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Offseason In Review: Carolina Panthers

July 31st, 2015 at 8:36am CST by Ben Levine

The Panthers have managed to make the playoffs for two straight seasons, an impressive feat considering general manager Dave Gettleman had little room to work with under the cap.

Finally armed with some financial flexibility, the Panthers had a surprisingly quiet offseason. Some could be disappointed that the team failed to bring in any game-changing additions, but the organization seemed to be more focused on locking up their own guys long term.

Notable signings:

Gettleman had previously indicated that Carolina’s cap room could result in the team pursuing bigger-name free agents.

“Last year we were shopping in the dollar store,” the general manager said in January (via Chris Burke of SI.com). “This year we may be able to move up in class a little bit.”

He quickly stepped back from his comments, perhaps trying to temper fans’ expectations.

“I said we’re going to move up in class,” he added. “I didn’t say we’re going to go out and spend big money on a player.”

This latter statement ended up being a clue into the Panthers’ offseason strategy. The Panthers ended up adding some notable players, but none of their free agent additions made Luke Adams’ list of the top 50 free agents. Instead of plugging their holes with pricey, popular players, the Panthers decided to pursue guys on short-term, less-lucrative contracts.

The team’s “biggest” offseason signing was offensive lineman Michael Oher, who had been released by the Titans in February. The former first-round pick struggled during his only season in Tennessee, and injuries limited the 29-year-old to a career-low 11 games.

The poor performance resulted in Oher being ranked 75th among 84 offensive tackles last season (via Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics). However, Byron Bell, the player he’ll likely be replacing, ranked 83rd on that same list. Still, such a slight upgrade won’t do much to improve one of the worst offensive lines in the league.

The Panthers did give Cam Newton some new toys to play with on offense, bringing in Ed Dickson, Ted Ginn Jr. and Jarrett Boykin. The trio wasn’t particularly flashy in 2014 (Kelvin Benjamin finished with 680 more yards than the three players combined), but each player has a 600-plus yard season on their resume. Ginn in particular had seemed to develop some rapport with Newton during his previous stint with the Panthers.

Elsewhere on offense, the team brought in quarterback Joe Webb to compete with Derek Anderson for the backup gig. Jordan Todman proved to be a bit of a receiving threat out of the backfield for the Jaguars, but Jonathan Stewart still figures to be the primary target among the running backs.

Defensively, the organization ultimately signed five defensive backs to their squad. It remains to be seen whether any of these players will be anything more than backups, but the signings at least provide the unit with some depth.

The most intriguing signing of the bunch is veteran Charles Tillman. The 34-year-old’s 12-year tenure with the Bears came to and following an injury-marred last two seasons. The two-time Pro Bowler was considered a top cornerback as recently as 2012, so if he can somehow stay healthy, the Panthers may have found a bargain.

Kurt Coleman could be another sneaky grab for the franchise. The 27-year-old has settled into more of a backup role in recent years, but he’s still managed to bring above-average production. He gave the Chiefs 37 tackles, a forced fumble, and three interceptions in 2014, and he was ranked 26th among 87 cornerback candidates on PFF.

The pair of defensive tackle re-signees, Dwan Edwards and Colin Cole, weren’t rated favorably by PFF, and neither of the two played more than 600 snaps last season. The duo should still be able to provide solid depth behind Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei.

Notable losses:

The Panthers played the majority of last season without their best defensive player, forcing the team to adjust and compensate for his absence. Therefore, Hardy’s departure this offseason shouldn’t have as big of an impact as someone like, for instance, Ndamukong Suh.

While the organization is likely relieved to have rid themselves of Hardy and his baggage, there’s no denying the impact he could have had on the team’s defense in 2015. After all, the 27-year-old was one of the best players in the league as recently as 2013.

Charles Johnson had a standout season, and the trio of Kony Ealy, Wes Horton and Mario Addison all filled in admirably for the Pro Bowler. Hardy’s departure seemed inevitable, and the organization essentially had an entire season to prepare for this moment. Still, it doesn’t make Hardy’s exit any easier.

Perhaps the Panthers’ toughest offseason move was releasing veteran running back DeAngelo Williams. The franchise leader in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns was officially released in March, with the transaction ultimately saved the team about $2MM against the cap. The 2014 season wasn’t a particularly productive campaign for Williams, as the 32-year-old set or tied career-lows in games played (six), attempts (62), rushing yards (219) and touchdowns (zero).

Replacing Williams in the lineup shouldn’t be difficult. However, like last season’s departure of Steve Smith, the team may miss the veteran’s presence in the locker room.

The Panthers reinforcement on the offensive line could be connected to the departures of Byron Bell and Fernando Velasco. Bell had been a Panthers mainstay for the previous four seasons, starting 56 of his 62 games played. Despite his starting role, the former undrafted free agent had never performed above league average, according to PFF. The advanced metrics consistently ranked Bell among the worst tackles in the league, culminating in him earning the distinction of receiving PFF’s second-lowest score among tackles in 2014. Velasco performed mostly in a backup role during his lone season with the Panthers, but he still received a better rating than four of his lineman teammates.

DeCoud’s tenure in Charlotte lasted only one season. The 30-year-old started 11 of his 15 games for the Panthers, compiling 49 tackles, three passes defended and one interception. The veteran’s role diminished as the season progressed, making him expendable this offseason.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 second-round pick (No. 41; WR Devin Funchess) from the Rams in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick (No. 57; T Rob Havenstein), a 2015 third-round pick (No. 89; QB Sean Mannion), and a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 201; WR Bud Sasser).
  • Acquired a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 102; T Daryl Williams) from the Raiders in exchange for a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 124), a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 161; OLBNeiron Ball), and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 242; CB Dexter McDonald).

The Panthers made a pair of moves to move up during this past year’s draft. They moved up 16 spots in the second round to select Michigan wideout Devin Funchess, giving up three 2015 picks in the process. The former tight end finished with 62 catches for 733 yards and four touchdowns last season. The hope is that the 6-5, 230-pound rookie will be long-term compliment to Benjamin.

The Panthers sacrificed another three 2015 picks to move up 22 spots in the fourth round, selecting offensive tackle Daryl Williams. The addition of Oher and the precense of Mike Remmers may limit the Oklahoma product to more of a backup role for at least this season.

Extensions and restructures:

The Panthers locked up three key players during the offseason, including handing out a lucrative five-year extension to Newton. The signing was clearly an indication by the franchise that the former first overall pick was their guy going forward, and the organization seemingly set the market for young, franchise signal-callers. The 26-year-old finished with the lowest quarterback rating of his career in 2015, but Pro Football Focus still ranked him as the eighth-best quarterback last season.

Olsen has been one of Newton’s most consistent targets since he joined the Panthers in 2011. The 30-year-old set career-highs this past season in catches (84) and yards (1,008), and he recorded his seventh-straight season with at least five touchdowns. Along with Benjamin, the Panthers now have three key members of their offense signed for at least three more seasons.

Davis struggled through injuries from 2009 through 2011, but the veteran has established himself as one of the top linebackers in the league since then. The 32-year-old ranked fifth among 40 linebacker candidates (via PFF), and he was rated behind Luke Kuechly as the second-most valuable defender on the Panthers.

Draft picks:

  • 1-25: Shaq Thompson, LB (Washington): Signed
  • 2-41: Devin Funchess, WR (Michigan): Signed
  • 4-102: Daryl Williams, T (Oklahoma): Signed
  • 5-169: David Mayo, ILB (Texas State): Signed
  • 5-174: Cameron Artis-Payne, RB (Auburn): Signed

There’s no denying Shaq Thompson’s talent, but some evaluators have questioned whether the Washington product truly has the size to play linebacker. Furthermore, the team’s two best defensive players (Davis and Kuechly) play the same position, and there were clearly other areas of need.

As mentioned previously, the Panthers gave up four extra draft picks to move up in both the second and fourth round. While the additional depth may have been good for the franchise, you can’t criticize a front office for going after the players they want.

David Mayo and Cameron Artis-Payne weren’t “reaches” by any stretch of the imagination, but you’ve got to wonder whether Gettleman would have been better off drafting for need.

Other:

Picking up Kuechly’s option was perhaps the most predictable move of the Panthers offseason, as Gettelman had previously said he’d “have to be brain-dead” to not exercise the contract.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Charles Johnson, DE: $20,020,000
  2. Cam Newton, QB: $13,000,000
  3. Ryan Kalil, C: $11,795,000
  4. Jonathan Stewart, RB: $8,300,000
  5. Greg Olsen, TE: $6,300,000
  6. Thomas Davis, LB: $5,900,000
  7. DeAngelo Williams, RB: $4,333,333 (dead money)
  8. Luke Kuechly, LB: $4,002,283
  9. Steve Smith, WR: $4,000,000 (dead money)
  10. Mike Tolbert, RB: $3,425,000

The Panthers’ roster has seen plenty of turnover since last season, and the roster certainly improved, if only slightly. Assuming the team’s young players continue to improve (and assuming that Newton doesn’t get passive following a new contract), this team should be in contention for a playoff spot once again.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Offseason In Review: Indianapolis Colts

July 24th, 2015 at 8:54pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The 2014 campaign ended horrifically for the Colts, whose season came crashing down in a 45-7 loss to the Patriots in the AFC championship game. In response, Indy spent the offseason adding multiple established veterans on both sides of the ball in hopes of overthrowing the Pats and earning a Super Bowl trip for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

Notable signings:

The Colts had the NFL’s third-ranked offense last year, but that belied a subpar rushing attack that finished 22nd in yardage and 25th in per-attempt average. Their most productive back, Ahmad Bradshaw, suffered a season-ending broken fibula in November. Bradshaw was hardly a workhorse when healthy, though, exceeding double-digit carries just four times in 10 games. Enter Frank Gore, the longtime 49er whom the Colts signed to a three-year, $12MM deal in free agency. Gore gives the Colts something they’ve been missing for a while – a durable, productive back. Despite his advanced age relative to the position, the 32-year-old Gore’s production certainly hasn’t stalled. In 2014, the 10-year veteran appeared in all 16 games, surpassed the 250-carry mark, and rushed for 1,100-plus yards. It was the fourth straight season in which Gore accomplished all three of those feats simultaneously. Moreover, he has never amassed fewer than 4.1 yards per carry in a season – another welcome change for a Colts team whose previous leading rusher, Trent Richardson, totaled a paltry 3.3 yards per attempt last year.

The Colts’ other big offensive move in free agency was to further beef up an Andrew Luck-led passing game that led the league in yardage last year. Indy signed wideout Andre Johnson, who had been with AFC South rival Houston his entire career (since 2003), to a three-year, $21MM contract. Like Gore, the 34-year-old Johnson is on the wrong end of the aging curve, but he also remains a viable weapon. Johnson caught 85 passes last season, though he averaged a meager 11.0 yards per reception (his lowest total since 2005) and racked up only three touchdowns. Bear in mind, though, that Johnson isn’t far removed from a two-year stretch that saw him haul in 221 catches and over 3,000 yards from 2012-13. Additionally, Johnson stands to benefit from the presence of Luck, who is far more talented than any quarterback he played with in Houston. In Johnson, Luck should have another solid target to accompany T.Y. Hilton, Indy’s undisputed No. 1 receiver, first-round wideout Phillip Dorsett and tight end Coby Fleener.

Defensively, the Colts finished a respectable 11th in the league last season. However, the Patriots exposed them twice – once in a 42-20 November shellacking and in the aforementioned AFC title game blowout. New England rushed for a ridiculous 423 yards in those games, and quarterback Tom Brady was basically untouched in both matchups (Indy sacked him once in total). The Colts responded to the latter issue by signing a couple of vets in linebacker Trent Cole (two years, $14MM) and lineman Kendall Langford (four years, $17.2MM).

The 32-year-old Cole added 6.5 sacks for the Eagles last season, giving him 85.5 during the decade he spent in Philadelphia, and Pro Football Focus ranked him a solid 12th out of 46 qualifying OLBs (subscription required) for his pass rushing.

As for Langford, the most impressive fact about the seven-year veteran’s career is that he never missed a game in either of his previous stops (Miami and St. Louis). He’s just two years removed from a career-high five-sack season and thinks the best is yet to come as part of the Colts’ 3-4 defense.

“I feel like I’m back at home in a 3-4 scheme,” Langford told the Colts’ official website last month. “I’m excited about it.”

Head coach Chuck Pagano echoed Langford’s sentiment.

“Kendall Langford, you guys are going to be surprised,” Pagano said. “You think we just brought in a run stopper, but he’s shown in some of these 11-on-11 drills that he’s got some pass rush capabilities, will get push inside.”

