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Offseason In Review: St. Louis Rams

August 28th, 2015 at 12:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Coming off a 6-10 season in 2014, the Rams saw their offseason dominated by talk of potential relocation. As the city of St. Louis worked toward the possibility of building a new riverfront stadium for the team, owner Stan Kroenke set his sights on Los Angeles, pushing for the Rams to move to Southern California as soon as 2016, potentially moving into a new Inglewood stadium a couple years later.

While Rams fans may be preoccupied with concerns about whether or not the franchise will remain in St. Louis going forward, the team also made some noteworthy changes on the field over the last several months, and those moves will be the focus of our Offseason in Review. Let’s dive in….

Notable signings:

The Rams weren’t exactly major players on the free agent market this winter, but they did land one veteran who earned a spot on my list of top 50 free agents, and they didn’t pay a premium to do so. Heading into March, I viewed Nick Fairley as the second- or third-best defensive tackle on the market, behind his former teammate in Detroit, Ndamukong Suh. However, likely due to concerns about his health, Fairley didn’t receive lucrative multiyear offers, and settled for a one-year, prove-it deal in St. Louis.

Fairley’s one-year contract with the Rams is worth $5MM, and if he can stay healthy all season, he should have no problem living up to that deal. Despite playing just 297 defensive snaps in 2014, the 27-year-old ranked as the NFL’s 18th-most-productive defensive tackle, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Fairley, the only DT in the top 20 who played fewer than 400 snaps, graded as an above-average contributor against the pass and the run last season, and picked up six sacks during a 2013 campaign in which he stayed a little healthier.

In Detroit, Suh and Fairley were relied upon to wreak havoc on quarterbacks and ball-carriers from the inside, with the Lions not carrying any real elite outside pass rushers. In St. Louis, however, Fairley will just be one of many productive defensive linemen, playing alongside Robert Quinn, Chris Long, and Aaron Donald, who could be on his way to becoming a Suh-esque defensive tackle himself.

The Rams may have been better served using that Fairley money to bolster a weaker position group, but there’s something to be said for a team making its strength even more formidable. The more effective the Rams are at getting after quarterbacks, the less time those quarterbacks will have to find receivers, which takes some of the pressure off the cornerbacks and safeties, positions at which St. Louis doesn’t have quite as much talent.

Continuing to bolster their front seven, the Rams also signed Akeem Ayers to a modest two-year deal, worth $3MM annually. After starting his career strong in Tennessee, Ayers’ role become muddied under the team’s new coaching staff in 2014, and he was jettisoned off to the Patriots at the trade deadline last fall.

Ayers’ performance in New England showed that he can still be a solid NFL player, as he recorded 22 tackles, four sacks, and an interception in part-time action over the course of nine games. With some depth at the linebacker spot, the Rams should be able to pick and choose the right spots to use Ayers and potentially get the most out of him, like Bill Belichick and the Pats did.

Outside of Fairley and Ayers, many of the Rams’ notable signings were players who spent last season with the team, including Lance Kendricks, Kenny Britt, and a handful of restricted free agents (Rodney McLeod, Austin Davis, and Cory Harkey). Continuity has value, and none of those players are being significantly overpaid, but it’s fair to wonder if bringing back a number of starters from a 6-10 squad is the best course of action for the team. Still, McLeod is a productive safety and Britt had a nice bounce-back season in 2014, so the Rams could have done worse.

Notable losses:

Kendall Langford saw plenty of action for the Rams on their defensive line last season, and Alex Carrington saw a few snaps as well. However, with Fairley now in the mix, Long returning to full health, and Donald prepared to take on a larger role, those veteran linemen were expendable — particularly Langford, whose cap hit would have been $7MM if he had remained on the team’s roster for 2015. By releasing him and signing Fairley, the Rams have more upside at a lesser price.

Despite the fact that he started eight games last season in St. Louis, Shaun Hill isn’t an NFL starting quarterback, and with Davis returning on an affordable RFA salary, it didn’t make sense for the Rams to pay Hill the $3.25MM annual salary he got from the Vikings. As I observed when I previewed the team’s offseason earlier this year, retaining the younger, cheaper Davis made more sense for the Rams, considering his numbers across the board were extremely similar to Hill’s last season.

While the Rams’ losses on the defensive line and at quarterback don’t figure to have a significant impact, the offensive line will be worth keeping an eye on, after a handful of offseason departures. Of the 80 games started by offensive linemen for St. Louis last year – 16 per position – Joe Barksdale, Davin Joseph, Jake Long, and Scott Wells accounted for 52 of those starts.

Of course, not all of those players were particularly effective last season. Wells’ performance ranked dead last in the NFL among qualified centers, according to Pro Football Focus, and PFF also had Joseph in the bottom five among guards. Injuries and age have significantly reduced Long’s effectiveness, and while Barksdale was the best of the group, he wasn’t an elite right tackle by any means.

Having jettisoned most of their veteran linemen, the Rams didn’t add many new pieces in free agency, signing Garrett Reynolds and bringing back Tim Barnes. I had identified the offensive line as one of the most important areas of the roster for St. Louis to address this offseason, so the team’s lack of urgency on the free agent market was somewhat perplexing. Rather than relying on veterans, Jeff Fisher, Les Snead, and company appear set to roll the dice on an offensive line that’s heavy on youth and short on experience — it remains to be seen if the group will be more effective than last year’s underachieving veterans, but it’s hard to imagine it could be a whole lot worse.

Draft picks:

  • 1-10: Todd Gurley, RB (Georgia): Signed
  • 2-57: Rob Havenstein, T (Wisconsin): Signed
  • 3-72: Jamon Brown, T (Louisville): Signed
  • 3-89: Sean Mannion, QB (Oregon State): Signed
  • 4-119: Andrew Donnal, T (Iowa): Signed
  • 6-201: Bud Sasser, WR (Missouri): Signed
  • 6-215: Cody Wichmann, G (Fresno State): Signed
  • 7-224: Bryce Hager, LB (Baylor): Signed
  • 7-227: Martin Ifedi, DE (Memphis): Signed

“Upgrading at linebacker and/or cornerback is a possibility this offseason, but it would be a luxury, rather than a necessity,” I wrote back in March when I previewed the Rams’ offseason. “For the most part, the team should focus on its offense, where a number of positions must be addressed.”

After the Rams brought in two defensive players – Fairley and Ayers – as their two biggest outside free agents, it became clearer than ever that St. Louis planned to focus on offense in the draft, and the team did that almost exclusively. Eight of the nine players the Rams selected in the draft were offensive players, with the club waiting until the seventh round to pick its only defensive player.

Among all those offensive players, of course, the focus was on the offensive line — no team in the NFL drafted more than the four offensive linemen the Rams grabbed, and two of those players – Rob Havenstein and Jamon Brown – are projected as Week 1 starters.

A year ago, the Rams used their No. 2 overall pick on Greg Robinson, and while the former Auburn had some growing pains as he adjusted to the NFL, the team is doubling down when it comes to throwing youngsters into the fire. Not only is the team planning on starting two rookies in 2015, but Robinson will also shift over the more demanding left tackle spot for the full season in his second year, suggesting the Rams believe he’ll cut back on those rookie mistakes this time around.

That young offensive line will be tasked with creating holes for one of the most explosive rookies in the NFL, running back Todd Gurley. After NFL teams passed on first-round running backs in consecutive drafts, the Rams showed just how much promise Gurley has by using a top-10 pick on him this year, despite the fact that he’s still recovering from a torn ACL. There’s no guarantee that Gurley will be ready to carry a significant workload right away, or at all in his rookie season, but his playmaking ability has the Rams drooling, and should provide a new dimension for an offense that has lacked big-play threats.

Meanwhile, the Rams used a third-round pick on quarterback Sean Mannion, out of Oregon State. By letting Hill walk in free agency and using a mid-round pick on Mannion, the Rams employed the same strategy they did for their offensive line, parting ways with a known quantity with limited upside in favor of a younger, cheaper developmental project. Mannion may not see the field anytime soon, but the fact that St. Louis was willing to use a third-rounder on him suggests he may get his shot down the road.

Trades:

  • Acquired QB Nick Foles, a 2015 fourth-round pick, and a 2016 second-round pick from the Eagles in exchange for QB Sam Bradford and a 2015 fifth-round pick.
    • Eagles will acquire a 2016 fourth-round pick if Bradford plays less than 50% of Philadelphia’s snaps in 2015, or a 2016 third-round pick if Bradford doesn’t play at all in 2015 due to injury.
  • Acquired QB Case Keenum from the Texans in exchange for a 2016 seventh-round pick.
  • Acquired 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) from the Panthers in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick (No. 41; WR Devin Funchess).
  • Acquired a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 224; LB Bryce Hager) from the Jets in exchange for RB Zac Stacy.

Extensions and restructures:

Having addressed most of the Rams’ secondary moves, it’s time to dig into the club’s primary move, a shocking trade that sent Sam Bradford to Philadelphia in exchange for Nick Foles. Bradford, the former No. 1 overall pick, never really got an opportunity to show what he could really do with the Rams, as he was frequently saddled with inconsistent offensive lines and a dearth of playmaking receivers. After two torn ACLs, it made sense for the Rams to move on, and they did well to get a player likes Foles, along with an extra draft pick.

Foles will almost certainly never repeat his 2013 season, when he racked up 27 touchdown passes to go along with just two interceptions, leading the NFL in yards per attempt and steering the Eagles to an 8-2 record in his starts. However, he has shown the potential to be a productive NFL quarterback, and will be an upgrade over the players the Rams were starting in Bradford’s absence.

While I wouldn’t have minded seeing the Rams wait until after the season to decide whether or not to extend Foles, the bridge deal the team worked out with him could benefit both sides. With an annual pay rate of less than $9MM from 2015 to 2017, Foles will be making significantly less than the salaries being earned by the league’s first- and second-tier signal-callers, and because it’s a short-term contract, the Eagles will be able to cut ties without taking on a ton of dead money if the marriage doesn’t work out.

I don’t expect Foles to play like one of the league’s top 15 quarterbacks for the Rams, but he’s still just 26, and has the potential to have a nice year if he can gel with players like Gurley, Britt, and Brian Quick. If he’s ineffective, the Rams could turn to Davis, Case Keenum, or – eventually – Mannion, whose 2015 draft slot (No. 89) was nearly identical to Foles’ 2012 slot (No. 88).

For St. Louis, there seems to be more long-term certainty and potential at the position than there was earlier this year, when two of the team’s top QBs were an underachiever coming off consecutive ACL tears (Bradford) and a 35-year-old journeyman (Hill).

While the Foles trade was the club’s biggest move of the offseason, St. Louis consummated a few other draft-weekend deals, including sending Zac Stacy to the Jets after selecting Gurley. Stacy had a nice rookie year in 2013, but he had slipped behind Gurley and Tre Mason on the depth chart, and may have been unhappy with his new role, so it made sense for the Rams to get what they could for him.

Other:

In case the four offensive linemen the Rams drafted weren’t enough, the team added one more later in the summer, becoming the only team to nab a player in the supplemental draft. Isaiah Battle, a former Clemson lineman, remains very raw, but St. Louis felt he showed enough promise to warrant giving up a 2016 fifth-round pick. It remains to be seen whether Battle will develop into a solid NFL player, but the law of averages suggests that at least one or two of the rookie linemen acquired by the Rams this offseason ought to pan out.

Elsewhere, the addition of Fairley, the 13th overall pick in the 2011 draft, shouldn’t be an indictment of the performance of fellow defensive tackle Michael Brockers, the 14th overall pick in 2012. The Rams exercised Brockers’ fifth-year option for 2016, and while that $6MM+ salary doesn’t become guaranteed until next March, I expect the LSU product to remain very much in the club’s plans, and to see plenty of action this year. Having started every game for the Rams over the past two seasons, Brockers figures to split time with Fairley and Donald, creating a formidable rotation in the middle of that defensive line.

As good as the defensive line is in St. Louis though, there are questions about the secondary, and those questions only got louder when the team learned that E.J. Gaines will miss the 2015 season with a foot injury. A sixth-round pick in 2014, Gaines was perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the 2014 campaign for the Rams, as he started 15 games for the club, recording 70 tackles, intercepting a couple passes, and notching 15 passes defended. With Gaines sidelined, the club will have to find another diamond in the rough, or hope someone like 2014 second-rounder Lamarcus Joyner steps up and plays a bigger role.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Robert Quinn, DE: $16,744,110
  2. Chris Long, DE: $12,500,000
  3. Jared Cook, TE: $8,300,441
  4. Rodger Saffold, G: $8,250,000
  5. Lance Kendricks, TE: $5,600,000
  6. Greg Robinson, LT: $4,837,295
  7. Nick Fairley, DT: $4,750,000
  8. William Hayes, DE: $4,480,000
  9. Kenny Britt, WR: $4,300,000
  10. James Laurinaitis, LB: $4,275,000

The Rams made some interesting changes to their roster in the offseason, with the swap of Bradford for Foles standing out as the most noteworthy move, and the one that will have the greatest effect on the team’s season. If Foles can recapture any of his 2013 magic and Gurley is healthy enough to make an impact, the defense is strong enough to make the team a playoff contender.

If things don’t break right, however, the Rams’ season could instead be dominated by speculation about the topic we tried to avoid in this space — potential relocation. With the NFL scheduled to make a decision within the next few months on a possible Los Angeles franchise – or franchises – for 2016, there’s a chance this season is a farewell tour for the Rams as we know them.

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

Offseason In Review: Kansas City Chiefs

August 27th, 2015 at 12:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Notable signings:

The Chiefs’ offseason further improved on July 15 when they became the first team to agree to a deal with one of the disgruntled franchise-tagged stars, keeping Justin Houston on what is now far and away the standard for outside linebacker contracts. The fifth-year pass-rusher’s deal eclipses Clay Matthews‘ previous positional standard by more than $3MM per year. This keeps Houston, a 26-year-old former third-round pick, in Kansas City through his prime and also offloads some of his salary onto future ledgers, reducing the lump sum franchise tender that would’ve clogged the 2015 cap.

Negotiations appeared to have gotten somewhat acrimonious over the spring and summer, with the two sides reported to be far apart in discussions. Houston came within one sack of breaking Michael Strahan‘s now-14-year-old single-season standard last season in a monster contract-yearJustin Houston performance, and arguably the best pure pass-pursuer in the league will anchor this unit for the decade’s remainder.

Prior to this move, the Chiefs already notched a fairly strong offseason that plugged at least one gaping hole when Jeremy Maclin agreed to terms, despite the team having entered the new league year with less than $7MM worth of cap space. Maclin provides an immense upgrade on the underachieving Dwayne Bowe, who collected exorbitant paychecks over the past two years as a result of being paid like a high-level No. 1 receiver due simply to the fact the team had no other options at the time of signing him to a five-year deal in 2013. Andy Reid‘s former disciple’s bounce-back from a torn ACL in the form of a 1,300-yard+ slate in 2014 illustrates just what kind of weapon Alex Smith will now have in Maclin, who is in his prime.

