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How does each team look at wide receiver, and what still needs to be done?

Buffalo Bills: The Bills are decent -- but not great -- at wide receiver. The biggest thing in Buffalo's favor is the team has a consistent threat in Steve Johnson. He is the only receiver currently in the AFC East with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. Johnson may not be a game-breaker, but he is productive. The biggest issue for the Bills is getting someone to successfully pair with Johnson. Buffalo let go of slot receiver David Nelson and former starter Donald Jones, who signed with the Patriots. The Bills still have high hopes for 2012 third-round pick T.J. Graham, who was inconsistent as a rookie. Buffalo still needs to find a more consistent starter via the draft or free agency.

Miami Dolphins: Entering the offseason, this was Miami's biggest weakness. Several weeks later, it's one of the team's deepest areas. Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland did a solid job of landing wide receivers in free agency. First, Ireland re-signed 2012 leading receiver Brian Hartline. Then, Ireland went out and landed former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Mike Wallace and former St. Louis Rams receiver Brandon Gibson. The Dolphins are now four-deep at the position with Wallace, Hartline, Gibson and slot receiver Davone Bess. Add to the group new pass-catching tight end Dustin Keller, and you have a formidable cast of skill players around second-year quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

New England Patriots: The Patriots lost two starting receivers from last season. They cut Brandon Lloyd and allowed Wes Welker to leave to the Denver Broncos in free agency. New England signed Danny Amendola to replace Welker in the slot, but the outside positions remain open. As we mentioned earlier, the Patriots signed Jones from Buffalo. New England also added 10-year veteran Michael Jenkins this week. But is that enough? The additions of Jones and Jenkins most likely reduces the chances of Lloyd's return to New England. The only exception would be if Lloyd got very little interest elsewhere and would be willing to re-sign with the Patriots on a team-friendly contract. New England also could take a receiver high in the NFL draft. Some of the possibilities include Keenan Allen of Cal, Baylor's Terrance Williams or Aaron Dobson of Marshall.

New York Jets: The Jets have questions at wide receiver, but the hope in New York is that answers are already on the roster. Former Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes is returning from a season-ending foot injury, and the Jets are counting on Holmes to still be a No. 1 receiver. Also, 2012 second-round pick Stephen Hill has size and speed but was inconsistent as a rookie. The Jets expect Hill to make the jump in his second season. If all goes well with these two players, New York should be decent at receiver. Jeremy Kerley proved last year that he's solid. But Kerley is best in the slot. The Jets need a little luck and good health at the position to be competitive in 2013. Adding another receiver via the draft for depth purposes wouldn't be a bad idea.

New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has been criticized for a lot of things this season. Most of it is justified.

But Sanchez is excelling in at least one area: the deep pass. Sanchez already has nine completions of 20 yards or more this season. He has a 115.8 passer rating when throwing deep, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

This ties in well with New York’s huge rivalry game Sunday against the New England Patriots. New England’s defense is ranked 28th against the pass and has been horrible stopping the deep ball. The Patriots have allowed an NFL-high 16 passes of 20 yards or more and five touchdowns of at least 20 yards, second-most in the league.

The Jets are huge underdogs to the Patriots, but statistically the deep pass is one way they can even the playing field. Sanchez is connecting on the deep ball with receivers like Jeremy Kerley and Stephen Hill. Look for New York to test New England’s struggling secondary.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 6:

Dolphins face Jeff Fisher: The Miami Dolphins were very close to landing Jeff Fisher as their next head coach. Upon returning to the NFL, Fisher narrowed his choices to the Dolphins and St. Louis Rams. Fisher eventually picked the Rams, and now his team will travel to Miami to face the Dolphins for the first time. This is a chance for Miami (2-3) and rookie head coach Joe Philbin to beat Fisher, who believed St. Louis (3-2) was a better job. Fisher said the Dolphins made the right choice in Philbin, who is proving to be solid in his first five games.

Protecting Tannehill: The Rams are coming off a season-high nine sacks last week in a win over the Arizona Cardinals. Pass protection will be important for the Dolphins if they are to hold off the Rams. Miami rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill continues to improve and has been sacked nine times all season. The Rams will bring a lot of pressure, and Miami's offensive line needs to hold up. Tannehill has been prone to rookie mistakes under pressure. He has six interceptions in five games.

Little guy, big target: New England Patriots Pro Bowl receiver Wes Welker jabbed head coach Bill Belichick this week after catching a season-high 13 receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown. Welker was not a big part of the offense at the start of the season, but his targets have skyrocketed in the last few weeks. He has been targeted 36 times in the last three games. That has put his total targets up to 50 for the season, which is tied with Dolphins receiver Brian Hartline for seventh in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information. The injury to Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez contributed to Welker's becoming a big part of New England's offense again. But Welker has stepped up when his number has been called.

