LB Jake Ganus, RB C.J. Jam, DT Toby Johnson, DE Zach Moore, DE Denzell Perine, RB Jhurell Pressley, DT Travis Raciti, FB Blake Renaud, CB Tre Roberson, QB Brad Sorensen, QB Joel Stave


[h=3]New England Patriots[/h]
Cuts to 75: DT Terrance Knighton, OL Bryan Stork, LB Ramon Humber, OL Keavon Milton, TE Steven Scheu
Cuts to 53: WR Aaron Dobson, RB Tyler Gaffney, DL Geneo Grissom, LB Rufus Johnson, DL Markus Kuhn, WR Keshawn Martin, DB Darryl Roberts, DB Vinnie Sunseri, DL Joe Vellano, OL Chris Barker, WR DeAndre Carter, OL Jon Halapio, WR Chris Harper, RB Joey Iosefa, LB Kevin Snyder, DL Woodrow Hamilton, LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, CB Cre'von LeBlanc, WR Devin Lucien, TE Bryce Williams


[h=3]New Orleans Saints[/h]

Cuts to 75: TE Rashaun Allen, WR Reggie Bell, WR Jared Dangerfield, DB Brandon Dixon, G Kaleb Eulls, DB Jamal Golden, WR R.J. Harris, LS Chris Highland, RB Sione Houma, G Cyril Lemon, DB Jimmy Pruitt, LB Tony Steward
Cuts to 53: C Jack Allen, G Joseph Cheek, DB Brian Dixon, DB Trae Elston, G John Fullington, TE Garrett Griffin, C Marcus Henry, RB Austin Johnson, WR Jake Lampman, DE Chris McCain, DE Bobby Richardson, LB Jeff Schoettmer, T Tyrus Thompson, DE Davis Tull, WR Jordan Williams, T Khalif Barnes, K Connor Barth, RB Travaris Cadet, T Tony Hills, DE Daryl Tapp, DE C.J. Wilson


[h=3]New York Giants[/h] Cuts to 75: TE Matt LaCosse, FB Nikita Whitlock, WR Myles White, LS Tyler Ott, WR Kadron Boone, DT Davon Coleman, RB Marshaun Coprich, S Bennett Jackson, WR K.J. Mayo, DT Greg Milhouse, LS Tyler Ott, DB Joe Powell, DE Mike Rose, S Cooper Taylor
Cuts to 53: RB Andre Williams, QB Logan Thomas, WR Geremy Davis, WR Darius Powe, WR Anthony Dable, OL Dillon Farrell, OL Ryan Seymour, DT Louis Nix, DE Stansly Maponga, LB Brad Bars, LB Ishaq Williams, CB Leon McFadden, CB Michael Hunter, CB Donte Deayon, S Justin Currie, S Andrew Adams


[h=3]New York Jets[/h] Cuts to 75: OL Deion Barnes, DT Shelby Harris, DE Helva Matungulu, RB Lache Seastrunk, RB Terry Williams, WR Kyle Williams, TE Jason Vander Laan, K Ross Martin
Cuts to 53: TE Jace Amaro, CB Dee Milliner, RB Antone Smith, FB Tommy Bohanon, TE Zach Sudfeld, TE Wes Saxton, G Craig Watts, G Michael Liedtke, WR Kenbrell Thompkins, WR Jeremy Ross, WR Chandler Worthy, DT Tarow Barney, DE Claude Pelon, LB Trevor Reilly, LB Freddie Bishop, LB Taiwan Jones, CB Bryson Keaton, CB Darryl Morris, CB Kevin Short, S Doug Middleton


[h=3]Oakland Raiders[/h] Cuts to 75: C Ross Burbank, LS Andrew East, S Chris Edwards, S Chris Hackett, S Jimmy Hall, WR Joe Hansley, DB Tramain Jacobs, LB Lenny Jones, WR Max McCaffrey, DT Leon Orr, WR Nathan Palmer, K Giorgio Tavecchio, TE Colton Underwood, OL Terran Vaughn
Cuts to 53: LB James Cowser, RB George Atkinson III, G Mitch Bell, WR K.J. Brent, CB Kenneth Durden, WR Marvin Hall, DL Drew Iddings, DL Branden Jackson, G Denver Kirkland, DT Derrick Lott, LB John Lotulelei, TE Jake McGee, WR Jaydon Mickens, TE Ryan O'Malley, G Oni Omoile, CB Neiko Thorpe, LB Korey Toomer, DE Greg Townsend Jr., LB Kyrie Wilson, LB Neiron Ball


[h=3]Philadelphia Eagles[/h]
Cuts to 75: LS John DePalma, CB Randall Evans, OL Andrew Gardner, WR Chris Givens, DT Mike Martin, S Nick Perry, WR Rueben Randle, CB Denzel Rice
Cuts to 53: QB McLeod Bethel-Thompson, LB Don Cherry, S Blake Countess, DT Bruce Gaston, LB Quentin Gause, LB Najee Goode, G Darrell Greene, WR Marcus Johnson, C Barrett Jones, WR Cayleb Jones, RB Byron Marshall, TE M.J. McFarland, DE Jake Metz, RB Cedric O'Neal, TE Chris Pantale, K Cody Parkey, S Ed Reynolds, CB JaCorey Shepherd, DT Aziz Shittu, LB Mike Tavarres, WR David Watford

 

[Greenbacks]

[h=3]Pittsburgh Steelers[/h] Cuts to 79: LB Jordan Zumwalt, LB Mike Reilly, WR Issac Blakeney, WR Levi Norwood, TE Michael Cooper, DE Giorgio Newberry, DT Khaynin Mosley-Smith, CB Julian Whigham
Cuts to 53: WR Demarcus Ayers, WR Cobi Hamilton, WR Marcus Tucker, RB Brandon Brown-Dukes, RB Cameron Stingily, OL Shahbaz Ahmed, OL Antoine Everett, OL Matt Feiler, OL Wade Hansen, CB Montell Garner, CB Doran Grant, CB Al-Hajj Shabazz, CB Donald Washington, DL Lavon Hooks, DL Caushaud Lyons, DL Johnny Maxey, LB Travis Feeney, LB Steven Johnson, LB Jermauria Rasco, QB Bryn Renner, S Ray Vinopal


[h=3]San Diego Chargers[/h] Cuts to 75: WR Torrence Allen, CB Greg Ducre, CB Mike Lee, DT Bruce Gaston, OLB Zach Hodges, C Bruce Johnson, QB Zach Mettenberger, WR Javontee Herndon, DT Zamir Carlis, OT Tyler Johnstone, RB Dreamius Smith
Cuts to 53: WR Rasheed Bailey, QB Mike Bercovici, OT Brett Boyko, CB Richard Crawford, OLB Ben Gardner, RB Gus Johnson, DT Kamal Johnson, G Marcel Jones, DT Chuka Ndulue, LB Shaq Petteway, WR DeAndre Reaves, LB James Ross, CB Larry Scott, TE Tim Semisch, FB Chris Swain, G Vi Teofilo, LB James Vaughters, TE Matt Weiser, WR Dom Williams, CB Trevor Williams


[h=3]San Francisco 49ers[/h] Cuts to 75: LB Jason Fanaika, WR DiAndre Campbell, RB Kendall Gaskins, DL Darren Lake, K John Lunsford, LB Wynton McManis, OL Blake Muir, OL Ian Silberman, WR Jerome Simpson, CB Cleveland Wallace, TE Busta Anderson, OL Erik Pears
Cuts to 53: QB Jeff Driskel, WR Dres Anderson, OL Alex Balducci, WR Devon Cajuste, DL Demetrius Cherry, OL Fahn Cooper, TE Je'Ron Hamm, RB DuJuan Harris, CB Prince Charles Iworah, OL Colin Kelly, LB Corey Lemonier, DL B.J. McBryde, OL Norman Price, LB Marcus Rush, LB Shayne Skov, DT Garrison Smith, RB Kelvin Taylor, WR Bryce Treggs, WR Ryan Whalen, WR DeAndrew White


