Titus Young is running out of options. (Getty Images)

Titus Young's time in the NFL is rapidly going down the tubes. Nine days after the St. Louis Rams claimed the wide receiver on waivers following his release from the Lions, Rams head coach Jeff Fisher, who has taken risks on a lot of players with character questions throughout his long coaching career, said Young will not be a part of the team. The Rams will give Young his release.

“We felt like by claiming Titus, we would have the opportunity to spend a good deal of time with him,” Fisher said during a Friday media conference. “We spent four or five days with him, and as an organization -- at the end of the interview process, you might call it -- we felt it was best to go in another direction.

“We felt Titus is better suited for another organization.”

It's anybody's guess what that organization might be. Young was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 2011 draft out of Boise State, but after two seasons of headaches that didn't match his production, he was cut on Feb. 4. Young had, among other things: Sucker-punched teammate Louis Delmas in practice, lined up in the wrong place during a game to protest his lack of playing time, been sent home on three different occasions for insubordination, and let loose some bizarre stuff on Twitter that showed, above all else, that he's in this for himself and nobody else.

Oh, and there was the time he claimed to be better than Calvin Johnson. Even his own high school coach couldn't get behind that one.

Signing Peyton Manning was a great move by the Broncos (USA Today Sports Images)

Over the next few weeks, "Shutdown Corner" will pay homage to "Office Space" (TPS reports) as we take a quick look back at each team's 2012 season and a look at what lies ahead for the 2013 offseason. We wrap up the AFC with the Denver Broncos.

2012 record: 13-3

What went wrong: Aside from Rahim Moore breaking the "deeper than the deepest receiver" rule of prevent defense in the final minute of a divisional playoff loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens , very little went wrong for the 2012 Broncos. Of course, Moore might not have been in that position had the team not lost running back Willis McGahee to a knee injury in November. McGahee was averaging 4.4 yards per carry at the time of his injury and his replacements – Knowshon Moreno, Ronnie Hillman and Lance Ball – each finished with yards per carry under four on the season.

What went right: Broncos executive vice president of football operations John Elway was one vote shy of winning the NFL Executive of the Year Award. Elway's success was his ability to land the biggest free agent fish in the pond in quarterback Peyton Manning, who led a resurgent Broncos offense all the way to an AFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the AFC Playoffs.

The Broncos had the NFL's fourth-ranked offense in terms of yardage and were the league's second-ranked scoring offense. After missing the 2011 season following multiple neck surgeries, Manning played 1,110 of the Broncos' 1,143 snaps in 2012, passing for 4,659 yards with 37 touchdowns and 11 interceptions for a passer rating of 105.8, second-best in the league behind Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers. Manning was named the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year and, by remaining healthy, will guarantee himself an additional $40 million of the five-year, $96 million contract he signed on March 21, 2012.

Manning's arrival also expedited the development of wide receivers Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, a pair of big, physical 2010 draft choices who slogged their way through sophomore seasons while trying to catch passes from Tim Tebow. Thomas and Decker combined for 179 receptions, 2,498 yards and 23 touchdowns and were ranked third (Thomas) and fourth (Decker) in Football Outsiders' receiving DYAR (Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement) metric.

Playing with an offense that routinely put 30 points was beneficial to the Broncos' defense. The Broncos were second in total yards allowed per game, first in yards allowed per play and were the fourth-ranked scoring defense, allowing 18.1 points per game. The Broncos defense excelled on third downs, thanks largely to a pass rush that tied for the NFL lead with 52 sacks. Edge rushers Elvis Dumervil and Von Miller combined for 29.5 sacks, while rookie defensive lineman Derek Wolfe added six sacks and outside linebacker Wesley Woodyard, a special teams ace who stepped into a starting role for a suspended D.J. Williams, added 5.5 sacks of his own. Woodyard also led the Broncos with 114 tackles and tied for the team lead with three interceptions. Woodyard's increased playing-time triggered a $1 million salary escalator in his contract.

Coaching/front office changes: The Broncos lost offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, who is now the head coach of the San Diego Chargers. To replace McCoy, the Broncos have promoted quarterbacks coach Adam Gase.

Estimated 2013 cap space: $14.93 million

Geno Smith looks the part, but does he check all the boxes? (Getty Images)

Talk about a tough act to follow. The 2013 draft class of quarterbacks must not only establish itself as more than the mystery it currently is, but it must also succeed the type of quarterback cabal we've never seen before. And that 2012 class, featuring Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Russell Wilson, Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles, and Brandon Weeden -- all either meaningful or outright franchise-changing starters in their inaugural NFL seasons -- stripped the NFL of the need to be patient at the position.

