NFL OVERHAUL RANKINGS

RATING TEAMS THAT WILL CHANGE MOST IN 2019 OFFSEASON

This NFL offseason will prove again that the league and its teams never rest. With that in mind, I look back with my annual offseason overhaul rankings for all 32 teams. It's a chance to project which teams might undergo the most significant changes as the hiring cycle for coaches and general managers gives way to roster cuts, free agency, trades and the draft.

I start with the teams that missed the postseason or were eliminated early.

1. NEW YORK JETS

The Jets will have new coach Adam Gase paired with a fifth-year general manager under pressure to support second-year quarterback Sam Darnold.

The roster has great potential for turnover beyond those factors. Twenty-four veterans with a combined 141 starts and more than 8,000 snaps for the 2018 Jets enter the offseason without contracts for next season. Those figures for starts and snaps are the highest in the league. So is the $67 million in cap charges those veteran players represented.

The offensive skill positions and defensive secondary seem especially ripe for overhauls.

2. ARIZONA CARDINALS

The Cardinals were No. 1 on this list last offseason and could challenge for the top spot again. Like the Jets, they will have a new coach -- Kliff Kingsbury -- paired with an incumbent GM under pressure to support a quarterback selected in the first round of the 2018 draft. Ownership could expect quick results even though this looks to be a long-term rebuild.

Arizona had the NFL's sixth-oldest starters in 2018, not counting quarterbacks. Veterans without contracts for 2019 combined for 112 starts, fourth most in the league. An older roster that performed poorly and has lots of unsigned players with a new coach is a strong candidate for turnover.

GM Steve Keim needs to overhaul the offensive line and receiving spots, especially if unsigned Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald does not return.

3. OAKLAND RAIDERS

Jon Gruden already overhauled much of the roster he inherited from former coach Jack Del Rio and recently dismissed GM Reggie McKenzie. There is no reason to expect the pace of roster changes to suddenly slow following a 4-12 season. Gruden and new GM Mike Mayock own three first-round picks and will presumably overhaul the defense, for starters.

Gruden's affinity for veteran players at the offensive skill positions contributed to Oakland ranking No. 1 by a wide margin in average age for starters at running back, tight end and wide receiver. Will Gruden seek to get younger there? If so, there could be additional changes. The Raiders' 29.9-year average for starters at those positions was 1.2 years above the averages for the runner-up Patriots and Dolphins. It was 4.9 years older than the average for the Cowboys, who resided at the other end of the age spectrum.

4. MIAMI DOLPHINS

Owner Stephen Ross punctuated the Dolphins' leadership changes by suggesting the team needed a long-term rebuild after attempts to maximize the short term failed to meet his expectations. GM Chris Grier and the new coach will spearhead those efforts.

Veterans Frank Gore, Josh Sitton, William Hayes and Daniel Kilgore are all 30 or older and finished the season on injured reserve. What will the future hold for them? Gore and mainstay pass-rusher Cameron Wake are among the veterans with expiring contracts.

The team could also decide to shift away from quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who has been with Miami throughout his career, which began in 2012. Tannehill's career 49.1 QBR ranks 33rd out of 39 quarterbacks with at least 1,000 pass attempts in that span. Only Matt Schaub, Brock Osweiler, Derek Carr, Blake Bortles, Brian Hoyer and Blaine Gabbert rank lower.

5. BUFFALO BILLS

If the Bills' leadership has shown us anything, it's a willingness to churn the roster and coaching staff almost constantly. They are well into a roster overhaul that should remain in high gear as the team tries to upgrade most offensive positions around quarterback Josh Allen. Additional draft choices in the fourth, fifth and seventh rounds could help Buffalo keep the churn going.

Buffalo needs a No. 1 receiver, multiple offensive linemen, a tight end to succeed Charles Clay and a running back to succeed LeSean McCoy. There are needs on defense as well, even if 35-year-old pass-rusher Lorenzo Alexander re-signs with the team.

6. GREEN BAY PACKERS

Firing Mike McCarthy during the season showed the Packers weren't going to sit around and hope for the team to improve. They were eager to get started on an overhaul. With a new coach -- Matt LaFleur -- and second-year GM facing elevated expectations entering Aaron Rodgers' age-35 season, the Packers have work to do.

Nick Perry, Bryan Bulaga, Randall Cobb, Clay Matthews and Jimmy Graham combined to start 57 of the 64 games they played this season, but Graham and Matthews were the only ones to play every game. They were hardly dynamic contributors. Matthews, 33, and Cobb, 28, are scheduled for free agency. Bulaga has one relatively affordable year left on his deal and has battled serious injuries.

The safety position could get a makeover, as could the tight end position, where the team could conceivably part with Graham, Marcedes Lewis and Lance Kendricks. Graham's contract carries a $5 million roster bonus in March and a $12.6 million cap figure if he's on the roster.

7. CAROLINA PANTHERS

The Panthers fielded the second-youngest starters in the receiver-eligible slots -- running back, wide receiver and tight end -- while fielding the oldest starters overall. That would seem nearly impossible; except that Carolina's defensive starters were the oldest in the NFL on average at 29.4 (Baltimore was second at 28.8, with Philadelphia a distant third at 27.8).

Thomas Davis, Mike Adams and Julius Peppers were all age 35-or-older starters on a defense that plummeted from 10th to 24th in ESPN's efficiency rankings. Tight end Greg Olsen missed seven games, which suppressed the average age for Carolina's starting tight ends, but he is 33 and coming off another season-ending foot injury. Olsen remains signed through 2020 and could bounce back strong, but after missing 16 of the past 32 games, his future could be in question.

Although Carolina has some good young players to build around, the coming offseason provides an opportunity to overhaul the defense, which could lead to relatively significant roster turnover. The offensive line also could see significant turnover, helping to push Carolina higher on this list.

8. DETROIT LIONS

The Lions could be aggressive with their roster as they continue to remake the team to coach Matt Patricia's liking. Defensive end Ezekiel Ansah, guard T.J. Lang and safety Glover Quin are three prominent veterans to watch. How many will return for another season with the Lions?

