A first-round pick in 2012 and a conditional pick in 2013 that could become a first-rounder based on playing time and incentives? For Carson Palmer?

Put it on the board: Mike Brown just hit a grand slam, then came up in the same inning and hit another grand slam. If the conditional pick winds up being a first-rounder and Brown actually nets two starters with the selections he received for Palmer, then he would have hit for the cycle while doing a handstand and eating a hot dog all at the same time.

Palmer could go on to lead the Raiders to the Super Bowl and Mike Brown would still wind up being a winner in all of this. Palmer was never going to play for the Bengals again. He said as much while digging his heels into the ground and standing firm on his retirement threat this offseason. The Bengals would have been fortunate to have received a third-rounder for Palmer and gotten his salary off the books. Instead, they net a first-round pick and another selection that could turn into a first-rounder.

Granted, we don’t know all the details yet. That conditional first-rounder may only be if Palmer wins two Super Bowls in Oakland and winds up with a bust in the Hall of Fame. But to receive one first-round pick for him was a massive victory for Brown and the Bengals. Let’s not forget that this is the same Palmer whose arm strength and mobility appeared to be declining badly last season and who hasn’t played in a live game (preseason or otherwise) since January 2.

Before I get too swept up in the sticker price for Palmer, let me state that I understand why the Raiders made this move. Due to Jason Campbell’s season-ending injury, they’ve mortgaged their future for the chance to win now. They know that if Darren McFadden stays healthy they’ll remain competitive and it’s not as if Palmer doesn’t know the offense. He and coach Hue Jackson spent time together in Cincinnati, so it theoretically shouldn’t take long for him to get up to speed. Plus, with Campbell and Kyle Boller set to become free agents at the end of the year, Terrelle Pryor was the only quarterback on the roster signed past 2011. Eventually they needed to address the position and had a chance to trade for a franchise quarterback, so they took the risk with Palmer.

That said, I still wouldn’t have made this deal. Not in today’s NFL where building through the draft is still the answer to winning over the long haul. Ask the Packers and Steelers, who have made minimal free agent signings over the years while combining to win three Super Bowls in the last six seasons.

Plus, it’s not like Palmer is in his prime or has won anything of substance as a professional. I would use the term “franchise quarterback” loosely when it comes to describing his talents. When the Bears traded a first, a third, and Kyle Orton to the Broncos for Jay Cutler, the latter was just about to turn 26. The Bears mortgaged their future for a young signal caller who played a position they had trouble filling for over two decades. Palmer is 31 and has already showed signs of decline.

The best case scenario for Oakland is that Palmer just needs a change of scenery and will be motivated to prove he still has a couple of years left in the tank. Maybe he gets to Oakland and has a resurgence just like Rich Gannon did early last decade.

But that’s the best-case scenario. The worst-case is that Palmer’s game continues to deteriorate, the Raiders lose two high draft picks and wind up paying an aging quarterback nearly $30 million to be Pryor’s tutor. (Assuming Oakland still views Pryor as the future, that is.)

For Brown and the Bengals, there is no worst-case scenario. Palmer was done in Cincinnati and if Andy Dalton pans out, the Bengals have already filled their need at quarterback. For once, Brown’s stubbornness finally paid off.

DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING…

- A week after the Bucs were absolutely embarrassed by the 49ers in San Francisco, they turn around on Sunday and dominate the Saints to even things up in the NFC South. Granted, this was the Saints’ third-straight road game and their head coach had to call plays from the bench and from up in the booth after tearing his MCL and fracturing his tibia in a nasty first-quarter collision with his tight end on the sidelines. But still, you can’t take anything away from the Bucs today. They picked off Drew Brees, forced four turnovers and got a 300-yard performance out of Josh Freeman. They were also without promising runner LeGarrette Blount, but Earnest Graham filled in admirably with a 109-yard effort. Suddenly the NFC South is once again tight, as the Saints and Bucs are both 4-2 and the Falcons are only one game behind at 3-3.