That's bad news for a group of signal-callers who don't seem to be ready for prime time in the same way. While several quarterbacks coming out in the 2013 NFL Draft have estimable skills, enough questions surround each one for the consensus to be this: It's the wrong year to need a quarterback, and if you do, you'll be cobbling one together out of spare parts. The situation is not quite that dismal, but when the scouting combine starts up next week in Indianapolis, several NFL teams in desperate need of help at the position will be looking long and hard for one or two diamonds in a whole lot of rough.

"Over the last several years, we've had defined quarterback play at the top, and we still talk about them ad nauseam," Mike Mayock of the NFL Network recently said on the Rich Eisen Podcast. "Everybody laughed at me last year at this time. I was trying to tell people Ryan Tannehill was not only going to be a first-round pick, but he might be a top 10 guy. And that's what happens with these quarterbacks. And I don't know who the best quarterback is yet, and I don't know if there's a first-round quarterback. Yet I hear all these people talk about Geno Smith going No. 1. So I'm fascinated. This is going to be, by far, the most confusing quarterback draft we've had in years."

Last year, neither Luck nor Griffin threw at the combine, but they didn't have to. Everyone knew they were going 1-2 in the draft, and their college film was full of spectacular moments. This time around, both of the top-rated quarterbacks -- West Virginia's Geno Smith and USC's Matt Barkley -- will have to give it their all on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. Because as much as both players have had their moments, both still raise a lot of questions. It was problematic that neither Smith nor Barkley went through the process of Senior Bowl week, the trial by fire that has improved the draft stock of many quarterbacks in recent years (Joe Flacco, Christian Ponder, Colin Kaepernick, Russell Wilson), but things are what they are -- Barkley was recovering from a shoulder injury, and Smith's absence from that particular process is one that NFL teams will want explained.

"It’s just one of those decisions, one situation, where I wanted to go and pretty much solidify that and shut everyone up," Smith recently said of his decision to throw at the combine. "My agent, coaches, and people close to me held me back on that. They can’t really hold me back from going out and throwing; that’s one of my strong suits and I believe that you do well when the lights are on. The combine is a perfect opportunity for me to go out there and showcase my talents. I’m aware that other quarterbacks may not have thrown, but those are their decisions. It’s not to say that they are not competitors themselves, but it’s just something that they came to the conclusion of — with their team of agents and people close to them. In my case, I made this decision and I told everyone that I’m tired of this speculation and I’m ready to go out there and try to end all of that.”

Matt Barkley's college success didn't alleviate all the NFL's concerns. (Getty Images)

Smith is the one thrower in this class that checks the most boxes from an upside perspective, but the two halves of his 2012 season leave concerns. Perhaps they shouldn't.

In his first six games of the 2012 season, Smith's numbers were absolutely off the charts -- 196 completions in 260 attempts (a 75.4 completion rate) for 2,274 yards, 25 touchdowns and no interceptions. His alleged fall from grace in the last seven games of the season is something Smith will be asked about quite a bit in Indy, but if you take Smith's second-half numbers (173 of 258 for 1,931 yards, 17 touchdowns, and six picks) and subtract his 8-touchdown circus against Baylor's joke of a defense, his first five games and seven final contests aren't that different.

Geno Smith's non-Baylor stats tell an interesting tale.

Beyond that, Smith has the ability to make all the throws required in the NFL, and that includes the bad ones. Footwork is a concern, but that was the case for Cam Newton in 2011, and after sessions with quarterback performance gurus Chris Weinke and George Whitfield, Newton turned that around. The hope is that Smith can do the same.

The Packers will release Charles Woodson (USA Today Sports Images)

The Green Bay Packers will release eight-time Pro Bowl defensive back Charles Woodson, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reports.

Woodson, 36, has been with the Packers since the 2006 season, was named the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 and appeared in four straight Pro Bowls (2008-11) before missing out during an injury-plagued 2012 season. Woodson moved to safety last season and missed nine games due to a broken collarbone.

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Woodson had two years and $20 million remaining on his current contract with the Packers. Woodson was scheduled to receive a $2.5 million roster bonus on the first day of this year's training camp and had a $6.5 million base salary for 2013. Additionally, Woodson had $1 million in "per game active" roster bonuses. By releasing Woodson, the Packers, who were around $5 million under the 2013 salary cap, will free up $10 million in cap space.

Philip Rivers can open his eyes now (USA Today Sports Images)

Over the next few weeks, "Shutdown Corner" will pay homage to "Office Space" (TPS reports) as we take a quick look back at each team's 2012 season and a look at what lies ahead for the 2013 offseason. We continue in the AFC West with the San Diego Chargers.

2012 record: 7-9

What went wrong: Midway through a Monday Night Football game against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 15, the Chargers had a 24-0 lead and were cruising into their bye week with a 4-2 record and in the pole position in the AFC West. The Chargers would blow that lead, as the Broncos ticked off 35 unanswered points, including two touchdowns scored off turnovers. Following the bye after that heartbreaking loss, the Chargers would lose five of their next six games, sinking the team's playoff hopes and ultimately costing GM A.J. Smith and head coach Norv Turner their jobs.