GM Bob Quinn said quarterback Matthew Stafford will return as the starter. That always seemed to be the most likely scenario amid rumors the team could move its 10-year starter. (Then again, what else could a GM plausibly say?)

9. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Owner Shad Khan retained the Jaguars' leadership, but there could be turnover on the offensive side in particular.

Jacksonville ranked first on offense and last on defense in number of 2018 snaps played by veterans without contracts for next season.

The team will have a new offensive coordinator and must decide whether to bring back quarterback Blake Bortles for the final year of his contract.

Executive vice president Tom Coughlin sharply criticized running backs Leonard Fournette and T.J. Yeldon for conduct he considered selfish, calling into question their futures with the team. Yeldon is scheduled to become a free agent. The team's move to void Fournette's contract guarantees could have been a prelude to unloading him.

Changes on the offensive line also could be coming. The Jaguars got a league-high 3,416 snaps from offensive linemen without contracts for next season. Elsewhere on offense, starting receiver Donte Moncrief played on a one-year contract.

10. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Quarterback Nick Foles could be the headliner to leave Philly this offseason, depending on a few things. The team needs to overhaul the cornerback position with or without Ronald Darby, who can become a free agent. The defense and running game could be two areas hit hardest by change.

Defensive end Brandon Graham, 30, is the Eagles' only 16-game starter without a contract for 2019, but quite a few "name" players have expiring deals. That list includes linebacker Jordan Hicks (12 starts), Darby (nine), safety Corey Graham(nine), defensive tackle Haloti Ngata (nine), receiver Golden Tate (seven), receiver Jordan Matthews (three), defensive back Corey Graham (nine), halfback Jay Ajayi (three), receiver Mike Wallace (two) and scatback Darren Sproles.

Michael Bennett has seemingly played well enough to return, but his contract carries no cap consequences if the Eagles decide his $7 million price tag is too steep.

11. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS

A defensive overhaul of some magnitude awaits after the Buccaneers gave up a league-worst 29.0 points per game (they were 30th in efficiency). They'll have a new coach -- Bruce Arians -- as well, although the decision to stick with GM Jason Licht and quarterback Jameis Winston suggests the team could make another run with this offensive core, minus notable pieces such as Desean Jackson.

The question on defense is whether the overhaul could go deep enough to affect expensive front-line players such as Jason Pierre-Paul or even Gerald McCoy.

12. DENVER BRONCOS

It's not yet clear how far GM John Elway will go in attempting to end a three-year absence from the playoffs, but the assumption is that he will be active.

Offensive linemen Billy Turner, Jared Veldheer and Matt Paradis combined for 32 starts this season. All can become free agents. Overall, Denver ranks fifth in 2018 snaps played by veterans without contracts for 2019. That list includes cornerback Bradley Roby, whose first season as a full-time starter wasn't strong enough to ensure his future in Denver.

Will quarterback Case Keenum return? Denver guaranteed $7 million of his salary next season. The team might be able to win with him if its defense were elite. However, a Broncos defense that once ranked first (2015) and second (2016) in ESPN's efficiency metric has fallen to 11th (2017) and 19th (2018) more recently.

13. LOS ANGELES RAMS

The Rams have been active in the trade market and could continue on that path as they try to reload. There could be notable holes to fill.

Guard Rodger Saffold, safety Lamarcus Joyner, defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and defensive end Dante Fowler are four high-profile contributors who might not return.

The assumption is that left tackle Andrew Whitworth and center John Sullivan will return for the final year of their contracts. As the oldest starters in the league at their positions, the end is approaching, however. Zac Taylor's departure to become the Bengals' coach is the most notable coaching change so far.

14. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS

The Chiefs rank second to the Jets with 7,865 snaps from players without contracts for 2019.

That includes a league-high 2,791 from defensive backs, led by Steven Nelson, Ron Parker and Orlando Scandrick. Keeping free-agent pass-rusher Dee Ford will presumably be a priority, but changes could be coming to other areas of the defense.

15. BALTIMORE RAVENS

The Ravens will not necessarily overhaul their roster, but important changes lie ahead.

Eric DeCosta will take over for longtime GM Ozzie Newsome. Joe Flacco could be on his way out now that Lamar Jackson has taken over at quarterback. Even John Harbaugh's future as coach is in some question as teams wonder whether Harbaugh might be available in a trade pending resolution to his contract situation.

16. ATLANTA FALCONS

Firing all three coordinators following an injury-plagued 2018 season signaled increased urgency that could drive offseason activity. Much of that activity could go toward revamping both lines of scrimmage.

Nine offensive and defensive linemen who started games for Atlanta this season can become free agents. Defensive tackle Grady Jarrett heads that list and will presumably remain a priority to re-sign.

17. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

This feels almost like any other Patriots offseason now that the 2017-18 drama surrounding Tom Brady and Bill Belichick has subsided. Assuming both return, the Patriots still could be headed for some significant changes.

The Patriots could overhaul their receiving corps. Josh Gordon is already gone. Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett and Cordarrelle Patterson are eligible for free agency.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski's future could be the biggest question. He has one year and $9 million left on his contract and has deflected questions about retirement. The Patriots tried to trade him a year ago. Will they want him back at that price? Brian Flores' departure from the coaching staff to become the Dolphins' coach means some turnover will spill over to the coaching staff.

18. WASHINGTON REDSKINS

This Redskins offseason could go any number of directions. Will owner Daniel Snyder stay the course with team president Bruce Allen and the rest of the team's football leadership? Will quarterback Alex Smith recover from his career-threatening leg injury and continue as the starter?

Aside from the Kirk Cousins drama of recent offseasons, the Redskins have been rather conventional in their approach to free agency, distancing themselves from Snyder's previous reputation for expensive splashes. Will that change now that fan apathy is a leading storyline surrounding the team?

