This year’s crop of rookies holds some promise for the future. There are some rookies that were so highly touted that they were able to push future hall of fame veterans to the side. Let’s take a look at some of the top rookies and see what these players can expect as they step on to an NFL field for the first time.

Andrew Luck – QB – Indianapolis Colts
The experts make note that Andrew Luck is entering a situation that is very similar to the one Cam Newton inherited last season when Newton wound up being the offensive rookie of the year. Luck has one veteran receiver and the rest of the offense is suspect at best. But a 5 dimes review of Newton’s impact on the Panthers shows that Newton went out and made his own impact with his legs. Cam Newton did throw for a rookie single season passing record in 2011, but it was his legs that made the difference. Andrew Luck can run, but he is not Cam Newton. The first season in Indy could be a challenge for Luck.

Robert Griffin III – QB – Washington Redskins
No one was surprised when the Redskins quietly handed the starting quarterback job to RG3 the day he arrived in the nation’s capital. Griffin has the chance to make a good team even better. If the Redskins had a real quarterback last season, it could have made the playoffs. RG3 has the potential to make the biggest impact of any rookie this season, but it is because he also has the strongest supporting cast of any rookie as well.

Trent Richardson – RB – Cleveland Browns
NBA blog writers often talk about rookies having problems adjusting to the pro game when coming from college. In football, the most difficult position to adjust to when going from college to pro is running back. More than one rookie running back has had promise and then had that promise taken from him because he could not handle the physical nature of being an NFL running back. Jahvid Best of the Detroit Lions has amazing potential but he has been injured since his rookie season. The Browns drafted Richardson to replace the departed Peyton Hillis. It is doubtful that Richardson will be able to make an impact in his first year when he could very well spend that year on the sidelines with an injury.

Morris Claiborne – CB – Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys have finally added speed and strength to the defensive backfield to help its embattled safeties. Claiborne has a lot of skill, and he would fit right in with defensive coordinator Rex Ryan’s system. The Cowboys will bring Claiborne along slowly, but he will be making an impact by the end of the season.

Click here for more information on how top rookies change the betting odds for NFL teams.

As the teams settle in with their new free agents and rookie draft picks, the questions start to arise as to which teams will be contenders in the AFC and which teams will be left out of the equation when the playoffs roll around. Some teams made themselves centers of speculation with offseason moves, while other teams are in the picture because they just seem to belong there.

Buffalo Bills
The price per head experts could ignore the Buffalo Bills this season, as they do every season, if it wasn’t for the smart moves the Bills made on defense aside from signing Mario Williams. The Bills also signed pass rusher Mark Anderson from New England to help current pass rusher Kyle Williams and the newly acquired Mario Williams rush the passer. Then the Bills drafted shut down corner Stephon Gilmore who will start for the Bills in 2012. If the Bills’ offense can live up to its expectations in 2012, then this could be an interesting team to watch.

New England Patriots
Patriots fans are concerned about the fact that star wide receiver Wes Welker does not have a contract yet. A 5 dimes review of the Patriots’ success to this point shows that if Welker does not sign, then the Patriots will go out and find someone who will sign and be successful in that offense. The questions surrounding the Patriots still concern the defense. But the Patriots have always been good enough to compete during the regular season.

Houston Texans
The Texans played most of last season without Mario Williams as Williams was injured early in the season. The injury that halted the Texans’ season was to quarterback Matt Schaub. The Texans made some moves on the offensive line and look to compete again in 2012. If Schaub can stay healthy, then the Texans are a Super Bowl contender.

Baltimore Ravens
Everyone has already forgotten about the Baltimore Ravens even though it was the Ravens who barely lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game last year. Baltimore never seems to get older, it just seems to get better. Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will be back on defense this season and the notion that the team will sign running back Ray Rice is being treated as a foregone conclusion. The team has confidence in quarterback Joe Flacco even though quarterback seemed to be the one weak point in the team last season. Look for the Ravens to dominate the AFC North this season and contend for a Super Bowl berth again.

Denver Broncos
Even the basketball news writers in Denver have been speculating about how Peyton Manning will affect Denver. The Broncos already have a very good defense and one of the best place kickers in all of football. It was the defense and the place kicker that made Tim Tebow so great in Denver. With Manning under center and a corps of young and talented receivers on the field, the Broncos are formidable. But without a running game, Denver may not be a contender.