- Who would have thought that the midfield handshake would provide more action than the actual game between the 49ers and Lions today? I’m sure plenty of Lion fans were upset with Jim Harbaugh’s excitement following the Niners’ win in Detroit, which is understandable. Considering Harbaugh didn’t have his finest coaching performance of the year, he probably could have toned down his exuberance while heading out to midfield to shake Jim Schwartz’s hand. But let’s make one thing clear: If you’re going to dish it out, you better be willing to take it. And Schwartz has been dishing it out all year in the form of taunting opposing players and nearly knocking himself out with hay-maker fist pumps. In fact, as my good buddy Drew (a huge Lions fan) pointed out following the game, Schwartz gave Harbaugh guff in the first quarter after the San Fran coach challenged a touchdown. Schwartz seemingly shouted “No the rules!” at the 49er sideline. The Niners won and Harbaugh has every right to be excited. Schwartz should have kept his composure.

- For about the 9,000,000 time in my career, I was wrong about the Bears. They screw me at every turn. When I predict that they’ll win, they don’t. When I say they’ll lose, they completely dominate a divisional opponent 39-10 on national television. I don’t understand them and quite frankly, I don’t want to understand them. I have zero clue when it comes to predicting the success or failures of the Chicago Bears, whom I predicted would beat Peyton Manning in the 2006 Super Bowl. (We all know how that turned out and I think it’s fitting that I mention that game on the same day Rex Grossman throws four interceptions.) Tonight I thought Jared Allen and Adrian Peterson would take over the game in Chicago and instead, Jay Cutler and Devin Hester put on a clinic. They were masterful against a Minnesota team that I thought was a tad better than its record indicated. Thus, I humbly eat crow, as I was once again was wrong about Chicago. Congrats, Bears – you mother…

AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM…

- People have been waiting months for Mike Shanahan’s decision to start Rex Grossman to blow up in his face and it finally happened on Sunday. If the Redskins had anything resembling a quarterback they probably would have beaten the Eagles, whose offense went into hibernation in the second half. But instead they had Grossman, who was extra awful in a four-interception performance. The John Beck talk can wait until tomorrow. Here’s the question for today: Why didn’t the Redskins try to run the ball more? I know they fell behind 20-0 in the first half but for God’s sake, Philadelphia’s run defense is the worst in the league and Washington attempted 14 rushes. Nice game plan, Shanahan. You really thought this one through.

- I think Jason Garrett played not to lose on Dallas’ second to last possession of the fourth quarter. While nursing a 16-13 lead with 3:36 remaining in the game, Garrett went conservative with three straight runs as New England forced a three-and-out. Then Garrett watched as Tom Brady marched right up the field for the game-winning score. Hindsight is always 20/20 but considering Tony Romo (317 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT) was having a pretty good day up to that point, I wonder why Garrett didn’t attempt a pass or two to try and pick up a few first downs. Instead, he gave Brady the ball back with an opportunity to win the game. That’s a losing proposition nearly 100-percent of the time and it certainly was again today.

- For as well as Matthew Stafford has played this season, he was pretty bad today. He was sacked five times, including once for a safety. He also looked scatter shot in the pocket and kept throwing the ball sidearm while trying to fit it into the smallest of windows. That said, the Lions were coming off a short week and an emotional win on Monday night against a division rival. They were due for a letdown, even with a good San Francisco team coming to town. All-in-all, the Lions are still 5-1 and sitting pretty in the NFC.

- If the Bills are going to make the playoffs this season then the defense has to keep up their end of the bargain. Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a costly interception late in the fourth quarter today against the Giants but the offense is doing all it can to win games for Buffalo. At some point the defense will have to start overachieving or else the Bills are going to struggle to keep pace in an ultra-competitive AFC.

- Considering this was their third straight road game and Sean Payton had to call the plays from the bench after he tore his MCL and fractured his tibia, the Saints deserve a reprieve for their performance in Tampa Bay. That said, a lot of their issues from a year ago were on display again today: Turnovers, poor execution by the defense, and a sloppy performance by Drew Brees. Seeing as how the Bucs were absolutely drummed by the 49ers last weekend in San Francisco, I expected more out of New Orleans today.

- The Texans’ defense held its own in the first-half against the Ravens without Mario Williams, but a 51-yard reception by Torrey Smith and a 56-yard snag by Anquan Boldin killed them in the first half. Even though they’re still in good shape in the AFC South, the Texans’ confidence has to be waning. They need to stabilize the situation quickly before things really get out of hand.

