Matt Williamson is a former scout for the Cleveland Browns, and spent the last 10 years at ESPN as a scout and co-host of "The Football Today Podcast."
Things are starting to happen very quickly around the NFL right now, with injuries, roster moves and rumors galore. But let’s take a little bit more of an in-depth look at three particularly intriguing storylines in the AFC. The NFC version will be available later this week.
Ravens' search for playmakers
The Ravens have a lot of bodies, but also a lot of uncertainty at all three offensive skill positions. How the running back, wide receiver and tight end pecking orders will shake out is very difficult to predict as we sit today in early August. And while he seems ready to go, Joe Flacco is returning from a major knee injury and is coming off his worst season as a pro in 2015.
Justin Forsett is the current leader for the top back job, but he too is coming off injury and remains an aging, average starting running back talent. Buck Allen, meanwhile, finished his rookie season rather strong and Baltimore drafted Kenneth Dixon.
At wide receiver, Kamar Aiken was certainly not a fluke and was one of the few things that went right for this team last year. And of course, who are we to count out Steve Smith? But the Ravens also used a first-round pick on Breshad Perriman, who is far and away this team’s most talented weapon at any of the three positions. With Perriman, it is injuries that raise red flags. Mike Wallace is now in the picture and perfectly fits the role of deep threat, a staple of this offense since Flacco has been behind center. The Ravens also used a fourth-round pick on Chris Moore, another deep threat.
At tight end, Baltimore signed Ben Watson, who is coming off the best season of his career. The club also still has hope for Dennis Pitta and Crockett Gilmore. But it is Maxx Williams who has the most upside of the bunch. Lastly, the Ravens are not yet settled on their offensive line with questions at left guard, while banking on Ronnie Stanley to step right in as the starting left tackle. There is much to take notice of with Baltimore’s offense between now and Week 1.
Prediction: Dixon will have an outstanding rookie season and lead the Ravens in rushing while Williams surpasses the other tight ends on the roster and has a very solid second season. But it will be Aiken that leads Baltimore in receptions, and maybe this is wishful thinking, but Perriman will flash true star potential, but likely not right away.
Changes in Cincinnati
A.J. Green is a stalwart who is ready to see an inordinate number of targets and could be in for a monster season. However, Green is also going to see more attention from opposing defenses than ever.
So who is available now, with Marvin Jones and Muhammad Sanu gone, to exploit single coverage? That really comes down to second-round pick Tyler Boyd and Patriots’ castoff Brandon LaFell. To be honest, neither inspire a whole lot of confidence at this point as difference makers, especially early in the season.
The crux here though is Tyler Eifert and his ankle injury. Eifert is a big-time player that came on in a huge way last season as a field stretcher and an elite red zone target. Eifert is on his way to becoming one of the most dangerous tight ends in football and would make an excellent second option to Green, but of course his health is a worry. Look for Gio Bernard’s role in the passing game to spike as well.
Prediction: Bernard and Green will put up massive numbers, but they won't be enough to keep this offense at the level we have grown accustomed to. Andy Dalton is coming off his best season to date, but he isn’t going to put this offense on his back. The loss of Hue Jackson also will be felt in a big way. The Bengals are primed to take a step backwards in 2016, especially if Eifert’s injury lingers, which seems quite possible.
Dolphins ready to run
The Dolphins are putting major resources into the supporting cast around Ryan Tannehill, including hiring a quarterback whisperer in Adam Gase to take control of this talented, but unproven offense. The offensive line and wide receiver positions now have quite a bit of talent and upside, with more options and ability at both positions than the team has seen in recent seasons. Even Jordan Cameron could be in line for a fine season, as Gase has gotten more in the past from the tight end position with less to work with than Cameron.
But who is going to carry the ball? For the majority of the offseason, it looked as though Miami was putting much of its faith in Jay Ajayi, who is a second-round talent, but fell to the fifth round of the 2015 draft because of long-term knee concerns.
The Dolphins then used a third-round pick on speedster Kenyan Drake, who has some Reggie Bush-like talents, but also has a lot of work to do in pass protection and doesn’t boast an every-down skill set.
The latest news was the signing of Arian Foster, which makes perfect sense as Foster is a pure zone runner and that is what Gase likes to deploy most. In addition, Foster is very stable in the passing game and should add a much-needed veteran presence to Miami’s running back meeting room. Damien Williams is also in the equation and should not be forgotten.
Prediction: Foster, if he can stay healthy, has a major role early in the season, but gradually gets relegated to passing-downs duty while Ajayi steps up his game. Williams will contribute more than most expect, while Drake becomes something of an afterthought in his rookie season.
