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The St. Louis Rams have been on the edge of greatness for awhile now.  The play great teams well and poor teams poorly. 

This year is the year they will step it up. 

Their defense is formidable.  The offense is making strides towards keeping up.  In, is running back stud Todd Gurley, if he can stay on the field.  Gone is often injured gazillion dollar quarterback Sam Bradford, he couldn't stay on the field. 

Enter Nick Foles.  Exit Zac Stacy.  Yikes!  An offense can win with interchangeable parts, remember the Arizona Cardinals last year?  The schedule isn't imposing. 

So now it is time for the St. Louis Rams to make a splash before they bust a move.

So let's see how they schedule shakes out.

You might have tuned out by the seventh round, or even the sixth, but turning a blind eye to any player in any round could be suicide for everybody except the team so lucky as to find the next Tom Brady (sixth rounder) or Steve Young (supplemental draft).

The seventh round is certainly not the most likely place to find top-tier talent, but just look at some of the names that have come out of what now is the final round-

1. Julian Edelman

2. Marques Colston

3. Brock Marion

4. Shannon Sharpe

5. Donald Driver

6. T.J. Houshmandzadeh

7. Jay Ratliffe

So without any further ado... The five "most-likely-to-succeed" from the 2015 NFL Draft Seventh Round:

1. Devin Gardner QB/WR Michigan. I include this UDFA pick because of the familiar story. He was a QB who is turning into a receiver ala Julian Edelman of the New England Patriots, who drafted him late on Saturday. Maybe this is the new miracle picking scheme of Bill Belichick.

2. Neal Sterling WR/TE Monmouth. This guy reminds me of Aaron Hernandez because of his size more than anything else. The Jacksonville Jaguars could use him as this kind of a "hybrid" or "joker" that lines up in multiple formations. Small school aside, he could provide a mismatch against linebackers over the middle.

3. Bryce Hager LB Baylor. The St. Louis Rams may not have found the next Clay Matthews, but Hager comes with a fast motor and willingness to put his helmet into every play. Whether a future special teams ace or role player in the middle of the defense, this is one linebacker who will contribute on the field wherever Jeff Fisher chooses to unleash his hitting power.

4. Tre McBride WR William and Mary. Do... Not... Be... Fooled... this is the best pick in the seventh round and maybe the best receiver outside of the first round, by the Tennessee Titans. His combine numbers were shockingly good and it is amazing that he fell this far. He will be a prolific target for Marcus Mariota for years to come.

5. Mr. Irrelevant- Gerald Christian TE Louisville. Here is another hybrid who could easily carve a significant role for the Arizona Cardinals. He is another big body which is becoming popular in the NFL. Mr. Irrelevant may not be irrelevant in 2015 for a team that needs that one special piece to climb to the next level in a competitive NFC West.

This level of talent proves that, not only was this a deep draft, but good contributors can be found at every turn in this draft class. From the first selection to the last, Jameis Winston to Gerald Christian, stars have been born. And 2015 is going to be an exciting year in the NFL as 32 teams claw their way toward the Lombardi Trophy and football immortality.

You might have tuned out by the seventh round, or even the sixth, but turning a blind eye to any player in any round could be suicide for everybody except the team so lucky as to find the next Tom Brady (sixth rounder) or Steve Young (supplemental draft).

The seventh round is certainly not the most likely place to find top-tier talent, but just look at some of the names that have come out of what now is the final round-

1. Julian Edelman

2. Marques Colston

3. Brock Marion

4. Shannon Sharpe

5. Donald Driver

6. T.J. Houshmandzadeh

7. Jay Ratliffe

So without any further ado... The five "most-likely-to-succeed" from the 2015 NFL Draft Seventh Round:

1. Devin Gardner QB/WR Michigan. I include this UDFA pick because of the familiar story. He was a QB who is turning into a receiver ala Julian Edelman of the New England Patriots, who drafted him late on Saturday. Maybe this is the new miracle picking scheme of Bill Belichick.

2. Neal Sterling WR/TE Monmouth. This guy reminds me of Aaron Hernandez because of his size more than anything else. The Jacksonville Jaguars could use him as this kind of a "hybrid" or "joker" that lines up in multiple formations. Small school aside, he could provide a mismatch against linebackers over the middle.

3. Bryce Hager LB Baylor. The St. Louis Rams may not have found the next Clay Matthews, but Hager comes with a fast motor and willingness to put his helmet into every play. Whether a future special teams ace or role player in the middle of the defense, this is one linebacker who will contribute on the field wherever Jeff Fisher chooses to unleash his hitting power.

4. Tre McBride WR William and Mary. Do... Not... Be... Fooled... this is the best pick in the seventh round and maybe the best receiver outside of the first round, by the Tennessee Titans. His combine numbers were shockingly good and it is amazing that he fell this far. He will be a prolific target for Marcus Mariota for years to come.

5. Mr. Irrelevant- Gerald Christian TE Louisville. Here is another hybrid who could easily carve a significant role for the Arizona Cardinals. He is another big body which is becoming popular in the NFL. Mr. Irrelevant may not be irrelevant in 2015 for a team that needs that one special piece to climb to the next level in a competitive NFC West.

This level of talent proves that, not only was this a deep draft, but good contributors can be found at every turn in this draft class. From the first selection to the last, Jameis Winston to Gerald Christian, stars have been born. And 2015 is going to be an exciting year in the NFL as 32 teams claw their way toward the Lombardi Trophy and football immortality.

Anyone who tells you they know how the New Orleans Saints 2015 season is going to unfold is either a psychic or a liar. I’m not a psychic, but I can pretend to be one after looking at the team’s official schedule. After a one year hiatus the team looks poised to make a chase for the playoffs, if for no other reason than the football gods decreed the NFC South face the AFC South in 2015. Here’s a closer look: 

 The team opens on the road against the Arizona Cardinals. Sean Payton wants his team to be tougher in 2015 and the Cardinals had one of the toughest defenses in the NFL. If the Saints can  keep Carson Palmer and his surgically repaired knees in check, they might be able to eke out a win. 

Cardinals 24, Saints 17

Week 2 Brings The Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Super Dome. Logic says this will be the Saints first crack at Jameis Winston, but the Bucs have never been one to let logic get in the way.

Saints 30, Bucs 24

Week 3 brings a date with the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers won the division with a record of 7-8-1. The Panthers will enter the season as the favorite, but this division can be won by just about anyone. Except Tampa Bay.

Panthers 28, Saints 21

The Saints take on the Cowboys in Week 4 for a Sunday Night Football matchup. On paper, the Saints should lose this one pretty. However, the Saints save their best efforts for Al Michaels’ and Chris Collinsworth’s visits to the Super Dome.

Saints 41, Cowboys 35

The Philadelphia Eagles are the opponents in Week 5. The Saints will have to be for Chip Kelly’s QB trio of Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, and Tim Tebow. Rumor has it Kelly is working on plays to get all three on the field at the some time.

Saints 30, Eagles 20

 The Saints host the Falcons on a Thursday Night in Week 6. The Falcons are what the Saints used to be: a dynamic offense with an atrocious defense. New coach Dan Quinn will likely try to fix the latter issue. He would also be wise to solve the issue of keeping his wide receivers healthy for an entire season.

