NFC division-by-division breakdown

By Jeff Legwold, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 23, 2008 at 11:45 a.m.

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NFC EAST

Dallas Cowboys

* 2007 rewind: 13-3, first in NFC East. Lost 21-17 to the New York Giants in NFC divisional round.

* Training camp: Oxnard (Calif.) River Ridge complex. Rookies and veterans report Friday.

* Best add: LB Zach Thomas (Dolphins).

* Biggest loss: RB Julius Jones (Seahawks).

* Rookie to watch: CB Mike Jenkins (first round).

* Summer job: Owner Jerry Jones has bet it all trying for another trophy, adding troubled CB Adam Jones to the team's locker-room mix.

New York Giants

* 2007 rewind: 10-6, second in NFC East. Won Super Bowl XLII 17-14 against New England.

* Training camp: State University of New York-Albany, Albany, N.Y. Rookies and veterans report today.

* Best add: LB Danny Clark (Texans).

* Biggest loss: LB Kawika Mitchell (Bills).

* Rookie to watch: LB Bryan Kehl (fourth round).

* Summer job: Leave the championship bliss behind and build around a defense most personnel executives believe could be better this season than last.

Philadelphia Eagles

* 2007 rewind: 8-8, fourth in NFC East. Missed playoffs.

* Training camp: Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa. Rookies reported Monday, veterans report today.

* Best add: CB Asante Samuel (Patriots).

* Biggest loss: DE Jevon Kearse (Titans).

* Rookie to watch: DE Bryan Smith (third round).

* Summer job: To continue the momentum - especially QB Donovan McNabb - they built when they closed 2007 with three straight wins.

Washington Redskins

* 2007 rewind: 9-7, third in NFC East. Lost 35-14 to Seattle in NFC wild-card game.

* Training camp: Redskins complex, Ashburn, Va. Rookies and veterans reported Saturday.

* Best add: DE Jason Taylor (Dolphins).

* Biggest loss: S Pierson Prioleau (Jaguars).

* Rookie to watch: TE Fred Davis (second round).

* Summer job: The big spenders finally sat out free agency. Now, first-year coach Jim Zorn has to convince the roster he's up for the job.

NFC NORTH

Chicago Bears

* 2007 rewind: 7-9, tied for third in the NFC North. Missed playoffs.

* Training camp: Olivet Nazarene University, Bourbonnais, Ill. Rookies and veterans reported July 23.

* Best add: WR Michael Booker (Dolphins).

* Biggest loss: WR Bernard Berrian (Vikings).

* Rookie to watch: TE Kellen Davis (fifth round).

* Summer job: Offensive (Ron Turner) and defensive (Bob Babich) coordinators are on the hot seat, and the team has a QB competition between Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton.

Detroit Lions

* 2007 rewind: 7-9, tied for third in NFC North. Missed playoffs.

* Training camp: Lions complex, Allen Park, Mich. Rookies and veterans reported July 23.

* Best add: DT Chuck Darby (Seahawks).

* Biggest loss: LB Boss Bailey (Broncos).

* Rookie to watch: RB Kevin Smith (third round).

* Summer job: This team has allowed 117 sacks combined during the past two seasons, and that's no way to find offensive consistency.

Green Bay Packers

* 2007 rewind: 13-3, first in NFC North. Lost 23-20 in overtime to the New York Giants in NFC Championship Game.

* Training camp: St. Norbert College, DePere, Wis. Rookies and veterans report Sunday.

* Best add: LB Brandon Chillar (Rams).

* Biggest loss: QB Brett Favre (possible retirement).

* Rookie to watch: WR Jordy Nelson (second round).

* Summer job: Deal with all that has happened with Favre this offseason and recover enough to remember they did win 13 games last season.

Minnesota Vikings

* 2007 rewind: 8-8, second in NFC North. Missed playoffs.

* Training camp: Minnesota State University, Mankato, Minn. Rookies and veterans report today.

* Best add: DE Jared Allen (Chiefs).

* Biggest loss: S Dwight Smith (Lions).

* Rookie to watch: S Tyrell Johnson (second round).

* Summer job: They have to decide at some point if QB Tarvaris Jackson is really the future. The hook could be a quick one this time around.

