2013 NFL offseason: 3 steps to success

The Redskins are now looking to take the next step, but Washington has its work cut out in a tough division and even tougher conference ... but the talent in the nation’s capital seems to be geared up for a legitimate run.

There are also many questions surrounding the Redskins, however, so it could be a challenge for Washington to repeat due to one of the tougher schedules in the NFL -- but that comes with winning a division.

The Cardinals aren’t lacking in talent themselves, but they’re still a step behind the rest. There’s a lot of concerns all over the roster, all of which the new head coach, Bruce Arians, will have the task of dealing with in his first season.

Below, we’ll take a look at what the Cardinals need to succeed, what can go wrong and what constitutes a successful season.

Atlanta has made the playoffs in four of the last five years, and it won its first playoff game since 2004 last season. The Falcons remain among the top contenders in a deep NFC. Reaching the status of perennial playoff contender is a significant accomplishment, but now, the Falcons are challenged with taking the next step.

Reaching the Super Bowl isn’t as easy as having one or two things go right, but here are a few things which could help Atlanta get there and a few others which could lead to a disappointing season.

But if Locker doesn’t take any steps forward, will all of this mean anything? Let’s check it out.

Now finally healthy, Locker is running out of excuses at the NFL level. While he’s a talented athlete with a good deep ball, his accuracy is still a major concern. An improved offensive line in front him, as well as Hunter teaming with a healthy Kenny Britt, Locker is being set up for success. He must improve on his 56.4 completion percentage and 6.9 yards per attempt.

These three things will need to happen in order to turn the Browns around, and once again make them competitive.

The Browns have done their best to give their new leader enough support, but there’s no telling how he’ll manage situations on game days. Every first-year coach finds himself in a series of tough scenarios, whether it’s managing the clock late in a game or making the right call on 4th-and-short.

But have they done enough to improve? Jerry Jones is an impatient owner, and many have questioned the status of head coach Jason Garrett. Some thought he might not make it to this season. He has, albeit without his play-calling duties. Jones has suggested that this is not a make-or-break season for Garrett, but it’s hard to see Garrett surviving a losing season or even a third consecutive 8-8 season.

Dallas made Bill Callahan the play-caller, the man to decide what Romo will be doing. They gave Romo that big contract, drafted a potential starter at running back and took a starting center in the first round of draft. But many believe they left too many needs out there on defense. Have they done enough?

The wheels came off in the second half, however, as Manning’s play suffered and the defense collapsed down the stretch. The team lost five of its last eight games and missed the playoffs.

Manning wasn’t helped out by injuries or a porous offensive line, but his second half performance was still alarming on several levels. His 59.9 percent completion rate was his lowest since 2007. There are rumors that he was battling a dead arm down the stretch, and whether or not that’s true, the Giants need Manning to play more like the two-time Super Bowl MVP if they want to get back in the playoffs.

Pittsburgh has long been one of the most consistent teams in the NFL, but that hallmark seems to be in jeopardy as the team faces some serious questions. The Steelers have talent on the roster, on both sides of the ball, but with age setting in at some key spots, it’s no longer a given they will make a run at the postseason.

With Mike Tomlin at the helm, Pittsburgh will always have a hope of being one of the better teams in the AFC. This year, Tomlin will need to summon all his powers if the Steelers are to be a legitimate contender.

So the Bears missed the playoffs, and were wondering where they go from there. Head coach Lovie Smith was relieved of his duties in favor of a relative newcomer and unknown in Marc Trestman. Now the Bears are hoping to be right back in the thick of things.

Let’s take a look at ways the team can be successful, ways they can falter and what constitutes a a successful season.

Kelly ran an extremely productive offense that highlighted tempo and speed during his time as offensive coordinator and head coach of the Oregon Ducks.

The translation of one of college football’s most exciting offenses to the NFL, or at the very least, elements of it, has Eagles fans and the rest of the NFL world eagerly awaiting the results. If the experiment is successful, the Eagles could return to their winning ways sooner rather than later.

Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome is widely regarded as the one league’s best. His reputation will be tested in 2013 as he transitions the Super Bowl champs into a new era, one without several of the team’s core players from that championship run.

Extending Joe Flacco has been the team’s most contentious issue publicly. The Super Bowl MVP has become the scapegoat for much of the veteran purge, but it was a necessary roster turnover that happened to coincide with the new deal. However, there are some big questions moving forward in 2013 at some of the key areas that made the team successful last year.

An offensive-minded coaching staff will give Rivers plenty of schematic support -- but it’s hard to tell whether that will be enough with big questions about the talent around him.

There is a lot of experience on Mike McCoy’s staff. It’s still a very tenuous position to be in. The clock’s ticking for Philip Rivers. Whether or not he’ll be in his prime could be the difference between taking that step or not.