Jets grounded and pounded: The New York Jets have scored only one touchdown in the last eight quarters. It’s hard for New York to win with that kind of production from the offense and quarterback Mark Sanchez. The Jets aren't clicking on the ground or through the air. New York is ranked 28th in total offense and averaging just 12.5 points in its last four games. The good news is that starting tight end Dustin Keller and rookie receiver Stephen Hill are both expected to return from hamstring injuries in Sunday's matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.

Fitzpatrick's missing deep ball: The Buffalo Bills' offense is getting very predictable and easy to defend, in part because quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick is struggling with the deep ball. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Fitzpatrick is one of the NFL's worst deep-ball passers. He is just 4-of-15 (26.7 percent) on passes more than 20 yards, which ranks 27th in the league. Three of Fitzpatrick's interceptions have also come attempting to throw the deep ball. He passed for a season-low 126 yards in last week's 45-3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. If opponents do not respect the deep pass, it is difficult to get the passing game going underneath.

The New York Jets' offense can't run, can't pass, can't protect the quarterback and cannot get into the end zone.

Other than that, things are going pretty well.

The Jets are putting on a "Bad News Bears" type of performance offensively this preseason. Granted, these games don't count in the standings. But we haven't seen anything from the Jets to inspire confidence that they will improve on last season's No. 25 ranking in total offense during the regular season.

A full slate of organized team activities, minicamp and training camp have produced only three field goals in eight quarters. The Jets currently hold the embarrassing distinction as the only NFL team yet to score a preseason touchdown.

The much-hyped and much-anticipated quarterback battle between Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow has fizzled. Sanchez is 13-of-17 for 80 yards, with one pick-six and five sacks. Tebow is 9-of-22 for 96 yards, one interception and four sacks. The Jets' offense this preseason is best measured in inches, not yards.

At some point, confidence might become an issue. This is a group that struggled all last season under former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer. But with "Schotty" gone, there is no scapegoat left to point the finger at besides the players failing to execute.

"Obviously like anything else, you want touchdowns because you want to see kids smile," Jets first-year offensive coordinator Tony Sparano told reporters this week. "You want to see the smile on their face. You want to see some validation on what it is that we’ve been doing and how hard they’ve been working."

There weren't many smiles from the Jets' offense in last weekend's 26-3 loss to the New York Giants. The Jets looked very frustrated for only a second preseason game.

Jets starting tailback Shonn Greene voiced his frustration after a failed fourth-down conversion in the first half. Tebow also was vocal and upset with his teammates for missed assignments. Tebow was sacked four times by the Giants' backups.

There are so many issues with personnel and execution that you wonder if the Jets can fix their offense in time for their Week 1 showdown in the AFC East against the Buffalo Bills.

Starting with the offensive line, the Jets must figure out what to do with starting right tackle Wayne Hunter. In his first preseason game last weekend, Hunter allowed three sacks and had a fourth called back because of a Giants penalty. Hunter was a major problem last season and has shown no signs of improvement.

"That stuff happens to everybody," Sanchez said of Hunter's bad game. "I don't care who you are."

Sanchez also spoke of building up Hunter's confidence and continuing to have faith in the struggling right tackle. New York's coaches say Hunter's problems are correctable. But the truth is he's just not a good player. If the Jets had a viable replacement, they would have benched Hunter by now. The problem is New York's options are very thin.

The Jets might have to turn to third-year tackle Austin Howard. I don't know if he's any good, but he can't play much worse than Hunter did in the last preseason game. New York should start Howard on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. If Howard doesn't give up four sacks in the first half, consider it progress. Another option would be to move draft bust Vladimir Ducasse from guard back to right tackle.

Whether it's Hunter, Howard or Ducasse, it's clear the Jets must give their right tackle help this season by consistently leaving in an extra tight end or running back. That takes away options in the passing game, but it is better than having Sanchez or Tebow laying on his back.

It's also time for the Jets to use their Wildcat offense. New York has been holding this formation close to the vest, but this wrinkle might be the best thing the Jets' offense has going for it. Tebow has proven he can move the chains with his legs, both with the Denver Broncos and the Jets in the preseason. I understand the Jets not wanting to show too much before they play the Bills on Sept. 9. But they should at least do a few basic, Wildcat plays to jumpstart the offense, get some work in and build the group's confidence.

My final preseason suggestion is for New York to play rookie receiver Stephen Hill as much as possible with the starters. The second-round pick has four receptions in two games. He is a raw talent in need of playing time. Hill has the size and speed to be an asset for the Jets, and this is the perfect time to develop him.

If Hill is more seasoned by the regular season when No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes returns from his rib injury, the Jets' receivers will be in much better shape than they are now. Hill also is a solid run blocker who will contribute to New York's ground-and-pound offense.

The Jets have a lot of problems offensively. But benching Hunter, using the Wildcat and developing Hill as much as possible this preseason should patch a few holes.