The Colts’ pass rush looks better on paper with the acquisitions of Cole and Langford and the return of linebacker Robert Mathis – who led the league with 19.5 sacks in 2013 before missing all of last year with a torn Achilles’. While the Colts did rank ninth in sacks in 2014, they lacked fearsome pass rushers and had to rely too much on blitzing to generate pressure.

Elsewhere on defense, the Colts retained three of their own key players – linebacker Jerrell Freeman, cornerback Darius Butler and Pro Bowl safety Mike Adams – and signed ex-Broncos LB Nate Irving. The Colts hope the 27-year-old Irving, whom PFF ranked 12th among 60 qualifying 3-4 ILBs against opposing ground games last year (subscription required), can help improve their 18th-ranked run defense and make less them less vulnerable against teams like the Patriots.

Notable losses:

The Colts said goodbye to some recognizable names during the offseason, including Reggie Wayne – one of the franchise’s all-time best players – but general manager Ryan Grigson adequately replaced most of them. Johnson, Dorsett and second-year man Donte Moncrief will do more than enough at wideout to make the losses of Wayne and Hakeem Nicks easy to swallow. If his career is any indication, Gore will be a major improvement over both Bradshaw and Richardson. Langford, on the other hand, has his work cut out for him in grabbing the reins along the D-line from the retired Cory Redding and the released Ricky Jean-Francois, who combined for 1,300-plus snaps last year. Redding was particularly impressive in 2014, appearing in over 70 percent of Indy’s defensive snaps and drawing significant praise from PFF for his play.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 third-round pick (No. 65; CB D’Joun Smith) and a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 109; S Clayton Geathers) from the Buccaneers in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick (No. 61; G Ali Marpet) and a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 128).
  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 151; DT David Parry) from the 49ers in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 165; P Bradley Pinion) and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 244; OL Trenton Brown).

Extensions/Restructures:

Draft picks:

  • 1-29: Phillip Dorsett, WR (Miami): Signed
  • 3-65: D’Joun Smith, CB (Florida Atlantic): Signed
  • 3-93: Henry Anderson, DE (Stanford): Signed
  • 4-109: Clayton Geathers, S (UCF): Signed
  • 5-151: David Parry, DT (Stanford): Signed
  • 6-205: Josh Robinson, RB (Mississippi State): Signed
  • 6-207: Amarlo Herrera, LB (Georgia): Signed
  • 7-255: Denzelle Good, T (Mars Hill): Signed

The Colts pulled off a surprise in the first round when they added yet another receiver in Dorsett, an ex-Miami Hurricane who tries to make up for less-than-ideal size (5-foot-10, 185 pounds) with explosiveness (a 40-yard dash time of 4.29, 24.2 yards per catch in college). Dorsett is similar to the 5-9, 178-pound Hilton in stature and style, and one wonders if the Colts chose the former as a potential long-term replacement for the latter. Hilton could potentially depart Indy as a free agent next offseason, which would leave the Colts looking for a star-caliber, field-stretching wideout. Regardless of what happens with Hilton, the Colts hope Dorsett can be just that, and offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton expects him to make an immediate impact.

“His play speed is exceptional,” Hamilton told Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). “We can attack the field vertically.”

Indy also may have added another couple immediate impact types in a pair of third-round picks, cornerback D’Joun Smith and defensive end Henry Anderson.

Smith, who intercepted nine passes at Florida Atlantic (including seven in 2013), gives the Colts depth behind Vontae Davis, Darius Butler and Greg Toler, and could wrest playing time from the latter two if they don’t improve on last year’s performance. Both Butler and Toler surrendered ratings of over 102 to opposing quarterbacks, according to PFF – which ranked Butler 67th and Toler 99th, respectively, out of 108 qualifying corners (subscription required).

If Smith’s anywhere near as good as he is confident, he’ll be a huge pickup for the Colts.

“Under the right tutelage and the right coach that’s going to make my technique even better, I’m probably going to be the best cornerback to play the game,” Smith told the Colts’ website in May.

As for Anderson, the Colts picked the ex-Stanford Cardinal 93rd overall after a standout college career (first-team All-Pac-12 in 2014).

“He’s what you’re looking for at end in this defense,” Grigson said, according to Colts.com.  “I know we’re going to have him for a long time.

For his part, Anderson said in May that he’s “really excited about coming in and providing as much help as possible to the defense.”

Given the losses of Redding and Jean-Francois, Anderson is likely to have the opportunity this year to quickly become a fixture along Indy’s D-line.

Other:

  • Exercised 2016 fifth-year option for QB Andrew Luck ($16.155MM).
  • Signed 10 players to reserve/futures contracts.
  • Signed 15 undrafted rookie free agents following the draft.

The Colts made the no-brainer decision to keep Luck in the fold for at least two more seasons, exercising his fifth-year option for 2016. The question is when, not if, they’ll ink him to a deal that keeps him a Colt for the duration of his career. Since the Colts chose Luck with the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft, he has started all 52 of their games (playoffs included), led them to three straight double-digit-win outputs, and thrown for 86 touchdowns and nearly 13,000 yards in the regular season. He’ll be paid handsomely for his performance and status as the face of Indy’s franchise, and ESPN’s Mike Wells wrote earlier this week that the Colts and Luck will get to work on a contract extension after the upcoming season.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Vontae Davis, CB: $11,250,000
  2. Andre Johnson, WR: $7,500,000
  3. Robert Mathis, OLB: $7,470,586
  4. Anthony Castonzo, LT: $7,438,000
  5. Arthur Jones, DL: $7,100,000
  6. Andrew Luck, QB: $7,034,363
  7. Trent Cole, OLB: $6,953,125
  8. Gosder Cherilus, RT: $6,900,000
  9. Greg Toler, CB: $5,833,334
  10. D’Qwell Jackson, LB: $5,750,000

After a productive offseason, the Colts look like a better team than the one that made the final four last year. At the very least, barring injuries, their two-year reign atop the AFC South should extend to a third season. That would mean a fourth straight playoff berth, which could lead to a third consecutive January confrontation with the Patriots – who have humiliated the Colts in back-to-back postseasons.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Offseason In Review: Houston Texans

July 23rd, 2015 at 7:56pm CST by Zachary Links

After going 9-7 in 2014, the Texans have been widely praised for their offseason moves. Did they do enough to establish themselves as the favorites in the AFC South?

Notable signings:

One of the Texans’ top priorities this offseason was retaining cornerback Kareem Jackson and they got that accomplished days before the start of free agency. Jackson landed himself at number 21 on Pro Football Rumors Top 50 Free Agents, and figured to be highly sought after as one of the top free agent corners on the market. The Texans selected Jackson 20th overall out of Alabama in the 2010 NFL Draft. He struggled during his first two NFL seasons, but improved and was considered the team’s top corner last season, surpassing veteran Johnathan Joseph. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) had Jackson rated as the eleventh-best corner in the league last season, putting him ahead of notables such as Rashean Mathis, Brandon Flowers, Aqib Talib, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

The Texans also got a deal done with offensive tackle Derek Newton before March 10th. The former seventh-round pick has established himself as one of the most reliable members of the Texans offense, as he’s started 46 of a possible 48 games since 2012 (the two missed games were a result of a knee injury). Newton wasn’t rated favorably by Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) during his first two years as a starter, but the statistics favored the 27-year-old’s performance this past season. Newton ranked 19th among 84 offensive tackle candidates, and his run blocking skills earned him the fourth-best ranking for that particular attribute. However, his pass blocking rating left some to be desired, as he finished in the bottom half of the league in that ranking.

Houston’s defensive line will feature young star J.J. Watt and a possible rising young(er) star in Jadeveon Clowney. This offseason, the Texans added some veteran leadership to the mix. The Texans inked Vince Wilfork to a two-year deal in March after the Pats declined his option. Wilfork, 33, spent all previous 11 years of his NFL career in New England, playing 158 regular season games for the Pats, and starting 148 of those. Second-year pro Louis Nix may be the future for the Texans at nose tackle, but Wilfork represents a very nice stopgap option until Nix is ready to assume the role.

After going through three starting quarterbacks in 2014, the Texans badly needed to make a change under center. Coach Bill O’Brien & Co. are hoping that Brian Hoyer can be that difference maker. Hoyer, 29, saw his first extended run as a starter in 2014, and though his overall numbers – including a 55.3% completion percentage, 12 touchdowns to 13 interceptions, and a 76.5 passer rating – weren’t overly impressive, he led the Browns to a 7-6 record in his starts before giving way to Johnny Manziel and Connor Shaw near the end of the season.

The Texans also retained Ryan Mallett and the two signal callers will battle it out for the starting job this summer. Mallett, 26, was acquired by the Texans in a trade with the Patriots last offseason, and got a chance to start a couple games for Houston in 2014 before landing on injured reserve due to a pectoral injury. Mallett’s 54.7% completion percentage and 67.6 passer rating likely didn’t have teams burning up his agent’s phone this weekend, but Texans GM Rick Smith and O’Brien both spoke highly of him in the offseason.

Rahim Moore initially ranked as the 28th-best overall free agent and the second-best safety in this year’s class, in our estimation. However, once Devin McCourty re-signed with New England and players like Antrel Rolle and Da’Norris Searcy came off the board, Moore became the most-coveted safety on the market. The UCLA product was Denver’s free safety for the majority of the last four seasons, and was very impressive in 2014, racking up 51 tackles to go along with four interceptions.

Cecil Shorts spent the first four years of his NFL career in Jacksonville, totaling 176 receptions for the Jaguars. His best season came in 2012, when he racked up 979 yards on just 55 receptions, reaching the end zone seven times. The former fourth-round pick has been nagged by injuries over the last two years, and averaged just 10.5 yards per catch in 2014. If he stays healthy, he could be a beast for Houston. If not, he might not be much of a factor at all.

Akeem Dent spent the 2014 season with the Texans after playing for the Falcons for three years. In his first year in Houston, the former third-round pick recorded 38 tackles and a sack in part-time action, earning playing time at multiple linebacker spots.

Notable losses:

The Andre Johnson saga made headlines all offseason long in Houston until March 9th when the Texans agreed to release him. The Texans reportedly wanted the wide receiver to take a pay cut and Johnson was reportedly open to it, until he came out on the record and made it clear that he wasn’t. Whatever the case was, the two sides parted ways just prior to the official start of free agency. Johnson, who is entering his age-34 season, caught a team-high 85 balls in 2014, but that was his lowest total for a full season in about a decade. The former third overall pick also averaged just 62.4 yards per game, the third-lowest mark of his 12-year career.

While the Texans spent big to keep Derek Newton on the offensive line, they said goodbye to fellow tackle Tyson Clabo in May. Clabo, 33, signed a two-year contract last July with the Texans, but after starting each and every one of his 116 career NFL games prior to the 2014 season, he was a reserve for Houston. For the season, Clabo logged just 101 offensive snaps, with 73 of those coming in Week 16 against the Ravens. Before he joined the Texans, Clabo spent most of his career with the Falcons, earning a Pro Bowl berth following the 2010 season, and also spent a single season in Miami in 2013.

Daniel Manning, who will turn 33 next month, announced his retirement roughly one week ago. In 2011, he joined the Texans, where he played out the final four years of his NFL career. While Manning never developed into an elite defender in Chicago or Houston, he was a solid complementary piece for both teams, appearing in a total of 128 regular season games (96 starts) over the course of his nine-year career. During that span, the Abilene Christian product recorded 549 tackles, grabbed 11 interceptions, and forced 10 fumbles. Manning also contributed as a kick returner during his last few years in Chicago, averaging a league-best 29.7 yards per return in 2008.

The Texans wanted to keep Kendrick Lewis in Houston, but he was not interested in backing up Moore in 2015, so he decided to pursue a starting role elsewhere. He eventually found that opportunity with the Ravens. Lewis graded out positively in 2014 according to Pro Football Focus, leading the Texans’ secondary in snap count (subscription required).

Brooks Reed spent the first four years of his career in Houston, where he started 52 of a possible 60 games and racked up 14.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated him the 26th-best 3-4 OLB in the NFL out of 46 qualifiers last season. While the Texans didn’t make a great effort to keep him, new Falcons coach Dan Quinn obviously sees something in him.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2016 seventh-round pick from the Rams in exchange for QB Case Keenum.
  • Acquired a 2016 seventh-round pick from the Jets in exchange for QB Ryan Fitzpatrick.
    • Texans’ pick could turn into a sixth-rounder based on Fitzpatrick’s playing time in 2015.
  • Acquired a 2015 second-round pick (No. 43; ILB Benardrick McKinney) and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 229) from the Browns in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick (No. 51; DE/OLB Nate Orchard), a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 116), and a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 195; FB/TE Malcolm Johnson.
  • Acquired a 2015 third-round pick (No. 70; WR Jaelen Strong) from the Jets in exchange for a 2015 third-round pick (No. 82; OLB Lorenzo Mauldin), a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 152; G Jarvis Harrison), a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 229), and WR DeVier Posey.