[h=3]Seattle Seahawks[/h] Cuts to 75: DB Brandon Browner, FB Kyle Coleman, WR Montario Hunter, DE DeAngelo Tyson, WR Deshon Foxx, RB George Farmer, CB Trovon Reed, DE Josh Shirley, WR Kevin Smith, RB Zac Brooks, LB Quayshawn Nealy, LB Pete Robertson, G Kristjan Sokoli, C Patrick Lewis
Cuts to 53: G Jahri Evans, FB Will Tukuafu, DT Brandin Bryant, TE Clayton Echard, QB Jake Heaps, LB Steve Longa, WR Douglas McNeil, WR E.Z. Nwachukwu, LB Kache Palacio, G Will Pericak, RB Troymaine Pope, DE Ryan Robinson, CB Tye Smith, DT/FB Tani Tupou, WR Kasen Williams, CB Marcus Burley, DT Jordan Hill, LB Eric Pinkins, OT Terry Poole, TE Joe Sommers, RB George Farmer, CB Trovon Reed, WR Kevin Smith, DT Sealver Siliga


[h=3]Tampa Bay Buccaneers[/h] Cuts to 75: S Major Wright, P Jacob Schum, DT Travis Britz, CB Daniel Davie, WR Andre Davis, OL Taylor Fallin, LB Jeremiah George, DE Martin Ifedi, RB Storm Johnson, DT Ishmaa'ily Kitchen, S Kimario McFadden, TE Tevin Westbrook, WR Donteea Dye, OL Joel Hale
Cuts to 53: G Josh Allen, LB Micah Awe, RB Peyton Barber, WR Kenny Bell, DE Kourtnei Brown, CB Javien Elliott, DT A.J. Francis, LB Jeremiah George, C Ben Gottschalk, RB Russell Hansbrough, S Isaiah Johnson, T Kyler Kerbyson, LB Josh Keyes, WR Jonathan Krause, TE Kivon Cartwright, WR Freddie Martino, S Kimario McFadden, OL Kelvin Palmer, WR Bernard Breeny, LB Luke Rhodes, TE Danny Kitale, DT Cliff Matthews


[h=3]Tennessee Titans[/h] Cuts to 75: S Lamarcus Brutus, T William Campbell, WR Donte Foster, LB Amarlo Herrera, WR Reece Horn, LB Deiontrez Mount, CB Tyler Patmon, OL Nick Ritcher, DE Mike Smith, CB Blidi Wreh-Wilson, RB David Cobb, C Andy Gallik
Cuts to 53: WR Justin Hunter, RB Bishop Sankey, RB Dexter McCluster, FB Sam Bergen, OL Jeremiah Poutasi, OL Will Poehls, TE Jerome Cunningham, TE Alex Ellis, RB David Fluellen, LB Curtis Grant, S Marqueston Huff, OT Tyler Marz, C Ronald Patrick, CB Kalan Reed, S Curtis Riley, WR Ben Roberts, K Aldrick Rosas, LB Justin Staples, LB J.R. Tavai, WR Andrew Turzilli, CB B.W. Webb, DT Antwaun Woods


[h=3]Washington Redskins[/h] Cuts to 75: T Al Bond, T Cody Booth, LB Shiro Davis, LB Ejiro Ederaine, CB Jeremy Harris, LB Willie Jefferson, WR Valdez Showers, WR Dez Stewart, WR Jarvis Turner, RB Kelsey Young, LB Perry Riley Jr., DE Stephen Paea
Cuts to 53: RB Mack Brown, CB Lloyd Carrington, T Takoby Cofield, CB Mariel Cooper, DE Corey Crawford, LB Carlos Fields, WR Maurice Harris, DE Matt Ioannidis, DL Cullen Jenkins, TE Marcel Jensen, G Nila Kasitati, FB Joe Kerridge, OL Josh LeRibeus, S Geno Matias-Smith, OL Vinston Painter, TE Logan Paulsen, NT Jerrell Powe, WR Kendal Thompson, WR T.J. Thorpe, LB Lynden Trail, LB Mike Wakefield, T Isaiah Williams

 

[Greenbacks]

Browns trade Justin Gilbert to Pittsburgh Steelers.

Justin Gilbert's disappointing run in Cleveland is at an end. The Browns traded the former first-round pick to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday, the Browns announced. The Browns got a sixth-round pick in 2018 in return for Gilbert.
ESPN first reported the trade.
Since being drafted No. 8 overall in 2014, Gilbert has struggled, starting just three games in two seasons. Gilbert often looked lost in coverage and was picked on when on the field.
Browns coach Hue Jackson talked up Gilbert's maturity growth this summer. The corner displayed a modicum of improvement this preseason but still looked lost at times. The 24-year-old suffered a concussion in the team's third preseason game.

The Steelers have been scouring to upgrade their cornerback group. Pittsburgh drafted Artie Burns in the first round, but the 6-foot corner dealt with a quad injury during training camp before playing in the final preseason game.
It's rare for a teams to make inner-division trades, but it speaks to what the Browns thought of Gilbert's progress.
For Cleveland it's another reminder that executive vice president Sashi Brown and the new brass is in full-on rebuild mode with no concerns about jettisoning the previous regime's picks.

 

[Greenbacks]

What we learned: 18 takeaways from roster cutdowns.

An All-Pro from the last three years was released out of nowhere on Saturday, and it wasn't even the most jarring news of the afternoon.
Minnesota's acquisition of Sam Bradford for a first-round pick in 2017 and a fourth-round pick in 2018 isn't the kind of move we're used to seeing during the NFL's annual 53-man roster cutdown day. Two teams dramatically changed course for the season just days before it is set to begin. The Vikings are trying to jump through a Super Bowl window, while the Eagles chose to happily take a ride on the Carson Wentz rookie quarterback rollercoaster. (Wentz will start over Chase Daniel in Philadelphia once he's healthy, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported.)
While the Vikings quickly replaced Teddy Bridgewater, their NFC North rivals in Green Bay created a new hole on their roster. The Packers' release of guard Josh Sitton was the surprising roster cutdown casualty we've seen in many years. Sitton played at a high level last season and was due only $6.5 million, a reasonable total for a top-shelf starter. Perhaps there will be more to the story that comes out this week. In the meantime, Packers general manager Ted Thompson has earned the benefit of the doubt.

Here were Saturday's other notable takeaways:

Most surprising moves

1. The release of Sitton came as such a shock in part because the Packers don't have a logical candidate to replace him. Don Barclay, Lane Taylor or possibly moving Bryan Bulaga inside are all possibilities.

2. Give Browns executive Sashi Brown for getting terrific value all week in trades. After nabbing a fifth-round pick for Barkevious Mingo and a fourth-round pick for punter Andy Lee, Brown picked up a sixth-round pick from Pittsburgh in exchange for cornerback Justin Gilbert.
Yes, Mingo and Gilbert were embarrassing draft busts for the organization. But Brown had nothing to do with those picks and both players weren't going to make the team. The Steelers are showing their desperation in the secondary by acquiring Gilbert, who has looked lost as a pro since going in the top 10 of the 2014 draft.

3. The Jets waived-injured cornerback Dee Milliner and cut tight end Jace Amaro, who were taken No. 9 overall and No. 49 overall, respectively, earlier this decade. General manager Mike Maccagnan has spent a lot of timing cleaning up the mistakes of previous decision makers. The Jets have perhaps the least inspiring tight end depth chart in football.