The Chargers' problems in 2012 were primarily on the offensive side of the ball. The Chargers ranked 31st in total offense, averaging under 300 yards per game (297.3) and just 91.3 yards on the ground as injury-prone running back Ryan Mathews played in under 40 percent of the offensive snaps and averaging just 3.8 yards per carry behind a frequently shuffled offensive line that saw undrafted rookie Mike Harris take more snaps at left tackle than Jared Gaither, who the team re-signed to a four-year, $24.5 million contract last March. That offensive line allowed 49 sacks, fourth-most in the NFL, and a number that had the Chargers ranked 32nd in Football Outsiders' "Adjusted Sack Rate" statistic.

Though Philip Rivers would take every snap and pass for over 3,600 yards with 26 touchdowns, the veteran quarterback turned the ball over 22 times, including a few that went the other way for touchdowns. Including the two return touchdowns in the disastrous loss to the Broncos, Rivers cost the Chargers a chance to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers when, with the Chargers trailing by three and in field goal range in the fourth quarter, he threw the ball right to Buccaneers rookie cornerback Leonard Johnson, who returned the interception 83 yards for a back-breaking touchdown.

Former GM Smith whiffed in free agency, letting another running back (Mike Tolbert, after failing to re-sign Darren Sproles after the lockout) walk and spent $15 million in 2013 cash, and $20 million in total guarantees, to sign wide receivers Robert Meachem and Eddie Royal after receiver Vincent Jackson left for greener (five-years, $55.555 million) pastures in Tampa Bay. Meachem and Royal combined for 37 receptions, 441 yards and three touchdowns. If you want a draft whiff, look no further than Jonas Mouton, a 2011 second-round pick who has one tackle, on special teams, in 16 career snaps (five on defense, 11 on special teams) over the last two seasons.

What went right: The Chargers defense finished in the Top 10 in total defense and were solid against the run, allowing 96.4 yards per game, which ranked sixth in the NFL, and 3.8 yards per rushing play, which ranked fifth. According to Football Outsiders, the Chargers ranked eighth in special teams DVOA as kickers Nate Kaeding and Nick Novak missed just two field goal attempts in 2012, both from beyond 50 yards.

Individually, wide receivers Malcom Floyd and Danario Alexander had solid seasons, combining for 93 receptions, 1,472 yards and 12 touchdowns as both were ranked in the Top 20 in Football Outsiders' receiving DYAR (Defense-adjusted Yards Above Replacement) metric. Alexander, a restricted free agent with a shaky injury history, ranked first in FO's DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) metric, while Floyd was third. Antonio Gates got through the season healthy and played in over 80 percent of the offensive snaps, though his production dipped to 49 receptions for 538 yards, but with seven touchdowns.

The Chargers defense did not place any players in the Pro Bowl, though safety Eric Weddle certainly deserved to go and was named second-team All-Pro. The Chargers received solid individual performances from defensive linemen Corey Liuget (seven sacks, nine passes defensed) and Kendall Reyes, a 2012 second-round pick who had 5.5 sacks in just over 50 percent playing-time.

Coaching/front office changes: With the Chargers set to miss the playoffs for the third straight season, reports out of San Diego in early December were that Dean Spanos had made the decision to part ways with general manager A.J. Smith and head coach Norv Turner. On the day after the regular season finale, Spanos made those changes and the search for a new GM led them to Tom Telesco, who was the director of football operations for the Indianapolis Colts. The Chargers were already believed to be interested in Colts offensive coordinator Bruce Arians to replace Turner, but the team raided their AFC West rival Denver Broncos to hire offensive coordinator Mike McCoy, who has retained John Pagano as defensive coordinator.

Estimated 2013 cap space: $6.7 million

Darren McFadden had another injury-plagued season in 2012 (USA Today Sports Images)

Over the next few weeks, "Shutdown Corner" will pay homage to "Office Space" (TPS reports) as we take a quick look back at each team's 2012 season and a look at what lies ahead for the 2013 offseason. We continue in the AFC West with the Oakland Raiders.

2012 record: 4-12

What went wrong: After clawing back into the playoff picture with a two-game winning streak in late October, the Raiders lost eight of their last nine games to finish 4-12, the eighth time in the last 10 seasons the franchise has lost 10 or more games.

According to Football Outsiders' opponent-adjusted metrics, the Raiders ranked 29th in team DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average) and were 29th in defensive DVOA and 31st in special teams DVOA, so there were problems with pretty every aspect of the team. The Raiders offense ranked 23rd, in large part due to a rushing attack that averaged just 88.8 yards per game. An ankle injury kept running back Darren McFadden out of the lineup for four games in the middle of the season. The No. 4 overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft still has not played a full NFL season and is entering the final year of his rookie contract.