Although he was the No. 2 wideout to DeSean Jackson when he played under Reid from 2009-12 and has just one 1,000-yard showing on his resume, Maclin flourished as a No. 1 option last year and will represent the team’s best option as a go-to target since Tony Gonzalez departed six years ago.

While Smith’s risk-averse tendencies are well-documented and are perhaps an incurable part of his game at this point, the 11th-year quarterback wasn’t exactly equipped with weapons that would’ve induced him to pull the trigger consistently last season. Travis Kelce led the team in receiving yards with 862, and after Bowe’s mediocre 754-yard showing, Kansas City didn’t have a receiver gain more than 300 yards. How much the addition of Maclin will aid Smith depends on his willingness to test defenses with mid-range and deep passes, but he’s certainly in a better position than he’s been since arriving in Kansas City.

Working on a tight budget, the Chiefs did well to keep Ron Parker in Missouri by offering him the second-largest safety contract of the offseason, with only Devin McCourty‘s re-up in New England topping it. Parker filled in admirably for the ailing Eric Berry last season on the NFL’s second-best pass defense. This was fueled largely by the play of the Chiefs’ edge-rushers and Sean Smith‘s career-best campaign, but there’s now no reason the team cannot improve on it, with Parker, Berry and now Marcus Peters in the fold.

Parker’s five-year deal probably illustrated where the franchise thought Berry’s recovery was, but at least for this year, the team has a safety surplus. Paying Parker this kind of money does come with a risk, as the fifth-year veteran has less than one year of safety seasoning. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) didn’t rave about his work there, giving him by far the worst grade of the Chiefs’ three starting safeties last year. But should Berry’s triumphant return translate into regaining his old strong safety job, Parker or the underrated Husain Abdullah would be an overqualified backup and give defensive coordinator Bob Sutton extensive options in sub-packages that weren’t previously available in his initial two seasons under Reid.

Tyvon Branch furthers the Chiefs’ back-line numbers and could help in a depth role, but the former Raiders standout – who was recently cut due to playing just five games in the past two seasons – no longer serves as a reliable option. As a fourth safety, however? That’s an interesting luxury. With Berry’s recovery likely to feature smaller workloads to start the season, Branch could be needed to stabilize the corps.

Notable losses:

The other domino as part of the Chiefs’ most significant wide receiver makeover in years resulted in Bowe’s release. The 30-year-old ex-first-rounder did not remotely deliver on his monstrous pact. Kansas City moving on from the mercurial target did prove costly as a result of this contract, however, with a monstrous $9MM dead-money charge on its 2015 payroll.

It’s possible Bowe’s descent had some to do with the Chiefs’ quarterback play, with Matt Cassel and Smith not proving proficient at finding wideouts, but the Browns’ two-year, $12.5MM accord probably reflects the ninth-year target’s abilities at this point — and that may even be generous. But Cleveland is one of the few teams more in need of pass-catching help than the Chiefs, having lost Josh Gordon again.

In jettisoning Donnie Avery, a two-year starter in Kansas City, and first-round bust A.J. Jenkins, the Chiefs reacted appropriately to their receivers’ ignominious display in 2014. They still don’t have much behind Maclin, but the outlook is decidedly better.

Rodney Hudson will prove to be a more notable defection. The former Florida State center enjoyed a quality contract year, and the Raiders rewarded him in a way the Chiefs couldn’t, with Houston’s deal anchoring their offseason plans. Far and away the Chiefs’ best lineman last season, Hudson leaves a mostly middling collection of homegrown draft choices behind.

Receiving near-equal marks for his run- and pass-blocking performance from PFF, which tabbed the fifth-year stalwart as its third-best snapper, Hudson gives way to either rookie Mitch Morse or untested Eric Kush. With players like Eric Fisher, Jeff Allen and Donald Stephenson failing to impress much their multi-year starting tenures, Hudson’s exit — which comes a year after Branden Albert‘s and Geoff Schwartz‘s — increases the burden on Jamaal Charles.

Arguably the NFL’s most talented open-field runner, the 28-year-old Charles is coming off his worst season in five years as a starter (discounting the 2011 slate ended by a torn ACL). In 15 games, Charles’ 1,033 yards were more than 250 worse than any of the seasons he’s been the team’s top back for a whole season. The Chiefs are counting on their maligned holdovers to improve, or another of their premier weapon’s prime years won’t be maximized. The starting quintet’s issues also at least partially contributed to Smith’s inability to connect with a wideout in or near the end zone, so a lot rides on certain players’ developing.

Trades:

  • Acquired G Ben Grubbs from the Saints in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick.
  • Acquired a 2015 third-round pick (No. 76; WR Chris Conley) from the Vikings in exchange for a 2015 third-round pick (No. 80) and a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 193; DL B.J. Dubose).

The Chiefs essentially swapped Hudson for Ben Grubbs as their interior line’s anchor, and the latter is now the only Chiefs starting lineman with a positive Pro Football Focus seasonal grade to his credit.

Slightly scrutinized last year after a Pro Bowl 2013 campaign, Grubbs is an upgrade in Kansas City. He’s incredibly durable, having missed just four games in eight seasons, and at 31 still has some productive years left. Grubbs represents an enormous upgrade from Mike McGlynn, who managed to be PFF’s worst guard for the second time in his career. Shortly after acquiring Grubbs, the Chiefs extended his contract by two years in exchange for reducing his 2015 cap number, again, to help negotiate the cap amid Houston’s new deal.

This exchange probably proved worthwhile, with Grubbs putting together borderline-dominant seasons for two different franchises from 2009-13. With the finances the Chiefs were working with, using second- and fifth-round picks on linemen that will likely start for multiple seasons together is about as good as could be expected.

John Dorsey‘s semi-overhaul here, however, remains contingent on his first pick as GM (Fisher) and at least one from Scott Pioli‘s last draft (Allen and Stephenson were 2012 second- and third-rounders, respectively) developing into competent performers. Using a cluster of high picks on linemen in such a short time frame doesn’t leave many outs if all of them struggle, as replacements would drain funds that need to be used for the roster’s other needs.

Extensions and restructures:

  • Tamba Hali, LB: Accepted pay cut, creating $7MM in cap space by reducing 2015 base salary from $9MM to $6MM and adding four voidable years to the end of the contract to spread out $5MM signing bonus. Deal will now void after 2016 Super Bowl. Hali can earn $3MM back via sack-related incentives.
  • Mike DeVito, DE: Accepted pay cut, creating $2.5MM in cap space by reducing 2015 base salary from $3.75MM to $870K (fully guaranteed) and his $250K workout bonus to $30K. Can earn $300K in per-game roster bonuses and up to $1.2MM in playing time- and team performance-based incentives.

Tamba Hali‘s Chiefs tenure continues for at least one more season thanks to this restructuring, so he’ll have a fifth year to team up with Houston to form a top-tier pass-rushing duo. Houston’s right-edge counterpart will be 32 in less than three months, but the 10th-year performer remains one of the more underrated quarterback-disrupting forces in the game. Hali’s played and started at least 15 games in every season of his career and turned in multiple monster campaigns, with his 2010 14.5-sack showing rating as one of PFF’s highest-rated outings by a 3-4 outside backer at +53.5, which tops even this last season from Houston.

The only Herm Edwards-era first-rounder left on the team after Bowe’s release, Hali registered just six sacks last season, and with the aforementioned $9MM base wage due this year, some thought he’d have to look for work elsewhere. But this renegotiation leaves Hali with just a $4.9MM cap number in 2015 and a mere $1MM hit next season. This leaves Dee Ford in an interesting spot, with the 2014 first-rounder not playing much as a rookie (122 snaps) and set to spend each of his first two years marginalized behind the longtime tandem.

It’s a good problem to have for the Chiefs, but they eschewed vital receiving help in a receiver-flooded draft to place a pass-rusher on the bench. Without a second-round pick for two years due to the Alex Smith trade, the Chiefs have not received much from the two first-rounders in those drafts.

Along with the return of Derrick Johnson, Mike DeVito agreeing to a reduced salary could help a run defense than ranked 28th last season immensely. With Vance Walker now in Denver, DeVito regaining most of the pre-Achilles’ tendon tear form is fairly critical. Kansas City does not have much depth at this position behind starters DeVito and Allen Bailey.

Draft picks:

  • 1-18: Marcus Peters, CB (Washington): Signed
  • 2-49: Mitch Morse, OL (Missouri): Signed
  • 3-76: Chris Conley, WR (Georgia): Signed
  • 3-98: Steven Nelson, CB (Oregon State): Signed
  • 4-118: Ramik Wilson, OLB (Georgia): Signed
  • 5-172: D.J. Alexander, OLB (Oregon State): Signed
  • 5-173: James O’Shaughnessy, TE (Illinois State): Signed
  • 6-217: Rakeem Nunez-Roches, DT (Southern Miss): Signed
  • 7-233: Da’Ron Brown, WR (Northern Illinois): Signed

Finally equipped with their full allotment of selections, the Chiefs filled needs early. Although cornerback wasn’t the Chiefs’ biggest need, Peters could be an impact player across from Sean Smith when the veteran returns from a three-game ban. Kansas City’s already-loaded pass defense has upgraded almost across the board.

A rather notable character risk in having been booted from Washington last season, Peters picked off 11 career passes in three years. The ex-Husky looks to start across from 2014 third-rounder Phillip Gaines in Weeks 1-3 and play extensively still after the team’s No. 1 corner returns. The 6-foot Peters’ ball-hawking ability becomes vital to a Chiefs squad that, while still dominant vs. air strikes, snagged only six interceptions last season. ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher is already adamant the rookie should be an instant starter over Gaines.

Mitch Morse is among the latest college tackles immediately thrust into interior-line duty, following in the footsteps of T.J. Lang and Kelechi Osemele. A center, right tackle and left tackle for Mizzou in successive seasons, Morse, who performed the second-most bench press reps among offensive fronters at the NFL Combine with 36, probably receives the nod over Kush at center. This means four homegrown players who are all 26 or younger will take the field together in Week 1.

Each of the Chiefs’ AFC West rivals is planning to start two of their own draft choices up front (technically, Denver drafted Harris, but he played for two teams in between stints), which makes Kansas City’s investment interesting. Stephenson’s suspension and Allen’s season-ending injury halted this plan last season, so the team will once and for all see what it has in these high picks.

Chris Conley and Steven Nelson are currently deep backups that profile as projects. Conley finished just 13th in SEC receiving yards last season, albeit with an 18.3 yards-per-catch figure. He fits in with some of the unproven commodities vying for time alongside Maclin, a list also including Albert Wilson and De’Anthony Thomas.

Other:

  • Exercised 2015 fifth-year option for DT Dontari Poe ($6.146MM).
  • Signed 14 players to reserve/futures contracts.
  • Signed 11 undrafted rookie free agents following the draft.
  • Sean Smith suspended three games for a violation of the league’s substance-abuse policy

Smith’s suspension will test Gaines and Peters and force veteran Jamell Fleming into a key role. Sutton could get creative and play Parker in the slot on downs where Berry lines up at safety (if the team deems him ready for action this early), however. Up for a third contract before age 29, Smith will receive plenty of interest despite this incident. But further trouble could bring his price and/or contract length down.

Although currently uncertain for Week 1 with a herniated disc that shelved him for all of training camp, Poe may be the Chiefs’ second-most vital defender behind Houston. Kansas City locking him up at this price for next year was an easy decision. The odds of Poe leaving Kansas City are slim, probably slimmer than Smith at this point.

Even with Smith and Berry’s contracts coming off the books, the two-time Pro Bowl nose tackle probably occupies the largest font on the various offseason-based emails the front office exchanges.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Alex Smith, QB: $15,600,000
  2. Dwayne Bowe, WR: $8,894,118 (dead money)
  3. Eric Berry, S: $8,357,700
  4. Jamaal Charles, RB: $7,970,835
  5. Sean Smith, CB: $7,750,000
  6. Eric Fisher, LT: $6,051,954
  7. Derrick Johnson, LB: $5,250,000
  8. Justin Houston, OLB: $5,100,000
  9. Tamba Hali, OLB: $4,964,706
  10. Chase Daniel, QB: $4,800,000

The Chiefs almost certainly improved this offseason, and if their offensive line can take a step forward, this is a contender for a home playoff game. Defensively, the Chiefs have enough to throw wrenches into the Broncos’ and Chargers’ aerial plans.

Whether or not their offense can do the same will determine the team’s trajectory.

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

Offseason In Review: Denver Broncos

August 20th, 2015 at 10:30am CST by Sam Robinson

 Notable signings:

After years of uneventful offseasons in the 2000s, the 2010s Broncos again lived up to their penchant of making the spring and summer interesting. But while they scored a key win in signing Demaryius Thomas to a long-term deal, not much else went as smoothly. The offseason set Denver up for its most uncertainty since Peyton Manning‘s first months with the team.

The Broncos’ reaching a deadline-induced pact with Thomas kept this offseason from being easily the worst in John Elway‘s five-year GM/de facto GM tenure. It not only made good use of the money freed up from the numerous talents allowed to leave in the past two offseasons, but it ensured the most statistically proficient wideout in franchise history would play in Denver for the bulk of his prime. Thomas does not have a slew of high-point grabs on 50/50 balls like Dez Bryant or Calvin Johnson, but that could be largely because Manning doesn’t throw a lot of those. Instead, the Broncos kept a big wideout with speed that surpasses the former placeholder of “most talented wideout in team history” in Brandon Marshall and consistency that rivals Rod Smith‘s.Aug 14, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) participates in warmups before a preseason NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

With Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders locked up for at least two years, the odds of Manning playing out his contract with the Broncos increased.

But the Thomas accord was critical on two other fronts. The first proving that Elway will pay his own players top dollar when they deserve it. It was becoming a pattern in recent years to see the Hall of Fame quarterback dole out the take-notice contracts to other organizations’ talents while permitting Denver homegrown cogs’ exits. That may be a short-term business model when Manning is present, but it’s not one that should be deployed over a lengthy stretch.

The second ancillary consequence of Thomas’ new pact comes in the form of a now-vacant franchise tag spot in 2016, one which is almost certainly destined for Von Miller. With this Thomas pact, the Broncos now have a future with their best offensive and defensive playmakers, one that seemed hazy after Miller’s legal transgressions and ACL tear, and after Thomas’ somewhat contentious negotiations that transpired the past two summers.

Although there’s a blueprint for Miller with comparable, albeit slightly less well-rounded, pass-rushing monster Justin Houston signing his six-year, $101MM deal, don’t expect expediency on the Miller front. This could well be Elway’s fourth franchise tag deadline scenario, with his previous final-day deals coming in re-ups for Matt Prater and Ryan Clady in 2012 and 2013, respectively.

