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Offseason Additions: Matt Birk (C); L.J. Smith (TE); Domonique Foxworth (CB); John Beck (QB).

Offseason Losses: Bart Scott (LB); Jason Brown (C); Chris McAlister (CB); Jim Leonhard (S); Lorenzo Neal (FB).

Player to Watch: Ed Reed, S.
Some believe that Reed is one of the more overrated players in the league because he’ll take too many chances attempting to make the big play and will often get burned because of it. He’s also not the greatest in run support because he’ll drag ballcarriers down as opposed to always running full speed and laying a thundering hit. But the bottom line is that Reed is the best playmaking safety in the league and he often masks mistakes (not his, but his teammates) with his tremendous speed and playmaking ability. Reed isn’t overrated – he deserves all the accolades that he receives and he’s one of the best – period.

Team Strength: Baltimore’s successful running game starts up front. Massive left tackle Jared Gaither and mobile left guard Ben Grubbs are two rising starts along the Ravens’ offensive line, one in which that improved this offseason with the addition of veteran center Matt Birk. The former Viking Birk is one of the smartest centers in the game and his pre-snap adjustments will help promising rookie right tackle Michael Oher make a smooth transition from college to the pros. Throw in a trio of capable starting running backs in Ray Rice, Le’Ron McClain and Willis McGahee and the Ravens will once again be near the top of the league in rushing.

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Offseason Additions: Chris Canty (DE); Michael Boley (LB); C.C. Brown (S); Rocky Bernard (DT).

Offseason Losses: Plaxico Burress (WR); Derrick Ward (RB); James Butler (S); Amani Toomer (WR); Reuben Droughns (RB); R.W. McQuarters (CB).

Player to Watch: Kenny Phillips, S.
The Giants stole Phillips at the end of the first round in the 2008 draft. Following his rookie season, he added 16 pounds in hopes that the added weight will make him a more ferocious hitter and given his solid coverage ability, the Giants could use him the same way the Ravens use Ed Reed in that Phillips will move around the field at will. While expectations should be tempered considering this is only his second year, he reportedly is already making strides as a leader on the Giants’ defense and it appears that the sky is the limit in terms of his potential.

Team Strength: GM Jerry Reese has a philosophy that a team can never have enough pass rushers, so he spent this offseason bringing in free agents like Rocky Bernard and Chris Canty, both of whom can shoot the gap from their tackle positions. While Barry Cofield and Fred Robbins will remain the starters because of their run-stuffing abilities, Bernard and Canty will see plenty of action in a rotation and they add to an already excellent pass-rushing defensive line that also features ends Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Mathias Kiwanuka. Tuck wore down at the end of the year last season (as many Giants did) and Umenyiora didn’t play after having season-ending knee surgery in preseason. So the Giants plan on using a three-man rotation at end to keep everybody fresh. Even Dave Tollefson will see a fair amount of playing time for a Giants team that will once again get after the quarterback.

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Offseason Additions: Duke Preston (C); Anthony Smith (S).

Offseason Losses: Mark Tauscher (OT); Colin Cole (DT).

Player to Watch: Aaron Rodgers, QB.
In throwing for 4,038 yards and 28 touchdowns in his first year as Green Bay’s starter, Rodgers made Packer fans completely forget about the Brett Favre era. Okay, so he didn’t do that, but he did put to rest a lot of the doubt fans had about whether or not he could become a legitimate franchise quarterback. Now entering his second year, Rodgers’ challenge is to take this team to the next level and get them into the playoffs. His best attribute is that he’s fundamentally sound and most of his success (unsurprisingly) comes when he gets the ball out of his hands quickly. He has also shown good mobility outside of the pocket and isn’t afraid to take a risk in order to cash in on a big play. The problem that he sometimes gets into is when he fails to progress through all of his reads. While this can be an issue for most quarterbacks, it’s the only thing that is holding Rodgers back from being great. He can’t fall into patterns of making pre-snap reads and then not adjusting when the defense reacts to where he wants to go with the ball. If he works through his progressions more and cuts down on the mistakes, he’s going to do big things in 2009.

