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Offseason In Review: Jacksonville Jaguars

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

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

Notable signings:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notable losses:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trades:

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

Extensions/Restructures:

Draft picks:

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

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

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

Other:

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

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

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

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

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

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

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

Offseason In Review: Chicago Bears

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

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

Notable signings:

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

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

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

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

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

Notable losses:

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

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

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

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

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

 Trades:

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

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

Draft picks:

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

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

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

Other:

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

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

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

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

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

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

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

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

Offseason In Review: Detroit Lions

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

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

Notable signings:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notable losses:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trades:

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

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

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

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

Extensions and restructures:

Draft picks:

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

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

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

Other:

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

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

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

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

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

Offseason In Review: Green Bay Packers

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

Notable signings:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notable losses:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trades:

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

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

Draft picks:

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

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

Other:

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

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

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

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

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

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

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

Offseason in Review: Minnesota Vikings

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

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

Notable signings:

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

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

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

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

Notable losses:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Trades:

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

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

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

Extensions/Restructures:

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

Draft picks:

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

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

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

Other:

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

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

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

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

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

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

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

Offseason In Review: Pittsburgh Steelers

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

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

Notable signings:

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

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

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

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

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

Notable losses:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Extensions and restructures:

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

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

Draft picks:

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

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

Other:

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

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

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

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

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

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

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

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

Offseason In Review: Cleveland Browns

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

Notable signings:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notable losses:

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

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

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

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

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

Extensions and restructures:

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

Trades:

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

Draft picks:

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

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

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

Other:

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

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

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

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

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

Offseason In Review: New York Giants

July 13th, 2015 at 1:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The most notable Giants offseason story is still developing, as Jason Pierre-Paul‘s status is fluid after the All-Pro end underwent a finger amputation stemming from the now-infamous fireworks mishap. The Giants did make many notable moves before the final link to their legendary Super Bowl-winning defensive end corps put his season in jeopardy. However, this incident overshadows them, considering Big Blue didn’t bring in or lose a high-profile player in free agency in its quest to rebound from a 6-10 mark — its worst finish since 2004.

Notable signings:

When Rashad Jennings was healthy, he was clearly the Giants’ best runner last season. But overall, the team struggled on the ground, ranking 23rd in rushing yards, with their free agent acquisition starting just nine games. Andre Williams offered flashes of potential, but the rookie remained raw, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry. The experience the 2014 fourth-rounder accrued, coupled with an enviable size/speed package, appeared to have the ex-Boston College runner’s stock pointing upward. But Williams’ playing time figures to be reduced this season after the Giants splurged on Vereen.

The Patriots’ preferred third-down back will be the Giants’ best backfield receiving target since Tiki Barber, with a key path toward passing-down work in New York. Vereen’s 52 receptions last season would’ve outdone any Giant runner since Barber’s 58 in ’06. Needless to say, the fifth-year veteran represents a significant upgrade for the Giants’ passing game. Jennings served as a three-down back under optimal circumstances last season but will lose that third-down role to Vereen, who could loosen Jennings’ grip on early-down carries. Although Vereen’s 96 totes last season doubled as his career high, while Jennings has three straight 100-plus-carry campaigns. The ex-Pats pass-catcher will now make the 10th-most money, on average, among backs, per OverTheCap.

Another former Patriot would’ve easily been the Giants’ biggest free agency coup, but Devin McCourty balked at Big Blue’s offer and returned to New England. Instead, the Giants doled out some of that money in curious fashion, handing Harris $3.5MM per season. This marks the second straight offseason the Giants signed a returner, and they gave a less-accomplished specialist far more money than they did to Trindon Holliday last year. Although an injured Holliday departed without playing for the Giants, Harris is set to be the team’s second-highest-paid wideout in 2016 with a $3.8MM cap number set to dwarf Odell Beckham‘s.

Special teams weren’t exactly a Giants strength last season — 18th in kickoff-return average; 19th on punt returns — but devoting that kind of cash to a player who at best will be fourth on a healthy receiver depth chart is interesting. Harris didn’t have a particularly good contract year in the return game but compiled solid seasons prior to that to give the indication that while the payment is outlandish, the Giants will be in better hands in the return game. The contract of Thomas, who was the worst Jaguars linebacker last season on Pro Football Focus’ metrics, figures to give the former Jags and Bears cog a good chance to start in New York after accruing just 12 in four seasons. It seems like Big Blue could’ve acquired this kind of player in the draft at a much cheaper rate.