Whether the Redskins are in the market for a starting quarterback could affect their approach to the rest of the roster.

19. NEW YORK GIANTS

The Giants could rocket up this list if they decided to part with Eli Manning and move on from expensive veterans such as Olivier Vernon, Janoris Jenkins and Alec Ogletree. Making those moves would amount to an admission the Giants are rebuilding. Execs from other teams tend to think the Giants will bring back Manning for the final year of his contract, which could signal staying the course overall as well.

20. HOUSTON TEXANS

One evaluator said he thought the Texans might undergo bigger changes one year from now, but there is potential for an overhaul now. With Jadeveon Clowney, Tyrann Mathieu and Kareem Jackson eligible for free agency, Houston ranks fourth in 2018 snaps by defensive veterans with expiring contracts. Who will return?

One fear heading into 2018 was that the Texans wouldn't be able to support Deshaun Watson sufficiently in part because they had given up so much draft capital to get him. That could change this offseason as Houston holds extra picks in the second and fourth rounds. Those picks could help the Texans overhaul their offensive line.

21. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Much of the 49ers' offseason will consist of getting Jimmy Garoppolo healthy for what amounts to a do-over on the 2018 season. The team needs to upgrade its defense, however, so there could be some churn on that side of the ball, especially in the secondary, where Jimmie Ward is among the potential free agents.

22. CLEVELAND BROWNS

The Browns ranked third on this list last offseason. They appear much more settled now that John Dorsey is entering his second offseason as GM and Baker Mayfield is established as the long-term quarterback. Cleveland got a league-low 2,042 snaps from veteran players without contracts for 2019, led by offensive lineman Greg Robinson with 463. That's a reflection of the fact that the Browns' key players are young. Dorsey can now go about supplementing the roster instead of overhauling it. There will be changes, but probably not sweeping ones.

23. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

The big Seattle overhaul took place last offseason, but it's not finished. Earl Thomas will surely leave in free agency, spelling the official end to the Legion of Boom. Linebacker K.J. Wright turns 30 this summer and also could exit in free agency (Seattle over the past year has become averse to handing out third contracts to players with injury concerns). Pass-rusher Frank Clark, nickel corner Justin Coleman, left guard J.R. Sweezy and right guard D.J. Fluker are also among the prominent contributors without contracts for next season.

24. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

The Colts are still relatively early in the rebuilding process, which was easy to forget when watching them rally from a 1-5 start to reach the playoffs. GM Chris Ballard figures to focus on the defensive front and finding another cornerback as Indy seeks to take another step in the building process. Welcoming back young wideout Deon Cain from injury could be the most important move on offense. Indy could have more than $100 million in salary-cap space, but that doesn't mean Ballard is going to load up on expensive purchases.

25. CINCINNATI BENGALS

Most signs point to Cincinnati hiring a coach already familiar with the organization, which could indicate the Bengals will not stray from their well-established approach. They don't have a long list of key starters scheduled for free agency. They generally have not been aggressive movers in free agency or the trade market. And so here they are at No. 25, only three spots higher than last offseason, subject to change if the Bengals depart from past form.

26. TENNESSEE TITANS

The Titans rank relatively low on the assumption that Marcus Mariota will most likely return as the starting quarterback. There will be changes in the defensive front seven following Brian Orakpo's retirement and with Derrick Morgan eligible to become a free agent. Those two combined for 25 starts this season. Tennessee will presumably find an interior lineman to pair with Jurrell Casey while adding at least one outside rusher to replace Orakpo.

27. PITTSBURGH STEELERS

The Steelers will almost surely part ways with running back Le'Veon Bell. Unloading receiver Antonio Brown seems much less likely, but the drama surrounding his situation raises questions for the short term, at least. Overall, however, the Steelers figure to focus on reloading more than rebuilding.

28. MINNESOTA VIKINGS

The offensive line is the one area where Minnesota could be in for an overhaul to some degree. The Vikings need to settle on a long-term successor to line coach Tony Sparano, who died from arteriosclerotic heart disease in July. They also need to upgrade the personnel to the extent resources allow. The defense is mostly set after the Vikings re-signed their most important players on that side of the ball. Linebacker Anthony Barr and tackle Sheldon Richardson might not fit into the picture. Both can become free agents.

29. CHICAGO BEARS

The Bears made their big changes last offseason when they signed veteran pass-catchers and made the trade for Khalil Mack. They're in position to bring back nearly all of their important players from 2018, but they will presumably be more conservative in their offseason acquisitions.

30. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS

The Chargers appear likely to return largely intact while trying to win with a highly productive veteran quarterback in his late 30s (Philip Rivers turned 37 in December). They will want to upgrade their offensive line and supplement other areas of the roster, but now is not the time for an overhaul.

31. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

The Saints could supplement their roster at receiver and in the secondary, among other spots, but their approach figures to be all about keeping open their championship window, not building another one. Mark Ingram is the biggest name on the Saints' free-agent list. He started six games and played 342 snaps.

32. DALLAS COWBOYS

The Cowboys figure to be big spenders this offseason, but mostly to keep their own players. Re-signing a young core featuring Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper and DeMarcus Lawrence figures to be a bigger priority than overhauling the roster, even if Dallas shows interest in Seattle safety Earl Thomas.

AFC CUT CANDIDATES

BLAKE BORTLES OBVIOUS, BUT JUSTIN HOUSTON?

Julian Edelman was barely done with his Monday morning Super Bowl MVP press conference when the first cuts started. The Falcons waved goodbye to cornerback Robert Alford, who, two long years ago, had a pick-six of Tom Brady in the Super Bowl. Alford was signed by the Cardinals just two days after his release, a reminder that free agency doesn't necessarily wait for mid-March.

Other notable names like Texans wideout Demaryius Thomas have been released since, but most of the roster pruning will take place closer to when the new league year starts on March 13.

Below is my best guess at projecting some of the potential AFC cuts. 

Note: Unless otherwise cited, salary-cap figures in this piece were found on OverTheCap.com.