Saints 25, Falcons 21

Week 7 pits the Saints against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts have one of the most dynamic passing offense in the NFL. The Saints had one of the worst pass defenses last year. New cornerback Brandon Browner, should help, but this could still be ugly.

Colts 41, Saints 34

The New York Giants are the opponent in Week 8. On paper, this should be a tough test. Super Bowl winning quarterback/coach combo. All-world talent at wide receiver. And yet…the Giants find ways to underachieve on a yearly basis that make the Saints seem like a model of consistency.

Saints 27, Giants 20 

The Titans come to town in week 9. This could be Zach Mettenberger’s return to Louisiana. Mettenberger played college ball at LSU. He wasn’t terribly good there. He isn't terribly good in Tennessee, either.

Saints 35, Titans 17

Week 10 is a matchup with the Washington Redskins. The Redskins are a lot like the Giants in that the expectations vs. results almost never matchup. The only difference is pretty clear why the Redskins fail: everyone hates each other. 

Saints 24, Redskins 10

After a bye, the Saints travel to Houston to play the Texans. The Texans run the ball extremely well and play excellent defense. In order to win the Saints will have to hope the Texans can’t find anyone better than Brian Hoyer to line up at quarterback

Texans 35, Saints 17 

A rematch with the Panthers awaits in week 13. Cam Newton seem to play his best games against the Saints. One of these days, the Saints will practice tackling mobile quarterbacks.

Panthers 37, Saints 20

The Saints take on the Buccaneers again in Week 14. Lovie Smith may or may not still be employed.

Saints 41, Buccaneers 20

The Saints played the Lions last year in an early season matchup where they completely fell apart in the fourth quarter. They will seek redemption in the Sunday night Home game. See Week 4 for analysis on the pick

Saints 38, Lions 21

Week 16: Saints vs. Jaguars. Drew Brees vs. Blake Bortles. Next!!!

Saints 30, Jags 10 

Week 17’s matchup with the Falcons could be for the division title or the sad end to a rebuilding year. Either way, it figures to relatively quiet in the Georgia Dome, Now that the Falcons aren’t allowed to pipe in artificial noise.

Falcons 31, Saints 20

Final Record: 10-6

Anyone who tells you they know how the New Orleans Saints 2015 season is going to unfold is either a psychic or a liar. I’m not a psychic, but I can pretend to be one after looking at the team’s official schedule. After a one year hiatus the team looks poised to make a chase for the playoffs, if for no other reason than the football gods decreed the NFC South face the AFC South in 2015. Here’s a closer look: 

 The team opens on the road against the Arizona Cardinals. Sean Payton wants his team to be tougher in 2015 and the Cardinals had one of the toughest defenses in the NFL. If the Saints can  keep Carson Palmer and his surgically repaired knees in check, they might be able to eke out a win. 

Cardinals 24, Saints 17

Week 2 Brings The Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Super Dome. Logic says this will be the Saints first crack at Jameis Winston, but the Bucs have never been one to let logic get in the way.

Saints 30, Bucs 24

Week 3 brings a date with the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers won the division with a record of 7-8-1. The Panthers will enter the season as the favorite, but this division can be won by just about anyone. Except Tampa Bay.

Panthers 28, Saints 21

The Saints take on the Cowboys in Week 4 for a Sunday Night Football matchup. On paper, the Saints should lose this one pretty. However, the Saints save their best efforts for Al Michaels’ and Chris Collinsworth’s visits to the Super Dome.

Saints 41, Cowboys 35

The Philadelphia Eagles are the opponents in Week 5. The Saints will have to be for Chip Kelly’s QB trio of Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, and Tim Tebow. Rumor has it Kelly is working on plays to get all three on the field at the some time.

Saints 30, Eagles 20

 The Saints host the Falcons on a Thursday Night in Week 6. The Falcons are what the Saints used to be: a dynamic offense with an atrocious defense. New coach Dan Quinn will likely try to fix the latter issue. He would also be wise to solve the issue of keeping his wide receivers healthy for an entire season.

Saints 25, Falcons 21

Week 7 pits the Saints against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts have one of the most dynamic passing offense in the NFL. The Saints had one of the worst pass defenses last year. New cornerback Brandon Browner, should help, but this could still be ugly.

Colts 41, Saints 34

The New York Giants are the opponent in Week 8. On paper, this should be a tough test. Super Bowl winning quarterback/coach combo. All-world talent at wide receiver. And yet…the Giants find ways to underachieve on a yearly basis that make the Saints seem like a model of consistency.

Saints 27, Giants 20 

The Titans come to town in week 9. This could be Zach Mettenberger’s return to Louisiana. Mettenberger played college ball at LSU. He wasn’t terribly good there. He isn't terribly good in Tennessee, either.

Saints 35, Titans 17

Week 10 is a matchup with the Washington Redskins. The Redskins are a lot like the Giants in that the expectations vs. results almost never matchup. The only difference is pretty clear why the Redskins fail: everyone hates each other. 

Saints 24, Redskins 10

After a bye, the Saints travel to Houston to play the Texans. The Texans run the ball extremely well and play excellent defense. In order to win the Saints will have to hope the Texans can’t find anyone better than Brian Hoyer to line up at quarterback

Texans 35, Saints 17 

A rematch with the Panthers awaits in week 13. Cam Newton seem to play his best games against the Saints. One of these days, the Saints will practice tackling mobile quarterbacks.

Panthers 37, Saints 20

The Saints take on the Buccaneers again in Week 14. Lovie Smith may or may not still be employed.

Saints 41, Buccaneers 20

The Saints played the Lions last year in an early season matchup where they completely fell apart in the fourth quarter. They will seek redemption in the Sunday night Home game. See Week 4 for analysis on the pick

Saints 38, Lions 21

Week 16: Saints vs. Jaguars. Drew Brees vs. Blake Bortles. Next!!!

Saints 30, Jags 10 

Week 17’s matchup with the Falcons could be for the division title or the sad end to a rebuilding year. Either way, it figures to relatively quiet in the Georgia Dome, Now that the Falcons aren’t allowed to pipe in artificial noise.

Falcons 31, Saints 20

Final Record: 10-6

Anyone who tells you they know how the New Orleans Saints 2015 season is going to unfold is either a psychic or a liar. I’m not a psychic, but I can pretend to be one after looking at the team’s official schedule. After a one year hiatus the team looks poised to make a chase for the playoffs, if for no other reason than the football gods decreed the NFC South face the AFC South in 2015. Here’s a closer look: 

 The team opens on the road against the Arizona Cardinals. Sean Payton wants his team to be tougher in 2015 and the Cardinals had one of the toughest defenses in the NFL. If the Saints can  keep Carson Palmer and his surgically repaired knees in check, they might be able to eke out a win. 

Cardinals 24, Saints 17

Week 2 Brings The Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the Super Dome. Logic says this will be the Saints first crack at Jameis Winston, but the Bucs have never been one to let logic get in the way.

Saints 30, Bucs 24

Week 3 brings a date with the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers won the division with a record of 7-8-1. The Panthers will enter the season as the favorite, but this division can be won by just about anyone. Except Tampa Bay.

Panthers 28, Saints 21

The Saints take on the Cowboys in Week 4 for a Sunday Night Football matchup. On paper, the Saints should lose this one pretty. However, the Saints save their best efforts for Al Michaels’ and Chris Collinsworth’s visits to the Super Dome.

