10 Things You Should be Watching In The 2015 NFL Preseason

  The NFL regular season is getting closer and it appears that it'll be another great year, after a very exciting offseason. But, before the regular season kicks off, the best indicator of how good your favorite team is going to be is usually seen in the preseason.

Every year in the preseason there should be key things to look for to help you figure things out for the regular season. I made a list of 10 things that you should keep your eye on during the preseason to prepare you for the 2015 regular season.

1. The Philadelphia Eagles: During the offseason, the Eagles got a makeover to their entire team. The key pieces to a very productive offense are no long with the team. Running back, Lesean McCoy was traded to Buffalo for Linebacker Kiko Alonso and a draft pick; Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin was able to walk as a free agent, joining his former coach Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs; Quarterback Nick Foles was traded to the Rams for Quarterback Sam Bradford, who is coming off an ACL injury (his second to the same knee). The Eagles brought in the 2014 rushing leader, Demarco Murray and also signed running back Ryan Matthews. Also, the Eagles have some new additions to defense. They signed former Seattle Seahawk cornerback Byron Maxwell to help out a very pedestrian secondary and added cornerback Eric Rowe via this years' draft. Chip Kelly in his first two seasons has a record of 20-12, going 10-6 in both seasons, in year three Kelly could either be looked as the best coach in the league or all of these movements could cost him his job in Philly.

2. Adrian Peterson: After being suspended for the 2014 season for legal issues, all-pro running back Adrian Peterson seems determined to have an outstanding 2015 season. The Minnesota Vikings look like they finally have their franchise quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater to help take some pressure off the aging Peterson. In preseason it will be interesting to see how much they use Peterson. After being out of football for nearly a full season, you have to think that they want to make sure he's still in primed football shape. However, you also have to think about Peterson being another year, they'll probably want to use him as little as possible. With a new contract extension and missing nearly all of 2014 you have to believe that Peterson has a lot to prove in 2015.

3. The Bills' Quarterback Competition: It's no secret that the Buffalo Bills' offense has some dangerous weapons on the offensive side of the ball. However, the most important position, the quarterback position looks very mediocre on paper. After given a chance to make an impact, it seems that former first-round pick E.J. Manuel is not ready to be a starting quarterback in this league and could be a "bust"; Tyrod Taylor is a very good backup quarterback but I don't think he's a franchise quarterback or could be trusted as a full-time starter; Matt Cassel isn't a bad quarterback, but he hasn't seemed the same after leaving Kansas City and it seemed that his best years were spent backing up Tom Brady in New England. With the addition of running back Lesean McCoy, and having receivers like Sammy Watkins and Robert Woods, whom ever wins this starting job shouldn't have a very tough job. At best they'll need someone to just manage the offense and make limited mistakes. With what looks to be a top-10 defense, on paper, it seems this Bills' team is just one piece away from being a contender in the AFC and maybe the Super Bowl - This Bills' team with new Head Coach Rex Ryan reminds me a lot of the 2010 New York Jets. They had a very good team overall, but the quarterback position seemed to be one of their weakest.

4. The 49ers' New Look: With a lot of change in the bay area this offseason, the San Francisco 49ers have a lot to prove in 2015 playing in one of the most difficult divisions in the league. This can be the year that quarterback, Colin Kaepernick proves that he is one of the best in the league and that he's ready to be mentioned with the Brady's and Rodgers' of the league. But with several of the best defensive players retiring, including Patrick Willis and Justin Smith, and former all-pro defensive end-linebacker hybrid Aldon Smith being released it'll be interesting to see how the pass-rush looks in 2015. However, the biggest loss could be someone who didn't play one down with the team - former head coach Jim Harbaugh not being there could have the biggest impact on the team and their mindset, in my opinion. With additions to the team like Reggie Bush and Torrey Smith it'll be interesting to see what this 49ers team can put together in 2015.

5. Any Progress in Jacksonville: The Jacksonville Jaguars have been at the bottom of the division and the league for nearly a decade. After hiring head coach Gus Bradley it seems like the Jags are finally starting to put together a decent team. Entering his fourth year as the coach, Bradley has to prove that this team can compete with the best teams day-in and day-out. But, most of all, Blake Bortles has to show major improvement from his rookie season and show that he was deserving of being selected third overall (ahead of Teddy Bridgewater) and can be the player that analysts and coaches believed that he could be. After what looked to be a successful draft, on paper, it'll be be interesting to see if these players can play at the next level. Players like running back, T.J. Yeldon; wide receivers, Marquese Lee and Allen Robinson (both entering their second year) this offense looks poised to be more productive in 2015 than it was in 2014, finishing second to last in total offense and had the third worst third-down efficiency. I believe that 2015 could be Bradley's last chance to show improvement before the organization chooses to go in a new direction.

