With a new collective bargaining agreement apparently to be ratified any day, NFL teams will go into hyperdrive once the bell sounds. Expect a veritable feeding frenzy for free agents as well as mega-scrambling to get draftees signed and into pre-camp workouts, as the on-again, off-again CBA talks have dragged on for more than six months after the Super Bowl. In case you’d forgotten, Green Bay defeated Pittsburgh 31-25 behind MVP QB Aaron Rodgers’ 304 yards and three TD’s.

Other than the protracted lockout, the biggest off-season NFL news revolved primarily on the NFL Draft in April. Auburn’s Cam Newton, Heisman Trophy-winning QB for the national champions, was the first overall selection, chosen by the Carolina Panthers. Newton will battle second-year QB Jimmy Clausen for the starting job. Other rookies expected to make an immediate impact include DE Christian Ballard in Minnesota. With All-Pro Jared Allen at the opposite end, offensive lines are likely to overlook the Iowa rookie. Arizona’s prized CB Patrick Peterson will start immediately, as well as be a factor in the return game. If Carson Palmer returns to the Bengals, it shouldn’t take him long to throw a lot of balls in A.J. Green’s direction. The Georgia product in NFL-ready. Last season’s top defensive rookie, Ndamukong Suh, will line up next to Nick Fairley of Auburn to form one of the most fearsome pass rush tandems in the league for Detroit. Denver’s new coach, John Fox, is a defensive guy, and it won’t take him long to see that Texas A&M’s LB Von Miller is going to be a good one. Matt Ryan already has an elite WR in Roddy White, and now he may have a second one in Julio Jones. Playing with All-Pros like Ed Reed and Ray Lewis will accelerate CB Jimmy Smith’s development in Baltimore.