Saints 41, Cowboys 35

The Philadelphia Eagles are the opponents in Week 5. The Saints will have to be for Chip Kelly’s QB trio of Sam Bradford, Mark Sanchez, and Tim Tebow. Rumor has it Kelly is working on plays to get all three on the field at the some time.

Saints 30, Eagles 20

 The Saints host the Falcons on a Thursday Night in Week 6. The Falcons are what the Saints used to be: a dynamic offense with an atrocious defense. New coach Dan Quinn will likely try to fix the latter issue. He would also be wise to solve the issue of keeping his wide receivers healthy for an entire season.

Saints 25, Falcons 21

Week 7 pits the Saints against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts have one of the most dynamic passing offense in the NFL. The Saints had one of the worst pass defenses last year. New cornerback Brandon Browner, should help, but this could still be ugly.

Colts 41, Saints 34

The New York Giants are the opponent in Week 8. On paper, this should be a tough test. Super Bowl winning quarterback/coach combo. All-world talent at wide receiver. And yet…the Giants find ways to underachieve on a yearly basis that make the Saints seem like a model of consistency.

Saints 27, Giants 20 

The Titans come to town in week 9. This could be Zach Mettenberger’s return to Louisiana. Mettenberger played college ball at LSU. He wasn’t terribly good there. He isn't terribly good in Tennessee, either.

Saints 35, Titans 17

Week 10 is a matchup with the Washington Redskins. The Redskins are a lot like the Giants in that the expectations vs. results almost never matchup. The only difference is pretty clear why the Redskins fail: everyone hates each other. 

Saints 24, Redskins 10

After a bye, the Saints travel to Houston to play the Texans. The Texans run the ball extremely well and play excellent defense. In order to win the Saints will have to hope the Texans can’t find anyone better than Brian Hoyer to line up at quarterback

Texans 35, Saints 17 

A rematch with the Panthers awaits in week 13. Cam Newton seem to play his best games against the Saints. One of these days, the Saints will practice tackling mobile quarterbacks.

Panthers 37, Saints 20

The Saints take on the Buccaneers again in Week 14. Lovie Smith may or may not still be employed.

Saints 41, Buccaneers 20

The Saints played the Lions last year in an early season matchup where they completely fell apart in the fourth quarter. They will seek redemption in the Sunday night Home game. See Week 4 for analysis on the pick

Saints 38, Lions 21

Week 16: Saints vs. Jaguars. Drew Brees vs. Blake Bortles. Next!!!

Saints 30, Jags 10 

Week 17’s matchup with the Falcons could be for the division title or the sad end to a rebuilding year. Either way, it figures to relatively quiet in the Georgia Dome, Now that the Falcons aren’t allowed to pipe in artificial noise.

Falcons 31, Saints 20

Final Record: 10-6

Spoiler alert St. Louis Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Willliams, is the best defensive coordinator in the NFL not named to a head coaching position.

Are there four more defensive coordinators out there? 

Jim Schwartz who did a masterfull job in Buffalo is out of a job right now.  Todd Bowles who was named best defensive coordinator in 2014, with the Arizona Cardinals is now head coach for the New York Jets.  And Dan Quinn who has been the creator and head of the Legion of Boom is now the head coach for the Atlanta Falcons. 

So who is going to step up for the 2015 season, I mean besides Williams?

Here are the five best defensive coordinators in the NFL for 2015.  Don't worry even with a spoiler alert I haven't ruined it for you.

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughglt

Arizona Cardinals:

The Cardinals are set to head into the season without two key components of the 3-4 defense, nose tackle and edge rusher, so they must address those needs in the draft. They also have holes at corner and running back. Corner will likely be addressed later in the draft, but running back, nose tackle, and edge rusher are all possibilities in the first. They will not trade up for a guy, but if Todd Gurley or Melvin Gordon falls to 24, it is hard to see the Cardinals passing them up. The two late first-round nose tackles are Jordan Phillips and Eddie Goldman, while Eli Harold would be a solid option at outside backer.

Top Three Prospects:

1.) Todd Gurley - RB   Georgia

2.) Eddie Goldman - DT   Florida State

3.) Eli Harold - OLB   Virginia

San Francisco 49ers:

The 49ers are a confusing team, as they have their fair share of needs, but they have a lot of depth and/or part-time players at that position that might be able to step up. At receiver Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith are set to start out wide and they can get a solid slot receiver in the later rounds, so they will likely pass in the first round. After seeing both of their starting corners depart, many see them picking one up in the first round, and the top prospects would make sense, but there is also solid second-round talent at that position. They will miss out on the top two guards, Brandon Scherff and La'el Collins, but they will have opportunities to pick one up Day 2 and possibly Day 3. Some might look at this as a surprise, but they could go defensive lineman here. They will not reach for a developmental guy like Arik Armstead, but if Malcom Brown out of Texas falls to them, they cannot pass him up.

Top Three Prospects:

1.) Malcom Brown - DT   Texas

2.) Trae Waynes - CB   Michigan St.

3.) Marcus Peters - CB   Washington

Seattle Seahawks:

The Seahawks do not have a first-round pick and are unlikely to trade up so instead we will just look at their second round prospects. Losing their previous starter at guard to free agency and Max Unger in a trade, the interior of their offensive line is now a major weakness. Both guard and center have some solid Day 2 prospects, so the Seahawks are in luck. Cameron Erving is seen as the top center and may go anywhere from the bottom of the first to the bottom of the second, with the other centers projecting as third-round picks, so they will likely opt for a guard. A.J. Cann, Laken Tomlinson, and Tre' Jackson are seen as the second-round guards, but sitting at 31, behind plenty of guard-needy teams, they might miss out on them and have to reach for a third-round prospect.

Top Three Prospects:

1.) Cameron Erving - C   Florida State

2.) Laken Tomlinson - OG   Duke

3.) Tre' Jackson - OG   Florida State

St. Louis Rams:

The Rams are another confusing team, as outside of their defensive line, they have a lot of average players and it is hard to tell who they see as adequate or on the rise and who they want to replace. That is not as big a problem in the first round or two though, as they do have a few apparent needs across their offensive line. Sitting pretty at the 10th spot, it will be too high to grab a center, even Florida State's Cameron Erving, but they are in prime position to get the guard-convert Brandon Scherff, right tackle Andrus Peat, or La'el Collins, who projects as both a guard and a right tackle. Ultimately it comes down to each position's depth in the draft. Guard is the deeper position of the two so Peat and Collins look to be their primary targets.

Top Three Prospects:

1.) Andrus Peat - OT   Stanford

2.) La'el Collins - OG   LSU

3.) Brandon Scherff - OG   Iowa

On Monday afternoon, the Houston Texans released all pro wide receiver and the face of the Texans’ franchise for nearly a decade, Andre Johnson. The Houston Texans’ inaugural season was in 2002 and from that point to now, there has been no other player that has done more for the Texans than Johnson.

Johnson was the third overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. Johnson was a college standout at the University of Miami and carried that talent to the NFL level and has lived up to those expectations. So many times in the NFL we see wide receivers that are selected high in the draft that are complete busts, but not Johnson he has been worth the third pick and more.

Monday his decade plus run with the Texans came to an end, but now the time to turn the page to a new chapter in his career begins. He will be highly pursued because of his talent level and professionalism on and off the field. He could be the missing piece for a contending team in 2015, but just where are the top destinations for Johnson?

