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DE: Tamba Hali, 3rd yr, Kansas City Chiefs
Excellent run-defender who now gets a shot at more sacks playing on the right side.

DT: Amobi Okoye, 2nd yr, Houston Texans
Amazing natural power; could one day reach the level of a Warren Sapp.

Can’t help but take a quick detour from the team preview reports to vent about the Brett Favre situation. No time to write poetically (the last few team previews await) so here are some raw thoughts:

1. If the Packers were a fringe playoff team, then maybe – maybe – their rejection of Favre would make a little sense. But if he’s on the roster, they’re a Super Bowl contender. Isn’t that what pro football is all about? Super Bowls are incredibly rare – Favre himself has won only one. Sacrificing Aaron Rodgers for a serious Super Bowl run would be well worth it.

2. I can’t believe that no one has brought…

1. Minnesota Vikings

The league’s best rushing attack and run defense. Their postseason fate rests in the hands of Tarvaris Jackson.

2. Green Bay Packers

Sorry Pack, it’s just too big a change in one year.

3. Chicago Bears

Defense is very good and special teams are beyond excellent, but where is the talent on offense?

4. Detroit Lions

They overachieved early last season, which builds unrealistic expectations for 2008. Seven or eight wins would be a good year.

Click cont. to see All-NFC North team and division awards.

What is it they, say, careful what you wish for? You don’t need to tell Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers that. It has long been common knowledge that the former first-round pick would one day face arguably the toughest mission in all of sports: replacing a legend under center. In this case, the legend is the incomparable Brett Favre. Rodgers’s situation is not unlike an aspiring rock artist finally making it to the limelight, only to follow Jimi Hendrix on stage.

1.) Jared Allen                  DE     TRADE         6-6          270       4    Chiefs         Vikings

Contract:  6 yrs, $78 million with incentives ($31 million guaranteed)

Traded with a 6^th round pick in ’08 for a 1^st round pick, two 3^rd round picks and a 6^th round pick

The Hope: The high-motor Allen builds on his league-leading 15.5-sack performance from a year ago.

The Caveat: The Chiefs labeled Allen an “at risk” player, thanks to is two DUI’s while in Kansas City.

The Reality: Without approving drinking and driving, the fact of the matter is Allen already served a two-game suspension and has been a model citizen over the past year and a half. His legal woes are behind him. On the field, he may very well…