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Offseason In Review: Houston Texans

By | at August 30, 2016 8:30 am

The Texans’ blueprint this offseason obvious to everyone as they devoted a full-force effort on multiple fronts to fix their offense. After a defensive-powered season ended with a 30-0 shutout in the wild-card round, Houston will deploy a starkly different starting offense.

For most of this century, teams with elite quarterbacks or those equipped with dominant defenses advanced to Super Bowls. There aren’t many exceptions in the modern game. The 2012 Ravens are one, but they were riding a hot streak from Joe Flacco who was playing some of his best football. The 2016 Texans are banking on another fifth-year passer, but Flacco and Brock Osweiler‘s careers aren’t exactly comparable. Houston bet big on the longtime backup who was at times effective in his audition last season.

Although they employ one of the NFL’s premier players in J.J. Watt, the Texans’ chances will hinge largely on the 6’7″ Osweiler building on his brief success. Last year’s No. 3-ranked defense lifted the team about as far as it could. This offseason, management made a point to provide as much help as possible.

Notable signings:

Midway through 2014, it looked like Peyton Manning was going to play out the five-year contract he signed with the Broncos in 2012, thus giving his lanky backup no realistic opportunity impress potential buyers as a free agent. But the future Hall of Fame quarterback experienced a quick decline that forced the Broncos to retool their offense that season, and his freefall continued in 2015 prior to Manning injuring his foot. Osweiler stepped in and kept his previous defensive-fueled team afloat, altering his career in the process.

The seven-game work sample Osweiler offered included mixed reviews. He showcased some ability despite no previous experience in an important game situation, leading the Broncos to a 4-2 record in games he played throughout. The former second-round pick drove the team to pivotal victories over the Patriots and Bengals to help the Broncos secure home-field advantage. He finished with 10 touchdown passes, six interceptions and 245.9 passing yards per game. Denver’s offense also sputtered for several entire halves under Osweiler’s guidance, leading to two December losses and increasing the defense’s burden. What happened during the final stretch of offensive futility under the 25-year-old Osweiler may have changed the long-term outlook for two franchises.

Benched for Manning early in the third quarter of the Broncos’ Week 17 game after a spate of turnovers that mostly were hard to pin on him, Osweiler either was merely miffed at the idea of being replaced after guiding Denver back to the precipice of home-field advantage. Or he saw Gary Kubiak‘s decision as evidence he didn’t want to return to the team. His agreement with Houston came after Denver offered him $16MM per year to continue in a system in which he showed promise. Osweiler has attributed the surprising exit to wanting to start something with the Texans, who are placing immense faith in the Arizona State product whose career began with a longer backup stint than Aaron Rodgers‘.

The Texans are committed to Osweiler for the next two seasons at least. This experiment failing can reasonably result in a divorce in 2018, when just $6MM in dead money would be attached to an Osweiler release. But the Texans spent plenty in offseason capital to give their quarterback weaponry after deploying an offense without much in the way of options beyond DeAndre Hopkins last season.

Houston moved quickly to replace Arian Foster, signing Miller on Day 1 of free agency. Unlike the new franchise quarterback, the Texans’ cornerstone ball-carrier’s ability can be judged based on full-season bodies of work. Miller posted back-to-back slates of at least 1,200 yards from scrimmage. Among backs who received at least 400 carries in 2014-15, Miller’s 4.8 yards per tote rank as the league’s top mark in a sub-category basically exclusive to starting backs. As a receiver, Miller caught 47 passes for nearly 400 yards last season, so he’s no slouch as an outlet option, either.

Miller played 16 games in each of the Dolphins’ past three regular seasons, but 2014’s 210 carries represent the former fourth-round pick’s career high. He stands to have plenty of opportunities in Houston, which looks to have signed a 25-year-old runner with upside thanks to his age and a lack of usage typical of a three-year starter. By this measure, Miller’s $6.5MM AAV (sixth among running backs) accord looks to be a good value bet. He’ll be a key part in helping Osweiler assimilate in south Texas.

The other key piece on the free agency side of the offense-enhancement blueprint, Allen possesses the starting experience closer to Miller but a track record more in line with Osweiler’s. Excepting a 2014 season during which he missed the Chiefs’ final 15 games, Allen was a primary starter in Kansas City after arriving as Scott Pioli‘s final second-round selection in 2012. He started 13 games as a rookie and 14 a year later, but in neither season was he considered an above-average guard. Conveniently for his value and the sake of the Chiefs’ reeling line last year, Allen strung together his best season in 2015.

Previously relocated to right tackle in 2014 prior to his season-ending elbow malady, Allen began his ’15 campaign on the right edge before Ben Grubbs‘ career-ending neck injury moved him back inside. At left guard, Allen became Kansas City’s best lineman, helping the Chiefs adjust to life without Jamaal Charles. But the 6-foot-4 blocker saw a preseason knee injury limit him to 12 games (eight starts) last season. Nonetheless, the Texans needed a guard with Brandon Brooks in the process of signing with the Eagles, and they made Allen the league’s sixth-highest-paid guard on a per-year basis.

Allen’s $7MM average — which ended up being $1MM less per season than Brooks received from Philadelphia — makes him the Texans’ third $5MM-per-year blocker. He’ll join tackles Duane Brown and Derek Newton as veteran presences expected to open lanes for Miller, only Allen will now have to live up to a deal signed on the strength of barely a half-season’s worth of upper-echelon work. Like Osweiler, Allen showcased potential at the right time.

Houston spent less extravagantly to fortify its swing spots but kept Clark and brought in Bergstrom on notable veteran deals. A 2015 trade acquisition from the Broncos, Clark looks like the Texans’ swing tackle, with former Raider Bergstrom settling in as the interior roving backup. Clark could be called to action in a key capacity, however, as Brown remains on the Active/PUP list.

Clark operated in this capacity for the 2013 Broncos, starting the team’s final 17 games after left-edge bastion Ryan Clady went down that September. He performed adequately that year but couldn’t hold the right tackle job in 2014, helping green-light a trade to Houston. Last season, Clark performed better as a run-blocker than in pass protection during his four games as a starter.