6. Daaaah Bears!: With former Denver Broncos head coach John Fox taking over in Chicago it'll be interesting to see the dysfunctional aftermath of what was the Chicago Bears. The biggest concern for Bears' fans seems to be Jay Cutler. With Brandon Marshall now in New York, it's up to Alshon Jeffrey to step up and be the true number one target. The Bears look to have found a great second option in the NFL draft, with Kevin White. However, Kevin White is battling a shin injury and is projected to miss a few weeks of the regular season. Preseason is the perfect time to see who will help Cutler, Jeffrey and running back Matt Forte in this offense. Right now, it looks as if Marquess Wilson or Eddie Royal will have to play that role but there are big question marks surrounding both players - Royal wasn't that productive in San Diego in his last few seasons there and Marquess Wilson was injured for majority of 2014, leaving questions about how he'll fit in the teams' offense.

7. Is Foles Gold?: The St. Louis Rams made a surprising trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, trading veteran and former first-round draft pick Sam Bradford for Nick Foles - who nobody is really sure of outside of the Chip Kelly offense.  2015 is a big year for Foles and the Rams. Foles has to prove that he's bigger than the Chip Kelly offense and that he's a serious NFL quarterback that wasn't a product of the system in Philadelphia. With what could be the toughest division in football, in the NFC west, Foles can make a serious name for himself and could earn himself a lot of money if he can carry this team to the playoffs or even better, win the division, in 2015. With the Rams' defense already being one of the best over the last two season, it's Foles' job to help the offense catch up and it'll be his year to prove he is the man for the job.

8. The Injury Bug: Every season during the preseason, there seems to be at least one major injury that happens. This year, see which players are playing less and keep up with who suffers minor/major injuries through August. Injuries are an ugly part of the game, none the less they're still part of it. The biggest reasons to focus on these injuries: First, they can happen to your team or a division rivals team which could impact your teams' season; second, if you're a big fantasy football player, it can impact the team that you have or the way that you draft. The preseason definitely show's what teams are made of when some of their best players go down; depth in the NFL is huge and injuries highlight that.

9. Jimmy Garoppolo: After the biggest story line of the past 6-7 months, "deflategate", starting quarterback, Tom Brady has been suspended for four games and is steal going to court over this issue after losing his appeal. For now, for the first four games of the season, Jimmy Garoppolo has to approach this preseason as the starter and his play could be detrimental to the outcome of the first four games of the regular season and that could impact the remainder of the season. If Garappolo could get a solid chemistry and be consistent in the offense, realistically, he could walk away with a record of 2-2 or better. I believe that he should be taking more snaps than Brady as preseason advances and we should see where his progress is by week 4 of preseason.

10. Roster Moves: Throughout the preseason you'll see a lot of teams dropping players, some may be key players and some are obviously guys that they bring in to compete for the final 53-man roster. This is like a whole new wave of free agency. You want to watch to see what impact players don't make it on one team but gets picked up by another team. This is huge to keep an eye on around week 3. More players get cut, which means bigger names. You know what they say, 'one teams bench player is another teams pro bowler' ...Well, maybe they don't say it but we've seen it happen before... With injuries likely to happen, the roster moves can have a major impact on a teams season. 

  If you pay attention to these 10 things throughout the remainder of preseason, you'll be more prepared for the regular season - no matter if you're worried about the team that you're a fan of or your fantasy team. The NFL regular season is just around the corner and it'll officially be here Thursday, Sept.10, as the New England Patriots take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on NBC.

Can Kaepernick Prove He's Elite?

  

In 2014 the San Francisco 49ers made a drop off in the conference and their division, with a record of 8-8, finishing third in the division behind the Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks. A large part of the past few years of success has come behind the 49ers' defense, former Head Coach Jim Harbaugh, former running back Frank Gore and their dual-threat quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

In the 2014-15 season: Kaepernick passed for 3,369 yards, 19 touchdowns and had 10 interceptions to go along with it; also, he accounted for over 600-yards rushing, one touchdown and lost five of his eight fumbles (stats via cbssports.com) 
 