Least surprising moves

1. Mark Sanchez is joining the Dallas Cowboys as the team's backup to rookie Dak Prescott, which only felt like a matter of time. The Jones dynasty smartly waited out Broncos executive John Elway, who released Sanchez. (The Broncos picked up Austin Davis as their No. 3 option.) This feels like another long setup to seeing Sanchez start on Thanksgiving again.

2. Ronnie Hillman started the AFC Championship game at running back last year but was beat out for a roster spot this year by Kapri Bibbs, who can help the squad on special teams. Rookie Devontae Booker showed well throughout camp and will back up C.J. Anderson.

3. After years of chances, the Patriots gave up on 2013 second-round pick Aaron Dobson. With Keshawn Martin also released, the team must have some confidence that Danny Amendola can get back on the field soon.

4. Colin Kaepernick made the 49ers' roster, which is no surprise after watching his performance Thursday night. We're not buying the theory that Kaepernick will be stashed, RGIII style all season. Chip Kelly will want to give him a test drive after Blaine Gabbert struggles against a brutal early season schedule. (Surprise No. 3 quarterback Christian Ponder also figures to get a spin eventually. Rookie Jeff Driskel was released.)

5. Terrance West and Kenneth Dixon's preseason performance made it too easy for the Ravens to release veteran Justin Forsett. While Dixon is recovering from a knee injury, the Ravens could wind up bringing back Forsett in a reserve role.

6. The Seahawks cut guard Jahri Evans. A future Hall of Fame candidate who was once the best guard in the league, Evans' career could be over.
7. Chicago placed Pernell McPhee, its best defensive player, on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, meaning that he'll miss the first six weeks of the season. It's a huge loss for their defense.

8. Jeff Janis hope springs eternal. He is on the initial Packers roster at wide receiver.

News that might only interest me

1. The 49ers acquired receiver Rod Streater from the Chiefs for an undisclosed draft pick. It's not a great sign for San Francisco that two of its top four receivers (Streater and Jeremy Kerley) were acquired over the last week in low-level deals. If Kelly can make this offense shine, he deserves Coach of The Year consideration.

2. Getting rid of a previous regime's mistakes is just what happens on cutdown day. But it was eye-opening to see Cleveland keep all 14 of its draft picks heading into the season, including four rookie receivers.

3. The Cowboys placed running back Darren McFadden on the non-football injury list, which means he could be activated later in the season. (McFadden's mysterious broken elbow looms larger now.) Rookie running back Darius Jackson made the team.

4. The Jets kept all four of their quarterbacks. Geno Smith's spot as the team's backup was cemented when second-year pro Bryce Petty hurt his shoulder in the preseason finale.

5. The Patriots waived fan favorite running back Tyler Gaffney in favor of undrafted rookie D.J. Foster. Don't be shocked if Foster winds up challenging third-down back James White for snaps.

6. Keep in mind that players are only eligible to be "designated to return" off injured reserve if they are on the roster into next week. Tony Romo, for instance, is on the Cowboys' roster for now but could be placed on IR next week to open a roster spot.

7. Hard Knocks fans who don't want "spoilers" should stop reading now. Some of this season's favorites were cut: Eric Kush, Ian Seau, Austin Hill and Paul McRoberts.

 

[Greenbacks]

Reid unsure Jamaal Charles will be ready for opener.

The Kansas City Chiefs might be without Jamaal Charles to open the season against the San Diego Chargers.
Coach Andy Reid told reporters Friday that the running back could sit out Week 1, but didn't rule Charles out.
"I think Jamaal is going to need a little time to keep working to get himself back," Reid said, via ESPN. "We'll see how he does after a couple of days off."
Charles continues to rehab from an ACL tear he suffered in Week 5 last season. The 29-year-old sat out the preseason as the Chiefs took it slow with their Pro Bowl running back. Reid will remain cautious.

The good news for K.C. fans is the Chiefs proved last season they could withstand Charles' absence, with one of the deepest backfields in the NFL.
Spencer Ware would be in line for the start. The bruising back was the Chiefs' best runner down the stretch last season when he compiled 403 yards on 72 attempts (5.6 average per tote). Ware continued to look like the team's best back throughout training camp and preseason. Charcandrick West will be the primary backup in K.C.'s committee approach.
When Charles eventually returns, expect that committee approach to continue, especially early in the season.

 

[Greenbacks]

2016 NFC playoff predictions: East should be hotly contested.

NFC NORTH

Judy Battista: Green Bay Packers. They have the easiest strength of schedule in the league AND Jordy Nelson coming back to restore order to the offense AND a slimmed-down Eddie Lacy?

Jeffri Chadiha: Packers. The Packers have more than enough pieces to reclaim the division crown they lost to Minnesota last season.

Gil Brandt: Packers. The return of a healthy Jordy Nelson and a slimmed-down Eddie Lacy leads this offense to a big season. The play of safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix will really help Green Bay's defense.

Maurice Jones-Drew: Packers. Jordy Nelson is back, Eddie Lacy has slimmed down and the Packers are back on top of the NFC North.

Brian Billick: Packers. It's still a quarterback-driven league and I'm not going to pick against the best one in the NFL. Particularly when he has his favorite weapon back.

Gregg Rosenthal: Packers. The weapons around Aaron Rodgers are as good as ever. (That includes an underrated offensive line and improved secondary that will get the ball back for the Packers.)

Willie McGinest: Packers. I just don't think the Teddy Bridgewater-less Vikings can overcome Aaron Rodgers and the Pack.

Adam Schein: Packers. Jordy Nelson is healthy. Eddie Lacy slimmed down. Mike McCarthy is back to calling plays. Everything is set up for a special season for Aaron Rodgers. The Packers will have the best offense in the NFL this year.

Bucky Brooks: Minnesota Vikings. Despite losing their franchise quarterback on the eve of the season, the Vikings roll through the NFC North to claim their second straight division title. Shaun Hill doesn't post big numbers as the starter, but he leans on Adrian Peterson and a young WR corps to guide Minnesota back to the winner's circle.

Elliot Harrison: Packers. Green Bay's defense is slightly behind Minnesota's, but the Packers' offense will be much more explosive than the Vikings' Bridgewater-free unit. Green Bay's immense advantage at quarterback -- with Jordy Nelson healthy and Eddie Lacy slimmer -- should make the difference.

David Carr: Packers. Jordy Nelson is back and Aaron Rodgers is going to take advantage of that.

Charley Casserly: Packers. Initially, I thought this would be the best race in the NFL, but the Teddy Bridgewater injury really hurts Minnesota.

Ike Taylor: Packers. The Packers' offense will be more balanced and the defense is solid. It will come down to the end, but Green Bay edges Minnesota here.

Dave Dameshek: Packers. Like Ali v Frazier, Green Bay v Minnesota is compelling because of the massive stylistic differences. The Vikings' rugged approach knocked Rodgers & Co. down last year. This year, the Pack soars back to the top -- and would've even if Teddy B had been under center for Minnesota. (12-4, No. 2 seed)

Chris Wesseling: Packers. Outside of an Aaron Rodgers injury, everything that could go wrong did go wrong in 2015. That won't happen to the re-stocked 2016 Packers.

Colleen Wolfe: Packers. Sort of process of elimination in this division.

Heath Evans: Packers. I initially had the Vikings winning their second straight division title, but Teddy Bridgewater's injury will hurt them. Green Bay is back on top in the North.

Marcas Grant: Packers. This offense could set records this season. When healthy, this team is head and shoulders above everyone else in the division.

Adam Rank: Packers. I really want to put the Bears here. I'll show some decorum.