Bergstrom suffered a significant foot injury in 2013 and did not play in ’13 or ’14. A former Raiders third-rounder, he returned as a sub for Rodney Hudson in three starts last season. He could also serve as a possible starting center given the team’s recent trouble at that spot. Nick Martin‘s season-ending ankle injury appears to have opened the door for 2015 UDFA Greg Mancz. But the second-year player faltering could move Bergstrom into a position to play with the first unit.

Regardless of whether or not Bergstrom or Clark ascend into the starting lineup, Houston’s now paying five linemen at least $2.5MM per year. Martin’s injury would have set several teams back worse.

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Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

By | at August 24, 2016 6:34 pm

Although the Buccaneers are in the midst of an eight-year playoff drought, they appear to be on the right track after taking significant steps forward in 2015. Not only did Tampa Bay enjoy a four-win improvement and better its point differential by 58 from 2014 to 2015, but it may have found a franchise quarterback in Jameis Winston. The No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, Winston acquitted himself well as a rookie and could soon help lead the Buccaneers back to consistent contention for the first time since the early 2000s. In a perfect world for the Bucs, their return to the postseason will come in January 2017. However, given the club’s relatively modest offseason, it’s likely too soon to expect it to push for a playoff spot in the NFC.

Notable signings:

General manager Jason Licht said before free agency that the Buccaneers would be “selective and strategic” in spending money and wouldn’t dole out contracts with the potential to damage their cap over the long haul. Licht was true to his word, as even the most sizable deals he awarded to veterans will be easy to escape in short order if they don’t work out.

Doug Martin (vertical)

In terms of both contract (five years, $35.75MM with $15MM in guarantees) and star power, running back Doug Martin was Tampa Bay’s most notable offseason signing. Given that the Buccaneers decided in May 2015 to decline Martin’s $5.621MM fifth-year option for 2017, they took a financial hit this past winter in committing nearly three times that much in guarantees to their 2012 first-round pick. A year ago, though, Martin was coming off back-to-back miserable seasons that made his sensational rookie campaign look like a fluke. He revisited his first-year form last season, however, finishing second in the NFL in both carries (288) and rushing yards (1,409) en route to first-team All-Pro status.

Considering Martin’s inconsistent track record, betting on the 27-year-old going forward looks like a gamble. In the event he’s unable to live up to his new pact, the Bucs will be able to bail on his contract after the 2017 season, thus mitigating the risk. Should Martin keep serving as a quality option, Tampa Bay will continue to have one of the league’s most well-rounded backfield duos in him and Charles Sims. Led by that tandem, the Buccaneers finished last season first in yards-per-carry average (4.8), fifth in overall rushing (2,162) and 11th in DVOA – up from 31st in 2014.

Among the players who will be responsible for blocking for Martin and Sims is left guard J.R. Sweezy, whom the Buccaneers inked to a five-year, $32.55MM pact with $14.5MM guaranteed in free agency. With a combined $2.5MM in dead money through 2020 left after this year, the Buccaneers will be able to move on from Sweezy without much difficulty if they have buyer’s remorse.

Sweezy spent the first four years of his career in Seattle, where he started in all 46 of his appearances from 2013-15, though Pro Football Focus ranked him just 66th among 81 qualified guards in overall performance last season. Nevertheless, the Bucs are counting on Sweezy as the long-term replacement for the retired Logan Mankins, whom PFF placed 15th in 2015. The Sweezy era in Tampa Bay hasn’t gotten off to an ideal start, though, as the 27-year-old will miss at least the first five weeks of the season with a back injury. In the meantime, the Buccaneers are likely to go with former tackle Kevin Pamphile, a third-year man with four starts on his resume.

Robert Ayers

On the defensive side, the Buccaneers went into free agency looking to augment a pass rush that finished last season tied for 14th in sacks (38) and 22nd in hurries (91). To help with those issues, they added defensive end Robert Ayers, a former Bronco and Giant who amassed 21 sacks and four forced fumbles in 39 games over the previous three seasons. The soon-to-be 31-year-old Ayers missed four games in 2015, but his production was highly impressive – he picked up a career-high 9.5 sacks and added 18 hurries, placing him between the likes of Chandler Jones (16) and Olivier Vernon (20).

Ayers, who also finished last year as PFF’s eighth-best edge rusher (110 qualifiers), is now on the Buccaneers’ books through 2018. But that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case – in the event of an appreciable decline in output, the Bucs will be able to move on from Ayers either after this season or after next without taking on any dead money. While Tampa Bay would rather see Ayers play well and remain in place for the duration of his three-year, $19.5MM deal, the fact that his contract has no cap ramifications past this season makes it a worthy gamble for the organization.

Joining Ayers in the Buccaneers’ front seven is 13th-year man Daryl Smith, who’s slated to start at strongside linebacker after dividing his first 12 seasons between Jacksonville and Baltimore. Notably, Smith played the first four years of his career under new Buccaneers defensive coordinator Mike Smith, who was the Jaguars’ defensive chief during those seasons. Daryl Smith enjoyed some fine seasons with the Jags, and he was particularly durable as a member of the Ravens. In Baltimore, Smith started in 48 straight games from 2013-15 and racked up 120-plus tackles in each of his three seasons with the club, while also combining for nine sacks and four forced fumbles. PFF was unimpressed with Smith’s play last year, though, as the outlet ranked him 71st among 97 qualified linebackers. The Ravens then cut Smith in early March, but based on his ability to stay on the field and produce, the Bucs made out well in signing the 34-year-old for a fairly meager sum of $2.5MM.

“Not only is he a really good football player, but once you get to know Daryl and the type of guy he is, I think Daryl will be a really good sounding board,” new head coach Dirk Koetter told Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report. “His experience and the players that he’s played with in his career, the things that he’s accomplished in his career, will do nothing but help Lavonte [David] and Kwon [Alexander] advance as players.”

Thanks largely to a weak secondary, Tampa Bay allowed the fourth-most touchdown tosses (31) and the second-highest passer rating (101.2) in the league last season. With that in mind, the club addressed the area over the winter by signing outside help (Brent Grimes and Josh Robinson) and re-upping Chris Conte, Bradley McDougald and Keith Tandy to new deals.