I feel as he reaches the end of his prime years, he would be an outstanding second option for a playoff contending team. I feel a team like the Eagles would be perfect for Johnson. Johnson would be allowed to display his talents in Philadelphia more than ever before in Houston.

Eagles’ Head Coach Chip Kelly would utilize his talents much like he has done for other members of the Eagles’ offense the past couple years. Johnson would be the home run threat that the Eagles need to take pressure off of potential starting quarterback Nick Foles in 2015.

Johnson would be the star offensive weapon now that the Eagles have cut ties with LeSean McCoy and Jeremy Maclin the past week. The Eagles seem to be in the process of revamping what was one of the league’s best offenses in 2014 and bringing in Johnson would be a huge piece to that newly assembled puzzle.

The interest by the Eagles for Johnson is unclear at this moment, but with the drastic changes the Eagles are making this offseason do not be the least bit surprised if this move happens. Kelly loves offense and Johnson would be perfect for his up tempo, spread out system.

I feel Johnson’s talents were not fully displayed in Houston because of the inconsistency at the quarterback position. I would compare this to Larry Fitzgerald with the Arizona Cardinals in the late 2000’s. Fitzgerald had an average career, number wise, before Warner came and then his numbers spiked to a hall of fame level.

Fitzgerald got a star quarterback, in Kurt Warner, and Fitzgerald’s true talents were put on display for the national audience. I feel this would be the same thing that would happen for Johnson if he is put in the right offensive system in 2015.

The next few weeks for Johnson will be interesting once negotiations begin with Johnson and new suitors for his talents. No matter which team lands Johnson one thing is for sure, and that is one lucky NFL team will get a hungry, determined and motivated wide receiver capable of putting up all pro numbers.

How do you rate failure and success?  Well when you are picked number two in the draft it is all about production and the money that is thrown at you.  Are you deserving?  Did you come as advertised? 

And to be fair it isn't all one franchise either.  Bad choices are replete throughout the NFL. 

So here are five of the worst number two picks in draft history.  Sure they are others, but these are egregious.

5. Robert Griffin III, Washington, 2012

Is it too early to throw in the towel on RGIII?  Well he was the second overall pick in the 2012 draft.  He signed a deal worth 21.1 million dollars over four seasons.  The deal included a signing bonus of 13.8 million.  To get Griffin Washington traded the number six pick in the 2012 draft, two future first-rounders and a second-rounder for the St. Louis Rams number two selection, aka Griffin III.

What has he done?

Sure in his first year he was pretty good.  He lead his team to the playoffs.  He won a couple rookie awards.  And he finished with a 102.4 passer rating, completing 20 touchdowns and five interceptions.

And then reality hit.  The next two seasons Griffin III was sat by two different coaches for inefficient play.  

In 2013 he passed for 16 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.  In 2014, when he played he passed for four touchdowns and five interceptions.

And did I mention he was sat by two different head coaches? 

It might be too early to call it on Griffin III.  But you think you are the only one who considers Griffin III a bust?  Rewind the Washington game versus the Rams.  Look who the Rams sent out as captains for the coin toss?  You think that wasn't a big FU to Washington?  Think again.

4. Robert Gallery, Oakland Raiders, 2004

Peter King of Sports Illustrated called Gallery, "the best lineman to come out of college in years."  Clearly he wasn't the only one who thought so, as the Oakland Raiders drafted him number two in the 2004 draft, behind quarterback Eli Manning and ahead of wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.  

It is also fair to mention that free safety Sean Taylor went fifth in the same draft to Washington.

In his first year with the Raiders, played Gallery at right tackle.  He gave up three sacks.  In his second year he started every game and gave up 3.5 sacks.  The next season he was moved to left tackle.  That offensive line gave up nine sacks to one team.  During the 2006 season he played in 13 games and gave up 10.5 sacks. 

In 2011 he signed with the Seattle Seahawks for three years for 15 million.  The Seahawks released him after one season.

In 2012, he signed with the New England Patriots for one year.  In 2012 he announced his retirement. 

Gallery played for eight seasons in the NFL.  Whether his lack of productivity and early retirement were due to playing on a bad team, coaching changes, or position changes it doesn't change the fact, "the best lineman to come out of college in years" wasn't.

3. Johnny Lam Jones, New York Jets, 1980

What happens when you go for an athete and not a position player for the second pick?  You get just what you asked for.

Jones was drafted second in the 1980 draft.  Running back Billy Sims was the number one pick and offensive tackle Anthony Munoz was drafted third.  The next wide receiver picked in 1980 draft went at number 18, it was Art Monk. 

The Jets traded two first round draft picks to move up to the second position and draft Jones.  His contract of 2.1 million was the first NFL contract woth over a million dollars.

The problem was while Jones was a world class sprinter he wasn't a NFL wide receiver.  He could outrun the coverage, but he couldn't catch the ball.   In five years Jones managed 13 touchdowns on 138 receptions. 

2. Tony Mandarich, Green Bay Packers, 1989

Let's talk the 1989 draft: Troy Aikman was drafted first; Barry Sanders was drafted third; Derick Thomas was drafted fourth; and Deion Sanders was drafted fifth. Whew, that's pretty impressive.  And then there is Mandarich at number two.

Mandarich held out until the end of training camp.  The Packers eventuallly signed him to a four year 4.4 million dollar contract.  He was the first offensive lineman to make a million dollars a season. 

"You are not supposed to be as strong as I am.  You're not supposed to be as fast as I am.  You're not supposed to be as good as I am."---Tony Mandarich 1989

And he wasn't.  Mandarich stopped his collegiate steriod use when he entered the NFL.  He then developed an addiciton to pain killers.  He was so ineffective the Packers did not allow him on the field his final year in Green Bay. 

1. Ryan Leaf, San Diego Chargers, 1998

The Chargers traded their third overall pick, a future first round pick, a second round pick, and Eric Metcalf, a three time Pro-Bowler to the Arizona Cardinals for the second pick.  After the Indianapolis Colts picked quarterback Peyton Manning, the Chargers picked Leaf.  They signed him to a four-year contract worth 31.25 million dollars.  His signing bonus was 11.25 million dollars.  That was the highest amount given to a rookie at the time. 

Leaf's rookie seson was characterized by poor play on the field and bad behavior off the field.  Rodney Harrison, Chargers safety at the time is quoted as describing it as, "a nightmare you can't even imagene.  If I had to go through another year like that, I'd probably quit playing."

Leaf missed his second season due to a shoulder injury he sustained in the seasons first training camp workout. 

Leaf appeared in 25 NFL games starting in 21 of those games.  He completed 48.4% of his passes.  He threw 14 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. 

In his downward spiral of a career Leaf was signed and released by the Chargers, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Dallas Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks before his eventual retirement. 

His career quarterback rating finalized out at 50.0%. 

In 2005, NBC Sports Michael Ventre called Leaf, "the biggest bust in the history of professional sports."

In 2010, the NFL Network named Leaf as the the number one NFL quarterback bust of al time.

In 2011, Deadspin ranked Leaf as the 6th worst NFL player of all time. 

And Rodney Harrison commented, "He took the money and ran."

Unfortunately for both him and his teams, never far enough.

