2015 NFL PREVIEW - San Francisco 49ers

SAN FRANCISCO 49ers                                          

2014 Record:  8-8-0 (3rd in NFC West)

HEAD COACH: Jim Tomsula

New Players in 2015 - RB Reggie Bush; WR Jerome Simpson; WR Torrey Smith; LB Nick Bellore; DL Darnell Dockett; OL Erik Pears; DB Shareece Wright.

OFFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 20th in NFL (327.4 ypg)

DEFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 5th in NFL (321.4 ypg)

Offense:  Colin Kaepernick (3,369 passing yards with 19 touchdowns and ten interceptions) is back as the starting quarterback with Blaine Gabbert backing him up. Kaepernick was also the second leading rusher on the team last year, gaining 639 yards (6.1 ypc average), including a 90-yard TD run.
Frank Gore, the team's leading rusher last year, left as a free agent and signed with Indianapolis.
This season the 49ers will have Carlos Hyde (333 rush yards, 4.0 ypc average and four TD) and Reggie Bush (297, 3.9 ypc and two TD and 40 receptions for 253 with Detroit) in the backfield. In addition, Kendall Hunter, who missed last season, is looking to be ready to go again and rookie Mike Davis (South Carolina) may get a chance as well.
The wide receivers will be Anquan Boldin (83 receptions, 1,062 yards and five TD) and Torrey Smith, who comes over from Baltimore after making 49 catches for 767 yards and eleven touchdowns. Youngsters Bruce Ellington and Quinton Patton will be relied on this season and free agent Jerome Simpson provides depth.
The tight end is Vernon Davis, who will be looking to have a big bounce back season after seeing his production slip big time from year's past. Davis hauled in just 26 receptions for 245 yards and two scores last year.
The line has center Marcus Martin, tackles Anthony Davis and Joe Staley and guards Brandon Thomas and Alex Boone.

Defense:  Playing up front in the 3-4 set this season will be nose tackle Ian Williams and ends Tony Jerod-Eddie and 12-year veteran free agent Darnell Dockett. Top rookie pick Arik Armstead (Oregon) should see action early and often in the trenches.
The linebacking unit has Michael Wilhoite (two interceptions) and NaVorro Bowman playing the inside with Aaron Lynch (six QB sacks) and Ahmad Brooks (six sacks) on the outside spots. Rookie Eli Harold (Virginia), Nick Moody, Corey Lemonier, Nick Bellore, Desmond Bishop and Shayne Skov give the 'Niners plenty of depth.
The secondary has Tramaine Brock and Shareece Wright at the corners with Eric Reid (three INT) and Antoine Bethea (four picks) playing the safety positions. Rookie Jaquiski Tartt (Samford), along with Chris Cook, Dontae Johnson, Jimmie Ward and Craig Dahl, will look to contribute this season.

OUTLOOK FOR 2015 -  There is a lot of personnel turnover for the 49ers coming into this season, including new Head Coach Jim Tomsula, who will have very big shoes to fill after former head man Jim Harbaugh left for Michigan.
The team was very inconsistent last season and sought to weed out some problem players who are no longer on the team roster heading into the 2015 season.
Offensively, Kaepernick will again run the offense and he can do damage with both his arm and his legs as he in considered to be one of the top running quarterbacks in the NFL. He has weapons with Boldin and Torrey Smith at the wideout spots. Having TE Vernon Davis get back to his old form would be huge for the offfense.
The running game no longer has Frank Gore, so the trio of backs (Hyde, Bush and Hunter) will have to step big time to keep opposing defenses honest. Kaepernick was sacked 52 times last season, so the line must do a much better job in pass protection.
The defense was solid last season, ranking fifth overall while getting 35 QB sacks and intercepting 23 passes, which contributed to a plus-seven in the turnover category.
However, the 49ers let some big leads slip away late, most notably a loss early in the season to Chicago and then late in the year to San Diego in which they blew double-digit leads in both games.
With so many changes on both sides of the football and a new coaching staff taking over, look for the team to have some bumps along the way while facing a difficult schedule through the first ten games.
Realistically this seems to be a rebuilding year for the team and a 7-9 finish seems likely for the 49ers this season, but if they can come together offensively and maintain on defense, they might do better.