Brent Grimes

Grimes, a cornerback, is clearly the most accomplished member of the group, having started in 90 of 106 appearances with two teams – the Falcons and Dolphins – and totaling 26 interceptions since entering the league in 2007. Like Daryl Smith, Grimes also worked under Mike Smith previously. Grimes played in Atlanta from 2007-12, and Smith was the Falcons’ head coach in five of those six seasons. The rapport they established with the Falcons helped lead to a reunion in Tampa Bay.

“It’s a big deal for me, because I like the system,’’ Grimes told Roy Cummings of the Tampa Bay Times in March. “And one thing I know about Mike Smith is, he’s a great coach as far as everybody on the field knowing where they need to be and knowing what their assignment is, and he pays great attention to detail.”

After leaving Atlanta, Grimes was an impressive producer in Miami, where he started in all 47 appearances over the previous three seasons and picked off either four or five passes in each of those years (though he did yield a 103.2 passer rating against in 2015). Grimes is now in his age-33 season, so he’s unlikely to resemble a shutdown corner at this juncture. Still, as is the case with their other established veteran signings, the Bucs will have the option of waving goodbye to Grimes with no real harm done at season’s end. Regardless of whether Grimes sees his two-year deal with the Buccaneers through, the organization will hope his outspoken wife, Miko, is capable of avoiding controversy. She already made headlines for the wrong reasons last month, which wasn’t anything new.

While neither Robinson nor Tandy is expected to play a huge role at corner in Tampa Bay’s secondary this year, both Conte and McDougald have realistic chances to occupy the starting safety spots. Conte performed well in 2015, his first season with the Buccaneers, starting 13 of 14 appearances and totaling 79 tackles, three interceptions and two forced fumbles. The ex-Bear’s output also netted him a solid 32nd-place ranking among 88 qualifying safeties at PFF, and the Bucs elected to bring him back on a one-year deal. The team made the same decision with McDougald, whom it signed to a second-round tender for 2016. McDougald led the team’s defensive backs in snap percentage last season (81.2 percent), and he piled up 87 tackles and two interceptions along the way, but the Bucs haven’t been happy with his work this summer. However, with only flawed options behind McDougald, he’s a good bet to open the season as the club’s No. 1 free safety.

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Offseason In Review: Indianapolis Colts

By | at August 23, 2016 8:53 pm

Many NFL observers had not only penciled in the Colts for a lengthy postseason run, but projected Andrew Luck to be among the league’s top contenders for the MVP award. Instead, Luck dealt with injuries (and wasn’t all that productive when he was on the field), and though backup Matt Hasselbeck played well at times, the offense couldn’t handle the loss of its starting quarterback, and finished 30th in DVOA. Indy’s defense was surprisingly competent (13th in DVOA), but that performance wasn’t enough to help the club finish better than 8-8, second in the AFC South.

Notable signings:

The Colts and general manager Ryan Grigson have been active spenders during the last two free agent periods, as they’ve attempted to augment their roster with external additions. During the 2014-15 offseasons, Indianapolis handed out an average of $38.5MM in guaranteed money while inking veterans such as D’Qwell Jackson, Arthur Jones, Andre Johnson, Frank Gore, and Trent Cole. This year, the club took a markedly different approach, limiting their free agent spending and disbursing less than $20MM in guarantees.Dwayne Allen (featured)

The majority of that money went towards re-signing one of the Colts’ own free agents, as the club hammered out a four-year deal to retain tight end Dwayne Allen. The 26-year-old is coming off a platform season during which he was not only hampered by ankle and calf injuries, but posted only 16 receptions for just over 100 yards and one touchdown, so it’s perhaps surprising that Allen is now among the 10 highest-paid tight ends on an annual basis.

But this contract was offered with an eye towards the future, as new Indy offensive coordinator Rob Chudzinski — a former tight ends coach who often features the position in his scheme — reportedly told Allen that he’d be more involved in the club’s gameplan going forward. Allen has flashed before (he put up a 45/521/3 line during his rookie campaign), and as Scott Barrett of Pro Football Focus noted at time of the signing, Allen has always graded out well as a blocker, both in the run and pass game.

The Colts’ only other notable re-signing was that of kicker Adam Vinatieri, with whom the club worked out a two-year deal. In 2015, Vinatieri connected on 25 of 27 field goal tries, for a 92.6% conversion rate. However, he did occasionally struggle with the longer extra point, missing three of 35 attempts. Still, there were few NFL kickers more reliable than Vinatieri, who is now third on the league’s list of all-time leading scorers. With 2,253 points, Vinatieri should be able to make a run at Morten Andersen (2,544) and Gary Anderson (2,434) as he plays out the final leg of his career.

On defense, Indianapolis found a cornerback who can slot in opposite Vontae Davis, as it agreed to terms with Patrick Robinson, who spent last season with the Chargers. A first-round pick of the Saints back in 2010, Robinson never broke out until heading to San Diego, as he started 10 games in 2015 and graded as the league’s No. 30 CB among 111 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus.Patrick Robinson (Vertical)

Because Davis lines up primarily on the right side, Robinson will see most of his time at left corner, although he is also capable of playing in the slot. As PFF’s Nathan Jahnke tweeted earlier this year, Robinson held quarterbacks to the third-worst rating (67.7) in the league when lined up in the slot. But with Darius Butler entrenched on the inside, Robinson will likely stay on the outside most of the time, something that Grigson confirmed when the 28-year-old was signed.

Joining Robinson in the secondary will be veteran corner Antonio Cromartie, who was just signed yesterday following news that Davis will miss at least the first month of the season with an ankle injury. Cromartie, a 10-year veteran and four-time Pro Bowler, has been on the open market since the Jets released him in February. That was the end of Cromartie’s second stint with New York, which lasted only one season. Pro Football Focus ranked him just 86th out of 111 qualified cornerbacks in 2015, but he’ll now likely be counted on to start for a quarter of the season at minimum.