In light of Will Beatty‘s torn pectoral malady that will force the left tackle to miss at least the first half of the regular season, Newhouse could reascend into a starting role. That kind of responsibility hasn’t been good to the journeyman tackle, who’s ranged from inconsistent to consistently bad in his four-year career, but the Giants have him slotted to start at right tackle entering training camp. This allows Justin Pugh to move to guard, where Giants coaches believe the former first-round pick can play at an All-Pro level. As strange as that may sound after Pugh’s adequate-at-best tackle output, he may have to relocate again if Newhouse struggles while Beatty’s out.

Notable losses:

The obvious subtraction on this roster comes at safety, where New York lost its top three performers. With Rolle, Demps and Brown departing, the Giants enter training camp thin on their back line. Playing 16-game seasons in each of his five Giants dockets, Rolle left to sign with the Bears. While on the downside of his career after a shaky 2014, Rolle held key leadership responsibilities for the Giants and was a Pro Bowl-caliber player as recently as 2013.

Two years removed from his freakish eight-interception 2012 slate, Brown did not follow that up with seasons which maintained that value. The former seventh-round Raiders draft pick ended up taking a one-year deal from the Texans. PFF rated Demps worse than Brown last year, and the two formed an unremarkable coalition at free safety. But their work may be better than what could be in store at that spot this season. Fifth-round picks with zero combined snaps, Cooper Taylor and Mykkele Thompson, from 2014 and 2015, respectively, will join Nat Berhe (32 career snaps) in the tussle for the job. Gordy and Bennett Jackson may join this makeshift battle as former corners who were reassigned due likely to the lean depth here.

The Giants’ secondary reboot also meant moving on from Bowman and Thurmond, respectively, leaving Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara as the only New York secondary cogs who participated in more than half of last season’s snaps due back. Signed to a one-year, $3.5MM deal out of Seattle last March, Thurmond played just 67 snaps last season before heading to injured reserve, signing with the Eagles for almost the same amount and lobbing a salvo at Tom Coughlin on the way out. Thurmond’s injury, though, helped create time for Brown, Jayron Hosley, Mike Harris and Trumaine McBride, the latter receiving positive marks at PFF in each of his first two seasons with the team. With no cornerbacks selected in the draft, this quartet of veterans represents the Giants’ outside depth.

Save for DRC and Robert Ayers, much of the Giants’ 2014 free agent corps did not produce favorable returns, with Walton at the forefront of these shortcomings. The former Broncos starter who did not exactly come to New York with a track record of success lived up to his reputation by grading out as the fourth-worst center in the league, per PFF. Axed one year into a two-year, $5MM deal, Walton, after starting auditions with two teams, appears set for utility work in Miami. Walton’s departure paves a path for Weston Richburg to slide over from left guard, where he sputtered as a rookie, and play his natural center position. Richburg will be the Giants’ third starting center in three years.

Kiwanuka, once part of the famed NASCAR package during Super Bowl title campaigns, saw injuries help him deteriorate into a liability the past two seasons. The nine-year Giant’s release saved the team $4.83MM in cap space and leaves Amukamara as the team’s longest-tenured defender. With Kiwanuka gone and Pierre-Paul’s status uncertain, Ayers will be asked to play a bigger role after performing well in 386 snaps last season. Though the former first-rounder sputtered when given a full-time role early in his Denver tenure, Ayers quietly has become a solid performer, stringing together three straight respectable campaigns. He might be ready to assume more responsibility this season.

Extensions and restructures:

As our Dallas Robinson noted recently, Jenkins and Beason were likely to be asked to relinquish their playbooks had they not agreed to these restructures. Once a coveted free agent, the 34-year-old Jenkins occupies just a $2.1MM hold on the Giants’ cap this year. Still just 30, Beason may be close to the end, having missed 40 games the past four seasons. The former first-round pick may be the best option the Giants have to deploy in the middle, but Beason certainly can’t be counted on for steady availability. Jameel McClain may again be needed to provide emergency help after playing 993 snaps last year and finishing as the Giants’ tackles leader.