Just when the 2012 Kentucky Derby betting started to rightfully take over the sports headlines for the week, the sudden and shocking news of the passing of former San Diego Chargers’ linebacker Junior Seau was released. The authorities are investigating the incident as a suicide but, to this point, nothing has been definitively determined yet.

The worst thing that football fans and football critics can do is speculate on the reasons for this tragedy. Junior Seau was one of the top linebackers and leaders to ever play the game. He will be a first ballot hall of famer and he will be remembered for all of the charity work he did all over the country. May he rest in peace.

Yes, the Saints are Done for 2012

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has been put in a position where he has needed to make some difficult decisions regarding some high profile topics. The online sports book experts thought the Saints were in trouble when head coach Sean Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 season and assistant coach Joe Vitt was suspended for the first six games of the 2012 season. Now that defensive leader and linebacker Jonathan Vilma has been suspended for the 2012 season as well, you can put a fork in the Saints’ 2012 season. It does not help that pass rusher Will Smith was also suspended for the first four games of the 2012 season as well.

The price per head sportsbook experts are anticipating appeals from all four of the players that were suspended (only two of the suspended players, Smith and Vilma, still play for the Saints), but the suspensions are expected to be upheld. With quarterback Drew Brees still refusing to sign his franchise tag and no long-term contract being agreed to, the Saints fans are in for a very long 2012 season.

C’mon Rex! Make Up Your Mind!

A sportsbook review of the Jets’ offseason shows chaos and uncertainty. The Jets angered quarterback Mark Sanchez by being active players in the Peyton Manning sweepstakes. Then, just when it looked like Sanchez was back in place with a new contract extension, the Jets brought in former Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow. At first, head coach Rex Ryan made it clear that Mark Sanchez is the New York starter and that Tebow will only play in select offensive schemes. But as the days go by, Ryan continues to praise the progress of Tebow without saying much about Sanchez. As the 2012 season approaches, the Jets fans have absolutely no idea what to expect from their team as it gets ready to take the field.

Broncos All Set at Quarterback

Even the basketball news writers knew that the Broncos had secured its immediate quarterback future with the acquisition of Peyton Manning. When the Broncos drafted quarterback Brock Osweiler in the second round of the NFL draft, Denver solved all of its quarterback problems for the next 10 years, and possibly beyond. If the Broncos can get three productive years from Manning, and Manning can take the time to mentor Osweiler, then the Broncos could have one of the best quarterback situations in the league.

New York Jets
The Jets could either be a great team in 2012, or it could a circus that falls flat on its face. The Jets have made commitments to wide receiver Santonio Holmes even though Holmes has publicly criticized quarterback Mark Sanchez. The Jets were very much a part of the Peyton Manning sweepstakes, which cost the team dearly when it had to pay Mark Sanchez more money to stay when Manning went to Denver. Then the price per head bookie experts were floored when the Jets brought in Tim Tebow from Denver.

Rex Ryan has proven to be a good football coach, but he has no clue how to create a cohesive locker room. There are no leaders in the Jets’ locker room. There are only disgruntled players and troublemakers. To drop Tim Tebow in the middle of that and think that Tebow is going to change the Jets’ culture is bad planning. Especially when the current starting quarterback has already been through the ringer about his job security. The Jets will be a circus that will fall on its face this season, and it has no one to blame but itself.

San Diego Chargers
The Chargers keep on losing and head coach Norv Turner keeps on coming back for another season. A 5 dimes review of the Chargers’ for the last two years shows a good football team that did not have the discipline to make the playoffs. Obviously, the combination of head coach Turner and quarterback Philip Rivers does not work. But the Chargers’ ownership is willing to go again with that duo and try to make a winner out of the San Diego Chargers. It is not happening, and Chargers’ fans can look for more of the same in 2012.

Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears bring in wide receiver Brandon Marshall and suddenly everyone in Chicago is expecting a Super Bowl berth. Even the hockey news writers in Chicago know that the problems in the Bears’ organization run much deeper than just a star wide receiver. The offense is a mess and the departure of offensive coordinator Mike Martz may help a little. But Jay Cutler is not the franchise quarterback that everyone wants him to be and the team is still having problems convincing running back Matt Forte to come to training camp. There are high expectations for the Bears in 2012 that the team is incapable of living up to.