Kaepernick, 27, will be entering his third straight season as the starting quarterback for the 49ers. Since being named the starter, several weeks into the 2012 season, he [Kaepernick] has shown that he's more than capable of being the starter in the NFL. He's taken the team to the playoffs in numerous occasions, has playoff success and even played in the Super Bowl within three years of being in the league. However, after regressing (record wise) in 2014, what will the future hold for this able-bodied quarterback? With the team making immense changes, how will that impact Kaepernick in the upcoming season? Former Head Coach, Jim Harbaugh parted ways with the team to go back and coach at the college level; wide receivers, Michael Crabtree and Stevie Johnson both left the team due to free agency; and the team will be without hall-of-fame running back Frank Gore, who was a free agent and chose to reunite with former Miami Hurricane teammate, Andre Johnson in Indianapolis. All of these changes adds to the pressure for Kaepernick. Yes, he did just receive a new contract that makes him more of the franchise player. However, this will be the first full year that Kaepernick is the focal point of the offense. Anquan Boldin, 34 (turns 35 Oct. 3), isn't getting any younger and at skill positions age is crucial; all-pro tight end, Vernon Davis is another player on the 49ers' offense that is getting past his prime and injuries have plagued him over the last year or so; the 49ers' defense that has been one of the leagues' best for the past several years looks utterly different, after all-pro linebacker Patrick Willis along with several others players retired. 

Kaepernick will have to show that the defense and Harbaugh's system didn't protect him or make him look better than he actually is. But, what needs to happen, he needs to go out and show that he was the one all along that was the motor to the offense and that he's of elite status. As a starter, he has a career record of 25-14-1 (not including the playoffs).

With new Head Coach, Jim Tomsula coming in I don't think people really know what to expect. After coming off of an 8-8 season and missing out on the playoffs for the first time in three years, I don't know exactly what the San Francisco fans should be expecting in 2015. With additions of wide receiver, Torrey Smith and running back, Reggie Bush, it'll be hard to measure exactly where to put the 49ers in an overly competitive division that is the NFC West. The Seahawks have been dominating the division for the past two season and the Cardinals, last season, showed that they're an organization that is trying to win NOW! The Rams aren't overly impressive on paper, but they always play division rivals tough and it looks like they've found a quarterback that they can build around in Nick Foles (who they acquired from Eagles via trade). Kaepernick and 49ers may have their hands full in 2015.

 After having a very pedestrian 2014 season, compared to the quarterbacks that are consider "elite" or tier-one, he has to show that he belongs in the same conversation as an Andrew Luck or Cam Newton. Right now, when discussed by most analyst, they usually categorize Kapernick with quarterbacks like Andy Dalton or Ryan Tannehill, no disrespect, who are good and only show "flashes" of being great but may never be a tier-one player.

With Kapernick now being one of the veteran leaders on the offense, he must now show that he's deserving of being mentioned with the quarterbacks of "elite" status around the league. After only passing for over 200 yards in one of his last five games in 2014, he has to come out in 2015 and show that he's more than capable of being a "dink-and-dunk" passer and he's deserving of being mentioned as one of the best quarterbacks and players in the league and 2015 would be the perfect opportunity for him to prove that. 

A-Rod To The Rescue!

   In an outing against the Minnesota Twins on July 25, Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees had an spectacular performance. With A-Rod  having four times up to the plate, he had three home runs and drove in a run in the seventh inning - accounting for four runs in the game. After trailing to the Twins 5-1, entering the seventh inning, the Yankees rallied late to take the lead and win the game 8-5.

Rodriguez, 39, has 23 home runs on the season (his best since 2010), 58 runs batted in, and is batting an impressive average of .277 on the season; in the month of July, A-Rod has a season-high eight home runs.

After missing the entire 2014 season, due to using performance enhancing drugs, a lot of people doubted and questioned what A-Rod had left in him to contribute to a Yankees team that struggled over the past few seasons. Even though some fans are still upset about his lies and deceptions, A-Rod has made some fans in New York excited about September and October. The Yankees are currently in first place in their division by more than five games, with a very inconsistent Toronto team trailing them.

A-Rod is showing that he still is a threat at the plate, he still has a lot remaining in him to contribute and his veteran presence on this team seems to be making a difference in the club house. With this Yankees team there seems to be a lot still at question - the batting is at times inconsistent, the pitching is mediocre, but the team plays well together and seems to be playing for one another. Even though A-Rod didn't make the all-star team, and I believe that his numbers and play should've put him through, he's showing that there's still some gas in the tank, by having one of his best seasons in the past  five years.

I don't know if the baseball world will completely forgive A-Rod, his chances of being a hall-of-fame player seem to be a fantasy, but it seems that he's playing with a "chip" on his shoulder that has him playing with a passion that we haven't seen in years. There's still a few months left in the regular season but, at this pace, A-Rod could have the Yankees playing deep into the month of October. 

