2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offseason Needs

After a breakout season in 2010, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were expected to duplicate their success last year. Instead, they had a major collapse and finished last in the NFC South with a putrid 4-12 record. There are definitely some holes the team needs to address, but despite that, I believe the team is more than capable of bouncing back to have a winning record in 2012. One position where they won't have a problem is at wide receiver, as they went out and signed Vincent Jackson from San Diego. Here are some of the Buccaneers' big additions and subtractions so far in the young offseason, plus a breakdown of their biggest needs heading into the draft.

Additions:

Nfl 2012

WR Vincent Jackson

G Carl Nicks

CB Eric Wright

DT Amobi Okoye

QB Dan Orlovsky

Subtractions:

DT Albert Haynesworth

QB Josh Johnson

WR/KR Micheal Spurlock

S Tanard Jackson

RB Kregg Lumpkin

DE Tim Crowder

Top 5 Needs:

1. Cornerback

In a tough division dominated by the likes of quarterbacks Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and Cam Newton, the Buccaneers' top priority this offseason should be adding a top-flight corner prospect. Tampa was able to re-sign Ronde Barber and add Eric Wright in free agency, but the team has very little depth after those two, since Aquib Talib was sent to prison. Barber continues to play at a high level despite his age, but for how long? LSU's Morris Claiborne could be available with the fourth pick, and if he is available then the Buccaneers should jump on the opportunity to draft him. The team, however, seems more enamored of Alabama running back Trent Richardson.

2. Linebacker

This unit really underwhelmed last season. Rookie middle linebacker Mason Foster either needs to show considerable improvement moving forward or they need to move him to the outside. Strongside linebacker Quincy Black isn't really much of an option for the Buccaneers, and they have yet to re-sign Geno Hayes. Tampa really needs to seriously consider using either their second or third pick, if not both, to fill this need.

3. Right Tackle

Starting right tackle Jeremy Trueblood was a monumental disappointment in his time with the team and the Buccaneers are better off finding someone else to replace him.

4. Running Back

LaGarrette Blount is such a tremendous athlete that it can get so disappointing when he still doesn't know how to pass protect. The guy could be one of the top running backs in the NFL, but as of right now, he is a huge liability in passing situations. He is still quite young, though, and a lot of young backs struggle early on in their career, so I'm looking forward to an eventual turn around for the young talent. The Bucs did lose Kregg Lumpkin in free agency, so I have them addressing this need through free agency.

5. Free Safety

Tampa Bay decided to cut starting free safety Tanard Jackson, and will need to find a replacement. This draft class is extremely thin at safety, so I look for the Bucs to address this need via free agency.

2012 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Offseason Needs

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Atlanta Falcons' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

2nd Round (#55) C Peter Konz, Wisconsin

3rd Round (#91) OT Lamar Holmes, Southern Mississippi

Nfl 2012

5th Round (#157) FB Bradie Ewing, Wisconsin

5th Round (#164) DE Jonathan Massaquoi, Troy

6th Round (#192) SS Charles Mitchell, Mississippi State

7th Round (#249) DT Travian Robertson, South Carolina

Analysis of Notable Selections:

Peter Konz: Todd McClure is 35-years-old and does not have many years of football left in his body. The Falcons resigned him for just one more season. Konz is a mobile technician who is Atlanta's future center. He can also play right guard until McClure's time in Atlanta is up. Konz was a solid choice for the Falcons.

Lamar Holmes: Holmes is a huge man, but is an average athlete with conditioning concerns. Atlanta was mediocre on the offensive line in 2011 and it made sense to address this area. Holmes is a bit of a project and the Falcons chose him over Bobby Massie. It will be interesting to see which of these two offensive tackles has the better NFL career.

Jonathan Massaquoi: The former Troy defensive end had a strong sophomore season rushing the quarterback. He played overweight last season and was not as productive. He can provide some depth at defensive end, but Massaquoi is mediocre defending the run. Massaquoi may provide some production as a situational pass rusher provided he gets into shape.