Alex Gelhar: Packers. The Vikings are an ascending young team, but the Bridgewater injury is a huge blow and we all know who the true King of the North is.


EDITOR'S NOTE: The Vikings acquired quarterback Sam Bradford from the Eagles in exchange for a first-round draft pick in 2017 and a fourth-rounder in 2018 on Saturday.

 

[Greenbacks]

NFC EAST

Judy Battista: New York Giants. The Cowboys were the pick, until Tony Romo got hurt. The Cowboys won't collapse like last year, but this is just enough of an opening for a vastly improved Giants defense to pair with an explosive offense to prevail in a middling division.

Jeffri Chadiha: Washington Redskins. The Cowboys are the most talented team in this division, but the Redskins will have their starting quarterback available in Week 1.

Gil Brandt: Giants. Eli Manning and a defense that has to improve on its No. 32 ranking from 2015 will carry the East despite having to start and end the season on the road.

Maurice Jones-Drew: Dallas Cowboys. Dak Prescott/Tony Romo, Dez Bryant and Ezekiel Elliott will make up for a mediocre defense and get this team back to the postseason.

Brian Billick: Giants. Often times, winning free agency doesn't translate to winning games in the following season, and while the Giants made some splashy signings, they were also very strategic. Not to mention, Eli Manning is easily the most stable quarterback presence in the division.

Gregg Rosenthal: Philadelphia Eagles. In the worst division of football, I'll take Philadelphia's front seven over anything else.

Willie McGinest: Eagles. I think the Eagles have the most talent on the roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Adam Schein: Redskins. I was all set to pick Dallas, and I still think the Cowboys will be in the mix with Dak Prescott. But I'll take the Redskins to go 10-6, Cowboys 9-7.

Bucky Brooks: Giants. Eli Manning and the Giants' electric receiving corps torch foes up and down the schedule. Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard and Victor Cruz each top the 1,000-yard mark, as the Giants roll into the playoffs behind one of the hottest offenses in football.

Elliot Harrison: Cowboys. Taking a chance on Dak Prescott here. Dallas stays in the race until Week 8. Tony Romo will return by then, with key defensive players also back in the lineup.

David Carr: Cowboys. I want to pick the Giants, but their offensive line makes me nervous. If Romo plays more than five games, the Cowboys win this division.

Charley Casserly: Giants. Despite an unimpressive preseason, they will win the division with the best QB and defense.

Ike Taylor: Redskins. The Redskins are the most balanced team in this division. They will hold their place at the top.

Dave Dameshek: Giants. It's hard not to like what Kirk Cousins did last year -- and the roster in D.C. is even better this season -- but future HOFer Eli Manning is gonna put up some huge numbers in a defensively-poor East. (10-6, No. 4 seed)

Chris Wesseling: Cowboys. With Ezekiel Elliott entering the league at the superstar level, the offense is loaded enough -- yes, even without Tony Romo for at least the first couple months -- to carry a questionable defense for the second time in three years.

Colleen Wolfe: Cowboys. Dak leads them to the division title, and Tony Romo cries himself to sleep in a Fort Worth motel.

Heath Evans: Eagles. This division might be the worst in the NFL, but I think Philly is the team with the least amount of holes.

Marcas Grant: Giants. This could be the most topsy-turvy division in the league. Tony Romo's injury leaves a big opportunity for Big Blue to prosper in 2016.

Adam Rank: Cowboys. Somebody has to win this division, I guess. Looking forward to the Dak Prescott era.

Alex Gelhar: Redskins. Tony Romo's injury and questions all across the roster for both New York and Philadelphia leave the Redskins as the favorite to win this division and repeat.

 

[Greenbacks]

NFC SOUTH

Judy Battista: Carolina Panthers. The division is improved, the Panthers have a tougher schedule than last year and the impact of losing Josh Norman's attitude is yet to be seen, so maybe they don't get to 15 wins. But a young and deep roster should get them back to the playoffs.

Jeffri Chadiha: Panthers. The Panthers won't go 15-1 again, but they are still the class of this division.

Gil Brandt: Panthers. This team won't win 15 games again, but repeat MVP Cam Newton and repeat Coach of the Year Ron Rivera push this super-complete team to at least 12-4.

Maurice Jones-Drew: Panthers. After last season, I can't go against Cam Newton.

Brian Billick: Panthers. It's hard to argue with Cam Newton's development, and while his play is never going to resemble the dropback approach the NFL has been defined by for decades, he is knocking on the door of the elites at the position.

Gregg Rosenthal: Panthers. Can they turn into a Seahawks or Patriots-like organization that ranks in the top five each year? Expect them to come back to the pack in a better division.

Willie McGinest: Panthers. The other teams in this division will be improved from last season, but the Panthers will win it once again.

Adam Schein: Panthers. Cam Newton once again brilliantly guides the Panthers to the playoffs.

Bucky Brooks: Panthers. Cam Newton is unable to sustain his MVP-caliber play in 2016, but he finds a way to keep the offense humming with Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess playing big roles in the passing game.

Elliot Harrison: Panthers. Carolina takes the division again. While Cam Newton might not be able to replicate his 2015 campaign, the Panthers simply are better than every team in their division.

David Carr: Panthers. Nothing convinces me that they will drop off.

Charley Casserly: Panthers. Tampa is a year away.

Ike Taylor: Panthers. Ron Rivera's offense is only going to get better with the return of Kelvin Benjamin. Cam Newton must be happy about that.

Dave Dameshek: Panthers. There's very little to quibble about with this roster, so instead I'll provide a tepid reminder that most Super Bowl runners-up tend to fall back the following year. (12-4, No. 1 seed)

Chris Wesseling: Panthers. Make it four consecutive division crowns for Ron Rivera's squad, which is poised to join the Patriots and Seahawks as perennial superpowers.

Colleen Wolfe: Panthers. Run it back.

Heath Evans: Panthers. The other three teams in this division aren't strong enough to overtake Ron Rivera's group.

Marcas Grant: Panthers. Cam Newton is still a bad man, and even without Josh Norman, the Panthers' defense is still one of the most fearsome in the NFL.

Adam Rank: Panthers. Should be motivated still after last year's disappointing finish.

Alex Gelhar: Panthers. Cam Newton and this defense are too good to not win this division for the fourth straight season.

 

[Greenbacks]

NFC WEST

Judy Battista: Arizona Cardinals. They and the Seahawks could flip spots, but the Cardinals' powerhouse offense -- which set a franchise record for points scored last year -- could be the difference maker.

Jeffri Chadiha: Cardinals. The Cardinals have talent up and down their roster, with defensive end Chandler Jones giving them the pass rusher they desperately need.

Gil Brandt: Cardinals. With an improved defense (thanks largely to Chandler Jones), the Cardinals will edge the Seahawks in a very close race.

Maurice Jones-Drew: Seattle Seahawks. Even without Beast Mode, Seattle is going to take back the West.

Brian Billick: Cardinals. Arguably the most complete roster from top to bottom in the NFL, the Cardinals can win by putting up 40 points or pitching a defensive shutout.

Gregg Rosenthal: Seahawks. Their defense is as loaded as ever and Russell Wilson's young receiver group has a chance to grow up with him.

Willie McGinest: Cardinals. This team just has so much talent and the right man leading the way.

Adam Schein: Cardinals. 1-53, the Arizona Cardinals have the most talented roster in the NFL.

Bucky Brooks: Seahawks. The "Legion of Boom" helps the Seahawks' D rank as the top-scoring defense for the fifth straight season. With Russell Wilson and Co. lighting it up on offense, the Seahawks head into the playoffs with the NFC's No. 1 seed.

Elliot Harrison: Cardinals. The Cardinals might not have enjoyed a fantastic preseason on multiple levels, but they can still equal the talent level of any team in the league. Carson Palmer must fare better than he did in the postseason.