STRONG CANDIDATES FOR RELEASE

1) CASE KEENUM, QB, DENVER BRONCOS: Broncos executive John Elway admitted Keenum was a "short-term"solution, and then he showed that he meant it in trading for Joe Flacco. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reports that the Broncos will now shop Keenum. If nothing comes to fruition there, Elway is likely to eat the $6.5 million guaranteed on Keenum's 2019 contract to save salary-cap space, rather than let Keenum compete with Flacco.

2) BLAKE BORTLES, QB, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Bortles will still cost the Jaguars $16.5 million against the cap in dead money, even if they cut him. That includes $6.5 million in guaranteed money due to Bortles in 2019 because of the deeply unnecessary contract extension Jags executive Tom Coughlin and general manager David Caldwell gave Bortles last offseason. It's up to the same front office to recover from that mistake quickly.

3) MALIK JACKSON, DT, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Jackson has enjoyed a sneaky-good three-year run in Jacksonville and wasn't a huge liability last season, especially in a part-time role after his snaps were reduced late in the season. But $13 million is too much to pay for a rotational lineman when the Jags have real cap issues (see above) and real needs, and Jackson knows he's a goner. He won't be our No. 1 free agent again, but he'll inspire plenty of interest.

4-5) CB JIMMY SMITH AND WR MICHAEL CRABTREE, BALTIMORE RAVENS: The two men whose end zone battle essentially decided Super Bowl XLVII could be linked again this offseason. Smith hasn't stayed on the field enough to earn his scheduled $9.5 million salary, while Crabtree's one season in Baltimore was a disappointment. The Ravens need to get younger and faster at wide receiver and in the secondary.

6) RYAN TANNEHILL, QB, MIAMI DOLPHINS: Due $38 million over the next two years, Tannehill's fate will be a great litmus test of just how desperate teams are in the quarterback market. There's a chanceanother team will see that contract and give up a draft pick to obtain it. A chance.

7-10) WR DEVANTE PARKER, DE ROBERT QUINN, WR DANNY AMENDOLA AND DE ANDRE BRANCH, MIAMI DOLPHINS: Nearly every genre of personnel mistake is represented here. Parker is an example of the first-round pick who fizzled out despite all sorts of chances. Amendola was the aging veteran overpaid for leadership. Quinn was the expensive trade acquisition who never made sense. Branch was the most costly of all, a homegrown contract-year hero who the club didn't correctly self-scout. These are the moves the Dolphins have made to win between six and eight games in nine of the last 10 years.

11) DONALD PENN, OT, OAKLAND RAIDERS: Jon Gruden announced his intentions at tackle when the Raiders drafted two players at the position last year, and that came before Penn missed most of 2018 with a groin injury.

12) BUD DUPREE, LB, PITTSBURGH STEELERS: Mike Tomlin has been patiently waiting for Dupree to live up to the Steelers' edge-rushing tradition for four seasons. Paying him $9.232 million on a fifth-year option would represent far too much patience.

13) CHARLES CLAY, TE, BUFFALO BILLS: Clay was a splashy free-agent signing by former GM Doug Whaley. He was a healthy scratch late last season, usually the final sign a player is on his way out.

POTENTIAL SURPRISES

1) JUSTIN HOUSTON, LB/DE, KANSAS CITY CHIEFS: Houston is one of the best pass rushers of the last decade, so I was surprised how casually The Athletic's Nate Parker wrote that Houston was unlikely to return to the team in 2019 because of his $21.1 million cap figure.

The more I thought about it -- and read comments from Chiefs GM Brett Veach -- the more sense it made. The Chiefs are switching to a 4-3 defense under new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, and Veach lauded how youngsters Chris Jones and Derrick Nnadi fit into the new system. The team has already said it will bring back Dee Ford, which probably means the franchise tag. Veach was vague about Houston's future. K.C. doesn't have a ton of cap space and needs to start making room for extensions for Jones, Tyreek Hill and eventually Patrick Mahomes. Houston can still play at a high level, but perhaps not at the level you'd expect for someone set to count for $21.1 million against the cap at age 30. If released, he'll get picked up quickly on a big deal elsewhere.

2) KELECHI OSEMELE, OG, OAKLAND RAIDERS: New Raiders GM Mike Mayock -- that still feels bizarre to write -- has plenty of cap space, but the team might want to continue getting younger up front.

3) MARCELL DAREUS, DT, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS: Dareus is ultimately a valuable run-stopping specialist who is paid like a superstar.

4) ERIC WEDDLE, S, BALTIMORE RAVENS:Weddle said after the season he'd retire before playing for another organization, but then backed off that statement. A valuable pickup by former GM Ozzie Newsome, the 34-year-old no longer possesses the range he once had.

5) JAMIE COLLINS, LB, CLEVELAND BROWNS: Still dogged by occasional complaints about his effort level, Collins' bigger issue is his lack of playmaking. It's been a while since NBC's Cris Collinsworth called him one of the best defensive players in football.

6) S DEVIN MCCOURTY OR LB DONT'A HIGHTOWER, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS: Bill Belichick has shown in the past he's not afraid to let go of highly paid defensive leaders. Retirement has been floated as an option for McCourty, which could be a pre-emptive strike against any Patriots request for a pay cut. Hightower was terrific in the playoffs and is the heartbeat of the team's linebacker group, but the Pats often err on the side of letting go of a player a year too early rather than keeping him a year too long. It's hard to imagine New England cutting both players, but saying goodbye to one would be a typical Belichickian way to move on from the Super Bowl afterglow.

