The Bengals have one of the stronger passing attacks in the league, but most of that production comes from the wide receiver positions.  The club hopes the signing of former Colts’ tight end Ben Utecht adds balance to their attack.

Utecht was primarily a backup behind Dallas Clark with the Colts, but saw a lot of snaps the past couple seasons as the number two guy and was productive as a starter when Clark was out of the lineup. 

The Bengals hope Utecht can provide them more production in the passing game from the tight end position.  Reggie Kelly has been a decent pass catcher, but his value remains in the run game at the line of scrimmage. 

Utecht has worked himself into an adequate positional type blocker off the line of scrimmage, but most of his assignments will be in the passing game.  He’s a pretty good athlete.  He’s not great off the line and can be neutralized if linebackers focus on jamming him off the line, but he knows how to get open if you scheme him properly in the slot.  He has enough size and speed to create favorable matchups within the intermediate passing game. 

The only question with Utecht is how much more can the Bengals ask of him than he gave Indianapolis in terms of snaps.  Durability has always been one question that surrounds Utecht with many scouts and personnel types around the league. 

In some other recent moves around the league, one of the sleeper signings this spring could be Cleveland’s addition of linebacker Shantee Orr.  Orr is a natural 3-4 linebacker who has good burst off the edge and long arms as a pass rusher.  He’s been stuck playing within the Texans’ 4-3 scheme the past couple seasons.  Orr should fit well in Cleveland with his workman-like mentality and find a role as a pass rusher. 

The Patriots continue to restock on veteran cornerbacks after getting cleaned out here early in the free agent period with the signing of Fernando Bryant last week.  Bryant has been nicked up a lot throughout his career and doesn’t make many plays, but he’s an experienced cover guy who played adequately to solid in Rod Marinelli’s zone scheme in Detroit. 

Carolina added a stop-gap to stabilize their secondary for next season with the recent addition of Terrence Holt to pair with Chris Harris at the safety positions.  Holt has a lot of limitations in man coverage and is very erratic in run support, but provides some veteran leadership and does a passable job in zone coverage.  He shows enough intelligence on the field to help lineup the rest of the secondary.  That is something the Panthers needed in their secondary at this stage. 

I liked the move by Minnesota to add former Kansas City defensive back Benny Sapp.  Sapp is strictly a role player, but plays hard and does everything that is asked of him.  He’s aggressive on special teams.  He has too many limitations in the secondary to play outside the slot, but handles limited assignments well out of the slot – especially as a blitzer. 

The Carolina Panthers enter another season surrounded by uncertainty because they continue trying to find playmakers to complement Steve Smith. 

They brought back Mushin Muhammad after a respite in Chicago.  They also added former Seahawk enigma D.J. Hackett. 

Can they emerge as solid complementary options to boost the Carolina passing game? 

Muhammad provides a lot of experience and can out-muscle defenders over the middle, but showed signs of aging last season and won’t scare too many defenders. 

On the other hand, Hackett could be the playmaker the Panthers need to take pressure off Smith.  Hackett has the size and natural skills to make a lot of clutch grabs – especially in the red zone.  But Hackett has been unable to take his career to the next level as a consistent number two receiver due to injuries.  He’s had a track record of hamstring problems and missed several weeks last season with a high ankle sprain.  A few coaches questioned his toughness to play through injuries in the past. 

The Panthers hope a change of scenery helps Hackett develop into a solid option behind Smith.

These signings also mark the lack of confidence the organization has with Dwayne Jarrett.  Jarrett must display more maturity in his second season as he faces the bust label.  He struggles to separate from tight coverage and had problems learning how to read coverages at the pro level. 

In San Francisco, Mike Martz was brought in to add some much needed energy and restore order on the offensive side of the ball.  The 49ers have attempted to add some short-term stability in the passing game with the recent signings of Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson. 

The 49ers might have had the worst collect of receivers in the league last season.  Bruce is past his best days as hamstring problems have re-appeared from his early days.  While the 49ers shouldn’t count on Bruce for a full 16 games at this stage of his career, he’ll provide some stability and experience with his familiarity of Martz’s offense. 

Johnson has an opportunity to establish himself as a solid number two type after being overshadowed in Arizona behind Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.  Johnson has adequate size and speed.  He has shown the ability to get downfield and his hands have improved over the past year.  Now he must prove he can be consistent enough to grade as a consistent starter. 

The 49ers also hope Jason Hill overcomes injuries as a rookie to become a solid contributor next season.  Hill intrigues the 49ers with his blend of size and physical skills. 

