50 reasons to get excited for the NFL season

After an offseason that dramatically altered the landscape of the league, the 2015 NFL season ought to be one of the most competitive in recent memory.

Here are 50 reasons to get excited for the NFL season.

50. The resurrection of Johnny Manziel

Manziel checked into rehab, vowed to squash the "Johnny Football" mantra, and appears ready to lead the Cleveland Browns in his sophomore season. Here's to hoping for an awesome year from the former Heisman Trophy winner.

49. Jeremy Maclin's homecoming

Maclin returned home to Missouri to lead a porous Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver contingent that failed to score a touchdown in 2014, a daunting task at best. Maclin will earn a second Pro Bowl nomination if he pulls it off.

48. Melvin Gordon era begins in San Diego

Gordon obliterated a number of NCAA records at Wisconsin and could prove to be everything that Ryan Mathews wasn't for the San Diego Chargers, leading Southern Californians out of a glass case of emotion.

47. Byron Maxwell's chance at stardom

Maxwell was the forgotten man in Seattle's "Legion of Boom." After signing a six-year, $63-million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles, he'll be afforded every opportunity to show that he wasn't merely a product of Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor and Richard Sherman's success.

46. There Will Be Blood (and guts, everywhere)

The NFL is a better league with a vengeful Steve Smith in it. Smith delivered on his promise to spray blood and guts everywhere, and we'll be paying close attention to his second season with the Baltimore Ravens.

45. John Fox's chance at revenge vs. Denver

Fox was unceremoniously fired after the Denver Broncos were eliminated from the playoffs. Now head coach of the Chicago Bears, Fox can circle Week 11 on his calendar as the date to get revenge. Expect Fox and Denver general manager John Elway to exchange a series of nasty remarks beforehand.

44. Opening night: Steelers at Patriots

No Tom Brady, no Le'Veon Bell, no problem. A game featuring the league's best wide receiver (Antonio Brown) and tight end (Rob Gronkowski) should be entertaining enough.

43. Dan Quinn's debut season in Atlanta

Quinn is tasked with fixing an Atlanta Falcons defense that hemorrhaged points the past two seasons. With promising outside linebacker Vic Beasley and cornerback Desmond Trufant in tow, it may just happen overnight.

42. Carolina's Twin Towers

Both Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess stand 6-foot-5, providing Carolina with one of the most physical receiving duos in the league. Benjamin punishes smaller cornerbacks and routinely makes highlight-reel grabs, while Funchess is already openly lobbying for Offensive Rookie of the Year.

41. John Brown's touchdown dance

The Arizona Cardinals speedster breaks down how we really feel about football's return:

40. New Orleans' revamped secondary

New Orleans added Brandon Browner and former CFL standout Delvin Breaux to aid a talented secondary that struggled with injuries and inexplicable regression in 2014. With a redemptive season, the Saints could easily contend for the NFC South crown.

39. A chance to correctly evaluate Blake Bortles

It was impossible to evaluate Bortles after the Jacksonville Jaguars surrendered 70 sacks last year. After making some improvements to the line, Bortles will truly be able to show why he was selected with the third overall pick in 2014.

38. An offensive line blocking out the sun in Dallas

Tyron Smith, Ronald Leary, Travis Frederick, Zack Martin, and Doug Free comprise a Dallas Cowboys' offensive line that may be the best unit in the club's storied history. And that was before they added talented rookie La'el Collins.

37. Brandon Marshall heads to New York

Marshall's trade to the New York Jets seems like an ideal fit, and the 31-year-old loquacious receiver may be destined to star under the bright lights of the Big Apple.

36. The return of the (Khalil) Mack

Mack may already be the best 4-3 outside linebacker in football. At 24, we're expecting greatness out of the Oakland Raiders star for the foreseeable future.

35. Dramatic extra points

The NFL moved extra points to the 15-yard line for the 2015 season, in hopes that the point after touchdown won't be automatic for the scoring club. If a game gets swung by a missed chip-in, consider the change a success.

34. Brett Favre's retirement ceremony

Favre will finally be immortalized in Green Bay when his number is inducted to the Lambeau Field Ring of Honor during a Thanksgiving clash against the archrival Chicago Bears. A fitting tribute for the three-time MVP.

33. The wild, wild NFC West

Although the Seattle Seahawks may be the league's most talented team, the division is certainly up for grabs. St. Louis and Arizona boast legitimate chances to unseat the two-time NFC champions on the strength of their defenses.

32. Life after Polamalu, LeBeau

Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor retired, while longtime defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau headed to the Tennessee Titans. The Steel Curtain always finds a way to reinvent itself and that'll once again be the case this season.

31. Bridgewater's arrival as a star

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater strung together a number of excellent games toward the end of his rookie season. Bridgewater's maturation into a bona fide star is something to get giddy about.

30. Justin Houston annihilating quarterbacks

Justin Houston's 22 sacks in 2014 were tied for the second most in NFL history. Fresh off a six-year, $101-million contract extension, Houston will be lighting up left tackles and quarterbacks everywhere in sight and could challenge the single season sack record once again.

29. Rex Ryan leads Buffalo out of the abyss

Ryan was fired by the New York Jets despite a dearth of talent and front-office ineptitude, and is quickly enraging the rest of the division. Western New Yorkers embraced Ryan as their own, and he could take the league by storm once again.

28. Von Miller in the Broncos' 3-4

Under new defensive coordinate Wade Phillips, the Denver Broncos switched to a 3-4 base defense that'll feature Miller as its centerpiece. Miller could supplant J.J. Watt as the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

27. The 49ers' attempt to rise from the ashes

Who's got it better than the 49ers? Everybody, apparently, and it will be compelling to see how a top-heavy roster overcomes the loss of four key retirements.

