3. NEW YORK JETS (5-11)

LAST SEASON: Rebuilding Jets were one of NFL's early-season surprises while winning three of first five games despite some preseason prognosticators saying New York would struggle to win more than one. Todd Bowles' bunch didn't get many more victories and finished 5-11 for second straight season [url=http://www.officialpredators.com/authentic-adidas-filip-forsberg-jersey]Adidas Filip Forsberg Jersey[/url] , but Jets were competitive in almost all games. Players praised positive culture change stressed by Bowles, as well as leadership of quarterback Josh McCown. Both Bowles and GM Mike Maccagnan received two-year contract extensions. McCown had career year at 38, setting personal bests with 2,926 yards passing, 19 TD passes and five TD runs before missing final three games with broken left hand. Wide receiver Robby Anderson had breakout season with 63 catches, 941 yards and seven TD receptions, and rookie safeties Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye made good first impressions as immediate starters. Jets struggled to generate consistent pass rush with Muhammad Wilkerson (3 1/2) and Leonard Williams (2) combining for 5 1/2 sacks.

THEY NEED: QB, OLB/pass rusher, D-line depth, TE.

THEY DON'T NEED: S, CB, LS.

POSSIBLE FIRST PICK: QB Josh Rosen [url=http://www.jetscheapstore.com/chris-herndon-jersey-cheap]Chris Herndon Jersey Jets[/url] , UCLA; QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma; QB Sam Darnold, USC; QB Josh Allen, Wyoming.

OUTLOOK: It's all about finding right quarterback after being aggressive and trading up from No. 6 to No. 3 in deal with Indianapolis in March that also cost New York two second-rounders this year and one next year. Jets put themselves in position to get one of top three QBs, but pressure's on Maccagnan & Co. to get pick right. New York re-signed McCown and added Teddy Bridgewater in free agency, so first-rounder won't be pressured to start right away in new coordinator Jeremy Bates' offense 鈥?but could give veterans run for starting job in training camp. Also appears to be end for both Christian Hackenberg (2016 second-rounder) and Bryce Petty (2015 fourth-rounder) with Jets. Maccagnan was busy in free agency, adding CB Trumaine Johnson, WR Terrelle Pryor, RB Isaiah Crowell, LB Avery Williamson, K Cairo Santos and C Spencer Long. New York still has plenty of needs, including pass rusher and depth on defensive line. For Jets fans looking for optimism [url=http://www.bengalscheapstore.com/billy-price-jersey-cheap]Cheap Billy Price Jersey[/url] , team has had No. 3 pick in NFL draft one other time: in 1981, took RB Freeman McNeil, who is franchise's second-leading rusher.

A year ago at this time, the Los Angeles Chargers‘ lives were still unsettled amid the upheaval of their franchise relocation season. Some were still looking for houses, and others needed to get kids into school.

When Philip Rivers and his teammates reported to the same sunny spot Saturday for the first practice their second training camp in Orange County, pretty much everyone was feeling perfectly at home.

”Now it’s just football,” Rivers said. ”There’s not as much wondering about schedules and what the practice field was going to be like. There’s not as much of that uncertainty. It’s all football now. There’s definitely a level of comfort that I think we have now and we can just put our focus on the field.”

A year after leaving San Diego, the Chargers are eager to take another shot at living up to their enormous potential. Although they already lost two key players to injuries before training camp even began, the Bolts are aware they’re still a popular pick to be a playoff team and likely even a Super Bowl contender.

Those are nothing less than the Chargers’ own internal expectations, and they’re much more interested in proving themselves right.

”We just want to be the team we know we can be,” running back Melvin Gordon said. ”Yeah, expectations are high [url=http://www.falconsfootballauthentics.com/ito-smith-jersey-authentic]Youth Ito Smith Jersey[/url] , but we make them higher than other people make them.”

The 36-year-old Rivers has started every game for the Chargers since 2006, and he realizes he has fewer and fewer shots at reaching his first Super Bowl. He won the AFC West and appeared in playoff games during each of his first four seasons as a starter, but the Bolts have made the playoffs just once since that run ended in 2009.

Rivers understands the excitement around the Chargers after their 9-3 finish to last season. He even welcomes it.

”It’s interesting, because it’s been a while,” Rivers said. ”I’ve been on some teams here that had those expectations, and we went out and did it year after year there for a while. It’s been a long time, though. There aren’t many guys that have been through that on this team. … We know there are a lot of expectations outside. We have those same expectations on the inside.”

The Chargers return with remarkable continuity from last season’s team, with veteran center Mike Pouncey joining a largely unchanged offense and rookie safety Derwin James moving into a solid defense. Their biggest personnel losses happened recently, and did nothing to shake the Chargers’ reputation for soul-crushing injury problems: tight end Hunter Henry was lost for the season in May, and former Pro Bowl cornerback Jason Verrett tore his Achilles tendon Friday in a conditioning test.

The coaching staff also stayed essentially intact, with second-year head coach Anthony Lynn keeping coordinators Ken Whisenhunt and Gus Bradley. Lynn said he feels more confident as a head coach after getting through his first year in good form – and even finishing up his college degree along the way.

”I definitely feel a little bit more comfortable knowing what to expect, not moving and not living out of boxes [url=http://www.49erscheapstore.com]Youth San Francisco 49ers Jerseys[/url] , knowing where we’re going to training camp, and (having a) similar coaching staff and players,” Lynn said.

Although the stands at Jack Hammett Sports Complex were filled with an estimated 7,000 fans for the first practice, the Chargers realize they’ve still got plenty of work to do if they hope to win over the Los Angeles marketplace in the coming years – particularly with the Los Angeles Rams looking like a potential Super Bowl team as well. Fielding a winning team this fall would be the most potent way to do it, the Bolts players and coaches agree.

But after four consecutive non-playoff seasons, and after the challenges of their relocation year, the Chargers are grateful to settle in for a few weeks of training camp with their thoughts on nothing bigger than the next practice or scrimmage.

Rivers even had a catchphrase for it: ”Enjoy the boring.”

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