2012 NFL Draft Grade: C

Bottom Line: Atlanta did not have a 1st round draft choice due to the Julio Jones trade. The team tried to improve their offensive line and did find a likely long-term answer at center with Peter Konz. The Lamar Holmes selection was questionable as he has a long way to go from a conditioning and technique standpoint. Overall, the Falcons probably added one starter from this draft and remain a team that is unlikely to have playoff success.

Atlanta Falcons' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com provides extensive pre and post NFL draft analysis. The site features scouting reports, rankings, top values, biggest risks, interviews with college coaches and players and mock drafts.

2012 Denver Broncos Offseason Needs

The Denver Broncos had a poor start last season, opening 1-4. That had people writing them off and thinking they would have another poor finish in the AFC West. But after quarterback Kyle Orton was replaced in the starting lineup by fan favorite Tim Tebow, the Broncos made one of the most entertaining runs in NFL history. Tebow would lead the Broncos to the AFC West title and a first-round playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Denver would bow down to the New England Patriots in the second round, in what ended up being Tebow's last start as a member of the Broncos. Denver was able to get future Hall of Famer Peyton Manning in the offseason, which led to Tebow being traded to the New York Jets. With Manning under center, the Broncos believe that they are primed to make another Super Bowl run. Here are some of the Broncos' big additions and subtractions so far in the young offseason, plus a breakdown of their biggest needs heading into the draft.

Additions:

Nfl 2012

QB Peyton Manning

CB Tracy Porter

TE Jacob Tamme

TE Joel Dreessen

WR Andre Caldwell

Subtractions:

QB Tim Tebow

WR/KR Eddie Royal

DT Brodrick Bunkley

DE Derrick Harvey

CB Jonathan Wilhite

TE Daniel Fells

Top 5 Needs:

1. Defensive Tackle

The loss of Brodrick Bunkley really hurt the Broncos, as they now have a glaring hole at defensive tackle. Pass rushers Von Miller and Elvis Dumervil are excellent, but the Broncos need to have somebody who will be able to stop the run on first and second down for the two to be successful. If the Broncos decide to address this need in the first round, they may look into drafting Penn State's Devon Still, but that might be a risk they are unwilling to take. Denver might use its 25th pick in the first round on a different position, filling this need via free agency or later on in the draft.

2. Linebacker

Middle linebacker Joe Mays clearly has no business being in the field as much as the Broncos are playing him, because he is a huge liability, and outside linebacker D.J. Williams will likely miss the first six games of the season for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances. The team needs to add some help at both spots, whether it is through free agency or the draft.

3. Running Back

Last year, the team led the NFL with 164.5 yards/game on the ground. But with the addition of Manning and the loss of Tebow, the Broncos might not rely on the run as much as they did. It wouldn't hurt to look for an upgrade at running back, however, as Willis McGahee and Knowshon Moreno are no longer very reliable options moving forward.

4. Cornerback

Before they pried Tracy Porter away from the New Orleans Saints, the Broncos had this position as their biggest need. Porter will take over for Andre Goodman opposite Champ Bailey, but there isn't a whole lot of talent behind these two. And, at the age of 34, Bailey is no longer the same dominant player he once was. Denver could still use its first-round pick on one of the top corners left on the board, if the Broncos are unable to fill one of their primary needs with the pick.

5. Offensive Line

Left guard and center are certainly two positions at which the Broncos could use an upgrade. Starting right tackle Orlando Franklin could take over for Zane Beadles at guard, but for that to happen, the team will need to find a replacement for Franklin at tackle. Center J.D. Walton looked completely lost most weeks, and the team is already losing its patience waiting for him to figure it out. They need to strongly consider finding a replacement for Walton, or else we might see Manning chew out Walton a lot in 2012.