Schwartz enters the season as the Giants’ most valuable offensive lineman. Despite missing most of last year and helping to plunge the New York offensive front deep into mediocrity in doing so, Schwartz will be counted on in 2015 to deliver the kind of production he did for the Chiefs in 2013. And he’ll be attempting to do so at a bargain rate. PFF still favored Schwartz’s run-blocking on a sieve-like unit that featured horrendous gap creation, leading to the Giants’ 3.6 yards-per-carry average that ranked 28th in the league. A Schwartz-Pugh guard tandem will be in a better position to raise that figure than their predecessors.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 second-round pick (No. 33; S Landon Collins) from the Titans in exchange for 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).

Draft picks:

  • 1-9: Ereck Flowers, T (Miami): Signed
  • 2-33: Landon Collins, S (Alabama): Signed
  • 3-74: Owa Odighizuwa, DE (UCLA): Signed
  • 5-144: Mykkele Thompson, S (Texas): Signed
  • 6-186: Geremy Davis, WR (Connecticut): Signed
  • 7-226: Bobby Hart, T (Florida State): Signed

The aforementioned dearth at safety made the trade to No. 33 vital for the Giants. With Collins projected by some to go in the first round, paying this price to move up seven spots to select the first-team All-American could prove critical. Collins’ range, which is not his strong suit, will be tested immediately come Week 1, considering the Giants’ strong safety situation won’t exactly force the rookie to put together a strong training camp to crack the starting lineup. The Alabama alum will see extensive action, as will the team’s top-10 pick.

Flowers will open the season as the Giants’ starting left tackle, as opposed to the more familiar right side where he was expected to line up. Although the ex-Hurricane has his detractors, the Giants now appear wise to have addressed this position in a prominent spot; Flowers represents Big Blue’s biggest investment in a rookie offensive lineman since they selected guard John Hicks at No. 5 in 1974. Pugh did not work out as hoped at right tackle, and Flowers has a more imposing rookie challenge in preparing to set the left edge for a unit that performed poorly in 2014. The 6-foot-6 standout did not allow a sack against ACC competition and obviously has a high ceiling, but Flowers will need to ramp up his consistency against competition a bit more daunting.

Destined for a nickname, Odighizuwa may be in a position to contribute earlier than his college profile of 12.5 sacks in four seasons suggests (although PFF refers to this facet of Odighizuwa’s game as underrated). But two hip surgeries do raise concerns for the newest contributor at an edge-rushing position that’s suddenly one of the Giants’ questionable areas after being a massive strength for most of the past 35 years.

Other:

The Pierre-Paul ordeal is the most interesting issue plaguing one of the Giants’ veteran bastions, but it’s not the only one. Victor Cruz‘s recovery from a torn patella tendon places the slot target’s ability to reach his former performance standard in question, and Eli Manning is entering the last year of his deal.

The 55-year-old Spagnuolo returns to the post he occupied in 2007 and ’08, but he doesn’t remotely have the weaponry at his disposal those teams possessed. After guiding a Saints corps that set an NFL record for yielded yardage in 2012, Spagnuolo has seen his reputation take a hit since the Rams hired him as their head coach in 2009. An alarming number of Fewell’s charges went down with season-ending injuries, but the Giants weren’t soaring before the ailments piled up. Fewell’s five-year tenure is long in modern coordinator standards, and the unit’s repeated pratfalls in recent slates (they were ranked 31st in 2012 and 29th last season in yardage allowed) probably necessitated a transition.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Eli Manning, QB: $19,750,000
  2. Jason Pierre-Paul, DE: $14,813,000
  3. Victor Cruz, WR: $8,125,000
  4. Will Beatty, LT: $8,050,000
  5. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB: $7,250,000
  6. Prince Amukamara, CB: $6,898,000
  7. Jon Beason, LB: $4,154,166
  8. Jameel McClain, LB: $3,400,000
  9. David Baas, C: $3,225,000 (dead money)
  10. Steve Weatherford, P: $3,075,000

Even though they were bound to get better with the potential for a Week 1 featuring Schwartz and Cruz back among the starting 11, the Giants probably improved offensively this offseason. But the issues with their top offensive and defensive linemen cloud any such progression. The latter leaves New York’s pass rush in doubt, and plenty will have to coalesce to envision the Giants contending with the Cowboys and Eagles for the division title deep into the season.