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughglt

In 2014 there was a few key signings. Some of the players were big name signings and some were no name signings, that turned into a great bargain. The signings could have been enough to get the team ito the playoffs finally after years of struggling, or maybe the signing even helped the team get over the hump to win the Super Bowl. Its no coincidence that the 5 biggest free agent signings in 2014 all played in the playoffs this year.

Honorable mention: Legarrette Blount (New England Patriots), T.J. Ward (Denver Broncos), Steve Smith (Baltimore Ravens), Aqib Talib (Denver Broncos), Antonio Cromartie (Arizona Cardinals).

If the Carolina Panthers earning a playoff berth with a losing record was wrong, then why did beating the Arizona Cardinals in the first round prove to be so right?

Everything in the last month of the NFL season went right for these Panthers, including four straight wins and victories over New Orleans and Atlanta to claim the NFC South Division. The running game found its mojo. The defense stood tall and beat down some of the top receivers in the game. And Cam Newton proved that even with the injury he suffered in a car accident, he could lead this team to the Promised Land.

Now, there needs to be more. A 7-8-1 regular season record will not sit well with the natives or management in 2015 and there must be improvements to the receiving corps, the offensive line and the secondary.

According to a report on ESPN.com, as it stands now the Panthers are about $10.5 million under the cap. But since we don't know what the 2015 salary cap is going to be, that is not a firm figure. In other words, it will go up. Their cap space will also go up if the Panthers opt to release veterans such as running back DeAngelo Williams and free safety Thomas DeCoud.

The good news for Carolina is it doesn't have a ton of its own free agents to re-sign as it did a year ago. The successful influx of young players late in the season also doesn't put as much urgency on spending big bucks on more than a few key positions, such as offensive tackle, wide receiver, and maybe cornerback. Ideally, general manager Dave Gettleman would like to have somewhere between $15 million and $20 million to spend. He should get in that range.

That could more than help this team compete for another division title. Here is a look at three free agents the Panthers should try to sign in offseason.

The book is closed on the 2014 NFL season. For 31 teams, the season ended in disappointment. OK, maybe teams like Houston were very happy to go from 2-14 to 9-7. Maybe Dallas was glad to finally get over the 8-8 hump. And maybe Carolina will forever play up the fact that they won a playoff game with only seven regular season wins. But for most of us, the year ended in a frustrating form or fashion. Whether that finishing the year under .500, barely missing the playoffs, or getting knocked out when everything was on the line.

But don’t worry football fans; we are all 0-0 now! And since we have made it into February, it is not too early to start talking about what we can expect in 2015.

Dozens if not hundreds of questions are still to be answered for every team in the NFL. Off-season signings, the NFL draft, schedules, coaching vacancies, and so much more. I will leave it to the team experts to answer those questions for each individual squad. But if you need a leg up on some early 2015 wagers, take a look at what this writer expects out of the 2015 season.

Division Champs:

Often the first major goal of an NFL team is to win their division. It equates to opening the playoffs with a home game. Even if the NFL expands to 14 playoff teams in 2015 (which I think they will), it is likely that the division winners will still be hosting a game. Of course the NFL could also address the fact that the 7-8-1 Panthers got to host a wildcard game, while the 11-5 Lions and Cardinals both had to go on the road by changing the wild-card games to allow the team with the better record to host the game.

Either way, grabbing the division crown is a huge step in the right direction. Here are my predictions for division champs:

NFC East: Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles definitely need to re-sign the right pieces of the puzzle, and moving away from Nick Foles would be a terrible decision. While Dallas is probably the easy call here, I find it difficult to believe that the Cowboys will keep their offensive core together when Bryant and Murray have huge contract potential on the open market. I expect a bounce back for McCoy that will help to carry this team to 11-12 wins and the division crown.

NFC North: Green Bay Packers

The Packers were a play away (take your pick of about eight of them) from playing for a Super Bowl. They are the easy pick here in a division that they usually beat up on (19-4-1 the last four years). Their biggest off-season question is clearly what happens if they do not sign Bulaga and Cobb, but neither question provides a resounding issue to take the division.

NFC South: Atlanta Falcons

The NFC South might be the widest open of all of the divisions for who could take the title. The Falcons brought in a new coaching staff and I think they will move away from the aging Steven Jackson in the run game. They have possibly the best wide receiver in the league and a quarterback that can get him the ball. They actually have some solid play makers on defense, and they play very well against the division (they went 5-1 in the division and ONE AND NINE against everyone else). I think 10 wins easily takes the division, and Atlanta has the talent to get to double digits victories.

NFC West: Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals have a lot of holes to fill, and likely finding a replacement for Larry Fitzgerald, or at least the talent the Cardinals came to expect from Fitzgerald, might be tops on the list. But this team is still built around defense and a running game that allows a healthy Carson Palmer to do his thing. Palmer is a winner. Arizona will take advantage of the 49ers re-building and a Rams team that could be starting a rookie quarterback. If they can split with Seattle to go 5-1 in the division, they will be in a good spot. Seattle is the safe pick here, but I think the Cardinals give them a run for their money.

AFC East: New England

Is there really any question that the Patriots are set up to win the division as long as Tom Brady is throwing the ball? Miami could push 10 wins and a wild-card birth, but New England will win the division.

AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are one of my favorite teams heading in to 2015. They have a lot of weapons on offense and in my opinion have the best quarterback, wide receiver, and running back in the division. In fact the trio is likely one of the top three in the league behind Green Bay and maybe Denver. Pittsburgh simply needs to clean up their play against weaker opponents and play their game instead of playing down to their competition. This is a 12-4 team in the making.

AFC South: Indianapolis Colts

While Houston could make a run at the AFC South in 2015, I still believe the division should belong to the Colts. No one in the division has a signal caller that is even ¼ of the QB that Andrew Luck is; and that is where it all begins and ends in the NFL. The Colts could easily go 6-0 in the division and coast to 11 or 12 wins.

AFC West: Denver Broncos

This may be the toughest call, mostly because the status of Manning, Sanders, and both Thomas’ are up in the air. Will any of them be back? Will they all be back? I lean towards the latter. Peyton has a year or two left in him and Denver’s experiment will be a failed one if they can’t win it all. Peyton gives it at least one final go to try and cement his name as the greatest of all time.

For the moment we will go ahead and assume that the NFL does indeed expand to 14 teams into the playoffs; a move I am not happy with, but can understand. Here are my picks for the wild-card teams:

NFC: Dallas, New York, Seattle

I like the NFC East to send three teams in 2015 because of their schedule. They get to play the NFC South and the AFC East. Other than road games against New England, I do not see a single game that is not going to at least be competitive among those eight games for each team. The division should beat up on the Skins and then split games against each other. Each team could be sitting at 4-2 in the division with a real shot at 7-3 in other games.

I don’t think I need to defend my selection of Seattle.

AFC: Baltimore, Miami, and San Diego. I love the Chargers getting four games against the Chiefs and Raiders and Miami getting four games against the Bills and Jets. Baltimore will remain competitive and all three of these teams should hit 10 wins.

With the playoff teams set, lets predict how this plays out:

NFC Championship: Green Bay hosting Philadelphia

AFC Championship: New England hosting Pittsburgh

Super Bowl 50: Green Bay over Pittsburgh in a great rematch of 2010.

