Jerry Jones made wise moves by locking up two emerging young players over the past couple weeks with contract extensions for Patrick Crayton and Jay Ratliff.

At wide receiver, Terrell Owens and Terry Glenn are both approaching their mid 30s with a lot of mileage.  Neither is a long-term fixture at this stage while Glenn missed the first 15 games this season. 

Crayton has capitalized on Glenn’s absence this season.  He’s shown flashes of developing into a contributor under Bill Parcells the past couple seasons and emerged as a solid complement to Terrell Owens in 2007.  Crayton’s future grades as more of a number two than a true number one receiver, but certainly should be a productive starter for the next few seasons.  He lacks the speed of elite receivers, but plays with excellent quickness and separates very well in the intermediate passing game.  He has natural hands and displays good toughness in traffic.  Although he lacks ideal speed, he can generate some yardage after the catch. 

Along the defensive line, Jay Ratliff took his game to another level this season.  He was graded as a solid backup with the ability the play end and fill in at nose tackle.  He’s not a true two gap player, but did a tremendous job at nose tackle following Jason Ferguson’s season ending injury.  He fits Wade Phillips’ 3-4 style perfectly because he displays good quickness and plays with a lot of effort.  He’ll likely see most of his time at his natural end position next season.  He displays enough quickness to provide solid pressure off the edge and plays with enough effort to make plays against the run.  Ratliff likely has a better future in Dallas than Marcus Spears.  Chris Canty also emerged with a very strong season against the run and displayed improved pass rush ability this season.  The Cowboys certainly have a commodity with such young depth along their defensive front for the next few years. 

A healthy Donovan McNabb will give the Philadelphia Eagles a dangerous offense.  But the question now is whether McNabb can avoid major injuries.  It’s tough to continue contending for a title in the National Football League when your quarterback misses a large number of games.  Reggie Brown is emerging as an athletic playmaker.  They lost a playmaker in Donte Stallworth, but former Ram Kevin Curtis has a more consistent track record and enough speed to make plays within Andy Reid’s offense.  Brian Westbrook has always been a playmaker and now has proven he can handle a heavy workload on the ground.  The Eagles will have more size on defense and that should help against the run.  Takeo Spikes will be very active on the weakside.  I am not sure what Jeremiah Trotter has left in the tank, but he’s worked hard to shed pounds this spring.  Former Bear Ian Scott adds depth to the interior front.  Look for Brodrick Bunkley to step up in his second season.  There’s a lot of doubt surrounding Jevon Kearse.  He’s always relied mostly on his upfield speed, but has lost some zip and is coming off a major injury.  That means the pass rush could again be built around Trent Cole. 

The Dallas Cowboys will be a looser team under Wade Phillips, but does that mean they’ll also be a better team without Bill Parcells?  A lot falls on the shoulders of Tony Romo.  Romo brings energy to the offense, but must make better decisions with the football under pressure.  Opposing defensive coaches know how to scheme around getting Romo out of rhythm.  Expect a lot from the ground game.  Julius Jones has a chip on his shoulder and will make big plays.  Marion Barber is a steady hammer in tough situations.  The offensive line is a concern.  Flozell Adams is fading at left tackle.  The jury is out on whether Marc Colombo can replicate his success from last season.  Leonard Davis talks about a rejuvenation coming to Dallas, but must prove it on the field.  They have questions to answer in the secondary.  Anthony Henry has been nicked up and vulnerable to big plays.  Ken Hamlin is an upgrade at free safety, but can be exploited at times.  Phillips will be more aggressive in applying pressure on the quarterback.  DeMarcus Ware has an opportunity to post even bigger sack numbers.  Rookie Anthony Spencer could make an early impact. 

It’s boom or bust for the New York Giants under Tom Coughlin.  There’s enough talent to win a lot of games, but not much leadership among their collection of me-first players.  They’ll miss Tiki Barber’s big play ability, but Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns have the ability to keep the chains moving if healthy.  There are a lot of questions if Jacobs has the mental toughness to handle a feature role.  The pressure is now on Eli Manning to take his game to the next level.  Manning has shown he can play at a high level, but his inconsistency is frustrating.  They lack a true left tackle.  David Diehl will give his best if plugged in there, but will have trouble against some of the top speed rushers.  Steve Spagnuolo brings an aggressive philosophy to the defense.  Osi Umenyiora could have a big year off the edge, but the secondary could struggle again.  Rookie Aaron Ross brings energy and physical skills, but Corey Webster and Gibril Wilson need to step up.  Webster is healthy and feels a comfort level in this new defense.  Wilson needs to recapture his aggressive nature from his rookie season. 