While Indianapolis is planning on Robinson and Cromartie providing consistent production in the defensive backfield, the club is surely hoping that Scott Tolzien doesn’t see many — if any — snaps this year as he serves as Andrew Luck‘s backup at quarterback. Luck is coming off an injury-wrecked season, but the Colts were able to stay afloat thanks in some part to the play of Matt Hasselbeck.

Tolzien, meanwhile, doesn’t have anywhere close to the level of experience that Hasselbeck did, as Tolzien has only attempted 91 passes during his career. As such, it’s fair to wonder why Indy didn’t target a more high-profile backup signal-caller. But, as former Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore once said (in an extremely colorful way), clubs are usually finished if their starting quarterback goes down, so perhaps not investing in a No. 2 option is the smart strategy.

Indianapolis doesn’t have much depth behind Luck, and the club is also short on options behind running back Frank Gore, who is entering his age-33 season. Veteran free agent additions Jordan Todman and Robert Turbin, each of whom signed minimum salary benefit deals, both figure to make the roster and would likely share carries if Gore suffers an injury. However, 2016 undrafted free agent Josh Ferguson has been drawing rave reviews, and could leap both Todman and Turbin for playing time.

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Offseason In Review: Green Bay Packers

By | at August 18, 2016 6:26 pm

For the majority of NFL teams, finishing the regular season with 10 wins and picking up a playoff victory would constitute a successful year. The Packers accomplished those feats in 2015, yet their season was at least somewhat of a disappointment, especially after they got off to a 6-0 start. As the Packers scuffled over the season’s final 10 games, so did superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers, whose descent (by his lofty standards) began in Week 8 during a 77-yard showing in a 29-10 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Broncos.

Aaron Rodgers (vertical)

Including their shellacking in Denver, the Packers closed the regular season 4-6 and shockingly lost three of four games at Lambeau Field during that stretch. Each of those home defeats came at the hands of the NFC North, a division Green Bay had won four straight times entering last season. The final blow, a 20-13 decision against Minnesota in Week 17, cost the Packers the division and gave Minnesota its first North title since 2009. The Packers regained some of their mojo in the playoffs, going on the road to blow out the Redskins and then losing an overtime thriller to Arizona in one of the greatest games ever played, but they never really resembled Super Bowl contenders after their season-opening hot streak.

Part of the problem for Green Bay was the absence of standout No. 1 receiver Jordy Nelson, who didn’t play a game last season after suffering a torn ACL over the summer. The loss of Nelson took a player who had combined for 183 receptions, 2,833 yards and 21 touchdowns from 2013-14 away from the Packers’ Rodgers-led aerial attack. Rodgers and the offense in general didn’t enjoy life without Nelson, but with the wideout now healthy, the team will try to return to its division-winning, championship-contending ways.

Notable signings:

As he has typically done since taking the reins as the Packers’ general manager in 2005, Ted Thompson largely eschewed the free agent market and mostly focused on retaining homegrown talent during the offseason. Of the Packers’ six most expensive signings this year, four were originally acquired either in the draft or, in offensive tackle Lane Taylor‘s case, as an undrafted free agent. Another, defensive tackle Letroy Guion, had been a Packer the previous two years.

Jared Cook

The Packers’ most notable outside pickup during the winter was tight end Jared Cook, to whom they committed just one year and $2.75MM. Given that Cook only ended up on the market after the Rams released him, the Packers won’t have to surrender a compensatory draft pick for signing the 29-year-old.

Before joining the Packers, the 6-foot-5, 254-pound Cook was durable and productive in Tennessee and St. Louis from 2011-15, missing a mere three of 80 games and combining for 235 catches, 3,064 yards and 15 scores. Last season was the only one during that five-year period in which Cook caught fewer than 44 passes (39) and three TDs (zero). He hasn’t visited the end zone since Dec. 7, 2014, to be exact, and on another alarming note, led tight ends in drops (10) last season, per Evan Silva of Rotoworld. Cook also underwent foot surgery a couple months after signing with Green Bay, but he returned to the field last week and has since impressed Rodgers. The two-time MVP lauded Cook’s speed Monday and likened him to field-stretching ex-Packers tight end Jermichael Finley.

Between Cook and Richard Rodgers, who caught 58 passes and scored eight times a year ago, the Packers have a tight end duo capable of being among the league’s most prolific. Rodgers will cede targets to Cook, though, after dominating Packers tight ends in snaps last season (799 to second-place finisher Justin Perillo‘s 115). Part of that was on account of a torn MCL that kept Andrew Quarless out for most of the season. When Quarless was healthy two years ago, he and Rodgers combined for 1,108 snaps. With Cook replacing Quarless, who’s now with the division-rival Lions, Green Bay’s reliance on its top two tight ends should revisit (and perhaps exceed) its 2014 level.

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Offseason In Review: San Francisco 49ers

By | at August 17, 2016 8:55 pm

This past offseason brought far less upheaval to San Francisco than last year’s, but it certainly wasn’t a smooth winter for the 49ers. After racking up a paltry five wins en route to a last-place NFC West finish in 2015, the 49ers made a coaching change for a second straight year. Once the 49ers tabbed Chip Kelly to replace Jim Tomsula on the sidelines, acrimony between them and their erstwhile franchise quarterback led to months of speculation about a possible trade.

The Niners came close to sending Colin Kaepernick to the Broncos, but talks fell through after the 28-year-old refused a pay cut to join the reigning Super Bowl champions. As a result, the 49ers have a potential backup signal-caller with an $11.9MM base salary on their hands. While Kaepernick entered the summer set to compete with ex-Jaguars bust Blaine Gabbert for the starting job, a “dead arm” has recently kept the former from vying for the position. General manager Trent Baalke downplayed that Wednesday, however, and added that Kaepernick could begin ramping up activities Thursday. Regardless of whether Kaepernick or Gabbert ultimately wins the job, San Francisco looks like a strong bet to finish at the bottom of its division for the second consecutive season.