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

Offseason In Review: Cincinnati Bengals

July 12th, 2015 at 3:41pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The early-2000’s “Cincinnati Bungles” moniker is no longer appropriate for the club that resides in the Queen City. Yes, the team has gone one-and-out in the playoffs in each of the last four seasons, and yes, head coach Marvin Lewis is still 0-6 overall in the postseason. But the mere fact that that Bengals have earned a playoff berth for four consecutive years is impressive in and of itself, and the organization — through its approach to the draft, free agency, and the salary cap — is on its way to becoming one of the more respected franchises in the NFL. How did the offseason’s happenings affect their fortunes?

Notable signings:

Armed with nearly $35MM of cap space when the offseason began, the Bengals — as is their wont — didn’t do all that much during free agency, handing out just $15.655MM in total guarantees. Sticking to their strategy of signing and retaining familiar players, Cincinnati gave money to just three players — linebacker A.J. Hawk, receiver Denarius Moore, and safety Shiloh Keo — who hadn’t played for the club at some point during their career.

Defensive end Michael Johnson was one of four signees who had previously spent time in the Queen City; the 28-year-old had spent the first five seasons of his career with the Bengals before defecting to Tampa Bay prior to the 2014 season. The Buccaneers released Johnson just one season into a five-year deal, incurring $7MM in dead money in the process, and the Bengals quickly swooped in (warding off former defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer and the Vikings) to reunite with the veteran end, agreeing to a four-year pact that, while worth $26MM in total, contains just $4.5MM in guaranteed money. Johnson isn’t the sort of elite pass rusher than many thought Cincinnati — which finished with an NFL-low 20 sacks — might go after in free agency, but he did post two top 10 finishes among 4-3 defensive ends during his last two seasons with the Bengals, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), thanks in large part to his acumen against the run.

Unlike Johnson, guard Clint Boling never left Cincinnati, re-signing on a four-year, $26MM deal on the second day of free agency after the Jets, Falcons, and Vikings all expressed interest. Boling, 26, has been a full-time starter along the Bengals’ front five for three seasons, starting 44 games during that span. After grading as PFF’s 20th-best guard in 2014, he’ll continue to add stability to an offensive line that, for 2015 at least, should remain intact, before serving as a veteran presence in the years to come, when said line could see some upheaval — more on that later.

At linebacker, Cincinnati re-signed Rey Maualuga, who will man the middle of the defense for the seventh straight season. In our Bengals Offseason Outlook post earlier this year, I wrote that Maualuga should probably expect to be retained via a modest, one-year deal, similar to the contracts he’d signed with the club in the past. So it was a bit surprising to see the Bengals not only commit to three years with the former second-round pick, but hand him the same amount of guaranteed cash that Johnson received. Maualuga has never been an above-average player, but he’s reliable and well-versed in the team’s defensive scheme, qualities Cincinnati obviously values. The club also brought in former Packer A. J. Hawk on a short-term agreement, and while the veteran has certainly lost a step, he’s capable of acting in a reserve role, and could be valuable insurance in the event that Vontaze Burfict continues to deal with injuries.

The rest of Cincinnati’s additions are a mix of backup/special team-type players (Eric Winston, Cedric Peerman), veterans unlikely to make the final 53-man roster (Brandon Tate, Devon Still) and interesting dart throws, one of which is receiver Denarius Moore. Though it seems as though he’s been in the league for quite a long time, Moore is still only 26 years old, and though his 2015 was a far cry from his 2012-13 numbers — when he averaged a 48/618/6 line — he’s proficient enough to serve as the Bengals’ fourth receiver.

Notable losses:

The Bengals didn’t add much in free agency, but they also didn’t lose a ton, either, as their biggest loss is tight end Jermaine Gresham, who as of this writing still hasn’t found a new team (largely due to his undergoing back surgery earlier this year). Gresham played the most 2014 snaps of any departing free agent (900 on the dot), but he wasn’t overly effective outside of pass blocking situations. A return to Cincinnati can all but be ruled out — Gresham reportedly angered some in the locker room by failing to play through injuries near the end of the season (though the fact that he had surgery might prove that said injuries were more serious than originally thought) — as the club will turn to Tyler Eifert and two draft picks to fortify the tight end position.