- The Jaguars have to be somewhat pleased that they were able to make a game of it in Pittsburgh today after falling behind 17-0. That said, what a rough day for Rashean Mathis. Not only was he brutalized in coverage but he also got stiff-armed by Rashard Mendenhall on the running back’s 68-yard run. His teammates deserved more effort than that out of the veteran corner.

“CHAMPIONSHIP”…

- Not the greatest performance by Jim Harbaugh and his 49ers today, but they proved that they could beat a good team on the road. Detroit isn’t exactly an easy place to play, even when the Lions are licking the basement of the NFC North. Ford Field gets even tougher when the home team is 5-0 and the crowd is pissed off following an ugly exit for the Tigers in the ALCS. But regardless, the Niners overcame a tough environment and another inconsistent effort by Alex Smith to reach 5-1 on the season. That’s pretty impressive, especially when you stop and think that they’re one bad quarter against Dallas away from being 6-0. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where the Niners don’t win the NFC West running away.

- One more note on the San Fran-Detroit game: I think the refs made the right call on that pivotal Delanie Walker touchdown catch. When the play ran live, I thought Walker’s knee was clearly down. But the refs did the right thing by calling it a touchdown and then sending it up to the booth for a review. And while watching the review, it looked like his knee went down either a split second before or after the tip of the ball went across the goal line. In other words, it wasn’t indisputable evidence that it wasn’t a touchdown. If you’re a Detroit fan, you’re right to have beef with the call but if the Lions score one more touchdown in the second half they win and that play winds up being insignificant.

- Hey, they’re not all going to be pretty. The Patriots found a way to beat the Cowboys despite a sloppy performance by the offense. All eyes were on the New England defense coming into the game and for the most part, it certainly did its job. While Wes Welker and Jason Witten had quiet days, that final drive was classic Tom Brady, wasn’t it? Ten plays and 80 yards in two minutes and nine seconds. Brady was 7-for-8 on that drive, which included the 8-yard touchdown pass to Aaron Hernandez that left the Cowboys with just enough time not to be able to do anything to respond.

- What a huge blow for the Raiders, who notched another win to get to 4-2 on the year. Jason Campbell’s season-ending injury forces the front office to make its first big decision in the post-Al Davis era. Will Oakland stick with Kyle Boller? Get Terrelle Pryor up to speed quickly? Trade for Kyle Orton before Tuesday’s deadline? Gasp! Sign Brett Favre? Gasp again just for good measure! Things are about to get real interesting in Oakland.

- The Eagles still haven’t played a full four quarters since their season opening victory against the Rams, but a win is a win – especially for a team that had lost its previous four games. Philly is still alive thanks in large part to LeSean McCoy and the awfulness that is Rex Grossman, and can now collect itself during its bye. Time to work whatever magic you have left, Andy Reid.

- What a massive interception by Giants’ corner Corey Webster in the fourth quarter against the Bills. New York was on its way to squandering a fourth quarter lead for the second time in two games before Webster went up high to snatch a Ryan Fitzpatrick pass out of the air. Had the Bills scored and went on to win, a huge cloud of doubt would have formed over Giants Stadium the next two weeks. Instead, thanks in large part to Webster, Eli Manning and a big day from Ahmad Bradshaw, the Giants head into their bye with a 4-2 record. Not bad for a team many thought would crumble under the amount of injuries they suffered in preseason.

- I didn’t like Green Bay’s second half performance against St. Louis because when you couple it with the Packs’ first-half against the Falcons last week, you wonder if the slightest of cracks are starting to form in the foundation. For the first time all year, the Packers let their foot off the gas and if it weren’t for a couple of poor decisions by Sam Bradford, the Rams would have made it a game in the second half. That said, Aaron Rodgers’ first-half performance was perfect. Literally. It was literally perfect. He had a perfect passer rating at halftime after throwing three touchdown passes in the second quarter. The bullet he threw to James Jones to make the score 10-0 was incredible. That’s the type of pass that makes you wonder how he fell 23 picks in the draft. Twenty-three picks!

- For anyone who has watched him play this year, there’s no question that Michael Turner’s game is declining. But with Julio Jones sidelined and the offense in a major funk, the Falcons turned the clocks back and put a game on Turner’s shoulders. He responded by rushing for 139 yards and two scores in Atlanta’s 31-17 win over the Panthers. For all of their talk about becoming more explosive, it was Turner and the ground attack that got them back on track. This was far from a perfect win, but the Falcons really needed this for their moral.