Team Strength: While age is a problem, the Packers strength (at least on defense) is their secondary. At 33, Charles Woodson continues to be one of the top corners in the game and doesn’t appear to be slowing down. Al Harris is losing a step and didn’t have a great preseason, which is why many think that nickelback Tramon Williams will push for more playing time and eventually succeed Harris at the corner position opposite Woodson. Williams has excellent speed, as does dimeback Will Blackmon, and is an emerging starter. For as good as Woodson is, free safety Nick Collins is the star of this group. Collins is outstanding in coverage and seemingly knows where the quarterback wants to go with the ball every time he drops back to pass. He doesn’t play the run particularly well, but that job is reserved for hard-hitting strong safety Atari Bigby, so Green Bay doesn’t lose much in that area.

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Offseason Additions: Jovan Haye (DT); Nate Washington (WR); Patrick Ramsey (QB).

Offseason Losses: Albert Haynesworth (DT); Justin McCareins (WR); Brandon Jones (WR).

Player to Watch: Tony Brown, DT.
The Titans lost their biggest and best defender this offseason when Albert Haynesworth signed a lucrative free agent contract with the Redskins. So meet Tony Brown, the man responsible for filling Haynesworth’s massive shoes. At 6’3” and 285 pounds, Brown isn’t the gargantuan that the 6’7”, 320-pound Haynesworth is, but that’s not to say that Brown isn’t capable of manning his former teammate’s old position. He nearly made the Pro Bowl last season and while he definitely benefited from offensive lines doubling Haynesworth, Brown is great at getting off the ball and causing havoc in the opponent’s backfields. While replacing Haynesworth won’t be easy, if Brown learns how to handle double-teams then the Titans’ defensive line should be fine.

Team Strength: The Titans’ strength is that they carry out the Cover 2 scheme to perfection. Losing Haynesworth and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz (who took over as head coach of the Lions) hurts, but Chuck Cecil is up to the task of taking over a unit that is technically sound as a group. Tennessee does an excellent job of keeping its linemen fresh by rotating them throughout the game. Their depth is outstanding and all of their linemen know how to disrupt their opponents’ game plans. But for as good as the Titans are up front, the secondary is what separates them from the pack. Cortland Finnegan has developed into a solid cover corner and while he needs to cut back on the penalties, he’s emerged as a rising star in the league. Nick Harper is aging but a perfect fit in the Cover 2 scheme based on his skill set and safeties Chris Hope and Michael Griffin know their jobs and carry out their assignments to a T. Of course, linebacker Keith Bulluck continues to be the heartbeat of the Titans’ defense.

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Offseason Additions: Igor Olshansky (DE); Keith Brooking (LB); Gerald Sensabaugh (S).

Offseason Losses: Terrell Owens (WR); Chris Canty (DE); Greg Ellis (DE); Zach Thomas (LB); Roy Williams (S).

Player to Watch: Tony Romo, QB.
Romo is at a crossroads in his career. He has the talent necessary to succeed and enough weapons around him to be great. But whether or not he takes the next step as a NFL quarterback is up to him. The Cowboys are hoping that with T.O. out of the picture, Romo can help this team cash in on its potential. If Romo elevates his game to the next level, the Cowboys can be as good as any team in the league. But if he continues to try and get by with only his athletic talent, he and the ‘Boys will once again fall short. The floor is yours, Tony.

Team Strength: With Owens gone, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett will now be a run-first playcaller, which is good because the Cowboys are built to move the ball on the ground. They have a trio of capable backs in Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice, who all bring something different to the field. Barber is a pile-mover when healthy and can be tough to bring down in the fourth quarter after a defense has been worn down. Jones is a speedster with rare explosion and Choice has excellent quickness and lateral movement. Granted, Barber and Jones need to stay healthy, but if Garrett uses a successful rotation for his backs then everyone should stay on the field in ’09. Fullback Deon Anderson is also a key component to the run game, not to mention an offensive line that features Flozell Adams, Marc Colombo, Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis, who all fit the mold of good-to-great run-blockers.