Out with the old, in with the new at quarterback. Having signed Brian Hoyer, the Texans didn’t have much use for QBs Case Keenum and Ryan Fitzpatrick, so they parlayed both players into late-round draft picks.

Extensions/Restructures:

Last month, the Texans tacked another two years onto Johnathan Joseph‘s deal. Joseph was a Pro Bowler in 2011 and 2012, but didn’t play at his best in 2013 due to injury. The nine-year vet was on the field for all 16 regular season games in 2014, however. Last year, Joseph pulled down two interceptions, caused two fumbles, and racked up a total of 75 tackles. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) had him as an above average corner in 2014, giving him a 5.0 overall grade good for 23rd amongst all qualified corners. The No. 23 ranking at cornerback might not put him up there with elite corners like Darrelle Revis, but it was his best showing since he finished No. 11 on PFF in 2011.

The Texans declined their fifth-year option on outside linebacker Whitney Mercilus in order to sign him to a long-term deal. The new pact keeps Mercilus in Houston through the 2019 season. The 25-year-old has played in all but one of the Texans’ regular season games across the last three seasons. Playing primarily as a starter for the last two, Mercilus has racked up a combined 12 sacks, 97 tackles, and two forced fumbles. The Texans obviously are happy with Mercilus, but the advanced metrics aren’t so wild about him. In 2014, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked him as just the 35th best outside linebacker in a 3-4 set out of 46 qualified players. In 2013, his overall rating of -18.1 put him dead last (42nd out of 42) amongst 3-4 OLBs.

 

Draft picks:

  • 1-16: Kevin Johnson, CB (Wake Forest): Signed
  • 2-43: Benardrick McKinney, ILB (Mississippi State): Signed
  • 3-70: Jaelen Strong, WR (Arizona State): Signed
  • 5-175: Keith Mumphery, WR (Michigan State): Signed
  • 6-211: Reshard Cliett, OLB (South Florida): Signed
  • 6-216: Christian Covington, DT (Rice): Signed
  • 7-235: Kenny Hilliard, RB (LSU): Signed

Many were surprised to see Johnathan Joseph get a lucrative extension following the selection of Wake Forest cornerback Kevin Johnson. Even though Joseph is slated to be around for another three seasons, Johnson is clearly being looked at as the team’s future at the position. Johnson is blessed with tremendous athleticism and could have a bright future ahead of him if he can add weight to his lanky frame.

Other:

  • Promoted George Godsey to vacant offensive coordinator role.
    • Godsey and head coach Bill O’Brien called plays in 2014.
  • Signed 10 players to reserve/futures contracts.
  • Signed 16 undrafted rookie free agents following the draft.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. J.J. Watt, DL: $13,969,000
  2. Johnathan Joseph, CB: $11,750,000
  3. Duane Brown, LT: $9,500,000
  4. Arian Foster, RB: $8,706,250
  5. Brian Cushing, LB: $7,891,250
  6. Kareem Jackson, CB: $7,453,125
  7. Andre Johnson, WR: $7,319,585 (dead money)
  8. Brian Hoyer, QB: $5,218,750
  9. Jadeveon Clowney, DE/OLB: $5,062,045
  10. Derek Newton, RT: $4,500,000

One of the Texans’ biggest problems last season was the quarterback position and the signing of Hoyer should go a long way towards fixing that. With defensive reinforcements like Moore, Kevin Johnson, second-round pick Benardrick McKinney, and Wilfork, it’s not hard to see the Texans as an elite team in 2015.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Offseason In Review: Jacksonville Jaguars

July 23rd, 2015 at 3:35pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars had their work cut out for them this offseason but they also had the most cap space of any team in the league.

Notable signings:

The Jaguars prioritized finding a playmaker this offseason and they did that by pouncing early on tight end Julius Thomas. In fact, Jacksonville reportedly had an agreement in place with him days before the official start of free agency. Thomas, a 2011 draftee, broke out during his third season in Denver, emerging as a key target for Peyton Manning in 2013. His reception and yards totals both decreased last season as he dealt with injuries (ultimately missing six games), but he still finished with 12 touchdowns. Many believed that Thomas, the No. 4 free agent on PFR’s Top 50 list, would receive heavy interest from the Seahawks, but he chose instead to sign with Jacksonville where he’ll catch passes from second-year quarterback Blake Bortles.

After landing Ndamukong Suh, the Dolphins had little use for fellow defensive tackle Jared Odrick. At that point, the Jaguars pounced on the 27-year-old and kept him in the state of Florida. When Luke Adams of PFR listed his top 50 free agents in March, he ranked Odrick 23rd, as the fourth defensive tackle on the board behind Suh, Terrance Knighton, and Nick Fairley. At the time, he estimated that the asking price would be in the neighborhood of $6MM annually. However, Odrick actually got a deal worth $8.5MM per season with $22MM guaranteed overall.

Doug Free started eleven games at right tackle for the Cowboys in 2014, but Jermey Parnell started seven, including the two playoff games while Free was out with injuries. While Parnell wasn’t viewed as a first tier free agent tackle with the likes of Free, Bryan Bulaga, King Dunlap, and Byron Bell, Parnell was in the second tier of attractive options thanks to his solid play in limited time as a starter. Parnell’s deal is worth $6.5MM per year over five years, a big bump from what he was getting in Dallas.

It was reported that several teams were pushing to land Davon House, but ultimately the corner signed a lucrative deal with the Jags. House only saw part-time action in nickel and dime packages with the Packers, but quarterbacks only completed 46.8% of their passes into his coverage last season, per Pro Football Focus. PFF’s advanced stats, by the way, placed him fourth among all qualified cornerbacks. The Packers, Jets, Seahawks, Bears, Cowboys, and Vikings had also been viewed as potential players for House.

Skuta, 29, also drew interest from the Dolphins and Eagles, the latter of whom would have had a “ton of interest” in signing him had they not retained Brandon Graham. A key contributor on special teams for the 49ers, Skuta also saw more than 300 snaps at outside linebacker for San Francisco, racking up five sacks. He spent four seasons with the Bengals before joining the Niners in 2013. Skuta’s deal came out to $20.5MM over five years, somewhat surprising given his body of work to date.

It took a while, but former center Stefen Wisniewski found an NFL home when he signed with the Jags in mid-April. Wisniewski had spent his entire four-year career with the Raiders, starting 61 games. The Penn State product missed only three games in those four seasons, and he managed to play 16 games in 2014 in spite of a torn labrum. The injury resulted in Wisniewski undergoing surgery this offseason, and it also provided a possible explanation for the player remaining unsigned for so long. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) gave Wisniewski high marks for his performance during the 2012 and 2013 seasons, as the center ranked in the top-20 among eligible center candidates. He received his first negative rating in 2014, but he still ranked 22nd among 41 candidates.

The Jaguars did a lot of free agent shopping this year but they also retained a notable player of their own in defensive lineman Tyson Alualu. Alualu was the first-round pick of the Jaguars in the 2010 NFL Draft. He was considered to be a reach at 10th overall at the time of the pick, and has been underwhelming at best during his tenure with the team. Clearly, however, they believe that the 28-year-old is capable of doing much more going forward.

Sergio Brown, 27, made a career-high eight starts in 2014. All in all, the free safety recorded 34 tackles, 6 pass deflections, one fumble recovery, and one sack on the year. Last year, Brown re-signed with the Colts on a one-year deal worth $1.4MM with a $300K signing bonus.

Pro Football Focus (subscription required) was pretty impressed with Brown’s work in 2014, ranking him as the 24th best safety in the NFL with a 5.3 score.

Notable losses:

Will Blackmon, who has spent the last two seasons with the Jaguars, was one of the top three cornerbacks for the team during his time in Jacksonville, starting 12 of 23 games. His 2014 campaign was cut short by a broken finger, which landed him on the injured reserve list with about two months left in the season. The 30-year-old was notified of his pending release in February as the team opted to go younger in the secondary.

Bryant, 31, was long rumored to be a cap casualty. Bryant saw time in all 16 games in his first and only season for the Jaguars. In total, he racked up 23 tackles to go with one pass deflection and one sack. Bryant graded out as being just below average according to Pro Football Focus‘ (subscription required) metrics, coming in with a -1.6 grade. Overall, that placed him No. 31 out of 59 qualified 4-3 defensive ends. Bryant’s contract called for him to earn $19MM in total between the years of 2014 and 2017. However, his only guaranteed money came in year one between his $3.5MM roster bonus and $1.225MM base salary in ’14.

Cecil Shorts, 27, spent the first four years of his NFL career in Jacksonville, totaling 176 receptions for the Jaguars. His best season came in 2012, when he racked up 979 yards on just 55 receptions, reaching the end zone seven times. The former fourth-round pick has been nagged by injuries over the last two years, and averaged just 10.5 yards per catch in 2014. Now, he’s in Houston and if he’s healthy, he could be a difference maker for the Texans.

Alan Ball, 30, spent the last two seasons in Jacksonville and was quietly one of the best parts of the Jaguars’ secondary. In 2013, Ball recorded a +7.5 Pro Football Focus grade in over 1,000 snaps, ranking 22nd among 110 qualified cornerbacks (subscription required). His 2014 season was cut short by a biceps injury, which landed him on injured reserve after seven games, but he still held his own in the first half of the season, recording 22 tackles and an interception.

J.T. Thomas, 27 in August, appeared in all 16 games for the Jaguars last season and made ten starts. In total, he had a career-high 85 tackles to go with five pass deflections and two forced fumbles. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) wasn’t all that impressed with Thomas’ play in 2014, giving him an overall grade of -16.1, placing him as one of the worst inside linebackers in the NFL.

Jordan Todman played for Jacksonville from 2012 through 2014, totaling 450 rushing yards on 111 carries and 314 receiving yards on 40 catches during his 33 games with the Jags. The Panthers inked him a one-year deal in late March.

Just days ago the Jaguars released Ace Sanders, a player who once looked like he could be a focal point of the team’s offense. The 23-year-old, selected 101st overall in the fourth round of the 2013 draft by the Jaguars, had a decent rookie season, hauling in 51 balls, though he only averaged 9.5 yards per catch and reached the end zone just once. However, Sanders wasn’t a major part of the offense last season, after Jacksonville used multiple 2014 draft picks to add receiving help. Sanders saw just seven targets in 2014, earning most of his playing time on special teams, where he returned 32 punts, averaging 7.1 yards per return.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 104; S James Sample) and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 229; TE Ben Koyack) from the Jets in exchange for a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 103; QB Bryce Petty).

Extensions/Restructures:

Draft picks:

  • 1-3: Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB (Florida): Signed
  • 2-36: T.J. Yeldon, RB (Alabama): Signed
  • 3-67: A.J. Cann, OL (South Carolina): Signed
  • 4-104: James Sample, S (Louisville): Signed
  • 5-139: Rashad Greene, WR (Florida State): Signed
  • 6-180: Michael Bennett, DT (Ohio State): Signed
  • 7-220: Neal Sterling, WR (Monmouth): Signed
  • 7-229: Ben Koyack, TE (Notre Dame): Signed

At No. 3 overall, the Jaguars grabbed the most gifted edge rusher in the draft in Florida’s Dante Fowler. Unfortunately, Jags fans will have to wait a while to see their rising star after Fowler suffered an ACL tear in his first practice. Fowler notched 15 sacks last season and finished his three-year Gators career with 33. Picking No. 3 for the second straight year, the Jaguars were counting on Fowler to elevate their pass pursuit. Jacksonville boasted the seventh-best sack total in the league last season with 45 but finished 22nd in pass defense.

In the second round, the Jags selected Alabama tailback T.J. Yeldon. Of course, the Jaguars have been disappointed by the production of Toby Gerhart and they’re hoping to reignite the running game with Yeldon. Yeldon is a tough back who has grimaced his way through a fair share of injuries in college. Mike Mayock of NFL.com pointed out that a lack of speed is the big knock on the youngster, but injuries may have played a part in that.

Other:

Greg Olson’s two-year stint with the Raiders wasn’t overly successful, with his offense finishing in the bottom five in the NFL in DVOA both years, including 30th overall in 2014. Still, Olson didn’t have a ton of talent to work with in Oakland — in 2013, Terrelle Pryor and Matt McGloin split time at quarterback, and this past season, second-round rookie Derek Carr took the reins, with James Jones and Andre Holmes acting as his top receivers. The Jags are hoping that he’ll click with Bortles and give them a powerful offense in the AFC South.

Doug Marrone, who led the Bills to a 9-7 record in 2014, narrowly missing a playoff spot, opted out of his contract following the team’s final regular season game. Marrone’s agreement with the Bills allowed him to receive his full $4MM salary for 2015 despite the fact that he’s no longer coaching the team. Many figured that Marrone already had another head coaching gig lined up but, as it turns out, that was not the case.