2015 SCHEDULE
Week 1 - vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 2 - at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 3 - at Arizona Cardinals
Week 4 - vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 5 - at New York Giants
Week 6 - vs. Baltimore Ravens
Week 7 - vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 8 - at St. Louis Rams
Week 9 - vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week 10 - BYE WEEK
Week 11 - at Seattle Seahawks
Week 12 - vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 13 - at Chicago Bears
Week 14 - at Cleveland Browns
Week 15 - vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 16 - at Detroit Lions
Week 17 - vs. St. Louis Rams

2015 NFL PREVIEW - St. Louis Rams

ST. LOUIS RAMS                                                        

2014 Record: 6-10-0 (4th in NFC West)

HEAD COACH: Jeff Fisher

New Players in 2015 - QB Nick Foles; DL Nick Fairley; LB Akeem Ayers; OL Garrett Reynolds; QB Case Keenum.

OFFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 28th in NFL (314.7 ypg)

DEFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 17th in NFL (351.6 ypg)

Offense:  The Rams are going a different way this season after trading away often injured quarterback Sam Bradford to Philadelphia for Nick Foles, who will likely be the starter.
Foles, who also missed time last year with injuries, had 2,163 passing yards with 13 touchdowns and ten interceptions in Philly. Backing him up are Austin Davis (2,001 passing yards with 12 TD and nine INT) and Case Keenum, who comes over from Houston.
The running game features Todd Gurley,  a first round rookie pick from Georgia, who will be relied on to rejuvenate the Rams rushing attack. Also on hand is Tre Mason, last year's team leader in rushing with 765 yards with a 4.3 ypc average and four touchdowns. Benny Cunningham (246, 3.7 ypc, three TD along with 45 receptions for 352 yards with one TD) is also available.
Kenny Britt (48, 748, three TD) and Tavon Austin (31 receptions, 242 yards along with 224 rushing yards), along with Brian Quick (25, 375, three TD) and Stedman Bailey (30, 435, one TD) will be the primary receivers. The tight ends are in relaible hands with Jared Cook (52, 634, three TD) and Lance Kendricks, who made 27 receptions for 259 yards and five scores.
The line is comprised of center Tim Barnes, tackles Greg Robinson and Brandon Washington and guards Rodger Saffold and Barrett Jones. Rookies Robert Havenstein (Wisconsin) and Jamon Brown (Louisville) will look to crack the starting line in camp.

Defense:  There are six players who can simply dominate up front for the Rams in the 4-3 set as Robert Quinn (10 1/2 QB sacks) and Chris Long play the end positions while Aaron Donald (nine sacks) and Michael Brockers play tackle. William Hayes (four sacks) is another defensive end and free agent DT Nick Fairley comes over from Detroit to add even more to the party.
Akeem Ayers and Alec Ogletree (two interceptions) play outside linebacker while James Laurinaitis (3 1/2 sacks) mans the middle. Jo-Lonn Dunbar, Eugene Sims (three sacks) and Daren Bates add depth.
The defensive backfield has T.J. McDonald and Rodney McLeod (two INT) at safety along with corners E.J. Gaines and Janoris Jenkins (two INT) looking to start. Mark Barron, Trumaine Johnson (three picks), Marcus Robertson and Cody Davis will also be ready to go.

