Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. " We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.
The Cleveland Browns may have canned Romeo Crennel after a disastrous season (well, more than just one), but they aren't opposed to hiring clones of former Browns and current Patriots coach Bill Belichick. The team went from Crennel, a former defensive coordinator, to former defensive coordinator and -- most recently -- deposed Jets head coach Eric Mangini.
Offensive tackle Andre Smith became the 31st 2009 first-round draft pick to sign, coming to terms with Cincinnati. Find all the signed picks' contract details below:
While the offensive line might not represent a direct draft day decision for your roster, few areas of knowledge can offer a competitive advantage in fantasy football like having a good grasp of the various units of trench soldiers around the league. So with that in mind, each year at FanHouse we break down every NFL team's offensive lines into five tiers: the crème de la crème, the highly competent, the serviceable, the grim, and the bunk.
One day after showing up in Cleveland anticipating a deal, first-round pick Alex Mackfinally has one. The center out of California has been penciled in as the Browns' starter, so he knew that his presence at training camp from the start would be very important.
With the contract done, Mack becomes just the third first-round pick to put pen to paper on a contract, joining top-five quarterbacks Matthew Stafford (Detroit) and Mark Sanchez (N.Y. Jets).
Mack got a five-year deal from the Browns. Pro Football Talk reports the deal includes an increase in guaranteed money of 12.2 percent over what the No. 21 pick (Atlanta offensive lineman Sam Baker) got a year ago.
If the first draft under the new leadership is any indication, the Browns will use the last weekend in April to restock the roster, and eschew high-priced, quick-fix free agents. The previous regime had a healthy mix of the two: Gary Baxter, Eric Steinbach, LeCharles Bentley and Donte' Stallworth were signed as free agents; Kamerion Wimbley, Joe Thomas and Brady Quinn were all high-round draft picks.
The second half of the NFL offseason is here. Rookies and second-year players are coming in, trying to prove themselves in minicamps. But there are a few veterans who either want out, could be cut, or not re-signed by NFL teams. Here's a look at 10 who probably need a new address.
There were several names at the NFL Draft that appeared destined for, at worst, top-15 status: Jeremy Maclin, Everette Brown and Michael Oher all appeared locks to be drafted early during the first round. But then Al Davis and Josh McDaniels crazy happened.
Darrius Heyward-Bey and Knowshon Moreno both came off the board earlier than anyone thought and the Jets traded up for Mark Sanchez. The Lions also selected tight endBrandon Pettigrew with their 20th overall pick. And the Browns traded down to get Alex Mack. As a result, the aforementioned players found themselves suddenly undrafted nearly 20 picks in, until the Eagles traded up to snatch Maclin off the board.
It's amazing how a player can rise and fall in the final weeks of the draft. Tyson Jackson hasn't played a game since early January. All through January, February and March, he was looked at as a defensive end who could go somewhere between No. 10 and No. 20.
But now in the final days before the draft, all of a sudden multiple mock drafts are predicting Jackson to go No. 3 overall. We'll find out soon whether it's a true rise or some subterfuge.
With the draft just hours away, here is a final look at who the mock drafts are picking to go where. This is a roundup of 17 different mock drafts, all of the mock drafts are from this week and most are from the last day as experts try to refine their final predictions. Everyone will get No. 1 right, as everyone predicts the Lions will take Matt Stafford.
With the draft approaching, we ignore projections and identify the dream scenario for each team in a series we call The Perfect Draft.
The Steelers are never big players in free agency, so the draft is of vital importance to the Steelers ability to contend year in and year out. With two Lombardi trophies and another AFC Championship appearance in the past five years, it's clear that Kevin Colbert and the Steelers' scouting department have done their job well.
The Steelers rarely draft players to start right away. Even 2003 first-round pick Troy Polamalu played only sporadically as a rookie and last year's top two picks, Rashard Mendenhall and Limas Sweed, will be asked to play much bigger roles in 2009 than they did in 2008.
Training camps have wrapped up, the NFL season is right around the corner, and it's still hot as sin outside. But instead of cooling you off with a warm island song, FanHouse break out ye old heat check for our 2009 NFL Season Previews. " We'll rate each club in 5 categories on a scale of 1 to 10, high score wins.
While the offensive line might not represent a direct draft day decision for your roster, few areas of knowledge can offer a competitive advantage in 
One day after showing up in Cleveland anticipating a deal, first-round pick 
Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 
There were several names at the NFL Draft that appeared destined for, at worst, top-15 status: 
It's amazing how a player can rise and fall in the final weeks of the draft. Tyson Jackson hasn't played a game since early January. All through January, February and March, he was looked at as a defensive end who could go somewhere between No. 10 and No. 20.
With the draft approaching, we ignore projections and identify the dream scenario for each team in a series we call 
