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Good story from the Dallas Morning News' Rick Gosselin about offseason turnover, in terms of the numbers of starters lost per NFL team from last year. Based on his research, three teams should return their entire starting 22 intact, while two have lost six or more starters.
The story, which is a couple of weeks old now but worth reading, can be seen right here. The Falcons, 49ers and Vikings -- assuming Brett Favre returns -- didn't lose any starters in the offseason. The Dolphins (6) and Cardinals (7), meanwhile, lost the most.
Those teams, as well as the Eagles (5), are the most interesting, given that the Dolphins won the AFC East the year before last and were competitive -- although injury-riddled -- last season. The Cardinals, of course, have won the NFC West the last two seasons and been to a Super Bowl, while the Eagles looked like a Super Bowl favorite until imploding in back-to-back weeks in Dallas late last season. All three teams will look quite different this season.
The other teams with a lot of turnover are more predictable. Five other teams lost five starters from last season, and since all of them were disappointments (Rams, Seahawks, Lions, Panthers and Raiders) a year ago, you'd expect some change.
On the flipside, eight teams lost one or fewer starters from last year, and all eight finished with at least a 9-7 record in 2009. All stand a decent chance to either return to the playoffs (four went last year) or improve by a game a two to make it there.
--Andy Richardson
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