Gregg Williams’ defense is the key for the Washington Redskins.   There are a lot of veterans here with chips on their shoulder from last season.  Fred Smoot should rebound in his return to Washington.  Carlos Rogers must regain his confidence.  He has too much ability not to recover.  They should be strong at linebacker if Marcus Washington stays healthy.  London Fletcher brings leadership from the middle and I like the upside of Rocky McIntosh.  Lemar Marshall remains a steady presence.  But the front four remains a concern again.  There’s very little pressure coming off the edge and they could have problems against the run again.  On the other side of the ball, I like the poise of Jason Campbell for a young quarterback.  But they need more consistency from their receivers.  Santana Moss is their big-play threat, but durability is always a concern.  Al Saunders must also find more ways to get Chris Cooley involved in the passing game. 

Julius Jones vows to impress Wade Phillips at the crossroads of his career in Dallas following a strong off-season of workouts in Arizona. 

The 2007 season will define his future with the Dallas Cowboys and how personnel people around the league slot him if he hits the open market. 

Jones is a very good athlete with quick feet and excellent burst to make big plays.  He’s very instinctive with the ball in his hands and naturally finds cutback lanes.  But Jones never completely earned the trust of Bill Parcells due to durability questions and a tendency to fumble at times.  Parcells often gave away a lot of Jones’ carries to Marion Barber last season – especially in short-yardage and red zone situations. 

Tiki Barber fought through this stage several years ago with the New York Giants before taking his career to another level. 

Now with a fresh start under Phillips this season, Jones hopes he can prove himself capable of being not only a more complete back, but also durable and tough enough to handle 300 carries this season.  Jones did show positive signs last season by playing in all 16 games and fumbling once. 

I believe we will see more production from Jones this season under Phillips.  Jason Garrett will allow the run game to be centered around the strengths of Jones.  That means Jones will be given more freedom to find the open hole and display more creativity with his quick feet. 

Look for Jones to given more of an opportunity to also make plays in the passing game.  Jones possesses the burst to create favorable matchups against most linebackers in the open field.  The only issue that could limit his opportunities in the passing game is if Marion Barber remains a superior pass blocker. 

Dallas Cowboys: Many observers don’t look at Anthony Spencer as a flashy pick, but the Cowboys got themselves one of the more underrated players in this draft.  Spencer is a very strong fit in Wade Phillips’ defense, which is built around linebackers who can get after the quarterback.  The Cowboys definitely need to take their pass rush to the next level and have depth beyond DeMarcus Ware.  Greg Ellis is coming off an Achilles injury and won’t be at full strength this season.  A lot is riding on Spencer to boost the pass rush. 

James Marten and Doug Free bring more depth at offensive tackle for the long-term.  And Courtney Taylor is someone to watch at cornerback in a couple years.  Unfortunately, the Cowboys couldn’t find more immediate help if Anthony Henry doesn’t bounce back after a subpar season. 

New York Giants: The Giants entered the draft with two major concerns – cornerback and left tackle.  They hope either Guy Whimper develops or David Diehl can slide over and play left tackle.  This isn’t a good situation for Eli Manning.  On the defensive side of the ball, Aaron Ross brings good physical tools and the potential to create turnovers from the cornerback position.  Ross may need some time to develop into a solid NFL starter, but this is a team with significant concerns for the long-term at cornerback.  Corey Webster faces a critical season. 

Steve Smith should be a nice addition towards strengthening depth in the passing game.  Smith wouldn’t be a playmaker, but should develop into a steady target for the Giants.  Amani Toomer is coming off a season-ending injury and is getting up in years and questions remain about the durability of Sinorice Moss, so Smith will have an opportunity for a lot of playing time as a rookie. 

