by Peter Schrager

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Ah, mid-June. In the world of NFL fandom, it's pure purgatory. Post-draft and OTAs, yet still a few weeks away from summer camps and actual preseason action — you just hold your tongue and watch the calendar. You feign interest in things like baseball and your family, but you're really just thinking football.

Over the next few weeks, we'll tackle five early summer questions for each NFL division.

Today's two-a-days: NFC East | AFC West

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NFC East

1. Could the Giants' defense be as good as the '07 Super Bowl version?

In short, the answer is "umm ... yes, yes, yes."

With the additions of veteran studs Michael Boley, Chris Canty and Rocky Bernard, New York picked up three legitimate potential Pro Bowl performers via free agency. They also scooped up rookie linebacker Clint Sintim in the second round of April's draft. Sintim, capable of playing either the ILB or OLB position right away, was one of the top-five linebackers in college football last season.

And oh yeah, Osi Umenyiora? The only Pro Bowl performer from that 2007 squad? He returns 100 percent healthy and raring to go. The young defensive backs — Corey Webster, Terrell Thomas, Aaron Ross, Kenny Phillips — are all a year older and a year wiser. There are virtually no holes across the depth chart.

My one concern? Steve Spagnuolo, the mastermind technician behind the Giants' defense the past two years, is now in St. Louis. His replacement, the capable but virtually unknown Bill Sheridan, should be just fine. Sheridan served as Big Blue's linebackers coach the past four seasons.

But you don't just "replace" a defensive coordinator like Spagnuolo, and if Sheridan's career starts off like Spagnuolo's did two years ago (the Giants gave up a combined 80 points to Dallas and Green Bay in Weeks 1 and 2 of the 2007 season), there will be critics calling for his head as soon as mid-September in the Big Apple.

Spagnuolo was more than just respected by the Giants players and fans. He was beloved. You get that kind of appreciation when your unit is in the top 10 in yards against two straight years. Sheridan has insanely large shoes to fill. No questions there.

One challenge he'll be forced to address early on will be transforming Boley, the longtime Falcon, from ILB to OLB. But the adjustment period Spagnuolo faced coming from Philadelphia won't nearly be the same for Sheridan. He's going to be using many of the same schemes and strategies Spagnuolo did the previous two years. Sheridan's not an import from some foreign defense. He's as Big Blue as any of the guys he'll be coaching.

Personnel-wise, the Giants D looks as strong as the '07 unit. Hell, it can add up with the Parcells '86 and Parcells/Belichick '90 squads. But it's not all about personnel. Bill Sheridan — whoever you are — all eyes are on you.

2. Are the losses of T.O. and Roy Williams (the safety) actually addition by subtraction in Big D?

When the Cowboys unceremoniously dumped Terrell Owens this offseason, the media's overall reaction was one of righteousness and applause. I'm not so certain why. The anti-T.O. sentiment in the football media is one that confuses me. If it wasn't for T.O. and his antics, dozens of talking heads would have nothing to talk about. Trust me, covering Miles Austin's day-to-day happenings won't be nearly as fun.

That said, I think it was time for a divorce. The marriage had its great moments — Week 2 last season vs. Philadelphia, every time the Cowboys played the Giants — but it had simply too many regrettable ones to re-up for another year. The way Dallas finished last season — sheepishly, spinelessly, embarrassingly — an overhaul was required. Owens and the former Pro Bowl safety Williams, perhaps Dallas' two biggest personalities, were key casualties.

Now it's Tony Romo's show. And for that, I think Dallas could be better off. All this nonsense in the media I've been reading about in regards to the Cowboys not having "any" receivers is ludicrous. The other Roy Williams (the wide receiver) is a stud. As a No. 1, and not some No. 2 periphery goal line jump-ball role player as he was last season, he'll show his true value. Jason Witten is Romo's go-to guy. You can't view him as a tight end who will get 2-3 looks per game. He's basically a No. 2 wideout. If you're a Romo supporter (I am), you think this will better the Cowboys. If you're not (the majority of non-Cowboys fans), you think the offense will suffer. We'll have to wait and see.