With a strong defense, the Jets don't need their offense to be world-beaters to win games. New York just needs its leaky ship on offense to stay afloat and keep its head above water.

New York Jets No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes is "doubtful" for this week's preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals, Jets head coach Rex Ryan said Monday. Holmes injured his ribs over the weekend during a team-wide scrimmage.

We wrote on Saturday that this is a golden opportunity for other receivers to step up. Receivers like Patrick Turner, Chaz Schilens and rookie Stephen Hill have all been up and down during camp. Second-year receiver Jeremy Kerley also has battled injuries.

Holmes is listed as day-to-day by the Jets, but he will probably sit this entire week out. That gives quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow plenty of reps to get comfortable with the other receivers.

CORTLAND, N.Y. – Now we find out who really is the second-best receiver for the New York Jets.

The Jets had some bad luck Saturday when No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes injured his ribs in a team-wide scrimmage. The team would not confirm when Holmes was injured. However, Holmes did take a big shot from cornerback Antonio Cromartie after making a catch, and that was one of the few high-impact plays Holmes had Saturday.

X-rays were negative Saturday night and Holmes did not suffer a broken rib. He will be day-to-day, according to the Jets.

After Cromartie's recent and controversial comments, there's been a lot of speculation on who truly is New York's second-best receiver. Now is a perfect time to find out with Holmes sidelined. There will be plenty of reps and opportunities for guys like Patrick Turner, Chaz Schilens, Jeremy Kerley, rookie Stephen Hill and maybe even Cromartie to step forward and show what they can do in training camp and the preseason.

All of New York's receivers have flashed potential at different points, but no one has really developed much consistency. Schilens was a star in minicamp. Hill started training camp fast but had a slow week. Turner is really coming on as of late, and Kerley has been injured but did good things last season. There are clearly more questions than answers with this group minus Holmes.

For the time being, the Jets need a new No. 1 option at receiver in training camp. But the receiver who steps up most in this role should be the new No. 2 receiver whenever Holmes returns from his rib injury.

CORTLAND, N.Y. -- The New York Jets will hold their first team-wide scrimmage of training camp Saturday night at 6 p.m. ET. The AFC East blog will be there to take in all the action.

Here are a few things we will be watching:

• Which quarterback stands out? Starting quarterback Mark Sanchez and popular backup Tim Tebow will be leading separate teams. This will be a good chance to watch both Sanchez and Tebow go head-to-head.
• Overall, I want to see a better performance from the offense. That side of the ball was whipped pretty bad by the defense on Friday. There were few running lanes on the ground and both quarterbacks struggled. Granted, the Jets have a top-five defense. It will be very difficult to dominate New York’s defense in practice on a regular basis. But I want to see the offense, particularly the starters, step up to the challenge and put together some plays against New York’s tough defense.
• Watching New York’s safeties will be interesting. The Jets will have two new starters this year in LaRon Landry and Yeremiah Bell. Landry has been on a “pitch count” in training camp and practices about every second or third day due to a prior Achilles injury. But Jets head coach Rex Ryan says Landry will scrimmage tonight. Neither safety is great in pass coverage. This will be a chance to see how the Jets’ safeties work together and communicate in a game-like atmosphere.
• Finally, which rookies will flash? The Jets are hoping for production from draft picks such as first-round pick and defensive end Quinton Coples and second-round pick and receiver Stephen Hill. This is the preview before next week’s preseason. This is a chance to get an early look at which first-year players have a chance to show up when the lights are on.

» AFC hidden treasures: West | North | South | East » NFC: West | North | South | East

Examining a position group that could exceed its preseason expectations:

Most of what we've heard from the New York Jets this offseason was their renewed focus on running a "ground and pound" offense. But don't be fooled. New offensive coordinator Tony Sparano also wants improvements made in New York's passing game.

The Jets' offense was in shambles last season. The group finished 25th in the NFL, and didn't do anything particularly well on a consistent basis. Some weeks the Jets could run the football, some weeks they couldn't. Some weeks quarterback Mark Sanchez had success through the air, some weeks he'd get pummeled and forced into multiple turnovers.

Sparano is clear that New York's identity is running the football. But the team's potential hidden treasures at wide receiver also show a commitment to throwing deep when the situation calls for it. Stephen Hill, Chaz Schilens and Jeremy Kerley are three under-the-radar receivers to keep an eye on. This group, along with No. 1 receiver Santonio Holmes, could help Sanchez take the next step.

Hill is particularly intriguing. He is a second-round draft pick from Georgia Tech who didn't catch a lot of passes, but made big plays in college nearly every time he touched the football. Hill has the size and speed to get behind the defense if opponents stack the line. Schilens showed flashes during his time with the Oakland Raiders, but couldn't avoid injuries. Kerley came on strong in the second half of his rookie season, and wants to build on that momentum.