Notable signings:

The 49ers entered the offseason with a whopping $62MM in cap space, but Baalke elected against indulging in any kind of a spending spree. His biggest outside expenditure during free agency was guard Zane Beadles, a former Bronco and Jaguar who has impressively logged five 16-start seasons in a row. Beadles made the Pro Bowl back in 2012, though the 29-year-old hasn’t been nearly as effective lately. In fact, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Beadles 64th out of 81 qualified guards in overall performance last season, and the Jags subsequently released him. Nevertheless, for a rebuilding team like the 49ers, investing modestly ($2.8MM guaranteed over three years) in a durable veteran was a reasonable path to take. They did the same in retaining a handful of in-house veterans, with nose tackle Ian Williams, tight end Garrett Celek, and kicker Phil Dawson serving as the most prominent members of the group.

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Unfortunately, an ankle injury that Williams suffered during the offseason has ruined his 2016. The 305-pounder initially agreed to a five-year contract worth more than $25MM to stay in the Bay Area, but the 49ers nixed that over concerns about how quickly he’d recover from multiple ankle surgeries. Thus, despite grading as PFF’s 18th-best interior lineman and one of its premier 3-4 nose tackles last season, Williams had to settle for a one-year, $3MM pact. But it turns out Williams’ ankle will keep him from playing at all this year, as the 49ers placed him on season-ending injured reserve last month.

Even with Williams around, the 49ers likely weren’t going to push for a playoff spot. However, Williams’ injury is still a blow to him and the team, which signed the former Notre Dame defender as an undrafted free agent in 2011 and has since helped develop into a terrific pro. With Williams out of the picture, the 49ers are especially thin at nose tackle (depth chart), where Mike Purcell and $1MM signing Tony Jerod-Eddie – a fifth-year Niner – look primed to see most of the action.

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Offseason In Review: Pittsburgh Steelers

By | at August 16, 2016 9:26 pm

The Steelers have long been one of the NFL’s model organizations, with stability among their ownership group, front office, and coaching staff proving paramount to their success. Kevin Colbert is the fourth-longest tenured general manager in the league, while Mike Tomlin has the fifth-longest tenure among head coaches. Consistently among the contenders for the AFC crown, Pittsburgh entered this offseason with a mandate to get younger on the defensive side of the ball, while suspensions for two of its young offensive stars threatened to throw a wrench in its plans.

Notable signings:

Given that the Steelers had only about $10MM in available cap space heading into the offseason, it was always unlikely that the club was going to be a major player in the free agent market. And sadly, Pittsburgh’s one major external addition isn’t delivering returns as of yet, as tight end Ladarius Green hasn’t practiced this summer as he continues to deal with chronic headaches. Green, 26, suffered two concussions in the the span of two weeks last September, so the logical conclusion is that he’s still coping with the aftereffects of those brain injuries.Ladarius Green (vertical)

At least one report has indicated that if the headaches persist, Green could contemplate retirement, and while his long-term health is certainly the most important issue in this situation, there is also a financial component involved. If Green retires, he’d have to return his signing bonus to the Steelers, but the situation becomes more murky if Pittsburgh simply releases him. If the team feels that Green wasn’t forthcoming about his injury history at the time of signing, they’d have an argument to recoup the bonus, or at least a portion of it.

Of course, Green’s potential absence will also limit the Steelers’ offense, as he’d been set to add a new dimension to a unit that will already be without Martavis Bryant and Le’Veon Bell for varying amounts of time. Green posted 37 receptions for more than 400 yards in a limited role with the Chargers, and could’ve seen those numbers rise as he took on a full-time job with Pittsburgh. If he’s not a factor in 2016, the Steelers will instead turn to Jesse James, Xavier Grimble, and FB/TE David Johnson, who returns to the Steel City after two years in San Diego.

Receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey may also see more targets if Green is sidelined, as DHB is back with the Steelers after inking a three-year deal. Now 29 years old, Heyward-Bey Darrius Heyward-Bey (vertical)clearly never lived up to his draft billing after being chosen seventh overall in 2009, but he can still serve as a depth option and special teams player. He saw 39 targets last season, and that number figures to stay relatively stagnant, as though Bryant is suspended for the season, DHB is still behind Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton, and Sammie Coates among the club’s wide receivers.

With so many of Pittsburgh’s skill players facing availability questions to start the season, the club’s offensive line could be doubly important, and veteran guard Ramon Foster will be a key factor on that front five after re-upping on a three-year pact. Foster will be entering his eighth season with the club, and he’s been remarkably durable — he played every offensive snap in 2016, and he’s appeared in 75 of 80 possible games since becoming a full-time starter. After he graded out as the No. 16 guard in the league last season (per Pro Football Focus), it’s a little surprising that the Steelers only had to invest $3.2MM annually to re-sign Foster.

Joining Foster in the offensive line room will be tackle Ryan Harris, but it’s still unclear whether the former Bronco will act as a starting option or serve as a backup. Harris Ryan Harris (Vertical)emerged as Denver’s left tackle after incumbent Ryan Clady went down for the season, and helped stabilize the club’s offensive line on the way to a Super Bowl title. With the Steelers, Harris will compete with Alejandro Villanueva, who started 10 games at left tackle for Pittsburgh as a 27-year-old rookie. So far, it sounds as though the two are neck-and-neck.

One offensive player who probably won’t contribute much during the upcoming season is veteran quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, who is dealing with a “sizable” hamstring tear suffered in the Steelers’ first preseason game. Gradkowski, 33, also missed all of last season with an injury, and his absence means Landry Jones will be the club’s clear cut No. 2 quarterback. If Pittsburgh feels the need to add another arm, Michael Vick — who played for the team last season — is still sitting on the open market, though Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link) doubts that Vick will end up with the Steelers.

Safety Robert Golden, meanwhile, wasn’t re-signed with the thought that he’d be starting, but the makeup of the defensive backfield has changed enough that Golden will once again be counted on to to play a large role. William GaySecond-round rookie Sean Davis had been ticketed to take Golden’s place as Pittsburgh’s strong safety, but following a serious injury to cornerback Senquez Golson, Davis is likely to see most of his action at slot corner, meaning Golden will see a heavy snap count in the back end.