Atlanta Falcons
The thing about the Atlanta Falcons is that it has had a good offense for two straight years but a lousy defense. The reason that quarterback Matt Ryan made so many fourth quarter comebacks is because he had to. The price per head sports experts wanted to see some activity on the defense by Atlanta to give the Falcons any hope for the 2012 season. With the signings of linebacker Lofa Tatupu and defensive end John Abraham, the Falcons finally have some leadership on the defensive side of the ball. If Atlanta can make a couple of key pickups in the draft for the secondary, then this team will win the NFC South.
Predicted Finish: First

New Orleans Saints
It is important to remember that every team in the NFC South, with the exception of the New Orleans Saints, will improve in 2012. But someone has to finish towards the bottom of the division, and it will not be the Saints. The only thing that changes this is if the Saints are really so stubborn that it will not sign quarterback Drew Brees to a long-term deal. With all of the suspensions and controversy going on, it is hard to believe that the Saints are not frantic about signing the best player the team has. Sportsbook reviews of the last few seasons show that Brees is the only thing that holds this team together. If the Saints sign Brees, then it has a chance at competing. If the Saints do not sign Brees, the move the Saints to the bottom of the division and move everyone else up one spot.
Predicted Finish: Second

Carolina Panthers
Before the fans in Carolina get carried away, it is important to remember that the Panthers are more than just a great quarterback away from becoming a playoff team. The Panthers still need a running game, a tight end and a better offensive line to have a complete offense. It would also be nice to have a wide receiver to compliment Steve Smith. But the Panthers have a good defense, and it can build its offense around quarterback Cam Newton. As long as Carolina keeps making the right moves, it will keep moving up in the standings.
Predicted Finish: Third

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As was mentioned earlier, someone has to finish last. Just because the Buccaneers finish least in the NFC South does not mean it will be a bad team. But even soccer blog writers know that it takes more than a season to rebuild a football team. The Bucs will be competitive, but it may take a year or two for the new talent to start to gel.
Predicted Finish: Fourth

Philadelphia Eagles
If there is one thing the online betting sites have learned it is that Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid knows what he is doing. After watching the decline of former Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb in recent years, many fans are starting to wonder if maybe it was McNabb that was holding the Eagles back all of those years. With Michael Vick in place, the team seems more stable and ready to win. The Eagles made some good offseason free agent moves on defense and the offensive line to fix the problems from last season. The price per head sports experts are ready to watch the Eagles soar in 2012.
Predicted Finish: First

New York Giants
The Giants lost wide receiver Mario Manningham in free agency, but this team is still essentially intact. The defense will return next year and it was the defense that had a lot to do with the Giants’ Super Bowl win. The one area that the Giants will look to improve in this offseason is the running game. Despite a weak running game, the Giants were able to pull out some tough playoff wins mostly due to Eli Manning’s arm. Sportsbook reviews of the way that Tom Coughlin and the Giants do things show that the team will make the playoffs, but it just won’t dominate during the regular season.
Predicted Finish: Second

Washington Redskins
The Redskins went 5-11 last year despite having a strong defense. Even the hockey news writers tried to warn the Redskins that it had no starting quarterback going in to the 2011 season. But head coach Mike Shanahan and offensive coordinator, and Shanahan’s son, Kyle Shanahan really thought that if Rex Grossman couldn’t cut it at quarterback, then John Beck would. For all that he has accomplished in his career, Mike Shanahan is developing the reputation as a failed coach and a tyrannical leader. But the Redskins are just a quarterback away from being a much better team in 2012. Cam Newton joined a bad Carolina Panthers team and made that team better. Robert Griffin III will join a good Redskins team that he can potentially turn in to a contender some day.
Predicted Finish: Third

Dallas Cowboys
If it weren’t for the New York Jets, then the Dallas Cowboys would be the most dysfunctional and delusional team in the NFL. Tony Romo is not a championship caliber quarterback and bringing in one good cornerback in free agency but allowing another good cornerback to leave does not solve the defensive secondary problems. The locker room atmosphere in Dallas is vicious and the team is suspect at best.
Predicted Finish: Fourth

Perhaps the biggest move was when Peyton Manning moved from the AFC South to the AFC West to become a member of the Denver Broncos. Will Andrew Luck be able to come in as a rookie quarterback and bring the Colts back to prominence? It probably will not happen this season, but many are expecting great things for the Colts in the future. Let’s take a look at how the AFC South will shake out and how the sportsbook reviews could rank the teams when the preseason begins.