The real test begins for the New Orleans Saints as they enter Sean Payton’s second season.  They should remain productive at putting points on the board.  Drew Brees has an instinctive command of the offense.  They have a solid offensive line.  And Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush complement each other very well in the backfield.  They have a nice collection of young receivers, but either Devery Henderson or rookie Robert Meachem must step up as a consistent downfield target to complement Marques Colston.  The biggest question again is on the defensive side of the ball.  They can get to the quarterback with Charles Grant and Will Smith coming off the perimeter.  Now they must prove they can stop the run and create more turnovers if they want to get deep into the playoffs again.  They didn’t bring in any high impact players this spring, but added a host of steady contributors.  Kendrick Clancy provides quality depth upfront to spell Hollis Thomas at times.  Brian Simmons will be a steady veteran presence at linebacker.  Jason David and Kevin Kaesviharn add numbers to a suspect secondary.  Kaesviharn has a knack for creating turnovers. 

If anyone challenges the Saints, it will be the Carolina Panthers.  John Fox still has a respectable defense to remain competitive.  Ken Lucas should rebound at cornerback after injuries slowed him considerably last season.  Richard Marshall proved to be a strong cover guy as a rookie.  They still have Julius Peppers rushing the passer.  They’ve always been strong along the front four, but Mike Rucker is aging and coming off a knee injury.  Kris Jenkins faces an uncertain future after trade talks surfaced this spring.  Jenkins is the key to their run defense.  They can’t afford bitter feelings affecting his play on the field and trading him leaves a major hole upfront.  The offensive side of the ball is a concern.  Jake Delhomme remains respected in the huddle, but must protect the ball better.  David Carr is waiting in the wings if Delhomme struggles again.  Unfortunately, Steve Smith is the only proven target in the passing game.  Dwayne Jarrett could become a solid pass catcher to complement Smith, but will have growing pains as a rookie.  The run game is concern until proven otherwise.   DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams are solid fits in Jeff Davidson’s new zone blocking scheme, but one of them must step forward as a feature back.  Williams has the feet and quickness to break a lot of plays if he stays healthy.  There should be more stability across the offensive line this season if everyone stays healthy.  This is a team at a crossroads after several competitive years under Fox.  They have always bounced back from down seasons, but face a lot of personnel questions entering training camp. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers remain in transition after losing a number of their cornerstone players the past few years.  But Jon Gruden is going for a quick fix at quarterback to save his job.  Jeff Garcia is the perfect fit to run Gruden’s offense, but I have doubts whether Garcia can remain effective for 16 games.  That’s why Gruden is pleading for Jake Plummer to put off retirement.  Carnell Williams must prove his durability at running back.  Joey Galloway is the only playmaker in the passing game.  They jury remains out on Michael Clayton and tight end Alex Smith.  They are building solid numbers across the offensive line.  You have to give Monte Kiffin a lot of credit for keeping their defense from not falling apart.  They’ve lost a lot of key players the past few years.  They aren’t creating the same pressure from the front four or generating as many turnovers these days.  Gaines Adams was a nice addition as Simeon Rice nears the end.  Kevin Carter is a solid stop gap upfront.  A healthy Brian Kelly helps the secondary if contract concerns stay off the field. 

The Atlanta Falcons are making a paradigm shift under Bobby Petrino.  There is more pressure on Michael Vick than ever following an eventful off-season.  Vick could be a solid fit to push the ball downfield in Petrino’s offense, but must also become a lot more efficient in the passing game and protect the ball better.  Joe Horn brings a strong veteran presence if he can avoid nagging injuries, but Roddy White and Michael Jenkins must become more consistent if the passing game is to take shape.  Despite having the top ranked run game last season, questions exist with Petrino going to a power based attack.  Warrick Dunn showed signs of wearing down late last season.  Jerious Norwood might not be durable enough in this scheme.  On defense, they’ll miss the leadership of Patrick Kearney.  John Abraham has trouble staying on the field.  And they have questions inside as Grady Jackson is at odds with the club over his contract and Rod Coleman is rehabbing a quadriceps injury.  DeAngelo Hall is their lone certainty in the secondary.  The rest of this group is a concern against the pass.  Chris Houston could have inconsistencies as a rookie.  Lawyer Milloy and Chris Crocker are vulnerable against the pass inside. 

