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5.  Jeff Fisher - St. Louis Rams

St. Louis is currently a team heading for another top five pick in the first round of the NFL Draft.  Unlike last season, their pick next year will result from losses during the regular season, rather than lucking out on a trade with Washington.

Fisher played a big part in the Rams opting to pass up on the top names at quarterback in the 2014 NFL Draft, and while Austin Davis has played well, they will need more from him if the Rams are to get back into competing for the NFC West title, which at this point is a long shot.

St. Louis has also struggled on defense this season, which is a big concern considering they field one of the more premier defensive units in the league.  They are playing at a high level in run support, but their game drops off against the pass.  Robert Quinn hasn't recorded a single sack in their five games played thus far, and Chris Long was lost for most of this season following ankle surgery.

There were high expectations for the Rams this season, and they are currently on pace to finish with one of the worst records in the league.  Jeff Fisher was given an opportunity to turn the Rams misfortunes around, but after what should be his third losing season in a row in St. Louis, it's time the Rams start considering a new head coach for next season.

4.  Mike Tomlin - Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh has gone from Super Bowl appearances in 2005, 2008, and 2010, to a team that hasn't finished better than .500 since 2011.  The team appears to be heading for a major rebuilding process, and it could very well start with Tomlin's termination at some point during or after this season.

Pittsburgh's stuggles on both sides of the ball can be attrubuted to questionable roster moves over the past few seasons.  Allowing receiver Mike Wallace to walk wasn't a good decision, as coupling him with Antonio Brown would have given the Steelers a very dangerous due to defend.

Another area of concern is this offensive line, which has already given up 17 sacks over four games this season.  Last season, Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 42 times, and had very little time to check down his available targets.  One of the key areas the Steelers had to fix this season was protecting Roethlisberger, but the team failed to add any difference making depth to the offensive line during the off-season.

Pittsburgh's defense needed an injection of youth two seasons ago, but Tomlin decided to stick with aged defenders, which has resulted in slower play against the younger and more quicker offense in the league.  The Steelers were just blown out by the Cleveland Browns last week, which perfectly displays how the Steelers aren't improving as a team.

There is one fact that Tomlin may find reassuring:  The Steelers, historically speaking, tend to stick with their coaches for the long haul, with Tomlin being only their third head coach since 1969.  But the NFL of today is more about immediate results versus long term commitments, and the Steelers are in last place in the AFC North.

3.  Mike Smith - Atlanta Falcons

Altlanta entered the 2014 NFL Draft only one year removed from the NFC Championship game they lost to the San Francisco 49ers.  Expectiations were very high entering this season, with the understanding that anything short of a playoff appearance would be considered a failure by their front office.

Atlanta's offense continues to struggle with production from their run game.  Veteran Steven Jackson is a shadow of how he played during his prime, and even quarterback Matt Ryan is struggling with consistency, having already thrown seven interceptions over six games.  The addition of rookie offensive tackle Jake Matthews hasn't improved pass protection, nor created bigger gaps for the running game to find daylight.

On defense, the Falcons continue to have trouble pressuring opposing pass games, averaging only  one sack per game this season.  But their defense is also hurtin is in run support.  They have given up 841 yards rushing this season over six games, and the defense has only forced two turnovers in pass coverage.

The Falcons will have to play a top notch game for the remainder of this season to save Mike Smith's job, and at this point, they are on pace to win only five or six games.

2.  Tom Coughlin - New York Giants

Tom Coughlin took over as head coach for the Giants in 2004, after Jim Fassel was fired for leading the team to a 4-12 record, only three seasons after appearing in a Super Bowl.  Under Coughlin, the Giants won two Super Bowl Championships in 2007 and 2011, both over the New England Patriots.  Unfortunately for coach Coughlin, he has failed to produce a .500 team since the Giants last Super Bowl appearance in 2011.

The expectations were high within the Giants front office this season.  Eli Manning isn't his brother Peyton, and his career as a starter at this level has already begun counting down, so anything less than a wild card finish this season is unacceptable.  The NFC East is playing at a much higher level this season with both the Cowboys and Eagles currently leading the division at 5-1.  Philadelphia blew out the Giants 27-0 at home last week, and the Giants travel this week to play the Cowboys in Dallas.

New York is on pace to once again finish under .500 this season, and with a good selection of younger coaches at the collegiate level, along with younger coordinators deserving a shot to head coach at this level, the pressure is on Tom Coughlin to turn the Giants misfortunes around and save his job.  Losing All-Pro receiver Victor Cruz for the season certainly doesn't help.

1.  Rex Ryan - New York Jets

This move is long overdue!  The Jets failed to field a Super Bowl contender during Ryan's tenure as head coach.  In fact, Ryan's best finish as head coach (11-5) was back in 2010.  Ryan has also struggled piecing together a winning chemistry on offense, drafting both Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith as "franchise" quarterbacks, while also adding Tim Tebow as another failed experiment.

Ryan has been behind many of the questionable roster decisions for the Jets.  Last season saw the Jets receiving core struggling throughout the season, with their top receiver Jeremy Kerley only catching 43 passes last season for 523 yards.  The team added Eric Decker during the off-season, but failed to add any of the top receivers available in the draft.  While the Jets receiving numbers have improved, so every the opposing defenses within the AFC East.  Geno Smith has gotten off to a horrible start this season, and Michael Vick hasn't added any improvement in his back up role.  Sound familiar?

The Jets normally have one of the better defense in the league, but this season their defense has only forced two turnovers in six games played.  They have forced 19.0 sacks this season, but the offense has also givin up 15.0 sacks in comparison.  Also, the defense has given up 15 touchdowns in the air, while only forcing one interception.

The numbers speak for themselves.  If the Jets intend on getting back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1968, a new head coach is required, because it wont happen as long as Rex Ryan is calling the shots.

5.  Jeff Fisher - St. Louis Rams

St. Louis is currently a team heading for another top five pick in the first round of the NFL Draft.  Unlike last season, their pick next year will result from losses during the regular season, rather than lucking out on a trade with Washington.

Fisher played a big part in the Rams opting to pass up on the top names at quarterback in the 2014 NFL Draft, and while Austin Davis has played well, they will need more from him if the Rams are to get back into competing for the NFC West title, which at this point is a long shot.

