8 NFL Teams Ready to Take the Next Step in 2015

With only two months remaining until training camp and the draft in the rear-view mirror, we have a pretty good understanding of what rosters are going to look like around the NFL in 2015.

The eight teams listed below have done the best job adding to positions of need since free agency started in March. They then doubled down during the draft late last month and earlier this month. In some cases, these teams will be taking a step from last place to contending for a winning record. In other cases, it’s all about the Super Bowl.

Here are eight NFL teams, one in each division, ready to take the next step in 2015.

AFC East: Miami Dolphins

Some may conclude that the Dolphins didn’t necessarily get much better with the moves they made this offseason. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The additions of Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings and rookie DeVante Parker is going to be huge for Ryan Tannehill in the passing game. The Dolphins will take that over Brian Hartline and Mike Wallace each day of the week, and then again on Sunday. Miami also replaced a solid all-around tight end in Charles Clay with a better pass-catching option in the form of Jordan Cameron. He will act as the Tannehill’s primary third-down target.

While there is some concern at running back, the Dolphins took a chance on former Boise State running back Jay Ajayi in the fifth round. He was slated to be an early Day 2 pick before teams became worried about a knee injury that could shorten his career. While a risky long-term proposition, Ajayi should be able to make an impact immediately. He joins Lamar Miller, Damien Williams and LaMichael James in competition to receive touches. As the primary holdover from last year, Miller is coming off a season that saw him put up nearly 1,400 total yards. In reality, Miami’s rushing attack will be much better than people anticipate.

Miami’s offense may have improved, but its defense will be the reason why the team contends for the AFC East title in 2015. Adding Ndamukong Suh to a defensive line that already boasted Cameron Wake is going to be absolutely huge. The All-Pro defensive lineman should be able to open holes for edge rushers to get to the quarterback. His presence will also help out a Dolphins secondary that’s still trying to find the right mix.

Overall, there’s little reason to believe Miami won’t be able to contend with the New England Patriots for the division title in 2015.

AFC South: Indianapolis Colts

General manager Ryan Grigson may have struggled during the 2015 NFL draft, but he more than made up for that in free agency. Identifying holes throughout the roster and adding key veteran talent, Grigson put the Colts in position to take that step from playoff mainstay to Super Bowl contender.

Assuming Frank Gore doesn’t hit that proverbial wall at 31 years old, his presence in the backfield with Andrew Luck is going to be absolutely huge for Indianapolis. Gore has put up 1,000-yard campaigns in eight of his last nine seasons. He’s also averaging a solid 4.5 yards per attempt throughout his career. If the Colts can get 1,100 yards and an average (by his standards) rushing display from Gore, their offense is going to be unstoppable. That’s only magnified by the addition of Andre Johnson at wide receiver. Even at 33 and playing with a bunch of scrubs at quarterback, Johnson was still able to record over 900 yards for the Houston Texans last season.

One of the most under-the-radar signings of the offseason was the Colts addition of guard Todd Herremans after he was released by the Philadelphia Eagles. A stopgap figure to be sure, the 32-year-old offensive lineman will be a huge asset for Indianapolis should he remain healthy. In his last full season back in 2013, Herremans graded out as the second-best run-blocking guard in the NFL (via Pro Football Focus subscription required). It’s now all going to be about staying healthy (missed 16 games the past three years) and being decent in pass protection.

Defensively, the Colts were able to add Trent Cole from the aforementioned Eagles. He’s a solid scheme fit in the team’s 3-4 defense and will help what has to be considered a lackluster secondary by providing pressure up front. The same can be said for defensive end Kendall Langford, who came over from the Rams. But make no mistake about it, Indianapolis will go as far as Luck’s right arm takes the team. In this, look for the Colts to be serious Super Bowl contenders in 2015.

AFC North: Cleveland Browns

Seems a bit crazy. Cleveland has had an offseason to forget. From Textgate to the entire Johnny Manziel situation, the Browns are clearly looking to move beyond what’s happened over the past few months. With all that said, there’s a ton of talent on this team.