OTHER PLAYERS IN TROUBLE (in alphabetical order): 

Dwayne Allen, TE, New England Patriots; 

Kelvin Beachum, OT, New York Jets; 

Travis Benjamin, WR, Los Angeles Chargers; 

Morgan Burnett, S, Pittsburgh Steelers; 

Adrian Clayborn, DE, New England Patriots; 

Isaiah Crowell, RB, New York Jets; 

Johnathan Cyprien, S, Tennessee Titans; 

Carlos Hyde, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars; 

Kevin Johnson, CB, Houston Texans; 

Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Cincinnati Bengals; 

Ronald Leary, OG, Denver Broncos; 

Corey Liuget, DT, Los Angeles Chargers; 

Brandon Marshall, LB, Denver Broncos; 

AJ McCarron, QB, Oakland Raiders; 

Seth Roberts, WR, Oakland Raiders; 

Josh Sitton, OG, Miami Dolphins; 

Daniel Sorensen, S, Kansas City Chiefs.

NFC CUT CANDIDATES

DESEAN JACKSON, ELI MANNING TO HIT MARKET?

I already took a look at the candidates to be released in the AFC. With the Joe Flacco trade kicking off the "Oh, we're already doing this?" phase of the offseason, let's get to the NFC cuts before this article gets out of date.

Note: Unless otherwise cited, salary-cap figures in this piece were found on OverTheCap.com.

1) SEAN LEE, LB, DALLAS COWBOYS: It's been a great run. Lee wants to return to the Cowboys in 2019 -- and perhaps the two sides can work out a pay cut -- but he doesn't have much of a role if Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch are healthy. Dallas owner Jerry Jones can get sentimental about longtime Cowboys, but carrying Lee with a cap figure over $10 million is going too far.

2) NICK PERRY, LB, GREEN BAY PACKERS: Perry has only been healthy enough to play more than 550 snaps once in his seven-year career. That season (2016) is what afforded him the huge deal that the Packers will now likely get out of.

3) MALCOLM SMITH, LB, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS: Smith was part of GM John Lynch's large first free-agency class from two years ago. So was Pierre Garcon, whose option was declined between the time the rough draft of this article was written and the final version went up. Lynch is under pressure to find more hits this time around.

4) TIM JERNIGAN, DT, EAGLES: The Eagles took a swing with Jernigan after acquiring him from Baltimore, but back surgery limited his productivity with the team. Philadelphia has so many other question marks that Jernigan's $11 million salary looks like an easy cut.

5) MARK BARRON, LB, LOS ANGELES RAMS: After years of Barron landing on lists like this, it should finally be time for the Rams to say goodbye to their hard-hitting linebacker.

6) ZACH BROWN, LB, WASHINGTON REDSKINS: Brown saw the "writing on the wall" back in December and he was probably right to expect his time with the 'Skins to end.

7-8) ALLEN HURNS AND TERRANCE WILLIAMS, WR, DALLAS COWBOYS: Amari Cooper has rendered most of his predecessors in Dallas extraneous.

9) GLOVER QUIN, S, DETROIT LIONS: The former second-team All-Pro's excellent six-year run in Detroit appears at an end after Quin struggled to adapt to coach Matt Patricia's system.

10) KAM CHANCELLOR, S, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS: Chancellor has not officially retired, and $5.2 million of his $10 million 2019 salary remains guaranteed. The Seahawks will officially release him and say thanks to the quiet leader of perhaps the defining position group of its era.

POTENTIAL SURPRISES

1) GERALD MCCOY, DT, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: It was initially confusing to see McCoy's name mentioned so often as a candidate for release after the season, with Todd Bowles' scheme change mentioned as the most common reasoning. Bucs general manager Jason Licht's noncommittal comments on the best Bucs player of the decade felt telling. However, considering Licht's track record, it requires a big leap of faith to believe he'll spend $13 million in cap room on someone better than McCoy.

2) DESEAN JACKSON, WR, TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS: Usually players fear being cut. D-Jax wants it. His unhappiness in Tampa is out in the open, yet Coach Bruce Arians expressed a desire to recruit him ... to stay. Only a badass could lead the league in yards per reception in his 11th season, and Jackson knows his services are still in high demand, no matter where he plays.

3) OLIVIER VERNON, DE, NEW YORK GIANTS: Vernon hasn't been healthy enough to live up to his monster contract, and he's not worth the $15.25 million base salary he's due in 2019. But the odds on general manager Dave Gettleman finding anyone better this offseason is small. At 28, Vernon knows he'd have a strong enough free-agent market to resist a pay cut.

4) ELI MANNING, QB, NEW YORK GIANTS: Unlike Flacco, Manning would be extremely unlikely to have a trade market. This release would be a surprise, especially if Eli is open to following his older brother's path of accepting a pay cut in exchange for incentives on his contract.

5) NELSON AGHOLOR, WR, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Like the first three names in this section, Agholor could be a tradeable asset. I'd expect the Eagles to bring him back on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal -- unless they can upgrade via trade, at which point his $9.387 million contract would look more onerous.

6) JASON PETERS, OT, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: Peters once called Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie "his best friend." Peters is a future Hall of Famer at an extremely scarce position. Something tells me the Eagles will figure out a way to keep him.

7) VIC BEASLEY, LB, ATLANTA FALCONS: Thomas Dimitroff's old boss in New England has a strong track record on balance of knowing when to give up on a personnel mistake. I know what Bill Belichick would do with Beasley's $12.8 million salary, but it's a lot harder to guess what the Falcons will do.

OTHER PLAYERS IN TROUBLE (in alphabetical order): 

Arik Armstead, DE, San Francisco 49ers; 

Kurt Coleman, S, New Orleans Saints; 

Vernon Davis, TE, Washington Redskins; 

Mike Glennon, QB, Arizona Cardinals; 

Jermaine Gresham, TE, Arizona Cardinals; 

T.J. Lang, G, Detroit Lions; 

Cameron Meredith, WR, New Orleans Saints; 

Barkevious Mingo, LB, Seattle Seahawks; 

Mike Remmers, G, Minnesota Vikings; 

Dion Sims, TE, Chicago Bears; Torrey Smith,

WR, Carolina Panthers; 

John Sullivan, C, Los Angeles Rams.

