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We all know about the shopping spree the New York Jets went on this past offseason. In what might turn out to be the single greatest offseason roster makeover ever, the acquisitions of future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre and elite left guard Alan Faneca might cast their shadows against one rock-solid addition to the defensive line. In all of the preseason NFL I had a chance to catch, no defender left me more impressed than new New York Jets defensive tackle Kris Jenkins. An eight-year pro out of Maryland, Jenkins has taken on two offensive lineman play-in and play-out, opening up holes for young linebackers David Harris and rookie Vernon Gholston to make consistent plays on the ball carrier. Jenkins was bought in to replace former third-overall pick Dewayne Robertson and looks more comfortable in the role than his undersized predecessor. The Jets also added former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Kenyon Coleman to the mix, cementing a defensive line that ranked near the bottom of the NFL in both run defense and sack production during the team’s miserable 4-12 campaign of a season ago. The Jets open the regular season on the road this Sunday when they take on former teammate Chad Pennington and the Miami Dolphins.

The Bill Parcels-led Miami Dolphins have re-upped running back Ricky Williams for an additional season, keeping the perrenial question mark-halfback in south Florida through the 2009 season. Williams, who at times has looked like a possible Hall of Famer when on the field, has tested positive for marijuana four times in the past five seasons. Williams first joined the Dolphins in 2002 and in the next two seasons would rush for a combined 3,225 yards and 25 touchdowns. But since the end of that ‘03 season, the 1998 Heisman Trophy winner has rushed for only 758 yards in 13 NFL games because of both suspensions for drug use and a surprise retirement in 2004. Looking to put his past behind him, Williams will get one last shot with the Dolphins. Coming off of a catastrophic 1-15 season, Miami will now sport both a healthy Williams and powerhouse Ronnie Brown in their backfield. Brown, who had a potential-breakout season cut short last season following a knee injury, has been impressive during the preseason, including a 47-yard performance in limited action last Thursday against the New Orleans Saints. Even with a shaky personality in Williams and health questions regarding Ronnie Brown, there’s only way one to a team that lost 15 games just a season ago.

Chad Johnson certainly knows how to put his money where his mouth is. For all the yapping you hear from Johnson, you can’t argue with his production when he’s on the field. Last season, Johnson started all 16 regular season games for the Cincinnati Bengals and caught 93 passes, the fourth time in his eight-year career he’s hauled in at least 90 receptions in a season. Now we’ve all seen Johnson’s “HOF Class of ??” jacket and his claim during the Olympics that he could outrace Michael Phelps in a swim meet but CJ’s latest stunt might be my all-time favorite. The All-Pro reciever has reportedly legally changed his name from Chad Javon Johnson to Chad Javon Ocho Cinco. After demanding to be traded during this past offseason, head coach Marvin Lewis and the Cincinnati front office can’t possibly be happy with Johnson’s latest stunt, regardless of how absolutely ridiculous and hilarious it may be. The Bengals open their regular season Sunday September 7th when they pay a visit to Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens in the Inner Harbor.

An already bad night got worse for Jason Taylor and the Washington Redskins Saturday as the newly-acquired defensive end laid writhing in pain midway through the second quarter of the team’s preseason match against the Carolina Panthers. Not only were the ‘Skin blitzed by Carolina 47-3, an MRI after the game revealed Taylor had a sprained right knee. The Redskins expect Taylor, who has started 130 consecutive games, to be fully healthy and ready in return in 10-to-14 days. Sure this game was absolutely abysmal for Washington and new head coach Jim Zorn, however the news that the former All-Pro wasn’t lost for the season must have come as a big relief to anyone who witnessed how Taylor’s knee twisted. The ‘Skins open their season Thursday September 4th against NFC East rivals Eli Manning and the New York Giants.

There’s probably a million phrases one could use to sum up Cincinnati Bengals’ owner Mike Brown’s decision to bring back troubled wide receiver Chris Henry to the team, but I’m going to go with simply “undercutting”. I choose undercutting because that’s exactly what the Bengals’ owner has now done to head coach Marvin Lewis and his pledge to clean up a roster seemingly always in trouble with the law. Henry was cut by Cincinnati after compiling a laundry list of criminal activities that include drunk driving, aggravated assault with a firearm and giving alcohol to minors at a hotel party in January of 2007. With injuries to receivers Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, the Bengals brass might argue that this move comes out of necessity but in actuality it comes out of a lack of class. Not only are you going out of your way to contradict your head coach but more importantly you’re prolonging a negative stigma that is seamlessly attached to your franchise. The Bengals took a great step forward by releasing criminals Odell Thurman and Chris Henry and just took two massive steps backward by welcoming the latter of them back with open arms.