At age 36, Terence Newman actually played the second-most snaps of any Bengals cornerback, as the club continued to take the slow route in terms of Dre Kirkpatrick and Darqueze Dennard‘s development. But with those two primed to take on a larger role in 2015, Leon Hall assigned to slot duties, and fellow veteran Adam Jones still hanging around, it didn’t make sense for Cincinnati to retain Newman, who’d been with with the club for three years. Newman, a first-round pick way back in 2003, followed Zimmer to Minnesota, inking a one-year, $2.5MM deal. Taylor Mays — a defensive back who had primarily become a dime linebacker — also won’t be back, having already joined two NFC North clubs (Vikings, then Lions) this offseason.

Quarterback Jason Campbell is three years younger than Newman, but it sounds as if he’s already set to call it a career, as reports last month indicated that although nothing is official, Campbell is planning to retire in the near future. The news isn’t that important in and of itself (Campbell only attempted 19 passes last year), but it does mean that second-year pro A.J. McCarron is poised to take over the No. 2 quarterback job. The Bengals have already signed and released Terrelle Pryor, and while veteran Josh Johnson is back in town after a one-year hiatus, most expect McCarron to run with the backup job in 2015.

Along the offensive line, Cincinnati saw the loss of both Marshall Newhouse and Mike Pollak — both played around 400-450 snaps last season, but Pollak was the more effective player according to PFF, garnering a +5.0 grade compared to Newhouse’s -11.6. The Bengals didn’t attempt to re-sign Newhouse, as he he wouldn’t have had a role given that the club spent two high draft picks on offensive tackles. Pollak, meanwhile, was released, and subsequently retired a few months later.

Finally, defensive end Robert Geathers may have had the quietest exit of any player who had spent more than a decade with a club. The 31-year-old once posted 10.5 sacks (back in 2006) and had started 104 games during his tenure in Cincinnati, but he hadn’t registered a start in more than two years. Given that he ranked dead last in PFF’s 4-3 defensive end rankings, it’s conceivable that Geathers’ career is over.

 Draft picks:

  • 1-21: Cedric Ogbuehi, OL (Texas A&M): Signed
  • 2-53: Jake Fisher, T (Oregon): Signed
  • 3-85: Tyler Kroft, TE (Rutgers): Signed
  • 3-99: Paul Dawson, LB (TCU): Signed
  • 4-120: Josh Shaw, DB (USC): Signed
  • 4-135: Marcus Hardison, DT (Arizona State): Signed
  • 5-157: C.J. Uzomah, TE (Auburn): Signed
  • 6-197: Derron Smith, S (Fresno State): Signed
  • 7-238: Mario Alford, WR/KR (West Virginia): Signed

Both Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher were popular Bengals targets in mock drafts leading up to the actual event, but almost everyone was surprised that the club snagged both of them. Not only did most people think Fisher would be gone by pick No. 53, but no one surmised that Cincinnati would use its first two picks on offensive lineman, especially given that the team’s front five is mostly set. But with Andrew Whitworth and Andre Smith both heading for free agency at year’s end, the picks could prove astute.

Ogbuehi, recovering from a ACL tear, is a candidate to begin the season on the physically unable to perform list. Even if he is healthy enough to play at some point this season, his snaps figure to be limited by the presence of Whitworth. While his ascendance to playing time might wait until 2016, Fisher could see a fair amount of snaps this year. Cincinnati coaches worked Fisher at nearly every spot along the line during rookie minicamp and OTAs, so he could fill in either at tackle or guard in the event of an injury (or even supplant Smith at right tackle if the veteran struggles again in 2015).

Elsewhere, Tyler Kroft and C.J. Uzomah will be pressed into duty almost immediately, as they’re expected to act as starter Tyler Eifert‘s backups at tight end. Paul Dawson, who fell in the draft due to character concerns, has been lauded as a steal by those in the know, with some painting him as a poor man’s Vontaze Burfict. Josh Shaw and Derron Smith will compete for backup spots in the secondary, while Mario Alford is likely to push Brandon Tate off the roster.

It’s odd, but the Bengals rookie that figures to see the most snaps in 2015 (barring injuries) is Kroft, the team’s third-round pick. Given the state of the club’s offensive line, Ogbuehi’s recovery from injury, and the lack of depth at tight end, Kroft will be thrown into the fire immediately.

Other:

Marvin Lewis inked his 8th new contract/extension with the Bengals, and for the second consecutive year, he signed a deal that will extend his contract by one season. Thanks to the fresh contract, he won’t be a lame duck coach, but if the Bengals once again fail to win a playoff game, it’s fair to wonder if Lewis will be around much longer. Lewis, the second-longest tenured head coach in the NFL, owns the record for most career victories by a Bengals head coach.