A day after he was cut by the Ravens following his DUI arrest, running back Bernard Pierce was claimed off waivers by the Jaguars. Last season, Pierce appeared in 13 regular season games for the Ravens, rushing for a career-low 366 yards off of 93 attempts with two touchdowns. Even with Baltimore’s backfield situation in flux, Pierce was unable to become a major part of the rushing attack, slipping down the depth chart after Justin Forsett emerged as the team’s No. 1 back.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Julius Thomas, TE: $10,300,000
  2. Jared Odrick, DL: $9,000,000
  3. Jermey Parnell, RT: $8,000,000
  4. Paul Posluszny, LB: $6,885,416
  5. Davon House, CB: $6,500,000
  6. Luke Joeckel, LT: $5,782,254
  7. Sen’Derrick Marks, DT: $5,425,000
  8. Zane Beadles, G: $5,000,000
  9. Chris Clemons, DE: $5,000,000
  10. Blake Bortles, QB: $4,694,273

Can the Jaguars turn things around after going 3-13 last season? Much of that will depend on the growth of rising sophomore Bortles, but then again, few quarterbacks could have thrived behind the Jaguars’ weak offensive line last season. Defensively, a big season out of Sen’Derrick Marks plus strong play from new pickup Odrick would go a long way towards helping their cause.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Offseason In Review: Chicago Bears

July 22nd, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Dallas Robinson

The Bears were a trendy playoff pick heading into the 2014 season, but a 5-11 finish was followed by the dismissal of both general manager Phil Emery and head coach Marc Trestman. Now, Chicago might be entering rebuilding mode, though they did use free agency to bring in several interesting players.

Notable signings:

There’s no doubting that Eddie Royal is a solid football player — he was excellent out of the slot for the Chargers last season, catching 72 passes for 778 yards and seven touchdowns. And while his $5MM annual salary isn’t all that exorbitant (although it’s higher than Julian Edelman, for example, and equal to that of Emmanuel Sanders), it’s pretty surprising that the Bears handed Royal $10MM in guarantees. That’s more than Torrey Smith, who is widely regarded as a superior pass-catcher, garnered, and it ranks 16th among all receivers (not counting rookie deals). It might seem like Royal has been around forever, but he just turned 29, so perhaps his relative youth helped him score this contract, but I have a hard time believing many other clubs would have agreed to this deal. Chicago must be certain that the Royal/Jay Cutler relationship is strong enough to post positive results over the next three years.

Making the Royal deal all the more surprising is the fact that he got more guaranteed money than the Bears’ true free agent prize, pass-rusher Pernell McPhee. It’s hard to even label McPhee with a position, as we’ve seen him get after the quarterback from all along the defensive line and several linebacker positions, and it will be interesting to see where new Chicago defensive coordinator Vic Fangio asks 26-year-old line up. It’s a little hard to believe that while his total contract is valued at nearly $40MM, McPhee was only able to secure $8.75MM in guarantees. That could have something to do with his relative lack of experience, as 2014 was the first season that he topped 600 snaps on defense. We’ve seen other defensive players leave Baltimore via free agency and tank before, but the Bears certainly have high hopes for McPhee, who ranked as the second-best 3-4 outside linebacker in the league, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Elsewhere on the defensive side of the ball, the Bears added veteran safety Antrel Rolle, inking the former Giant to a three-year deal. Chicago ranked 29th in DVOA against the pass last season, running out the likes of Chris Conte for extended stretches of time. At age 32, Rolle probably isn’t the same player that he was during his early career in Arizona or his first few seasons in New York, but he should add a level of stability to Chicago’s back end that it hasn’t had in recent years. He’ll also act as a complement, and perhaps mentor, to second-year pro Brock Vereen, the projected starter at free safety.

Rolle wasn’t the only experienced defensive back signed by the Bears this offseason, as they also brought in cornerback Alan Ball, who spent the last two years in Jacksonville. He isn’t a star (PFF rated him as the No. 40 CB in ’14), but like Rolle, he’ll bring a level of competency a Chicago defense that sorely needs it. During the offseason, some around the league had said that the Bears’ defense was so poor last year that they might need 10 new starters (with Kyle Fuller being safe). Given the presence of Fuller and Tim Jennings, Ball won’t be on those new starters, but he will be an insurance option if something happens to the top two corners.

Outside of those four signings, the Bears didn’t do all that much in free agency. However, I was particularly impressed by new general manager Ryan Pace‘s use of the minimum salary benefit to bring in players who could contribute at a low cost. Sam Acho, for instance, could turn out to be a valuable addition, as the 26-year-old former Cardinal is capable of playing either inside or outside linebacker. Mason Foster, also only 26 years old, has four years experience as a starting middle linebacker. Will Montgomery ranked as the league’s 15th-best center per PFF last year despite playing less than 600 snaps. Those were my three favorite MSB additions, but it’s not impossible that players such as Jacquizz Rodgers, Tracy Porter, or Daniel Thomas could contribute something in 2015, as well. Pace was able to bring in a bevy of high-quality role players who won’t embarrass themselves if thrust into increased playing time, and did so while handing out less than $600K in guarantees.

Notable losses:

The Bears didn’t seem to make much of an effort to re-sign Stephen Paea, as the defensive lineman told reporters when he signed with Washington that he chose the nation’s capital over Dallas, Detroit, and Tampa, with no mention of Chicago. The 26-year-old graded as the No. 11 DT in the league according to PFF, and given that he’s earning just slightly more annually than Eddie Royal, I wonder if the Bears would have been wiser to spend that ~$5MM per year on Paea. Although he’s only played defensive tackle thus far in his career, the 6’1″, 300-pounder has the size to play 3-4 end (and it’s the role he’ll play in Washington).

Sentimentally, Chicago lost two of its most beloved defenders, linebacker Lance Briggs (who remains unsigned) and cornerback Charles Tillman (who joined the Panthers). Briggs, 34, played in only eight games last season but was the Bears’ third-best defender per PFF, while Tillman appeared in just two games before injuring his triceps. It makes sense that neither was retained given that the club is going younger on defense, but I wonder if Briggs might be an option later in training if Vic Fangio is unhappy with his crop of inside linebackers.

Another long-time Bear — center Roberto Garza — was released in April despite having signed a one-year extension in December. The pact was inked by the club’s regime, so it’s clear that Ryan Pace & Co. didn’t value Garza at the same level. Garza, 36, had been with the Bears since the 2005 season, playing 154 regular season contests (145 starts) during that stretch, primarily at center and right guard. Chicago also declined to bring back fellow center Brian De La Puente, who had a very successful season in ’14 during which he saw 501 snaps, mostly while filling in at center for Garza during the early portion of the year. De La Puente is only 30 years old and had to surprisingly accept a one-year deal for the minimum salary benefit last offseason, and he remains unsigned as of this writing.

Safety Chris Conte offered youth (he’s entering his age-26 season) and experience (more than 600 snaps in each of his first three seasons), but he’s dealt with shoulder injuries throughout his career and has produced at merely an average level. In 2014, Conte graded as the No. 63 safety among 87 qualifiers per PFF. He’d been better than that in the two seasons prior, but he’s always been in the middle of the pack relative to his peers. The Bears moved on, adding the veteran Antrel Rolle as a replacement, while Conte followed ex-Bears HC Lovie Smith to Tampa Bay.

Josh Morgan actually played a decent number of snaps while acting as Chicago’s third receiver last season, but the team added Kevin White in the draft and will hope that Marquess Wilson will take the next step and supplant Morgan, who signed with the Saints. The only notable departure who saw more than 400 snaps was inside linebacker D.J. Williams, who, at age 33 and having dealt with multiple injuries in recent years, might be nearing the end of his NFL run.

 Trades:

The Bears didn’t move around at all during the draft, but they did swing a trade near the beginning of the league year, shipping veteran receiver Brandon Marshall to the Jets. Marshall was among the NFL’s best receivers as recently as 2013, but last season saw him catch just 61 passes for 721 yards, and he missed the final three games with broken ribs. The 31-year-old was due a 2015 base salary of $7.5MM and scheduled to count $9.575MM against the cap.

Marshall’s 2015 salary was set to become guaranteed on the third day of the 2015 league year, so Chicago was forced to quickly make a deal to clear his that total. The club will carry $5.625MM in dead money this year as a result of the trade.

Draft picks:

  • 1-7: Kevin White, WR (West Virginia): Signed
  • 2-39: Eddie Goldman, DT (Florida State): Signed
  • 3-71: Hroniss Grasu, OL (Oregon): Signed
  • 4-106: Jeremy Langford, RB (Michigan State): Signed
  • 5-142: Adrian Amos, S (Penn State): Signed
  • 6-183: Tayo Fabuluje, T (TCU): Signed

Kevin White and Eddie Goldman, Chicago’s top two selections, will be counted on to start almost immediately, with White replacing the production of Brandon Marshall, and Goldman pushing Will Sutton for snaps at nose tackle. It remains to be seen how White will acclimate to the NFL; there’s no doubting his speed and/or raw ability, but some wonder if he’ll need some time to refine his game.

Hroniss Grassu, like Goldman, will have to compete for snaps with Will Montgomery, and the veteran probably has the edge here, though Grassu could also act as insurance at guard in case Matt Slauson suffers another injury. Jeremy Langford will join Ka’Deem Carey, Jacquizz Rodgers, and Daniel Thomas in the race to back up Matt Forte, and most think Langford has the most long-term value of that group.

Other:

Phil Emery‘s run as the Bears’ general manager — highlighted by the ill-advised seven-year extension handed to Jay Cutler — officially came to end in December, and the team fired head coach Marc Trestman on the same day. Though the duo had fielded a largely successful club in 2013, 2014 saw number of issues — discord among players, offensive coordinator Aaron Kromer throwing Cutler under the bus, failed signings such as Jared Allen and Lamarr Houston — come to the forefront, leading the pair to be ousted after only two years on the job.

To replace Emery, the Bears settled on former Saints executive Ryan Pace as their new GM after a search that saw Chicago meet with Chris Ballard of the Chiefs, Brian Gaine of the Dolphins, and Lake Dawson of the Titans. At 37, Pace becomes the youngest general manager in the league. It was fair to wonder if Pace would employ the same sort of contract structures in Chicago that often led the Saints to having little or no cap space, but given that Pace’s title was player personnel director, he probably doesn’t deserve blame for New Orleans’ cap woes.

Aside from the Broncos, the Bears interviewed the fewest candidates of any club searching for a new head coach. Chicago was one of only two teams who were replacing its general manager in addition to its HC, so it’s possible they wanted to have Pace in place before getting too deep into its coaching hunt. But it’s also conceivable the Bears simply got lucky, as just four days after Denver parted ways with John Fox, Chicago scooped him up, signing the 60-year-old to a four-year contract. Fox, entering his 14th season as an NFL head coach, will bring Adam Gase with him from Denver to head up the offense, while adding former 49ers DC Vic Fangio to lead the defense (and shift to a 3-4 scheme).

The one true black mark of Chicago’s offseason was the signing of defensive end Ray McDonald, who had already been in legal trouble twice (domestic violence and sexual assault) before joining the Bears. Financially, it was a no-risk signing for the club, but the optics could not have been worse. The public relations backlash only increased when McDonald was arrested again just two months after inking his contract, this time on charges of domestic violence and child endangerment. Chicago released McDonald almost immediately, but the reaction following the incident was clear — Pace had made the first big mistake of his tenure.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Jay Cutler, QB: $16,500,000
  2. Jared Allen, DE/OLB: $12,500,000
  3. Matt Forte, RB: $9,200,000
  4. Jermon Bushrod, LT: $8,050,000
  5. Lamarr Houston, DE/OLB: $6,990,000
  6. Pernell McPhee, OLB: $6,675,000
  7. Martellus Bennett, TE: $6,125,000
  8. Brandon Marshall, WR: $5,625,000 (dead money)
  9. Eddie Royal, WR: $5,500,000
  10. Tim Jennings, CB: $5,250,000

2014 will probably be something of a rebuilding year for the Bears. Turnarounds can happen quickly in the NFL, and given that Chicago hired a veteran coach in John Fox, it’s probably aiming to be in contention again in the very near future. But with three other solid teams in the division, it’s quite possible that the Bears are cellar-dwellers once again, barring vast improvement on the part of either Jay Cutler or the defense as a whole.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Offseason In Review: Detroit Lions

July 20th, 2015 at 7:54pm CST by Zachary Links

The Lions had 23 free agents and only $18.44MM worth of cap space this offseason, leading to some tough choices over the spring. Their limited space also meant saying farewell to a defensive superstar.