St. Louis has also struggled on defense this season, which is a big concern considering they field one of the more premier defensive units in the league.  They are playing at a high level in run support, but their game drops off against the pass.  Robert Quinn hasn't recorded a single sack in their five games played thus far, and Chris Long was lost for most of this season following ankle surgery.

There were high expectations for the Rams this season, and they are currently on pace to finish with one of the worst records in the league.  Jeff Fisher was given an opportunity to turn the Rams misfortunes around, but after what should be his third losing season in a row in St. Louis, it's time the Rams start considering a new head coach for next season.

4.  Mike Tomlin - Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh has gone from Super Bowl appearances in 2005, 2008, and 2010, to a team that hasn't finished better than .500 since 2011.  The team appears to be heading for a major rebuilding process, and it could very well start with Tomlin's termination at some point during or after this season.

Pittsburgh's stuggles on both sides of the ball can be attrubuted to questionable roster moves over the past few seasons.  Allowing receiver Mike Wallace to walk wasn't a good decision, as coupling him with Antonio Brown would have given the Steelers a very dangerous due to defend.

Another area of concern is this offensive line, which has already given up 17 sacks over four games this season.  Last season, Ben Roethlisberger was sacked 42 times, and had very little time to check down his available targets.  One of the key areas the Steelers had to fix this season was protecting Roethlisberger, but the team failed to add any difference making depth to the offensive line during the off-season.

Pittsburgh's defense needed an injection of youth two seasons ago, but Tomlin decided to stick with aged defenders, which has resulted in slower play against the younger and more quicker offense in the league.  The Steelers were just blown out by the Cleveland Browns last week, which perfectly displays how the Steelers aren't improving as a team.

There is one fact that Tomlin may find reassuring:  The Steelers, historically speaking, tend to stick with their coaches for the long haul, with Tomlin being only their third head coach since 1969.  But the NFL of today is more about immediate results versus long term commitments, and the Steelers are in last place in the AFC North.

3.  Mike Smith - Atlanta Falcons

Altlanta entered the 2014 NFL Draft only one year removed from the NFC Championship game they lost to the San Francisco 49ers.  Expectiations were very high entering this season, with the understanding that anything short of a playoff appearance would be considered a failure by their front office.

Atlanta's offense continues to struggle with production from their run game.  Veteran Steven Jackson is a shadow of how he played during his prime, and even quarterback Matt Ryan is struggling with consistency, having already thrown seven interceptions over six games.  The addition of rookie offensive tackle Jake Matthews hasn't improved pass protection, nor created bigger gaps for the running game to find daylight.

On defense, the Falcons continue to have trouble pressuring opposing pass games, averaging only  one sack per game this season.  But their defense is also hurtin is in run support.  They have given up 841 yards rushing this season over six games, and the defense has only forced two turnovers in pass coverage.

The Falcons will have to play a top notch game for the remainder of this season to save Mike Smith's job, and at this point, they are on pace to win only five or six games.

2.  Tom Coughlin - New York Giants

Tom Coughlin took over as head coach for the Giants in 2004, after Jim Fassel was fired for leading the team to a 4-12 record, only three seasons after appearing in a Super Bowl.  Under Coughlin, the Giants won two Super Bowl Championships in 2007 and 2011, both over the New England Patriots.  Unfortunately for coach Coughlin, he has failed to produce a .500 team since the Giants last Super Bowl appearance in 2011.

The expectations were high within the Giants front office this season.  Eli Manning isn't his brother Peyton, and his career as a starter at this level has already begun counting down, so anything less than a wild card finish this season is unacceptable.  The NFC East is playing at a much higher level this season with both the Cowboys and Eagles currently leading the division at 5-1.  Philadelphia blew out the Giants 27-0 at home last week, and the Giants travel this week to play the Cowboys in Dallas.

New York is on pace to once again finish under .500 this season, and with a good selection of younger coaches at the collegiate level, along with younger coordinators deserving a shot to head coach at this level, the pressure is on Tom Coughlin to turn the Giants misfortunes around and save his job.  Losing All-Pro receiver Victor Cruz for the season certainly doesn't help.

1.  Rex Ryan - New York Jets

This move is long overdue!  The Jets failed to field a Super Bowl contender during Ryan's tenure as head coach.  In fact, Ryan's best finish as head coach (11-5) was back in 2010.  Ryan has also struggled piecing together a winning chemistry on offense, drafting both Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith as "franchise" quarterbacks, while also adding Tim Tebow as another failed experiment.

Ryan has been behind many of the questionable roster decisions for the Jets.  Last season saw the Jets receiving core struggling throughout the season, with their top receiver Jeremy Kerley only catching 43 passes last season for 523 yards.  The team added Eric Decker during the off-season, but failed to add any of the top receivers available in the draft.  While the Jets receiving numbers have improved, so every the opposing defenses within the AFC East.  Geno Smith has gotten off to a horrible start this season, and Michael Vick hasn't added any improvement in his back up role.  Sound familiar?

The Jets normally have one of the better defense in the league, but this season their defense has only forced two turnovers in six games played.  They have forced 19.0 sacks this season, but the offense has also givin up 15.0 sacks in comparison.  Also, the defense has given up 15 touchdowns in the air, while only forcing one interception.

The numbers speak for themselves.  If the Jets intend on getting back to the Super Bowl for the first time since 1968, a new head coach is required, because it wont happen as long as Rex Ryan is calling the shots.

With the recent success of several coaches making the transition from college to pro including Pete Carroll, Jim Harbaugh and Chip Kelly, general managers all over the NFL will be eyeing potential candidates from the college ranks during the current NCAA season.  One team has already fired its coach and numerous others are on the hot seat already.  In a profession with an unusually high turnover rate, it is never too early to consider head coaching possibilities at the college level for the following NFL season. 

One factor that could keep coaches in college is the increase in salaries at the college level.  At $6.9 million per season, Nick Saban is currently making more money at Alabama than 27 NFL coaches.  But the challenge of winning at the highest level of competition is always tempting so it would not surprise me to see a few of these coaches make the jump.