That said, Denver allowed a lot of key talent to exit again, with this offseason dwarfing 2014’s in terms of impact players departing. Mostly supplemental players replaced these talents, with the Julius Thomas-for-Owen Daniels swap headlining these exchanges. Daniels is not close to the difference-maker Thomas is, with the Jaguars’ new tight end catching more touchdown passes (24) the past two years than the 32-year-old Daniels has in his past six.

But the Broncos, who also figure to use Virgil Green more as they usher in a system featuring plenty of two-tight end looks, will gain in dependability and potentially consistency. Thomas was often absent for Manning outside of the red zone, while Daniels’ nine years in Kubiak’s system will help compensate for his athletic deficiencies.

Green’s enjoyed scant opportunities in the passing game, hauling in a career-high nine receptions in 2013 while lining up in the backfield or at traditional tight end. The former Nevada seventh-round pick has shown his ability as a blocker, however, grading higher than Thomas last season on Pro Football Focus (subscription required) due to his 4.4 run-blocking figure that ranked fourth in the NFL.

Of course, PFF’s tight end grades don’t necessarily mirror what generates dollar value from the position, considering Thomas’ megadeal in Jacksonville dwarfing Green’s re-up figure. Regardless, Green will be a critical cog in Gary Kubiak‘s run-based attack, considering the level of inexperience the Broncos’ offensive line could possess.

Daniels will likely start, as will Darian Stewart and, for at least four games during Derek Wolfe‘s performance-enhancing drug suspension, Vance Walker. However, after three splashy offseasons, the Broncos did not bring in the same kind of talent this year, as deals for Thomas and Miller loomed.

Stewart has a clear path to the starting free safety position, with the Broncos not having much of an alternative present. David Bruton‘s entering his seventh year and is possibly the team’s best special-teamer, but he’s rarely played on defense and when he has it’s been as a strong safety. Since a rough introduction to a starting role in 2011 with the Rams, Stewart’s improved into a solid back-line stopper, and he’ll have more chances to make plays behind a Broncos defense built for muzzling the pass on its edges.

Walker’s signing now looms fairly large, with the potential legal troubles of Antonio Smith and the forthcoming absence of Wolfe. For the Chiefs in 2014, Walker graded out as the team’s best defensive lineman last season by a substantial margin, per PFF. But the 28-year-old played just 238 snaps, a figure he’ll almost certainly surpass this year for a suddenly thin Broncos front.

A former Texans backup and starter for the Rams and Dolphins, Shelley Smith is currently behind both Max Garcia and Ben Garland at left guard. His reunion with Kubiak after a sluggish year in Miami last season is not off to a promising start.

Notable losses:

Until Demaryius Thomas’ extension beat the July 15 deadline, this offseason was almost certainly about what the Broncos lost and how they were going to continue their reign atop the division amid large-scale changes. The strong 2011 draft class lost Orlando Franklin and Julius Thomas to big deals — and Moore to a modest one — and the Broncos replaced them with cheaper, inferior parts.

Counting Terrance Knighton, who could be the most significant of these defections considering what he meant to the Broncos’ run defense, Denver lost seven starters.

Both Thomas and Franklin priced themselves out of Elway’s plans, with Franklin’s departure leaving the team scrambling up front. The versatile lineman appears to be sticking at guard after finishing strong at his new position in 2014, and the former right tackle’s void is noticeable. Garcia, a 2015 fourth-rounder, and Garland, a military veteran who’s been a backup since joining the team, are interesting potential solutions — sandwiched by first-time performers in Ty Sambrailo and Matt Paradis, for the time being — for a team with such a narrow Super Bowl window.

Montgomery’s absence now leaves the center position in the hands of either Paradis, a practice-squadder last season, or Gino Gradkowski, who garnered PFF’s worst center grade in 2013 before being benched for Jeremy Zuttah last season in Baltimore. Montgomery drew a league-average assessment from PFF, but helped the Broncos finish as the league’s 12th-best unit in Football Outsiders’ adjusted line yards metric.

As a result, the Broncos could deploy their worst offensive front in years as a result of the upheaval and the time it takes to gel in a zone-blocking system.

It’s fair to wonder how much of Julius Thomas’ success was Manning-buoyed and whether he’ll be able to come close to achieving those benchmarks with the Jags. Letting the tight end go probably proved to be the right decision, considering the fifth-year standout’s availability issues and his poor fit for a run-based offense featuring a lot of in-line tight end work. But Manning also might have lost the best playmaking tight end he’s had, with Dallas Clark never putting together a two-year stretch where he caught more than 17 touchdown passes, let alone 24.

While it can be viewed as impressive that those 24 scores came in just 24 starts, Thomas missed 28 games in four Broncos slates due to nagging ankle trouble. Although the Broncos did reportedly get to $8MM per year in extension talks last summer, that was with the previous coaching regime. Doling out a $9MM-per-year accord is about paying for what’s ahead, and Thomas’ outlook probably didn’t justify the price in this new era.

Although Brodrick Bunkley enjoyed a solid season in 2011 that earned him a lofty deal the Saints soon regretted, the Broncos have searched for defensive tackle stability since Trevor Pryce‘s mid-2000s exit. They found it in Knighton, a buy-low gem in 2013. The massive-but-deceptively agile run-stuffer did not draw a serious effort at a second Broncos contract, signing with Washington for just one year and $4MM as a result of weight concerns. Despite Knighton’s market cratering, the Broncos are with Sylvester Williams as the heir apparent in a 3-4 defense that places a greater premium on defensive tackle talent.

Already almost 27 despite set for just his third season, Williams hasn’t justified his first-round selection yet, regressing to the 66th-best defensive tackle grade (PFF) due to porous work against the run. In 279 snaps to Williams’ 435, Marvin Austin received a positive grade and provides good depth here. But this is probably an otherwise-stout Broncos defense’s biggest question mark entering the season.

Rahim Moore‘s market also cooled a bit, with the safety signing for just three years and $12MM after at one point being considered the second-best safety on the market after Devin McCourty. A safety of less than one season and one who graded worse than Moore in that season, Ron Parker signed for five years and $30MM. An above-average coverage player with substandard tackling ability – which is not exactly a big liability in a free safety – Moore should be easier to replace than his 2011 draft compatriots.

But this exodus of talent represents the most significant replacement test in Elway’s five seasons running things in Denver.

Trades:

  • Acquired C Gino Gradkowski and a 2016 fifth-round pick from the Ravens in exchange for a 2016 fourth-round pick.
  • Acquired a 2015 first-round pick (No. 23; DE/OLB Shane Ray) from the Lions in exchange for 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.

Gradkowski doesn’t look promising in Denver after sputtering in Baltimore. Like Shelley Smith, Gradkowski’s place on the roster is not a given. At the time of the deal, the Broncos swapping a fourth-rounder for a 2016 fifth-round slot didn’t look too good, based on the player involved — it certainly doesn’t look smart now. If it comes down to keeping one of these interior-line veterans to back up the rookies, Smith carries a $1MM dead-money tag, with Gradkowski costing Denver no money if they cut bait early.

Manny Ramirez enjoyed a strong season in 2013, rating as PFF’s fifth-best snapper while playing next to star guard Louis Vasquez. That gave him the center job to start last season, but when the Broncos’ line wasn’t performing up to expectations, Ramirez moved back to the right guard position at which he began his Broncos tenure. The former Texas Tech cog’s season didn’t unfold as well, and Kubiak’s zone scheme doesn’t fit the slower, powerful veteran.

This made Ramirez’s departure understandable, but the Broncos certainly aren’t in as good shape at center as they were when Ramirez resided there.

With both of Denver’s trades involving centers, it’s interesting the Broncos didn’t bring in Chris Myers, who has nearly a decade of seasoning in Kubiak’s system, for a visit. Of course, the former Mike Shanahan draft pick will be 34 next month, and Kubiak probably knows what the recently released center has left more than just about anyone.

Draft picks:

  • 1-23: Shane Ray, DE/OLB (Missouri): Signed
  • 2-59: Ty Sambrailo, T (Colorado State): Signed
  • 3-92: Jeff Heuerman, TE (Ohio State): Signed
  • 4-133: Max Garcia, C (Florida): Signed
  • 5-164: Lorenzo Doss, CB (Tulane): Signed
  • 6-203: Darius Kilgo, DT (Maryland): Signed
  • 7-250: Trevor Siemian, QB (Northwestern): Signed
  • 7-251: Taurean Nixon, CB (Tulane): Signed
  • 7-252: Josh Furman, S (Oklahoma State): Signed

With right tackle topping the Broncos’ needs hierarchy entering the draft, Elway again opted for the best-defensive-player-available strategy he’s used to make the Broncos’ first selection in each of his five drafts (Von Miller, Wolfe, Williams, Bradley Roby and now Shane Ray). Of course, this represented the first time he traded up to select one of these talents, and doing so for a player who may not start until 2017 is interesting.

Following the trail blazed by Aldon Smith, Sheldon Richardson and Kony Ealy, Ray is the latest Missouri pass-rushing success story. parlaying a monster junior slate into a high NFL draft slot. Having the chance to play behind Miller and DeMarcus Ware should keep the QB-pursuer fresh and his block-shedding repertoire relatively hard to prepare for.

After opting to take Montee Ball over Eddie Lacy in the second round of the 2013 draft due to concerns about Lacy’s injured toe, Elway may have learned from experience that a toe malady isn’t something that should prevent pursuing a prospect. Ray plummeted into realistic Broncos trading range because of a nagging toe ailment. Of course, Ray was also available at No. 23 due to a marijuana arrest this offseason, so the former Tigers star’s trajectory’s endured some blips and isn’t a lock to stabilize.

But Ray fits well in a 3-4 and should help the Broncos’ pass rush stay productive after it faded last season, ideally serving as an off-the-bench energy to spell the 33-year-old Ware. He’s already showing the first-step explosion that harassed SEC tackles.

Jeff Heuerman‘s torn ACL will keep Daniels and Green in their roles until at least 2016.

A power-based player who played guard, tackle and center in his time at Maryland and Florida, Garcia having shown enough to start over Smith and Garland in the Broncos’ first preseason tilt is encouraging for a team that looked thin up front after free agency. Sambrailo’s development becomes paramount after Clady’s second season-ending injury in three seasons forced the finesse Colorado State product to the left side.

While Sambrailo seems a good bet to start in Week 1, having three first-time NFLers blocking for Manning is not just something new to the 39-year-old — Manning’s never played behind more than one rookie starting lineman — it’s extremely rare for a team with Super Bowl hopes. The Broncos last deployed two rookie linemen in 2010, when Zane Beadles and J.D. Walton started for a 4-12 team that ultimately saw its coaching staff gutted. To put three first-timers out there this in such a high-stakes spot serves as an incredibly bold strategy for the Broncos.

Although not progressing to a key depth chart perch like his aforementioned cohorts, Lorenzo Doss possesses big-play ability in holding Tulane’s career interception-return yardage record. He should battle the overpaid Tony Carter, still on the roster at $1.5MM despite not rising higher than the Broncos’ No. 5 corner the past two years, for the gig behind the team’s top four corners (Chris Harris, Aqib Talib, Roby and Kayvon Webster).

Darius Kilgo has already risen to the No. 2 nose tackle spot, with previous occupant Austin still sidelined due to injury. Although Williams has drawn praise for his offseason development, this job is not exactly secured like most of the spots on the veteran defense are.

Other:

Britton Colquitt no longer will make the ninth-most money on the Broncos this year but after the team waived Karl Schmitz, the longtime punter looks to keep his job. Although Spencer Lanning arrived this week, the former Browns punter’s place may be pushing for kickoff duty in case Connor Barth beats out the stronger-legged Brandon McManus for the kicker job.

While Clady didn’t play up to his potential last season and he already may be on the decline due to myriad injuries, his latest setback proved costly. His ACL tear, which marks his second knee tear of the decade after he tore his MCL in 2010, leaves the Broncos’ blind-side duties to Sambrailo and forces either Harris or Chris Clark to step in on the right edge. A zone-blocking veteran and former Broncos second-round pick under Shanahan, Harris had a respectable season for the Chiefs last year, and the Broncos made a solid move in re-signing him in this emergency circumstance. Clark had his moments at left tackle but sputtered on the right side last year.

A left tackle with no snaps paired with a journeyman right-sider, however, signals a potentially steep downgrade.

Clady’s injury also could derail his future with the franchise. The longest-tenured Bronco is the third-highest paid player on the team and the third-highest-paid tackle in the game. But with just $1.8MM in dead money on the 2016 and 2017 sectors of his deal, Clady could reasonably be cut if the front office views him as unable to return to an appropriate semblance of his former Pro Bowl version.

I detailed in PFR’s Offseason Outlook series how the Kubiak-Manning marriage could be a sketchy one, with the two offensive philosophies on opposing ends of the spectrum on about all fronts. Kubiak, to his credit, has noted he will incorporate some no-huddle and pistol elements into an attack that’s been a huddle- and under-center-based operation since he first became an offensive coordinator in 1995. The thought of this version of Manning having to adjust his game behind an incredibly unseasoned offensive front to one that takes away some of his biggest strengths should concern Broncos fans, however.

Conversely, Manning having a proven offensive coach managing his workload, something that’s already taken effect, with the signal-caller forced to skip practices and preseason Week 1 for rest purposes, could be a boon for his stability this season. Manning wore down considerably last year. Whether that was due exclusively to his quadriceps injuries or related to his age remains up for debate. But after serving under defensive-centric bosses in Jim Mora, Tony Dungy and John Fox, Manning hasn’t had this kind of an offensive mind calling the shots in his career. That will help balance out some of the potential creative differences that could arise this season.

It won’t receive the publicity of Deflategate, but the Manning-Kubiak partnership may be the most interesting storyline an AFC contender encounters this season. The Broncos’ AFC title-pursuing brethren mostly stood pat, at least systematically. What Elway did to shake up this operation may not be the best thing for the team in the short-term.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Peyton Manning, QB: $17,500,000
  2. Demaryius Thomas, WR: $13,200,000
  3. Ryan Clady, T: $10,600,000
  4. Von Miller, OLB: $9,754,000
  5. DeMarcus Ware, OLB: $8,666,666
  6. T.J. Ward, S: $7,750,000
  7. Aqib Talib, CB: $6,968,750
  8. Louis Vasquez, G: $6,250,000
  9. Emmanuel Sanders, WR: $5,850,000
  10. Chris Harris, CB: $3,000,000

The Broncos still have the inside track on winning the AFC West, with top talent at enough spots to withstand what should be a persistent push from the Chargers and, if more things go well for them, the Chiefs. That gap that’s been rather substantial since Manning arrived, however, appears to have narrowed.