26. Marks' quiet brilliance

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks toiled in relative anonymity, but that won't be the case for long. Exhibit A:

25. Russell Wilson's first game at Lambeau

Between "Fail Mary" and the collapse during last year's NFC Championship Game, the passionate Green Bay Packers fan base doesn't need another reason to be vitriolic towards Wilson's Seahawks. This has become the league's best non-divisional rivalry.

24. Mosley's quest to succeed Ray Lewis

Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker C.J. Mosley excelled during his rookie season, recording 133 tackles, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. It may be early to compare the Pro Bowler to legend Ray Lewis, but his play forced the comparisons early on.

23. Jameis Winston vs. Marcus Mariota

The last two Heisman Trophy winners will square off in a tantalizing Week 1 matchup when Winston's Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on Mariota's Tennessee Titans in a game that may provide a glimpse of the league's future.

22. The race to Los Angeles

The Raiders, Rams, and Chargers are all accelerating plans to move to Los Angeles, with San Diego reportedly the most likely candidate to relocate. This could be the final season for each of the three clubs in their current locations.

21. Cleveland's new uniforms

Hate it or love it, the Browns will be sporting somewhat of a new identity on the field with a recharged Johnny Manziel, and these new uniforms:

20. The Vikings' defense is ready for the future

Minnesota is a sleeper candidate to boast the league's best defense, with an underrated front four, a burgeoning star in Anthony Barr, and a sneaky good, opportunistic secondary. Blink, and you'll miss the Vikings' ascent.

19. The AFC East arms race

New England may be the current Super Bowl champions, but all three of its divisional rivals made drastic upgrades to their rosters. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and the Patriots' rivals will be taking full aim at the throne.

18. Chip Kelly's circus is in full swing

Entering the 2015 season without his leading rusher, receiver, and guard from the previous year, Chip Kelly bucked conventional wisdom with the Philadelphia Eagles and we have no idea how it'll turn out.

17. LeSean McCoy kick-starts the Bills' offense

McCoy is the best offensive weapon the Bills have possessed in over a decade, and if he can return to top form in 2015, Buffalo could snap the league's longest playoff drought.

16. Collins' range knows no bounds

New England Patriots linebacker Jamie Collins can do it all, playing inside and outside linebacker as one of the league's brightest defensive stars. We're pretty psyched too, Jamie.

15. Graham in the Seahawks' offense

Seattle acquired the player it wished it had last year when the Seahawks traded for tight end Jimmy Graham. He provides Russell Wilson with the first legitimate star receiving option of his career, and sparks have been flying.

14. A.J. Green and Calvin Johnson are healthy

When they're on their game, they're two of the best receivers in the NFL. Green and Johnson fended off various ailments last season, and should be back to their dominant form in 2015.

13. Super Bowl 50

The NFL is celebrating the golden anniversary of the Super Bowl this year with gold-plated logos and matchups celebrating previous title games to commemorate the occasion. Always an exercise in American grandeur, Super Bowl 50 will take the cake.

12. Andre Johnson will make the Texans pay

Johnson was reportedly asked to take on a smaller role in the Houston Texans' offense, and he balked, joining the Indianapolis Colts. Armed with a star quarterback for the first time ever, Johnson will likely torch the Texans.

11. Harris is ready for prime time

Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris may be the best player at his position in the league, but gets only a sliver of media attention. Harris is ready for prime time after making the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.

10. Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie reunited

Reunited, and it feels so good - if you are a Jets fan. New York's secondary went from being one of the worst units in the league to a terrifying group featuring two top-10 cornerbacks and a budding star safety in Calvin Pryor.

9. Peyton Manning's potential last stand

It's a small sample size, but Manning didn't live up to his stratospheric career standards over the final month and a half of the season. Armed with a talented roster that is a serious Super Bowl contender, we ought to enjoy what might be his last NFL campaign.

8. Here comes the Boom, again

Reeling from a crushing Super Bowl XLIX defeat, where they squandered a 10-point lead, the ferocious Seahawks defense is poised to lead the league in scoring defense for the fourth consecutive season.

7. Murray takes on the Cowboys

The Cowboys allowed 2014 rushing champion DeMarco Murray to walk and join the Eagles. Murray gets to torch a shaky front seven twice a year, and could repeat as the league's leading rusher once again.

6. Suh is Miami's vice

Ndamukong Suh was signed to the most lucrative contract ever handed out to a defensive player in NFL history, and instantly turns the Miami Dolphins into a legitimate contender to win the AFC.

5. The summer of Gronk never really ends

Rob Gronkowski is the smiling, fun-loving face the NFL needs after a year of horrible publicity, and the unanimous All-Pro is poised for another outstanding year. We hope he maintains his childlike innocence forever.

4. Adrian Peterson's return

Peterson is back following an indefinite suspension due to child abuse charges. The return of the league's best running back is certainly reason enough to get excited about the up-and-coming Vikings.

3. Green Bay's offense could break records

Green Bay retained Randall Cobb on a team-friendly deal, boasts the league's second-best offensive line, an ascending running back in Eddie Lacy, and reigning MVP/"Celebrity Jeopardy" champion Aaron Rodgers - a group that could make a dent in the history books.

2. Odell Beckham Jr., Season 2

Beckham became a household name instantaneously last year, and is carrying more hype into his second season than "True Detective" did. Beckham defied the laws of physics on multiple occasions and the Madden cover boy should provide a number of jaw-dropping highlights once again.

1. J.J. Watt's quest to tie Lawrence Taylor

At 26, Watt is presented with the opportunity to win his third Defensive Player of the Year award, matching Taylor as the only player to win the coveted prize three times. Look out for his appearances on HBO's "Hard Knocks" before the season begins.