A convenient line of logic might dictate that linebacker Steven Johnson could play a key role as a top backup behind Ryan Shazier and Lawrence Timmons given that he comes over from the Titans, whose defense was led by former Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. However, Johnson only saw 27 defensive snaps last season, meaning he’s simply a special teams piece. Veteran defensive lineman Ricardo Mathews, then, is a much more likely candidate to see snaps, as he should be the third defensive end behind Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt.

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Offseason In Review: Miami Dolphins

By | at August 10, 2016 11:00 am

With the exception of the Rams, perhaps no team in the NFL defines mediocrity more than the Dolphins. Since winning the AFC East with an 11-5 record in 2008, Miami has not earned another postseason appearance, posting a 49-63 record during that time while never winning more than eight games in a single season. A new coaching staff is now in place, and tasked with the same assignment that prior regimes have failed to complete time and again: dethrone the Patriots as division champions.

Notable signings:

Perhaps no club swung and missed more often while searching for help at a single position than the Dolphins as they trawled for a new running back after losing Lamar Miller during free agency. Miami eyed options such as James Starks and Chris Johnson, offering the latter more money than did Arian Foster (vertical)the Cardinals (with whom he ultimately re-signed), and even signed the Broncos’ C.J. Anderson to a restricted free agent offer sheet. But after Denver matched on Anderson, the Dolphins did little to augment their backfield over the next four months except select Kenyan Drake — who doesn’t project as a starter in 2016 — in the third round of April’s draft.

In mid-July, however, Miami finally struck a deal with veteran back Arian Foster, whom the club had first met with all the way back in March. Foster will turn 30 years old before the regular season begins, and the torn Achilles he suffered last season was just the latest in a long line of injuries that have limited him throughout his career. But, when he’s healthy, Foster is electric. In the four seasons when he’s managed to play 13+ games, Foster has rushed for at least 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns, adding an average of 50 receptions during those campaigns.

Second-year pro Jay Ajayi, Foster’s direct competition for snaps, is no beacon of health himself, as knee issues worried some draft observers in 2015 and caused Ajayi to fall to the fifth round. And regardless of the fact that Ajayi was listed as the first-team back on Miami’s “official” depth chart released this week, the Fins are clearly hoping Foster can serve as their bell-cow back. As Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald recently tweeted, Foster has shown during camp that he’s “head and shoulders the best running back on the Dolphins'” roster.

The group blocking for Foster and/or Ajayi could look a little different this season, especially at the guard position, where Miami added veterans Jermon Bushrod and Kraig Urbik. The latter is probably going to serve as depth, but the Dolphins reportedly want Bushrod to win the right guard job instead of Billy Turner. Bushrod, 31, is a career left tackle, and he’s acknowledged the difficulty of not only moving to the interior, but to the opposite side. Miami has locked-in options at center and both tackle spots, but guard will be an area to watch during camp, as Bushrod, Urbik, Turner, Laremy Tunsil, and Dallas Thomas will all compete for time.

Miami also added trench reinforcements on the defensive side of the ball, agreeing to terms with three veteran defensive ends to augment a rotation that already includes former All Pro Cameron Wake. After losing Olivier Vernon and Derrick Shelby during Mario Williams (vertical)the free agent period, the club’s first move was to sign former Bills defensive end Mario Williams, who had reportedly been seeking $10MM annually. While he didn’t reach that mark, there’s some question as to whether Williams is worth the $8.5MM average he did receive.

During his final season in Buffalo, Williams posted only five sacks and graded as the league’s No. 93 edge defender among 110 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus, and later drew criticism from Bills head coach Rex Ryan, who said Williams complained about having to drop into coverage. New Dolphins head coach Adam Gase said Williams is going to be a “different guy” in South Beach, and he’ll have to be to justify his salary.

Along with Williams, Miami also signed Jason Jones, who last played for the Lions, and inked ex-Jaguar Andre Branch. Jones, for his part, was an especially solid addition, as the Dolphins were able to land him for only $1.5MM on a one-year contract. He’ll act as a rotational run-stuffer behind Wake and Williams. Branch, meanwhile, can’t stop the run and has never lived up to his second-round draft status, but he’s a capable pass-rusher who can produce in limited snaps. Miami could conceivably move either Williams or Wake inside next to Ndamukong Suh on passing downs, allowing Branch to get after the quarterback from the edge.

Just today, the Dolphins agreed to terms with free agent cornerback Chris Culliver, signing the former 49er/Redskin to a one-year deal. Culliver, 28 next week, didn’t draw much interest on the open market after being released by Washington, and that’s likely due to concerns about his ACL, which he tore in November. Chris Culliver (Vertical)There aren’t many details available about the one-year pact as of yet, but Ian Rapoport of NFL.com did note that the deal can be worth “up to $5MM.” That type of phrasing can mean many different things, and we’ll need to know the complete specifics before fully analyzing the deal, but it likely doesn’t offer much in the way of guarantees.

Aside from a few veteran linebackers who will likely earn playing time via special teams (Spencer Paysinger, Danny Lansanah), the Dolphins’ only other notable signing was that of safety Isa Abdul-Quddus, whom they lured away from the Lions with a three-year deal. Abdul-Quddus was excellent after wresting away a starting job from James Ihedigbo last year, posting 40 tackles and ranking as the No. 21 safety in his eight starts, according to PFF. However, IAQ has only posted a half-season’s worth of production during his five-year career, so there’s definitely some risk in this contract, but that uncertainty is somewhat negated by the modest financials.

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Offseason In Review: New England Patriots

By | at August 6, 2016 9:30 am

It was a typical offseason for the Patriots. A looming suspension/punishment for the organization or star player. The defection of a star defender. The acquisition of notable veterans and high-upside players. A flurry of draft-night trades. In other words, it wasn’t a normal offseason by any other standard.

While the fanbase was primarily focused on the looming suspension of Tom Brady, the Patriots front office did an admirable job of retooling many spots on their roster. With several impending defensive free agents, the Patriots dealt off Chandler Jones, replacing him with players like Chris Long and Shea McClellin. The team lost Brandon LaFell to free agency, but they added a younger piece in wideout Chris Hogan (as well as talented tight end Martellus Bennett). They even drafted a quarterback!

