It’s the NFL’s annual downtime, those dog days of summer when our thoughts can’t help but drift in the direction of more timely subjects — like the very real possibility of paying $4.50 per gallon at the gas tank by the end of July, an entire year without any really good movies (I sure haven’t seen any!!!!) and the likelihood of an honest-to-God Subway Series between the Cubs and White Sox (be still, my heart!!!!!).

But there are still some pro football topics that continue to deliver tasty food for thought — like a breakdown of the best personnel moves via trade and free agency that have been made this offseason. What follows is one veteran gridiron chronicler’s ranking of the top 10 pickups via free agency or trade:   

1) DE Jared Allen / Vikings — A former rabble-rouser who appears to have cleaned up his act off the field, Allen has what it takes to be an absolute terror off the right edge for a Minnesota team with suddenly very legitimate title aspirations in the NFC North. A 6-6, 270-pound Energizer Bunny who is seldom on the ground, Allen registered 15½ sacks in only 14 games last year for the Chiefs. With Allen sharing space this coming season on a line with arguably the league’s most dynamic DT duo in Kevin and Pat Williams, a 20-sack season doesn’t seem like too big a stretch.

Jared Allen and Alan Faneca

3) CB Asante Samuel / Eagles — Forget former teammate Wes Welker’s recent low-blow insinuation that Samuel cares more about making a ton of money than winning championships. Even though he’s undersized and will have to adjust to a different system that employs a lot more man coverage than he’s used to, Samuel is a flat-out playmaker (he averaged eight interceptions and 16 passes defensed the last two seasons in New England) with top-grade instincts and ball skills. He’s also a big reason the Eagles should be strong contenders for an NFC wild-card spot.

4) RB Michael Turner / Falcons — Hidden behind LaDainian Tomlinson in San Diego the last four seasons, Turner still displayed enough flashes to suggest he could be a big play waiting to happen every time he touches the ball in a featured role. He will be taking on such a role in Atlanta, where he will be complemented by another bona fide big-play threat, third-year pro Jerious Norwood. The Falcons’ new 1-2 punch has combined for an eye-popping 5.8 yards per carry in their pro careers — a figure that, at the very least, should make them worth the price of admission on a team that still faces a long road back to respectability.

5) DT Shaun Rogers / Browns — In terms of pure talent, there might not be a better defensive tackle in the league than Rogers, a dominating force when he has his game face on. The key for Browns head coach Romeo Crennel will be his ability to keep Rogers consistently focused, a task that frustrated Lions head coach Rod Marinelli to no end. But teamed up with fellow trade acquisition Corey Williams, who just missed making this top-10 list, Rogers figures to enjoy the change of scenery in Cleveland, where he could become an instant “Dawg Pound” favorite. 

6) DT Kris Jenkins / Jets — As was the case with Rogers in Detroit, Jenkins’ work ethic in Carolina often left a lot to be desired. But there’s no denying Jenkins’ All-Pro natural ability, nor the considerable upgrade he provides on the nose in the Jets' 3-4 front over former first-round bust Dewayne Robertson, who has landed in Denver, a well-known haven for D-line castoffs. Provided he can keep his weight down — there’s a clause in his contract that will reward him for doing so — Jenkins should give the Jets a much better inside pass rush and greatly improve a run defense that was ranked a lowly 29th last season.

7) FS Madieu Williams / Vikings — Before Madieu bid adieu in Cincinnati, he had established himself as a solid run defender and a very capable center fielder. Just like his new teammate Allen, who figures to benefit greatly from Minnesota's other "Williams Boys," he should coexist quite comfortably with veteran SS Darren Sharper in a greatly improved Vikings secondary.

8) PK Josh Brown / Rams — The Rams’ special teams have been a god-awful mess for quite a while now, but Brown couldn’t be better-suited to spearhead a big-time special-teams revival. Not only is this strong-legged ex-Seahawk arguably the game’s best long-distance FG kicker at the moment (he’s 13-of-22 from 50 yards and beyond in his career); he’s also as clutch as they come, as evidenced by his league-record four game-winning field goals in the final minute of regulation or overtime two seasons ago. The odds are strong that Brown will find the friendly confines of the Edward Jones Dome very much to his liking.

9) DE Antwan Odom / Bengals — He’s the Bengals’ new left end, replacing the more high-profile Justin Smith, who signed with the Niners. Odom registered eight sacks last season for the Titans (Smith had two for the Bengals). The guess here is that his long arms, sound technique and big-time motor will make him a surprisingly big hit in Cincy, even though he will no longer be benefiting from playing opposite the extremely underrated Kyle Vanden Bosch.

10) LB Jonathan Vilma / Saints — Perhaps nobody will benefit more from a change of scenery than Vilma, who was thrilled to escape from New York, where he had clearly worn out his welcome. If he can regain the All-Pro form he frequently displayed his first three seasons with the Jets, averaging just under 130 tackles per season, Vilma could be the biggest steal this offseason for a defense in desperate need of an impact playmaker. He’s coming off a nasty knee injury that forced him to miss the second half of last season, but he certainly seems worth the risk after being obtained in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick this season and a conditional pick in ’09.

One last thing: Pacman (I mean, Adam) Jones would definitely make my top five if he were cleared to play for the Cowboys this coming season by commissioner Roger Goodell. But that remains a big “if” until further notice.

Which of the above the players do you think will make the greatest impact in 2008? Register your vote in Today's Poll.