David Carr: Cardinals. They are probably the most complete team in the league, despite struggling a bit in the preseason.

Charley Casserly: Cardinals. Throw out the preseason. The Cards will edge out Seattle.

Ike Taylor: Seahawks. The defense has proven it can lead this team far. The run game should open up the pass for Russell Wilson and Co., getting them back to the top of the NFC West.

Dave Dameshek: Seahawks. In the latest NFC West Juggernaut head-to-head rivalry, I'll take the team with Wilson over the one with Palmer. (11-5, No. 3 seed)

Chris Wesseling: Seahawks. This could be the most talented roster of the Pete Carroll/John Schneider era, which is high praise indeed.

Colleen Wolfe: Cardinals. Don't worry about Carson Palmer's preseason. Write that on the chalk board 100 times until you believe it.

Heath Evans: Cardinals. This team is so talented and knows how to win. The Cardinals have a perfect mix of veterans and young guys, along with one of the best coaches in the league.

Marcas Grant: Seahawks. Marshawn Lynch might be gone, but this team will live and die on the play of Russell Wilson. That's not the worst position to be in right now.

Adam Rank: Cardinals. The Cardinals are poised to make that next step. And really, I just kind of want it to happen after watching "All or Nothing" on Amazon.

Alex Gelhar: Seahawks. A rejuvenated ground game with Christine Michael and Thomas Rawls helps get the Seahawks back on top in the West.

 

[Greenbacks]

NFC WILD CARD 1

Judy Battista: Seattle Seahawks. They easily could win the division, too, and another Super Bowl run wouldn't be a surprise. With Jimmy Graham returning and Russell Wilson's continuing development, the offense should be better than ever.

Jeffri Chadiha: Seahawks. Russell Wilson took another big step in his development during an impressive second half in 2015. Watch what he does this fall.

Gil Brandt: Seahawks. A great defense along with a very good quarterback leads a squad that could very well finish first in the NFC West.

Maurice Jones-Drew: Arizona Cardinals. This team is way too talented to be at home in January.

Brian Billick: Seahawks. The Seahawks play the Cardinals in Week 16 and that very well might decide the division. While I picked the Cardinals to win, the Seahawks might be the second-best team in the entire NFC.

Gregg Rosenthal: Cardinals. It's a shame that perhaps the best two rosters in football reside in the same division.

Willie McGinest: Seahawks. Pete Carroll always has this group in the mix. This year will be no different.

Adam Schein: Seahawks. The Seahawks still have an elite defense with an MVP-caliber quarterback in Russell Wilson.

Bucky Brooks: Cardinals. The Cardinals challenge the Seahawks for the best record in football but are forced to settle for a wild-card berth when the offense falters down stretch.

Elliot Harrison: Seahawks. Seattle will be a wild card once again, but it doesn't mean the 'Hawks can't make it to the Super Bowl. The offensive line and running game will be key. The Seahawks should be a tough out.

David Carr: Redskins. This team is solid and made the playoffs last year. Kirk Cousins will help lead this team back.

Charley Casserly: Seahawks. Russell Wilson and the defense lead them to the postseason.

Ike Taylor: Minnesota Vikings. Adrian Peterson and the defense will carry this team into the playoffs.

Dave Dameshek: Cardinals. The Cards' third-best WR is better than many team's No. 1. Question is, which of their three great WRs gets the bronze medal? (11-5, No. 5 seed)

Chris Wesseling: Cardinals. Every skill-position player returns from a high-octane offense, and the defensive pass rush should be significantly improved. The Cardinals remain a Super Bowl contender.

Colleen Wolfe: Seahawks. Russell Wilson and Ciara will Instagram every second of the season. Pray for America's children.

Heath Evans: Vikings. The Vikings rely on their defense and run game, and both are strong enough to get them back into the playoffs.

Marcas Grant: Cardinals. The Redbirds could lose a tough division battle to the Seahawks, but it would be a major upset if they missed the playoffs altogether.

Adam Rank: Chicago Bears. The Bears were really close in a lot of games last season.

Alex Gelhar: Cardinals. The new additions on defense (Robert Nkemdiche, Chandler Jones) help the Cardinals make another trip to the postseason.

 

[Greenbacks]

NFC WILD CARD 2

Judy Battista: Washington Redskins. The Vikings would have edged Washington for this spot before Teddy Bridgewater's injury, but now the well-balanced Redskins have enough balance to take the final wild card.

Jeffri Chadiha: New York Giants. The Giants added a lot of defensive talent in the offseason. Those moves will pay off big in the long run.

Gil Brandt: Tampa Bay Buccaneers. A new head coach (former offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter) and improved play by Jameis Winston make the Bucs much better than they were in 2015.

Maurice Jones-Drew: Minnesota Vikings. With last year's playoff loss in mind, the Vikings will make a good run. It doesn't matter that they won't win the division.

Brian Billick: Vikings. Adrian Peterson's window is closing and the Vikings will need him to dominate once again and carry them to the playoffs after the loss of Teddy Bridgewater.

Gregg Rosenthal: Buccaneers. A team is ripe to emerge from the NFC South as a contender to Carolina's throne. Jameis Winston's second-year leap will edge out a Saints resurgence for the last spot.

Willie McGinest: Vikings. Teddy Bridgewater's injury hurts, but a defense with talent on every level carries this team into the postseason.

Adam Schein: Buccaneers. Jameis Winston takes a major step forward in Year 2. Dirk Koetter is a major improvement as the head coach. And Roberto Aguayo makes kicks!

Bucky Brooks: Dallas Cowboys. Against all odds, the Cowboys roll into the playoffs behind a pair of rookie playmakers (Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott) occupying key roles on offense. The duo plays at an all-star level to help the mask a defense that struggles getting stops.

Elliot Harrison: Redskins. Washington takes advantage of the Vikings' question marks at quarterback and outlasts the Lions and Giants for the final spot.

David Carr: Buccaneers. Jameis Winston's improvement will really show this season. The Bucs also have a good defense, so they will be competitive.

Charley Casserly: Redskins. Kirk Cousins proves he is for real.

Ike Taylor: Buccaneers. This is an under-the-radar team. The Bucs have a lot of young players with a lot of potential. Will potential turn into results this season? I think so.

Dave Dameshek: Buccaneers. Teddy B. didn't deserve that awful injury, but like Will Munny said in "Unforgiven," "Deserve's got nothing to do with it." As it is, Jameis is ready to fill the void with what'll be a strong offense and defense built around Gerald McCoy and Lavonte David, two of the very best -- if most underrated -- players at their respective positions. (9-7, No. 6 seed)

Chris Wesseling: Atlanta Falcons. Matt Ryan's offense will be one of the surprises of the 2016 season, flirting with 30 points per game.

Colleen Wolfe: Buccaneers. In an uncomfortably close game, Tampa comes from behind and clinches a wild-card berth on a game-winning field goal. Robert Aguayo never misses again. Years later, headlines read: "Aguayo Kicks His Way to Canton."

Heath Evans: Seahawks. This defense has been at the top for a while and I don't see the unit dropping off. Plus, Russell Wilson is always a threat in the pass and ground games.

Marcas Grant: Redskins. This spot might have otherwise belonged to the Vikings, but an injury to Teddy Bridgewater opens the door for Washington.

Adam Rank: Vikings. Let's be honest: It's not akin to the Packers losing Aaron Rodgers. The Vikings can survive with a game manager. They now go from Super Bowl contender to playoff team.

Alex Gelhar: Buccaneers. Teddy Bridgewater's injury opens the door for a new team here. A slimmed-down, focused Jameis Winston in Year 2 of Dirk Koetter's system pushes the Bucs over the hump and into the playoffs.