2012 Denver Broncos Offseason Needs

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Jacksonville Jaguars' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

1st Round (#5) WR Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

2nd Round (#38) DE Andre Branch, Clemson

Nfl 2012

3rd Round (#70) P Bryan Anger, Cal

5th Round (#142) OLB Brandon Marshall, Nevada

6th Round (#176) CB Mike Harris, Florida State

7th Round (#228) DT Jeris Pendleton, Ashland

Analysis of Notable Selections:

Justin Blackmon: The wide receiver position has been problematic for the Jags since Jimmy Smith retired. Jacksonville made the right move and traded up a little bit (from #7 to #5 overall) to draft Justin Blackmon. The two-time Biltenikoff Award winner provides Blaine Gabbert with a potential quality lead receiver. Blackmon is a physical receiver who excels at catching slants, fades and gaining yards after the catch. His wide catching radius makes him very quarterback friendly. The selection of Blackmon not only fills a major need at wide receiver, but gives Gabbert a better chance to succeed after a poor rookie season. Blackmon was recently arrested for DUI and this has to be a concern for Jacksonville. However, there is nothing in Blackmon's background to indicate that he will be another Charles Rogers. Blackmon has to mature more, but in the end he should deliver on his promise and provide the Jags with a playmaker at receiver.

Andre Branch: The lack of a pass rush has also dogged the Jaguars for several years. Branch had a strong senior season, but it took him awhile to deliver at Clemson. He has a good outside pass rush and plays hard, but Branch will have to add variety to his pass rush moves. Jacksonville needed pass rush help, but Andre Branch may be just an average defensive end in the NFL.

Bryan Anger: The former Cal punter has a big leg and probably was the best punter in college football. Field position is important, but Jacksonville won 5 games last year and have many positions that require an upgrade more than at punter. Jacksonville's offensive line and secondary are far from top-notch yet the Jaguars passed on a number of prospects for a punter.

2012 NFL Draft Grade: C+

Bottom Line: Jacksonville is a bad team that needed a big draft to help turn the franchise around. They only had six selections and even spent a premium draft choice (a high 3rd rounder) on a punter. Are the Jaguars confident that they will be punting a lot in the future and Anger will be well utilized? How about improving a terrible offense so the punter stays on the sideline far more often? The Jaguars came out of this draft with one likely quality starter (Blackmon) and a potentially decent pass rusher (Branch). That is not enough for a team with so many needs.

Jacksonville Jaguars' 2012 NFL Draft Analysis

http://www.profootballdraftnetwork.com provides extensive pre and post NFL draft analysis. The site features scouting reports, rankings, top values, biggest risks, interviews with college coaches and players and mock drafts.

2012 TCU Horned Frogs Season Preview

The TCU Horned Frogs will be moving to the Big 12 conference from the Mountain West in 2012. Coach Gary Patterson has this team in great shape, having been a bowl contender for the last several years. A nail-biting 36-35 win against Boise State won them the Mountain West last year.

Some momentum is clearly going their way as they had an 11-2 record last year and beat Louisiana Tech 31-24 in the Poinsettia Bowl. 2011 was a good year for them as they exceeded expectations, but 2012 may be entirely different as they return only 11 starters in 2012, plus make the move to a more talented conference. Here is the team preview and the predictions on the Horned Frogs for the upcoming season.

Nfl 2012

Offense

Quarterback Casey Pachall made it a mission to prove doubters wrong when he was written off after Dalton left last season. He had an explosive year statistically and will look to improve on his junior campaign.

The Horned Frogs return a trio of running backs who combined for 2,303 yards, 6.3 per carry, and 24 touchdowns last year, making this one of the deepest RB corps in the country. Junior Waymon James, senior Ed Wesley and senior Matthew Tucker are all set to be back.

With TCU set to return its top three receivers from 2011, this makes them loaded at the skill positions. Junior Josh Boyce and senior Skye Dawson both return to starting roles. Sophomore Brandon Carter will likely be replaced by talented redshirt freshman LaDarius Brown, who has 4.47 speed.