The Jets must have the ability to throw when needed to be successful. These receivers and potential hidden treasures must step up this season when their number is called.

What if I said your team has a quarterback who's been to the AFC Championship Game twice in his first three seasons?

What if I also said this player has playoff wins over Tom Brady and Peyton Manning -- the two best quarterbacks of this generation?

What if I said this player is just 25 years old and about to enter the prime of his career?

What if I said the person I'm describing is New York Jets starting quarterback Mark Sanchez?

Surprised? Well, you shouldn't be.

Contrary to popular belief, Sanchez is not a lost cause. Some pundits have already pushed Sanchez out the door and claimed it's Tim Tebow's team. The Jets acquired the wildly popular quarterback in an offseason trade, but the move instead will bring out the best in Sanchez.

The Jets were wowed by Sanchez during the opening of organized team activities. He was stronger, accurate, more confident and clearly the best quarterback on the team. Sanchez looked like a player whose best years are still ahead of him.

"He's stronger than he's ever been," Jets coach Rex Ryan said of Sanchez. "He's in great shape. ... Obviously, he's going into his fourth year. He's seen a lot of different things, but that arm looks stronger to me. He's throwing the ball and really zipping it, throwing with touch and things. I really like the way he's throwing the football."

The media often harps on Sanchez's negatives. But let's take a look at the good things Sanchez brings to the table.

First and foremost, Sanchez is a winner. As I mentioned earlier, he's led the Jets to two AFC title games the past three seasons. That is something neither Brady nor Manning has accomplished in that same span. Sanchez is 4-2 in the playoffs and never had a losing season.

He also was 12-1 in his only full year as a starter at USC. Sanchez is used to winning and has done so at every level.

Sanchez is tough and durable. He's missed just one start in three years. Last season he took a pounding and was sacked a career-high 39 times without missing a game. Sanchez added extra muscle this offseason to withstand the pounding. With Tebow waiting for his shot, Sanchez does not want to get pulled due to injury.

Sanchez also is a gamer. He's the type of quarterback who can struggle early but save his best football for late in the game. It's hard to teach being clutch in the fourth quarter, but Sanchez has proven he can make big throws in big moments. He just needs to work on his consistency throughout the game.

That is where the Jets' coaching staff and front office come in. Much of this offseason was about giving Sanchez the tools he needs to be successful. The Jets brought in new offensive coordinator Tony Sparano, whose straightforward approach should be an upgrade over Brian Schottenheimer. Then, New York drafted talented deep threat Stephen Hill to go with fellow receiver Santonio Holmes and tight end Dustin Keller. Tebow, as an option quarterback, should add to a running game that also includes 1,000-yard rusher Shonn Greene.

The goal for Sparano is to run a tighter offense that takes better care of the football and keeps the chains moving.

"There's no gray area. He lets you know exactly what he expects," Sanchez said of Sparano. "He lets you know the emphasis of the day. Whether it's third down, second down, pressures, first-and-10, two-minute drill, he lets you know and then once we get on the field, that’s your test. Each week, each Sunday is a test for us. He’ll give you all the answers, and once you get to Sunday you got to have the test."

Sanchez is currently going through the biggest test of his career, but it's not something that hasn't been done before.

Remember Eli Manning's first three seasons?

Many were trying to run Eli out of New York after a slow start to his career. In fact, Sanchez experienced more success than Eli in their first three years in the NFL. Sanchez has seven more victories (27 to 20) and eight more starts. Eli didn't win his first playoff game until his fourth year. Sanchez already has four.

It took Eli four years to truly develop into a franchise quarterback. That's when his career took off, and Eli won the first of two Super Bowls.

Why can't Sanchez get the same benefit of the doubt? Despite Sanchez's early success, it didn't buy him additional time in New York. Sanchez needs to win now.

In many ways Sanchez can learn from Eli's experience. Eli was in the doldrums worse than Sanchez his first three seasons with the Giants and still climbed out of it. Sanchez's best example to follow is right across town and plays in the same stadium.

"I look at that as kudos to him for doing a great job and thriving under that pressure," Sanchez said of Eli. "Look where he’s at today: Two Super Bowl rings and he’s on the top of the world and doing a great job and he deserves it. He’s put in a lot of hard work so you look at it and admire it."

Career makeovers do happen -- even in a tough city like New York. Sanchez has a chance to follow Eli's blueprint and become the next great turnaround story in the Big Apple.

The Jets have proven in the past they can win with Sanchez under center. With several upgrades by the team and self improvements made by Sanchez, the Jets also can win with him in the future.

Months of mocks and related analysis did not adequately prepare us for a half-dozen selections in the first round of the 2012 NFL draft.

NFC West teams made two of those surprise selections: Bruce Irvin to the Seattle Seahawks and A.J. Jenkins to the San Francisco 49ers. I've listed four others in the chart below after consulting with our other seven divisional bloggers.