- Nice effort by Baltimore’s defense. Even without Andre Johnson in the lineup, the Texans were able to cross midfield on six of their first seven drives but the Ravens only allowed two touchdowns the entire game. Baltimore quietly continues to turn in solid performance after solid performance following its ugly loss to the Titans in Week 2.

- Marvin Lewis looks like he’s having fun again, doesn’t he? Of course he does. He doesn’t have Chad Ochocinco and T.J. Houshmandzadeh constantly in his face after every series trying to tell him how to do his job. He also doesn’t have to worry about Carson Palmer going off the deep end trying to manage all of the different personalities in the huddle. He just has Andy Dalton. Quiet, low-key Andy Dalton. If the Bengals somehow make the postseason this year, this will be Lewis’ finest work to date. It must be nice for him to do his job in peace for once.

- One week after they crushed Tennessee, the Steelers built a 17-0 lead at home against Jacksonville as Rashard Mendenhall goes off for 146 yards and they still had to hold on for a 17-13 win. What a hard team to figure out.

Tim Tebow hasn’t had many opportunities to take first-string snaps in practice and the designer of the Broncos’ offense is at home right now on his couch. But for all intents and purposes, the rookie held his own in his NFL debut against the Raiders on Sunday.

Tebow completed eight of his 16 pass attempts for 138 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing eight times for 78 yards and a score. And on that score, he took a designed draw 40 yards while breaking several tackles and carrying a defender into the end zone. (Somewhere, Urban Meyer got so giddy while watching the play he screamed to his wife, “Honey pack the kid’s bags – we’re moving to Denver!”)

If it weren’t for the Broncos’ highly conservative playcalling, maybe we could have seen Tebow throw more. But apparently the Denver coaching staff made a pact before the game that they would only run off-tackle on first downs and never, no matter the circumstance, mix in play-action. I shudder to think what would have happened had the Broncos attempted anything but an off-tackle run on first down. It creeps me out just thinking about it.

The Raiders went on to win the game 39-23 thanks to Denver’s hanus defense and horrendous offensive playcalling. Jason Campbell was brutal in the first half but he rebounded in the second to keep the Raiders’ playoff hopes alive. They now have to beat the Colts next week to stave off elimination so yeah, good luck with that, Oakland. (It’s a safe bet that Peyton Manning is going to attempt more than 16 passes and the Colts don’t have any off-tackle runs in their playbook.)

It’s been a long six weeks for Mike Singletary’s 49ers, but they finally earned their first victory on the year.

Frank Gore shredded the Raiders for 149 yards on 25 carries to lead San Fran to a 17-9 victory. He didn’t have a catch or a touchdown, but his 64-yard scamper late in the fourth quarter helped the Niners ice the game.

Alex Smith only completed 16 of his 33 pass attempts for 196 yards, but he threw two touchdowns and more importantly, didn’t turn the ball over. He got Michael Crabtree (4 catches, 57 yards, 1 TD) and Vernon Davis (4 catches, 35 yards, 1 TD) somewhat involved, which is one of the many things San Francisco fans have been calling for over the past month.

On the other side, Jason Campbell was filthy bad. He completed just 8-of-21 passes for 83 yards and was intercepted twice. You would have thought that San Francisco was playing with 20 guys on defense with how poorly Campbell performed. He was atrocious and should get acquainted with the bench for when Bruce Gradkowski (shoulder) comes back.

This wasn’t a pretty win for the Niners, but it didn’t have to be. They have a long road ahead of them to get back into the race in the NFC West, but maybe this victory will give them confidence.

Following the Raiders’ 16-14 win over the Rams on Sunday, a game in which Bruce Gradkowski gave Oakland a lift after Jason Campbell was benched in the second half, head coach Tom Cable wouldn’t commit to any quarterback for Week 3.

Here’s what he said in his post-game presser (from the Oakland Tribune):

“(I) made the switch at halftime at quarterback, basically to just give the team a lift, felt like we needed to change up a little bit and my job is to win games and do whatever it takes to do that.’’

He said the Raiders “weren’t in rhythm, weren’t in synch,’’ and when asked what it meant for the rest of the season said, “ I’ll worry about all that tomorrow, really. I want to go look at it. But today was about winning this game, what did it take to do that, that was the right choice, obviously, and it worked out, and Bruce came in and gave us a lift.’’