It’s going to start at running back in 2015. Youngsters Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West combined for over 1,300 total yards and 13 touchdowns as rookies. Now enter into the equation third-round pick Duke Johnson, and the Browns have something here.

“He (Duke Johnson) really reminds me of Giovani Bernard of the Bengals. They are both built similarly. Johnson is very good out of the shotgun,” NFL Media’s LaDainian Tomlinson said about the pick. “The one thing on film that sticks out is his explosiveness and ability to turn the corner.”

That might be some mighty high praise, but the Browns are going to need average quarterback play to find themselves with a winning record for the first time since 2007. And in reality, it’s likely going to be up to Josh McCown to repeat his performance from 2013 when he filled in for Jay Cutler in Chicago. If that happens, the Browns offense might be surprising.

In coming to the conclusion that Cleveland is primed to take that next step, we are obviously talking about finishing with a winning record. Unless everything falls into place, this is still the worst team in the best division in football.

However, the talent is there at multiple spots. In addition to running back, Cleveland’s offensive line has a chance to be one of the best in the business. It also boasts one of the most-talented secondaries in the game. If these three areas play up to the level of talent we know exists there, the Browns could very well be one of the most surprising teams in the NFL this year.

AFC West: San Diego Chargers

Two words. Melvin Gordon. The former Wisconsin running back may very well find himself playing the most important role of any rookie outside of the two quarterbacks that went in the first round. One of the primary reasons San Diego took at step back last season was a complete dumpster fire of a rushing attack. The team averaged just 3.4 yards per carry and didn’t see a single running back go for as much as 600 yards on the year. Based on Gordon’s talent level, there’s no reason to believe he can’t up that average by at least one yard per touch. If so, Philip Rivers and the Chargers offense is going to take off big time. It’s also important to note that San Diego was able to add former Denver Broncos guard Orlando Franklin in free agency. The veteran finished as one of the top-13 overall guards in the NFL last year (via Pro Football Focus, subscription required).

The biggest key for San Diego this upcoming season will be the team’s defensive front. Can the combination of Melvin Ingram, Jeremiah Attaochu and Tourek Williams provide enough of a pass rush from outside linebacker to help what could be a dominating secondary force turnovers on a consistent basis? If that happens, the Chargers may very well win the AFC West.

NFC East: New York Giants

Eli Manning quietly had a solid 2014 campaign. In what was a career season, Manning tallied over 4,400 passing yards with 30 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He was able to do this with Victor Cruz missing the final 10 games of the year with a serious leg injury. The emergence of Odell Beckham Jr. from wide-eyed youngster to NFL’s Offensive Rookie of the Year was huge here. Team him up with a potentially healthy Cruz, and that might be one of the best starting receiver tandems in the NFL. It will also push Rueben Randle (938 yards in 2014) down to the third receiver spot. Equally as important for the Giants, they added one of the best receiving running backs in the NFL in the form of Shane Vereen in free agency. The former New England Patriots second-round pick is averaging about four receptions per game over the past two years.

There’s little doubt that the Giants will put up points on offense. It’s now all about the defense stepping it up. The additions of safety Landon Collins and defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa in Day 2 of the draft was huge. Both represented value at positions of need. Collins can come in and be that in-the-box safety to team up with an underrated free safety in Cooper Taylor. If they mesh well, that’s going to help Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara out in the boundaries.

Outside of that, the Giants front seven needs to play better. That starts at linebacker, where the team didn’t really do much in the offseason. Whether it’s Victor Butler coming in and playing an important role or Mark Herzlich improving inside, this unit needs to step up. If this happens, the Giants are going to surprise a lot of people in the ultra-competitive NFC East.

NFC South: Atlanta Falcons

After two disappointing seasons, the Falcons FINALLY parted ways with former head coach Mike Smith. That in and of itself makes the team better. Now enter into the equation former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, and the Falcons should be vastly improved from a coaching standpoint.

Making sure to address his defense first, Quinn worked with general manager Thomas Dimitroff to add talent at all levels. Starting in free agency and continuing in the draft, Atlanta’s previously weak defense will be among the most improved units in the NFL this year. Adrian Clayborn, Brooks Reed and Justin Durant were huge additions in the front seven. As one of the most underrated linebackers in the NFL, Durant should provide some stability at that position. Despite missing 16 games over the past two years, the former Hampton standout is a difference maker against the pass. Both Clayborn and Reed should provide much-needed pass rush capability as well.