Notable signings:

The Lions had to kiss a lot of frogs before finding their kicking prince in 2014. Eventually, they settled on Matt Prater and locked him up to a three-year extension worth $9MM. Prater, 30, began the 2014 season by serving a four-game suspension in Denver for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and was ultimately cut by the Broncos, ending a seven-year tenure with the club. After signing with the Lions, Prater was a little shaky in his first few games, but settled down and ended up making 21 of 26 field goal attempts. In 2013, he was a Pro Bowler, making all but one of 26 field goal attempts for the Broncos.

Back in February, Lions GM Martin Mayhew said that he would like to retain Mathis for the 2015 season and praised Mathis’ “position versatility.” In mid-March, he was able to check that off on his offseason to-do list. In 2014, Mathis started all 16 regular season games for the Lions, finishing with 54 total tackles, one interception for a touchdown, and two forced fumbles. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus (subscription required) placed him as the 12th best cornerback in the entire NFL last season with an overall score of 9.1. For reference, that posting put him ahead of such notables as Chris Culliver, Brandon Flowers, Aqib Talib, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

Before the start of free agency, the Lions locked up both of Matthew Stafford‘s backups – Dan Orlovsky and Kellen Moore. Orlovsky, 31, didn’t see game action in 2014, as Stafford stayed healthy for the whole season. The former Buccaneer last played in a regular season game in 2012 for Tampa Bay. Moore, 25, didn’t come close to appearing in a regular-season game for the Lions in 2014, and has yet to appear in a game during his three-year NFL career. However, the team was likely impressed by his performance during the preseason last year — Moore completed 35 of 51 passes for 361 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions during those exhibition games, with a passer rating of 108.4.

Isa Abdul-Quddus isn’t a big-name player, but as Birkett notes, he’s a valuable backup and a key player on special teams, where he racked up five tackles. He did end up starting four games last season, and posted 22 total tackles on the year. The Lions originally claimed the 25-year-old off waivers from the Saints last February.

Linebacker Josh Bynes, a restricted free agent, was not tendered an offer by the Lions, but he was re-signed at a lower rate. The 25-year-old appeared in 26 games for the Ravens from 2011 through 2014 and made nine starts along the way. He began the season on the Ravens’ taxi squad, but the Lions signed him to their active roster in late September.

Wide receiver Greg Salas, a fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2011, has bounced around the league a bit over the years but hopes to have a longer stay with the Lions. Over the course of his four-year NFL career, the 26-year-old has accumulated 43 receptions, including eight last year for New York — most of those catches came in Salas’ rookie season, when he hauled in 27 balls for the Rams.

Notable losses:

All season long, the possible departure of Ndamukong Suh hovered over Ford Field like a dark cloud. In March, what many viewed as the inevitable took place when Suh inked a lucrative free agent deal elsewhere. The good news for the Lions is that they won’t have to see a whole lot of their former start defensive tackle since he signed on with the AFC’s Dolphins. By PFF’s count, Suh racked up 72 total quarterback pressures in 2013, well ahead of any other DT besides Gerald McCoy, and he generated 57 quarterback pressures in 2014, tops in the league among defensive tackles. Another notable name, who we’ll get to in a bit, will now be charged with stuffing the run in Detroit.

Suh was the most notable defensive tackle to leave the Lions this offseason, but he wasn’t the only one. Nick Fairley inked a one-year deal with the Rams that will pay him a base of $5MM with incentives that can take him up to $7.5MM. Fairley had his 2014 season derailed by injuries, but he was very effective when healthy, as evidence by the widespread interest in him in March. A former 13th overall pick, Fairley had his best season in 2013, when he recorded 35 tackles and six sacks to go along with a pair of forced fumbles. Despite that impressive showing, the Lions elected not to exercise his relatively inexpensive ($5.477MM) fifth-year option for the 2015 season, allowing him to reach free agency.

Reggie Bush, 30, spent the last two seasons in Detroit. The former second overall pick had an excellent season in 2013, racking up more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage in just 14 games, establishing a new career high. However, he was plagued by injuries in 2014, and wasn’t overly effective when he did play. Overall, Bush accumulated just 297 yards on the ground and another 253 through the air in 11 games. Having inked a four-year, $16MM contract two years ago, Bush had been under contract through the 2016 season. A total of $3.556MM in dead money will now count toward the Lions’ cap in 2015.

Joining Suh in Miami will be defensive tackle C.J. Mosley, who hooked on just last month. Although he wasn’t as coveted a free agent as his ex-Lions teammate, Mosley was a solid contributor in Detroit last season as well. Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required) ranked him 26th out of 81 qualified defensive tackles, viewing him as slightly above average against both the pass and the run.

Over the years, Dominic Raiola became synonymous with two things: the Detroit Lions and dirty play. He’ll no longer be a part of the former in 2015 and it’s not clear if he’ll get a chance to show off the latter anywhere else. The veteran center was not re-signed as 2014 third-rounder Travis Swanson appears poised to take over the position.

Rob Sims, 31, helped give the Lions stability at left guard when he joined the team in 2010. Now, after his contract lapsed, he’s still looking for work. The veteran struggled early on in 2014 as he continued to recover from offseason injuries. He allowed two sacks against the Bills in Week 5 and garnered a negative grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in half of the Lions’ first ten games. But once his injuries started to get behind him, Sims played well down the stretch. Starting in Week 11 against the Cardinals Sims earned a positive grade from PFF in every game.

Andre Fluellen, 30, spent nearly all of his career with the Lions since being drafted by the team in the third round back in 2008. However, he never played a significant role in Detroit, acting as a part-time contributor over the course of 77 career games (75 with Detroit). In 2014, Fluellen recorded 10 tackles, two sacks, and a fumble recovery in 183 defensive snaps. We’ll have to see if he takes on a bigger role with the Bills in 2015.

Trades:

  • Acquired DT Haloti Ngata and a 2015 seventh-round pick from the Ravens in exchange for a 2015 fourth-round pick and a 2015 fifth-round pick.
  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick from the Buccaneers in exchange for DE George Johnson (RFA) and a 2015 seventh-round pick.
  • Acquired a 2015 first-round pick (No. 28; G Laken Tomlinson), a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 143), a 2016 fifth-round pick, and OL Manny Ramirez from the Broncos in exchange for a 2015 first-round pick (No. 23; DE/OLB Shane Ray).
  • Acquired a a 2015 third-round pick (No. 80; CB Alex Carter) from the Vikings in exchange for a 2015 third-round pick (No. 88; DE Danielle Hunter) and a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 143; TE MyCole Pruitt).
  • Acquired a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 113; DT Gabe Wright) from the Eagles in exchange for a 2016 third-round pick.

The Lions lost the heart and soul of their defense to free agency this offseason but they moved quickly to find a replacement. The Ravens expressed optimism they would be able to retain the 31-year-old Haloti Ngata via some sort of contract restructure involving either an extension or a pay reduction, but that was not the case. On March 10th, Detroit received Ngata and a seventh-round pick while sending a fourth- and fifth-round pick to the Ravens. Ngata is reuniting with Teryl Austin, Detroit’s defensive coordinator, who previously coached in Baltimore. The Lions will assume Ngata’s base salary of $8.5MM for the upcoming season. The nine-year veteran has started 133 games in his career, accruing 25.5 sacks.

Defensive end George Johnson tried to make the case that he should be classified as an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but his battle fell short when the NFLPA eventually saw things Detroit’s way. As a restricted free agent, many expected that he would stay put in Detroit. The 27-year-old carved out a role for himself as the preferred bookend off of the bench in 2014 and the Bucs took notice, inking him to a three-year, $9MM deal. The pact included de-escalators for years two and three and the Lions initially disputed the offer sheet, saying that they were unclear on what exactly they had to match. Rather than get an arbitrator involved, the two sides agreed to a deal in which Detroit received a fifth-round choice for the defensive end.

Draft day was incredibly slow in terms of trades but the Lions made a move in the first round that armed them with multiple picks plus a veteran offensive lineman in Manny Ramirez. The Broncos were smitten with linebacker Shane Ray and when he fell to Detroit at No. 23, Denver came calling. The Lions grabbed guard Laken Tomlinson at No. 28.

Extensions and restructures:

Draft picks:

  • 1-28: Laken Tomlinson, G (Duke): Signed
  • 2-54: Ameer Abdullah, RB (Nebraska): Signed
  • 3-80: Alex Carter, CB (Stanford): Signed
  • 4-113: Gabe Wright, DT (Auburn): Signed
  • 5-168: Michael Burton, FB (Rutgers): Signed
  • 6-200: Quandre Diggs, CB (Texas): Signed
  • 7-240: Corey Robinson, T (South Carolina): Signed

By drafting Laken Tomlinson at No. 28, the Lions got themselves a very capable replacement for Rob Sims at left guard. The Duke standout started all four years in college and hasn’t allowed a sack in the last two seasons. Tomlinson was widely pegged as a second-round guy, but late in the first round was hardly a stretch for him. In his draft profile on Tomlinson, Mike Mayock of NFL.com cited his lack of range and athleticism as a concern.

In the second round, the Lions found someone to help replenish the running back chart and potentially overtake Joique Bell as the No. 1 guy. Last year, Bell ran for 860 yards and seven TDs and showed that he can move the chains, even with a weak offensive line. Bell will probably be the Week 1 starter, but Abdullah could see more carries come his way as the season goes on.

Other:

In March, Mayhew expressed some uncertainty about Riley Reiff’s option, but it would’ve been a huge surprise if the club had actually declined the option. In April, they did what we all knew they would do. By exercising Reiff’s fifth-year option, the Lions extended the 26-year-old’s rookie contract by one year, keeping him locked up through the 2016 season. In 2014, Reiff’s Pro Football Focus grade (subscription required) placed him in a tie for 23rd out of 84 qualified offensive tackles.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Calvin Johnson, WR: $20,558,000
  2. Matthew Stafford, QB: $17,721,250
  3. Ndamukong Suh, DT: $9,737,500 (dead money)
  4. Haloti Ngata, DT: $8,500,000
  5. Stephen Tulloch, LB: $5,800,000
  6. Golden Tate, WR: $5,350,000
  7. Ezekiel Ansah, DE: $5,071,228
  8. DeAndre Levy, LB: $4,500,000
  9. Jason Jones, DE: $3,983,334
  10. Chris Houston, CB: $3,900,000 (dead money)

After finishing 11-5 and securing a Wild Card in 2014, the Lions will look to take a step forward in 2015 and overtake the Packers for the divisional crown. The big question is, how will their defense fair without one of the league’s most tenacious lineman?

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Offseason In Review: Green Bay Packers

July 17th, 2015 at 11:39am CST by Rory Parks

Notable signings:

In January, the Packers suffered one of the more crushing playoff defeats in recent memory, blowing a 16-0 halftime lead in the NFC Championship Game in Seattle and ultimately succumbing to the Seahawks in overtime, 28-22. That game saw a fake field goal attempt result in a touchdown, a recovered onside kick, and a two point conversion that is still difficult to explain.

Despite all that, the fact remains that Green Bay was within a hair’s breadth of advancing to the Super Bowl for the second time in the Aaron Rodgers era. The Packers were finally able to establish a legitimate running game with the emergence of Eddie Lacy, and their defense was at least good enough to support the league’s most prolific offense, which racked up 486 points as Rodgers cruised to his second league MVP award.

As a result, the team did not really need to make a big splash in free agency, and it did well to retain two foundational pieces of its offense, pieces that would have been quickly scooped up by another club. Randall Cobb, perhaps the best slot receiver in the league at the moment, agreed to stay in Green Bay on a four-year, $40MM pact, which was probably $4-8MM less than he could have received on the open market. Indeed, Cobb may have had as many as seven other offers on the table, but because he chose to remain with the team that drafted him, the Packers now have the luxury of fielding one of the most dynamic receiving tandems in the game for the next few years. Cobb and fellow wideout Jordy Nelson, who signed a four-year extension with Green Bay in July 2014, combined for 2,806 yards and 25 touchdowns last season, and since entering the league in 2011, Cobb has caught a league-best 75.2% of his targets. Nelson and Cobb, along with Lacy and Rodgers, will give the Packers more than enough firepower to continue terrorizing opposing defenses.

After re-signing Cobb, the Packers quickly moved on to star right tackle Bryan Bulaga, who was also generating plenty of interest from other teams. Bulaga graded out as the league’s fourth-best right tackle last season, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), and he was able to stay healthy after losing almost half of 2012 and all of 2013 to injury. He received especially high marks for his pass-blocking performance in support of Rodgers, yielding just four sacks–two of which came in one game–and two other quarterback hits over the course of the season. Like Cobb, Bulaga agreed to take a contract a little under market value in order to stay in Green Bay as an integral part of a legitimate championship contender. Although the five-year, $33.75MM deal was a little out of the Packers’ comfort zone, when you have a quarterback like Rodgers, you have to give him the weapons he needs to succeed. By retaining Cobb and Bulaga one year after extending Nelson, Green Bay has managed to do just that.