But here’s what the team said he said:

Included in the quote sheet distributed by the team was this sentence from Cable: “Today was about winning the game, it does not necessarily mean Campbell is replaced as the quarterback for the rest of the season.”

That’s not what he said, so why would the team try to pull a fast one on the media and attempt to put out a fire that hasn’t even started yet? What Cable said was fine – he didn’t want to make any decisions regarding the quarterback position for next week. And why would he? His backup just earned him a victory when his starting quarterback failed him. Why commit to anything?

Al Davis loved JaMarcus Russell, but Cable didn’t. Russell wasn’t cut sooner than he should have because Davis was protecting his investment. Now Campbell is Al’s investment (he was the one that orchestrated the trade with Washington) and once again there appears to be a conflict of interest.

It’ll be interesting to see how Cable handles the situation this week and whether or not Campbell lines up under center next Sunday in Arizona, or if it’ll be Gradkowski. Something tells me Al would prefer it to be Campbell.

“I see this young Jason Campbell as a football player like I saw Jim Plunkett.”

Oh, Al Davis…you goofy bastard.

After completing just 8-of-15 passes for 87 yards and an interception on Sunday, Campbell was benched for Bruce Gradkowski in the second half of the Raiders’ 16-14 win over the Rams. Gradkowski immediately led the Raiders on a touchdown drive and finished 11-of-22 for 162 yards with one score and one interception.

While he wasn’t Jim Plunkett himself, Gradkowski certainly played better than Campbell, who may be in danger of losing his starting job just two weeks into the season. That’s a pretty amazing notion considering the Raiders thought Campbell would solve their issue at quarterback after JaMarcus Russell had infected the position the last three years.

Perhaps what’s most interesting about Gradkowski is that he’s played savior before. He led the Raiders to upset wins last year over the Bengals and Steelers and some thought that he should have received a look at the starting job before Campbell was acquired.

He may have won the job anyway.

On paper, the AFC West is definitely one of the weaker divisions in football. The Chargers remain the team to beat, while the Broncos are just trying to make it to their opener without losing another starter to injury.

But the West usually produces a surprise or two along the way (i.e. Denver last year), so don’t count out the Broncos, Raiders or Chiefs before the season starts. All three of those teams come with some glaring weaknesses, but it’s not like the Chargers are the picture of perfection.

Here’s how I see things shaking out in the AFC West in 2010. Be sure to check out the link entitled “2010 Question Mark” under each team’s preview, which is a breakdown of one or two potential weaknesses that could derail that squad’s hopes this season. (If the links aren’t available now for some teams, check back because they will be before the season starts.)

1. Chargers

What to Like: After finishing fifth in the league in passing yards per game (271.1) in 2009, the Chargers should once again be explosive through the air. Losing Vincent Jackson is a major blow, but adding a pass-catching back like Ryan Mathews in the draft was a nice coup. Philip Rivers returns after compiling a 104.4 QB rating last season and developing into one of the best signal callers in the game. Again, the loss of Jackson hurts, but Malcolm Floyd is ready for a breakout campaign, Antonio Gates returns as one of the top pass-catching tight ends in the NFL and the team recently acquired Patrick Crayton from the Cowboys. Brandyn Dombrowski has also looked good filling in for Marcus McNeill, who continues to holdout while seeking a new contract. Defensively, free safety Eric Weddle is coming off a great ’09 season, while Shaun Phillips and Stephen Cooper remain steady at their linebacker positions.
What Not to Like: Is there anybody left that GM A.J. Smith hasn’t pissed off? This team managed to lose its top wideout and is close to watching its best offensive tackle (McNeill) holdout well into the season. Defensively, Shawne Merriman is back but who knows how productive he’ll be after a poor showing in ’09, while Larry English failed to impress last season as well (albeit as a rookie). The defensive line lost their top run-stuffer when Jamal Williams was released and Luis Castillo has been living off his reputation for the last two years. The entire defensive line, in fact, is arguably this team’s biggest weakness. The secondary, outside of Weddle, has a ton of question marks as well.
Keep Your Eye On: Malcolm Floyd
The 28-year-old out of Wyoming will finally have his opportunity to shine now that Jackson is gone (or rather, not playing). He’s been Rivers’ favorite target so far this offseason after finishing fourth in the league last year in yards-per-catch average. If he can build off the nine-catch, 140-yard performance he had in Week 17 last year (while Jackson was out), then Floyd could be another dangerous weapon in the Chargers’ arsenal.
The Final Word: If there were another team in this division that I thought had a remote chance of overtaking the Chargers, I would probably have them winning the division. But because the West is so weak this year, the Bolts should have no problems winning 10-plus games and claiming the division again, even though they have a several weaknesses heading into the new season. Whether or not they advance in the playoffs is another story. The key is Rivers, who is an exceptional talent that has proven he can carry this team during the regular season. But the playoffs are a different animal – he’s going to need help and while Mathews looks like he has all the tools to make him a solid young player, relying on a rookie is always a dangerous proposition. Defensively, this team has way too many question marks and unless guys like Merriman or English step up, I think they’re going to struggle at every level this year. A division crown looks to be on the horizon, but so does another one-and-done showing in the postseason.