10 NFL TEAMS THAT MUST ACE THE OFFSEASON

The NFL offseason is not created equal for the league’s 32 teams. Some squads have a whole bunch of money to spend and even more roster spots to fill with talented players.

Others will largely avoid free agency due to both cap restraints and their own front office philosophy. They can do this simply because of the success these teams have seen.

On the other hand, there’s a ton of teams out there who must ace their offseason. From an Oakland Raiders team that’s gone all in for the 2019 NFL Draft to a Philadelphia Eagles squad coming off a disappointing season, we check in on 10 of those teams below.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

General Manager and Head Coach Mike Tomlin have their work cut out for them during the offseason. As a team the Steelers must ace the offseason. First they have to decide if running back James Conners is going to be the main back in this offense. Yes the Steelers provide that there is life after Bell but once Conner got injury there was very little to fall back on. So do the Steelers need to get a horse type running back that can carry the ball 25 times a game?

Then the Steelers need to decide what to do with Antonio Brown? Brown is acting like a 5 year old because he wasn’t getting the ball enough. Well to bad! It takes more than one wide receiver to win a game and if the Steelers do trade Brown do the Steelers need to get a wide receiver in return. The Steelers should get a number 1 pick for Brown but are there any takers because whoever Brown is trade to he’s going to be carrying a lot of baggage. The Steelers need to work on the other side of the ball. They need linebacker help as well as help in the secondary. The Steelers have until March 17 to decide what they’re going to with Brown who’s guaranteed a 2 million signing bonus.

OAKLAND RAIDERS

Head coach and de facto general manager Jon Gruden pretty much put all of his cards in the deck that is the 2019 NFL offseason. It will define the Raiders long after they relocate to Vegas in 2020. It started with the team acquiring multiple first-round picks for Khalil Mack and Amari Cooper. As this past regular season played out, it became apparent that the Raiders were looking towards the future.

Not only does Oakland need to ace the 2019 NFL Draft with both immediate production players and long-term answers, it needs to hit free agency hard. The Raiders are nearly $70 million under the cap and can save another $20-plus million by releasing under-performing veterans such as A.J. McCarron. The time is now for Gruden to make his imprint on the Raiders’ roster.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Newish Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst made it clear last offseason that he was going to go away from Ted Thompson’s MO of largely avoiding free agency. It’s in this that he added Mo Wilkerson, Jimmy Graham and Tramon Williams. While Williams is the only one that paid off, it’s a sign of new things at Lambeau. Coming off a disastrous 2018 campaign that saw Mike McCarthy fired, this must continue in March and moving forward.

Green Bay has already fallen behind the likes of Minnesota and Chicago in the NFC North. The team needs to find upgrades along the offensive line, from a pass-rush perspective and at linebacker. It should also move on from longtime edge rusher Clay Matthews. The good news here is that Green Bay is $34-plus million under the cap. The bad news? It doesn’t have much wriggle room to get further under the cap and be big time players in free agency.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

These Jaguars were a few points from earning a Super Bowl trip back in 2017. Unfortunately, things just went awry this past season. Making the decision of relying on Blake Bortles, the Jaguars’ offense was a disaster during a five-win 2018 campaign. The defense also took a step back — Jalen Ramsey making more news off the field than on it. Now that the Jaguars have decided to move on from Bortles, this offseason is going to be a make-or-break one for Tom Coughlin and Co.

It’s going to start with finding a quarterback to replace Bortles. Picking seventh overall, either Kyler Murray or Dwayne Haskins could be there. Though, the Jags might have to trade up to secure one of the top two quarterback prospects. With that said, it’s all about finding a stopgap option under center. How much would either Nick Foles or Eli Manning move the needle? That’s the question Tom Coughlin needs to be asking himself.

DETROIT LIONS

Matt Patricia’s first season with the Lions certainly didn’t go according to plan. After excelling under then-offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter in 2017, Matthew Stafford struggled big time in 2018. Meanwhile, the Lions’ defense took a major step back during what was ultimately a disappointing six-win season. Things must change — and change quick — in the Motor City.

Defensive end Ezekiel Ansah is the Lions’ only big-time free agent. He’s unlikely to be back after being handed the franchise tag last season. Its good news in that Detroit has $35-plus million in cap room after releasing veteran safety Glover Quin. The onus is certainly on general manager Bob Quinn this offseason.

CLEVELAND BROWNS

Fresh off their best season in a decade, the Browns are certainly going to be under a microscope this spring. That was made evident by the questionable signing of Kareem Hunt. How general manager John Dorsey and Co. attack this offseason will tell us a lot about both the MO of the front office and the future of the Browns as a whole.

There’s certainly a lot to like here. Unlike previous years, the Browns might be a hot free-agent destination. The team has nearly $80 million in cap room and could create another $18-plus million by releasing Jamie Collins and Damarious Randall. This gives Dorsey a whole lot of capital to work with in an attempt to address key positions. How that plays out will dictate whether these Browns are legit AFC North contenders next season.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

It’s rather obvious that the Eagles took a step back this past season. Injuries certainly played a role here — namely to franchise quarterback Carson Wentz. Even then, Nick Foles did well in his stead after earning the Super Bowl MVP the previous season. The issue here is depth and talent across the board. Can the Eagles find a true three-down running back? What about their issue in the secondary? Equally as important, multiple key defenders are set to hit free agency.

Philadelphia will likely look for a sign-and-trade in regards to the Foles’ situation. That should give them at least on extra mid-round pick to work with. Though, the free agent status of Brandon Graham, Golden Tate, Ronald Darby and Jordan Hicks is troublesome. As it is, general manager Howie Roseman and Co. are currently over the cap. They’ll have to cut fat in order to even be able to retain their core players, let alone hit free agency hard.

DENVER BRONCOS

The first shoe dropped in the NFL offseason when John Elway and Co. shockingly traded for former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. It’s the latest example of Elway attempting to correct a quarterback position that has failed the Broncos since Peyton Manning’s retirement. With Flacco aboard, it’s going to be interesting to see how the remainder of the offseason plays out for a Broncos team that won just six games in 2018.