Free agency added new weapons, but it remains to be seen if a team that will lean more heavily on stars of the past will result in a brand of football that works with John Fox’s sensibilities.

In 2012 he took the step from league’s best defensive rookie, to one of the best defensive players in the game. His 18.5 sacks helped separate the Broncos’ defense from the rest of the pack -- but he’ll need to be even better in order to keep the pass rush potent, especially with Elvis Dumervil gone. There are bigger questions at defensive end now, and the team can’t afford Miller to be schemed for.

1. Andrew Luck improves behind a revitalized offensive line

With improved protection, Luck should be able to build on what was already an impressive rookie season. A second-straight Pro Bowl in 2013 would put Luck in company with Dan Marino as the only other quarterback to do so in his first two seasons.

Here are three things the Bengals need to do in order to have success in 2013.

Green is everything the Bengals hoped for, and more — but the same can’t be said for their second receiver spot. Training camp will feature a multi-player battle to start across from Green, and there aren’t a lot of good options. Mohamed Sanu had flashes, as did Andrew Hawkins, but it’s difficult to see either as a reliable second.

So what exactly would be considered a successful season for the Miami Dolphins in 2013? Let’s take a look.

1. Ryan Tannehill continues to progress

The team had quite a few pieces to fill in around the former Most Valuable Player, too, because a slew of veterans either left for more money or retired after Green Bay finished an oddly disappointing 11-5 season.

So what will constitute a successful season for the Packers in 2013? Let’s dive in.

Wilson finished his rookie campaign with 3,118 yards and 26 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. He completed 252 of 393 pass attempts, good for a completion percentage of 64.1 percent. He had a solid case to be Rookie of the Year and is a big part of the reason why Seahawks fans are expecting playoffs once again heading into the 2013 season.

1. Maintain a proper balance on offense

Now, Payton is back and the scandal is over as the organization attempts to rebound and make another playoff run. Payton’s return may not be the only solution needed, as the Saints’ defense was horrendous last season. What will it take to turn it around? We take a look at three things that could have New Orleans back in the playoffs, and three more that could lead to another disappointing season.

1. Sean Payton brings the magic

Fortunately, the Raiders plan to move back to a power-running attack to facilitate McFadden, who had just 707 yards in 2012 over 12 games. His per-carry average was just 3.3 yards, and he only managed two touchdowns.

The theme of the offseason has been simple: purge poor contracts and get back in the black. Oakland made a point to overvalue and overspend over the past decade, and though a lot of talent is leaving the team, they’re making the changes necessary to get closer to long-term sustainability. Unfortunately, that may not lead to wins in the near future.

Dave Gettleman took over as GM this offseason, and his job thus far has been about managing the team’s woeful cap situation. His predecessor doled out some of the largest contracts in team history. It proved that the Panthers aren’t cheap, but left them with a roster comprised of talented linebackers, running backs, defensive ends and little else.

In an era where the league is becoming more passing-oriented, the team was built under the guise of old-school football. This created dissonance on the offensive side of the ball where Cam Newton was asked to be the team’s passer and its leading rusher. That all-or-nothing approach showed on Sundays. The Panthers’ success was solely tied to Newton. If he was unable to play near-perfect football, they faltered.

That being said, floundering at the QB position is a huge liability. It’s what marred the Jon Gruden era in Tampa Bay, and whoever is given the reins needs to have full support of the organization. Is Josh Freeman as talented as he was in 2010, or as flawed as 2011? The truth probably lies somewhere in the middle, but he needs to be more consistent.

Revis is a huge asset in buying the line time by locking down a receiver, but if the pass rush can’t support him it’s pointless. No team can predict injuries. They can mitigate them through solid depth. Right now, there’s little evidence the defensive line depth is there.

That 10-6 record was good enough for a playoff berth as a Wild Card team. They went 4-1 to start the season, then fell to 6-6, and pushed hard to make it into the playoffs in Week 17.

So what needs to go right, what can’t go wrong and what’s the ultimate goal for the Vikings next season?

Can a newish Jets squad get back to league-wide relevance just three years removed from back-to-back AFC Championship games? Well, probably not. Can they manage to be not funny to everybody that isn’t a Jets fan? Well, that’s a start, and it’s certainly possible. Let’s take a look.

The Jets lose Revis, but since he didn’t play last year, it’s not as dramatic a loss as it usually is when your team trades away the best player in the league at their position. And they pick up Milliner, indisputably the best cornerback in this year’s draft. Pass defense is a strength, and one the Jets can’t afford to lose.

Once the campaign came to a close, owner Clark Hunt completely overhauled the franchise by firing head coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli. Hunt moved quickly to replace both, adding Andy Reid and John Dorsey to fill the roles, respectively.

So what will constitute a successful season for the Chiefs in 2013? Let’s dive in.