While it's possible the teams involved made poor decisions in some cases, accounting for the surprise factor, there's no question the rest of us could have done a better job anticipating. I'll set aside the Dallas Cowboys' selection of cornerback Morris Claiborne. We knew Dallas could take a corner, but there was little way we could know the Cowboys would trade into the sixth overall spot to make it happen.

But in breaking down the other surprise selections, we can hopefully avoid making similar mistakes in the future.

Mistaken identity

Jenkins and New York Giants first-round running back David Wilson fall into this category.

We knew the 49ers could target a receiver early. We figured running back would be a position for the Giants to address. We simply misidentified the players they were most likely to select.

I had projected Kendall Wright to San Francisco in a mock draft several weeks ago, but Tennessee selected him 20th overall, 10 spots before the 49ers selected. Stephen Hill and Rueben Randle, among others, were popular projections.

The knock on Jenkins was that he lacked sufficient physical strength. The 49ers are a very physical team. They have valued physical players. Josh Morgan was a physical wideout the team would have retained if Washington hadn't made an over-the-top contract offer.

In retrospect, however, perhaps we should have more closely considered the receivers San Francisco did sign this offseason. Mario Manningham has never been known as a physical player. Ted Ginn Jr. is not physical at all.

The 49ers now have drafted two wide receivers under coach Jim Harbaugh. Ronald Johnson, a sixth-round pick in 2011, was the one before Jenkins. Lack of physical strength was a knock on Johnson coming out of college.

So far, the 49ers have done a very good job evaluating personnel at just about every position, but receiver has been an exception. Perhaps that changes with Jenkins.

For the Giants, Doug Martin was the running back projected as a first-round candidate somewhat regularly. Tampa Bay drafted Martin at No. 31, one spot ahead of where the Giants were picking. That gave this draft three first-round backs, one more than was typically projected.

Scheme considerations

Irvin and Chicago Bears first-round defensive end Shea McClellin fall into this category.

We could put Irvin in the mistaken identity category as well because the Seahawks' need for a pass-rusher was well-established. But the projections commonly assumed Seattle would be looking for a more traditional defensive end, one big enough to hold up against the run.

In retrospect, we should have at least mentioned Irvin as a possibility.

Seattle gave run-stuffing defensive end Red Bryant a $35 million contract this offseason. Bryant is going to start and play early downs for the next few seasons. That meant the Seahawks were in the market only for a player in the "Leo" role filled by leading sacker Chris Clemons.

Irvin is that type of player. The other defensive ends commonly associated with Seattle before the draft were not "Leo" types. They would have projected as eventual starters on the other side, where Bryant appears entrenched.

What the Seahawks needed, from their perspective, was a pure pass-rusher to play a situational role similar to the one Aldon Smith played with San Francisco last season. That player, Irvin, would project as the eventual replacement for Clemons, most likely.

Syracuse's Chandler Jones, a common projection for Seattle in the days before the draft, could have fit that profile. Concerns over a toe injury probably hurt his stock.

In Chicago, meanwhile, the Bears' need for a defensive end was no secret. However, most projections seemed to suggest McClellin would make more sense as a 3-4 outside linebacker, perhaps in Green Bay. In retrospect, however, Bears assistant Rod Marinelli does tend to like smaller defensive ends. Perhaps McClellin should have been considered more strongly as a candidate for Chicago.

Positional evaluation error

I'd throw Stanford guard David DeCastro into this category.

The assumption heading into the draft was DeCastro would not be available when the Pittsburgh Steelers selected with the 24th overall choice. As a result, DeCastro wasn't commonly linked to Pittsburgh before the draft.

But as we discussed on the blog a while back, teams had taken only five pure guards among the top 17 overall selections since 1995. Only one had gone higher than 17th since 1998.

Guards have made significant gains in financial compensation over the years. However, teams still value other positions at a much higher level. Guard was a common projection for San Francisco at No. 30, but the 49ers did not select one until the fourth round.

Conclusion

There's a tendency to criticize teams for making decisions we did not see coming.

That is self-serving.

I'd rather take a closer look at the surprises and find out where the rest of us went wrong.

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South


The AFC East struggled mightily last year. Only the New England Patriots finished with a winning record. The New York Jets (8-8), Miami Dolphins (6-10) and Buffalo Bills (6-10) are all playing catch up this season.

The draft is the best way for the Jets, Dolphins and Bills to close the gap with the reigning AFC champs. It's also an opportunity for New England to get better, particularly on defense, in order to make another Super Bowl run.

Here are the highlights of the AFC East draft:

BEST MOVE

The best move was actually a series of moves by the Patriots. It was clear New England needed defensive help. The Patriots' defense was ranked 31st overall, and it was an issue on the final drive of the Super Bowl.