Kevin Sumlin – Only three years into his tenure at Texas A&M and Sumlin is already being mentioned for major college jobs as well as NFL openings.  His track record speaks for itself.  At Houston, he helped Case Keenum put up monster numbers for several years, then he took Johnny Manziel under his wing and helped him win a Heisman Trophy in their first year together at A&M, now Kenny Hill is carrying on the legacy impressively as well.  As a former player, Sumlin has a reputation as a player’s coach in the mold of Mike Tomlin, but with more of an offensive mind. 

He refused to take NFL interviews after last season, and A&M increased his buyout clause to $5 million which would make it difficult, but not impossible, for NFL teams to secure his services.  The 50-year old Sumlin is young enough to wait a couple more years and try to win a national championship at the collegiate level before making the jump, but money talks and Sumlin will need strong earplugs not to listen.

Brian Kelly - In his fifth year at Notre Dame, Kelly and the Fighting Irish have their eyes on the playoff prize again after an undefeated 2012 regular season finished disappointingly.  Quarterback Everett Golson is back from his year-long suspension and playing better than ever, and the defense has proven to be formidable as well, similar to 2012. 

The Irish have tough road tests coming up against Florida State, ASU and USC but the 52-year old Kelly has been a coaching climber throughout his career and already interviewed for the head coaching position with the Philadelphia Eagles before Chip Kelly was hired.  Five years is a more reasonable timeframe to fully rebuild a program and leave a defining legacy than three, so his chances of testing the NFL waters after this season are much higher.  The better Notre Dame does this season, the more NFL interest Brian Kelly will generate.

Art Briles – Having been linked to the Washington coaching job this past offseason, Baylor’s coach remains a hot candidate in NFL circles despite being 58 years old.  Pete Carroll left college for the NFL at a comparable age and has enjoyed great success in Seattle, and Briles himself has admitted to being intrigued by the idea of running his offense in the NFL.  It has certainly made an impression at the college level, setting an NCAA record for points scored per game in 2013 and maintaining that pace this season. 

The currently undefeated Baylor Bears have a legitimate chance to remain that way since there is no Big 12 championship game.  Doing so would almost certainly secure them a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff, a stunning rise from a program that languished at the bottom of their conference for so many years.  Briles completed a similar turnaround at Houston and the NFL would be the next logical step after making the transition from high school to college in 2000.

Dan Mullen – Part of the same regional coaching circle as Chip Kelly known as the New Hampshire mafia, Mullen earned his bones as Urban Meyer’s offensive protégé at Utah and Florida, then got his head coaching break in 2009 at Mississippi State.  After years of posting respectable records but struggling against ranked opponents, the Mullen’s Bulldogs have elevated to an elite level led by the dynamic play of quarterback Dak Prescott. 

A career record of 42-28 against the stiff competition of the SEC gives Mullen instant credibility, but a national championship run this season would garner exponentially more attention from the NFL.  There are several tough games left on the schedule for Mississippi State, but excitement is growing each week in Starkville.  Barring a major second half collapse by the Bulldogs, the 42-year old Mullen will have plenty of suitors calling come January.

David Shaw – Another accomplished college coach with an offensive background, Shaw’s NFL ties are actually more diverse.  His father Willie Shaw was a longtime NFL defensive coordinator and Shaw himself worked in quality control for several years before coaching quarterbacks and wide receivers in Oakland and Baltimore.  He succeeded Jim Harbaugh at Stanford and has maintained the same level of excellence.  Because of his NFL background, Shaw has been mentioned for NFL openings for a few years, and not just as a Rooney Rule formality. 

Both Bay Area teams may well be in the market for a new head coach this offseason, so Shaw could possibly even have the option of driving less than an hour north from Palo Alto and either returning to his family coaching roots with the Raiders or succeed Harbaugh again with the 49ers.  Stanford has a long history of breeding successful NFL coaches from Bill Walsh to Dennis Green to Harbaugh, and Shaw has the pedigree to be next in line.

With the recent success of several coaches making the transition from college to pro including Pete Carroll, Jim Harbaugh and Chip Kelly, general managers all over the NFL will be eyeing potential candidates from the college ranks during the current NCAA season.  One team has already fired its coach and numerous others are on the hot seat already.  In a profession with an unusually high turnover rate, it is never too early to consider head coaching possibilities at the college level for the following NFL season. 

One factor that could keep coaches in college is the increase in salaries at the college level.  At $6.9 million per season, Nick Saban is currently making more money at Alabama than 27 NFL coaches.  But the challenge of winning at the highest level of competition is always tempting so it would not surprise me to see a few of these coaches make the jump.

Kevin Sumlin – Only three years into his tenure at Texas A&M and Sumlin is already being mentioned for major college jobs as well as NFL openings.  His track record speaks for itself.  At Houston, he helped Case Keenum put up monster numbers for several years, then he took Johnny Manziel under his wing and helped him win a Heisman Trophy in their first year together at A&M, now Kenny Hill is carrying on the legacy impressively as well.  As a former player, Sumlin has a reputation as a player’s coach in the mold of Mike Tomlin, but with more of an offensive mind. 

He refused to take NFL interviews after last season, and A&M increased his buyout clause to $5 million which would make it difficult, but not impossible, for NFL teams to secure his services.  The 50-year old Sumlin is young enough to wait a couple more years and try to win a national championship at the collegiate level before making the jump, but money talks and Sumlin will need strong earplugs not to listen.

Brian Kelly - In his fifth year at Notre Dame, Kelly and the Fighting Irish have their eyes on the playoff prize again after an undefeated 2012 regular season finished disappointingly.  Quarterback Everett Golson is back from his year-long suspension and playing better than ever, and the defense has proven to be formidable as well, similar to 2012. 

The Irish have tough road tests coming up against Florida State, ASU and USC but the 52-year old Kelly has been a coaching climber throughout his career and already interviewed for the head coaching position with the Philadelphia Eagles before Chip Kelly was hired.  Five years is a more reasonable timeframe to fully rebuild a program and leave a defining legacy than three, so his chances of testing the NFL waters after this season are much higher.  The better Notre Dame does this season, the more NFL interest Brian Kelly will generate.