2015 Could Be Make or Break For The Bengals.

2015 is a big year for the Cincinnati Bengals. It's the final year of AJ Green's contract, Head Coach Marvin Lewis is on thin ice, Andy Dalton is on the second year of his new contract and the division (AFC North) is a very tough one, once again.

So, the AFC North seems to be a difficult one, if the Bengals don't make the playoffs no big deal, right? Wrong! The Cincinnati Bengals have been in the same position for the past four years, a good regular season but no playoff win. Marvin Lewis isn't a bad coach, I don't believe that he is. However, Coach Lewis could be in a position where his back is against the wall and he's feeling even more pressure to win a playoff game entering his 12th season as the Bengals' head coach.

Lewis is 100-90-2 in his 12 seasons with the Bengals in the regular season, 0-6 in playoff games.

A lot of analyst's and the fans in Cincinnati have high expectations for the Bengals in the 2015-16 season, yet again. After losing to the Indianapolis Colts last season and having four straight seasons with a playoff loss, some fans are beginning to lose faith in coach Lewis and his ability to lead the Bengals to a playoff win. However, the Bengals had some excuses for their short comings in the 2014-season: Marvin Jones was out for the entire season (injury), AJ Green was injured for most of the season (playoff game included), defense had key-players injured. Oh, and I don't think anybody was beating Andrew Luck on his home field.

Entering the 2015 season, no excuses, the Bengals have to show that they can take the next step or it could be the end of an era for coach Lewis and we could see the Bengals in a rebuilding stage. All the players are back healthy, Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill both have another year of experience in the Bengals' offensive scheme, and the Bengals signed Michael Johnson - who played a major role in the team's defense before signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014 - this should help to add back some much needed depth and aggression to the defensive front line.

I don't think Marvin Lewis is out for sure if the team doesn't win a playoff game, no. But there are only so many chances to prove yourself in today's NFL (ex: John Fox in Denver). Lewis has had a great run in Cincinnati and I would like to see him get this Bengals team over the playoff "hump". However, there are only so many contract extensions that a player or coach can get, I just hope Lewis isn't on his last "leg" in Cincinnati.

The Bengals open up their season on Sept. 13, traveling to Oakland,CA to battle the Raiders.

Can Mike Wallace Return To Greatness in 2015?

Former Pro-Bowl receiver Mike Wallace was traded to the Minnesota Vikings in March, one month before the NFL draft, for a fifth-round draft pick, after spending the past two seasons in Miami with the Dolphins.  In 2014, Wallace had 67 receptions, 862 yards receiving and tied his career-high touchdowns receptions with 10.

Wallace, who will be 29 before the start of the 2015 season, is going to be making a transition from an offense that was centered around the passing game, to an offense centered more around the running game. With running back, Adrian Peterson returning to the Vikings' offense it'll be the first time since Wallace left Pittsburgh that he'll be in an offense that doesn't focus on him as the primary target.  

Wallace is going into a situation that may fit his vertical style of play better, in the Norv Turner offense. Wallace is still young and has a lot in his tank. If Wallace can develop a chemistry with the second-year quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater, it could mean trouble for the defending-NFC North champions, Green Bay Packers.

Wallace has had at least 60 receptions in the past five seasons. However, every year since 2010, he [Wallace] has lost production in yards per reception and hasn't had an 1,000-yard receiving season since 2011. In 2014, he only had one 100-yard performance the entire season ( 12/14 @ New England).  

I believe that Wallace is going to be back in top form in 2015 ... but only time will tell.

How DeAndre Jordan Shook Up Free Agency in One Day.

  All-NBA Third-Team Center, DeAndre Jordan was set to go to the Dallas Mavericks until it reached the time to sign the deal. Jordan started the day a Maverick (unofficially), ended it as a Clipper, again. The entire day was full of excitement for NBA fans, reporters, and everyone on twitter. At around 12:01 a.m. ET, Jordan signed a four-year deal that would put him back with the Clippers. contract details via LA Times.

From left to right: DeAndre Jordan, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Doc Rivers

It was reported that free agent, DeAndre Jordan was going to sign with the Dallas Mavericks and leave the Los Angeles Clippers nearly a week ago. However, on July 8, the day before free agents could officially sign with the teams they verbally committed with, something happened. There were numerous reports that poured out in the early afternoon that the Clippers were going to make another offer to Jordan, in hopes that he would re-sign with the Clippers.