Defensively, the modest one-year deals given out to B.J. Raji and Letroy Guion may not seem like major moves, but they help provide veteran stability to a fairly deep defensive line rotation. Raji has not been much of a factor in the pass rush since 2010, but after missing all of 2014 with a torn bicep, his return should at least help boost a defense that ranked 23rd against the run last year.

Guion played well at nose tackle in Raji’s stead last season, and although he could be suspended for as many as four games to begin the 2015 campaign, he should continue to be productive when he does see the field, particularly since he will likely be playing more snaps at defensive end as a result of Raji’s return. By combining Guion and Raji with Mike Daniels’ consistently excellent play against both the run and pass, not to mention potential contributions from Josh Boyd and former first-round pick Datone Jones—who will serve a one-game suspension to open the year—the Packers will field a solid, if unspectacular, defensive front.

Notable losses:

Although the Packers did not perform particularly well against the run last year, they made up for it by generating a great deal of pressure on opposing quarterbacks and by getting a strong performance from the back end of their defense. Unfortunately, the depth of their secondary will be tested in a big way after losing Davon House and Tramon Williams to free agency.

Williams had started almost every game for the club since 2010, and though his excellent 2010 campaign resulted in his only Pro Bowl nod, he has been a consistently above-average corner for years. At age 32, he is certainly closer to the end of his career than the beginning, and it makes sense that the Packers would not want to match the three-year, $21MM deal that Williams landed from the Browns, but his presence will certainly be missed.

House, meanwhile, was ranked above Williams in PFR’s Top 50 Free Agents, and though he saw only part-time action in nickel and dime packages with Green Bay, it is clear that he is ready for a full-time role (House allowed only 46.8% of passes thrown into his coverage to be completed, which ranked fourth among qualified corners). The Jaguars will give him that opportunity, and they will pay him accordingly, with a four-year, $25MM deal. Without House and Williams, Green Bay will need to rely on rookies Damarious Randall and Quentin Rollins, the team’s first two selections in this year’s draft, to help solidify the secondary.

Otherwise, the Packers did not suffer any major losses this offseason. The team released longtime linebackers A.J. Hawk and Brad Jones, but the on-field ramifications of those releases should not be terribly significant. Hawk, of course, had played for the Packers since Green Bay selected him with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2006 draft, and he averaged over 100 tackles per season in his nine years with the club. However, as our Luke Adams wrote when Hawk was released, “toward the end of his tenure with the franchise, the 31-year-old’s production no longer matched his salary. In 2014, he saw his playing time scaled back toward the end of the season and in the playoffs as he struggled with an ankle injury, and he recorded a -14.4 grade for the season, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics (subscription required).” Similarly, Jones’ playing time was significantly reduced in 2014, and the team was able to clear over $7MM in salary cap space by releasing both him and Hawk.

Green Bay also ended its on-again, off-again relationship with Matt Flynn. Both Flynn and fellow backup signal-caller Scott Tolzien were unrestricted free agents, but the team elected to retain Tolzien on a one-year pact while Flynn ultimately signed with the Patriots.

Jarrett Boykin, who put together a nice season with the Packers in 2013 while filling in for an injured Cobb, caught just three passes last season and left to seek greener pastures in Carolina.

Although he will be best remembered for failing to secure the fateful onside kick that allowed Seattle to complete its comeback in last year’s NFC Championship Game, it was somewhat curious that the Packers decided to release Brandon Bostick given the team’s relative dearth of tight end talent.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 147; QB Brett Hundley) from the Patriots in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 166; LS Joe Cardona) and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 247; CB Darryl Roberts).

In one of the more surprising moves of this year’s draft, the Packers moved up 19 spots in the fifth round to select former UCLA signal-caller Brett Hundley. Although much has been made of the similarities between the respective draft day experiences of Hundley and Rodgers—the anxious and frustrating wait, being drafted by the Packers when they already have a beloved Hall-of-Fame caliber quarterback in place, etc.—there is one major difference: Hundley will not be groomed to be Rodgers’ heir apparent. Rodgers has too many good years ahead of him for that. Rather, Hundley, who is an excellent athlete with flaws that can be fixed, may be the heir apparent to Tolzien, and if he can hone his mechanics while improving his ability to read defenses, he can develop into a quality backup that could hold some trade value in the latter stages of his rookie contract.

Draft picks:

  • 1-30: Damarious Randall, S (Arizona State): Signed
  • 2-62: Quinten Rollins, CB (Miami (OH)): Signed
  • 3-94: Ty Montgomery, WR/KR (Stanford): Signed
  • 4-129: Jake Ryan, ILB (Michigan): Signed
  • 5-147: Brett Hundley, QB (UCLA): Signed
  • 6-206: Aaron Ripkowski, FB (Oklahoma): Signed
  • 6-210: Christian Ringo, DE (Louisiana-Lafayette): Signed
  • 6-213: Kennard Backman, TE (UAB): Signed

As noted above, the Packers will need to rely on Randall and Rollins to develop into at least capable rotational pieces in order to sufficiently overcome the losses of Williams and House. Both players are highly versatile and certainly have the potential to become quality starters in the league. Ty Montgomery may not see the field much as a receiver, but his return abilities may help the Packers find the endzone even more than they did last season. Jake Ryan is a quality middle-round selection who may be able to start at inside linebacker sooner rather than later, thereby allowing Clay Matthews to shift to outside linebacker. Aaron Ripkowski is a prototypical old-school fullback who could take over for John Kuhn in the near future. Christian Ringo may crack the roster as a rotational defensive lineman or as a member of the practice squad, and Kennard Backman is a limited player who may nonetheless have a chance to crack a thin tight end corps.

Other:

The Packers’ coaching staff saw saw no major hirings or firings of note, but there was one major shakeup. Tom Clements, who had previously served as the team’s offensive coordinator while head coach Mike McCarthy dialed up the offensive plays, was promoted to associate head coach and given play-calling duties. Edgar Bennett, a long-time positional coach who presided over the running backs for six seasons in Green Bay before serving as the wide receivers coach the past four years, was elevated to offensive coordinator. Bennett certainly deserves the promotion, as the receiving corps has flourished under his guidance.

Nick Perry has largely disappointed in his career in Green Bay, and the Packers consequently declined to pick up his fifth-year option, which would have cost the team $7.75MM. As a result, Perry is eligible for free agency at the end of the 2015 season. He played in all but one game last year and recorded 4.5 sacks, but he was on the field for less than 35% of the team’s defensive snaps and is not likely to see a major uptick in playing time this season, likely his last in a Packers uniform.

As noted previously, the depth of the defensive line will be tested early with the possible suspension of Guion and the one-game ban that Datone Jones received. Jones was not fully healthy until the end of last year and has not yet lived up to his status as a first-round pick, but he still has potential that he could begin to realize as a healthy part of a solid defensive line rotation.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Aaron Rodgers, QB: $18,250,000
  2. Clay Matthews, OLB: $12,700,000
  3. Julius Peppers, DE/OLB: $12,000,000
  4. Sam Shields, CB: $9,062,500
  5. Josh Sitton, G: $7,000,000
  6. T.J. Lang, G: $5,800,000
  7. Randall Cobb, WR: $5,350,000
  8. Morgan Burnett, S: $5,131,250
  9. Jordy Nelson, WR: $4,600,000
  10. Mike Neal, DL: $4,250,000

The Packers won the NFC North for the fourth consecutive year in 2014 and earned a first-round bye in the process, narrowly missing out on a trip to the Super Bowl. Although the Lions remain a worthy opponent and the Vikings are a trendy pick to get back into the playoffs in 2015, the Packers should once again be the favorites to capture the division. Despite the lack of a true playmaker at tight end, Richard Rodgers showed some promise as a rookie in 2014 and should provide enough of a receiving threat to take some pressure off the team’s explosive wideouts, and though there are no truly elite players on the other side of the ball outside of Matthews, there is enough quality at all three levels to at least maintain a middle-of-the-pack defense. But with Aaron Rodgers under center and the weapons he has at his disposal, there is no reason to think that the Packers cannot avenge their 2014 heartbreak and book a date to San Francisco in February 2016.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Offseason in Review: Minnesota Vikings

July 16th, 2015 at 5:22pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings didn’t do a whole lot of business in free agency but they did upgrade through trades and the draft.

Notable signings:

After trading Matt Cassel – who we’ll talk about in a bit – the Vikings moved quickly to fill his spot on the depth chart by signing Shaun Hill. The seasoned veteran has played for four teams, including a stint with the Vikings from 2002-05. His latest stop was in St. Louis, where he played nine games (eight starts) last year and threw eight touchdowns against seven interceptions for an 83.9 passer rating.

Tom Johnson signed with the Vikings last offseason on a one-year contract, coming off of a three-year stint with the Saints. He impressed the coaching staff with a strong year in 2014 the led him to staying with the Vikings. He graded out positively as a rotation player on the defensive line according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and should continue to help the team going forward. Minnesota didn’t have many impact free agents hitting the open market this year but Johnson was one of the guys they wanted to retain.

Terence Newman spent the last three seasons in Cincinnati, starting 41 regular season contests for the Bengals during that stretch. By signing with the Vikings, the 36-year-old has reunited with Mike Zimmer, who was the defensive coordinator in Cincinnati when Newman joined the Bengals. In 2014, Newman logged 75 tackles to go along with 15 passes defended and an interception, and graded as a middle-of-the-pack cornerback according to Pro Football Focus’ grades, placing 56th out of 108 qualified players at the position (subscription required).

Running back Matt Asiata was given an opportunity to shine in 2014 thanks to the absence of Adrian Peterson and, for a handful of games, he shined like a diamond. In March, Asiata was a restricted free agent and neither the running back nor the team knew what kind of role he would fill in 2015 thanks to Peterson’s status being up in the air and the emergence of freak athlete Jerick McKinnon. The two sides ultimately agreed to an incentive-laden deal that would protect Minnesota in the event of Peterson’s return and reward Asiata if he was starting and getting 20+ carries per game. Now that AD is back in action (more on that further down the page), it’s unlikely that Asiata will get to cash in on most of those incentives.

Notable losses:

Greg Jennings was asked to restructure his contract in order to remain with the team, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement and that led to the wide receiver being released in mid-March. Jennings’ release saved the Vikings $5MM, but $6MM worth of dead money remains on the team’s 2015 cap. Jennings was catching passes from a combination of Matt Cassel, Christian Ponder, and even Josh Freeman during his first year with the Vikes, and never appeared to be an ideal fit. Even after Teddy Bridgewater emerged as the starter in 2014, Jennings’ production was unspectacular — he recorded just 59 receptions for 742 yards last season. That’s a far cry from his best work. During the three seasons in which he played all 16 games, from 2008 to 2010, Jennings posted three straight 1,100-yard seasons, averaging about 75 receptions, 1,223 yards, and eight touchdowns per year.

Ponder, 27, started 36 games during his four years with the Vikings, though he was essentially the team’s No. 3 signal-caller in 2014, behind Teddy Bridgewater and Cassel on the depth chart. The former No. 12 overall pick is now with the Raiders and will serve as the understudy to Derek Carr. All throughout 2014 it was widely speculated that Ponder’s time in Minnesota was drawing to a close.

As a youngster with the Jets, the rap on Vlad Ducasse was that he was an extremely green (no pun intended) lineman with immense strength. Throughout his first four seasons with the Jets and his 2014 campaign with the Vikings, Ducasse still looked rather raw and never fulfilled his second round potential. The UMass product started just five games during his time with New York. He topped that number in ’14 alone, starting six contests in Minnesota while playing at both guard positions. In total, Ducasse played in 13 games last season, totaling 417 snaps, but graded as the league’s No. 61 guard among 78 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Vikings, understandably, didn’t make a great effort to keep him.

Jasper Brinkley wanted to return to Minnesota and in March, he made that known to everyone.

“I would love to come back,’’ Brinkley said. “They gave me an opportunity and it still feels like home for me. I would love to definitely come back. Coach Zimmer is doing great things with the team, turning the culture around there and everything is on the up and up.’’

Ultimately, however, that was not to be, as Brinkley wound up signing a two-year pact with the Cowboys. The veteran started 11 games for Minnesota last season, compiling 54 tackles and one sack.

Veteran guard Charlie Johnson started 61 of 64 potential regular season games for the Vikings over the past four years, but he was not welcomed back for the 2015 season. Despite his extensive experience (115 career starts), the 31-year-old received a negative grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in each of his four years in Minnesota, including a -12.1 mark in 2014.