Art Briles – Having been linked to the Washington coaching job this past offseason, Baylor’s coach remains a hot candidate in NFL circles despite being 58 years old.  Pete Carroll left college for the NFL at a comparable age and has enjoyed great success in Seattle, and Briles himself has admitted to being intrigued by the idea of running his offense in the NFL.  It has certainly made an impression at the college level, setting an NCAA record for points scored per game in 2013 and maintaining that pace this season. 

The currently undefeated Baylor Bears have a legitimate chance to remain that way since there is no Big 12 championship game.  Doing so would almost certainly secure them a spot in the inaugural College Football Playoff, a stunning rise from a program that languished at the bottom of their conference for so many years.  Briles completed a similar turnaround at Houston and the NFL would be the next logical step after making the transition from high school to college in 2000.

Dan Mullen – Part of the same regional coaching circle as Chip Kelly known as the New Hampshire mafia, Mullen earned his bones as Urban Meyer’s offensive protégé at Utah and Florida, then got his head coaching break in 2009 at Mississippi State.  After years of posting respectable records but struggling against ranked opponents, the Mullen’s Bulldogs have elevated to an elite level led by the dynamic play of quarterback Dak Prescott. 

A career record of 42-28 against the stiff competition of the SEC gives Mullen instant credibility, but a national championship run this season would garner exponentially more attention from the NFL.  There are several tough games left on the schedule for Mississippi State, but excitement is growing each week in Starkville.  Barring a major second half collapse by the Bulldogs, the 42-year old Mullen will have plenty of suitors calling come January.

David Shaw – Another accomplished college coach with an offensive background, Shaw’s NFL ties are actually more diverse.  His father Willie Shaw was a longtime NFL defensive coordinator and Shaw himself worked in quality control for several years before coaching quarterbacks and wide receivers in Oakland and Baltimore.  He succeeded Jim Harbaugh at Stanford and has maintained the same level of excellence.  Because of his NFL background, Shaw has been mentioned for NFL openings for a few years, and not just as a Rooney Rule formality. 

Both Bay Area teams may well be in the market for a new head coach this offseason, so Shaw could possibly even have the option of driving less than an hour north from Palo Alto and either returning to his family coaching roots with the Raiders or succeed Harbaugh again with the 49ers.  Stanford has a long history of breeding successful NFL coaches from Bill Walsh to Dennis Green to Harbaugh, and Shaw has the pedigree to be next in line.

As we all know, in the NFL having a franchise quarterback is crucial to long-term success. Throughout history, the best organizations also happen to have the best quarterbacks. Joe Montana in San Francisco, Troy Aikman in Dallas, Tom Brady in New England, and Peyton Manning in Indianapolis are just a few examples. While several teams have shown flashes and won Super Bowls with marginal quarterback play, most of those teams were unable to sustain success without stability, and more importantly, consistency at quarterback. 

With the rules being as slanted towards offenses as ever, it's more important than any time in the league's history to have a franchise quarterback. Teams with them do anything they can do keep them with $100 million contracts, while organizations without them leave no stone unturned in their quest to find the next Brady or Brees. 

Here are five quarterbacks who may be on the move in 2015 if their performance doesn't improve soon. 

Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins

After a brilliant performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in week three, many pundits and fans declared Kirk Cousins the best quarterback for the Washington Redskins. The third-year backup from Michigan State has seen quite a bit of action in his career, as Robert Griffin III has suffered several injuries in his young career. In his last two games, Cousins has shown just how difficult playing quarterback in the NFL is, with an abysmal showing against the Giants where he threw four interceptions. Despite the inconsistency, Cousins still has a following in Washington, and that's precisely why the Redskins will want to shop him around in the offseason. As long as Cousins is on the roster, RGIII will constantly have to look over his shoulder at a guy who many think should replace the often-injured quarterback. 

Brian Hoyer, Cleveland Browns

Another former Michigan State Spartan makes the list, under similar circumstances as Cousins. Brian Hoyer has done everything asked of him in Cleveland and then some, taking care of the football and giving the Browns a chance to win all of their games this year. With a 6:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, Hoyer's ball security allows the Browns' defense the chance to not constantly defend a short field just to stay in the game. Unfortunately for the 28-year-old, the Browns traded back into the first round to draft the polarizing Johnny Manziel. As the Browns entered the season with low expectations in a tough AFC North, a lot of experts predicted Johnny Football to be under center for Cleveland following their bye week in week 4. Hoyer's play has quited his critics, but as seen in the past, management and ownership in Cleveland isn't privy to making rational decisions. Hoyer will be a free agent following this season and no longer in Cleveland, but it won't be for his on-field performance being poor. 

Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins

Ryan Tannehill is one of those quarterbacks that everyone keeps waiting for the "A ha!" moment, but the former Texas A&M project just hasn't had that happen. With a myriad of problems surrounding the Miami organization, including a questionable future for Joe Philbin, Tannehll's days in Miami might be numbered. Tannehill's numbers are still mediocre, with just 60.0% completions and an 81.2 passer rating. The Dolphins play in a bad division, and the Tannehill/Philbin combination can't seem to take the next step. Time will tell if the Dolphins get it together this season, but if Philbin loses his job in Miami, there's no guarantee a new coach will want someone else's quarterback. 

Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles

Nick Foles was phenomenal in 2013, and even now I don't know that I feel like Foles' play will stay down as it has this year. Last season, Foles had an astonishing 27:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. This year, he's already thrown five interceptions to eight touchdowns. Chip Kelly's decision to move Desean Jackson certainly hasn't helped the Eagles as they haven't found another deep threat to stretch defenses. The numbers don't lie either, as Foles has averaged just 6.80 yards per completion this year, a far cry from last season's 9.12. The Eagles' quarterback is just 5-of-34 on passes thrown 20+ yards this season. Foles still has another year on his contract, and if the Eagles can't fix the woes around Foles, starting at the offensive line, the former Arizona Wildcat could be looking for a new home in 2015. 

Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams

The number-one pick in the 2010 draft has suffered his fair share of injuries in his career. Bradford missed over half of last season after tearing his ACL in week seven. Bradford was in the last class of the gigantic rookie contracts, so St. Louis has been in a tough position with the highly paid quarterback. The Rams owe Bradford $12.9 million next season, plus another $3 million signing bonus, so it's unlikely they will be willing to keep the injury-prone quarterback. Only three teams in the 2010 draft didn't select a future Pro Bowler. Those franchises were the Rams, Oakland Raiders, and Jacksonville Jaguars. It's not a coincidence that all three don't have a franchise quarterback, struggle annually, and are always in the mix for the seemingly annual "Which franchise will move to Los Angeles?" discussion. Bradford has the talent, but will a team be willing to take a chance on signing him to save their franchise? 

As we all know, in the NFL having a franchise quarterback is crucial to long-term success. Throughout history, the best organizations also happen to have the best quarterbacks. Joe Montana in San Francisco, Troy Aikman in Dallas, Tom Brady in New England, and Peyton Manning in Indianapolis are just a few examples. While several teams have shown flashes and won Super Bowls with marginal quarterback play, most of those teams were unable to sustain success without stability, and more importantly, consistency at quarterback. 

With the rules being as slanted towards offenses as ever, it's more important than any time in the league's history to have a franchise quarterback. Teams with them do anything they can do keep them with $100 million contracts, while organizations without them leave no stone unturned in their quest to find the next Brady or Brees. 

Here are five quarterbacks who may be on the move in 2015 if their performance doesn't improve soon. 

Kirk Cousins, Washington Redskins

After a brilliant performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in week three, many pundits and fans declared Kirk Cousins the best quarterback for the Washington Redskins. The third-year backup from Michigan State has seen quite a bit of action in his career, as Robert Griffin III has suffered several injuries in his young career. In his last two games, Cousins has shown just how difficult playing quarterback in the NFL is, with an abysmal showing against the Giants where he threw four interceptions. Despite the inconsistency, Cousins still has a following in Washington, and that's precisely why the Redskins will want to shop him around in the offseason. As long as Cousins is on the roster, RGIII will constantly have to look over his shoulder at a guy who many think should replace the often-injured quarterback. 

Brian Hoyer, Cleveland Browns

Another former Michigan State Spartan makes the list, under similar circumstances as Cousins. Brian Hoyer has done everything asked of him in Cleveland and then some, taking care of the football and giving the Browns a chance to win all of their games this year. With a 6:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, Hoyer's ball security allows the Browns' defense the chance to not constantly defend a short field just to stay in the game. Unfortunately for the 28-year-old, the Browns traded back into the first round to draft the polarizing Johnny Manziel. As the Browns entered the season with low expectations in a tough AFC North, a lot of experts predicted Johnny Football to be under center for Cleveland following their bye week in week 4. Hoyer's play has quited his critics, but as seen in the past, management and ownership in Cleveland isn't privy to making rational decisions. Hoyer will be a free agent following this season and no longer in Cleveland, but it won't be for his on-field performance being poor. 

Ryan Tannehill, Miami Dolphins

Ryan Tannehill is one of those quarterbacks that everyone keeps waiting for the "A ha!" moment, but the former Texas A&M project just hasn't had that happen. With a myriad of problems surrounding the Miami organization, including a questionable future for Joe Philbin, Tannehll's days in Miami might be numbered. Tannehill's numbers are still mediocre, with just 60.0% completions and an 81.2 passer rating. The Dolphins play in a bad division, and the Tannehill/Philbin combination can't seem to take the next step. Time will tell if the Dolphins get it together this season, but if Philbin loses his job in Miami, there's no guarantee a new coach will want someone else's quarterback. 

Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles

Nick Foles was phenomenal in 2013, and even now I don't know that I feel like Foles' play will stay down as it has this year. Last season, Foles had an astonishing 27:2 touchdown-to-interception ratio. This year, he's already thrown five interceptions to eight touchdowns. Chip Kelly's decision to move Desean Jackson certainly hasn't helped the Eagles as they haven't found another deep threat to stretch defenses. The numbers don't lie either, as Foles has averaged just 6.80 yards per completion this year, a far cry from last season's 9.12. The Eagles' quarterback is just 5-of-34 on passes thrown 20+ yards this season. Foles still has another year on his contract, and if the Eagles can't fix the woes around Foles, starting at the offensive line, the former Arizona Wildcat could be looking for a new home in 2015. 

Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams

The number-one pick in the 2010 draft has suffered his fair share of injuries in his career. Bradford missed over half of last season after tearing his ACL in week seven. Bradford was in the last class of the gigantic rookie contracts, so St. Louis has been in a tough position with the highly paid quarterback. The Rams owe Bradford $12.9 million next season, plus another $3 million signing bonus, so it's unlikely they will be willing to keep the injury-prone quarterback. Only three teams in the 2010 draft didn't select a future Pro Bowler. Those franchises were the Rams, Oakland Raiders, and Jacksonville Jaguars. It's not a coincidence that all three don't have a franchise quarterback, struggle annually, and are always in the mix for the seemingly annual "Which franchise will move to Los Angeles?" discussion. Bradford has the talent, but will a team be willing to take a chance on signing him to save their franchise? 

We continue our series on players who have a good chance of breaking out this year by delving into the Tennessee Titans’ roster—and there’s one guy who should become a star.

Maybe this one is cheating a bit because the guy had a great season last year, but Kendall Wright may have had the quietest 94 catches and 1,000 yards receiving in NFL history.

Coming out of Baylor, Wright had all the makings of a star. He had 1,663 yards and 14 touchdowns his senior year and was a big reason why Robert Griffin III won the Heisman. In fact, the only weakness on his NFL.com Draft Profile was a lack of blocking. Call me crazy, but I don’t think that a serious concern.

Wright’s Combine was a bit questionable, though. He ran a 4.61 40-yard dash, which raised some eyebrows (he was expected to be much faster). But shortly after he ran a 4.46 and a 4.43 at Baylor’s Pro Day, easing any worries about him.

The Titans drafted Wright in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft, taking him 20^th overall. The team fell in love with his productivity and wanted to have him as a key player to build around.