Linebacker Rolando McClain, another recent Top 10 pick, had 62 tackles and a sack and logged less than half the team's defensive snaps after serving a two-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. McClain's salary spikes from $970,000 in 2012 to $4.005 million in 2013 and his future with the team is far from secure. Defensive lineman Richard Seymour missed eight games with knee and hamstring injuries and will be a free agent after his contract voided five days after Super Bowl XLVII.

What went right: The Raiders had to throw the ball a lot in 2012 – their 39.3 attempts per game were tied for the fifth-most in the league – so it's no surprise that they ranked eighth in passing offense with 255.3 yards per game. A noteworthy aspect of the Raiders' passing offense, though, was that they only allowed 27 sacks on the season and, according to Football Outsiders, were tied for third in Adjusted Sack Rate. Fullback Marcel Reece went to his first Pro Bowl after catching 52 passes for 496 yards and the Raiders may have found a gem in undrafted rookie receiver Rod Streater, who caught 39 passes for 584 yards and three touchdowns.

Coaching/front office changes: Raiders head coach Dennis Allen made a few coaching changes, firing offensive coordinator Greg Knapp and special teams coordinator Rich Hoffman. Allen replaced Knapp with Greg Olson and Bobby April was hired as special teams coordinator.

Estimated 2013 cap space: $2.58 million over the cap

The Minnesota Vikings unveiled their new logo on Thursday.

Or at least they said it was a new logo. I'm frankly not sure whether or not to believe them because the two logos below look identical at first glance.

The old logo is on the left, the new logo is on the right. (Vikings.com)

OK, so the Norsemen aren't carbon copies of each other if you look closely. And in the team's defense, they are advertising the new design as an "enhancement" of the old look.

However, if you're not into playing those "what's different" picture games at your local watering hole, Vikings.com helpfully pointed out the five major differences between the old and new logo:

Nearer the finish line, Kenjon Barner gets the reps out of the way. (Doug Farrar)

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- The football season may be over, but this is the busiest time of the year for trainer Travelle Gaines and his staff at the Athletic Gaines gym in West Hollywood. Now that the Senior Bowl and other all-star games have come and gone, the next part of the schedule has to do with next week's scouting combine, and the Pro Days that follow. Gaines is getting several draft-eligible players to the next level right now, and two from Oregon -- running back Kenjon Barner and defensive end/outside linebacker Dion Jordan -- are headed to Indianapolis with specific goals in mind.

When we caught up with them in January, both Barner and Jordan were looking to put on weight naturally, while maintaining their functional speed and agility. Barner, who has been tagged with the "too small" label by some, wants to bulk up from under 190 pounds to 200 by the time he hits the field at Lucas Oil Stadium for running back drills. And Jordan wants to meet the NFL at 250 pounds by next week, after playing for the Ducks in 2012 at closer to 230. Both players are within their target weights, and Barner really showed out at the Senior Bowl. Criticized in some circles because Oregon's offense didn't require him to block, Barner went to Mobile looking for a fight in the blocking drills, and turned some heads. Jordan stayed behind, choosing to avoid any further issues with the labrum injury he played through in 2012.

"I felt good about it -- I was able to get out there and show some things that I could do," Barner told me this week. "Talked to a couple of coaches, and they thought I did well. I wanted to go out and prove that I was willing to [block], because there were a lot of questions about that."

As Gaines said, the focus for the combine is to put the focus back on Barner's pure athleticism -- the speed and lateral agility that allowed him to amass 2,023 yards from scrimmage in his senior campaign. So, while the heavy weights are still a focus in the power portion of the program, Barner is also leading the way when the group heads out to the field at nearby Fairfax High to run through three-cone drills and specific explosiveness exercises.

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"The difference with guys when they were getting prepared for the Senior Bowl and now ... in dealing with Kenjon and Dion, you were dealing with two guys who just got done playing football a week prior to getting here. So, my goal was to make sure that from a corrective standpoint -- getting them back in the correct posture and getting them feeling as good as they could after finishing a 14-game season. I wanted to make sure that they showed up at the Senior Bowl looking the part."

Dion Jordan works on range-of-motion exercises. (Doug Farrar)

"Everyone knows that Kenjon is a smaller back -- he showed up at the Senior Bowl weighing 185 pounds. He's now up to 196. Our focus for Kenjon since the Senior Bowl is that we took the feedback that his agent got from the 32 NFL teams, and we said, 'Okay -- let's address these weaknesses.' People thought he was too small, so the goal is to have Kenjon show up at the combine at a lean 200 pounds. A natural 200 pounds, where he can keep the world-class speed that made him one of the top running backs in the 2012 season."

The question is, how do you keep gaining weight -- again, naturally -- without losing that quick burst? Gaines said that it's about the overall process ... a step at a time.