 

[Greenbacks]

Winners and losers of Sam Bradford trade.

For better or worse, no general manager runs his squad more like a fantasy team than the Eagles' Howie Roseman. On Saturday, it was for the better.
Philadelphia's deal of Sam Bradford to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a 2017 first-round pick and a 2018 fourth-round pick makes two NFC teams more compelling this year. It gives the Vikings a fighting chance of a playoff run in their new stadium and gives Eagles fans a chance to watch No. 2 overall pick Carson Wentz play all season. It is the type of blockbuster we don't see often enough, although Roseman was involved in another recent trade involving a starting quarterback when the Eagles swapped Nick Foles for Bradford on the first day of free agency in 2015.
Philadelphia wound up getting a pretty nice return on that trade, which feels like it happened during another era of football. When you run your team like Roseman, change is the only constant.

Let's look at some winners and losers from the deal:

Moving Up

Howie Roseman: The Eagles general manager's winding quarterback odyssey, lovingly detailed by Kevin Patra, has a happy ending. That two-year, $35 million contract the team gave Bradford in February doesn't look so crazy after getting a first-round pick back for him. It's worth noting that the Eagles paid Bradford an $11 million signing bonus essentially for offseason practices, so the Vikings "only" owe Bradford $24 million over the next two seasons.
Still, Roseman was vindicated by his belief that Bradford was an asset even after the team gave up a boatload of picks to draft Carson Wentz. Roseman is not afraid to make big splashes, big mistakes and big changes to the plan when the opportunity presents itself. The Eagles would have been crazy to pass on this offer after the Vikings called considering they have Wentz and Chase Daniel in place.

Vikings ownership: No one wants to say it, but the Vikings did not want to move into a beautiful new stadium with 16 games of Shaun Hill on tap. Bradford is not the fan favorite that Teddy Bridgewater is, but this gives the organization renewed life heading into the 2016 season, as Marc Sessler wrote in his column. It remains a team built to compete for titles on defense and Adrian Peterson. They have a proven quarterback tutor in Norv Turner. If he can't get Bradford to finally fulfill his potential, no one will.

Pat Shurmur's influence: Minnesota's tight ends coach was Bradford's coordinator when Bradford was drafted in St. Louis and his coordinator in Philadelphia. Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune writes that Shurmur played a huge role in acquiring Bradford.
"The negotiations began Friday night and intensified -- but only because of new tight ends coach Pat Shurmur, who coached Bradford in St. Louis and in Philadelphia," Craig wrote. "It was Shurmur who convinced the organization that Bradford had the intelligence and the work ethic to learn Norv Turner's offense quickly."

Eagles fans: Sure, this trade ruins all the painstaking work that Eagles fans did this offseason trying to convince themselves to root for Bradford. But isn't this trade a relief?
A year spent rooting for a short-term starting quarterback is a wasted year as a fan. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports that Wentz will be the starter once he's healthy, and that could be as early as Week 1. Then again, another winner here would be ...

Chase Daniel Nation: Wentz is going to start when healthy. It's anyone's guess how long he'll be healthy after exiting his only preseason appearance following some massive hits. The path to Daniel starting just got clearer and we've long believed he could be a solid option if given the chance.

The Cleveland Browns: That first-round pick they own from Philadelphia is more likely to be near the top of the draft now. I still wouldn't rule out the Eagles competing or even winning a diluted NFC East because their front seven on defense has a chance to be that good. But this does not help Philadelphia's chances. All offseason, we read that Bradford was superior in practice to Wentz and Daniel. The same was true in the preseason. The Eagles are trading the guy they decided would give them the best chance to win.

Not a good trade for ...

Teddy Bridgewater optimism: We hope this deal doesn't say too much about Bridgewater's ability to recover from his devastating knee injury. The reality is that no one knows how Bridgewater's rehabilitation will go at this stage, and the Vikings have to plan for every scenario. Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said that Bradford's contract, which runs through 2017, played a big role.
"That played a huge part in this deal," Spielman said. "We have Bradford under contract for 2 years."
In short: This might not be just a short-term fix.

Jordan Matthews fantasy owners: This is one strange Eagles receiver group after Matthews, with Nelson Agholor, Dorial Green-Beckham and Josh Huff in the mix. Philadelphia will try to win with running and defense. It's hard to see them airing the ball out whether Wentz or Daniel is at quarterback.

NFL analysts: Thousands of articles were written after the Bridgewater injury and a Bradford trade wasn't mentioned seriously in any of them. This deal caught the insiders flat footed. (Those same insiders should be worried about competition from Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, who alluded to the trade on Twitter before it ever came out. He deleted the tweet.)

The NFC wild card field: Green Bay should be seen as the favorite in the NFC North. But the acquisition of Bradford at least gives the Vikings a better chance to push for a playoff spot.

 

[Greenbacks]

Championship Sunday predictions: Another Cards-Pack classic?

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Judy Battista: Steelers over Patriots. In what should be a high-scoring nail-biter between the AFC's best offenses, the difference could be home-field advantage, and that could be impacted early by how Jimmy Garoppolo performs during Tom Brady's suspension.

Jeffri Chadiha: Patriots over Bengals. The Patriots exact their revenge for Tom Brady's suspension by reaching another Super Bowl.

Gil Brandt: Patriots over Steelers. These are two well-coached teams and outstanding organizations. New England wins because of balance and Tom Brady.

Maurice Jones-Drew: Steelers over Chiefs. I think the Chiefs are going to surprise some people in the playoffs, but it won't be enough to overtake the Steelers.

Brian Billick: Steelers over Patriots. The Big 3 of Big Ben, Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell will be hitting on all cylinders as they beat the Patriots in a high-scoring affair.

Gregg Rosenthal: Patriots over Chargers. Philip Rivers' run to a storybook Super Bowl falls short in Foxborough for a second time.

Willie McGinest: Patriots over Steelers. History tells me that these two teams will always be in the mix deep in the playoffs.

Adam Schein: Patriots over Texans. The Patriots clobber the Texans on Championship Sunday with Tom Brady throwing five touchdown passes.

Bucky Brooks: Patriots over Broncos. The Patriots take down the Broncos' star-studded defense by leaning on their unstoppable tight end duo to exploit mismatches in the back end. Tom Brady is terrific, as usual, in posting a 300-yard game against Wade Phillips' nasty bunch.

Elliot Harrison: Steelers over Patriots. Pittsburgh finally enters the postseason healthy, besting the Patriots in an epic AFC title game. (Nobody wanted to play a healthy Steelers offense in the playoffs the last two years.)

David Carr: Patriots over Raiders. The Raiders' defense vs. the Patriots' offense is going to be a lot of fun to watch.

Charley Casserly: Patriots over Texans. Brady and a smothering defense expose the inexperience of Brock Osweiler.

Ike Taylor: Patriots over Texans. No surprise here with the Patriots back in the AFC title game, but the Texans are hungry to take that next step and made the necessary moves in the offseason to reach this stage of the playoffs.

Dave Dameshek: Patriots over Steelers. New England is markedly better than the second-best team in the AFC ... and will prove it in January.

Chris Wesseling: Patriots over Steelers. Nobody is stopping Tom Brady's offense with Martellus Bennett joining Rob Gronkowski in a twin-skyscraper attack to complement the waterbugs at wide receiver and tailback.

Colleen Wolfe: Patriots over Steelers. I hate this. I hate myself for doing it. I'm smashing my computer after this as penance.

Heath Evans: Patriots over Steelers. These two are no strangers to this game. There is a lot of experience on both sides, but the Pats will win this offensive battle.