There’s some good news on this front. Denver is almost $20 million under the cap. It will save a nice chunk once Case Keenum is traded or released. After that, the status of Derek Wolfe, Emmanuel Sanders and Ronald Leary comes into play. For his part, Sanders sent out a cryptic tweet about his future in Mile High. As it is, Elway will have a nice chunk of money to work with. He’ll need to ace free agency and the draft for these Broncos to become relevant once again. It’s that simple.

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

We can hand mulligans to the general manager/head coach combo of John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan over their first two seasons in San Francisco. They pretty much took over an expansion roster in 2017 — leading the team to a surprising six wins. This past season saw Jimmy Garoppolo and Jerick McKinnon go down to season-ending injury before Week 3 concluded. Even then, 10 wins in two seasons is absolutely not going to cut it.

There’s definitely good news on this front. San Francisco could very well add Antonio Brown in a trade here soon. That would be a boon for Garoppolo and Co. moving forward. The 49ers are also $76-plus million under the cap — a number that could reach $90 million before free agency. It’s in this that Lynch must add multiple long-term options in free agency. Let’s not even talk about San Francisco boasting the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. That selection needs to net a perennial Pro Bowler. Period.

NEW YORK GIANTS

It’s about the quarterback position, stupid. Even if Eli Manning were to come back for another season in New York, the Giants must find their long-term signal caller in the 2019 NFL Draft. We disagree with the notion that selecting Saquon Barkley over Sam Darnold in the 2018 NFL Draft was a mistake. But now, it’s time for the Giants to move forward with that franchise guy.

While it might start at quarterback, general manager Dave Gettleman needs to hit a home run in free agency. Currently $27 million under the cap, said activity in free agency could be dependent on New York cutting some of the fat off its under-performing roster. Even then, it will be interesting to see if any top-end free agents want to join this sinking ship.

PENGUINS DEFENSEMAN JUSTIN SCHULTZ ACTIVATED OFF IR, GAME-TIME DECISION AGAINST FLAMES

The Pittsburgh Penguins have activated defenseman Justin Schultz off of injured reserve and is a game-time decision against the Calgary Flames.

The Penguins made the official roster move Friday afternoon.

The Penguins have activated defenseman Justin Schultz from injured reserve. Schultz has missed the past 53 games after fracturing his left leg on Oct. 13 in Montreal. Schultz6 is a game-time decision for today’s game vs. Calgary.”

The Penguins have activated defenseman Justin Schultz from injured reserve. Schultz has missed the past 53 games after fracturing his left leg on Oct. 13 in Montreal.@6Schultz6 is a game-time decision for tomorrow's game vs. Calgary.

Schultz has missed the last 53 games with a leg fracture. The offensive-defenseman has been back with the team at practice over the last week or so.

The Penguins have two afternoon home games this weekend. On Saturday the Pens battle the Flames at 1:00 p.m. On Sunday, the New York Rangers are in town for a 12:30 p.m. start.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES NEWS

SPRING TRAINING TELEVISION SCHEDULE

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a little over a week away from starting Spring Training games.  So what is their televised schedule this year?

Major League Baseball and the Pittsburgh Pirates are getting back into the swing of things with pitchers and catchers reporting this week.  It is an exciting time of the year because baseball is just under two months away from the regular season starting.  This also means that baseball will return to our televisions basically every night of the week.

However, that is over two months away!  How can Pittsburgh Pirates fan get ready to start watching baseball every day?  As viewers, we need our spring training as well.  The good news is that spring training baseball is starting to be shown more and more each year.  This year even more games will be shown mainly between the MLB Network and some on the Pittsburgh Pirates local station AT&T Network.  AT&T Network usually shows two games a spring.

Obviously, when games are on MLB Network they are nationally televised, or at least regionally televised.  The MLB Network has released their spring training television schedule and the Pittsburgh Pirates have plenty of games that will be on.  Unfortunately, MLB Network is not part of general cable packages, so not everyone will be able to view the games.  However, if you want to watch and already have the channel there will be plenty of games to watch.  Also, the Bucs should have a game on ESPN this year.

HERE IS THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES MLB NETWORK SCHEDULE FOR SPRING TRAINING 2019:

REPLAY: 2/24 Phillies 6:00 AM

REPLAY: 3/8 vs Orioles 3:00 AM

REPLAY: 3/10 vs Twins 9:00 AM

REPLAY: 3/12 vs Twins 1:00 PM LIVE

REPLAY: 3/14 vs Phillies 11:00 PM

REPLAY: 3/16 vs Rays 3:00 AM

LIVE: 3/19 vs Tigers 1:00 PM

TELEVISION DELAY: 3/21 vs Orioles 4:00 PM

TELEVISION DELAY: 3/22 @ Rays 4:00 PM

TELEVISION DELAY: 3/23 @ Red Sox 4:00 PM

REPLAY: 3/24 vs Phillies 6:00 AM

So the downside here is that most of the games that the MLB Network will be showing are games that will already be complete or be shown on a delay.  Still, it will be nice to get to see the action on TV instead of watching on a game cast.  Also, the Bucs have a lot of prospects coming to camp this year, and it will be fun to watch them play before being demoted back to the minors.  Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball is back, and games are just over a week away.

JACOB STALLINGS NEEDS TO MAKE THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES OPENING DAY ROSTER

At least to start the season, the Pittsburgh Pirates need to be carrying three catchers at the Major League level Earlier in the offseason, we took a look at the decision the Pittsburgh Pirates will face with catcher Jacob Stallings this spring. The 29-year-old Stallings is the team’s primary catching depth, however, he is also out of minor league options. Due to this, he cannot start the season at Triple-A Indianapolis without first being exposed to waivers.

With teams always searching for catching helps, odds are, Stallings would not clear waivers. Especially since he is viewed as a plus defender that does a stellar job of handling a pitching staff, as well as the strides he has made as a hitter.