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Offseason Additions: Paul Spicer (DE); Darren Sharper (S); Jabari Greer (CB); Heath Evans (FB); Nick Leckey (C).

Offseason Losses: Mike McKenzie (CB); Deuce McAllister (RB); Josh Bullocks (S).

Player to Watch: Pierre Thomas, RB.
The Saints are a passing team first and foremost and considering he’ll share a workload with Reggie Bush, Thomas may not break the 1,000-yard rushing mark this season. But that doesn’t mean Thomas isn’t effective. He averaged 4.8 yards per carry last year and scored nine times on the ground. He was also proved to be a threat out of the backfield while hauling in 31 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns. A sprained MCL has put a damper on the start of Thomas’ season (he might miss the Saints’ opener), but once he’s healthy he could become a household name this season.

Team Strength: The Saints have one of the best offensive lines in the NFC, led by left tackle Jammal Brown and right guard Jahri Evans. Brown is a mauler in the run game and gets most of the credit for the team’s success on offensive line, but Evans is New Orleans’ best all-around lineman. He’s strong, athletic and excels as a run-blocker. The rest of the line is comprised of right tackle Jon Stinchcomb, center Jonathan Goodwin and left guard Carl Nicks. As a unit, the Saints gave up a NFC-low in sacks last season with 13, which was one of the reasons quarterback Drew Brees had so much success. (On top of the fact that Brees makes quick decisions from the pocket.)

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Offseason Additions: Tony Gonzalez (TE); Mike Peterson (LB); Brian Williams (CB); Tye Hill (CB); Brett Romberg (C).

Offseason Losses: Michael Boley (LB); Keith Brooking (LB); Domonique Foxworth (CB); Lawyer Milloy (S); Grady Jackson (DT).

Player to Watch: Tony Gonzalez, TE.
It was clear after the Falcons made their remarkable playoff run in 2008 that the only thing missing from their potent offense was a pass-catching tight end that young signal caller Matt Ryan could use to work the middle of the field. Enter future Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez. While he’ll be expected to block more in Atlanta than he did in KC, if the preseason was any indication of how Gonzo will perform in his new surroundings, he’ll see plenty of opportunities to make plays in the passing game. Ryan often looked (and found) Gonzo on third downs this preseason and the pair has already formed chemistry despite ‘09 being their first year together in the same offense.

Team Strength: The Falcons have one of the most complete offenses in the league and can burn defenses in a variety of ways. As long as the 376 carries he received in ’09 didn’t wear him out, Michael Turner will again be the backbone of Atlanta’s offense. Even after trading for Gonzalez and re-signing playmaker Roddy White to a lucrative contract extension, the Falcons will remain a run-first team and won’t concern themselves with the number of carries Turner receives. When “The Burner” does need a rest, highlight reel speedster Jerious Norwood is the perfect compliment to Turner’s bruising style. While a sophomore slump is a concern, Ryan poured in hours of work this offseason to try and improve his footwork. He will also be better at reading defenses now that he has a full year of starting experience under his belt and has two excellent weapons at his disposal in White and Gonzalez. Speaking of White, the fifth-year player has emerged as a top 5 receiver and will lead the Falcons in receptions barring injury. No. 2 wideout Michael Jenkins has developed into a solid run-blocker and gives Ryan a tall target on third downs and in the red zone, as does veteran Brian Finneran.

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Offseason Additions: Jay Cutler (QB); Orlando Pace (OT); Kevin Shaffer (OT); Pisa Tinoisamoa (LB); Josh Bullocks (S); Frank Omiyale (OT).

Offseason Losses: Mike Brown (S); Terrence Metcalf (G); John St. Clair (OT); Fred Miller (OT); Rex Grossman (QB).