Houston Texans
Let’s not kid ourselves about the Texans. Houston played most of the 2011 season without Mario Williams and still made the playoffs. It was the Williams injury compounded by the injury to quarterback Matt Schaub that did the Texans in. Houston is a well-coached team that has a roster of extremely talented players. To think that losing one linebacker is going to set this defense back is not thinking straight. Defensive coordinator Wade Philips knows what he is doing and head coach Gary Kubiak will make sure that this team is ready to compete in 2012.
Projected Finish: First

Tennessee Titans
The price per head sports experts are quietly impressed with what has been going on in Tennessee since head coach Jeff Fisher was let go. The team has a veteran quarterback in Matt Hasselbeck who is bringing along second-year quarterback Jake Locker. The Titans are finally stable at quarterback for the next few years, barring an injury to Locker. The Titans can run the ball very well and are able to put offensive pressure on just about any defense. The only question that needs to be answered is how much of a gap in the defense the departure of cornerback Cortland Finnegan will create. It looks like the Titans will try to fill that gap in the draft and that may not be so easy.
Predicted Finish: Second

Indianapolis Colts
No one expects a lot from the bottom two teams in the AFC South, and with good reason. The only reason that the Colts are ahead of the Jaguars is because the quarterback prospects in Indianapolis are better than anything the Jaguars can produce. There is no doubt that the Colts are starting over and doing a complete rebuild after allowing players like Peyton Manning, Dallas Clark and Jeff Saturday to leave the team. Everyone knows that the new quarterback in Indianapolis will be Andrew Luck. Aside from veteran wide receiver Reggie Wayne, there are a lot of questions about what kind of team the Colts will put around Luck.
Predicted Finish: Third

Jacksonville Jaguars
The basketball news will get a lot more attention in Jacksonville than the football team will. New head coach Mike Mularkey does not inspire confidence and neither does second-year quarterback Blaine Gabbert. It will be a long season in Jacksonville.

New England Patriots (Projected Finish: First)
The rest of the AFC East has made some moves but no one has made any moves that would indicate that they could take the division from the Patriots. It may be more of a battle this year for New England, but the Belichick crew should come through this year. The price per head bookie experts have noticed that the Patriots lost some key defensive players in free agency and did not pick up anyone of note. The Patriots need help on defense and that help may come in the draft. This season will be close for New England and it will be interesting to see if the team runs away with the division this year or if they barely take the title.

Buffalo Bills (Projected Finish: Second)
The Bills needed to address its defensive issues and it did so in a big way. The Bills signed prized defensive free agent Mario Williams from the Houston Texans and then signed defensive end Mark Anderson from the Patriots. Now the Bills could have one of the best pass rushes in the AFC. But sportsbook reviews of the defensive secondary, wide receiving corps and linebacker positions show that the Bills still have a long way to go to be a real contender. Buffalo is making the moves to become a better team, but right now Buffalo is just the best of the bad bunch that follows New England.

New York Jets (Projected Finish: Third)
The Jets are getting really hard to figure out lately. Wide receiver Santonio Holmes is labeled as a locker room cancer but the team actively pursues his re-signing. The team enters the Peyton Manning circus for just a little while and then apologizes to current quarterback Mark Sanchez with a rich three-year contract extension. Then the Jets bring in quarterback Tim Tebow for reasons still unknown. Head coach Rex Ryan loves the spotlight and he will get plenty of it this season as the Jets struggle to attain an 8-8 record by season’s end.

Miami Dolphins (Projected Finish: Fourth)
Even the basketball news outlets were following Peyton Manning around for two weeks as one of the most coveted free agents in history was trying to figure out where he will set up his new cubicle for 2012. The Dolphins were rejected by Peyton Manning, Alex Smith and Matt Flynn and not in that order. The Dolphins answered by signing former Jaguars quarterback David Garrard. It is going to be a long season on South Beach in 2012.