New England drafted six straight defensive players. Defensive end Chandler Jones and linebacker Dont'a Hightower, both first-rounder, have a chance to make an immediate impact. New England moved up twice in the first round to pick Jones and Hightower.

"I felt like we got good value for them," coach Bill Belichick said. "[We] took Dont'a and Chandler, probably could have been in either order. But we felt like we would have a better chance to end up with both players if it went that way, not that we were sure we would get the second one, but we thought we might have a shot at it. Looking forward to working with both guys."

New England also took pass-rushing defensive end Jake Bequette in the third round. He could be a sleeper. The Patriots made one curious pick on defense in the second round that we will get to later.

The Patriots did a good job overall, but an individual move I really like is Miami's pick of former Stanford offensive tackle Jonathan Martin. I had the chance to watch Stanford several times, and I was really impressed. He moves well, has a good frame and is intelligent.

"He's used to playing with a very demanding quarterback with Andrew (Luck), and they trusted him to protect Andrew for three years," Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland said of Martin. "We're very happy with the pick."

Martin has to move from left tackle to right tackle, because Pro Bowler Jake Long is on Miami's roster. But that's an easier transition to make than going from right to left tackle.

The Buffalo Bills also made some solid picks, particularly first-round corner Stephon Gilmore and second-round offensive tackle Cordy Glenn. Buffalo had a safe draft that should help the team immediately next season.

RISKIEST MOVE

The New York Jets entered the offseason with a lot of questions. Can they fix their locker room issues? Can they handle the Tim Tebow phenomenon?

Instead of going safe, the Jets continued to roll the dice by taking risky prospects with their top two picks: defensive end Quinton Coples and receiver Stephen Hill. Both are boom-or-bust prospects the Jets plan to rely on next season.

New York needs help rushing the passer and hope Coples can provide it. He has all the physical tools, but there are big questions about his motivation. The Jets also need a big-play receiver, and Hill could be that player. He has all the measurables but wasn’t productive at Georgia Tech, which ran a triple-option offense. Hill caught just 28 passes last season but averaged an astounding 29.3 yards per reception.

"I feel great. Especially now, I'm in more of an offense where I can catch the ball a little bit more," Hill said. "And you know, catching the ball from [quarterback] Mark Sanchez is great. I'm going to make sure I get with him as soon as possible and we both try to get this roll on."

Both players have the potential to start as soon as next season.

MOST SURPRISING MOVE

Belichick has some explaining to do. The Patriots took a player in the second round who wasn’t invited to the NFL combine or any pre-draft all-star games.

Patriots second-round pick Tavon Wilson caught everyone completely by surprise. The defensive back wasn’t on anyone’s radar, especially in the second round. But New England liked him enough to take Wilson No. 48 overall.

"He played plenty. You can see him plenty at Illinois," Belichick said. "You can see him against whoever you want to see him against: All the Big Ten schools, Arizona State, teams that throw the ball. He’s playing corner, he’s playing safety, he’s playing the inside positions, the nickel position, the dime position."

Belichick is known to go off the radar in the draft at times. He continues to defend the Wilson pick.

"Similar situation with [Sebastian] Vollmer a couple of years ago. We drafted guys -- I think one year, didn't we draft like three of four guys that were non-combine guys?" Belichick said. "Some guys play in all-star games, some guys don't. I don't know who picks all those all-star teams. In all honesty, I don't know who picks the combine for that matter."

New England needs immediate help in the secondary. Wilson has experience in college at cornerback and safety and will get a chance to show what he can do in New England.

FILE IT AWAY

This is the perfect category for Miami first-round selection and rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill. You can probably file this pick away until 2013.

Tannehill will begin the season third on Miami's depth chart behind incumbent starter Matt Moore and free-agent signing David Garrard. The odds that the rookie will jump two veteran quarterbacks before Week 1 are long. But Tannehill isn't resigning himself to holding a clipboard.

"I'm a football player and I'm a competitor," Tannehill said Saturday. "I want to be on the field and I want to compete. But I also realize that I'm coming in and there's veteran quarterbacks on this team that I can learn from."

The race for the No. 2 quarterback in the AFC East behind Tom Brady is wide open. Tannehill has the potential to fill that void in two or three years. But the Dolphins have to do the right things to nurture the young quarterback, despite very high expectations.

Tannehill is the first quarterback taken in the first round by Miami since Hall of Famer Dan Marino in 1983.

"I didn't take him as the eighth pick in the draft to be a backup quarterback," Ireland said. "I picked him to be a starting quarterback in this league at some point, to have an impact on this football team, to help us win football games and championships. That's the expectation that I have going down the line."

» NFC draft analysis: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

The shift in NFL disciplinary emphasis from off-field behavior to on-field safety should serve the NFC West well over the coming months.

The division took calculated gambles early and often in the 2012 NFL draft, selecting players with rap sheets as varied as the players' on-field skill sets.