The whole Deflategate fallout seemed to dominate offseason talk, so many of the Patriots moves went under the radar. However, per usual, the team added enough depth to offset any of their notable subtractions. As a result, the Patriots should once again be in the driver’s seat for the AFC title.

Notable signings:

While most of the Patriots offseason discussion focused on the quarterback and trades, the teams various signings seemed to fly under the radar. Still, the team managed to add several players via free agency who should contribute to this year’s squad.

Chris HoganConsidering the injury concerns for receivers Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola, the Patriots went hard after several free agent wideouts. After kicking the tires on Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu, the team ended up settling on former Bills receiver Chris Hogan – a player coach Bill Belichick had long coveted. The former Bills wideout has put up solid numbers over the past two seasons, compiling 77 catches, 876 yards, and six touchdowns during the span. As things currently stand, the 27-year-old would be the team’s third receiver, and the former Monmouth standout can also reportedly serve as an emergency punter.

Hogan wasn’t the only weapon added to Brady’s arsenal. The team signed veteran receiver Nate Washington, who caught 47 passes for 658 yards with the Texans last season. While the 32-year-old has proven to be a durable, consistent option, there’s no certainty that he’ll ultimately make the team.

Elsewhere on offense, the Patriots signed tight end Clay Harbor. The 29-year-old showed that he could be a competent piece of the passing game throughout his tenure with the Jaguars, although he settled into more of a blocking role in 2015. The Patriots value versatility, and Harbor’s ability to play both tight end and fullback will likely earn him a spot on the roster. Speaking of the fullback position, the team brought back incumbent James Develin, who missed all of last season while recovering from a broken tibia. The 28-year-old appeared in all 32 games for the Patriots between 2013 and 2014, including 10 starts.

With a number of intriguing veteran options on the running back market, there was a general assumption that the Patriots would look to add some reinforcement to their backfield. After all, the team finished 30th in rushing yards last season, and the team ultimately had to rely on 32-year-old Steven Jackson during the postseason. Furthermore, considering Brady’s impending suspension, the Patriots wouldn’t be able to lean on the passing game through the first month of the season.

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Offseason In Review: Seattle Seahawks

By | at August 4, 2016 5:27 pm

The 2015 Seahawks won the fewest regular-season games of the four-year Russell Wilson era (10) and were unable to extend their streak of consecutive Super Bowl appearances to three, but they still made the playoffs for the fourth straight time and were among the the final four NFC teams standing. They also racked up top-five finishes in total offense, defense and point differential, and ranked first in Football Outsiders’ regular-season DVOA metric. All things considered, then, general manager John Schneider didn’t need to do anything drastic during the offseason to keep the Seahawks’ window of contention open.

Notable signings:

As has been typical in recent years, the Seahawks were stingy versus opposing quarterbacks last season, finishing first in the league in touchdown tosses allowed (14), second in aerial yardage surrendered, and third in both QB rating against (78.1) and Football Outsiders’ pass defense rankings. Seattle was especially strong down the stretch, which was thanks in part to the return of cornerback Jeremy Lane. After missing the first 10 games of the year because of a broken arm and torn ACL he sustained on an interception return in the Seahawks’ Super Bowl XLIX loss to the Patriots the previous February, Lane recorded the first two regular-season INTs of his career. Overall, Lane’s performance earned him a respectable 51st-place ranking out of 111 qualifying corners at Pro Football Focus.

Since the Seahawks selected him in the sixth round of the 2012 draft, Lane has missed 23 of 64 regular-season games and made just six starts, but the club saw enough positives when he played to bet on the 26-year-old going forward. Lane was the Seahawks’ largest expenditure in free agency, receiving a four-year, $23MM commitment and $11MM in guarantees, and figures to start opposite Richard Sherman on the outside this season. Given his experience as a nickelback, Lane is also likely to spend time inside defending the slot.

Jeremy Lane (Vertical)

Helping Lane and the rest of the Seahawks’ defensive backs could be free agent pickup Brandon Browner, who thrived in Seattle from 2011-13 as a member of the Legion of Boom before spending the previous two seasons in New England and New Orleans. Last year was unexpectedly ugly for Browner, who rated as PFF’s worst qualifying corner (113th overall) and set the league’s single-season penalty record. That led the Saints to release Browner less than a year after signing him to a $15MM contract that was supposed to last through the 2017 campaign. The Seahawks then took an ultra-cheap flyer on Browner for $760K and will try to revitalize the 32-year-old, though he’ll play safety instead of corner. The Seahawks have arguably the preeminent safety tandem in the league in Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, but that won’t necessarily limit Browner’s impact. In fact, head coach Pete Carroll said in May that Browner will have a “really unique role.”

If Browner makes the Seahawks’ roster, they’ll deploy him in a run-stopping capacity on rushing downs and match him up against opposing tight ends in passing situations. Football Outsiders ranked the Seahawks’ pass defense a bottom-of-the-barrel 26th versus tight ends in 2015, so having the 6-foot-4, 220-pound Browner in the fold could serve the club well this year.

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Offseason In Review: Atlanta Falcons

By | at August 2, 2016 9:01 pm

The 2015 Falcons started off hot under new head coach Dan Quinn, posting a 5-0 record and looking like a playoff contender as late as November. But a six-game losing streak exposed the club on both offense and defense, forcing Atlanta to make changes on both sides of the ball this offseason.

Notable signings:

Atlanta’s offensive line responded exceptionally well to offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan‘s implementation of a zone-blocking scheme, with nearly every player up front earning positive grades from Pro Football Focus. The one exception was center Michael Person, who started 14 games at the pivot after having spent most of his career at guard, so the Falcons turned to a veteran who had some prior experience in Shanahan’s system — former Browns center Alex Mack.Alex Mack (Vertical)

Mack, 30, only played in five games during Shanahan’s year as Cleveland’s play-caller, but he spent the entire summer of 2014 preparing to enter a zone-blocking scheme, and his athleticism and ability to move in the running game makes him a perfect fit for the zone approach. The Falcons made Mack the highest-paid center in the league, handing him $9MM per year after the Browns, Chargers, and Rams all expressed varying levels of interest once Mack opted out of his deal with Cleveland.