It was, however, what Atlanta did in the draft that should make the difference in 2015. The addition of top edge rusher Vic Beasley and an underrated corner in Jalen Collins with the team’s first picks is going to be huge in 2015.

For his part, Beasley might be able to come in immediately and put up 10-plus sacks as a situational pass rusher:

“Beasley’s easily the best athlete among the edge rushers,” NFL Media’s Mike Mayock said about the pick. “On Day 1, I think he’s going to be a situational pass rusher while he learns to set the edge.”

Collins likely would have been a first-round pick if there weren’t rumors surrounding marijuana use during his college days. He has a chance to start opposite Desmond Trufant immediately.

There’s little doubt that the Falcons offense is going to be fine. That’s only magnified by the addition of former Indiana running back Tevin Coleman to help create balance on offense. If this team improves leaps and bounds on defense, a real possibility, Atlanta will win the NFC South after a two-year hiatus.

NFC North: Minnesota Vikings

Here’s a team that could do some major damage in the NFC North this season. While still fer behind the Green Bay Packers, Mike Zimmer’s squad could very well take over second place from the Detroit Lions. The young talent is here, and Minnesota did a solid job adding some veterans over the past couple months.

Most will indicate that Adrian Peterson’s status will play a major role here. While that is true, it’s Teddy Bridgewater’s ability to progress from a solid rookie campaign to an above-average signal caller that will make the big difference. The former first-round pick had a solid rookie campaign, throwing 14 touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions while leading Minnesota to a 6-6 record in 12 starts. If he can get those touchdown numbers up to about 25 while keeping his interceptions in the mid-teens, the Vikings could be on to something. Adding a solid deep threat in Mike Wallace should help.

If Peterson is back and 100 percent committed to play, that’s just icing on the cake. There is no questioning how much of a difference he will make for a team that lost five games by a total of 17 points last season.

Just as important for Minnesota’s chances of earning a playoff spot, the organization did a tremendous job filling glaring holes on defense. First-round pick Trae Waynes should start immediately opposite Xavier Rhodes at corner. Second rounder Eric Kendricks will also be the team’s starting middle linebacker out of the gate. They will team up with a talented young core to create one of the most-talented defenses in the NFL. Depending on how this unit grows, the Vikings could be looking at a 10-win 2015 campaign.

NFC West: Arizona Cardinals

If it wasn’t for yet another ACL injury to Carson Palmer, there is no telling how far Arizona would have gone in the playoffs this past January. Instead of being able to run the veteran out there, the Cardinals had to ride the erratic arm of one Ryan Lindley. That obviously didn’t work out too well. With Palmer slated to be at 100 percent by the summer, Arizona is looking like a sure bet to challenge for the NFC West title. After all, Palmer boasts a 16-6 record as the Cardinals starter since being shipped from the Oakland Raiders prior to the 2013 season.

More than that, the pieces seem to be in place for Bruce Arians squad to continue its ascension in the NFC. The addition of Mike Iupati in free agency is going to be huge here. A former first-round pick of San Francisco, Iupati is among the best run-blocking guards in the NFL. He joins a revamped unit that already includes talented players such as Jared Veldheer and Jonathan Cooper. He’s also going to be able to block for rookie third-round pick David Johnson, who just might have been the best pick in the entire draft. In fact, our very own Shaun Church did an amazing job breaking down what Johnson will bring to the table with Andre Ellington in Arizona’s running game.

Defensively, the Cardinals seem to be set as well. Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu and Deone Bucannon anchor a secondary that has a chance to be as dominating as any in the NFL. Depending on the growth of Justin Bethel at one of the corner slots, this might actually be the strength of the Cardinals squad. While there does remain some issues in the defensive front, the Cardinals are going to be just fine on that side of the ball. Look for Arizona to surprise a lot of people by capturing the NFC West in 2015.

Photo: USA Today Sports