Philadelphia Eagles:  The Eagles didn’t come away with any playmakers who can make an immediate impact this season.  Ultimately, we can’t grade the impact of this draft for at least a few years.  I understand where the Eagles are coming from with Kevin Kolb.  They graded Kolb very high based on potential and his competitive approach.  After another season-ending injury with Donovan McNabb, the Eagles can’t be faulted for taking the opportunity to take a quarterback whom they believe has tremendous upside.  They have to protect themselves at the quarterback position.  I am usually skeptical of shotgun quarterbacks at the college level, but Kolb has been breed to be a leader from the quarterback position. 

They also did well in adding depth at running back with Tony Hunt and Nate Ilaoa.  Both bring toughness to the backfield.  And I like the additions of Victor Abiamiri and Stewart Bradley.  Neither is expected to become an impact player, but both could develop into steady contributors on defense in the next couple years.  Abiamiri could play on early downs at left end this season.  The Eagles missed reliability from the strong side at linebacker since Carlos Emmons departed a few years ago.  Bradley should have an opportunity to start early at this spot. 

Washington Redskins:  LeRon Landry should be a strong impact player who can create turnovers from the deep middle of the secondary, but the Redskins won’t get much else from this draft since they didn’t have many picks.  The Redskins continue to rely heavily on the free agent market, where they are a lot of expensive hit or miss players, while missing out on the opportunity to build long-term depth among their core.  They enter the summer without any additions along the front four on defense after struggling to stop the run and get after the quarterback.  They also need to begin developing younger talent along the offensive line. 

Former 49ers’ defensive tackle Anthony Adams found the right fit by signing with the Bears.  Adams has been a misfit in Mike Nolan’s 3-4 system in San Francisco the past couple years. 

Adams has underrated strength and relies on good gap quickness to make some plays against the run.  Adams is also smart enough to read plays quickly and is active in pursuit within his range.  Since Adams has a small frame and lacks ideal top end quickness, he won’t contribute much as a pass rusher. 

This is a good move by the Bears as they adjust their depth to better fit Lovie Smith’s defensive philosophy.    

More Notes:

Cowboys Bolster Secondary: Ken Hamlin draws a lot of mixed reviews from scouts, but I believe he’ll be a solid fit in Wade Phillips’ defense with his range over the top.  Hamlin has the ability to step in front of plays and create turnovers, but is also very erratic.  He gave up a lot of plays last season with his tendency to gamble too often.  He also can hit in run support, but is very inconsistent in breaking down as a tackler.  Despite this inconsistency, Hamlin does stabilize the secondary at free safety and allows Roy Williams to concentrate at playing in the box. 

Wiggins Lands in Jacksonville: A lot of people talk about how the addition of Jermaine Wiggins replaces Kyle Brady at tight end.  Perhaps in terms of a roster spot, but not in skill set.  Brady was one of the league’s top in-line blockers in the run game and will be tough to replace in that aspect.  Wiggins is a non-factor in the run game.  His value will lie in the passing game, where Dirk Koetter will run a lot of multi tight end sets.  Wiggins will not create favorable matchups against opposing defenses, but knows how to set up over the middle and make tough grabs in traffic with his excellent hands.   His reliable presence as a check down option adds a degree of certainty in a passing game that is anything but certain with erratic play from their receivers.

Cardinals add leadership: Veteran fullback Terrelle Smith is an excellent fit for Ken Whisenhunt’s offense.  Smith is a tremendous lead blocker who knows how to finish plays and displays a lot of toughness.  He’s also very sound in pass protection, which will be a major asset behind a shaky line. 

Changing of the guard in Detroit: The Lions hope to reverse their fortunes at the guard spots with veterans Zach Piller and Edwin Mulitalo.  This probably means Damien Woody’s days are numbered in Detroit, where his lax mentality doesn’t fit Rod Marinelli’s aggressive direction.  With Piller and Mulitalo, the Lions now have two experienced guards who play with a lot of toughness and fit Marinelli’s desire to have strong run blockers upfront.  Unfortunately, both are aging and grade as backups.  Piller is tough and relies a lot on smarts to get the proper angles, but is stiff and can be exposed in space.  Mulitalo is a similar player with more size and massive strength, but wears down often and becomes vulnerable in pass protection.  Durability is often a concern since both ended last season on injured reserved.  The Lions must hope they could squeeze a season of these guys.