After slashing .301/.358/.431 with a wRC+ of 120 at Triple-A in 2017, Stallings slashed .285/.335/.414 with a 111 wRC+ in 2018. He also owns a .288/.333/.333 slash line in 24 games at the MLB level the past two seasons. After being viewed as an offensive liability early in his professional career, Stallings has improved enough offensively to make him a MLB quality catcher when you factor in his defense.

Due to being out of options, his plus defense, and improved offense, Stallings needs to make the Opening Day roster for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team has one of the best catching tandems in the National League in Francisco Cervelli and Elias Diaz. However, Cervelli’s concussion issues are well documented and he may also serve as the backup catcher.

Behind Stallings, the team’s catching depth goes off a cliff. The next man up would appear to be minor league free agent Steven Baron. In six career MLB games for the Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals, Baron is 0-for-11 with these at bats coming in 2015 and 2018. With Cervelli’s concussion history, you do not want Baron as your next man up at catcher.

Having Stallings make the Opening Day roster would also benefit Clint Hurdle when it comes to using pinch hitters. A strong argument can be made that the best hitter on the team’s bench this season will be Diaz. If the team carries three catchers, this then frees up Hurdle to use Diaz as a pinch hitter.

When the Pirates head north to Cincinnati for the 2019 season opener on March 28th, for a variety of reasons, Stallings needs to be one the team as a third catcher. If he is not, it would not only be a risk, but it would also be a bit of a surprise.

ANTONIO BROWN SET TO MEET WITH STEELERS OWNER

Fresh off reports that he has not talked with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ brass since December comes this note that disgruntled receiver Antonio Brown is set to meet with owner Art Rooney II.

Brown officially requested a trade earlier this week after months of speculation that he could be on his way out of town. Meanwhile Rooney himself recently noted that it’s unlikely Brown will be with the team next season.

In no way does this mean that things can be fixed between the two sides. As Ian Rapoport noted, it’s simply a show of respect from Brown.

Said discussion could be Brown’s way of making it clear he does not want to return to the Steelers. If so, he could ask Rooney to allow him and agent Drew Rosenhaus to seek a trade with another team.

ADAM WAINWRIGHT PREDICTS MLB STRIKE, FEARS PLAYERS WALKING OUT MIDSEASON

MLB owners appear to once again be taking a stand this offseason against handing out massive long-term contracts to star free agents, and one veteran player is convinced the practice is going to eventually result in a work stoppage.

Longtime St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright said Friday that he is “100 percent” certain there is going to be a strike if MLB owners don’t show more of a willingness to pay players. The 37-year-old said he’s concerned it could happen in the middle of a season.

Wainwright went on to criticize owners for placing too much emphasis on analytics and placing everything in a “sabermetric box” without taking intangibles into consideration.

The biggest issue, of course, is whether or not team owners are working together to keep the price of free agents down. That would be collusion, which is illegal. However, there’s a good chance officials have simply realized there’s no need to be paying a player like Albert Pujols $28 million when he’s 39 and batting .245.

Wainwright is not the only veteran player who has gone off about free agency recently, but it doesn’t seem like a change is coming anytime soon. In all likelihood, Bryce Harper and Manny Machado are going to get less money than they were seeking. While that could be the result of collusion, it could also be that teams are getting wiser.

NHL SCOREBOARD FOR FRIDAY

BRUINS 3, DUCKS 0

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Jaroslav Halak made 30 saves in his fourth shutout of the season, and the Boston Bruins beat the Anaheim Ducks 3-0 on Friday night for their fourth consecutive victory.

Noel Acciari and Jake DeBrusk scored for the Bruins, who have earned at least a point in nine consecutive games. Chris Wagner added an empty-netter with 1:31 remaining.

Kevin Boyle made 26 saves for the Ducks, who have lost 20 of their past 23 games.

DEVILS 5, WILD 4, OT

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Nico Hischier scored 3:19 into overtime and Cory Schneider got his first win in nearly 14 months as New Jersey rallied for the victory.

Hischier, Marcus Johansson and Kyle Palmieri each had a goal and an assist for the Devils, who won for the second time in eight games. Will Butcher and Ben Lovejoy also scored.

Schneider had 15 saves in relief, including three in overtime. He allowed five goals Thursday in Chicago and was 0-17-4 since his last win on Dec. 27, 2017.

Mikael Granlund and Brad Hunt each had a goal and an assist for Minnesota, which dropped to 1-4-3 in its past eight games. Joel Eriksson Ek and Nick Seeler also scored, and Ryan Suter had two assists.

HURRICANES 3, OILERS 1

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Nino Niederreiter scored two goals for Carolina, and Curtis McElhinney stopped the final 40 shots he faced.

Lucas Wallmark also scored and Sebastian Aho had two assists for the Hurricanes, who have won 15 of 21 since Dec. 31 for the best record in the NHL in that span. Carolina moved a point behind idle Pittsburgh for the final wild-card playoff spot in the East.

Leon Draisaitl scored his team-leading 34th goal on the Oilers' first shot, and Mikko Koskinen stopped 24 shots while losing his sixth straight decision. Edmonton is 1-7-2 in its last 10.

McElhinney improved to 7-0-0 against Edmonton -- his best career record against any opponent.

RANGERS 6, SABRES 2

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Rookie Alexandar Georgiev stopped 31 shots, including 13 in the final period, and the Rangers rolled to the road win.

Vladislav Namestnikov scored twice in the final four minutes, while also adding an assist. Jesper Fast and Boo Nieves staked New York to a 2-0 lead in the first period, and Jimmy Vesey and Pavel Buchnevich also scored.

New York improved to 8-5-1 in its past 14 and earned its 58th point to move into 12th in the Eastern Conference standings.

Buffalo squandered a chance to close the gap on idle Pittsburgh in the race for the Eastern Conference's eighth and final playoff spot. The Sabres have 63 points and remain four behind the Penguins.

Jeff Skinner scored twice for Buffalo, including his team-leading 36th.