In what could be Manning’s last year, observing how this team coalesces and if it can do so in time to provide a serious threat to what looks like a fairly even AFC will be one of the season’s most intriguing subplots. Because if this doesn’t go well, the rebuilding job post-Manning will also prove interesting, only for the wrong reasons.

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

Offseason In Review: Oakland Raiders

August 19th, 2015 at 6:30pm CST by Zachary Links

Last offseason, Raiders GM Reggie McKenzie put his team under major reconstruction to try and turn the tide. Things didn’t exactly work out as planned. The Raiders got off to an 0-4 start that had players speaking out off the record and some, like veteran Charles Woodson, speaking out on the record. After the Raiders endured a grueling flight across the pond only to get blown out by the Dolphins, head coach Dennis Allen was shown the door. Eventually, Allen’s gig was handed over to his former second in command, Tony Sparano. Sparano got more out of his players, but only got 3 wins out of his 9 at the helm, leading the team to turn things over to Jack Del Rio after the season.

Things seemed bleak for the Raiders last year, but the club installed a new regime and entered the offseason with enough financial flexibility to make notable changes.

Notable signings:

The Raiders missed out on a few of their top targets in the early wave of free agency, but the team did add two solid defenders to its roster on March 11th with the additions of defensive tackle Dan Williams and linebacker Curtis Lofton. The 27-year-old Williams, who ranked as the No. 33 free agent on PFR’s Top 50 list, has started 40 games in his five-year career, all with the Cardinals, who selected him in the first round of the 2010 draft. Williams was also linked to the Lions, Giants, and Washington at different points before hooking on with Oakland.

Lofton, 28, was one of the most dependable and durable pieces on the Saints’ defense in recent years, starting all 48 regular season contests for the team since arriving in New Orleans in 2012. In 2014, he racked up 145 tackles to go along with a forced fumble. However, while his stats looked solid on the surface, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded him as a bottom-five inside linebacker, out of 60 qualified players. Money was tight for New Orleans and Lofton no longer looked like he was worth his salary, so the Saints cut him loose in March, setting him up for his new deal with Oakland.

The Raiders already had a solid center in Stefen Wisniewski, but team brass decided to let him go elsewhere and get what they perceived to be an upgrade at the position. Before the official start of free agency, the Raiders and Hudson shook hands on a five-year, $44.5MM contract, making him the highest paid center in the league. Hudson, a former second-round pick, was the Chiefs’ full-time starter at center for the last two seasons. In 2014, Hudson ranked as the third-best center in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), grading as an above-average run blocker and pass blocker — he even led all centers in PFF’s screen-blocking grade.

The Raiders cut Tyvon Branch loose over the winter and they were in need of a replacement in March. To fill Branch’s shoes, Oakland signed former Eagles safety Nate Allen. Allen, 27, started 15 games for the Eagles last season at safety, racking up 62 tackles, four interceptions, three fumble recoveries, five pass deflections, and a sack. Allen had a pretty solid year in 2014, finishing out with a 3.9 overall grade according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), good for 28th out of 87 qualified safeties.

Former Super Bowl MVP Malcolm Smith is also in Oakland to join Khalil Mack and Sio Moore on the Raiders’ second level. Most known for his game-breaking interception of Peyton Manning in Super Bowl XLVIII last February, Smith was not a regular starter with the Seahawks. A 2011 seventh-round pick, Smith started five games last year and played just 286 snaps, receiving a poor assessment from Pro Football Focus in the process (subscription required). Smith did grade far better in 2013, however, in more than 600 snaps.

Coming into free agency, the Raiders were widely expected to sign tight end Jermaine Gresham. Instead, they inked a TE who is known more for his blocking prowess than his hands in Lee Smith. Smith, 27, spent his previous four years in Buffalo.

Defensive lineman C.J. Wilson, 28, accrued 23 tackles and two sacks in 16 games (seven starts) with the Raiders last season and Oakland brought him back on a deal that should keep him there through the 2016 season. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) ranked Wilson 27th out of 57 qualifying 4-3 defensive ends for his work, and he recently drew interest from the Seahawks.

Christian Ponder has never lived up to the hype that was around him as a former No. 12 overall pick and, in all likelihood, he probably never will. Still, the Raiders have reason to believe that he can serve as a capable backup to young star Derek Carr. 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 Matt Cassel on the depth chart.

Charles Woodson, 38, was pretty unhappy in Oakland last year and he made it known to anyone who would listen. Still, he must be pretty optimistic about what the future holds after signing a new deal in late January. Woodson signed a one-year, $3.5MM contract with the Raiders last March and started all 16 games for the club, grabbing four interceptions to go along with a career-high 111 tackles. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) didn’t love his performance, ranking him 68th out of 87 qualified safeties, due in part to the 355 yards after catch he allowed, a figure that was highest among safeties.

The wide receiver market for Michael Crabtree wasn’t quite as robust as he had imagined it would be. After demanding $9MM per season, Crabtree’s price tag came way down until he signed a one-year deal worth $3MM with another $2MM possible through incentives. The early buzz on Crabtree in camp is strong and Oakland execs can already envision the ex-49ers notable cashing in next spring. Crabtree caught 68 passes for 698 yards last season as he drifted down Colin Kaepernick‘s receiving hierarchy. But he’s shown the capability of being a go-to receiver as recently as 2012, when he piled up 1,105 receiving yards and scored a career-high nine touchdowns. The 6-foot-2 former top-10 pick in 2009 tore his Achilles the following spring, limiting him to five regular-season games in 2013.

Roy Helu, 26, rushed for only 216 yards in Washington last year, but was a focal point of the club’s passing attack, catching 42 balls for nearly 500 yards. He drew interest from several teams around the league, many of whom presumably wanted him to a fill their third-down back role. The Patriots and Jets both pursued Helu, as did the Giants before signing Shane Vereen.

The Raiders added another noteworthy name at running back when they inked the much-maligned Trent Richardson. T-Rich, who wowed evaluators years ago with his power and Herculean bench press, has yet to do much of anything at the NFL level. The halfback was selected third overall in the 2012 draft by the Browns, but lasted just over a year in Cleveland, having been dealt to the Colts for a first-round pick early in the 2013 campaign. Richardson was underwhelming, to say the least, during his time in Indianapolis, recording 977 yards and six touchdowns on 316 rushing attempts across two seasons, while adding 55 receptions for 494 yards and a TD in 29 games (20 starts). During his time wearing blue and white, the Alabama product averaged just 3.1 yards per carry.

Notable losses:

Darren McFadden began the year as the No. 2 back behind Maurice Jones-Drew, starting 12 games and gaining 534 yards on 155 carries. However, they eventually gave the bulk of the work to Latavius Murray and he will be the focal point of their running game going forward. McFadden, 27, was selected fourth overall by the Raiders back in 2008 and although his career has been underwhelming to date, he’ll look to turn things around now in Dallas. Outside of a 2010 campaign in which he posted 1,157 rushing yards and added another 507 yards through the air, McFadden has never been able to stay healthy and put it all together for a full season. 2014 was the first year in which he played all 16 games for Oakland, but he was underwhelming, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry, his third straight season with a mark of 3.4 or lower.

Speaking of MJD, many expected that he would be back in Oakland following the hire of Del Rio, but that was not the case. Days before the start of free agency, the diminutive tailback announced his retirement from the NFL. Although he played his final year in Oakland, most of Jones-Drew’s nine-year career was spent in Jacksonville with the Jaguars, and he left the game as the franchise’s second-leading rusher, behind Fred Taylor.

Tyvon Branch was with the Raiders for seven seasons, although the strong safety missed all but five games in the past two years with injuries after starting all 62 of a possible 64 games in the previous four years. He carried by far the highest cap number on the Raiders’ roster at $9.7MM this season, likely leading to his venture onto the free agent market.

After using their top draft choice on a wide receiver, the Raiders showed veteran James Jones the door in early May. Jones, 31, signed a three-year contract with the Raiders last winter, but that $10MM deal didn’t include any guaranteed money beyond the 2014 season, so the club can get out of it without taking on any dead money. Jones had been set to earn a $2.95MM base salary in 2015, with various other cap charges taking his total hit up to $3.433MM.

The Raiders were long expected to part ways with quarterback Matt Schaub, so his mid-March release didn’t come as a tremendous surprise. Schaub, 33, was acquired by the Raiders in a trade with the Texans last offseason, but lost out on the starting quarterback job to Carr, and served as the No. 2 option in Oakland. The addition of Ponder earlier in the month meant that the writing was on the wall for the ex-Texans QB.

Antonio Smith, 33, spent five years with the Cardinals and then five years with the Texans before signing a two-year pact with the Raiders last March. In March of 2015, Oakland opted to release him. That deal was worth $9MM, but didn’t include a signing bonus, so the Raiders cleared his entire $4MM cap hit from their books by cutting him. Smith is now with the Broncos and his situation has been clouded by off-the-field trouble.

2014 was something of a lost season for LaMarr Woodley, who spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Steelers. After playing strictly as an outside linebacker in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 scheme, Woodley moved to defensive end in Oakland’s 4-3 look, and didn’t adjust particularly well, ranking 44th out of 59 qualified 4-3 DEs per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The Michigan alum played in just six games before tearing his biceps and missing the remainder of the season. He was released on March 5th.

The Raiders allowed Tarell Brown to him the open market and didn’t make much of an effort to re-sign him. Eventually, Brown found a home with the Patriots in late July when he inked a modest one-year, $1.5MM deal. Having started 14 games for the Raiders in 2014, Brown logged exactly 1,000 snaps for the team before he was shut down with a foot injury. According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Brown’s -4.6 grade placed him 75th out of 108 qualified cornerbacks, though he only allowed one passing touchdown on 67 passes thrown into his coverage.

Denarius Moore, 26, showed some promise during his first three seasons with the Raiders, averaging about 43 receptions, 685 yards, and six touchdowns per season in spite of inconsistent quarterback play. However, he had a poor 2014 campaign, as Andre Holmes took on a bigger role in Oakland’s offense and James Jones entered the mix. Moore caught just 12 balls for 115 yards and no TDs, and missed the final few weeks of the season with knee and ankle issues.

After spending two seasons with the Raiders, veteran defensive tackle Pat Sims returned to the Bengals, the team with which he spent the first five years of his NFL career. The big defensive lineman left for Oakland after the 2012 season, and spent the last two seasons with the Raiders, starting 18 of the 32 games he played for the club. With seven career sacks, Sims doesn’t get to the quarterback too often, but he’s very solid against the run.

Stefen Wisniewski spent his entire four-year career with the Raiders before signing with the Jaguars this offseason. 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.

Trades:

  • Acquired 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) from the Panthers in exchange for a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 102; T Daryl Williams).
  • Acquired a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 128; G Jon Feliciano) and a seventh-round pick (No. 218; T Anthony Morris) from the Buccaneers in exchange for a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 124; LB Kwon Alexander).

Draft picks:

  • 1-4: Amari Cooper, WR (Alabama): Signed
  • 2-35: Mario Edwards, DL (Florida State): Signed
  • 3-68: Clive Walford, TE (Miami): Signed
  • 4-128: Jon Feliciano, G (Miami): Signed
  • 5-140: Ben Heeney, ILB (Kansas): Signed
  • 5-161: Neiron Ball, OLB (Florida): Signed
  • 6-179: Max Valles, DE/LB (Virginia): Signed
  • 7-218: Anthony Morris, T (Tennessee State): Signed
  • 7-221: Andre Debose, WR/KR (Florida): Signed
  • 7-242: Dexter McDonald, CB (Kansas): Signed

Both GM Reggie McKenzie and coach Jack Del Rio described Amari Cooper as “polished” numerous times on draft day. Cooper doesn’t just come with high upside, he comes with the ability to make a major impact right out of the gate in Oakland. His skills have impressed the best of the best, including Hall of Famer Fred Biletnikoff.

“If you know nothing about football, you might not see that he’s mature beyond his years,” Biletnikoff, 72, told Daniel Brown of the Mercury News. “But he’s a step ahead when it comes to the things required to be a receiver. The way he runs his routes, catches balls, gets open. He can do it against man-to-man coverage or press or zone. This guy is not one-dimensional. “He can line up inside, outside, right or left and do a good job wherever he is. Jack and Reggie and the staff were dead on when they talked about him.”

In 2014, Cooper hauled in 124 catches for 1,727 yards and 16 TDs across 14 games.

Other:

Text on coaching changes, etc.

The Raiders were eyeing Jack Del Rio early on in their offseason search and he ultimately won out over the incumbent Tony Sparano. Of course, the Broncos’ defense never got the same kind of love as the team’s offense, but the Denver defense finished fourth in DVOA in 2014 after placing in the middle of the pack in 2013 under Del Rio’s guidance. Other teams with coaching vacancies seemed to flock to the sexiest names of the bunch like flies to a bug zapper. Every other team clamored to interview guys like Dan Quinn and Rex Ryan, but the Raiders more or less went by the beat of their own drum, save for their overtures towards new Jets coach Todd Bowles.

With Del Rio comes two new coordinators in Bill Musgrave (replacing Greg Olson) and Ken Norton Jr. (taking over for Jason Tarver). Some expected that McKenzie wouldn’t return, but his job was spared in the team’s shakeup. One has to imagine that he won’t have a very long leash, however, if the Raiders falter in 2015.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Rodney Hudson, C: $13,000,000
  2. Dan Williams, DT: $8,000,000
  3. Nate Allen, S: $7,000,000
  4. Tyvon Branch, S: $6,671,000 (dead money)
  5. Curtis Lofton, LB: $6,500,000
  6. Austin Howard, RT: $6,400,000
  7. Donald Penn, LT: $5,400,000
  8. Justin Tuck, DE: $4,968,750
  9. Khalil Mack, OLB: $4,244,773
  10. Charles Woodson, S: $4,200,000

With a young star quarterback under center and major changes on the sidelines and in the locker room, these are not your same old Raiders. Meanwhile, after losing a handful of key players, the Broncos aren’t quite the same as they were either. If everything goes right, it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Raiders make a play for the AFC West crown.

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

Offseason In Review: San Francisco 49ers

August 16th, 2015 at 7:58pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The 49ers entered the 2014 season fresh off third straight trip to the NFC championship game and were expected to once again contend for conference supremacy and a Super Bowl. They stumbled to a disappointing 8-8 record, however, thus ending their three-year reign as an NFL superpower. What ensued was a bizarre offseason headlined by a diaspora of several figures who were integral to the 49ers’ recent success and could’ve been part of the solution going forward.

Notable losses:

Unexpected retirements contributed to the shredding of San Francisco’s roster during the offseason. Four of the team’s standouts – linebackers Patrick Willis and Chris Borland, defensive lineman Justin Smith and offensive tackle Anthony Davis – elected to step away from the sport.