NFC SOUTH

Atlanta Falcons

* 2007 rewind: 4-12, fourth in NFC South. Missed playoffs.

* Training camp: Falcons complex, Flowery Branch, Ga. Rookies and veterans report Friday.

* Best add: K Jason Elam (Broncos).

* Biggest loss: CB DeAngelo Hall (Raiders).

* Rookie to watch: QB Matt Ryan (first round).

* Summer job: The defense is thin up front, so first-year coordinator Brian VanGorder will have a difficult time getting the most out of his straight-ahead scheme.

Carolina Panthers

* 2007 rewind: 7-9, tied for second in NFC South. Missed playoffs.

* Training camp: Wofford College, Spartanburg, S.C. Rookies and veterans report Friday.

* Best add: DE Tyler Brayton (Raiders).

* Biggest loss: DE Mike Rucker (retired).

* Rookie to watch: RB Jonathan Stewart (first round).

* Summer job: They certainly need Stewart, the best power/speed combo in the draft, to lift an offense that finished 29th in the league in yards gained per game.

New Orleans Saints

* 2007 rewind: 7-9, tied for second in NFC South. Missed playoffs.

* Training camp: Millsaps College, Jackson, Miss. Rookies and veterans reported Wednesday.

* Best add: Jonathan Vilma (Jets).

* Biggest loss: C Jeff Faine (Buccaneers).

* Rookie to watch: DT Sedrick Ellis (first round).

* Summer job: RB Reggie Bush looked like the pounding got to him last season - he had 581 rushing yards on 3.7 per carry - which is not a good sign for a player they want to be an every-down back.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

* 2007 rewind: 9-7, first in NFC South. Lost 24-14 to the New York Giants in NFC wild-card game.

* Training camp: Disney Wide World of Sports complex, Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Rookies and veterans report Friday.

* Best add: C Jeff Faine (Saints).

* Biggest loss: CB Brian Kelly (Lions).

* Rookie to watch: WR Dexter Jackson (second round).

* Summer job: Sort through the big crowd at quarterback which includes one very disgruntled Chris Simms.

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals

* 2007 rewind: 8-8, second in NFC West. Missed playoffs.

* Training camp: Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Ariz. Rookies and veterans reported Wednesday.

* Best add: LB Matt Stewart (Browns).

* Biggest loss: WR Bryant Johnson (49ers).

* Rookie to watch: WR Early Doucet (third round).

* Summer job: QB Matt Leinart might be the future, but veteran Kurt Warner played well enough last season that Leinart will have to show well quickly or Warner will take his job.

St. Louis Rams

* 2007 rewind: 3-13, fourth in NFC West. Missed playoffs.

* Training camp: Concordia University, Mequon, Wis. Rookies and veterans report Friday.

* Best add: K Josh Brown (Seahawks).

* Biggest loss: WR Isaac Bruce (49ers).

* Rookie to watch: WR Donnie Avery (second round).

* Summer job: Coach Scott Linehan, whose team appeared to tune him out as a dismal 2007 season wore on, has to show he's up for the job. A little early success wouldn't hurt.

San Francisco 49ers

* 2007 rewind: 5-11, third in NFC West. Missed playoffs.

* Training camp: 49ers complex, Santa Clara, Calif. Rookies and veterans report today.

* Best add: DE Justin Smith (Bengals).

* Biggest loss: DE Bryant Young (retired).

* Rookie to watch: G Chilo Rachal (second round).

* Summer job: It falls on new coordinator Mike Martz's shoulders to repair QB Alex Smith's game, but Martz's quarterbacks routinely take a lot of punishment along the way.

Seattle Seahawks

* 2007 rewind: 10-6, first in NFC West. Lost 42-20 to Green Bay in NFC divisional round.

* Training camp: Seahawks complex, Kirkland, Wash. Rookies reported Tuesday, veterans report today.

* Best add: G Mike Wahle (Panthers).

* Biggest loss: K Josh Brown (Rams).

* Rookie to watch: DT Red Bryant (fourth round).

* Summer job: In Mike Holmgren's final season as coach, they'll need RBs T.J. Duckett and Julius Jones to give the offense some needed pop.

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