Marcas Grant: Patriots over Texans. The student (Bill O'Brien) once again comes up short against the master (Bill Belichick), as Tom Brady makes yet another run at a Lombardi Trophy.

Adam Rank: Patriots over Chiefs. I know it's way too easy to say the Patriots will be looking for revenge. So I will just say that. But the Patriots' offense is going to be loaded once Tom Brady returns.

Alex Gelhar: Patriots over Texans. The Texans make a deep run, but Bill Belichick defeats his former apprentice, Bill O'Brien, to make his seventh trip to the Super Bowl with the Pats.


NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Judy Battista: Cardinals over Packers. Chandler Jones, Calais Campbell and Tyrann Mathieu limit the Packers' offense just enough.

Jeffri Chadiha: Cardinals over Packers. The Cardinals have plenty to prove after Carolina dominated them in last season's NFC title game.

Gil Brandt: Panthers over Packers. Both teams have top-tier quarterbacks, but the Panthers' defense puts them over the top in a close game.

Maurice Jones-Drew: Cowboys over Panthers. Dallas will dash the Panthers' hopes of another shot at a ring.

Brian Billick: Panthers over Seahawks. Cam Newton puts the "S" on his chest once again as he carries the Panthers to their second straight Super Bowl.

Gregg Rosenthal: Seahawks over Packers. Both teams are balanced, deep and led by top-five quarterbacks. Seattle gets the edge because the team could have a top-five defense and a top-five offense.

Willie McGinest: Cardinals over Panthers. A rematch of last season's NFC title game will go to the Cards this time around.

Adam Schein: Cardinals over Packers. In an absolute classic, the Cardinals beat Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay.

Bucky Brooks: Seahawks over Cardinals. The Seahawks ride the momentum of "The 12s" to bury the Cardinals in the NFC Championship Game behind a spectacular effort from Russell Wilson. The league MVP torches the Cards' D with pinpoint passes to Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett on the way to a 400-yard game.

Elliot Harrison: Packers over Cardinals. In a rematch of one of the most exciting postseason games in recent memory, the Packers and Cardinals link up for the right to go to Super Bowl LI. Aaron Rodgers proves too much in a classy NFC title game.

David Carr: Packers over Cardinals. I want to pick the Panthers, but I think these two teams are going to be a little bit better come January.

Charley Casserly: Packers over Seahawks. Aaron Rodgers rises to the occasion and Green Bay's defense bottles up Russell Wilson.

Ike Taylor: Seahawks over Panthers. I want to see Seattle's defense get another chance to stop Cam Newton's offense. A year later, the 'Hawks will prevail.

Dave Dameshek: Packers over Cardinals. The Packers survive a frigid slugfest between two heavyweights in the loaded NFC.

Chris Wesseling: Seahawks over Cardinals. The conference's two most complete teams reside in the NFC West. The Seahawks' experience in big games is the trump card.

Colleen Wolfe: Cardinals over Panthers. Carson Palmer remains upright. David Johnson runs wild. Cam Newton stays in the postgame presser for at least 15 seconds this time.

Heath Evans: Cardinals over Vikings. These teams are a lot alike, but Arizona's passing game will lift them to Super Bowl LI.

Marcas Grant: Packers over Seahawks. This has the potential to be a game for the ages. Aaron Rodgers and the Pack use their home-field advantage to avenge their 2014 NFC Championship Game loss.

Adam Rank: Panthers over Packers. The Panthers are still talented -- and more dynamic offensively -- this season. A strong defense can shut down Rodgers in the playoffs, so Carolina gets back to the Super Bowl.

Alex Gelhar: Packers over Seahawks. Green Bay exorcises the demons of 2014 with a sterling defensive performance in front of a raucous crowd at the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The Vikings acquired quarterback Sam Bradford from the Eagles in exchange for a first-round draft pick in 2017 and a fourth-rounder in 2018 on Saturday.

 

[Greenbacks]

Cleveland Browns sign Britton Colquitt to 1-year deal.

Anyone who was greatly concerned about the Browns' abysmal punting situation following the trade of Andy Lee can now rest easy.
(We know you're out there somewhere).
Less than 48 hours after the preseason Week 4 in-game tryouts of Casey Redfern and Mike Palardy landed with simultaneous thuds, the Browns have turned to veteran Britton Colquitt to alleviate their field-position needs. Cleveland signed the 31-year-old punter to a one-year deal on Saturday and waived Palardy, the team announced.

Colquitt was cut by the Denver Broncos on Tuesday, drawing the ire of at least one former professional specialist who felt the move didn't reflect the punter's performance.
The signing is the latest savvy move on the part of Sashi Brown, Browns executive VP of football operations, who hasn't constructed a contender for 2016, but has stocked the cupboard with a handful of young talent and even more future high draft picks.

It fills a void created by last week's deal that sent Lee to the Carolina Panthers for a fourth-round pick, which, when considering the Browns just gave up nothing to secure a near-equivalent veteran punter (Lee's 2015 average net yardage: 40.1; Colquitt's: 39.7), looks to be quite a coup.
Add in the Aug. 25 deal that garnered the Browns a fifth-rounder for Barkevious Mingo, a linebacker who was very much on the bubble and even more likely to get cut, and the news that Philadelphia traded starting quarterback Sam Bradford to Minnesota (Cleveland owns Philadelphia's 2017 first-rounder), and it's been a pretty good couple of weeks for Brown and Co.

 

[Greenbacks]

J.J. Watt passes Texans physical, cleared to practice.

J.J. Watt took another step forward in his preparation for Week 1.
The Houston Texans announced Sunday that Watt passed a physical and is ready for practice Monday.
The news comes after coach Bill O'Brien noted last week that Watt was "headed in the right direction" to play Week 1.
Watt underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc in July and played through a handful of core muscle injuries last season.
With Watt on track for the opener, the Texans' defense should be in full force versus the Chicago Bears.

 

[Greenbacks]

Fantasy football backfield breakdowns by team.

 

[Greenbacks]

Ah, the fantasy running back. The position is obviously an invaluable piece of a potential championship-winning roster. We're in the midst of a changing of the guard in terms of elite fantasy backs as well as a shift in draft strategy. This season, more than in years past, seems to be focused on top tier wide receivers in the early rounds of fantasy drafts. Much of that is due to the incredible amount of season-ending injuries that starting running backs endured last season, making the handcuffs and other backups behind them more important than ever. A few waiver-wire stars of 2015 include Thomas Rawls, DeAngelo Williams and Tim Hightower. I'm willing to bet none of those guys were on your draft list last August.
So with that in mind, I've taken it upon myself to help all of you fantasy fans out there iron out some details when it comes to all 32 NFL teams and how their backfields are shaping up for the 2016 campaign.

Based on what we've seen in camp and preseason action, below are projected depth charts and outlooks for the top backs on each team, and the next man (or men) up should someone get injured.
During the regular season, this column will become "Committee Meetings" every Monday to recap the week that was among running backs and to preview the outlook for the upcoming week.
(And if you're looking for wide receiver target share and opportunities, Matt Harmon will be covering that position all season long. Check out his season preview here.)

 

[Greenbacks]

Arizona Cardinals:
Projected starter: 1. David Johnson
Backups: 2. Chris Johnson; 3. Andre Ellington; 4. Stepfan Taylor
2016 Outlook: Once David Johnson took over as the Cardinals bell cow last season in Week 13, he collected a 79 percent share of running back carries through the rest of the regular season. Johnson is a no-brainer first-round pick in all fantasy formats as he'll be the team's workhorse from the get-go this year with Chris Johnson and Andre Ellington likely to play a complementary role behind him. With the three-down capabilities Johnson possesses, coach Bruce Arians will be hard pressed to take his talented young runner off the field. Fantasy managers who do end up drafting David will want to consider investing in veteran Chris as a potential handcuff, but not until the very late rounds. Andre Ellington, who has had durability issues nearly his entire career, is nothing more than an afterthought and probably should not be drafted save for the deepest of leagues as a dart throw. Williams and Taylor are capable of handling a full workload but would only be called upon in desperate times.