Since joining the Titans, Wright has done nothing but impress. His speed on the field is incredible and he constantly finds ways to get open. How else could he have come so close to 100 catches and ranked seventh in receptions in the league?

But what’s surprising about Wright is that he is a smaller guy. At 5’10” and 191 pounds, you don’t expect him to go up and get balls over defenders. That could be the reason he only had two touchdowns last year.

Still, Wright is entering his third year in the league, which is when most receivers break out. He also has a new offensive coordinator, Ken Whisenhunt, who loves to throw the ball and use his receivers near the goal line. If Whisenhunt can get Eddie Royal to catch eight touchdowns on 47 catches, then he should be able to get the larger, more athletic Wright to post similar numbers.

If Wright posts eight touchdowns like Eddie Royal did, his numbers would be among the best in the league. Considering how much Whisenhunt likes to throw the ball, he could easily go for 100 catches and 1,300 yards this year. Throw in eight touchdowns and you would essentially have Jordy Nelson’s stat line from a year ago. I’d say that’s a pretty good year.

Wright has everything he needs to have a monster year. He’s proven that he can handle a big workload, he’s entering his third season and he has a new, pass-happy coordinator. If he puts it all together—watch out.

The Cincinnati Bengals are facing a potential problem in the very crowded backfield. Do they unleash Giovani Bernard as the feature back or do they continue to run a "running-back-by commitee" (RBBC) backfield as they did in 2013?

The RBBC backfield certainly worked well for the Bengals last season as BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Bernard shared the ball-carrying duties as they rolled-up a combined 1,451 yard rushing.

Consider the 2013 final statistics for yardage by running backs reveals LeSean McCoy leading the league with 1,607 yards, averaging 5.1 yards-per-carry. Matt Forte was second with 1,339 total yards, averaging 4.6 y-p-c.

The Bengals’ backfield falls in-between first and second with the combined 1,451 yards.

A more telling stat, though, would be Bernard rushed for 695 yards on 170 attempts, which works out to 4.1 y-p-c.

That level of production is on-par with the likes of Marshawn Lynch (4.2 y-p-c), Eddie Lacy and Frank Gore (both 4.1 y-p-c) and Chris Johnson (3.9 y-p-c). All of these backs ran for more than 1,000 yards last season.

Bernard’s carried the ball 170 last season. Bump that number up to 283 (the average number of touches the top five running backs had in 2013) and Bernard would total 1,160 yards. Bernard would have been ninth in the National Football League in rushing in 2013 with those numbers.

Green-Ellis’ numbers fall off because his yard-per-carry average is only 3.4. Bernard is gaining, on average, a half-a-yard more than Green-Ellis. In the ‘game-of-inches’ that football is, this is a mile.

Green-Ellis is also 29-years-old and this is over-the-hill for a running back in the NFL. The shelf life of a running back is five-to-six years. Green-Ellis is beginning to feel the wear-and-tear of the NFL. When Green-Ellis was rushing for the Patriots, he had, respectively, seasons with 4.4, 4.4, 3.7 and 3.9 y-p-c seasons. There is also a quality drop-off in the offensive line that must be taken into consideration since the Patriots have that really good quarterback under-center, you know, he goes by the name of Tom Brady. The Patriots have always invested well in their offensive line.

The Bengals? Not-so-much.

Green-Ellis’ yards-per-carry drop-off could be attributed to that change, but since Bernard was able to average 4.1 y-p-c behind the same o-line, age is a more likely factor.

There is another startling stat that Bernard brings to the table in his case for breakout player in 2014.

Bernard caught the second-most passes for the Bengals last season with 56 and was third on the team in receiving yards with 514.

This type of production puts Bernard in LaDainaian Tomlinson production level. Tomlinson averaged, I say AVERAGED, 289 carries-a-season, 1,244 yards-per-season rushing, 57 receptions-a-season and 433 yard-per-season receiving. Those number include two lackluster seasons with the New York Jets and two seasons which were shortened by injury.

Take out the two season with the Jets and Tomlinson’s numbers are 320 c-p-s, 1,388 y-p-s, 59 r-p-s and 439 y-p-s. A true duel-threat back if ever there was one.

Give Bernard these averages on carries-per-season and his yardage jumps up to 1,312 yards-per-season and his receiving yards jump up to 542 per-season.

Is it premature to call Bernard a re-incarnated Tomlinson? Yes. Is it feasible for the Bengals to utilize Bernard in this manner? Absolutely.

The Bengals just need to decide if that want this Tomlinson-style work horse to carry the offense, or not.Referencing back to Bernard’s days at North Carolina, he is more than capable of carrying this workload. Bernard averaged 211 carries-per-season and 46 receptions-per-season for 1,241 rushing-yards-per-season and 426 receiving-yards-per-season, respectively.

Giovani Bernard is poised and ready for the work load and, deservedly so, the spotlight.

The Indianapolis Colts are one of the up-and-coming teams in the NFL. After going 2-14 in 2011, the Colts drafted Andrew Luck first overall and have since made the playoffs in each of the past two years.

The Colts have a good mix of young talent and proven veterans, but they’ll need some of their guys to break out in 2014 if they’re going to take the next step and reach the AFC Championship Game.

The sleeper for the Colts this year indeed came from the 2012 NFL Draft, just like Luck—but he wasn’t drafted by the Colts.

The third pick in the draft that year, Trent Richardson was supposed to be an elite running back. But so far, he’s done nothing but disappoint.

As a rookie with the Cleveland Browns, Richardson was solid. He ran for 950 yards and caught 51 balls for another 367 yards. He also tallied 12 scores, with 11 coming on the ground.

While Richardson produced some solid numbers as a rookie, he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry and fumbled three times. He also never ran for more than 32 yards on a single carry.

Entering his sophomore season, Richardson was supposed to be the star of the Browns’ offense. So it came as a huge surprise when Richardson was traded to the Colts for a 2014 first round pick. At the time, it looked like the Colts took advantage of the Browns, but after seeing Richardson play 14 games in a Colts uniform, more people are calling him a bust and don’t think he was worth a first round pick.

Considering he hasn’t topped 1,000 rushing yards or averaged more than 3.6 yards per carry in a single season, Richardson hasn’t lived up to the hype he had coming out of college just yet. But this will be the year he breaks out and proves he’s worth every penny.