OUTLOOK FOR 2015 - The Rams like to spread the ball around on offense and that should suit new QB Nick Foles just fine as he ran a similar style with the Eagles. Rookie Todd Gurley will likely be the workhorse running the football after being selected in the first round of the NFL draft.
Head Coach Jeff Fisher likes to pound the ball and he should have the back in Gurley to do just that.
Foles will look to develop a chemistry with his receivers and tight ends and backs in the passing game in training camp. He certainly will have many weapons to choose from in the Rams offense.
The defense grew stronger as the season went along last year, getting 40 QB sacks while ranking in the middle of the pack in both yardage and scoring defense.
After being lit up for 30-plus points in six of the team's first nine games last season, the Rams defense tightened things up and allowed just 103 points over the final seven games, including posting back-to-back shutouts down the stretch.
Getting off to a better start in 2015 will be very important for the Rams as they open the season (at home) against Seattle before facing three road games in the first five weeks, including games at Arizona and Green Bay.
Playing in the NFC West, the Rams know they will be in for rough and tumble games against their division foes as they will attempt to move up from the basement.
That could be asking an awful lot with all the changes they made on offense, but their defense could very well be the equalizer if they stay healthy. A lot will also depend on the progress of rookie running back Todd Gurley to help balance the offense. Another 6-10 finish appears likely this season, but the Rams could do better if things jell quickly.

2015 SCHEDULE
Week 1 - vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 2 - at Washington Redskins
Week 3 - vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 4 - at Arizona Cardinals
Week 5 - at Green Bay Packers
Week 6 - BYE WEEK
Week 7 - vs. Cleveland Browns
Week 8 - vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 9 - at Minnesota Vikings
Week 10 - vs. Chicago Bears
Week 11 - at Baltimore Ravens
Week 12 - at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 13 - vs. Arizona Cardinals
Week 14 - vs. Detroit Lions
Week 15 - vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 16 - at Seattle Seahawks
Week 17 - at San Francisco 49ers

2015 NFL PREVIEW - Arizona Cardinals

ARIZONA CARDINALS                                               

2014 Record:  11-5-0 (2nd in NFC West)

HEAD COACH: Bruce Arians

New Players in 2015 - DB Alfonzo Dennard; DL Corey Peters; DL Cory Redding; OL Mike Iupati; OL A.Q. Shipley; LB Sean Weatherspoon; LB LaMarr Woodley.

OFFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 24th in NFL (319.8 ypg)

DEFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 24th in NFL (368.2 ypg)

Offense:  A lot hinges on the healthy return of veteran quarterback Carson Palmer, who was off to a great start last season before missing the final seven games with a severe knee injury. Palmer threw for 1,626 yards with eleven touchdowns and just three interceptions in the six games he did play in. Backing him up will be Drew Stanton (1,711 yards with seven TD and five INT).
The running game has Andre Ellington (660 yards, 3.3 ypc average and six TD) penciled in as the starter with rookie David Johnson (Northern Iowa), Stepfan Taylor (208, 3.3 ypc) and Kerwynn Williams (246, 4.6 ypc) slated as the possible backups.
Wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald (63 receptions for 784 yards and two TD), Michael Floyd (47, 841, six TD) and John Brown (48, 696, five TD) are a good trio for the Cardinals and will be relied on once again. Rookie J.J. Nelson (UAB) and Jaron Brown could provide relief. The tight end will likely be Jermaine Gresham, signed as a free agent after making 62 grabs for 460 yards with five touchdowns in Cincinnati last season.
The back up tight ends are Darren Fells (five receptions in limited action) and Troy Niklas (three catches), who will be looking to fill the void of departed free agents John Carlson (retired) and Rob Housler.
The O-Line is made up of center Ted Larsen, guards Mike Iupati and Jonathan Cooper and tackles Jared Veldheer and Bobby Massie. Top rookie pick D.J. Humphries (Florida) will be looking to crack the starting lineup in camp.

Defense:  The Cardinals will have Alameda Ta'amu at nose tackle with end Calais Campbell (seven QB sacks) and tackle Frostee Rucker (five sacks) flanking him. Free agents Corey Peters and Cory Redding will add depth.
The linebacking unit will be Matt Shaughnessy and Alex Okafor (eight sacks) on the outside with Kevin Minter and free agent signee Sean Weatherspoon playing the inside spots.
The secondary has Patrick Peterson and Jerraud Powers, who each made three interceptions, at the corners while Tyrann Mathieu, coming back from injury, and Tony Jefferson will play the safety spots. Adding depth in the Cards' secondary are Alfonzo Dennard, Justin Bethel, Deone Bucannon and Rashad Johnson, who led Arizona in 2014 with four picks.

