It's a time for optimism and hope. Doesn't it feel like every team has a chance to be this year's Baltimore?

The reality is all 31 teams still have plenty of questions, even the Super Bowl-winning Ravens. As they gather in the next couple of weeks for minicamps, they do so hoping to see whether they have gotten any answers.

Veterans might hate them -- pure football guys say they are nothing more than players running around in their underwear -- but coaches love them. It's only April, and training camp is still three months away, but minicamps give coaches insight as to where their teams might be headed in 2001.

Each team has many issues, but here are several as they head to the minicamps:

The Cardinals need QB Jake Plummer to play up to his big contract.(AP)

Arizona Cardinals: Can defensive linemen Jabari Issa and Mao Tosi prove that drafting Leonard Davis over a defensive lineman was the right move? When is Jake Plummer going to live up to that fat contract? Is running back Thomas Jones ready to prove he wasn't a 2000 draft bust?

Atlanta Falcons: How will Michael Vick handle the first dose of having an NFL offense rammed into his head? How will Chris Chandler react to having the so-called Michael Jordan of the NFL playing behind him? Is Jamal Anderson, now a year removed from ACL surgery, on his way back to his Pro Bowl form?

Baltimore Ravens: How will this team avoid the natural Super Bowl hangover? Will the offense move closer to the level of the defense now that Elvis Grbac is on board? Can wide receiver Travis Taylor rebound from breaking a leg as a rookie last season?

Buffalo Bills: With Doug Flutie gone, is Rob Johnson ready to make this his team? Will new coach Gregg Williams' disciplined approach play well with a team that had far less structure under the last regime? Is 2000 No. 1 pick Erik Flowers capable of filling the role of departed Marcellus Wiley at defensive end?

Carolina Panthers: Which quarterback will emerge from a group that doesn't have any NFL starts? When will Tim Biakabutuka live up to his lofty draft status? Is top draft choice Dan Morgan the type of player who can bring together the sieve-like defense?

Chicago Bears: What kind of attitude will the players have knowing coach Dick Jauron has to win this year or he'll likely be out? When will Cade McNown grow up and become a legitimate NFL starter? What will the offense look like under new coordinator John Shoop?

Cincinnati Bengals: Will it be Akili Smith or Jon Kitna at quarterback? Will the addition of rookie receiver Chad Johnson help make Peter Warrick that much better? How much will Justin Smith's addition improve the woeful pass rush?

Cleveland Browns: What type of reaction will the down-home, yet tough, Butch Davis get from his team? When will Tim Couch prove he is the franchise quarterback the team thinks he can be? Who will carry the ball?

Dallas Cowboys: How will running back Emmitt Smith react when he looks around and sees he's the last remaining "triplet" now that Troy Aikman is retired? Can Tony Banks really be the team's starting quarterback, and if so, how will the team rally around him? Who is going to be the playmaker on defense?

Denver Broncos: How will all the offseason additions improve a defense that has to take a step up? Is coordinator Ray Rhodes the right man to make that unit jell? Now that he's getting the big bucks, is quarterback Brian Griese healthy enough to make it through a season?

Detroit Lions: What kind of reaction will first-time coach Marty Mornhinweg receive? Is Charlie Batch the answer for this team at quarterback? How well has cornerback Bryant Westbrook, a key defensive player, bounced back from his torn Achilles' tendon?

Green Bay Packers: What can the team expect from running back Dorsey Levens after a down year in 2000? Who will step up and be the playmaker outside in the passing game? Where is the pass rush going to come from?

Indianapolis Colts: When will this team's defense catch up to the offense? What can be expected from 2000 first-round pick Rob Morris, a linebacker who missed much of last season with a knee injury? Is rookie wideout Reggie Wayne the answer to helping take away some of the coverage from Marvin Harrison?

Jacksonville Jaguars: Can this team regroup after the offseason salary-cap issues? Will the bad blood between quarterback Mark Brunell and the organization -- especially coach Tom Coughlin -- have an impact on the rest of the locker room, which is loyal to Brunell? What kind of defense will new coordinator Gary Moeller implement, and will the players like it?