Throughout the afternoon, things got very interesting on twitter about the entire situation. There was an "emoji war" on twitter between players from both teams .. even the Warriors, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan's social media team got involved... and throughout the rest of the day it was looking more and more like Jordan was leaning toward signing back with the Clippers. I'll give Chandler Parsons all of the credit, though, it appeared that he started that emoji battle - tweeting out an airplane emoji (insinuating that he was flying to help persuade Jordan to join the Mavericks) - after it was reported that Doc Rivers, J.J. Redick and Blake Griffin were going to make a trip to Houston, Texas to try and persuade Jordan to re-sign with the Clippers.

Chandler Parsons' Tweet
J.J. Redick's Tweet
 Kobe Bryant's Tweet

@Jumpman23 Tweet

At night it seemed to be some type of hostage situation that was taking place. Jordan was in his home with Rivers, Redick, Griffin and Chris Paul and it was reported that they weren't letting anyone outside of the house in (including Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban). I don't know what took place in the house and I don't believe every report that I see or hear. But it seemed that Jordan had used the past week to reflect on the decision he had made and the position of the two teams. Even though there were reports that Jordan and  Chris Paul had issues and saying that Paul would "push" him too hard at times, I believe that maybe Jordan realized that he needed that type of motivation. Or maybe he realized that the Clippers' organization was built and ready to win, now, and not closer to the rebuilding stage, like the Mavericks.

There has been a lot of backlash with Jordan's decision to change his mind about joining the Mavericks. I believe that as an athlete he has every right to do so, it's not breaking the rules or the law. College players change their minds after making verbal commitments all the time. I believe that Jordan and the Clippers situation is severally strange, yes. But it has also made this free agency the most entertaining since LeBron's "decision" episode. 

What Did DeAndre Jordan Get Himself Into?

  The seven-foot-tall all-star Center and rebounding specialist, DeAndre Jordan reached a deal with the Dallas Mavericks. Jordan, who was an unrestricted free agent, chose not to return to Los Angeles  and play with the Clippers, after spending his first seven years with the organization; Jordan was named to the 2014-15 All-NBA third-team, for the first time in his career, after averaging 11.5 points per game,  15 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. Stats via NBA.com

Jordan was drafted in 2008 in the second round by the Clippers.

DeAndre Jordan, 26, has yet to reach his prime and the past two seasons he's been a great rebounding and defensive threat, around the rim. It's been reported by several outlets that Jordan's decision not to return to the Clippers was mostly due to his relationship with all-pro guard, Chris Paul. Even during the NBA season it was said that Paul and Jordan didn't have the best relationship, off the court. According to a source close to the team, Jordan doesn't like to be "pushed" and likes to do things his own way, on his time. This would explain the issues, if there are truly issues, that Paul and Jordan have or had.

 It's no secret, Paul is the type of player to get in his teammates face's and will try his best to "fire them up", and in a sense "push" them to try and get the most out of them. That doesn't work for every player. But, in my opinion, that doesn't make Paul the "bad guy", nor should it be his fault for Jordan's departure. If you think about it, all of the GREAT players "push" their teammates. It's known that Michael Jordan was a guy that would get in your  face if you weren't performing well, Kobe Bryant has been talked about for his "tough love" with his teammates, Magic Johnson was this way. Paul "pushing" Jordan is natural. It shouldn't be blown up to make Paul look like a control freak. Honestly, it should have shown teams that Jordan isn't overly dedicated, he's simply a player who lets his natural ability take control. He may give you 99 percent, won't give 110.

With Jordan joining the Dallas Mavericks, after being one of the most sought after free agents, what does that mean for his expectations?  Well, he's going to an organization that is known for winning and they already have a pretty good team around him. Will Jordan be asked to play the Tyson Chandler role? or Will they expect him to give more offensively? We all know that Jordan can jump out of the gym, any given night. However, he's still a player with limited post moves, he doesn't have a mid-range shot, nor can he create his own shot. ...Oh yeah, he can't really shoot free throws well either...  Most of Jordan's points come from screens and designed plays that involve him dunking the ball. If the Mavericks just have expectations of him playing the Tyson Chandler role, he'll be fine. But, if they're expecting more offensively, they may have some regrets on the contract amount.

Contract details via Fox Sports.

DeAndre Jordan is a phenomenal athlete, obviously, and I believe that his decision to join the Mavericks was made in he and his families best interest - he'll be back in Texas, closer to his family and friends - and I'm sure that they [the Mavericks] believe that he can help get them back to another NBA finals.