Willis was a defensive captain for the Niners and perennially among the premier players in the league throughout his eight-year career, during which he totaled 100-plus tackles six times and made seven Pro Bowls. The normally durable Willis missed 10 games last year (he hadn’t missed more than three in any previous campaign) because of a toe injury, but he finished every season from 2007-13 anywhere from first to fourth among inside linebackers in Pro Football Focus’ grading system. Willis was a Hall of Fame-caliber defender who, at age 30, still had plenty to offer, and his void will be immensely difficult for the 49ers to fill.

Borland’s retirement came as an even bigger shock than Willis’, given that Borland only played one season in the league. The 49ers drafted the former Wisconsin Badger in the third round last year and he proceeded to pile up 107 tackles and a pair of interceptions in his rookie season. Borland’s play earned him a fourth-place ranking among 37 ILBs who played at least 50 percent of snaps in 2014, per PFF (subscription required). His presence would’ve helped make up for a lack of Willis, as it did last season when Willis was injured, but the 24-year-old decided to leave the game out of self-preservation.

“I just honestly want to do what’s best for my health,” Borland said. “From what I’ve researched and what I’ve experienced, I don’t think it’s worth the risk.

Like Borland, Davis – who appeared in and started 71 games for the 49ers between 2010-14 – also chose to retire because of health concerns.

“This will be a time for me to allow my brain and body a chance to heal. I know many won’t understand my decision, that’s OK,” the 25-year-old said in a statement.

Unlike Borland, though, Davis’ flight from football looks as if it’ll be more a hiatus than a real retirement. The 25-year-old tweeted in June that he’d “be back in a year or two,” and iterated that sentiment to NJ Advance Media earlier this week.

While it appears Davis will be back in the league at some point, the same can’t be said for the 35-year-old Smith. The longtime defensive line stalwart elected to step away after 14 productive seasons, the last seven of which were spent in San Francisco. He amassed 87 sacks during his career and was consistently one of the best D-linemen in the league with the 49ers, with whom he made five Pro Bowls and was named PFF’s top 3-4 defensive end three straight times (2009-11).

Prior to the above slew of retirements, some noteworthy contributors left the 49ers via free agency.

If Willis was the heart and soul of the 49ers’ defense, running back Frank Gore – who signed with the Colts – held the same distinction for their offense. Gore spent the first decade of his career with the 49ers and rushed for 1,000-plus yards eight times, including 1,106 last season, and finished with 250-plus carries in each of the last four years.

One of the offensive linemen who helped clear paths for Gore was guard Mike Iupati, who signed with NFC West rival Arizona. Iupati, 28, was a 49er for five seasons and made three consecutive Pro Bowls to close his career in the Bay. He earned a reputation as a dominant run blocker, ranking among PFF’s top five guards in that category two of the last three years.

The 49ers also said goodbye to a couple of well-known receivers, Michael Crabtree and Stevie Johnson. Crabtree, who signed with the Raiders in April, seldom lived up to pre-draft hype with the 49ers after going 10th overall in 2009. He was especially disappointing last season, when he found the end zone only four times and averaged a paltry 10.4 yards per catch on 68 grabs. Johnson was also a letdown with the 49ers, who acquired him from Buffalo last year. The Niners released Johnson after a 35-catch, three-touchdown 2014, and he subsequently signed with San Diego.

Defensively, the 49ers lost their two starting corners from last year and a quality role-playing linebacker in free agency. Corners Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox joined Washington and Tennessee, respectively, after combining for nine interceptions in 2014. PFF (subscription required) ranked Culliver 13th out of 74 corners who played at least 50 percent of snaps last year, while Cox ended up 24th. Linebacker Dan Skuta also left for bigger money elsewhere, signing for $20.5MM with the Jaguars. The six-year veteran was a 49er from 2013-14 and wasn’t exactly a household name with them, but he managed to draw positive grades from PFF both seasons. He also contributed career bests in sacks (five) and forced fumbles (three) last year.

As if the 49ers didn’t take enough of a beating during the winter and spring, the coup de grace may have come earlier this month. After yet another run-in with the law – this time an arrest on hit-and-run, DUI, and vandalism charges – the 49ers parted ways with star linebacker Aldon Smith. The 49ers drafted Smith seventh overall in 2011 and he emerged as a pass-rushing demigod, accumulating a whopping 44 sacks in 50 games. However, his on-field prowess was blighted by off-field problems. The 25-year-old was arrested three different times on suspicion of drunken driving while with the 49ers and garnered a nine-game suspension last season for an April 2014 incident with a TSA agent at Los Angeles International Airport.

Notable signings:

The biggest splash the 49ers made in free agency was the signing of wideout Torrey Smith. The 26-year-old mixed big-play ability with durability in Baltimore from 2011-14 and parlayed that combo into a $40MM contract. Smith has never caught more than 65 passes in a season, but he averaged 15.7 to 17.4 yards per catch each individual season with the Ravens and is coming off an 11-touchdown showing – his best so far. Just as impressive, perhaps, is the fact that Smith hasn’t yet missed a game in his career.

Accompanying Smith as a newly added skill player is running back Reggie Bush, who joins second-year man Carlos Hyde in the backfield as the 49ers try to replace Gore. Bush, a 10-year veteran, signed with the 49ers after a pedestrian 2014 with the Lions (550 total yards and two TDs on 116 touches). To Bush’s credit, he was an adept No. 1 back from 2011-13 with the Dolphins and Lions, respectively, as he exceeded the 215-carry mark three years in a row and the 1,000-yard plateau twice, and his averages ranged from 4.3 to 5.0 yards per attempt. Further, the 30-year-old has long been a threat in the passing game (466 career receptions), and should give quarterback Colin Kaepernick a capable target out of the backfield.

Defensively, the 49ers’ only noteworthy pickup in free agency was lineman Darnell Dockett, who was with Arizona from 2004-14. Dockett missed all of last season with a torn ACL and, at 34, his best days are likely behind him. Nevertheless, the three-time Pro Bowler has 40.5 career sacks and should aid the 49ers’ pass rush. Just don’t expect him to contribute against the run.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 first-round pick (No. 17; DL Arik Armstead), a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 117; TE Blake Bell), and a 2016 fifth-round pick from the Chargers in exchange for a 2015 first-round pick (No. 15; RB Melvin Gordon).
  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 165; P Bradley Pinion) and a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 244; OL Trenton Brown) from the Colts in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 151; DT David Parry).
  • Acquired a 2016 sixth-round pick from the Cowboys in exchange for a 2015 seventh-round pick (No. 246; TE Geoff Swaim).
  • Acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick from the Browns for P Andy Lee.

Extensions and restructures:

Draft picks:

  • 1-17: Arik Armstead, DL (Oregon): Signed
  • 2-46: Jaquiski Tartt, S (Samford): Signed
  • 3-79: Eli Harold, OLB (Virginia): Signed
  • 4-117: Blake Bell, TE (Oklahoma): Signed
  • 4-126: Mike Davis, RB (South Carolina): Signed
  • 4-132: DeAndre Smelter, WR (Georgia Tech): Signed
  • 5-165: Bradley Pinion, P (Clemson): Signed
  • 6-190: Ian Silberman, G (Boston College): Signed
  • 7-244: Trenton Brown, OL (Florida): Signed
  • 7-254: Rory Anderson, TE (South Carolina): Signed

Considering how their offseason went, it would obviously help the 49ers’ cause if at least a couple of their rookies stepped in and acquitted themselves well immediately. That includes ex-Oregon defensive lineman Arik Armstead, whom the team took in the first round. But the 6-foot-7, 292-pounder was viewed as a raw (albeit highly talented) prospect pre-draft and has work to do to climb up the 49ers’ depth chart, as the Sacramento Bee’s Matt Barrows wrote Friday.

Thanks to all the offseason departures San Francisco endured at linebacker, third-rounder Eli Harold will have an opportunity to make his presence felt quickly and replace Aldon Smith on the right side. Harold, who has shared reps with third-year man Corey Lemonier this summer, combined for 15.5 sacks during his final two season at Virginia and has impressed his new head coach so far.

“Eli Harold, he came in beeping (like on radar),” Jim Tomsula said last week, according to ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez. “Again, rookie going through it, we’ve all seen it, the ups and downs. He hasn’t had the downs, but we are still early on in this thing. But Eli is doing a really good job. He’s an energetic guy. I think everybody sees what we saw in him and why we drafted him.”

Other:

In 2011, the 49ers hired Jim Harbaugh as their head coach after seven strong years in the college ranks. The Niners were in the midst of an eight-year playoff drought when Harbaugh took the job, but his arrival brought dramatic improvement in the form of a superb 44-19-1 regular-season mark and three playoff berths. However, his relationship with CEO Jed York and general manager Trent Baalke deteriorated and became particularly discordant in 2014. That led to a divorce between the sides in December, and Harbaugh went back to college to coach Michigan.

To take over for Harbaugh, the 49ers hired from within and chose Tomsula. The 47-year-old had run the 49ers’ defensive line since 2007 and was their interim head coach for one game back in 2010 (a 38-7 win over the Cardinals).

Tomsula continued the in-house theme with his coordinator hires, promoting Eric Mangini (defense) and Geep Chryst (offense). While Mangini was an offensive consultant with the 49ers in 2013 and their tight ends coach last season, the majority of his coaching career has been spent on defensive staffs. He took Vic Fangio‘s old job, while Chryst grabbed the reins from Greg Roman. Chryst, who was last an O-coordinator with the Chargers in 1999-2000, was previously San Francisco’s quarterbacks coach.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Colin Kaepernick, QB: $15,265,753
  2. NaVorro Bowman, LB: $7,654,000
  3. Joe Staley, LT: $7,600,000
  4. Ahmad Brooks, OLB: $7,055,000
  5. Vernon Davis, TE: $6,967,920
  6. Anquan Boldin, WR: $6,909,000
  7. Aldon Smith, OLB: $4,854,875
  8. Antoine Bethea, S: $4,750,000
  9. Ray McDonald, DT: $4,609,971 (dead money)
  10. Phil Dawson, K: $4,134,000

While it’s unwise to write teams off prior to the season in the parity-driven NFL, it’s hard to imagine the 49ers improving on their .500 record from last year after their calamitous offseason. They’re likely to have a difficult time staying afloat as part of a division that houses a Super Bowl favorite (Seattle) and a pair of potential playoff contenders (Arizona and St. Louis).

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

Offseason In Review: San Diego Chargers

August 13th, 2015 at 2:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Leading up to the start of free agency, it was reported that a reunion between cornerback Brandon Flowers and the Chargers was likely. About 48 hours before things got started on March 10th, an agreement was struck. The four-year deal, which pays Flowers a healthy $36.4MM with $18.1MM guaranteed, is slated to keep Flowers in San Diego through the 2018 season. In his first season with the Charger, Flowers finished as the league’s 15th-best CB among 108 qualifiers per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). The 29-year-old, who ranked as PFR’s No. 22 free agent, started 14 games, accruing two interceptions in the process. After being released by the Chiefs last summer, Flowers signed on with San Diego on a one-year pact that netted him $3MM. He got himself a significant pay bump this time around.

The Chargers had significant problems on the offensive line in 2014 and they addressed that issue early on with the signing of Orlando Franklin. The 27-year-old Franklin has spent the first four years of his career with the Broncos, playing right tackle from 2011-13 before moving to left guard last season. Franklin excelled in his positional transition, finishing as the league’s 13th-best guard according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

While the O-Line struggled overall, King Dunlap was one of the brighter spots of that unit for San Diego. Way back in February, the Bolts signed him to a multi-year extension. Dunlap, 30, spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Eagles before signing with the Chargers in 2013. He has appeared in and started 27 regular-season games for the Bolts, emerging as their most dependable offensive lineman. Dunlap’s teammates named him San Diego’s Lineman of the Year in 2014 and Pro Football Focus (subscription required) rated him the 23rd-best tackle in the league out of 84 qualifiers. That followed an even more impressive sixth overall ranking in 2013.

In March, Stevie Johnson narrowed down his list of suitors to two teams – the Chargers and Patriots. After taking some time to mull it over, the former Bills notable went with San Diego. Johnson, 28, spent the first six seasons of his NFL career with the Bills before being sent to San Francisco a year ago in a trade. While the Kentucky product didn’t make a real impact for the 49ers, he enjoyed some success in Buffalo, putting up three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2010 to 2012, and grabbing 23 touchdowns during that three-year stretch.

Another notable wide receiver, Jacoby Jones, will be joining the Bolts this year, after signing a two-year free agent deal. Jones, 30, returned kicks and punts for Baltimore in 2014, but his role on offense was significantly reduced — after being targeted 68 times and hauling in 37 passes in 2013, Jones received just 18 targets and caught nine passes in 2014. He also averaged 30.6 yards on 32 kickoff returns, and 9.2 yards on 30 punt returns. For what it’s worth, the Ravens say they’re confident that they can replicate Jones’ production on special teams. Jones, meanwhile, will aim to prove that he is more than just the product of a good system.

Jimmy Wilson, 28, spent the first four years of his career in Miami, appearing in 60 games as a Dolphin and intercepting four passes. He totaled just eight starts during his first three seasons before amassing a career-high 13 in 2014. Eight of those starts came at cornerback, while the other five were from the safety position. Pro Football Focus (subscription required) wasn’t impressed with Wilson’s work as a corner last year, ranking him 94th out of 108 qualifiers. However, the site rated him a far better 34th out of 87 safeties.

Notable losses:

In February, the Chargers made it known that they wanted to retain Ryan Mathews. However, in March, we didn’t hear much about a possible reunion. Early on in the free agent process, Mathews paid a visit to the Eagles and the rest, as they say, is history. Considered an injury-prone player for the first three seasons of his career, Mathews finally stayed healthy and put it all together for the Chargers in 2013, rushing for a career-high 1,255 yards. He was unable to keep that run of good health going in 2014 though, playing just eight games for San Diego due to injuries. The former 12th overall pick can be one of the league’s best backs when he’s at 100%, but we haven’t seen much of that lately.

Eddie Royal caught 62 balls for 778 receiving yards with the Chargers last season and both marks were his best since his rookie season with the Broncos in 2008. The 29-year-old put himself on the map with his tremendous rookie performance in 2008 and became a focal point of the Bolts’ offense over the last two seasons. While the stats have come and gone for Royal since 2013 (no wide receiver really sees consistent targets in Philip Rivers‘ offense), he had proven himself to be a reliable option. Royal signed on with the Bears in the spring.

Before the start of free agency, the Chargers informed Dwight Freeney that they wouldn’t be pursuing another deal with him this offseason. Freeney didn’t rack up the same gaudy sacks totals with the Chargers that he did with Indianapolis as he posted just four total sacks from 2013-14. There’s evidence that he still has plenty of football left in him despite the unimpressive sack totals, but the Chargers felt that they wanted to move in a different direction. As of this writing, Freeney remains on the open market.