Kansas City Chiefs: Did Dick Vermeil make the right move returning to coaching, and will this team respond to him? Was trading for quarterback Trent Green the right move, even though he's still having trouble with a surgically repaired knee? Can Priest Holmes be an every-down back?

Miami Dolphins: Will it be Jay Fiedler for the second year at quarterback, or can Ray Lucas take the job? Can Lamar Smith have another year like he did in 2000, or was that an aberration? Will the addition of receivers James McKnight, Dedric Ward and rookie Chris Chambers help open up the offense?

Minnesota Vikings: Will a move toward being bigger finally improve a defense that hasn't stopped anyone? Can Doug Chapman or rookie Michael Bennett fill the role left vacant when running back Robert Smith retired? When is this team going to find a corner who can cover?

New England Patriots: Who is going to carry the ball and take the pressure off Drew Bledsoe? Can the offensive line keep Bledsoe upright this season? Will taking defensive tackle Richard Seymour with the sixth pick prove to be the right move, since the team needs a running back and a receiver?

New Orleans Saints: Who will be the quarterback, Jeff Blake or Aaron Brooks? When will Ricky Williams realize there is star potential in those legs, but not in that head? Was signing wide receiver Albert Connell, a me-first player, the right move for an offense that needs his speed?

New York Giants: Was last season something this team can build upon or just a case of things falling perfectly? Can Ron Dayne become the feature back this team needs, or is he destined to be an overweight bust? How will Kerry Collins respond to his success of a year ago?

New York Jets: What kind of impact will the player-friendly Herman Edwards have? Can Vinny Testaverde bounce back from a sub-par 2000 season, or is it time to go with Chad Pennington? Who will take over as the fiery leader of the defense with Bryan Cox gone?

Oakland Raiders: Was Rich Gannon's 2000 season a fluke or something he can repeat? How much of an impact will the signing of running back Charlie Garner have on the offense? Can defensive tackle Darrell Russell bounce back from a down year to become the dominant force he can be when he wants to play?

Philadelphia Eagles: What can the team expect from running back Duce Staley, who is coming off a major foot injury? What players are going to step up as the pass-receiving threats with Charles Johnson and Torrance Small gone? Will Donovan McNabb continue to develop as a passer?

Pittsburgh Steelers: Is this the year when Kordell Stewart actually takes his game to the next level and becomes a legitimate NFL passer? What can the team expect from disappointing receivers Plaxico Burress and Troy Edwards? What will losing linebacker Levon Kirkland mean to the defense?

St. Louis Rams: Will all the additions to the defense finally help this team stop somebody? How healthy is quarterback Kurt Warner after ending the season with a concussion? Where will the defensive pressure come from with Kevin Carter gone?

San Diego Chargers: Will Doug Flutie finally be happy as a starter, and will he help Drew Brees? Will LaDainian Tomlinson prove the trade of the top pick was the right move? Who is going to start on the offensive line?

San Francisco 49ers: Can rookie Kevan Barlow be the featured back now with Garner gone? Was Jeff Garcia's 2000 season a fluke, or is he here to stay? Can the young defenders continue to grow and develop into a top-notch unit with veterans such as Ken Norton gone?

Seattle Seahawks: Will new quarterback Matt Hasselbeck shrug off the "Mr. August" label and become a solid NFL starter? Do defenders John Randle, Marcus Robertson and Kirkland have anything left? Does the team finally have a deep threat in rookie Koren Robinson?

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: With Brad Johnson at quarterback, will the offense finally get the ball down the field? What kind of impact will new offensive coordinator Clyde Christiansen have? Will Simeon Rice learn to play the run now that he's in a new system?

Tennessee Titans: What are the health situations of Steve McNair, Eddie George and Kevin Dyson? Will there be a hangover from the playoff loss to the Ravens? How much will losing key defensive people such as cornerback Denard Walker and coordinator Gregg Williams hurt that unit?

Washington Redskins: Can Marty Schottenheimer successfully go from the fishbowl of working on TV to the fishbowl of working for Dan Snyder? Will the players respond to Schottenheimer, whose motto has to be: Stick with me and we'll get close? It's Jeff George's team now, but is that a good thing?