After being designated as the Browns’ transition player during the 2014 offseason, Mack played the free agent game correctly, inking an offer sheet with the Jaguars that paid him $8.5MM annually, $18MM guaranteed over the first two years of the deal, and contained that aforementioned opt-out clause. Cleveland matched that offer, and when Mack withdrew two years later, he was able to land a contract that will pay him even more per year and includes another $20MM in guarantees. Like Darrelle Revis, Mack has worked the free agent system to his benefit in order to secure every dollar he’s worth.

Chris Chester, meanwhile, will return to Atlanta after playing every offensive snap for the club last year, but he’ll be expected to compete for his starting job, with Person, rookie Wes Schweizter, and free agent addition Tom Compton serving as Chester’s main obstacles to playing time at right guard. Chester is now 33 years old and coming off January shoulder surgery, but he played so well in 2015 that he should be the favorite to handle the majority of snaps. Right tackle Ryan Schraeder, a revelation last year (PFF’s No. 5 tackle), will also return after signing his second-round restricted free agent tender, and the Falcons could look to sign him to an extension over the next few months.

While Atlanta’s pass-blocking was tremendous, the Falcons’ passing offense as a whole was not, as the club ranked 23rd in passing DVOA, with Julio Jones and his 136/1,871/8 receiving line essentially acting as a one-man passing offense. Tight end Jacob Tamme posted a nice season, racking up 59 passes for nearly 700 yards, but the rest of Atlanta’s pass-catchers — including Roddy White, Leonard Hankerson, and Justin Hardy — left a lot to be desired. But instead of finding an affordable complement to play opposite Jones, the Falcons overspent in a weak free agent market, signing former Bengals wideout Mohamed Sanu to a five-year deal.Mohamed Sanu (Vertical)

Even among an uninspiring crop of free agent pass-catchers, Sanu only placed seventh among his position in PFR’s free agent rankings, but the 26-year-old will be earning more annually than every other free agent receiver except former Bengals teammate Marvin Jones. Travis Benjamin, Rishard Matthews, Rueben Randle, Anquan Boldin, and Jermaine Kearse will earn $6MM or less on their new contracts, and the Eagles and Lions were able to land Randle and Boldin, respectively, on one-year pacts.

Sanu, who failed top 400 yards receiving last year, somehow managed to score a better deal than Golden Tate received from the Lions during the 2014 offseason. Cincinnati didn’t trust Sanu enough to allow him to play a larger role in their offense, and he struggled when asked to step up amid a rash of injuries during the 2014 campaign. Clearly, the Falcons needed to add another complementary weapon to their offense, but Sanu is unlikely to live up to his contract.

Atlanta’s only other notable addition on offense was at quarterback, and like Mack, Matt Schaub has a history with Shanahan, having spent time with the play-caller in Houston. Schaub, of course, also has a past with the Falcons (he was a former third-round pick of the club), and though his career has fallen apart in the past few seasons, he probably won’t be asked to play much in Atlanta. Starter Matt Ryan hasn’t missed a game since 2009, having started 99 straight contests since his last missed game.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Falcons surprisingly didn’t target any high-profile pass-rushers after failing to get after opposing quarterbacks with any level of consistency in 2016. Not only did the club rank dead last in sacks with only 19 (the lowest total for any team in the league since 2009), but it also finished 32nd in adjusted sack rate. Atlanta decided to play in the middle of the market, however, inking former Dolphins defensive end Derrick Shelby and re-signing their own Adrian Clayborn.Derrick Shelby (Vertical)

Shelby, 27, is an interesting case of scouting the stat line versus watching the tape. While he’s only posted nine sacks in his career, Shelby graded out as the league’s No. 23 edge defender last season, according to PFF. It’s fair to wonder if Shelby’s increased production was partly a result of playing next to All Pro defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, and it could be concerning that Miami didn’t seriously attempt to retain Shelby, instead opting for external options such as Mario Williams, Andre Branch, and Jason Jones.

While Shelby landed a four-year contract, the Falcons were able to bring back Clayborn on a shorter pact, locking up the edge defender for two more seasons. Clayborn isn’t much of a run defender, so after seeing some time at tackle in 2015, he figures to play exclusively at end during the upcoming season, and given the makeup of Atlanta’s front seven, it’s possible Clayborn is used primarily in sub packages.

Earlier today, the Falcons finally consummated a long-rumored deal with free agent pass rusher Dwight Freeney, inking the veteran after he also drew interest from the Bengals. Now 36 years old, Freeney was still productive last season, managing eight sacks for the Cardinals in only 255 defensive snaps. And though he didn’t get to the quarterback as much in the year prior, Freeney was still solid for the Chargers in 2014, forcing 40 quarterback hurries and posting nine QB hits. He’ll play as rotational end for Atlanta, and shouldn’t be asked to play more than 30 snaps per game.Courtney Upshaw (Vertical)

Clayborn and Freeney will see competition for snaps from free agent addition Courtney Upshaw, the former Ravens second-round pick that only netted a one-year deal from the Falcons. The 26-year-old Upshaw never became the edge rushing force in Baltimore that many had projected, but he’s very solid against the run, and could conceivably be used in a variety of roles in Dan Quinn‘s defense. Upshaw will likely see snaps at both defensive end and linebacker in Atlanta, with his duty being heavily influenced by the situation.

While Upshaw could shift between multiple positions, Sean Weatherspoon and Philip Wheeler are linebackers in the most strict sense, and both could see a hefty amount of snaps next seeason. Weatherspoon returns to the Falcons after a one-year stint with the Cardinals, and given his history of injuries, Atlanta will probably try to specify his role in the defense. Given his movement and coverage skills, Weatherspoon will likely be on the field in the Falcons’ nickel defense. Wheeler, meanwhile, will have to compete with fourth-round rookie De’Vondre Campbell for playing time at outside ‘backer.

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