As he continues through a breakout preseason, Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback Tarvaris Jackson may be lost for the team’s next two games after suffering a mildly-sprained MCL in Saturday’s 23-15 victory over the Baltimore Ravens. The Alabama State alumnus will likely be ready to go come the team’s opener September 8th against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. Rumors swirled about Jackson’s future when Brett Favre named Minnesota as a possible landing spot before the future Hall of Famer was traded to the New York Jets late last month. Despite the rumors and many so-called experts naming him as one of the league’s worst starting quarterbacks, Jackson has stepped up his game big time this preseason. The fourth-year pro has gone a combined 15-for-22 for 200 yards and two touchdowns through the team’s first two preseason games against Seattle and Baltimore respectively.

Interviewed by the media outside the team’s training camp, Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner summed up his team’s never-ending quarterback controversy with a simple answer: “I don’t know”. Turner was responding to the most-redundant inquiry in the Windy City: who will be the starting quarterback come kickoff weekend in just four weeks? That’s right, we’re still talking Rex Grossman versus Kyle Orton for Chicago’s premier gig. After the team fell short of acquiring future Hall of Famer Brett Favre from the Green Bay Packers, the Bears and their fans are forced to go back to the process of picking the lesser of two evils. There’s Grossman’s absolutely intolerable ability to throw lame duck passes into the Soldier Field Sky while Orton counters with an ugly 62.5 career quarterback rating and an even uglier over-adundance of facial hair. Whomever the quarterback turns out to be for Chicago this season, they’ll have a hard time finding targets. Last season’s top receiver Bernard Berrian packed up his act in favor of the Minnesota Vikings. Three rookies, Earl Bennett, Marcus Monk and Ryan Grice-Mullen will look to impact an offense that was near the basement of the NFC in each of the past two seasons. The quarterback position isn’t the only concern in the backfield as oft-injured veteran Kevin Jones will look to fill the void left after the departures of Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson over the last two seasons. After having a breakout rookie season in 2006, Jones has struggled while recovering from a Lisfranc fracture in his left foot. The Bears did make one great offseason move: locking up utility-man Devin Hester for four years at around $80 million. Hester is one of a handful of NFL players that can and will change the game anytime he steps on the field. That said, the Bears have their questions. Only time will tell if they have the talent to answer them.

With the Brett Favre saga behind him, the future looks bright for youngster Aaron Rodgers. Anyone can sympathize with the kid after having to sit behind a larger-than-life legend for three seasons, but let’s not forget where his path almost led him. Let’s flashback to the days leading up to the 2005 NFL Draft. All of the hoopla surrounding the draft centered around two young quarterbacks: Rodgers and Utah’s Alex Smith. Smith would go on to be selected first overall by the San Francisco 49ers while Rodgers plummeted all the way to the 24th selection before being scooped up by the Packers. How have things worked out in San Francisco for Smith? To this point, Smith has thrown 19 touchdowns and 31 interceptions while maintaining a pitiful 63.5 quarterback rating. He’s competing for his job with career back-ups Shaun Hill and J.T. Sullivan and has become more infamous for his “Alexcuses” such as his lack of talent around him and having to learn under three different offensive coordinators in three seasons. So next time you have a scintilla of pity for Aaron Rodgers’ three years of bench service, consider what could have been. Rodgers officially takes the reigns of a playoff team tonight when the Green Bay Packers open their preseason at Lambeau Field against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Chased from the New York Jets with the ushering in of Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, veteran Chad Pennington signed with the Miami Dolphins early Saturday reuniting him with the man that drafted him in 2000: Bill Parcels. Pennington was released early by the Jets early Wednesday to clear cap space in order to accomodate Favre and will battle John Beck for the starting quarterback job in Miami. The Dolphins were a pitiful 1-15 last season and Pennington didn’t fare much better up north. The extremely quick-witted veteran produced a miserable 1-7 record as a starter before losing his keys to the offense to youngster Kellen Clemens. Chad gives Parcells the perfect football mind and mentality to groom Beck behind. Even after his exit from the team he spent his first eight years with, Pennington called it a “blessing” to have played in New York for the Jets and their rabid fans. A class act all the way, I’m sure many Jets fans are pulling for No. 10 to succeed even if he’s wearing the enemy’s colors.

Baltimore Ravens halfback Willis McGahee’s injured left knee may cause the oft-dominant six-year veteran to miss the team’s first preseason game against the New England Patriots this Thursday evening. While head coach John Harbaugh expects McGahee to be ready for the kickoff of the regular season, rookie Ray Rice will more than likely get a chance to showcase his talents at the NFL level in the immediate future. Living in the New York City media market, I’ve been fortunate enough to catch both backs perform in the bright lights numerous times over the past three seasons. Well I’ve been fortunate to catch Rice’s Heisman-quality performances for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, McGahee on the other hand spent four years torturing my beloved New York Jets! Regardless of personal associations, there’s no denying that both of these guys are immensely talented and while I’ll never wish injury on any athlete, I don’t think I can hide my excitement to see what local hero Ray Rice can do on the NFL level. The Ravens begin their preseason Thursday in Foxboro against the New England Patriots before welcoming in the Cincinnatti Bengals for their regular season opener on Sunday September 7th.