Corey Wootton, 28, spent the first four seasons of his NFL career in Chicago before joining the Vikings for the 2014 season. While he has never been an every-down player, Wootton saw 22 starts and totaled 10 sacks during his final two seasons with the Bears. Last year in Minnesota, he came off the bench and recorded just a single sack.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick and a 2016 seventh-round pick from the Bills in exchange for QB Matt Cassel and a 2015 sixth-round pick.
  • Acquired WR Mike Wallace and a 2015 seventh-round pick from the Dolphins in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick.
  • Acquired a 2015 third-round pick (No. 80) and a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 193; DL B.J. Dubose) from the Chiefs in exchange for a 2015 third-round pick (No. 76; WR Chris Conley).
  • Acquired a 2015 third-round pick (No. 88; DE Danielle Hunter) and a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 143; TE MyCole Pruitt) from the Lions in exchange for 2015 third-round pick (No. 80; CB Alex Carter).
  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 146; WR Stefon Diggs) and a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 185; T Tyrus Thompson) from the Falcons in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 137; DT Grady Jarrett).

Exit Jennings, enter Mike Wallace. On March 13th, the Vikings acquired Wallace and a seventh-round pick from the Vikings for a fifth-round choice. Wallace, who spent the first four years of his career in Pittsburgh, signed a five-year, $60MM contract with the Dolphins prior to the 2013 season. He subsequently caught 140 passes for nearly 1,800 yards and 15 touchdowns during his two years in Miami. The Dolphins will replace him with fomer Saints wide receiver Kenny Stills, who hauled in 63 passes for over 900 yards as a second-year man in 2014. Wallace is coming off a campaign that saw him tie a personal best with 10 TDs, giving him 47 for his career, and the Vikings hope to see more of that in 2015.

The Vikings probably didn’t mind parting with a fifth-rounder since they added one from the Bills in the Matt Cassel trade. For the Vikings, Cassel was largely expendable since he was their backup to Teddy Bridgewater. The Bills, however, were faced with major question marks at the quarterback position and needed to make a move for a proven vet.

Extensions/Restructures:

Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked John Sullivan as one of the league’s better centers in 2014, with a +7.5 run-blocking grade buoying him to a 12th-place finish among 41 qualified players at the position. It was no surprise that the Vikings offered him another year on his deal.

Draft picks:

  • 1-11: Trae Waynes, CB (Michigan State): Signed
  • 2-45: Eric Kendricks, ILB (UCLA): Signed
  • 3-88: Danielle Hunter, DE (LSU): Signed
  • 4-110: T.J. Clemmings, T (Pittsburgh): Signed
  • 5-143: MyCole Pruitt, TE (Southern Illinois): Signed
  • 5-146: Stefon Diggs, WR (Maryland): Signed
  • 6-185: Tyrus Thompson, T (Oklahoma): Signed
  • 6-193: B.J. Dubose, DL (Louisville): Signed
  • 7-228: Austin Shepherd, OL (Alabama): Signed
  • 7-232: Edmond Robinson, OLB (Newberry): Signed

The Vikings were widely connected to Michigan State standout Trae Waynes in the weeks leading up to the draft and they did not make fools of the prognosticators. Waynes possesses top-end speed and many believe that he will be a natural fit for Zimmer’s system. Mike Mayock of NFL.com is one of the many pundits who feels that Waynes is an outstanding corner, particularly in press coverage. As a junior in 2014, Waynes three interceptions and eight pass breakups and finished sixth on the team with 46 tackles.

After taking Anthony Barr in 2014, the Vikings went back to the well when they took fellow UCLA linebacker Eric Kendricks. Kendricks boasts solid in-game speed and can also drop back for man-to-man coverage when needed. If Kendricks can add weight to his frame without losing speed, he could have a very bright NFL future ahead of him.

Other:

Of course, the biggest story for Minnesota didn’t have anything to do free agency, trades, or the draft. Instead, the Vikings waited and waited to find out if they’d have the services of embattled running back Adrian Peterson and in April, they got confirmation of his reinstatement. Just one problem: Peterson and his agent said that he would not suit up for the Vikings without a sign of a “commitment,” which everyone took to mean that AD wanted the remainder of his contract guaranteed. Ultimately, the Vikings did not blink in that stare-down and came out on top. The 30-year-old is under contract for three more years, and is scheduled to earn a $12.75MM base salary this season.

Since entering the league as the 29th overall pick in 2012, Harrison Smith has evolved into one of the NFL’s most effective free safeties — in 2014, he had his best year yet, compiling 92 tackles, five interceptions, and three sacks for the Vikes.

Matt Kalil, on the other hand, has struggled. Although he earned a Pro Bowl berth in his rookie season, and has started all 48 regular season games at left tackle for Minnesota since being selected fourth overall, the 25-year-old has regressed over the last couple years, according to Pro Football Focus’ data (subscription required). PFF assigned Kalil a -21.1 grade as a pass blocker in 2014, which ranked 83rd out of 84 qualified tackles. Still, neither player’s salary is fully guaranteed until the first day of the 2016 league year, so as long as Kalil doesn’t sustain a significant injury, the Vikes will still be able to move on from him after this season if they so choose.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Adrian Peterson, RB: $15,400,000
  2. Mike Wallace, WR: $9,900,000
  3. Everson Griffen, DE: $8,200,000
  4. John Sullivan, C: $7,333,333
  5. Phil Loadholt, RT: $6,750,000
  6. Kyle Rudolph, TE: $6,440,625
  7. Matt Kalil, LT: $6,290,644
  8. Greg Jennings, WR: $6,000,000 (dead money)
  9. Brian Robison, DE: $5,650,000
  10. Chad Greenway, LB: $5,575,000

For several months there were rumblings that Peterson would force his way out of Minnesota – possibly into the welcoming arms of Jerry Jones. As we look ahead to training camp, No. 28 is still in purple and the Cowboys are, somewhat surprisingly, without a blockbuster running back. The Vikings held on to Peterson and with all of their other core players under contract through 2016, they didn’t lose much of anything this offseason. The Vikings have a real chance to take the NFC North, but much of their success will rest on the 30-year-old shoulders of Peterson, who may have to battle some rust before getting back to his old form.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Offseason In Review: Pittsburgh Steelers

July 14th, 2015 at 7:28pm CST by Zachary Links

After a fairly uneventful offseason, the Steelers will look to repeat as AFC North champs.

Notable signings:

Arthur Moats not only decided to stay with the Steelers in March, he decided to give himself the scoop on the story. Moats let Steeler Nation know that he would be staying in Pittsburgh and it was later learned that it was a three-year, $7.5MM deal for the outside linebacker. That may not be big bucks compared to some other free agent deals, but it marked a pay raise for Moats after he played on a minimum salary benefit deal in 2014. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) was very high on the 26-year-old’s performance against the run in 2013 and in 2014 he received high marks for his overall performance. PFF had Moats ranked as the 17th best outside linebacker in a 3-4 set with his 7.3 overall grade. Those advanced numbers put him ahead of guys like Clay Matthews, Trent Cole, Aldon Smith, and Brian Orakpo in 2014.

When the Steelers signed DeAngelo Williams on March 13th, he was brought in with the intention of being one of Le’Veon Bell‘s primary backups. Now, with Bell sidelined for the first three games of the season, the former Panthers back will play an even more pivotal role as the primary back to start the year. Williams, a former first-round pick, is coming off the worst season of his career, one marred by injuries. The 31-year-old played only six games for the Panthers, and wasn’t productive when he did play, averaging a career-low 3.5 yards per carry on 62 total attempts. Carolina had been on track to head into the 2015 league year with three running backs among their top 10 cap numbers — Jonathan Stewart, Williams, and Mike Tolbert counted for about $18MM combined, so it came as no surprise when the club decided to part ways with Williams, a longtime Panther.

In March, James Harrison was split between the Steelers and Titans. While he was tempted to follow Dick LeBeau to Tennessee, he ultimately decided to remain in Pittsburgh on a two-year deal. Harrison played the 2013 season in Cincinnati, but after an underwhelming stint with the Bengals, Harrison decided to call it a career. His retirement lasted for all of 18 days before his old teammates convinced him to rejoin their ranks. The 36-year-old, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent and even spent time on Baltimore’s roster in the early stages of his career, collected 5.5 sacks in 11 games for the Steelers last season. Harrison is no longer the feared pass rusher he once was, but he can still be useful in a limited role in clear passing downs.

Darrius Heyward-Bey was active for all 16 games for the Steelers last season, but didn’t see much action, earning just five targets on the year. With a new deal, it’s possible that DHB will take on a role that is more reminiscent of his time with the Raiders. The former No. 7 overall pick has never been a superstar, but he has shown the ability to burn defenders in the open field. It’s also possible that Heyward-Bey will see the bulk of his action on special teams, like he did last season.

In early March the Steelers added a notable name to their quarterback depth chart when they signed former Clemson signal caller Tajh Boyd. Boyd, who was drafted by the Jets in the sixth round of the 2014 draft, signed on for a one-year, minimum salary deal.

Notable losses:

Longtime Steelers safety Troy Polamalu announced his retirement from the NFL in April. One of the best defenders of his generation, Polamalu was not expected to return to Pittsburgh in 2015, and he explained that the idea of playing for another franchise did not appeal to him. Polamalu, 34, had been a fixture on the Steelers’ defense since entering the league in 2003, appearing in 158 total games for the franchise. However, he wasn’t the same game-changing player in 2014 that he had been earlier in his career. While Pro Football Focus (subscription required) still gave the veteran a positive grade, it was only by a hair — his +0.1 mark placed him 48th out of 87 qualified safeties. It was also the only season of Polamalu’s career besides 2007 in which he failed to record at least one interception or sack.

Polamalu’s retirement wasn’t totally shocking, but Jason Worilds‘ sure was. The 27-year-old played and started all 16 games for the Steelers, turning in perhaps the best season of his career with 62 tackles and 7.5 sacks. Before his announcement, Worilds was ranked 14th on PFR’s list of the top 50 free agents. The linebacker walked away from a likely $7-8MM annual salary with at least $15MM in guaranteed money to pursue a different path after experiencing a “spiritual awakening.”

Longtime Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor also decided to end his NFL playing career. The 35-year-old spent his entire playing career in Pittsburgh, having been drafted by the team in the fourth round back in 2003. Over the course of his 12 seasons as a Steeler, Taylor never earned a Pro Bowl nod, but was a steady and mostly reliable presence in the club’s secondary, playing 174 regular season contests (140 starts) and another 14 postseason games.

Pittsburgh showed little to no interest in Brett Keisel for much of the 2014 offseason and only gave him a call in August after Darnell Dockett went down with a season-ending ACL injury. This year, Keisel’s season ended early when he suffered a triceps injury in late November against the Saints. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) ranked him as just the 36th-best 3-4 end out of 45 qualifiers in 2013 and he ranked 30th out of 48 eligible 3-4 bookends in 2014.

Brice McCain, 28, was released by the Texans in 2014 after ranking dead last among 110 qualified cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus’ grades in 2013 (subscription required). He went on to turn things around with the Steelers, recording 31 tackles and a career-high three interceptions. McCain didn’t grade out as a superstar in 2014, according to PFF, but he did improve, coming in as the 65th best cornerback out of 108 qualified players. McCain signed with the Dolphins shortly after the start of free agency.

Near the start of the offseason that veteran wide receiver Lance Moore asked the Steelers to release him, and the team eventually obliged. Moore landed with the Lions and later explained his motivations.

“I knew the day after the playoff loss that we had, I knew that I didn’t want to be there anymore,” said Moore. “They made me inactive. And I knew at that point that the writing is on the wall. I could see what their future plans were for me; it was the first time in my career that I was a healthy inactive.”

Ben Tate was viewed as a breakout candidate heading into 2014 after leaving Houston, where he had backed up Arian Foster for the first few years of his NFL career. In Cleveland, Tate struggled and was hampered by injuries early in the season, and fell behind rookies Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West on the team’s depth chart. The Browns opted to release Tate, at which point the Vikings claimed him on waivers, but the 26-year-old didn’t impress in Minnesota either, and the team cut him in December. Weeks later, needing a warm body for the playoffs, the Steelers inked the veteran. Now, Tate continues to look for an NFL home in 2015.

Extensions and restructures:

The Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger were working on a reworked deal for some time and they finally got it done in mid-March. Big Ben was set to enter the final year of his contract, earning a $11.6MM base to go along with a prorated $6.795MM, adding up to a massive $18.395MM cap number. Now, he’s under a new five-year pact worth $99MM that can balloon to $108MM with incentives.