And now to hand out a few awards:

Coach of the Year: Dan Quinn, Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons will go from 6-10 with the eighth selection in the draft to at least 10-6 and the division champs. Quinn, in his first year with the team, will be an easy choice.

Rookie of the year: Melvin Gordon

Gordon’s talent will not be wasted in 2015. Oddly enough I could see him going to the Falcons as the long-term replacement for Steven Jackson. He would be an immediate impact player, and defenses would have to choose between stopping Gordon or stopping Julio Jones. That is a nasty choice. I expect Gordon to hit 1500 all purpose yards and double digits TDs in his rookie season, where he will literally run away with the award.

Defensive MVP: JJ Watt

It will come as no surprise that Watt is expected to be the DMVP again in 2015. Getting four games against the Jags and Titans could mean 10+ sacks and four or more forced turnovers just in those games! Watt is one of the rare beasts of the NFL; this award might not be close for a while.

Offensive MVP: Aaron Rodgers

If you thought Rodgers was good in 2014, just wait til the Packers develop a pass-catching tight end (Richard Rodgers? Maybe sign Thomas?!) and give Davante Adams another year in their system. Perhaps a lot of this relies on Randall Cobb returning, but if he does I could see Rodgers with 45 total scores, over 5,000 passing yards, and still finish with single digit turnovers. He would have neared those numbers this season had the Packers not been destroying teams by half-time.

While more of the same (Def/Off MVPs, previous SB match-up) may not be as entertaining as some would prefer, the season as a whole will be a great one; and it is only eight months away.

The St. Louis Rams finished 6-10.  That was good for fourth in the NFC Western Division.  You know the NFC Western division.  It is the division that contains the Seattle Seahawks who finished the season a half inch away from being Super Bowl Champions.  The Arizona Cardinals who finished the season 11-5, and also possess the current Coach of the Year.  And well the San Francisco 49ers who through all their dysfunction finished 8-8.

Do not be fooled.  This is a brutal division. 

The Rams have alot of work to do.  But hey, they aren't experiencing the dysfunction of the 49ers.  They still have their defensive coordinator in tact.  And their defensive front line can rival that of any defense in the league. 

So here are three key pieces they should target this off-season.

Follow me on Twitter @neverenoughglt

It’s not uncommon for a team to barely miss the playoffs and then in the next season making it to the playoffs. This year the Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens all made the playoffs this year and missed the playoffs last year. In 2012 the Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints, and San Diego Chargers all missed the playoffs, but made the playoffs in 2013. So missing the playoffs and then making the playoffs the next year is rather common. There are 5 teams that didn’t make the playoffs this year that have a good shot at making it to the playoffs next year.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles just missed the playoffs this year. At one point this year the Eagles were considered the frontrunners to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. Then on Thanksgiving the Eagles beat the Dallas Cowboys to move to (9-3) on the season. Many thought they were well on their way to clinching the NFC East, but they dropped 3 games in a row. They won their last game of the season to finish (10-6), but still missed the playoffs. If the Eagles can play how they played the beginning of the season they have a good chance of making it to the playoffs next year.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints never seemed to get on a steady roll. Their defense finished 31st in total defense. The defense gave up an average of 26.5 points a game. Their offense tried to keep them in the game as they were the number 1 offense in football. The injuries piled up for the Saints on offense. Star running back Mark Ingram and tight end Jimmy Graham all missed time, along with up and coming wide receiver Brandin Cooks who was lost for the season after week 10. If the Saints can improve their defense this time could make it back to the playoffs.

Houston Texans

The Texans main problem was they were lacking the star quarterback. The Texans had 4 different quarterbacks take a snap for them this year; Ryan Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum, Ryan Mallett and Tom Savage. If the Texans can get a reliable quarterback to go with running back Arian Foster and wide receivers Andre Johnson and DeAndre Hopkins the team could go a long way. On defense they will get back injured first round pick Jadeveon Clowney to go along with JJ Watt on the defensive line next year.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs have a good defense as they finished 7th on the year. The offense held them back this year. Quarterback Alex Smith threw 18 touchdowns on the season; none of those touchdowns went to a wide receiver. For the Chiefs to make the playoffs Smith needs to get the wide receivers more involved.

San Francisco 49ers

Many thought the 49ers would make it back to the playoffs again this year as they went to 3 straight NFC Championship games. The relationship with the niners and former head coach Jim Harbaugh went south before the season started. Quarterback Colin Kaepernick didn’t play as well as he has in the past. For the 49ers to make it back to the playoffs Kaepernick must get back to the player he was when he led the 49ers to the NFC Championship games. Also a new coach could help improve the play of the team.

Losing your starting quarterback is a bad thing. Losing your second-stringer is the worst luck imaginable. Then they lost their starting running back, along with several other players. This year was apparently not meant to be for the Arizona Cardinals.

Bruce Arians did everything he could to hold it together, but he could only do so much with the Cards he was dealt. I think job one is to shore-up the back-up ranks so this doesn't happen again. Free agency is as good a place to start as any. God knows there are few good QBs in this draft.

Take a look at the best moves for a team that needs a boost this off-season.

The Carolina Panthers season could be described as a mixed bag of good, bad, ugly and inconsistent. Still, a 7-8-1 record was good enough not only to capture the NFC South, but to also take down the Arizona Cardinals in the first round of the playoffs. From there, it was a solid shot of reality with the Seattle Seahawks that saw the season for the black and blue come to an end.

Now on to the next chapter.

Carolina’s season was defined early on because Greg Hardy did not play this season due to legal issues, injuries to the roster and inconsistency not only from Cam Newton, but from other key players on the roster.

As David Newton of ESPN.com wrote, “Despite the NFC South title and a playoff win, you can't forget this was a season of missed opportunities and inconsistency. The Panthers played well in spurts, but gave up way too many plays and made way too many mistakes during a 1-8-1 stretch that defined this team before a 4-0 finish to the regular season. Injuries played a big part in the inconsistency. So did the distraction of defensive end Greg Hardy's domestic violence case.”

That doesn’t even mention the rebuilding of an offensive line that was decimated by retiring players and defections in the off-season and an overhaul in the receiving corps. When was the last time you could recall Carolina lining up on offense without Steve Smith on the outside? If not for the play of rookie Kelvin Benjamin and the consistent hands of Greg Olsen, this team may never have gotten out of the doldrums it rested in most of the season.

Here is a look at the team’s overall season and grades for offense, defense and coaching.

OFFENSE

Thank goodness for Greg Olsen. According to Nelson’s story, throughout a season of inconsistency for the team, Olsen exemplified consistency on the. There were times when Olsen actually left the field during practice to be with his family in the hospital. Despite that, he had a team-best 84 catches for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns to make his first Pro Bowl.

Quarterback plan was suspect at times. Newton’s injury and a depleted running game made grading this team very difficult. When the line finally developed continuity with the same starting five over the last five regular-season games, the unit played well enough to win. Running back Jonathan Stewart became a force. There still were struggles in the red zone that haunted this team all season. Newton showed improvement, but made too many mistakes in the playoffs to take his game to the next level.

GRADE – C

DEFENSE

Everything came together once the team realized Greg Hardy wasn’t going to be on the field in 2014.

A huge loss to Green Bay in Week 7 may have been the telling factor in the wakeup call of this unit. Believe it or not, at the end of the season, the Carolina defense may have been playing better than any defensive team in the NFL besides Seattle.