Even though he saw less than 400 snaps on the Chargers’ defense last season, Andrew Gachkar drew a significant amount of interest around the league since free agency began in March. The Vikings, Panthers, and Raiders all expressed interest in 26-year-old linebacker, who had spent his entire career in San Diego. While he started only five games in 2014, Gachkar was a key contributor on special teams, where he played on 217 snaps and posted 12 tackles. Ultimately, he got a two-year deal from Dallas.

Marcus Gilchrist was drafted by San Diego in the second round of the 2011 draft, and he started all 16 games for the club in each of the past two seasons. He fared poorly according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) in 2014, ranking 72nd out of 87 eligible safeties. However, he graded out much better in 2013, finishing as the 20th-best safety out of 88. He has tallied five interceptions in his four-year career, so he has not been much of a playmaker despite his strong tackling abilities and mentally-sound play. The Chargers wanted to keep him, but they didn’t want him as bad as the Jets.

Longtime Chargers offensive lineman Jeromey Clary announced his retirement shortly after the New Year. Clary, who spent the 2014 season on the team’s reserve/PUP list after undergoing hip surgery, said that he had been planning on retirement for a long time. Although he was a sixh-round pick, Clary soon became a mainstay in San Diego’s lineup, starting 93 of the 103 games he played for the team during his career, primarily at right tackle.

Nick Hardwick, 33, served as San Diego’s starting center ever since being selected by the Chargers in the third round of the 2004 draft, the same year the team added Phillip Rivers. Even though Rivers continues to be the team’s franchise QB, Hardwick decided to call it a career in February. This past season, a neck injury forced Hardwick to the injured reserve list after Week 1, wiping out a streak of 67 consecutive starts. Considering he had already mulled the possibility of retiring a year ago, and had endured a neck injury in the past, the news did not come as a huge surprise. Hardwick’s contract also expired this winter, so the Chargers aren’t carrying any cap hit on their books for him in 2015.

Chad Rinehart regressed significantly last year after a decent initial campaign in San Diego, ranking as the fifth-worst guard Pro Football Focus (subscription required) measured. In March, San Diego decided that it wouldn’t give Rinehart a third year in powder blue. San Diego saved $3.25MM in cap room but incured a dead-money penalty of $1MM by cutting him.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 first-round pick (No. 15; RB Melvin Gordon) from the 49ers in exchange for a 2015 first-round pick (No. 17; DL Arik Armstead), a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 117; TE Blake Bell), and a 2016 fifth-round pick.

Extensions and restructures:

Corey Liuget, who turned 25 in March, has been a key contributor at defensive end for the Chargers since being selected in the first round of the 2011 draft. The former 18th overall pick has started 61 regular season contests for the club in his four seasons, including all 16 games in each of the last three years. In 2014, Liuget notched a career-high 57 tackles and recorded 4.5 sacks to go along with a pair of forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. In June, the Chargers made Liuget a rich man and locked him down through 2020.

Draft picks:

  • 1-15: Melvin Gordon, RB (Wisconsin): Signed
  • 2-48: Denzel Perryman, ILB (Miami): Signed
  • 3-83: Craig Mager, CB (Texas State): Signed
  • 5-153: Kyle Emanuel, OLB (North Dakota State): Signed
  • 6-192: Darius Philon, DL (Arkansas): Signed

Melvin Gordon was widely viewed as the best running back in the 2015 class and many believed that there was a significant dropoff between him and the next one down on the board. That’s why the Chargers took no chances and traded up from No. 17 to grab the Wisconsin star. Gordon gained 2,587 yards on the ground last season, the second-most in FBS history behind the 2,628 yards put up by an Oklahoma State tailback by the name of Barry Sanders.

Other:

  • Hired former Falcons DC Mike Nolan as linebackers coach.
  • Learned TE Antonio Gates would be suspended four games (performance-enhancing substances).
  • Exercised 2016 fifth-year option for LB Melvin Ingram ($7.751MM).
  • Signed nine players to reserve/futures contracts.
  • Signed 21 undrafted rookie free agents following the draft.

On July 2nd a rash of NFL suspensions came down and none were more surprising that the four-game suspension levied upon Chargers tight end Antonio Gates, who popped positive for PEDs. Gates, the Chargers‘ all-time leader in catches, will now cede the starting tight end job to understudy Ladarius Green, someone who many feel is a future star.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Philip Rivers, QB: $17,416,668
  2. Eric Weddle, S: $10,100,000
  3. Antonio Gates, TE: $9,762,500
  4. Corey Liuget, DT: $7,977,000
  5. Donald Butler, LB: $5,480,000
  6. Malcom Floyd, WR: $4,716,668
  7. Orlando Franklin, G: $4,400,000
  8. Mike Scifres, P: $4,347,500
  9. Brandon Flowers, CB: $4,250,000
  10. King Dunlap, LT: $4,125,000

In recent years, the Chargers have been a good but not great team that has yet to really solidify their status as championship contenders. Now, with several notable names leaving Denver this offseason and uncertainty in both Oakland and Kansas City, the Bolts could be in position to win the AFC West for the first time since 2009.

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

Offseason In Review: New Orleans Saints

August 8th, 2015 at 12:31pm CST by Luke Adams

It was an eventful offseason in New Orleans, where the Saints entered the month of March way over the salary cap, necessitating a handful of trades, cuts, and restructures. With Drew Brees leading the way, the Saints should always have a chance to contend in the NFC South, but 2015 has been a year of transition for the club, and a new-look Saints team will take the field this year when the season gets underway.

Notable signings:

The Saints may have parted ways with more than one of Brees’ favorite receiving targets, but they made sure to keep the offensive backfield well stocked — the team’s two biggest free agent deals of the offseason, in terms of years and dollars, went to running backs.

One of those backs, Mark Ingram, is a familiar face in New Orleans, re-signing with the club after a career year in which he racked up 964 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. Ingram’s 226 carries were by far the most he has received in any of his four NFL seasons, and he excelled in the increased role. Ingram may not be a lock to play in all 16 games, but with Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles, and Pierre Thomas no longer in New Orleans, he finally got his chance to carry the load for the Saints, and I expect him to get plenty of work again in 2015 after getting $6.1MM in guaranteed money to return.

Joining him as a change of pace in the backfield is former Bill C.J. Spiller, an intriguing addition who should be able to do some of the things that Sproles and Bush used to do in New Orleans. Like Ingram, Spiller has had injury issues and probably shouldn’t be counted on for 16 full games, but he can still be an explosive player when he sees the field. From 2011 to 2013, Spiller averaged an impressive 5.3 yards per carry and racked up 115 total receptions. His contract, which is very similar to Ingram’s, suggests the Saints envision a time-share between the two players, and Spiller could excel if he’s not being relied on to be the primary playmaker on offense.

Outside of the two running backs, the Saints didn’t spend much in free agency, which can be at least partly attributed to their lack of cap flexibility. Most of the club’s other veteran free agent additions came on the defensive side of the ball, where Brandon Browner, Kevin Williams, and Anthony Spencer are among the newest Saints.

Of the three, Browner figures to have the biggest impact, and his contract reflects that — no free agent got more guaranteed money from the Saints this offseason than the $7.75MM Browner received. Considering New Orleans’ top two corners in 2014 – Keenan Lewis and Corey White – both ranked near the bottom of Pro Football Focus’ grades for the season, the investment makes sense. Browner should help fortify a Saints secondary that will get Jairus Byrd, last season’s top signee, back, but he’ll have to cut down on the penalties. Per PFF, he was called for 15 last season, the second-highest mark among cornerbacks, despite playing less than 600 snaps.

While Browner will see the field more often and play a more significant role for the Saints, Spencer is another free agent addition worth keeping an eye on. He’s on a minimum-salary deal, so there’s little downside from New Orleans’ perspective, and Spencer isn’t far removed from an 11-sack season in 2012. Of course, he has undergone microfracture surgery since then, and probably will never be the same player, but he’s another year removed from that procedure, and reuniting with former Cowboys defensive coordinator Rob Ryan could help him.

Notable losses:

On reason the Saints have found themselves up against the cap so often in recent years is a frequent inability to determine when it’s time to move on from a player. Often, the team finds itself releasing a player not long after signing him to an extension, which was the case with Thomas. The longtime Saints running back signed an extension in 2014 that locked him up for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, then was cut by New Orleans before he was able to play a single down on that new deal. In the short term, Thomas’ extension allowed the Saints to reduce his ’14 cap charge, but in the long term, it leaves unnecessary dead money on the club’s cap.

A more extreme example of this lack of foresight was the case of Junior Galette. After Galette’s breakout 2013 campaign, in which he posted 12 sacks and recovered a pair of fumbles, the Saints rewarded him at the start of the 2014 season with a four-year, $41.5MM extension, featuring a huge chunk of guaranteed money. Several months later, the Saints were already trying to trade him, and ultimately decided to simply part ways with the standout pass rusher after multiple off-field incidents. If the Saints had waited a little longer to extend the 27-year-old, who was kicked off Temple’s football team in college, they wouldn’t be stuck with more than $17.5MM in dead money on their cap for Galette over the next two seasons.

New Orleans’ cap situation also played a role in the loss of promising defensive lineman Tyrunn Walker, who was eligible for restricted free agency. The cap-strapped Saints opted to non-tender Walker, and before he signed with the Lions, the amount of interest the ex-Saint received from smart personnel people around the league was “staggering,” according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter).

Of course, not all of the Saints’ cap casualties will be as difficult to replace as players like Galette and Walker. White and linebacker Curtis Lofton were among the team’s defenders who ranked near the bottom of Pro Football Focus’ rankings at their respective positions. Lofton’s tackles totals during his three years in New Orleans were lofty, and he was extremely durable, never missing a game for the team, but moving on from him in favor of younger, cheaper players was the right call.

Trades:

  • Acquired C Max Unger and a 2015 first-round pick from the Seahawks in exchange for TE Jimmy Graham and a 2015 fourth-round pick.
  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick from the Chiefs in exchange for G Ben Grubbs.
  • Acquired LB Dannell Ellerbe and a 2015 third-round pick from the Dolphins in exchange for WR Kenny Stills.
  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 167; CB Damian Swann) from Washington in exchange for a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 187; WR Evan Spencer) and a 2016 sixth-round pick.

The list of notable losses above featured a handful of key contributors for the 2014 Saints, but the list of players traded away by the team over the last several months is arguably even more star-studded. Topping this list is Jimmy Graham, Brees’ favorite target for the last few seasons.

Graham was another player whom the Saints probably extended too soon, considering he was traded away less than a year after he signed a long-term extension with the club, and will count for $9MM in dead money against New Orleans’ cap in 2015. Still, the structure of Graham’s contract allowed the Seahawks to add him to their books at a much lesser rate than they would’ve paid in free agency, which is why Seattle was willing to part with a first-round pick for him, so the extension didn’t totally backfire for the Saints.

The team’s other big trade of the offseason involved sending Kenny Stills to the Dolphins for veteran linebacker Dannell Ellerbe and a third-round pick, a deal that looked similar to the Graham trade. Both swaps allowed the Saints to add a veteran contributor at an area of weakness – center Max Unger in the trade with Seattle and Ellerbe in the Miami deal – as well as adding an early draft pick.

Considering how cheap rookie contracts are these days, it made sense for the Saints to stockpile draft picks in an effort to add talented, inexpensive players to help balance out the presence of their aging, overpriced veterans, and the glut of dead money on their cap. No team had more picks in the first three rounds of the draft than the Saints’ five selections, and the Graham and Stills deals were a key reason why. Landing a fifth-round pick from the Chiefs for veteran guard Ben Grubbs was a bonus, though it left New Orleans with a hole to fill on its offensive line.

Extensions and restructures:

  • Jahri Evans, G: Extended through 2017. Received $5.4MM signing bonus and $9.5MM in total guarantees. 2015 base salary reduced from $6.8MM to $1.003MM. Created $4MM in cap space.
  • Cameron Jordan, DE: Extended through 2020. Five years, $55MM. $22.969MM guaranteed. $1.25MM in incentives available annually from 2017-2020.
  • Jairus Byrd, S: Restructured contract to create $4.8MM in cap space for 2015, converting a $6MM roster bonus into a signing bonus.
  • Marques Colston, WR: Accepted pay cut. Base salary reduced from $6.9MM to $1.445MM in 2015 and from $7.7MM to $2.65MM in 2016.
  • Dannell Ellerbe, LB: Accepted pay cut before trade from Miami. Reduced base salary in ’15 from $8.5MM to $1.1MM, in ’16 from $6.45MM to $4.1MM, and in ’17 from $6MM to $4.1MM. Includes guarantee of 2015 base salary, $1.5MM signing bonus, $2.1MM 2015 roster bonus, $1MM roster bonus in 2016 and 2017, and $100K annually in workout bonuses.
  • Junior Galette, LB: Restructured contract to create $10MM in cap space for 2015, converting a $12.5MM roster bonus into a signing bonus.
  • David Hawthorne, LB: Accepted pay cut. Base salary reduced from $2MM to $1.19MM in 2015 and from $4MM to $1.75MM in 2016.

It’s fair to wonder how many of the players who restructured their contracts and/or accepted pay cuts would still be Saints if they had been unwilling to do so. I imagine when the offseason began, the team approached nearly all its high-priced veterans about reworking their deals, and the players who were open to the idea – such as Jahri Evans, Marques Colston, and David Hawthorne – remained on the roster. Others, like Lofton and Grubbs, may have been less thrilled about the idea, prompting the Saints to cut or trade them.

In some cases, the Saints had deliberately structured contracts to accommodate restructures — there was no way that the huge roster bonuses due to players like Byrd and Galette wouldn’t be converted to signing bonuses, for instance. That’s okay for now, but as we saw with Galette, that bonus money will still hit the cap at some point, and if the Saints have to move on from a player earlier than expected, that money will land on their cap sooner rather than later.

As the Saints worked to reduce big salaries, push those big numbers back to later years, or get rid of those salaries entirely, one exception was defensive end Cameron Jordan, who figures to be relied on more significantly with Galette out of the picture. $11MM per year may seem like a steep price for a defensive lineman who has only recorded double-digit sacks once in his NFL career, but Jordan is also stout against the run, and the cost around the league of extensions for players like Corey Liuget and Cameron Heyward showed that the Saints weren’t paying higher than market value.

Draft picks:

  • 1-13: Andrus Peat, T (Stanford): Signed
  • 1-31: Stephone Anthony, LB (Clemson): Signed
  • 2-44: Hau’oli Kikaha, OLB (Washington): Signed
  • 3-75: Garrett Grayson, QB (Colorado State): Signed
  • 3-78: P.J. Williams, CB (Florida State): Signed
  • 5-148: Davis Tull, OLB (Chattanooga): Signed
  • 5-154: Tyeler Davison, DT (Fresno State): Signed
  • 5-167: Damian Swann, CB (Georgia): Signed
  • 7-230: Marcus Murphy, RB (Missouri): Signed

Loaded with extra draft picks in the first three rounds, the Saints predictably used most of those selections on defensive players, adding inside linebacker Stephone Anthony, outside linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha, and cornerback P.J. Williams.