But player safety is trumping player behavior as the prevailing NFL issue these days, and NFC West teams aren't likely to draw much scrutiny for their decisions, at least initially.

Five of the first 10 players NFC West teams selected had, at various times, faced accusations relating to drunken driving (Michael Floyd), robbery (Bruce Irvin), marijuana possession (Janoris Jenkins), attempted strangulation (LaMichael James) and resisting arrest (Trumaine Johnson).

They were not all charged nor convicted. They are not necessarily bad guys, of course. But each carried red flags into the evaluation process. Each represents a heightened risk for his new NFC West team.

What's going on here?

A theory: Pete Carroll, Jeff Fisher and Jim Harbaugh, in particular, are three of the higher-profile, more highly paid coaches in the NFL. Higher-paid coaches tend to have more power (Carroll and Fisher demanded personnel influence as a condition of employment). Coaches also tend to listen to their assistants. They might be more apt to take chances, confident in their ability to manage players.

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt, also well-compensated and facing a pivotal year at quarterback, has made it clear that he's a believer in drafting with character in mind. He also might need to win his bet on Kevin Kolb, perhaps one reason the Cardinals, having done their homework on Floyd, took the first calculated gamble among NFC West teams.

Arizona made Floyd the second receiver drafted, taking him at No. 13. Irvin went to Seattle two spots later, followed by Jenkins to St. Louis (39th), James to San Francisco (61st) and Johnson to the Rams (65th).

BEST MOVE

The Rams' pre-draft move to trade back four spots from the second overall pick set up their next three drafts, beginning with this one.

Moving back again from sixth to 14th overall brought a 2012 second-rounder in return, leaving the Rams with six of the first 96 overall selections -- the most for any team in recent seasons (New England had six of the first 97 picks in the 2009 draft).

With three second-round choices this year, the Rams felt comfortable taking a chance on Jenkins, a player widely regarded as a first-round talent. Jenkins might have the ability to make this draft for the Rams, but taking him at No. 39 and amid so many other early selections insulated the team from undue risk.

The Rams move forward with four first-round selections over the next two drafts. They're in position to get better the right way through the draft.

RISKIEST MOVE

There were a few candidates for consideration, including the Cardinals' decision to draft a wide receiver instead of an offensive tackle at No. 13.

But Irvin's selection with the 15th overall choice stands out given his background, one-dimensional nature and the surprise factor associated with his selection.

Irvin dropped out of high school, lived on the streets for two years, was arrested on robbery charges and more recently was charged with disorderly conduct. His life and career have been trending in the right direction for a few years, but with so few analysts projecting Irvin for the first round, the Seahawks can expect louder than usual criticism if Irvin fails to develop.

Seattle could have drafted Fletcher Cox, Quinton Coples, Michael Brockers, Melvin Ingram or Chandler Jones among the defensive players available when the Seahawks were scheduled to select with the 12th overall choice. They traded back and took Irvin after Philadelphia took Cox at No. 12 and St. Louis took Brockers at No. 14.

MOST SURPRISING MOVE

We could double up on Irvin in this space, but the 49ers deserve a mention as well.

They made Illinois receiver A.J. Jenkins a surprise selection with the 27th overall choice. Analysts knew San Francisco might consider a receiver in the first round, but if any of them projected Jenkins as a possibility in that slot, that would be news to me.

Personnel people I've spoken with said they liked Jenkins. The Rams reportedly had him ranked not far behind Justin Blackmon, the first receiver selected.

Receivers Stephen Hill, Alshon Jeffery and Rueben Randle drew more mention before the draft. All were available when the 49ers selected Jenkins, as were Brian Quick and Ryan Broyles, all taken in the second round. The 49ers will get an up-close look at Quick, drafted by the Rams. But Jenkins was the player they wanted.

FILE IT AWAY

The quarterback situations in Seattle and Arizona have become more competitive.

The Seahawks used a third-round choice for Wisconsin's Russell Wilson, a strong-armed quarterback with fantastic intangibles. Concerns over Wilson's 5-foot-11 height knocked him down draft boards, but a third-round pedigree in Seattle should put Seahawks quarterbacks Matt Flynn, Tarvaris Jackson and Justin Portis on notice.

Arizona used a sixth-round choice for San Diego State quarterback Ryan Lindley. The Cardinals have shown a willingness to let less-heralded quarterbacks compete for playing time. John Skelton and Max Hall over the last couple seasons come to mind. With Kolb and John Skelton battling for the starting job, Lindley arrives as a potential alternative for the future.

The 49ers did not head into this draft needing to draft a quarterback, but this is a good time to recall the move they made to acquire Colin Kaepernick in the second round a year ago. Alex Smith is the incumbent starter, but his contract gives the 49ers an easy out after one or two seasons.

BEREA, Ohio -- The reason why the Browns don't have a coveted wide receiver is because they failed to be aggressive.