OUTLOOK FOR 2015 - After a rousing 9-1 start, the 2014 season ended with a dull thud as Arizona was knocked out of the playoffs in the Wild Card round by a sub .500 Carolina team.
Having QB Carson Palmer healthy for the entire season would do wonders for the Cardinals offense, which managed a paltry 19 points per game last year. The running game MUST improve to take the pressure off Palmer and the wide receivers, who seem to always be nursing injuries.
Defensively, the Cardinals were a bend but do not break type defense last season, giving up 368 yards per game (24th in NFL) while ranking 5th in the league in points allowed, yielding 18.7 points per game. The Cardinals were good at forcing turnovers (plus-8) while getting 18 interceptions and accumulating 35 QB sacks.
Head Coach Bruce Arians may have to pull a rabbit out of the hat again if any key players suffer injuries for any length of time this season, especially on offense.
Chasing the Seattle Seahawks and fending off the up-and-coming St. Louis Rams in the NFC West will not be an easy task, but Arizona showed they can win with defense and timely plays on offense, which was the formula that worked for the first ten games last year until the injuries caught up with them.
It appears it will be a tougher road this season for Arizona, especially with the loaded schedule down the stretch.
Figure on 8-8 for the Cardinals this year as a .500 record would be the most likely scenario for the them this season as they look to go to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the Kurt Warner era in 2008-2009.

2015 SCHEDULE
Week 1 - vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 2 - at Chicago Bears
Week 3 - vs. San Francisco 49ers
Week 4 - vs. St. Louis Rams
Week 5 - at Detroit Lions
Week 6 - at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 7 - vs. Baltimore Ravens
Week 8 - at Cleveland Browns
Week 9 - BYE WEEK
Week 10 - at Seattle Seahawks
Week 11 - vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 12 - at San Francisco 49ers
Week 13 - at St. Louis Rams
Week 14 - vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 15 - at Philadelphia Eagles
Week 16 - vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 17 - vs. Seattle Seahawks

2015 NFL PREVIEW - San Diego Chargers

SAN DIEGO CHARGERS                                              

2014 Record:  9-7-0 (3rd in AFC West)

HEAD COACH: Mike McCoy

New Players in 2015 - WR/KR Jacoby Jones; OL Orlando Franklin; WR Stevie Johnson; DB Patrick Robinson; DB Jimmy Wilson; DL Mitch Unrein.

OFFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 18th in NFL (341.6 ypg)

DEFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 9th in NFL (338.3 ypg)

Offense: The Chargers offense centers around quarterback Philip Rivers, who is entering his 12th season after passing for 4,286 yards with 31 touchdowns and 18 interceptions last year. Backing him up is Kellen Clemens.
The wide receivers include Malcolm Floyd (52 receptions for 856 yards and six touchdowns) and Keenan Allen, who led the team with 77 receptions for 783 yards and four scores. Adding depth this season are free agents Stevie Johnson (35, 435, three TD with San Francisco) and Jacoby Jones (nine receptions with Baltimore) who is also a great kick returner, averaging 30.6 yards per return in 2014 with one touchdown.
Tight End Antonio Gates is suspended for the first four games of the season (PED use) after a big season in which the All-Pro caught 69 passes for 821 yards and 12 touchdowns. In his place to begin the season will be promising youngster Ladarius Green, who had 19 receptions for 228 yards.
The running game was sub par last year with injuries limiting Danny Woodhead (only 15 rush attempts and five receptions) and the now departed Ryan Mathews (in Philadelphia this season as a free agent) as Branden Oliver (582 rushing yards, 3.6 ypc average and three TD) took over.
Enter top rookie draft pick Melvin Gordon (Wisconsin), who was a Heisman Trophy candidate, taking over as the starting halfback for the new season. Gordon is a break away threat who will be very dangerous if allowed to get into the open field. Along with Woodhead, he should re-ignite the San Diego ground game.
The O-Line has Chris Watt at center while Orlando Franklin and Johnnie Troutman will play guard. The tackles are King Dunlap and D.J. Fluker.