As for Roy Williams (the safety), it was a nice run. Good riddance and good luck in Cincy. As anybody who's watched the Cowboys the past couple seasons will tell you, his best years are behind him. In truth, they were probably behind him about four years ago. Pro Bowls are great. They don't mean anything.

Who else could the 'Skins turn to? (Mitchell Layton / Getty Images)

3. How much rope does Jason Campbell have in Washington?

It's been a strange offseason for Jason Campbell, the now veteran quarterback of the Washington Redskins. After a winter of rumors linking Washington owner Daniel Snyder to both Jay Cutler and Mark Sanchez, Campbell remains the guy under center in the 202 for 2009. A free agent next offseason, this could be the most decisive season in Campbell's career.

The maturity with which the 27-year-old handled the apparent offseason drama was commendable. A younger, less-seasoned quarterback might not have been able to block out the swirling winds. Campbell did.

The real key, of course, is coach Jim Zorn's unique West Coast offense. There were games last season where Campbell appeared a master of the schemes and wizardry. There were also a few games where he looked lost.

The second year in Zorn's offense, Campbell should only improve. Is he on a short leash? Maybe not.

Washington's backups — 38-year-old Todd Collins and 24-year-old Colt Brennan, are just that — backups. The better camp battle will be between the two of them for the No. 2 spot. The ball's in Campbell's hands. And barring injury — or what ends up being an epically bad performance — that should be for the entire 2009 season.

Short leash?

I'd be shocked if there's even a leash at all.

4. How much will the Eagles miss Brian Dawkins and Tra Thomas?

Eagles fans are still mourning over the loss of Dawkins back in February. You can't mention his name without a teardrop falling from an Iggles fan's eye. But for the years and money the Broncos gave the 35-year-old safety — a five-year deal with $7.2 million guaranteed — you can't fault the Philadelphia front office for backing away from the negotiating table.

But how do you replace a legend? A face of the franchise? You don't. But you try your damndest. Quintin Demps had a solid rookie season, but will have his hands full in the loaded NFC East. Behind Demps at free safety are relative unknowns, Rashad Baker and rookie Macho Harris. There will be some growing pains, for sure.

The loss of Tra Thomas to Jacksonville was nearly as shocking to the Philly faithful. All accounts had Thomas re-signing with the Eagles. That disappointment was alleviated quickly with the trade for Buffalo Pro Bowl tackle Jason Peters. Jon Runyan won't be manning the opposite tackle position this year, either. That one will be filled by former Pro Bowl guard Shawn Andrews, with his brother and free-agent signee Stacy filling his guard position.

The Philly offensive line has been mixed and matched this offseason. On paper, it looks like it's for the better. But "on paper" means nothing. How McNabb will adjust to new offensive line bookends will end up being a far more interesting storyline than the young Philly safeties replacing B-Dawk.

5. Who's going to catch Eli Manning's passes this year?

Great question. One that a lot of Giants fans are wondering.

Plaxico Burress is gone. Amani Toomer's gone. Jeremy Shockey's long gone. And despite talk of Braylon Edwards and Anquan Boldin this offseason, there were no big-time receivers brought in this winter. What's left? A hodgepodge of young guys and spotty journeymen. Steve Smith, Dominik Hixon, Sinorice Moss, Kevin Boss and Mario Manningham are the returning veteran targets. Those five have combined for a career 193 receptions.

The real intrigue is in first- and third-round picks Hakeem Nicks, Ramses Barden and Travis Beckum. All three made great impressions in rookie minicamps and OTAs. Alas, they are rookies.

Eli Manning didn't throw a single touchdown pass to a wide receiver following the Plaxico Burress incident last fall. Giants fans are hoping he connects with one this season.

Hopefully, more than once.

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AFC West

1. First and foremost, what the heck is going on in Denver these days?

Sure seems like things have gone a bit bananas up in Colorado, right? The Josh McDaniels era hasn't exactly started off with a quiet run-of-the-mill offseason. What's going on in Denver reminds me of "The Office" when young Ryan Howard took over for Jan in corporate. New kid in town, new ballgame. The results? Well, we'll have to wait and see. At 32, McDaniels has come in and made an immediate impact. He's also made a few headlines along the way.

