Green Bay Packers
The Packers are well known for possessing exceptional depth at wide receiver and that trend rolls on into the 2014 season. Despite losing Greg Jennings after the 2012 season and James Jones this past free agency, Green Bay possesses another top-five receiving corps. It’s not just high-quality starting wide receivers, but they also have young wide receivers ready for breakout seasons and others waiting in the wings.
The head of the food chain at wide receiver is Jordy Nelson, who set a career-high last season in receptions (85) and receiving yards (1.314) all with Aaron Rodgers missing half the season. Jordy normally lined up on the outside but when Randall Cobb broke his fibula, Nelson saw more work in the slot.
While Nelson was the star wide receiver last season, there is a real chance he could be surpassed by Cobb given time. Cobb missed 10 games last season with a broken fibula, and it couldn’t have come at a worse time as his role was skyrocketing in the offense.
When Cobb was on the field, most of his work came in the slot and he was very successful. Now healthy, Cobb should be moved around a lot more this year in order to create matchup problems. If Green Bay can only bring back one of Cobb or Jordy, we will likely see Cobb return.
Cobb and Nelson are the headliners, but we also saw Jarrett Boykin have a nice breakthrough season last year as well. The 24-year-old did a nice job picking up receptions, finishing with 49 for 681 receiving yards. Boykin showed enough that general manager Ted Thompson was comfortable with letting Jones leave for Oakland as a free agent.
Three other names to keep an eye on are Davante Adams, Chris Harper and Jared Abbrederis. Adams was one of the best receivers in college football last season and Green Bay took him with their second round pick. Meanwhile, Abbrederis is a Wisconsin native who runs clean routes. The diamond in the rough might be Harper, who Green Bay claimed off waivers last year and is now shining in camp.
Minnesota Vikings
As the Vikings continue to sort out their quarterback situation, one area they can feel comfortable about is the offensive line. Whenever Teddy Bridgewater wins the starting job, he will walk into a great situation with strong protection in front of him. A good offensive line also means good things for Adrian Peterson as he hopes to bounce back from a disappointing 2013 season.
The left side of Minnesota’s offensive line is a mixed bag of good and bad. Matt Kalil battled injuries last season but when healthy is a very good left tackle. Charlie Johnson has largely been a disappointment and now will battle it out with David Yankey for the starting job at left guard.
Manning the middle of the offensive line is veteran John Sullivan. The 28-year-old has been one of the few bright spots on the Vikings’ offense over the past two years but with the improvements on the right side, Sullivan is starting to get help as well.
The right side of Minnesota’s offensive line was quite underrated last season. Right guard Brandon Fusco took over the starting job in 2012 and really made a name for himself last season. The 25-year-old is a dominant run blocker, creating plenty of running lanes for Peterson to find and gash the interior of the defense. He still needs to improve in pass protection but that’s why the Vikings were willing to spend to keep Phil Loadholt. Loadholt received a lot of criticism earlier in his career for his dreadful play, but since has developed into one of the best right tackles in the NFC.
Detroit Lions
The Lions once again one of the best defensive tackle groups in the league, though there remains concern about how long they can keep it together. The Lions weren’t afraid to take risks with their picks and the rolls of the dice have paid off in a big way.
It certainly helps your depth when you have an elite player at the position, Ndamukong Suh, has been one of the best in the game since he came into the league in 2010. Suh’s statistics may not pop out, but it’s the havoc he creates inside that causes headaches for offensive coordinators. Few players are as physical and nasty in the trenches as Suh, making him one of the most feared players in sports.
Nick Fairley faced plenty of questions surrounding his character and discipline when he entered the draft in 2011. Fairley has remained pretty clean over the past few years, showing more flashes of dominance that made scouts rave over his potential coming out. When Fairley is on, he pairs with Suh to make the nastiest interior pair in the league. The problem is, he isn’t always on and when he is struggling, he draws a lot of yellow flags. If Fairley can stay healthy and consistent in 2014, nothing can stop him and Suh from creating havoc.
The Lions have outstanding starters in Suh and Fairley, but the team also has some very good depth behind him. Defensive tackle C.J. Mosley was impressive last season in limited snaps, showing the ability to step in for Fairley when needed. The Lions also drafted Caraun Reid, who will provide great interior pass rush thanks to his quick hands.
Chicago Bears
When you are in a division that features Nelson, Cobb, Calvin Johnson, Golden Tate and Cordarrelle Patterson, it helps to have some nice depth at cornerback. The Bears go above and beyond the requirements, boasting one of the best cornerback groups in the game.
While Charles Tillman might be 34 now, he continues to be one of the better cornerbacks in the NFC, despite an injury-filled season last year. Tillman does a nice job working as the Bears’ second cornerback, as Tim Jennings continues to lock down the top spot. Jennings is in the prime of his career at the age of 30, coming off consecutive trips to the Pro Bowl. While Jennings saw a drop in interceptions from nine to four, he was still outstanding in coverage.
Chicago is already planning for its future at cornerback and wanted to add more talent at the position, so they drafted Kyle Fuller with the 14th overall pick. While Fuller dealt with some injuries in college, he was sharp for Virginia Tech as a senior. He offers nice size at 5’10” with great speed. While the measurables are great, it’s his instincts and aggressiveness that could help him push ahead of Tillman for a job on the outside. His addition has also opened up the opportunity for the Bears to move Jennings down to the slot in nickel situations as well.
The Bears could have three very good cornerbacks all on the field at the same time and some nice depth guys behind them with Kelvin Hayden and Isaiah Frey. Cornerback is a major strength for Chicago and it comes in just the right division for it.