The one big question mark for TCU is at the offensive line heading into 2012. This unit loses three starters, including a pair of All-MWC performers in left guard Kyle Dooley and left tackle Jeff Olson. Two starters are back this season, headed by first team All-MWC right guard Blaize Folts.

Defense

TCU has been one of the best defensive teams in the country over the last decade. With only five returning starters last season, however, this unit took a big step back. After giving up just 12.0 points and 228 total yards per game in 2010, the Horned Frogs yielded 21.5 points and 347 yards in 2011. With them going to a conference where they will face a lot of the top offenses, they may have another decline statistically.

The defensive line will be the strength of this unit with six of their top eight returning. That includes first-team All-MWC defensive end Stansly Maponga, who had 55 tackles and a team-high nine sacks a year ago. Also back is sophomore defensive tackle David Johnson and senior defensive end Ross Forrest.

The Frogs have had six linebackers move on the NFL in the last few years. Their lone starter coming back at linebacker is senior Kenny Cain. Cain has emerged as the leader, and he'll have some help from sophomore Deryck Goldon in their 4-2-5 scheme.

TCU's biggest loss comes in the secondary, as they part ways with corner Greg McCoy, safety Tekerrein Cuba, and free safety Johnny Fobbs. Their only returnee is junior corner Jason Verret. Inexperience could do them in as they enter the pass-happy Big 12.

Big 12 Prediction - 5th Place

The Horned Frogs definitely have talent at quarterback and skill positions to match nearly every other team in the Big 12. Their offensive line may be a bit troubling, but it's clear that their problem lies on the defensive end. Their front four can hold their own, but the secondary could be annihilated in this conference. A very soft schedule early on could have this team win big, but they can easily lose four of their last five. They'll face tough opponents with Oklahoma State, West Virginia and Texas all on the road. Plus they'll face Big 12 favorite Oklahoma at home. A predicted 4 losses will have them finish in the middle of the pack in the Big 12.

2012 TCU Horned Frogs Season Preview

Jack Jones posts his football picks at Betfirms.com as well as FootballFreePicks.com.

A 'Giant' Lesson To Help You Jumpstart Your Copywriting Success

I can't help it; I'm a NY Giants fan. Have been for years, and love watching their football games every week. It was so exciting to watch their Super Bowl win in 2008; everyone else in the room had them down and out with 2:19 seconds on the clock, but I said, "The game isn't over yet! They still have time on the clock."

Yes, it did seem hopeless. But then came David Tyree's miracle catch and the rest was history!

Super Bowl 2012

Now, in 2012, the NY Giants have done it again! And take it from me, I would have counted them out around Thanksgiving with all the losing they were doing. Week after week. Just another loss, just another head-shake.

Then in December, when the team needed, really needed, to start winning games, they did! First one, then a second, then all their away games, beating the unbeatable Green Bay Packers for their Division, then the 49-er's for the chance to meet New England all over again in Indianapolis.

As I watched that Super Bowl game in early February 2012, I just knew deep down inside, that as long as the Giants didn't let this game get away from them, they would be in it to the end, with a good chance to win. Things looked really good, when they took an early 9-0 lead. Psychologically, it probably made all the difference.

Now, I'm no psychologist, but I've been around long enough to know, that if you come prepared, with all your T's crossed and all your I's dotted, then you stand as good a chance as anyone else of winning!

That's why the key to your copywriting success is a lot like winning the Super Bowl.

It's being fully prepared for what's to come. And what's to come?

Writing copy for clients. Be sure to master your fundamentals to copywriting . No matter what you do from here on out, these basics will always keep you covered. They will become everything you need to build on.

Creating a niche for your business. Very important, and sometimes, very overlooked. Businesses want to know that you know what they need. By investing in additional copywriting programs in the fields of finance, health, non-profits, SEO, b2b, or personal success, you are insuring that clients will see you as an expert.