Peyton Manning Becomes a Bronco
The price per head bookie experts are having a hard time keeping up with all of the angles that this story creates. If you accept the fact that Peyton Manning has three, maybe four, good years left in him, then this move can be hard for Indianapolis fans to accept. But Colts’ fans need to look at what is really going on and understand why this was the right move for owner Jim Irsay to make.

A quarterback like Andrew Luck comes along once every decade or so. The last time there was a chance to draft a quarterback like Luck was when the Colts drafted Peyton Manning. The Colts are not just swapping out quarterbacks, it is rebuilding. Just like the Colts team was built around Peyton Manning, this new Colts team will be build around Andrew Luck. Manning’s offensive weapons are old and the team wants to bring in a whole new look to build around Luck. It is a smart move.

For the Broncos, this is also a smart move. The sportsbook reviews love to give Tim Tebow all of the credit for the Broncos’ success last year, but the truth is that the Broncos’ defense and field goal kicker is what won those games. When Denver plugs in a Peyton Manning into a team that is ready for success now, the Broncos get a Super Bowl contender. The Colts, even with Manning at quarterback, are not going to be a Super Bowl contender for many years. What Jim Irsay did was show the ultimate respect to Peyton Manning and give Peyton a chance to win one or two more Super Bowls before he retires.

The Bounty Hunters
The New Orleans Saints are in big trouble for the 2012 season. Even the hockey news headlines talked about the suspensions and fines that came down from commissioner Roger Goodell in the Saints’ bounty scandal. Head coach Sean Payton is suspended for the 2012 season, assistant head coach Joe Vitt is gone for six games and general manager Mickey Loomis is out for eight games. Those suspensions alone change the entire complexion of the Saints’ team. That is not even including the potential punishments that will be handed out to between 22 and 25 players for their roles in the scandal.

Now the Saints go into the season without their head coach on the sidelines and with a star quarterback in Drew Brees who is still refusing to sign his franchise tag. The Saints’ players are already chilling the champagne to celebrate their glorious rise to the top of the NFL despite these obstacles. But the reality is that the Saints are probably not going to be anywhere near the team they used to be, especially when players start getting suspended and fined.

Reggie Wayne – WR – Indianapolis Colts
You can believe that the people of Indianapolis were watching the March Madness spreads even as the NFL free agency period started. But they put down their college newspapers when they heard that veteran wide receiver Reggie Wayne has decided to stay with the Colts. The long standing perception was that Wayne would wait to see where Peyton Manning would go and then get signed by that team. But Wayne proved that he is not part of a package deal when he decided to stay in Indianapolis for three more years.

Vincent Jackson – WR – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The price per head sports experts have been impressed with how active the Buccaneers have been in this free agency period. The faith the franchise has in quarterback Josh Freeman is obvious now with the team shelling out $56 million over five years to get wide receiver Vincent Jackson. The Bucs also went out and signed offensive guard Carl Nicks from the New Orleans Saints. Tampa Bay is addressing a lot of needs in free agency and that leaves the door open for an interesting draft from Tampa.

Robert Meachem – WR – San Diego Chargers
When quarterback Drew Brees got the franchise tag in New Orleans and wide receiver Marques Colston got the big contract, it just seemed like there was no room in New Orleans for Robert Meachem. A sportsbook review of the moves made by the Chargers shows that Meachem is being brought in to replace Vincent Jackson as the deep threat on the San Diego offense. History will probably show that the Chargers got the short end of this deal and that losing Jackson is going to be more important than San Diego may have initially anticipated.

Cortland Finnegan – CB – St. Louis Rams
After a lot of years with the Tennessee organization, Cortland Finnegan follows his old head coach to St. Louis and signs with the Rams. Finnegan signed a five-year, $50 million deal with St. Louis that is worth a guaranteed $27 million. Finnegan is aggressive and fast, but his temper has been known to get him in trouble at times. He may be a bad ingredient to add to a St. Louis team that is already undisciplined.

Brandon Carr – CB – Dallas Cowboys
Dallas sports fans are patiently watching for the NBA trade deadline 2012 to see who the Mavericks bring in to help the team. In the meantime, the Dallas Cowboys have finally solved the problem it has had at cornerback for the past three years. Carr is a definite upgrade and he will help improve a struggling Dallas defense.