San Diego Chargers 2010 NFL Question Mark: Defensive Line

2. Broncos

What to Like: Say what you will about Kyle Orton, but the guy looked great in preseason and has a full year of Josh McDaniels’ system under his belt. He may not be the flashiest quarterback in the league, but he’s efficient and that’s what McDaniels’ offense calls for. He’ll also have a set of good possession receivers in Jabar Gaffney and Eddie Royal to throw to, plus a dangerous pass-catcher out of the backfield in second-year player Knowshon Moreno. Defensively, the additions of Jamal Williams (one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league over the past decade) and Justin Bannan gives Denver a massive upgrade along the D-line and the secondary boasts two players that are still at the top of their game in corner Champ Bailey and safety Brian Dawkins.
What Not to Like: The pass rush took an enormous hit when outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil (who led the league in sacks last season) was lost for the year when he tore a pectoral muscle earlier this offseason. It doesn’t matter how good the secondary is if the quarterback knows he has all day to find a receiver. The pass-rush affects every level of the defense and without one, a team is asking for trouble. Offensively, the Broncos got rid of off-field headache Brandon Marshall but they also traded away their best playmaker. If this offseason is any indication, rookie Demaryius Thomas isn’t going to make much of an impact, which means Gaffney and Royal will be counted on to make a couple of big plays in the passing game. Can they do that? The interior of the offensive line will need to step up their performance after struggling last year, especially with tackle Ryan Clady missing most of the offseason due to an injury.
Keep Your Eye On: Knowshon Moreno
If this kid can stay healthy he’s going to be the Broncos’ best playmaker. All eyes are on rookie Tim Tebow this season (even though he’s a backup and will probably only be used in special packages barring an injury to Orton), but Moreno has the best opportunity to make the biggest impact in both the running and passing games.
The Final Word: I would love to move either the Chiefs or Raiders up to this spot – I’m dying to, in fact. But the bottom line is that even without Dumervil and Marshall, the Broncos are still a better overall team. Yeah they’re going to struggle, but if Orton plays as well as he did in the preseason and Moreno can stay healthy, the offense should be better than people think. But without a true playmaker at wideout (save for Thomas, who still has plenty of time to turn around a slow start if he can get healthy) and a pass rush on defense, this team isn’t going anywhere. They’ll be lucky to win eight games again.