Over the final nine games and the playoffs, led by two-time Pro Bowler Luke Kuechly, this was a top-10 defense playing as well as any in the league.

Hardy is a free agent and I do not expect him back next season, so replacing his productivity is a must in the summer through free agency or in the NFL Draft.

GRADE C

COACHING

Things were meek at times last season, then turned themselves around. At the halfway point in the season, if anyone thought Ron Rivera’s job was safe, they were fooling themselves.

Newton explains that seven rookies started in the final two regular-season games and played well, which should lessen the urgency to sign big-name free agents to fill gaps. The defense that finally came together after a midseason loss at Green Bay returns almost all of its key pieces, most notably two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly. The offense also returns intact with the biggest question mark being whether to re-sign left tackle Byron Bell, which seems unlikely. The salary-cap situation isn't nearly so dire, either, giving the Panthers room to sign Newton long term and add much-needed pieces such as a left tackle and a speedy receiver.

Rivera certainly waved a magic wand on the sidelines in the final month of the season.

GRADE – C

OVERALL GRADE - C

There is a saying amongst NFL fans and experts that you can't really judge a draft until three years down the line.  This is because the NFL has such a shorter season compared to the NBA or NHL, it takes three years of starting every game in the NFL just to achieve the same amount of play time in half a season for the NBA.

It also doesn't help that the NFL has no affiliate or development league beyond the practice squad of each team.  So getting a clear picture of how a draft pans out is always a degree in patience.  All of the post-draft grading articles are rubbish because the players are being graded on how they performed in college and college doesn't really translate to the NFL.

The Arizona Cardinals had seven picks in the 2012 Draft.  It was an offense heavy draft for them as they took three offensive linemen, a quarterback and a wide receiver.  The only two defensive players they selected were both cornerbacks.

Round 1 / Pick 13 - Michael Floyd, WR Notre Dame

With their first pick of the draft the Cardinals go against the grain and select wide receiver Michael Floyd out of Notre Dame.  Many had expected the team to go for offensive line help in the form of tackle Riely Reiff (selected by the Detroit Lions) or guard David CeCastro (selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers).  Instead they opted to go with a wide receiver to complement star wide out Larry Fitzgerald.

At the time of the selection, Ken Whisenhunt was still the head coach and his philosophy was make rookies earn their roles on the starting roster.  For this reason, Floyd didn't see a whole lot of action in his rookie year hauling in just 45 receptions for 562 yards and two touchdowns in three starts.

In his second sason, Floyd had a breakout year, catching 61 balls for 1,041 yards and five touchdownsn and helping the Cardinals achieve their first winnong season since 2009.

The 2014 season was Floyd's third with Arizona and it was a huge disappointment.  Many expected Floyd to improve on his 2013 season but instead he had 47 receptions for 841 yards and six touchdowns.  Some may point to the quarterback situation as to why Floyd underperformed (Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton were both lost to injury before the end of the year), but when you're made the #1 receiver in camp getting the ball shouldn't be an issue.

Overall: I feel the Cardinals made the right choice with Floyd.  While his numbers have dropped, he's still young and can improve.  They could have taken one of the offensive linemen mentioned earlier but considering they fell to the later rounds, it would have been a reach to take them at 13.  Taking Levi Brown over Adrian Peterson in 2007 still weighed heavily on the organisation at the time. Grade: B-

Round 2 / Pick 51 - **Traded to Philadelphia Eagles in 2011 as part of Kevin Kolb deal**

The Cardinals traded their 2012 second round pick and cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to the Philadelphia Eagles for quarterbac Kevin Kolb in 2011.  It was one of the worst trades of all time as Kolb only played 15 gaes out of a possible 32 dure to various injuries.  Kolb left for Buffalo after the 2012 season and then retired.

Round 3 / Pick 80 - Jamell Fleming, CB Oklahoma

With their second pick of the draft, the Cardinals selected a cornerback from Oklahoma.  Jamell Fleming was taken with the 80th overall pick and what a huge bust he turned out to be.  After impressing in preseason and camp, Fleming earned some playing time as a rookie before dropping off the face of the earth. 

Some people speculated that Fleming had a run in with defensive coordinator Ray Horton about how much playing time he was getting.  Whaatever the reason, Fleming never saw the field again as a rookie.  In 2013, Fleming's second ear in the league, he somehow did enough to make the final 53-man roster before being cut after Week 1.

Since then, Fleming has held down a series of practice squad jobs for various teams including the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens.  A hige disappointment.

Overall: Fleming was a solid player at college and was known for his tackling abiity.  Unfortunately that didn't translate to the NFL.  Grade: F

Round 4 / Pick 112 - Bobbie Massie, OT, Ole Miss

The 2012 NFL Draft wasn't very deep as far as the offensie line talent went.  As a Cardinals fan I remember how happy people were to finally get Bobby Massie in the fourth round.  He'd been projected to go in the second round but for some reason or other, had slid to the fourth round.  It was a huge steal for the Cardinals who had finally found a starting right tackle.

Due to an injury to starter Jeremy Bridges, Massie would see action as a rookie.  In his first few games for the Cardinals, he was dreadful.  But after looking at his stats on Pro Football Focus, Massie vowed to do better.  And he did.  In his second year, the Cardinals chose to bring aboard veteran Eric Winston who started at the right guard spot.  Winston wasn't all that impressive and wasn't brought back on board for the 2014 season.

So Massie was back in the starting roster for the 2014 season.  While he gave up seven sacks, he had a solid season overall and is of course still learning. 

Overall: Just based on the second half of his rookie year and the 2014 campaign, Massie has been a great pick up for the Cardinals.  The offensive line has been a nightmare for the team in recent years and it's now startung to take shape with additions like Jonathan Cooper and Jared Veldheer.  Grade: B

Round 5 / Pick 151 - Senio Kelemete, OG Washington

It's hard to judge this pick due to the fact Senio Kelemete only played one game or the Cardinals.  onsidering how bad the offensive line was at the time, I'm still surprised that he wasn't given more of a shot.  Kelemete was released and picked up by the New Orleans Saints.

Overall: There's not a whole lot to say about thos pick.  Senio Kelemete was a solid backup who was never really asked to go in and perform.  Grade: D

Round 6 / Pick 177 - Justin Bethel, CB Presbyterian

This was the first of two sixth round picks for the Cardinals.  This one was acquired from the Washington Redskins as part of the deal that had sent running back Tim Hightower to D.C.  It's a tradition for the Cardinals to draft at least one player from a small college.  It often shows how good their scouting department is especially when they find someone like Justin Bethel in the sixth round. 

In case you're not familiar with Bethel, he's just made his second straight Pro Bowl as the special teams specialist.  Bethel is a physical freak who excells at blocking field goals and punt attempts.  If the Cardinals succeed at blocing a kick, you can bet that Bethel

Overall: Perhaps the best pick of the Draft class.  The Cardinals got a Pro Bowl beast.   I for one hope Bethel is with the team for many more years.  Grade: A

Round 6 / Pick 185 - Ryan Lindley, QB San Diego State

With their second sixth round pick, the Cardinals selected quarterback Ryan Lindley from San Diego State.  At this point in the draft, you're basically just filling spots lower down on the depth chart.  Very rarely do sith round picks make any sort of contribution to the starting rosster.  Unfortunaately, this wasn't the case for Lindley.