Williams was considered a potential first-round pick based on talent, but was arrested on a DUI charge just a few weeks before the draft, raising concerns about his NFL future. Those charges were ultimately dismissed, and with an extra third-rounder, the Saints could afford to roll the dice on Williams. The team could have a steal if Williams stays out of trouble going forward, though after what they went through with Galette, Sean Payton and his coaching staff figure to keep a close eye on the former Florida State corner, just in case.

The Saints’ other two top picks were a little less predictable, as the club snagged offensive tackle Andrus Peat in the first round, and quarterback Garrett Grayson in the third. An NFL team can never have too many offensive linemen, but the Saints have solid starters on each side of their line, with Terron Armstead penciled in on the left side and Zach Strief expected to play on the right side, so it’s not clear whether Peat will get a chance to start in his rookie season.

Grayson, meanwhile, certainly won’t be starting in his rookie year, barring an injury to Brees. While the former Super Bowl MVP is entering the final year of his contract, he’s expected to stick with the Saints for at least a couple more seasons. Bringing a developmental quarterback on board at this point doesn’t necessarily suggests New Orleans views Grayson as its QB of the future, but it’s an interesting use of a pick that could have been used on adding more defensive help or an offensive playmaker to help Brees win in the short term.

Other:

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Drew Brees, QB: $26,400,000
  2. Jimmy Graham, TE: $9,000,000 (dead money)
  3. Jahri Evans, G: $7,000,000
  4. Marques Colston, WR: $6,500,000
  5. Ben Grubbs, G: $6,000,000 (dead money)
  6. Jairus Byrd, S: $5,500,000
  7. Junior Galette, OLB: $5,450,000 (dead money)
  8. Curtis Lofton, LB: $5,000,000 (dead money)
  9. Keenan Lewis, CB: $4,500,000
  10. Max Unger, C: $4,500,000

NFL fans and observers spent most of the 2014 season waiting for the Saints to step up and take control of a weak NFC South division that didn’t feature a single .500 team. When that didn’t happen, New Orleans GM Mickey Loomis and the front office decided a retooling was in order, and created a little breathing room under the cap by jettisoning a number of veteran contributors.

Heading into the 2015 season, there are a number of question marks surrounding the Saints: Will the offensive backfield stay healthy? Will Brees have enough receiving talent around him to continue to be productive? Will the new additions on defense help turn around a unit that allowed the second-most yards in the NFL in 2014? If things break right, the club could contend for the division title again this season, but there may be some growing pains for the new-look squad.

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

Offseason In Review: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

August 6th, 2015 at 4:16pm CST by Zachary Links

Picked by some as a possible surprise playoff contender, the Buccaneers went on to tie the Titans with a league-worst 2-14 mark. The Bucs entered the offseason with serious question marks on both sides of the ball, but also with some flexibility to make changes.

Notable signings:

The Bucs already had one of the best outside linebackers in football in Lavonte David and this spring they brought in another intriguing player at the position. Former Cowboys linebacker Bruce Carter hasn’t lived up to expectations so far, but he does boast freakish athleticism and the Bucs likely feel that they can utilize him better than Dallas has. Carter was given a negative grade by Pro Football Focus (subscription required) in 2014 and ranked as just the 34th best outside linebacker in a 4-3 scheme out of 40 qualified players. However, in 13 games (with eight starts), the 27-year-old recorded 82 total tackles with an eye-popping five interceptions and one sack.

Another former members of the Cowboys, Henry Melton, will be making his home in the Tampa area in 2015. Melton, a former fourth-round pick, broke onto the scene with the Bears in 2010, when he finished with 13 tackles and 2.5 sacks. His best season in Chicago came in 2012, when he compiled 32 tackles and six sacks, earning him a trip to the Pro Bowl and a top-six spot on Pro Football Focus’ rankings (subscription required) of defensive tackles. However, his career with the Bears ended rather unceremoniously, as Melton only appeared in three games in 2013 before injuring his ACL. Melton joined the Cowboys in 2014 and played well in part-time action, recording five sacks, but the team decided not to pick up his pricey option for 2015 and beyond, making him a free agent.

Prior to March 10th, the Buccaneers reached agreement on a two-year, $3MM deal to retain safety Major Wright. Wright, a third-round pick of the Bears in the 2010 NFL Draft, is quite familiar with Lovie Smith’s defense. He was inconsistent in Chicago, but Smith saw enough in him to sign him to a one-year deal last offseason. Now, he’s slated to be in Tampa Bay through the 2016 season.

If Carter and Melton ever get wistful for Dallas, they can reminisce with ex-Cowboys cornerback Sterling Moore, who signed a one-year deal with the Bucs. Moore, 25, played an increased role for the Cowboys in 2014, starting seven regular season games for the team and appearing in all 16. Playing 866 defensive snaps, Moore didn’t grab an interception, but defended 13 passes and made 50 tackles. He also ranked 22nd out of 108 qualified cornerbacks during his time at the position, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Notable losses:

The Buccaneers knew they had to make a change at quarterback in 2015 and in February, they let cut veteran Josh McCown loose. Coming off an excellent run in Chicago in which he threw 13 touchdowns and just one interception in relief of Jay Cutler in 2013, McCown inked a two-year, $10MM deal with the Bucs last offseason. McCown’s age-35 season, his lone year as Tampa Bay’s primary starter, didn’t go well — he won just one of 11 starts, throwing more INTs (14) than TDs (11), and completing just 56.3% of his passes. With McCown out of the picture, the Bucs were able to clear a path for their No. 1 overall pick to take over.

Defensive end Michael Johnson was another top pickup from the 2014 offseason who was shown the door in 2015. After signing a hefty five-year, $43.75MM deal, Johnson logged just four sacks, and Pro Football Focus graded him as the league’s 53rd-best 4-3 defensive end, out of 59 qualified players (subscription required). Now, Johnson is back with the Bengals where he’ll try to get back to his old form.

The Bucs declined their fifth-year option on Adrian Clayborn, a former No. 20 overall pick, in April of 2014. Clayborn was then in a position where he would have to prove himself in order to stay in Tampa Bay, but he never got the opportunity. The 27-year-old played in only one game before being placed on IR last September. The year prior, he made 16 starts in 2013 at right defensive end and tallied 43 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) weren’t all that fond of Clayborn’s performance in 2013 – ranking him 47th out of 52 qualified 4-3 defensive ends – and neither were the Bucs, apparently. Clayborn will now try and rebuild his value with the Falcons after signing a one-year, make-good deal.

Less than one year after the Bucs signed left tackle Anthony Collins to a five-year deal worth $30MM, they cut him loose. A former fourth-round pick in 2008 and part-time starter with the Bengals, Collins missed time with injuries last year but rated as a low-end blocker when on the field, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). Collins was the sixth-highest-paid player on the Bucs’ payroll and his release cost the team $3MM in dead money while saving an equal amount.

Dane Fletcher, 28, spent four years with the Pats before signing with the Buccaneers last offseason. When the Bucs didn’t make a great effort to retain him this offseason, Fletcher wound up returning to New England. Appearing in all 16 games for Tampa Bay, Fletcher recorded 41 tackles and 0.5 sacks in 2014. While the linebacker logged 358 defensive snaps, he also contributed significantly on special teams, racking up 11 of his tackles in kick and punt coverage.

Before hitting free agency, Buccaneers linebacker Mason Foster made it known that he would like to stay with the team for 2015 and beyond. Unfortunately, that was not meant to be. Foster was courted by the Bears at the outset of free agency and their newly acquired defensive lineman Jarvis Jenkins joined in on the recruiting efforts. Near the end of March, Foster inked a deal with Chicago.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2016 sixth-round pick from Washington in exchange for S Dashon Goldson and a 2016 seventh-round pick.
  • Acquired DE George Johnson (RFA) and a 2015 seventh-round pick from the Lions in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick.
  • Acquired a 2015 second-round pick (No. 61; G Ali Marpet) and a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 128) from the Colts in exchange for a 2015 third-round pick (No. 65; CB D’Joun Smith) and a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 109; S Clayton Geathers).
  • Acquired a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 124; LB Kwon Alexander) from the Raiders in exchange for a 2015 fourth-round pick (No. 128; G Jon Feliciano) and a seventh-round pick (No. 218; T Anthony Morris).

Dashon Goldson would have gone in the category above this one had it not been for Washington. Washington GM Scot McCloughan helped bring Goldson into the league when he was with the 49ers and he jumped at the opportunity to reunite this offseason. Goldson, 30, signed a massive five-year contract worth $47.5MM with the Bucs prior to the 2013 season, but they won’t carry any dead money since there was no signing bonus on that deal. When Goldson signed that lucrative five-year contract with the Bucs, he was coming off an All-Pro season in San Francisco. However, his production has slipped a little over the last two seasons, as he has battled injuries.

The Buccaneers signed George Johnson, a restricted free agent, to a three-year, $9MM deal with de-escalators for years two and three designed to dissuade the Lions from matching. Initially, it seemed like Detroit was gearing up for a battle with the Bucs as they asked the league office for clarification on which terms they had to match on the offer sheet in order to retain Johnson. Ultimately, however, the two sides skirted a dispute by reached agreement on a trade. Tampa Bay got Johnson and a seventh-round choice from the Lions in exchange for a fifth-round selection. The 27-year-old was quietly effective in 2014, appearing in all 16 games for the Lions and earning a positive grade from Pro Football Focus (subscription required), largely thanks to his excellent pass-rushing acumen.

Extensions and restructures:

Draft picks:

  • 1-1: Jameis Winston, QB (Florida State): Signed
  • 2-34: Donovan Smith, T (Penn State): Signed
  • 2-61: Ali Marpet, OL (Hobart): Signed
  • 4-124: Kwon Alexander, LB (LSU): Signed
  • 5-162: Kenny Bell, WR (Nebraska): Signed
  • 6-184: Kaelin Clay, WR (Utah): Signed
  • 7-231: Joey Iosefa, FB (Hawaii): Signed

Despite all the moves listed above, Jameis Winston stands as the face of the Bucs’ 2015 offseason. When Tampa Bay officially drew the No. 1 pick in the draft, there was little question that they would select the Florida State star, even though some evaluators saw Marcus Mariota as the best QB in this year’s class. Still, despite questions about his makeup and character, Winston is undeniably talented. When he’s on, Winston has shown a level of football intelligence than many rookie signal callers simply don’t have.

In the second round, the Bucs scored a pair of promising offensive lineman. The first, Donovan Smith, started 31 games while at Penn State, all at left tackle. Some wonder if he’s athletic enough to stick on the outside of the O-Line, but the Bucs probably think so after watching him excel at the Senior Bowl. Marpet, meanwhile, hails from Division III Hobart and it’ll be interested to see how quickly he can adjust to the pace of the NFL.

Other:

In May, the Buccaneers decided to decline the fifth-year option on Doug Martin, which means that the running back is now entering his walk year. Martin, 26, burst into the league in 2012, racking up 1,454 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, en route to a spot in the Pro Bowl. However, injuries and underwhelming production have limited him during the last couple seasons, as he has been repeatedly usurped on the Bucs’ running back depth chart. As the 31st overall pick, Martin would have been in line for a $5.621MM salary in 2016 had the Bucs elected to pick up his option.

In addition to having the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, the Bucs also had top priority on the waiver wire and they repeatedly took advantage of that. Their most notable waiver pickup of the bunch was tight end Tim Wright, who burst on to the scene with the Bucs as a rookie in 2013. Wright, 25, grabbed 54 balls for 571 yards and five touchdowns in his first season but after drafting Austin Seferian-Jenkins and signing Brandon Myers, the Bucs took advantage of their depth at tight end and sent Wright to the Pats in a deal for veteran guard Logan Mankins. Wright’s former Rutgers teammate, Khaseem Greene, and safety D.J. Swearinger, are also in Tampa Bay thanks to the Bucs’ top draw on the waiver wire.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Gerald McCoy, DT: $14,595,000
  2. Vincent Jackson, WR: $12,209,777
  3. Michael Johnson, DE: $7,000,000 (dead money)
  4. Logan Mankins, G: $7,000,000
  5. Carl Nicks, G: $4,714,000 (dead money)
  6. Jameis Winston, QB: $4,609,323
  7. Bruce Carter, LB: $4,250,000
  8. Alterraun Verner, CB: $4,250,000
  9. Dashon Goldson, S: $4,000,000 (dead money)
  10. Evan Smith, C: $3,750,000

The Buccaneers’ success in 2015 and beyond will largely be tied to the development of Winston. It remains to be seen whether he can justify his No. 1 overall selection, but at the very least, he should help improve an offense that graded out as one of the league’s worst last year.

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

Offseason In Review: Atlanta Falcons

August 5th, 2015 at 5:33pm CST by Zachary Links

With a different regime in place – including new head coach Dan Quinn – can the Falcons rebound from their 6-10 showing in 2014?

Notable signings:

The Falcons’ two biggest expenditures this offseason were at the linebacker position. On March 10th, the official start of free agency, Atlanta inked Brooks Reed and Justin Durant. 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.

Now with the Falcons, Durant joins his fourth team in what will be his ninth year. He spent 2014 with the Cowboys and missed 10 games with a torn bicep, amassing 49 tackles in six contests. Durant finished 17th out of 40 qualifiers in Pro Football Focus’ 4-3 OLB rankings. The Cowboys reportedly hoped to retain the 29-year-old, but they were unsuccessful in their efforts.

O’Brien Schofield, another linebacker of note, followed his former coach to Atlanta this offseason. Schofield recorded 25 total tackles and two sacks last season with the Seahawks and played in all 16 regular season games.

Adrian Clayborn, 27, played only one game for the Bucs before being placed on IR last September. In the year prior, he made 16 starts at right defensive end and tallied 43 tackles and 5.5 sacks. Clayborn was hoping to establish himself in 2014, his contract year, but he didn’t get the opportunity to show what he can do before hitting open market. The Bucs declined their fifth-year option on the former No. 20 overall pick in April of 2014. Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required) weren’t all that fond of Clayborn’s performance in 2013, ranking him 47th out of 52 qualified 4-3 defensive ends. Clayborn didn’t shine in his walk year like he had hoped, but the Falcons may have gotten a great value on this one-year deal.

When veteran guard Chris Chester was released by Washington, he didn’t last long on the open market. Two days after he was put on the unemployment line, the Falcons swooped in and signed him. Chester, 32, started at right guard for Washington last season, but with 2014 third-rounder Spencer Long ready to take over that role and Chester’s cap number approaching $5MM, the veteran became expendable. Still, while Spencer, a former second-round pick, may not have been in Washington’s long-term plans, he can still be a positive contributor.