The Jay Cutler fiasco was a disaster, and no, Denver is not — regardless of what Broncos fans and beat writers might tell you — better off for it. Some other unorthodox happenings? Well, the Broncos went out and signed former Cardinals running back J.J. Arrington to a four-year, $10 million deal back in March. Then they released him less than three months later, citing a failed physical and a balky right knee. On the move, McDaniels told reporters, "It just got to the point where we realized and he realized that it wasn't going to work out for him this year with the injury. He was great for us when he was here, had a great attitude and great approach." All 60 days?

The latest noteworthy player personnel move? Boss Bailey, Champ's brother and a six-year veteran linebacker, was released a week ago. Coming off microfracture surgery, the move is understandable and you can't fault McDaniels if the guy's not healhty enough to go. But you can't help but think Bailey would have been a nice OLB piece for the Broncos 3-4 defense.

Then there are the unhappy parties. First it was Cutler, who took a beating in the media for being a "prima donna" and overly sensitive. Now it's the Broncos No. 1 wideout, Brandon Marshall. Nicknamed "Beast" for his superhuman physical skills and the recipient of 100-plus catches the past two seasons, Marshall has demanded a trade. His reasons? Well, money, of course. Then there were the trust issues with the Broncos medical staff. Marshall, naturally, went to his blog with his complaints and thoughts. "The hardest thing was hearing Mr. B (Broncos owner Pat Bowlen) wish me luck in the future, but we both came to the conclusion that this is probably the best thing for me to grow on and off the field," Marshall wrote last week.

Huh?

Beneath all this are countless front-office departures this offseason that the media hasn't given nearly as much attention to: de facto general manager Jim Goodman, his son assistant GM Jeff Goodman, and scout Tyler Goodman were all shown the door. West Coast scout Bobby Beers is gone, too.

The black clouds hovering over Denver this offseason are evident.

But it's easy to take a glass half-empty approach. No one takes kindly to mass changes. Perhaps there are some positives in all this. After all, Mike Shanahan and Jay Cutler's Broncos hadn't gone to the playoffs in three seasons. It's not like McDaniels is retooling and tinkering a Super Bowl champion team. No, this was a below-average squad the past few years. McDaniels was hired for a reason. Change was needed.

Additions Correll Buckhalter, Lamont Jordan and Knowshon Moreno will all make immediate impacts on the offense. The defense adds veterans Brian Dawkins, Andra Davis, Renaldo Hill, Andre Goodman and Darrell Reid. Rookies Alphonso Smith and Robert Ayers should see action next season in the 3-4.

When Ryan took over in "The Office," the young kid eventually buckled under the pressure and sent the company down the tubes.

Broncos fans can only hope what happened in Scranton won't happen in Denver.

2. Is Al Davis nuts for giving a CB franchise QB money?

Okay, let's first go over just how much freaking money this is. Astronomical, really. Asomugha signed a 3-year deal for an unheard of $45.3 million in February. Close to $28 million of that is guaranteed. Asomugha's now the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history. By a landslide. Sure seems like a lot for a six-year veteran who's never played in a postseason game, has never lost less than 11 games in a season, and who is rarely among the league leaders in interceptions.

The sick part? I think he's worth every penny.

Asomugha's the best corner in the game. Hands down. The reason his interception numbers are so unimpressive (one INT in 2008) is because quarterbacks avoid him like the plague. DeAngelo Hall, Oakland's big free-agent pickup last offseason, got picked on mercilessly last year. He was eventually released by midseason. Opposing quarterbacks had no choice, though. They couldn't risk throwing the ball near Asomugha.