Cleveland got the running back it wanted by trading up to No. 3 to draft Trent Richardson. The Browns should've done the same later in the first round for their targeted wide receiver, Baylor's Kendall Wright.

By staying put at No. 22 on Thursday, the Browns have a 28-year-old rookie quarterback in Brandon Weeden and no difference-maker at wide receiver after three rounds. Cleveland reportedly had Wright rated higher than Weeden and would've taken Wright if he was available.

According to general manager Tom Heckert, there were three wide receivers the team considered "legitimate guys." This list presumably includes Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd and Wright. Blackmon and Floyd were taken in the top 13.

If the Browns thought Wright was the last of the best receivers, they should've moved ahead of Tenneessee, which drafted Wright at No. 20. The Browns had to know the Titans were interested because Tennessee had four of the top receiver prospects, including Wright, in for pre-draft visits. Moving three or four spots up would've cost the Browns a third-round pick.

Heckert said there was no frustration over failing to add a receiver in the first three rounds.

"We could have taken a receiver. We don’t want to take a receiver just to take a receiver," he said Friday night. "If we didn’t get a receiver and we didn’t get a good player, we might be [frustrated]. But we are happy with the guys we took, we really are.”

You can't fault the Browns for passing on a wide receiver early in the second round. The Browns had to address right tackle at that point because they couldn't go into a season with Oniel Cousins as the starter there.

By the time the Browns were on the clock in the third round, there were no other deep threats remaining. Georgia Tech's Stephen Hill (New York Jets) and LSU's Rueben Randle (New York Giants) both were drafted in the second round.

Heckert said there is a chance the Browns might take a wide receiver in the final four rounds Saturday. The draft resumes at noon.

“We still have some picks left. There are some guys that we do like," Heckert said. "We’ll see what happens after tomorrow and then we can discuss if we don’t have any.”

The New York Jets drafted big-play receiver Stephen Hill in the second round Friday. The former Georgia Tech prospect has a chance to start right away, opposite receiver Santonio Holmes.

Hill is a bit of a risk. He has all the measurable and physical tools, but his production in college wasn't great. The Jets also took some risk, for different reasons, in the first round with defensive end Quinton Coples. New York’s first-round pick has questions about his motor. That's not an issue with Hill.

The Jets are hoping Hill can keep defenses honest. Many opponents are expected to gear up against New York's "ground and pound" style offense. Hill has the speed and ability to blow the top off the defense for big plays.

After reading the transcript from John Elway’s press briefing Thursday night, it is clear to see why the Broncos traded down twice and eventually out of the first round.

They didn’t think anybody was worthy of a first-round pick where they were picking and they wanted to add picks. Denver now has the No. 36 pick in the second round and added No. 101, in the fourth round. Denver has two picks in the second round, one in the third round and three in the fourth round. I would be surprised if the Broncos don’t try to add another third-round pick and get four picks on Friday.

I think Denver decided to trade down once defensive tackles Dontari Poe, Fletcher Cox and Michael Brockers were off the board by the 14th pick. Denver originally had the No. 25 pick, then traded to No. 31 before going to No. 36.

“Everyone else saw the talent that we saw too,” said Elway, Denver’s top decision-maker. “When those guys started going like that, they went in a hurry. We thought we were going to have to get a little bit lucky for them to fall to us anyways. They’re good football players and when they didn’t get to us that gave us the opportunity to start moving back a little bit.”

Elway made it clear that the Broncos would rather stockpile picks than make a reach, thus the trades with the Patriots and the Buccaneers.

“When we looked at where we were, obviously we had some guys targeted that didn’t quite make it to us in 25, so we had some opportunities to move back with New England to pick up a fourth. We liked that, thought that was great,” Elway said. "Then, when we had a chance to move back from 31 to 36 with Tampa again, our board looked the same. We thought we’d be able to get the same people at 36 that we could at 31 -- or have the same pool of players there at 36 as we did at 31. By doing that we moved up 25 spots to the top of the fourth, which we really believe this is a deep draft. It’s not real thick at the top, but it’s pretty deep through the middle rounds. We thought by adding another good pick it gives us more options going into tomorrow. Plus, we’ll still be able to get the same people that we had targeted that made it to us at 25 at 36. We’re excited about the day. Obviously it’s a little bit of a downer when you don’t have a new player. But, we’re excited about where we sit and the next two days are going to be exciting.”

Among the players Denver could target at No. 36 with their top pick Friday are Michigan State defensive tackle Jerel Worthy, Connecticut defensive tackle Kendall Reyes, Georgia Tech receiver Stephen Hill, LSU receiver Rueben Randle, North Alabama cornerback Janoris Jenkins, Cincinnati defensive tackle Derek Wolfe and Nebraska linebacker Lavonte David. I think we could see Denver try to get a quarterback Friday as well.