Lindley saw action as a rookie in a move that still leaves fans sratching their heads.  Lindley played in six games in 2012, starting four.  He threw for 752 yards and seven interceptions.  He threw zero touchdowns.  It wasn't all Ryan's failt though, he was thrown to the wolves unready and unprepared.

Somehow Lindley managed to stick around in 2013, even with a new coaching regime in place.  He didn't play any games.  He was cut during training camp of the 2014 season but it wasn't the last we'd see of Lindley in Cardinas red.  When carson Palmer suffered a season-ending ACL tear in Week 10, the team wasted no time in bringing back Lindley who was ont the San Diego Chargers practice squad.

After Palmer's backup Drew Stanton went down with another knee injury, it was Lindley time again.  This time he was better prepared.  Excet he didn't plauy a whole lot better than he did in 2012.  He threw 542 yards and four interceptions.  The good news is, he finally popped his touchdown cherry.

Overall:Ryan Lindley was one of those players who had no potential, he wasn't the best player on the board when he was selected.  He was one of those guys who could have been picked up as an undrafted free agent.  He's managed to stick around for three years.  Lindley will go down as one of the worst quarterbacks ever to play for the Cardinals. Grade: F

Round 7 / Pick 221 - Nate Potter, OT Boise State

Nate Potter was the Cardinals' final selection in the 2012 draft.  He was the third lineman taken by the team as they attempted to rebuild their offensive line.  Potter saw action as arookie coming in for the final few games in relief of the disgraced D'Anthony Batiste.  He played quite well but when the new coachng regime started, Potter was reduced to a backup role as well as a positional change to offensive guard.

The 2013 campaign was his last in the NFL as he was released by the team and wasn't claimed bhy any other team for the 2014 season.

Overall: Considering he was a seventh round pick, Potter played a solid game of football as a rookie.  It's a little sad to me that he was never given a shot with another team affter being released.  Grade: C

VERDICT

The biggest bust in the draft was easily Jamell Fleming.  Not only has he been with several teams since leaving Arizona, but for a third round pick he's not been all that good.  It makes you wonder if Fleming was a reach.

Ryan Lindley could be considered a bust as well, but sixth round quarterbacks don't often end up having much of a career anyway.  He was given the starting job because of injury or poor play to other quarterbacks and he played the way you'd expect.

Michael Floyd, Bobbie Massie and Justin Bethel make the draft a solid one.  It's would have been interesting to see what they'd have done with the second round pick had hey not traded it the previous year.  The Eagles traded it to the Green Bay Packers on the day of the draft and the Packers selected Jerel Worthy.

Looking back, I don't think it was a great idea to draft so many projects on the offensive line.  Yes, the offensive line was crap at the time but drafting Potter and Kelemete would have done a while lot to improve it.  Overall: C

The New York Jets had an abysmal 2014 campaign. Poor play and lack of leadership led to Rex Ryan and John Idzik getting the boot. Former Arizona Cardinals DC Todd Bowles was hired as head coach and Mike Maccagan as the new GM. Can the Jets turn around their luck and build a team that can make it back to the playoffs in the near future? Bowles must find players to fit his system and build a team that is committed to winning now. “Rebuilding” isn't in the New York vocabulary. Here are three New Year’s Resolutions for Gang Green:

The Atlanta Falcons had a plan to bring Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles in for a second interview and potentially offer him their head coaching position.

It looks like the New York Jets beat them to it.

Bowles was hired for the same position on Tuesday, eliminating one of the Falcons top choices to help change the culture of the team and hopefully make the playoffs for the first time in two seasons. Now, Atlanta will turn their attention to another defensive specialist, but may have to wait until after the Sper Bowl to make him an offer.

D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that Dan Quinn has now become the focal point of the Falcons hiring search, but since the defensive coordinator is in the middle of the playoffs with the Seattle Seahawks, making him an offer may take some time. Will the Falcons wait or pull the trigger on another candidate to move forward with reorganization of the franchise?

Ledbetter wrote on Tuesday that both Bowles and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin would get second interviews in Atlanta.

Austin, the Detroit Lions defensive coordinator, is schedule to have a second interview on Wednesday.

Bowles interviewed with the Falcons on Saturday and was considered the leading candidate to replace head coach Mike Smith since Rex Ryan agreed to be named the head coach at Buffalo.

New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is expected to stay with the Patriots. Since Quinn is not available until at least after the NFC championship game and may not be available until after the Super Bowl. He was also considered the leader for the New York Jets coaching vacancy.

That has been taken care of with Bowles now on board.

The team appears ready to find another defensive mastermind to lead this franchise. Mike Smith, who was fired over two weeks ago, was hired from Jacksonville in 2008 to take the reins of the team after he took over for Emmitt Thomas, who took over for the team for the departed Bobby Petrino.

The AJC reported Bowles had been on the Falcons’ radar from the outset of the coaching search, but couldn’t interview until the Cardinals were eliminated from the playoffs.

IN OTHER COACHING NEWS

Now that the positions in Buffalo where Rex Ryan was hired this past weekend and with the Jets have filled their opening, there are four other jobs, including Atlanta, that are still up for grabs.

John Fox and the Denver Broncos parted ways on Monday following the Denver Broncos playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts. He may not be out of a job long as he is reported to be talking with the Chicago Bears.

ESPN Chicago reports John Fox soon will interview for the Chicago Bears' head-coaching vacancy, but he is not locked in for the job, according to league sources.

Fox, who parted ways with the Denver Broncos on Monday, has some advantages going into the interview, the sources said.

He is a veteran coach with a winning record and meets much of the criteria the Bears envision in a possible pairing with a first-year general manager Ryan Pace.

However, the Bears have granted Pace final authority on the coaching hire, and sources say the 37-year-old GM will want to be certain his choice has the sustained energy to embrace the challenge of leading a team that can overcome a competitive NFC North division and win a Super Bowl.

It looks like both the Broncos and the 49ers have their eye on current Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase, which may lead to a bidding war.

Milehighreport.com reports Gase is a leading candidate to replace the departed Fox, but the 49ers have been waiting to potentially make him an offer.

49ers officials are reported to be in Denver for a second interview to possibly make him their next head coach, Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network reports.

“This is all even more interesting due to reports from the Denver Post and Sports Illustrated - possibly speculative - that the Broncos are not seriously interested in Gase as head coach, and will likely look externally in their coaching search. With reports that Peyton Manning and Gase are tied at the hip, Mike Florio of PFT wonders aloud whether the Broncos wouldn't be thankful for San Fran for taking that awkward situation off their hands.”

The Oakland Raiders appear locked into Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio as their new coach.

Foxsports.com broke the story that Del Rio will be the first candidate to have a second interview with the Oakland Raiders for their head coaching job as the two-week search could be nearing a conclusion.

A person with knowledge of the plans said Monday that Del Rio will interview with Oakland on Tuesday. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team is not releasing details on interviews.

Del Rio met with Raiders owner Mark Davis during the Broncos' bye week. With Denver being eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday, Del Rio is available for a second interview and will be able to sit down with general manager Reggie McKenzie as well.

Del Rio grew up in the Bay Area and his parents are season-ticket holders. He has been defensive coordinator in Denver for the past three seasons, helping the Broncos win three straight AFC West titles.