If his football skills were the whole story, I might be skeptical of the money. But Asomugha's the rare player — the once in a generation guy — who transcends the sport. His philanthropy efforts and community presence, well documented this offseason in a Sports Illustrated profile, are beyond impressive. He takes Oakland area kids on college campus tours in cities all along the East Coast, sets up scholarship funds that pave ways for new opportunities, and has been an active partner and leading voice for the Clinton Global Initiative University. This past offseason, Asomugha appeared on a few ESPN pre-draft specials. He blew me away. Far more impressive, insightful and interesting than fellow panel members Marcellus Wiley and James Hasty. Asomugha made for Must-See TV.

Raiders fans know what they have in Asomugha. The rest of the nation might not. He's certainly not a household name yet (frankly, his ain't the easiest name, am I right people?).

This isn't the head-scratching Javon Walker deal of '08. This one is completely sensible. Asomugha is worth every cent of that $45.3 million.

He just needs to break that damn six-win mark.

3. What's LaDainian Tomlinson have left in the tank?

When I penned my "Top 99 players of '09" piece two weeks ago, I got bombarded with all sorts of e-mails. Some were predictable. I was surprised, however, with the backlash I got for slotting Tomlinson in the top 30.

"He's washed up!" wrote Jen Hamers of Silver Springs, Md.

"Tomlinson? Really? He might not be a top-99 player this year, let alone top 30. Hell, I'd put Darren Sproles over him this year," wrote Jeff Jones of Manhattan, Kan. (Yes, I know Sproles went to Kansas State)

I was blown away by all the "hate" around Tomlinson. As recent as last August, he was the top pick in every fantasy football draft in America and a preseason favorite for MVP. Now? To critics like Jen and Jeff, he's apparently just another 30-year-old running back with his best seasons in his rearview mirror.

To be certain, 2008 marked career lows for Tomlinson in carries (292), rushing yards (1,110) and 100-yard rushing games (two). He was a non-factor for the second postseason campaign in a row.

But Tomlinson was banged up last season. He's healthy now. After some minor deliberation, the Chargers restructured the former MVP's contract, exhibiting their faith in the highly paid back. From all accounts, Tomlinson's all healed up, recharged and playing with something you can't value — a desire to prove his doubters wrong.

He will. Expect a big year out of Tomlinson and the Chargers.

Regardless of where he's taken in your fantasy football draft this August.

4. Will the Chiefs have something that at least almost resembles a defense this year?

It sure was a sight for sore eyes, huh? The 2008 Chiefs had less quarterback sacks than any team in NFL history (since the league began calculating the statistic, at least). The Kansas City defense had just 10 sacks in 532 passing plays, or one every 53.2 plays. Ugh. Horrifying factoid, right there.

They also gave up the third-most rushing yards per game, the second most total yards, and finished last in the league in third-down defense. Not fun.

So there were changes. Lots of them. Herm Edwards got the boot. Clancy Pendergrast, formerly of the NFC champion Cardinals, replaced Gunther Cunningham as defensive coordinator. Gary Gibbs, a former defensive coordinator in New Orleans who worked with Pendergast in Dallas, is now coaching the linebackers. Player personnel-wise, the Chiefs made significant upgrades across the board. Kansas City spent its first three 2009 draft picks on defense and brought in noted veterans Mike Vrabel and Zach Thomas. Travis Daniels joins the cornerback corps.

Will the 2009 Chiefs defense be among the league's best? Probably not. Will they be one of the worst of all time? No.

At least I don't think so.

5. Jeff Garcia or JaMarcus Russell? Who's it going to be opening day vs. San Diego?

Coach Tom Cable has gone to great lengths to reconfirm that there is not an open competition at quarterback in Oakland — it's Russell's job. But Garcia's never been one to just sit and quietly watch from the sidelines.

Veteran safety Keith Davis shared his thoughts with Sirius Satellite Radio last week: "If I had to play right now, I'd take Jeff Garcia because I know what he's going to bring to the table and I've watched him bring it to the table. "A month from now, two months into the season, my answer may be different. But if I had to play right now, it would be Jeff Garcia. That's no knock against JaMarcus at all."

Nope, not at all.

My gut? Russell starts opening day vs. the Chargers on Sept. 14. Come Week 2, Sept. 20 at Kansas City?

Well, that's another story.