Defense: Sean Lissemore is the nose tackle in the 3-4 defense while Corey Liuget (4 1/2 QB sacks)  and Kendall Reyes man the end positions.
The linebackers are Donald Butler and Manti Te'o on the inside with Melvin Ingram (four sacks) and Jeremiah Attaochu playing outside. Rookie Denzel Perryman (Miami, Florida) will be relied on along with veterans Kavell Connor and Tourek Williams to provide depth.
Playing the corners are Jason Verrett and Brandon Flowers, who led the team with three interceptions last year. The safeties are Eric Weddle (seeking a new contract offer) and Jahleel Addae. Rookie Craig Mager (Texas State) and Patrick Robinson add depth in the secondary along with Darrell Stuckey and Jimmy Wilson.

OUTLOOK FOR 2015 - As long as the fiery leadership of QB Philip Rivers is available, the Chargers can't be counted out in any game.
Rivers, along with safety Eric Weddle, are in their walk years contract wise entering camp and San Diego would be wise to keep these two around for the remainder of their careers.
The receiving corps is solid and having Gates back following his suspension will be big once again as he and Rivers are the all-time leaders in NFL history in touchdowns for a QB-tight end combination.
Running back Danny Woodhead should be ready to go after missing all but two games in 2014 and he is an excellent receiver out of the backfield who gives Rivers another option in the passing game.
Melvin Gordon will do the bulk of the ball carrying and as long as he is healthy and plays as advertised, will help the running game and help balance the offense.
The defense is decent against the pass (4th in NFL last year) but has to get more pressure on opposing quarterbacks (just 26 sacks last season) and must do a much better job defending the run after giving up 124 yards per game last year, which was near the bottom of the league.
Head Coach Mike McCoy knows that Rivers is still one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and with some of the weapons returning and a workhorse running back to rely on, the Chargers offense should rebound after averaging just under 22 points per game in 2014.
The AFC West is in play this year as Denver doesn't appear to be as strong as the last three years, so the Chargers, along with Kansas City, can win the West division this season. With a few breaks, the Chargers could catch lightning in a bottle and a 10-6 record is likely this season while a playoff spot is not out of the question.

2015 SCHEDULE
Week 1 - vs. Detroit Lions
Week 2 - at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 3 - at Minnesota Vikings
Week 4 - vs. Cleveland Browns
Week 5 - vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 6 - at Green Bay Packers
Week 7 - vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 8 - at Baltimore Ravens
Week 9 - vs. Chicago Bears
Week 10 - BYE WEEK
Week 11 - vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 12 - at Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 13 - vs. Denver Broncos
Week 14 - at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 15 - vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 16 - at Oakland Raiders
Week 17 - at Denver Broncos

2015 NFL PREVIEW - Oakland Raiders

OAKLAND RAIDERS                                                 

2014 Record: 3-13-0  (4th in AFC West)

HEAD COACH: Jack Del Rio

New Players in 2015 - QB Christian Ponder; WR Michael Crabtree; RB Trent Richardson; RB Roy Helu, Jr.; OL Rodney Hudson; DB Nate Allen; LB Curtis Lofton; LB Malcolm Smith; DL Dan Williams.

OFFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 32nd in NFL (282.2 ypg)

DEFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 21st in NFL (357.6 ypg)

Offense: After a strong finish last year, Derek Carr (3,270 passing yards with 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions) will be penciled in as the starting quarterback this season. Backing him up will be free agent Christian Ponder and Matt McGloin.
The running game will have Latavius Murray (424 yards with a 5.2 ypc average and two TD) as the starter. Backing up are Trent Richardson (519, 3.3 ypc and three TD with Indy) and Roy Helu, Jr. who ran for 216 yards with a 5.4 ypc average with the Washington Redskins last year.
The receiving corps will be led by Rod Streater, who is coming off an injury filled season in which he caught just nine passes with one score and top rookie draft pick Amari Cooper (Alabama) who appears to have all the tools to step right in as a starter for the Raiders. The tight end is Mychal Rivera, who made 58 receptions for 534 yards and four touchdowns.
Other receivers and tight ends in the mix for Oakland this season include free agent Michael Crabtree (68, 698, four TD with San Francisco) Kenbrell Thompkins (15 catches for 209 yards), Andre Holmes (47, 693, four TD) and possibly rookie TE Clive Walford (Miami, FL).
The O-Line has center Rodney Hudson, guards Gabe Jackson and Austin Howard and tackles Donald Penn and Khalif Barnes.

Defense:  The Raiders will have rookie Mario Edwards, Jr. (Florida State) starting at defensive end along with 11-year veteran Justin Tuck (five QB sacks) while Dan Williams and Stacy McGee will be the tackles in the 4-3 set.
The linebackers are Khalil Mack (four sacks) and Sio Moore on the outside while Curtis Lofton was signed as a free agent and will likely man the middle. Another free agent linebacker coming over is Malcolm Smith to provide depth.
The secondary is led by the ageless Charles Woodson, who is entering his 18th NFL season and led the Raiders with four interceptions last season. Along with free agent Will Allen, he will form the safety tandem while DJ Hayden and T.J. Carrie play the corner spots.

OUTLOOK FOR 2015 - The Oakland Raiders enter the new season with renewed optimism as they attempt to escape the AFC West basement.
New Head Coach Jack Del Rio had some success with Jacksonville several years ago while building a stellar defense and will be seeking to do the same with the Raiders.
The defense was decent last season (statistical yardage wise) and with a nice mix of young players and crafty veterans, there could be improvement from last season's version, which did allow 452 points, the worst in the NFL.
The Raiders also need to get more out of the pass rush, as they had a next-to-league low 22 sacks last season. Only Cincinnati was worst with 21 QB sacks.
The offense needs to improve and there are many new faces in camp this year to help young QB Derek Carr progress further after a decent rookie season. The new receivers can help as long as they stay healthy and contribute as they have shown they can do from past seasons.
The running game will be the focus of the coaching staff for improvement as Daren McFadden is no longer with the team and it will be Latavius Murray and Trent Richardson, coming off another disappointing season with Indianapolis, leading the way.
Whether or not the Raiders can get out of the cellar in 2015 is a good question. They play in the AFC West, which saw three teams make the playoffs in 2013 and the same three teams each had winning records again last year.
There are a lot of questions facing the team with a new coaching staff and new systems coming into the fold in 2015, so look for improvement from last year's record as the Raiders likely will go 5-11 as they build for the future.

2015 SCHEDULE
Week 1 - vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 2 - vs. Baltimore Ravens
Week 3 - at Cleveland Browns
Week 4 - at Chicago Bears
Week 5 - vs. Denver Broncos
Week 6 - BYE WEEK
Week 7 - at San Diego Chargers
Week 8 - vs. New York Jets
Week 9 - at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 10 - vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 11 - at Detroit Lions
Week 12 - at Tennessee Titans
Week 13 - vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 14 - at Denver Broncos
Week 15 - vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 16 - vs. San Diego Chargers
Week 17 - at Kansas City Chiefs

2015 NFL PREVIEW - Kansas City Chiefs

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS                                              

2014 Record: 9-7-0 (2nd in AFC West)

HEAD COACH: Andy Reid

New Players in 2015 - WR Jeremy Maclin; DB Tyvon Branch; OL Ben Grubbs; OL Paul Fanaika.

OFFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 25th in NFL (318.8 ypg)

DEFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 7th in NFL (330.5 ypg)

Offense:  Quarterback Alex Smith is back again in 2015 to lead the offense after he passed for 3,265 yards with 18 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Chase Daniel is the backup.
Jamaal Charles is the primary running back coming off another 1,000-yard season (1,033 rushing yards with 5.0 ypc average and nine touchdowns, plus 40 receptions for 291 yards and five TD) and he is the key to the Chiefs offensive attack.
Knile Davis (463 yards, 3.5 ypc and six TD) is a solid backup and DeAnthony Thomas and Cyrus Gray give the Chiefs depth in this area.
The wide receivers have former Eagle Jeremy Maclin (85 receptions, 1,318 yards and ten TD last year) in camp this season and he will no doubt be the main target as the Chiefs had NO WIDE RECEIVERS with a touchdown reception in the 2014 season.
Maclin will team up with another former Philadelphia Eagles player as Jason Avant (13 catches in limited action last season with KC) is looking to bounce back from an injury plagued season. Albert Wilson (16 receptions for 260 yards) is a third option in the passing game as he will take the role vacated by Dwayne Bowe leaving as a free agent. Tight End Travis Kelce emerged as the Chiefs leading receiver last season, making 67 receptions for 862 yards and five touchdowns.
The line, which must improve in pass protection (49 QB sacks allowed in 2014) will have Eric Kush at center. The tackles are Eric Fisher and Donald Stephenson and the guards are free agent signees Ben Grubbs and Paul Fanaika. Rookie draft pick Mitch Morse (Missouri) will get a look in camp to possibly fill one of the guard spots.

Defense: Dontari Poe is the nose tackle in the 3-4 set with Allen Bailey and Mike DeVito at the end positions. Hebron Fangupo, Mike Catapano, Jaye Howard and Nick Williams give the team depth up front.
The linebackers are led by outside backer Justin Houston, who led the NFL with 22 QB sacks a year ago. Tamba Hali (six sacks) is the other outside linebacker. The inside men are Derick Johnson and Josh Mauga.
In the defensive backfield, Sean Smith and top rookie draft pick Marcus Peters (Washington) will be the corners. The safeties are Ron Parker and Husain Abdullah. Veteran safety Eric Berry is looking solid as he attempts to comeback from cancer and free agent signee Tyvon Branch is also ready should he be needed.

OUTLOOK FOR 2015 -  Head Coach Andy Reid knows his team just missed the post-season last year after a strong 7-3 start.
The team needs more consistency from the offense, especially the passing game where Smith struggled in the red zone. The Chiefs wide receivers had ZERO touchdown receptions last season and are hopeful that Jeremy Maclin, coming off his best statistical season, can help in that area. Tight End Travis Kelce is an emerging player that Smith looks to quite often and that should improve the passing game this season.
As long as RB Jamaal Charles is healthy, Kansas City should be in business on offense as he is a break away threat at any time.
The defense is solid, evidenced by their top ten ranking overall as well as finishing fifth in the league with 46 QB sacks. In addition, they are stingy, allowing just 17.6 points per game, second only to Seattle last year. The secondary must improve as they only had six interceptions in 2014 despite being ranked second in the NFL against the pass.
This team could contend with Denver for the AFC West title and if they get into the playoffs, their defense will give any team fits for sure. A 10-6 record is not out of the question and with some breaks and improvement on offense, the Chiefs could surprise people with a better record and quite possibly a deep AFC playoff run.

2015 SCHEDULE
Week 1 - at Houston Texans
Week 2 - vs. Denver Broncos
Week 3 - at Green Bay Packers
Week 4 - at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 5 - vs. Chicago Bears
Week 6 - at Minnesota Vikings
Week 7 - vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 8 - vs. Detroit Lions (London, England)
Week 9 - BYE WEEK
Week 10 - at Denver Broncos
Week 11 - at San Diego Chargers
Week 12 - vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 13 - at Oakland Raiders
Week 14 - vs. San Diego Chargers
Week 15 - at Baltimore Ravens
Week 16 - vs. Cleveland Browns
Week 17 - vs. Oakland Raiders

2015 NFL PREVIEW - Denver Broncos

DENVER BRONCOS                                                   

2014 Record: 12-4-0 (1st in AFC West)

HEAD COACH: Gary Kubiak

New Players in 2015 - TE Owen Daniels; DL Antonio Smith; DL Vance Walker; OL Shelley Smith; LB Reggie Walker; DB Darian Stewart.

OFFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 4th in NFL (402.9 ypg)

DEFENSIVE RANK in 2014 - 3rd in NFL (305.2 ypg)

Offense:  Peyton Manning put up some big numbers again last season, passing for 4,727 yards with 39 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions and is back for his 18th NFL season. Brock Osweiler holds the clipboard once again.
The running game will have C.J. Anderson (849 yards, 4.7 ypc average and eight TD) as the starter this season with Montee Ball (injured for most of 2014 after averaging just 3.1 yards per carry with one score) and Ronnie Hillman (434 yards, 4.1 ypc average, three TD) spelling Anderson.
The main targets for Manning are wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, who caught 101 passes for 1,404 yards and nine touchdowns. Thomas just signed a new contract and is coming off a huge season after making 111 grabs for 1,619 yards and eleven touchdowns.
The tight ends are Owen Daniels (48, 527, four TD with Baltimore in 2014) and Virgil Green, who is a good blocker for the backs.
The O-Line has center Gino Gradkowski, guards Shelley Smith and Louis Vasquez and tackles Ryan Clady and Chris Clark. The Broncos line is stellar, having allowed only 17 sacks a year ago.

Defense: Up front in the 3-4 set are nose tackle Sylvester Williams and ends Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson, who registered thee QB sacks last season. Antonio Smith and Vance Walker and rookie Shane Ray (Missouri) are also available up front.
The linebackers are solid with speed rushers Von Miller (14 sacks) and DeMarcus Ware (ten sacks) on the outside. The middle men are Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan. Reggie Walker and Todd Davis provide depth.
The secondary will have some new faces in 2015 as Darian Stewart and T.J. Ward play the safety spots while Aqib Talib (four interceptions) and Chris Harris (three picks) will be the cornerbacks. Darian Stewart, rookie Lorenzo Doss (Tulane) and Bradley Roby will likely be the primary backups.

OUTLOOK FOR 2015 - After struggling down the stretch last year, QB Peyton Manning is coming into the new season minus some of his favorite targets as tight end Julius Thomas and WR Wes Welker left the Broncos.
Manning will team with wideouts Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders as well as his tight ends and running backs to provide the spark on offense while C.J. Anderson, who was the main cog for Denver late in the season as Manning nursed injuries, will handle the bulk of the running this season.
The defense was solid last season as Denver was second in the NFL against the run, allowing only 80 yards per game while ranking third overall in total defense.
New Head Coach Gary Kubiak takes over after a stint in Houston in previous years and will have Manning and company doing their thing as the Broncos seek to win a fifth consecutive AFC West division crown.
The window may be closing on the Broncos in the Peyton Manning era and they know they are under pressure to get back to the Super Bowl after bowing out is dismal fashion at home to Indianapolis in last year's playoffs.
The AFC West is strong and the Broncos will be fending off the surging Chiefs and Chargers as well as the Raiders, who appear (on paper at least) to be improving. Denver should win one more AFC West title with an 11-5 record this year.
Another Super Bowl appearance is not out of the question, but how far they can go in the playoffs will depend on the health of Manning, who is in the twilight of his Hall-of-Fame career.

2015 SCHEDULE
Week 1 - vs. Baltimore Ravens
Week 2 - at Kansas City Chiefs
Week 3 - at Detroit Lions
Week 4 - vs. Minnesota Vikings
Week 5 - at Oakland Raiders
Week 6 - at Cleveland Browns
Week 7 - BYE WEEK
Week 8 - vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 9 - at Indianapolis Colts
Week 10 - vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 11 - at Chicago Bears
Week 12 - vs. New England Patriots
Week 13 - at San Diego Chargers
Week 14 - vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 15 - at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 16 - vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 17 - vs. San Diego Chargers