Player to Watch: Jay Cutler, QB.
If any other player were listed here, Bear fans would petition to have this site taken down (and they might anyway since Da Bears aren’t No. 1 in these rankings). Cutler is the reason why the fine folks in Chicago are talking Super Bowl and why other media publications are predicting the Bears to win the NFC North this season. The strong-armed Cutler complained his way out of Denver this offseason and now has the task of winning with what some pundits deem a putrid receiving corps. But what those same pundits fail to grasp is that tight end Greg Olsen is a solid option in the passing game and Cutler should work well with former Vandy teammate Earl Bennett (whose next catch in the NFL will also be his first). Running back Matt Forte is a great receiving option out of the backfield and returner-turned-receiver Devin Hester can stretch a defense with his speed. But the Bears’ success this season rests squarely on Cutler’s shoulders.

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Offseason Additions: Brett Favre (QB); Glenn Holt (WR/released in preseason); Karl Paymah (CB).

Offseason Losses: Matt Birk (C); Napoleon Harris (LB); Darren Sharper (S); Kenechi Udeze (DE); Robert Ferguson (WR); Marcus Johnson (OT).

Player to Watch: Brett Favre, QB.
Who else? Head coach Brad Childress didn’t mind shoving quarterbacks Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson to the backburner in order to acquire the 39-year-old Favre, who the Vikings hope is the missing ingredient for a Super Bowl run. Before an arm injury derailed his production, Favre was playing at a MVP-like level last year for the Jets. When he finally made up his mind to sign with Minnesota in mid August, he managed to avoid all of training camp. Not that he needed the extra reps. Favre is already well-versed in Childress’s West Coast Offense and shouldn’t have any trouble leading the Vikings in Week 1 despite missing all of camp. But the key to his and Minnesota’s success is for Brett to stay healthy for an entire season. If he can’t, all the trouble Childress went through this summer in trying to sign Favre would have gone to waste.

Team Strength: Led by Adrian Peterson and a dominating left side of the offensive line, the Vikings will have success running the football this year. Favre brings another element to the passing game, so defenses won’t be able to stack the box in hopes of containing Peterson and even if they do, AP proved last year that he could still gain positive yards. Tackle Bryant “Mount” McKinie and guard Steve Hutchinson form the best left side in football and will once again be leaned on to pave the way for AP and backup Chester Taylor. Minnesota does have some question marks along the offensive line, most notably at center where John Sullivan takes over for All-Pro Matt Birk (who signed with Baltimore in the offseason), and at right tackle where rookie Phil Loadholt will get a chance to start in his first year. But Loadholt is a mauler and should provide an upgrade over last year’s shaky rotation of Ryan Cook and Artis Hicks, and Sullivan has potential.

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Offseason Additions: Kevin Kaesviharn (S/cut in preseason).

Offseason Losses: D.J. Hackett (WR); Ken Lucas (CB); Jeremy Bridges (G); Geoff Hangartner (C).

Player to Watch: Julius Peppers, DE.
Peppers had a rather tumultuous offseason. In March, he stated that he wouldn’t re-sign with the Panthers and was seeking a team that would employ him as an outside linebacker. But Carolina put a stop to that notion by placing the franchise tag on the former first round pick and then proceeded (and failed) to sign him to a long-term extension. Now Peppers is playing on a one-year deal despite not wanting to be in Carolina, although he insists that there’s no bad blood between him and the organization. It’ll be interesting to see if Peppers’ attitude changes if the Panthers take a nosedive after winning the division last year.

Team Strength: The Panthers finished third in the league in rushing last year and will once again feature one of the best ground attacks in football this season. Led by DeAngelo Williams, who had a breakout campaign in 2008 while totaling 20 touchdowns, and former first round pick Jonathan Stewart, Carolina will rely on the run to open things up for quarterback Jake Delhomme and the passing game. Williams is an outstanding downhill runner and when healthy, Stewart can tire out a defense with his bruising running style. Both runners are perfect fits for the zone-blocking scheme that Carolina uses. Left tackle Jordan Gross is one of the best run-blockers in the league, while left guard Travelle Wharton is technically sound and benefits from playing alongside Gross. Center Ryan Kalil and right tackle Jeff Otah continue to develop on what is quickly becoming one of the better offensive lines in the NFL. Stewart and right guard Keydrick Vincent’s health are the only question marks.

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