Understanding writing for the Web. There are tons of opportunities in web-writing, so become familiar with programs that emphasize how to write exclusively for the Web, as it is very different from regular copywriting.

Building your business. Once you have the basics down, there are many programs for learning exactly how to run your business, everything from where to find clients (which you will need sooner rather than later), all the way to goal-planning, and how to set up your business office! Ensure that your copywriting business doesn't get away from you!

So, just like the NY Giants, you'll know exactly when to send your special team onto the field and when to use 4-4 defense as opposed to a shotgun formation to get the winning plays!

Only just like your defense, your offense will consist of using the big promise, and the 4-U's, and how to sell benefits instead of features. Your headlines will be directed at the perfect audience, because you will have it all prepared ahead of time. Just for them.

That's the winning ticket! For your copywriting business or for the Super Bowl!

Just ask the NY Giants.

A 'Giant' Lesson To Help You Jumpstart Your Copywriting Success

Alice Seidel works as a freelance writer. Alice will make your direct-response letters, sales letters, or seo copywriting content glisten like gold! For details, visit ==> http://www.aliceseidel.com

2012 Pre-Season AFC West Power Rankings

4. Oakland Raiders: 6-10 (1-5 in division)

After finishing the last two seasons with a record of 8-8 the Oakland Raiders are an enigma at best. With the great running back tandem of Darren McFadden and Michael Bush, the team should perform better than they have recently, although Oakland could easily lose 5 or 6 games in a row due to lack of solid leadership. Most of the team's success will be determined by the play of Quarterback Carson Palmer, as he showed glimpses of brilliance as well as moments of poor judgment. There are several unanswered questions surrounding Oakland for the 2012 season.

Nfl 2012

3. Kansas City Chiefs: 7-9 (3-3 in division)

The Chiefs had a mediocre season last year, finishing 7-9 and battling injuries the whole way. Jamaal Charles, Eric Berry and Tony Moeaki will all be returning from season -ending surgeries due to knee injuries suffered last season. Quarterback Matt Cassel should return strong and look for wide out Dwayne Bowe to explode after a solid 2011 campaign that had him catch 81 passes for 1,159 yards while averaging 14.3 yards per catch. Kansas City had a good off-season that included drafting Dontari Poe from Memphis who had one of the most impressive performances at the NFL Scouting Combine among all players, in addition to the signing Romeo Crennel as their head coach. Crennel became the interim head coach at the end of last season and went 2-1 including an impressive victory over the, at the time, undefeated Green Bay Packers.

2. San Diego Chargers: 8-8 (3-3 in division)

The San Diego Chargers are a perennial pre-season favorite to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl; however, after finishing a disappointing 8-8 last season this is no longer the case. For the first time in the better part of this decade, the Chargers are not the favorite to win the AFC West. This is due in large part to a rather unproductive off-season that had San Diego lose star wide-out Vincent Jackson to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency. One bright spot however was the #18 overall pick of the 2012 NFL Draft, defensive end Melvin Ingram, who should greatly improve a Charger defense that finished last season 20th in the NFL in opponent's rushing yards allowed.

1. Denver Broncos: 11-5 (5-1 in division)

The Denver Broncos signed the best free agent in the 2012 class, Peyton Manning, who is a lock to be inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Manning will be joining a Broncos team that should completely revamp their offense which was first in the NFL in rushing yards and second to last in passing yards last season. Manning should put up great numbers passing the ball to wide-outs Erick Decker and Demaryius Thomas who both came on strong at the end of last season. Von Miller will anchor the defense after a phenomenal rookie season in which he had 64 tackles and 11.5 sacks, as well as forcing 2 fumbles.

2012 Pre-Season AFC West Power Rankings

Eric Smart is the content writer and editor for http://EventTickets101.com. To view our sports blog and find great deals on Broncos tickets, visit http://www.eventtickets101.com/performer/denver-broncos-tickets.aspx