Veteran free agent Jacob Tamme didn’t play a focal role in the Broncos offense last season but it’s possible that we’ll see a little more of him on the field now that he’s in Atlanta. The tight end grabbed 52 balls in 2012, but the former fourth-round pick had his reception total drop to 20 in 2013 and to just 14 in 2014.

In late February, the Falcons kept longtime kicker Matt Bryant from hitting the open market with a multi-year extension. Bryant, who has been with the Falcons since the 2009 season, has been very consistent during his time in Atlanta. He made 29 of 32 field goal attempts in 2014, with his only three misses coming from 50+ yards out. In 2013, two of his three misses were from 50+ yards.

Notable losses:

Steven Jackson first joined the Falcons as a free agent in March of 2013 after spending his entire career with the Rams up until that point. In February of 2015, Atlanta parted ways with the veteran. At the peak of his career, Jackson was regarded as one of the best running backs in the NFL and had three Pro Bowl selections to his credit. Unfortunately, he was never able to match that same kind of success in Atlanta. Follow running back Jacquizz Rodgers is also out of Atlanta after hooking on with the Bears.

Justin Blalock was a mainstay at the left guard spot in Atlanta since entering the league in 2007, having started all 125 games he has played during his career with the Falcons. That’s why his February release came as something of a surprise. Even putting his experience aside, the former second-round pick was still an above-average guard, according to Pro Football Focus – Blalock received positive grades from the site for each of the last five seasons (subscription required). In June, Blalock decided to walk away from the game.

Harry Douglas was a hero in 2013, when injuries to Julio Jones and Roddy White increased his role in the Falcons’ offense, allowing him to set new career highs in catches (85) and receiving yards (1,067). Jones and White returned to health for the 2014 season, and Douglas returned to his role as Matt Ryan‘s No. 3 target. With a base salary of $3.5MM for the 2015 season, the Falcons felt that Douglas wasn’t worth the cash and released him in late February, right around when they bid farewell to S-Jax.

Veteran pass rusher Osi Umenyiora didn’t draw a ton of interest on the free agent market after his deal with the Falcons expired and Atlanta didn’t seem all that interested in a reunion. Late last month, the veteran agreed to sign a one-day deal with Big Blue so that he could retire as a member of the Giants.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 137; DT Grady Jarrett) from the Vikings in exchange for a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 146; WR Stefon Diggs) and a 2015 sixth-round pick (No. 185; T Tyrus Thompson).

Draft picks:

  • 1-8: Vic Beasley, DE/OLB (Clemson): Signed
  • 2-42: Jalen Collins, CB (LSU): Signed
  • 3-73: Tevin Coleman, RB (Indiana): Signed
  • 4-107: Justin Hardy, WR (East Carolina): Signed
  • 5-137: Grady Jarrett, DT (Clemson): Signed
  • 7-225: Jake Rodgers, T (Eastern Washington): Signed
  • 7-250: Akeem King, S (San Jose State): Signed

The Falcons have struggled to produce an effective pass rush over the last couple seasons, and the arrival of Beasley is expected to help improve that aspect of the defense. It will be interesting to see how Quinn makes use of Beasley, who was considered one of the top edge rushers in this year’s draft.

Other:

  • Restructured front office. GM Thomas Dimitroff retained final say over draft and free agency, while assistant GM Scott Pioli took on more pro/college scouting and draft responsibilities.
  • Hired Dan Quinn as head coach to replace Mike Smith.
  • Hired Kyle Shanahan as offensive coordinator to replace Dirk Koetter.
  • Hired Richard Smith as defensive coordinator to replace Mike Nolan.
  • Signed 11 players to reserve/futures contracts.
  • Signed 19 undrafted rookie free agents following the draft.

The hiring of Dan Quinn as Falcons head coach was the worst kept secret in football for what felt like forever. After the Super Bowl, however, the Seahawks defensive coordinator finally was able to put pen to paper with Atlanta. A former defensive line coach, Quinn has led the league’s top defense in Seattle in each of the last two seasons as the club’s defensive coordinator. While his stint with the Seahawks had an unfortunate ending, Quinn was regarded as one of the leading head coaching candidates of the offseason. He is a highly touted defensive mind, but Quinn also had a pool of talent available to him in Seattle. It’ll be interesting to see if he has enough to work with in Atlanta after the moves made this offseason.

Prior to the hiring of Quinn, the Falcons announced a restructuring of the player personnel department with changes affecting general manager Thomas Dimitroff and assistant GM Scott Pioli. Pioli has taken on pro and college scouting and NFL draft responsibilities, reporting to Dimitroff. Dimitroff also “retain[ed] management responsibility for salary cap, player affairs, equipment, sports medicine and performance, and video activities.” Each exec now reports separately to owner Arthur Blank.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Matt Ryan, QB: $19,500,000
  2. Julio Jones, WR: $10,176,000
  3. Roddy White, WR: $5,556,250
  4. William Moore, S: $5,368,750
  5. Paul Soliai, DT: $4,400,000
  6. Jon Asamoah, G: $4,268,750
  7. Justin Blalock, G: $4,120,000 (dead money)
  8. Joe Hawley, C: $4,000,000
  9. Tyson Jackson, DT: $3,850,000
  10. Jake Matthews, LT: $3,733,977

The Falcons didn’t make the flashiest moves this offseason, but they might have had one of the better offseasons of any team in the NFL. Atlanta undeniably got stronger on the defensive side of the ball and they have the right coach to make that unit as successful as possible. If the Falcons’ offensive line – which was largely neglected this spring – can perform better than last season, there’s no reason to think that they can’t come out on top in the NFC South.

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

Offseason In Review: Tennessee Titans

August 4th, 2015 at 8:00pm CST by Zachary Links

No one expected much out of the Titans in 2014, but their 2-14 mark was still a disappointment to fans. In the preseason, newly-hired head coach Ken Whisenhunt set the bar fairly high when he said that he wouldn’t need to exercise patience with his squad. In September, he realized that he had overestimated what he had on his roster. This time around, Whisenhunt is hoping for more out of his team. Fortunately, it shouldn’t be too hard to improve over last season.

Notable signings:

Derrick Morgan was the Titans’ most important free agent heading into the offseason and many expected him to land elsewhere. After all, he is considered a better fit as a 4-3 defensive end, and he has never really lived up to his first-round billing in five seasons with the Titans. However, despite modest sack totals (his 6.5 in 2014 matched a career high), Morgan graded as a top-10 outside linebacker according to PFF, which ranked him eighth in 2014 and credited him with 49 total quarterback pressures. Morgan paid visits to the Falcons and Buccaneers and was reportedly scheduled to hit Dallas for a meeting with the Cowboys, but he instead reached a deal to stay in Tennessee.

In addition to retaining Morgan, the Titans went out-of-house to further fortify their pass rush. A few days after the official start of free agency, the Titans inked former Washington linebacker Brian Orakpo. Orakpo, 28, is coming off a disappointing 2014 season that ended after just seven games when he tore his pectoral muscle and was placed on injured reserve. Still, despite the fact that he logged just 0.5 sacks last year, the former first-round pick was viewed as one of the top free agent players a year ago, when he was coming off a 10.5-sack season and earned a franchise tag from Washington. He was ranked as the NFL’s fourth-best 3-4 outside linebacker in 2013 by Pro Football Focus’ grades (subscription required). Per PFF, Orakpo racked up an impressive 51 total quarterback pressures in ’13.

Da’Norris Searcy, 26, started a career-high 13 games for the Bills in 2014, racking up 65 tackles for the club to go along with three interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. The former fourth-round pick has shown a knack for coming up with big plays over the last couple years — in 2013, he scored touchdowns on an interception return and a fumble return. Having also been linked to the Giants, Bears, Colts, Texans, Raiders and Dolphins, Searcy had no shortage of suitors, but the Titans came out on top and got themselves a worthwhile replacement for Bernard Pollard.

In 2013, Harry Douglas emerged from the shadows in Atlanta when Julio Jones and Roddy White went down with injuries. That year, the wide receiver set new career highs in catches (85) and receiving yards (1,067). Jones and White returned to health for the 2014 season, and Douglas returned to his role as Matt Ryan‘s No. 3 target, but he still managed to rack up 51 receptions in just 12 games. Now, Douglas has reunited with ex-Falcons offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey (now Tennessee’s assistant head coach) and he could see a significant role in the Titans’ offense this season.

The Titans also signed another notable name at WR when they inked Hakeem Nicks. Once a star with the Giants, Nicks didn’t do a whole lot with the Colts in 2014, seeing career-low 68 passes thrown his way. Nicks finished the season with 405 yards and three touchdowns on 38 receptions and with other options at the position, it’s hard to see him getting significantly more targets.

The Titans brought in some support for tight end Delanie Walker when they signed former Chiefs tight end Anthony Fasano. Fasano wasn’t a focal point in KC’s offense thanks to the emergence of Travis Kelce, but he did see a lot of snaps in which he was asked to block.

Perrish Cox intercepted five passes for the 49ers in 2014, after playing limited snap counts for the team in 2012 and 2013. He also appeared in two games for the Seahawks in 2012 before returning to the 49ers. Now, he’ll help fortify the Titans’ secondary.

Brett Kern has been the Titans‘ punter in every season this decade, and the Titans made a move to ensure that happens in each subsequent year in the 2010s with a five-year deal. His new $15MM deal nearly triples the 29-year-old punter’s salary and puts him in the top 10 at the position on a per-year basis. Kern’s 46.8 yards per punt ranked fifth in the league last season.

The Titans also retained their placekicker, Ryan Succop, with a three-year deal. The 28-year-old converted 19 of his 22 field goal attempts, including both of his tries from 50+ yards. Succop also made all 27 of his extra-point attempts.

Notable losses:

Michael Oher‘s contract was considered pricey at the time of the signing and he did little to silence those critics while with the Titans. He also wasn’t terribly vital to the team’s plans following the selection of Michigan tackle Taylor Lewan in 2014. Therefore, it was not a shock to see him waived after just one season with Tennessee. Oher allowed six sacks and 26 quarterback hurries in eleven games in 2014 before landing on IR.

The Titans were not interested in a reunion with quarterback Jake Locker this offseason, but they also weren’t expecting him to walk away from the game altogether. The former first-round pick showed some flashes of talent throughout his brief career, and the 26-year-old had interest from teams, including the Eagles, but he decided to call it career after talking things over with his family. The former Tennessee playcaller never played more than 11 games in a season for Tennessee. In 2014, he was placed on IR in mid-December after suffering a shoulder injury.

Another familiar face in the Titans offense is no longer with the team – running back Shonn Greene. Greene, who will turn 30 later this month, joined the Titans in 2013 on the heels of a pair of 1,000-yard seasons with the Jets. However, the former third-round pick never matched the success he had in New York during his two seasons with the Titans. As a part-time contributor, Greene totaled 687 yards and six touchdowns over the course of the 2013 and 2014 seasons.

Bernard Pollard first requested his release back in late January and the Titans eventually agreed to cut him loose in March. He played in just five games last season before landing on injured reserve with an Achilles injury, but he was a solid player as recently as 2013, when he racked up 77 tackles while starting all 16 games, and rated as the league’s No. 21 safety among 86 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). In total, Pollard has amassed almost 550 tackles during his nine-year career, while adding 12 interceptions and 11 forced fumbles. The Titans found a replacement for Pollard when they inked Da’Norris Searcy in March.

Longtime Titans offensive lineman Michael Roos was slated to be one of the top offensive tackles on the free agent market, but in late February he decided to retire instead. Roos, 32, was remarkably durable during his time with the Titans until a knee injury prematurely ended his final season in the team this past October. Prior to this season, the former second-round pick had started all but one game over the course of nine years in Tennessee, almost exclusively at left tackle.

In his six years with the Titans, Nate Washington averaged over 50 catches per season in Tennessee. During the 2014 campaign, he saw just 72 targets, his lowest mark since joining the club, as Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter took on larger roles. Washington caught 40 balls for 647 yards and a pair of touchdowns during his final year in Tennessee.

Extensions/Restructures:

  • Craig Stevens, TE: Accepted a pay cut, reducing his 2015 salary from $3.5MM to $1.12MM. In exchange, he received a $350K guarantee on his salary, and $150K in incentives.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 second-round pick (No. 40; WR Dorial Green-Beckham), a fourth-round pick (No. 108; FB Jalston Fowler), and a seventh-round pick (No. 245; WR Tre McBride) in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick (No. 33; Landon Collins).

Draft picks:

  • 1-2: Marcus Mariota, QB (Oregon): Signed
  • 2-40: Dorial Green-Beckham, WR (Missouri): Signed
  • 3-66: Jeremiah Poutasi, OL (Utah): Signed
  • 4-100: Angelo Blackson, DT (Auburn): Signed
  • 4-108: Jalston Fowler, FB (Alabama): Signed
  • 5-138: David Cobb, RB (Minnesota): Signed
  • 6-177: Deiontrez Mount, OLB (Louisville): Signed
  • 6-208: Andy Gallik, C (Boston College): Signed
  • 7-245: Tre McBride, WR (William & Mary): Signed

Throughout the offseason, there was widespread interest in Marcus Mariota from quarterback-needy teams and speculation that the Titans could move their No. 2 overall pick. At the end of the day, the Titans didn’t want to move the Oregon star for Philip Rivers or for a sizable package from the Eagles. Mariota, in the eyes of some, was the best quarterback in this year’s class. Fortunately for the Titans, the Buccaneers did not share that same opinion.

While Mariota is widely considered to be a “safe” pick, the same can’t be said for Missouri wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham. Beckham has been a YouTube star for several years thanks to his highlight reel catches in high school, but he ran into some off-the-field issues at the college level. It remains to be seen whether DGB will pan out as an NFL talent.

Other:

Justin Hunter was supposed to have a breakout season for the Titans in 2014, but that didn’t quite materialize. Hunter let down the organization again this offseason when he was arrested for felonious assault. Hunter’s legal situation will play out over the coming weeks and that will dictate the level of punishment he’ll receive from the league office.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Jason McCourty, CB: $8,600,000
  2. Andy Levitre, G: $8,600,000
  3. Michael Griffin, S: $8,100,000
  4. Jurrell Casey, DL: $6,720,000
  5. Delanie Walker, TE: $5,275,000
  6. Sammie Lee Hill, DT: $4,666,668
  7. Brian Orakpo, OLB: $4,468,750
  8. Derrick Morgan, OLB: $4,000,000
  9. Da’Norris Searcy, S: $3,625,000
  10. Ropati Pitoitua, DL: $3,612,500

The Titans don’t exactly look like world beaters heading into 2015, but they certainly look like an improved team heading in the right direction. Few people are picking them to win the division, but they could challenge the Colts and Texans down the road, maybe as soon as 2016.

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

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