Also of note is a new deal that did not happen this offseason, or at least hasn’t happened yet. Antonio Brown was arguably the league’s best wide receiver in 2014, leading the NFL in both receptions (129) and receiving yards (1,698). In April, he made it known that he is looking for a new contract that better reflects that production. Brown, a former sixth-round pick, signed his first big, long-term contract in 2012, agreeing to a five-year, $41.7MM pact. That deal pays him over $8MM per year, but that annual average value is outside the top 10 at his position, and places him behind players like Victor Cruz and Pierre Garcon. It was reported at one point that Brown wouldn’t attend the Steelers’ offseason program, but he showed up just one week later when things got underway. It’s not clear what Brown is looking for, but he would presumably want a bump in salary to at least the $11MM per year range. That’s what this year’s top free agent wideout, Jeremy Maclin, received. Despite the contract issue, Brown has made it clear that he is happy in Pittsburgh.

Draft picks:

  • 1-22: Bud Dupree, DE/OLB (Kentucky): Signed
  • 2-56: Senquez Golson, CB (Mississippi): Signed
  • 3-87: Sammie Coates, WR (Auburn): Signed
  • 4-121: Doran Grant, CB (Ohio State): Signed
  • 5-160: Jesse James, TE (Penn State): Signed
  • 6-199: L.T. Walton, DT (Central Michigan): Signed
  • 6-212: Anthony Chickillo, DE/OLB (Miami): Signed
  • 7-239: Gerod Holliman, S (Louisville): Signed

Bud Dupree was connected to a lot of teams heading into the draft and the Steelers were delighted when he fell to them at No. 22 overall. Dupree’s in-game motivation was a bit inconsistent at Kentucky, but he has also displayed impressive strength and athleticism. Dupree has spoken about his affinity for the Steelers defenses of old and has vowed to help bring that hard-hitting style back to Pittsburgh.

Other:

Dick LeBeau, 77, announced in January that he would resign from his post as DC, but he made it clear that he would not be retiring.

“I’m resigning this position, not retiring,” LeBeau said. “I had a great run in Pittsburgh. I’m grateful for all the things that have happened to me and thankful for all the support I had in Pittsburgh.”

LeBeau joined on with the Titans’ staff while linebackers coach Keith Butler was promoted to take his place. From the sound of it, Butler intends on letting his playmakers in the front seven do their thing.

“Coach Buts said early on, ‘I’m not going to hold you back. I want the linebackers to fend for themselves. I expect you guys to make plays for yourself,” lineman Cameron Heyward said.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Ben Roethlisberger, QB: $17,245,000
  2. Lawrence Timmons, LB: $12,566,250
  3. Antonio Brown, WR: $9,787,500
  4. LaMarr Woodley, OLB: $8,580,000 (dead money)
  5. Cortez Allen, CB: $6,981,000
  6. Cameron Heyward, DL: $6,969,000
  7. Heath Miller, TE: $5,666,666
  8. Troy Polamalu, S: $4,500,000 (dead money)
  9. Maurkice Pouncey, C: $4,296,000
  10. Shaun Suisham, K: $3,665,000

The first three games alone won’t dictate any team’s season, but it is fair to wonder how starting the season without Bell will affect the Steelers. Even when Bell returns to the club, the Steelers will have to deal with an absolutely brutal schedule for the remainder of the 2015 season. The Steelers could very well repeat this year, but it certainly won’t be easy.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

Offseason In Review: Cleveland Browns

July 13th, 2015 at 6:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Veteran cornerback Tramon Williams had interest from all around the league as the incumbent Packers expressed interest in retaining him, the Saints met with him, and the Eagles, Titans, Vikings, and Ravens also showed varying levels of interest. However, it was the Browns who came away with his signature. Williams started all 16 games for the Packers last season, notching three interceptions, and grading as the league’s 34th-best CB among 108 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He’ll be tasked with replacing Buster Skrine, who we’ll talk about in a bit.

Speaking of replacements for notable players, let’s talk a bit about Dwayne Bowe. Bowe, 30, was part of the underachieving and record-setting group of Chiefs wide receivers that managed to go the entire 2014 season without catching a single touchdown pass. It was the third straight mediocre season for Bowe, who has averaged approximately 59 receptions and 743 yards per year since 2012, on the heels of back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons in 2010 and 2011. Were Bowe’s woes his own fault, or was he just not getting the right looks in KC’s offense? We’ll find out in 2015.

All year long, Browns fans wondered whether it would be Brian Hoyer or Johnny Manziel under center for Cleveland in 2015. Now we know it definitely won’t be Hoyer (now in Houston) and Manziel probably won’t be the starter given all of his issues. Instead, that mantle will likely belong to offseason acquisition Josh McCown. The Browns will be McCown’s ninth franchise since he entered the league in 2002 and third in the last three seasons. The 6-foot-4, 213-pounder spent the 2014 campaign in Tampa Bay and performed poorly in 11 games for a Buccaneers team that finished with the NFL’s worst record. He threw for 11 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and completed only 56.3% of his passes – good for a dismal 70.5 rating. The Bucs subsequently cut McCown in February.

Randy Starks was displaced from Miami when the Dolphins signed Ndamukong Suh but he quickly found a new home in Cleveland. Starks, 31, went to two Pro Bowls with the Dolphins and was an interior anchor on the defensive line since joining the team in 2009, missing just one game in his six seasons in Miami. In Cleveland, Starks will help solidify a Browns defensive line that underwhelmed in 2014. In addition to signing Starks, the team also hopes to get a healthy John Hughes back in the lineup for a full season, which should help offset the loss of defensive tackle Ahtyba Rubin.

Brian Hartline had a down season in 2014, catching only 39 passes and two touchdowns. However, he’s been a solid possession receiver in the past, topping 1,000 yards in both ’12 and ’13. The Chiefs, Patriots, Texans, and Bears were among the other teams who had expressed interest in adding the veteran pass-catcher, but the Browns came out on top. Hartline was cut loose by Miami back in February.

Browns safety Tashaun Gipson was the last restricted free agent on the market, but he officially got under contract in June when he signed his RFA tender. Gipson will play the 2015 season on his RFA tender before becoming eligible for unrestricted free agency in 2016. While the 24-year-old has reportedly discussed a long-term contract with the Browns, he likely won’t hesitate to test the open market if given the opportunity, since he’d certainly draw interest from teams in need of talent in the secondary. Potential suitors this year were almost certainly scared off by the second-round pick they would have had to surrender had they been able to sign Gipson away from the Browns. Over the last two years, Gipson has started 26 games for the Browns, racking up 146 tackles during that stretch and showing a knack for coming up with big plays — he has grabbed 11 interceptions during the last two seasons, returning two of them for touchdowns.

Jordan Cameron took his talents to South Beach and Rob Housler has been brought in to try and replace some of his production. Housler, 27, had a disappointing 2014 season, as he notched just nine receptions for 129 yards. However, he posted respectable numbers in 2012 and 2013, averaging 42 catches for 436 yards during those two seasons.

Notable losses:

Skrine played second fiddle to Joe Haden in Cleveland and he’ll now be the No. 3 cornerback with the Jets behind Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. In 2014, Skrine showed that he is durable by playing 1,152 snaps and he held opposing QBs to a respectable 56.9% completion percentage. It’ll be interesting to see how the Browns’ secondary looks with Tramon Williams in Skrine’s place.

Originally, Jordan Cameron was said to have reached an agreement on a new contract with Cleveland worth $15MM for two years. However, in one of the offseason’s biggest swerves, Miami made a second push to sign Cameron once they heard about the agreement and ultimately landed him. Cameron struggled with injuries in 2014, managing to play in 10 games but only catching 24 passes. However, he had a breakout season in 2013, when he caught 80 passes for nearly 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns.

Despite his winning record, Brian Hoyer didn’t receive much interest from the Browns this offseason, as the team opted instead to bring in former Buccaneers starter Josh McCown. The 29-year-old saw his first extended run as a starter in 2014, and though his overall numbers – including a 55.3% completion percentage, 12 touchdowns to 13 interceptions, and a 76.5 passer rating – weren’t overly impressive, he led the Browns to a 7-6 record in his starts before giving way to Johnny Manziel and Connor Shaw near the end of the season. Now, rather than returning to Cleveland to compete again with Manziel, Hoyer has reunited with Bill O’Brien, who coached him during his years with the Patriots.

Jabaal Sheard spent all four years of his career in Cleveland but he’ll now continue with the Patriots. Sheard, who turns 26 in May, appeared in all 16 games for the Browns last season and made five starts. In that time, the edge defender racked up 44 straight tackles, three pass deflections, and 2 sacks. Sheard, for his part, is happy to be with a winner.

“Coming from a not-so-good program to a great program that has been winning and doing well, I’ve just been excited,” Sheard told Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. “I want to win in the league, and I want to be part of a great organization. That was a big part of me signing.”

Extensions and restructures:

Hughes, a 2012 draftee, became extension-eligible this winter for the first time, and the Browns didn’t waste much time in locking him up. The former third-round pick has started just seven games in his first three seasons in Cleveland, but appeared poised for a bigger role in 2014 before he landed on the injured reserve list for a good chunk of the season due to an MCL injury. Although he only logged 212 defensive snaps for the Browns in 2014, Hughes was productive in his limited action, per Pro Football Focus’ metrics, which gave him a +5.2 grade (subscription required). The 26-year-old was similarly productive in 2013, ranking among PFF’s top 10 3-4 defensive ends despite playing only 402 defensive snaps.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 second-round pick (No. 51; DE/OLB Nate Orchard), a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 116), and a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 195; FB/TE Malcolm Johnson) from the Texans in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick (No. 43; ILB Benardrick McKinney) and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 229).
  • Acquired a 2015 third-round pick (No. 96; DT Xavier Cooper) and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 219; ILB Hayes Pullard) from the Patriots in exchange for a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 111; G Tre Jackson), a fifth-round pick (No. 147), and a sixth-round pick (No. 202; TE A.J. Derby).
  • Acquired a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 123; WR Vince Mayle), a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 198; TE Randall Telfer), and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 241; CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu) from the Cardinals in exchange for a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 116; DL Rodney Gunter).
  • Acquired P Andy Lee from the 49ers in exchange for a 2017 seventh-round pick.

Draft picks:

  • 1-12: Danny Shelton, DT (Washington): Signed
  • 1-19: Cameron Erving, OL (Florida State): Signed
  • 2-51: Nate Orchard, DE/OLB (Utah): Signed
  • 3-77: Duke Johnson, RB (Miami): Signed
  • 3-96: Xavier Cooper, DT (Washington State): Signed
  • 4-115: Ibraheim Campbell, S (Northwestern): Signed
  • 4-123: Vince Mayle, WR (Washington State): Signed
  • 6-189: Charles Gaines, CB (Louisville): Signed
  • 6-195: Malcolm Johnson, FB/TE (Mississippi State): Signed
  • 6-198: Randall Telfer, TE (USC): Signed
  • 7-219: Hayes Pullard, ILB (USC): Signed
  • 7-241: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB (Oregon): Signed

The Browns beefed up its run defense big time with the signing of Starks and also with the selection of Danny Shelton at No. 12. The Washington star led the nation in fumble recoveries with five and had 16 tackles for loss in 2014 while finishing second on the team with 93 tackles. Strong and athletic, the 6’2″ athlete should go a long way towards helping the Browns improve on their No. 32 run defense.

With their second first-round choice, the Browns tapped Florida State offensive lineman Cameron Erving. Erving arrived at LSU years ago as a defensive tackle and didn’t do much but he saw great results when he eventually switched to the other side of the ball. The youngster will be used to help shore up the right side of Cleveland’s line but can also be used as leverage against center Alex Mack, whose contract is up after this year.

Other:

Since parting ways with previous offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, the Browns conducted an extensive search that saw the team linked to current and former coaches like Marc Trestman, Jim Hostler, Brian Angelichio, Anthony Lynn, Frank Cignetti, Tom Clements, and Mike Martz, among others. In the end, their search led them to John DeFilippo. While DeFilippo was never identified as the frontrunner, he also interviewed for the job a year ago when the team chose Shanahan, and had an “outstanding” interview at that point, per head coach Mike Pettine.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Joe Haden, CB: $11,700,000
  2. Joe Thomas, LT: $10,200,000
  3. Paul Kruger, OLB: $8,200,000
  4. Alex Mack, C: $8,000,000
  5. Desmond Bryant, DL: $7,000,000
  6. Donte Whitner, S: $6,750,000
  7. Tramon Williams, CB: $6,500,000
  8. Karlos Dansby, LB: $5,500,000
  9. Phil Taylor, DT: $5,477,000
  10. Andrew Hawkins, WR: $5,000,000

The Browns made some very necessary upgrades in the offseason, including improving upon their atrocious defensive line. But, as usual, there are major question marks at the quarterback position and Josh Gordon‘s absence certainly doesn’t help matters. Cleveland might improve upon its 7-9 mark from last season, but it’d be somewhat surprising to see them win the AFC North.

Contract information from Over the Cap and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post.

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