Atlanta Falcons:
Projected starter: 1. Devonta Freeman
Backups: 2. Tevin Coleman; 3. Terron Ward; 4. Brandon Wilds
2016 Outlook: Why is last season's top-scoring fantasy running back available in the middle of the second round of drafts this year? Good question. Most of that has to do with the fact that the Falcons' coaching staff has said they want to incorporate Tevin Coleman more often in an effort to preserve Freeman for the entire season. Still, Devonta Freeman is Atlanta's go-to back in red-zone and goal-line situations, which makes him a nice value considering his ADP. Coleman will cut into Freeman's workload some, but it shouldn't be enough to deter fantasy owners from investing in the Falcons' primary back. Freeman, who was targeted 97 times as a pass-catcher last season, remains one of the top picks at running back in PPR formats and if you can snag him in Round 2 of a standard league, consider it a win.

Baltimore Ravens:
Projected starter: 1. Justin Forsett
Backups: 2. Terrance West; 3. Javorius Allen; 4. Lorenzo Taliaferro
2016 Outlook: Justin Forsett, who will turn 31 in October, projects as Baltimore's starting running back to open the year which makes his Round 10 ADP seem like quite a bargain. But the veteran has a few hungry teammates creeping up behind him and pushing for touches. Before Forsett went down with a broken arm last year, he averaged 4.2 yards per carry in 10 games but scored only two touchdowns leaving fantasy owners who invested an early-round pick in him wanting more. His injury opened up an opportunity for Buck Allen to get some work as a rookie, and he flashed as much as one might think he could in an anemic Baltimore offense depleted by injuries. But this preseason, Allen worked behind a surprisingly resurgent Terrance West who projects to be Forsett's No. 1 backup and may even usurp the starting role at some point during the year based on a strong showing in camp and exhibition game action. Rookie Kenneth Dixon suffered an MCL tear in the Ravens' third preseason game, so he will miss at least the first month of the season and should not be on the redraft radar. The bottom line here is if you're messing with any Ravens' running back in fantasy, you're playing with fire. It's probably going to be one of the more confusing situations in the league and none of these backs are worth more than a double-digit round dart throw.
Buffalo Bills:
Projected starter: 1. LeSean McCoy
Backups: 2. Reggie Bush; 3. Mike Gillislee; 4. Jonathan Williams
2016 Outlook: A hamstring injury limited Shady's production early last season, but he did manage to produce some solid weeks for owners who stuck with him. With Karlos Williams out of the picture now, McCoy projects for a huge workload in Buffalo's run-first offense. He's healthy and has the potential to post RB1 numbers at a second-round cost. Bush may spell McCoy in certain situations but isn't worth a draft investment. Mike Gillislee should serve as McCoy's primary backup and showed some flashes late last season. In fact, in the final five games of 2015, Gillislee averaged 5.6 yards per carry taking his 47 rushes for 276 yards and three touchdowns. He's worth a late-round dart throw given McCoy's injury history. We know Rex Ryan employs a ground-and-pound offense (the Bills had the highest run percentage in the NFL last season, 52.2) which means there will be ample opportunities for these backs to get theirs.
Carolina Panthers:
Projected starter: 1. Jonathan Stewart
Backups: 2. Fozzy Whittaker; 3. Cameron Artis-Payne; 4. Brandon Wegher
2016 Outlook: Last year, Cam Newton accounted for a third of the Panthers' rushing yards. Jonathan Stewart received 53 percent of the team's rush attempts and for the most part was quietly consistent from a fantasy perspective. In the 13 games in which he was healthy, Stewart never saw fewer than 10 rush attempts and went on an insane eight-game streak where he received 20 or more carries between Weeks 6 and 13. He's still the only running back you'll want from this team in fantasy but as always, his ceiling will be limited due to the way Newton is used as a goal-line vulture as evidenced by J-Stew's six rushing touchdowns compared to Newton's 10 in 2015. Stewart is currently a Round 5 pick, going ahead of players with more upside like Jeremy Hill and Melvin Gordon. If Stewart were to miss time, which he's been known to do, Fozzy Whittaker and Cameron Artis-Payne would likely split the workload. The backups in Carolina are best left on the waiver wire.
Chicago Bears:
Projected starter: 1. Jeremy Langford
Backups: 2. Ka'Deem Carey; 3. Jacquizz Rodgers; 4. Jordan Howard
2016 Outlook: From what we've seen in the preseason, the primary back job in Chicago seems like Jeremy Langford's to lose. He's worked in the most with the Bears' first-team offense and received some valuable red-zone opportunities. Ka'deem Carey, Jacquizz Rodgers and Jordan Howard will likely go undrafted in most leagues. Despite Howard's size, he has struggled to make a splash as a reliable goal-line option. Since earlier in the spring, Langford's ADP has plummeted into a more reasonable Round 7 range. There is a chance that Chicago's offense is just plain inefficient, so tread with caution when looking to select Langford. He's no more than an RB3 option until we see more from him during the regular season. Carey and Rodgers may rotate in, but their volume will not be enough to warrant a fantasy roster spot.
Cincinnati Bengals:
Projected starter: 1. Jeremy Hill
Backups: 2. Giovani Bernard; 3. Rex Burkhead; 4. Cedric Peerman
2016 Outlook: Over the past two seasons, no running back duo in the NFL has been more productive than Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard. The Cincinnati tandem ranks first in combined carries (767), rush yards (3,328), rushing touchdowns (27) and scrimmage yards (4,443) since 2014. And while both backs have received similar volume in that span -- Hill has averaged 15.2 touches per game while Bernard has averaged 14.3 -- Hill gets the nod as the better fantasy asset due to his nose for the end zone with 21 total touchdowns compared to Bernard's nine. In fact, Hill leads the NFL in rushing touchdowns (20) since he entered the league in 2014. If you were one of those fantasy owners who got burned by Hill last year, it makes sense if you're looking elsewhere for running back production. But he's been slipping in drafts, has had a promising preseason and looks like a more confident and decisive runner. At this point, he's a huge value with fringe RB1 upside. For fantasy owners looking to find mid-round value backs with safe floors, Bernard should be your first option. His 1,200 scrimmage yards last year helped him become a consistent weekly play as a flex option. However, he only scored two touchdowns, the lowest of his career. He's bound to find the end zone a few more times this season, and with a lack of other targets in the passing game, is likely to see plenty of targets as a receiver. He's not a goal-line back but the Bengals have gone to him in longer-yardage red zone situations and he's made the most of those opportunities.
Cleveland Browns:
Projected starter: 1. Isaiah Crowell
Backups: 2. Duke Johnson; 3. Raheem Mostert; 4. Terrell Watson
2016 Outlook: We haven't gained much clarity this preseason in terms of the Browns backfield split between Isaiah Crowell and Duke Johnson. It's likely going to shape up the way we thought it would all offseason -- Crowell is the early-down banger and goal-line back, while Johnson works in on passing downs and may be used on the outside as a receiver. Both Johnson and Crowell come as value picks this season with Round 8 and Round 10 ADPs, respectively, in standard formats. Johnson has more upside thanks to his passing game prowess but he lacks the toughness as a between-the-tackles runner that Crowell possesses. There's almost zero risk in adding Crowell in double-digit rounds. If he falters early on, Cleveland could give Johnson a shot as a three-down back, but Johnson's ceiling in standard formats is lowered unless that happens.