Sure, we all saw T-Rich struggle after being traded last season. He looked lost on the field, and there might be a good reason for that. He said he struggled to understand the Colts’ playbook last year, but he’s learned it now.

People expect a running back to just get the ball and run straight ahead. But in a complex NFL offense, that’s not how it works. If you don’t understand what the line is trying to do and exactly where the holes should be, you’re going to hesitate for a fraction of a second (like we often saw Richardson do last year). That can be the difference between a seven-yard gain or a three-yard loss in the pros—and we saw how damaging that can be last year.

However, Richardson has had almost a full year to learn the playbook now, and he should feel comfortable in Indianapolis now. And that’s not the only reason he could return to form in 2014.

Despite his struggles last year, Richardson remains firmly entrenched as the Colts’ lead back. In June, the team said that he has a chance to be a three-down back (https://linkonym.appspot.com/?http://http://www.footballnation.com/content/indianapolis-colts-player-most-likely-to-break-out-2014/30393/www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24598202/report-colts-trent-richardson-has-chance-to-be-3-down-back)—a rare breed bordering on extinct in the NFL today. And that was before one of his competitors, Vick Ballard, tore his Achilles and was ruled out for the year.

With Ballard out of the picture, the Colts are relying on Richardson and the injury-prone Ahmad Bradshaw (he’s only ever played in 16 games once). Without much competition at the position, Richardson should remain Indy’s guy.

In addition to the fact that Richardson could be given 225-275 carries by default, he should have a better offensive line in front of him.

The Colts’ O-line was absolutely atrocious last year. Whether it be pass protection or making holes for Richardson and the team’s running backs, the line struggled to do much of anything. How many times did we see Richardson hit before he reached the line of scrimmage? The answer: a lot.

The team spent its top pick on guard Jack Mewhort out of Ohio State. The team will also get Donald Thomas back from an injury. There’s a decent chance these two will start for the Colts and will be a considerable upgrade over what the team had last year. Combine them with two solid tackles in Anthony Castonzo and Gosder Cherilus, and the Colts should be able to give Richardson some holes to run through.

Despite the fact that he looked like such a stud coming out of college, Richardson has been written off by far too many people. We’ve seen backs struggle after a midseason trade before they come back the next year to play well again. Why can’t Richardson do it?

The best comparison for Richardson is Marshawn Lynch. After being traded from the Buffalo Bills to the Seattle Seahawks in the middle of the 2010 season, Lynch failed to live up to the billing. He ran for just 573 yards in 12 games (165 carries), averaging just 3.5 yards per carry. That’s’ pretty similar to Richardson’s decline.

But Lynch was able to bounce back after a full offseason with the Seahawks, posting 285 carries for 1,204 yards and 12 touchdowns and 28 catches for 212 yards and another score the following year. He was the fifth-best fantasy back that year.

If Richardson could have a similar year, the Colts would be ecstatic about the trade they made. And why shouldn’t he? He just as physically gifted as Lynch (10 pounds heavier, faster 40-yard dash) and is playing in an offense with an even better passing attack. The Colts have a ton of offensive firepower, meaning Richardson shouldn’t face too many stacked boxes.

With Colts GM Ryan Grigson calling Richardson out earlier this week, it’s time for the stud running back to finally break out and reach his potential in Indy.

There are three players who caught my eye last year that could easily break out in the 2014 football season. Lets take a look at these players. 

Knile Davis 

Knile Davis entered his rookie career with the Chiefs last year with great stats. He carried the ball seventy times for 2,442 yards. A great average of 3.5 yards per carry. He also got four touchdowns to bring a wrap to his rookie year. I see Knile Davis breaking out this year, as the Cheifs can use him more, as Charles gets older and older. Charles was their whole offense last year, yet if something happens to him, Knile Davis can come and fill his shoes better than people think. 

Sanders Commings

Sanders Commings was the best pick up the Chiefs made in the 2013 NFL draft, yet with injuries he was un able to play most of the games in the season. Commings was praised by Andy Reid and said he could play everywhere on the defense. Commings can play as a corner back, or even go back as a free saftey. Commings will break out in 2014, if he can get back healthy from his broken ankle he suffered at Training Camp, thanks to Charles quick feet. This kid is a toss up, but when healthy could break out. 

Alex Smith

Lets take a step away from the young guys, and take a look at a leader and model for the Chiefs. Alex Smith had his best season with the Chiefs, with 3,313 yards, 23 touchdowns and seven interceptions. If Sanders can help the defense stop the other team, and Knile help the Chiefs running game, Smith could have an even better year. Charles helped Smith last year, because of the amount of play action plays. The defense was all over Charles, yet Smith was going deep. 

The Kansas City Chiefs are ready for the 2014 football season, are you ready? 

It seemed like every player on the Denver Broncos’ offense broke out last year, but there’s another guy about to do the same this year.

If you’ve read my articles in the past, you’ll know I hate rookie wide receivers. Considering there have literally been hundreds of them in the past and only eight have ever gone over 1,000 yards, I’m typically not a fan. But the Broncos have a guy that should fit in nicely and become a valuable weapon for the team down the stretch.

I’m talking, of course, about Cody Latimer. The wide receiver out of Indiana was a basketball stud in high school and didn’t focus on football until he became a Hoosier (odd that he fell in love with football at a basketball school). He played as a receiver, a kick returner and even a defensive back in high school as a junior and senior, improving every year. But he will be playing solely as a receiver in the Broncos’ high-octane passing attack.

The kid is a physical specimen. He stands 6’2” and 215 pounds, which is more than big enough to play on the outside in the NFL. The closest physical comparison might be Alshon Jeffery of the Chicago Bears, who stands at 6’3” and 216 pounds. The difference is that Latimer is actually much faster than Jeffery, who ran a 4.48 40-yard dash at his combine.

Latimer’s true athleticism was a bit of a mystery for a while. After breaking his foot in January, some people were worried that he’d lost some of his burst that made his so good in college. He wasn’t able to participate in any drills at the 2014 NFL Combine other than the bench press (although he impressed in that aspect, leading all receivers with 23 reps). Instead, teams had to focus on his performance at Indiana’s pro day on March 26. And he blew everyone away.