Atlanta Falcons: This group has high upside for the Falcons. There’s been a lot of talk regarding the offensive side of the ball with Bob Petrino arriving in Atlanta, but the Falcons added two starters on the defensive side of the ball. Losing Patrick Kerney in free agency was a blow. They still have John Abraham, but he has trouble staying healthy. Enter Jamaal Anderson to step in for Kerney. Anderson needs work, but has the tools and work habits to develop into a solid presence along the front four after a year of pro coaching. Chris Houston will be a boom or bust at cornerback. He has the physical tools to fit well at cornerback in Mike Zimmer’s scheme and could address the need for a second corner.

On the offensive side of the ball, the Falcons are transitioning to a more physical approach upfront. That makes the addition of Justin Blalock critical towards opening holes in the run game.

Carolina Panthers: I believe the Panthers found some solid components on both sides of the ball. Dwayne Jarrett is a good fit here because he’s not being asked to become the playmaker in Carolina. He’ll provide a complement to Smith in the intermediate passing game for the long-term. With the release of Keyshawn Johnson, they’ll be a lot of pressure on Jarrett to contribute early because Drew Carter is better suited as extra receiver downfield and Keary Colbert doesn’t pose much of a threat. Ryan Kalil should be a nice fit along the interior line as the Panthers are going to a zone-blocking scheme under new offensive coordinator Jeff Davidson.

Charles Johnson and Jon Beason will add immediate depth, but should be building blocks on this defense in the next year. Johnson will be a starter sooner than later with Mike Rucker fading physically. Johnson may never become a top pass rusher off the edge, but the Panthers have Julius Peppers as their blue-chipper. Beason offers much needed insurance at middle linebacker as Dan Morgan faces uncertainty over the long-term with injuries and concussions.

New Orleans Saints: Sean Payton likes to be aggressive and diverse with his offense. Robert Meachem has the tools to become a complete receiver who can make big plays to complement Marques Colston. The addition of Meachem puts Devery Henderson on the hot seat because Terrance Copper is expected to play a bigger role in the passing game this season as he shows signs of becoming a reliable intermediate threat. Henderson does flash big-play ability, but drops too many balls and disappears too often.

The Saints also took a shot at improving their numbers at cornerback with Usama Young and David Jones. Both are extremely raw, but have intriguing tools as developmental prospects. The Saints hope to develop Young into a press corner in a couple years.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Buccaneers added much needed youth to an aging defense. Gaines Adams has an opportunity to make the same impact in this defense that Simeon Rice did during his prime. Tanard Jackson could be a nice pickup at cornerback. He displays the physical tools to eventually become a solid starter in their zone scheme. Monte Kiffin will use Sabby Piscitelli in a similar role to that of John ####, but I don’t think we’ll see the second coming of #### when it comes to team dynamics.

Aaron Sears should be a nice fit along the offensive line. Jon Gruden loves a strong run game, so pairing Sears with second-year Davin Joseph at the guard spots should help the Buccaneers begin getting more push in the run game. Unfortunately, the one area Gruden couldn’t address is finding a young playmaker in the passing game.

David Carr’s arrival in Carolina creates an interesting situation to watch at quarterback. 

Jake Delhomme remains the starter going into training camp and likely into the regular season, but is now under a lot of pressure following a subpar year in 2006.  With Carr now in the picture, the Panthers have an experienced backup the Panthers can turn to if Delhomme struggles again this season. 

Delhomme has always brought a spark to the Panthers’ offense, but struggled trying to do too many things without much support around him. 

Carr was also looking closely at signing with Seattle, which could have been a better career option for the long-term. 

Carr could likely have an opportunity to start at some point this season in Carolina, but will be faced with similar problems in Carolina like he was in Houston.  The offensive line situation is a little better in Carolina, but they face some uncertainty with a couple starters coming off serious injuries including left tackle Travelle Wharton. 

The running game is a huge question mark with durability questions surrounding Deshaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams.  And they lack ideal depth in the passing game behind Steve Smith.  That means Carr could be in the habit of forcing plays again in Carolina without great support. 

If Carr would have gone to Seattle, the only chance to start is if Matt Hasselbeck goes down with an injury again.  But Carr would have been in a better long-term situation with Seattle.  Carr needs to take a step back and rebuild his game.  His mechanics have always been a little sloppy and he’s developed some bad habits working in a tough situation with Houston.  He needs time to clear his head.  That’s why I believe working with Mike Holmgren in Seattle for a year or two would have been a great situation for him.  Holmgren does a tremendous job working with quarterbacks, which would have been invaluable to Carr for the long-term.  Holmgren would have worked on cleaning up some bad habits with Carr and show him how to fit within a good offensive system. 

In Carolina, Carr may start at some point this season and struggle like he did in Houston, which further damages his stock for the long-term.