Denver Broncos 2010 Question Mark: Pass Rush

3. Chiefs

What to Like: Even though Matt Cassel failed to impress last season in his first year with the Chiefs, Charlie Weis was hired as the team’s new playcaller and we all know Weis’ track record for success (uh, in the NFL). Cassel also has a couple of solid pieces around him in running backs Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones, as well as receivers Dwayne Bowe (who hopefully doesn’t get held back by Cassel), Chris Chambers and rookie Dexter McCluster. Defensively, the secondary is by far the strength of the unit. Thanks to Brandon Carr, Brandon Flowers and 2010 first round pick Eric Berry, the Chiefs have the makings of a great young defensive backfield. Tamba Hali has also transitioned well from being a 4-3 defensive end to a 3-4 outside linebacker and could be the next Elvis Dumervil.
What Not to Like: Cassel must improve his fundamentals (namely his throwing motion) and decision-making if the Chiefs are ever going to see a return on their 2009 investment (i.e. a second round pick and $63 million). Unfortunately, Cassel isn’t expected to have much help up front, as Brandon Albert continues to struggle at left tackle (and why shouldn’t he seeing how he was a guard in college?) and Ryan O’Callaghan can’t stop edge rushers. Defensively, Tyson Jackson was a massive disappointment as a rookie last year and Glenn Dorsey (who isn’t a fit in the 3-4) continues on his path to bustville. At linebacker, former first round pick Derrick Johnson can’t get out of Todd Haley’s doghouse and is being pushed by Demorrio Williams at inside linebacker. Jovan Belcher looks to have the upper hand on Corey Mays, but he hasn’t won a starting job yet either. It’s never a good sign when a team hasn’t named its starting inside linebackers heading into a new season.
Keep Your Eye on: Dexter McCluster
I don’t know what kind of opportunities he’ll have in Weis’ offense, but McCluster is lighting in a bottle. At 5’8” and 170 pounds, there’s some concern that he won’t be able to stand up to the pounding playing in the NFL, but there’s no doubt that the rookie is explosive when he gets the ball in his hands. Hopefully he’ll get a chance to show what he can do in the Chiefs’ offense this year and he could be dangerous in the slot.
The Final Word: The West is weak but I don’t think KC is quite ready to take advantage yet. There are a slew of young players that need to prove themselves this year, starting with Cassel. Haley hired Weis specifically to transform Cassel into a quality starting quarterback and so far there haven’t been many signs that point to him breaking out. If he struggles this season, the Chiefs may be looking for another quarterback in 2011. Defensively, unless guys like Jackson, Dorsey and Johnson stop under performing, then we’re not going to see how good this young secondary can be. Just going off potential, this team could finish as high as second in the division. But we can’t go off potential in the NFL, now can we?

4. Raiders

What to Like: The Raiders are starting to build some consistency on the defensive side of the ball and shouldn’t be as bad as people think. Richard Seymour, Tommy Kelly and Matt Shaughnessy are coming off good 2009 campaigns, while long-time Jaguar John Henderson was signed this offseason to provide depth at the tackle position. The team also added former first round pick Kamerion Wimbley (who has largely been a disappointment so far in his career, but could benefit from a change of scenery – albeit in Oakland) in a trade with the Browns and selected promising middle linebacker Rolando McClain in the first round of April’s draft. In the secondary, Nnamdi Asomugha will keep quarterback’s up at night and Chris Johnson held his own after struggling early in ‘09. Michael Huff will probably never live up to his draft status, but at least he proved to be a productive piece on Oakland’s defense last season. Offensively, the unit is littered with potential (Darren McFadden, Michael Bush, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Chaz Schilens, Zach Miller, Louis Murphy) and finally got a player in Jason Campbell that will provide some consistency at the quarterback position.
What Not to Like: The offensive line is still a mess. Robert Galley has made a nice transition from tackle to guard, but he struggles staying healthy and there’s little to no depth behind him. Mario Henderson was one of the worst tackles in football last year and there are questions at nearly every other position. As mentioned above, the Raiders have plenty of talent at the skill positions, but they either under perform (Heyward-Bey) or can’t stay healthy (McFadden, Bush, Schilens). Murphy is a player to watch for this season, but he has to improve on the seven drops he had from a year ago. Defensively, this team needs a better nickel back then Stanford Routt and could use another pass rusher as well. If Wimbley fails to produce, then the secondary could be left in coverage for a long time.
Keep Your Eye On: Darren McFadden
The time is now for McFadden. Bush is expected to miss at least a quarter of the season after having thumb surgery, which means McFadden will have every opportunity to shine in Oakland’s offense. His line won’t do him any favors, but if he can stay healthy then he’s going to be Campbell’s best friend in 2010.
The Final Word: I contemplated putting the Raiders above the Chiefs, but in the end it’s a wash. They’re both going to struggle this year, so don’t get caught up in who I predicted third and who I predicted fourth. Adding Campbell was a great move by Al Davis (actually, dumping JaMarcus Russell was a great move – getting a competent quarterback in Campbell to run the offense was just smart), but he’s going to be reminded of his days in Washington thanks to Oakland’s O-line. That said, I love what the Raiders did this offseason and I applaud Davis for finally making some intelligent decisions. With only four playoff teams on this year’s schedule and the opportunity to play the rest of the AFC West, this team could win six games this year. But obviously I still think it’s going to be a losing season in Oakland.