Despite still recovering from his broken foot, Latimer ran a 4.39 40-yard dash. That’s almost a tenth of a second faster than Jeffery and just as fast as burner Julio Jones. Mike Klis of The Denver Post documented Latimer’s impressive pro day:

“Latimer had surgery to repair the break Jan. 19 and missed all but the bench press at the NFL scouting combine in late February. But at Indiana\'s pro-day session March 26, he was timed at 4.39 and 4.43 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He also had an impressive 39-inch vertical jump during his workout.”

Between his incredible size, strength and speed, Latimer has the potential to be a star receiver. But he’s still a raw talent, which is why he was projected to go in the fourth round by NFL.com. However, the Broncos saw his potential and took him in the second round at No. 56 overall.

Latimer’s biggest weaknesses as a prospect were his unpolished game (which is to be expected, since he’s only played a few years) and questions about his burst, route running and ability to run with the ball in his hands. But his game might be more polished than people realize.

One of the questions about Latimer is his burst. Critics claim he isn’t explosive off the line and fails to separate from defenders. That’s pretty hard to believe considering he was a basketball standout. We’ve seen plenty of basketball stars use the quickness they used on the basketball court to get off the line and make sharp cuts. Those are simply natural parts of basketball and can be used well on the field. His leaping ability translated and people are raving about it, so what makes people think his route running and explosiveness should suffer despite having the skills from his basketball days?

Another question about his game is when he has the ball in his hands. NFL.com called him “straightlinish after the catch,” but that’s another qualm that doesn’t make sense. He showed that he has a few moves with the ball in his hands as a kick returner in high school, when he took four of his 13 kick returns back for a touchdown as well as a punt return.

While Latimer undoubtedly has some flaws, he will be learning from a great coaching staff, three veteran receivers and one of the best quarterbacks to play the game. He should fix his minor flaws quickly, and he should be ready to make an impact after a few weeks.

Despite playing on a team with Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker and Emmanuel Sanders in front of him on the depth chart and Julius Thomas at tight end, Latimer will still have an opportunity to get on the field.

Welker and Sanders are both slot receivers. While the season may start with Sanders on the outside, he’s naturally-suited for the slot. Combine that with Welker’s injury history (one hit to the head could knock him out for six weeks), and there’s a pretty decent chance the Broncos need another big wide receiver to play opposite Thomas.

That’s exactly what Eric Decker did last year. At 6’3” and 215 pounds, Decker had the size to play wideout. That’s very similar to Latimer’s size, and with Latimer’s huge catch radius and incredible leaping ability, you can bet he can make up for the inch he’s missing on Decker. Latimer is also much faster, as his 4.39 40-yard dash time is significantly faster than Decker’s 4.54, making him more of a deep threat as well.

Physically, Latimer should be the guy on the outside for the Broncos in four-wide sets. And if Welker or Sanders go down at any point this season, that leaves Latimer to play in the team’s many three-wide sets. Just getting on the field and playing on the outside will give Latimer the chance to prove that he deserves a big role.

Sure, that opportunity might be limited until he refines his game a bit and gets on the field more, but that should happen around the halfway point in the season. That will give the Broncos another valuable weapon in the league’s best passing game. Having a big, fast guy like Latimer creates matchup problems for defenses and opens up the field more for Manning.

Latimer can take the top off a defense. And if both he and Demaryius Thomas go deep, that leaves the safeties in a position where they have to provide help downfield. That, in turn, leaves Welker, Sanders and Julius Thomas in man coverage in the middle of the field where they can create separation and make life even easier for Peyton Manning.

While Latimer’s stats at the end of the season might not be pretty, you can bet that adding him into Denver’s stable of pass-catchers will make this passing attack just as dangerous as it was last year with Decker on the outside.

With all of the weapons on a newly-revitalized San Diego Chargers team with a new general manager, head coach, and offensive coordinator, and who made an impressive late-season push to earn a playoff berth and, subsequently, beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the wildcard round, which player is most poised to have that highly-touted "breakout" season?

Whereas WR Keenan Allen made an incredible and immediate impact on the Chargers\' offense and will likely continue to contribute heavily to QB Philip Rivers\' passing prowess, there is much speculation and consensus that third-year TE Ladarius Green is that player to watch in the 2014-2015 season.

A fourth-round pick (#110) from Louisiana-Lafayette, Green is 24 years old, 6\'6" and 240 pounds, and runs a 4.45 40-yard dash. In his two seasons with the Chargers he has 21 regular-season receptions for 432 yards and three touchdowns. In 2013, Green boasted the highest average yards-per-reception for receivers with over ten receptions with 17 receptions for 376 yards: a 22.1 yards-per-catch average.

Since the advent of the two-tight-end set that rose to prominence a la the New England Patriots with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, many teams have employed this strategy. With the Chargers\' future hall-of-fame TE Antonio Gates getting up there in years (he is 34), while Gates is still an impact player, catching 77 receptions for 872 yards and four touchdowns, Green adds another layer of depth at the position. Gates is the possession receiver while Green is more explosive with amazing speed and fluidity. In fact, many analysts assert that Green\'s ball skills are more reminiscent of a seasoned NFL wide receiver than that of a third-year tight end. And having Gates as a mentor--come on, who wouldn\'t benefit from that?!

In the Chargers\' preseason week 2 matchup vs. Seattle on 8/15, Green was in eight-of-nine of Rivers\' first-quarter snaps before backup QB Kellen Clemens took the field. Granted, while Green only managed two catches for 20 yards, seeing more playing time will undoubtedly be a boon for the young player. Further, improvement in his route running and run blocking capabilities can only make him that much better.

Green draws much comparison to Denver\'s Julius Thomas whose stellar season last year demonstrates the tremendous impact tight ends have in this league. One need not look further than Jimmy Graham (NO), Vernon Davis (SF), Jordan Cameron (CLE), Jason Witten (DAL), and the aforementioned Gronkowski, Gates, and Thomas to appreciate the considerable value tight ends bring to an offense and there is little doubt that Green will boast similar impact this season and beyond.