Cincinnati picked up the fifth-year options on both Dre Kirkpatrick and Kevin Zeitler, and an April report indicated that the club is anxious to sign both to long-term extensions. The Bengals just invested a hefty sum in fellow guard Clint Boling, and drafted offensive lineman with their first two picks, so they might have some leverage over Zeitler as talks progress. Kirkpatrick is probably more important to lock up — as Leon Hall and Adam Jones age, Kirkpatrick is essentially the team’s No. 1 corner.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. A.J. Green, WR: $10,176,000
  2. Andy Dalton, QB: $9,600,000
  3. Leon Hall, CB: $9,600,000
  4. Geno Atkins, DT: $9,000,000
  5. Rey Maualuga, LB: $7,137,500
  6. Andre Smith, RT: $6,362,500
  7. Andrew Whitworth, LT: $6,200,000
  8. Vontaze Burfict, LB: $5,175,000
  9. Clint Boling, G: $5,100,000
  10. Carlos Dunlap, DE: $4,900,000

Anyone expecting the Bengals to have an overly active offseason was — predictably — disappointed once again. Cincinnati will never be a club that goes after the Ndamukong Suh‘s of the world, but they will keep their own, as evidenced by their retaining players like Boling and Maualuga, and bringing back familiar faces like Johnson. It’s an approach that works (see: Green Bay Packers), but until the Bengals finally get over the hump and win a playoff game, it won’t mean much to those observing the team.

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

Offseason In Review: Baltimore Ravens

July 12th, 2015 at 12:50pm CST by Rory Parks

Notable signings:

The Ravens’ weakest link last season was, without question, their secondary. Veteran corner Lardarius Webb missed three games early in the 2014 campaign with a lower back injury that clearly plagued him throughout the course of the season, and he would finish the year ranked 78th out of 108 qualified cornerbacks per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required). An even bigger problem was the loss of standout corner Jimmy Smith, whose season was ended by a Week 8 Lisfranc injury. Due to injury and inconsistent performance, Baltimore was forced to deploy Anthony Levine, a natural safety, at cornerback, call on the services of bargain bin veterans such as Dominique Franks and Danny Gorrer, and thrust Rashaan Melvin from the practice squad into a starting role.

Making matters worse was the disappointing play of 2013 first-round pick Matt Elam, who was moved to his natural position of strong safety after spending his rookie campaign at free safety. PFF ranked Elam 78th out of 87 eligible safeties, which included an especially poor -12.7 grade in coverage. As his struggles continued, Elam appeared to lose confidence, and his ignominious season ended with his failing to make several relatively simple tackles in the team’s Divisional Round loss to the Patriots. Indeed, it was that playoff contest, in which the Ravens’ secondary failed to present even a meager challenge to New England’s pass offense, that prompted Baltimore to devote a great deal of attention to the unit this offseason.

The Ravens retained Will Hill on an original-round RFA tender, which was something of a no-brainer. Hill was suspended for the first seven games of the 2014 season, but he played very well when he returned to action, living up to the promise that he showed with the Giants in 2013. Joining him in the defensive backfield will be Kendrick Lewis, who parlayed a strong season as Houston’s free safety into a three-year, $5.4MM deal with Baltimore. Lewis will not make anyone forget about Ed Reed, but he and Hill should bring some much-needed stability to the Ravens’ safety position.

Baltimore also bolstered its cornerback corps by signing Kyle Arrington, who was released by the Patriots in May. Although Arrington has struggled when defending receivers outside the hash marks in his career, he has proven to be a very capable slot corner, which is most likely how the Ravens will use him.

The team’s secondary depth is still suspect; Baltimore did not select a corner in the 2015 draft until using a fourth-round selection on Texas Southern project Tray Walker, and it may still need to rely on the contributions of largely unproven players like Melvin and Asa Jackson and uninspiring veterans like Cassius Vaughn. However, the additions of Lewis and Arrington, the re-signing of Hill, and the anticipated good health of Smith and Webb may help turn a glaring weakness into a relative strength.

Outside of the secondary, Baltimore also addressed its backup quarterback situation by allowing Tyrod Taylor, who had served as Joe Flacco’s backup for four seasons, to leave in free agency. To replace him, the Ravens signed veteran Matt Schaub, whose skill set is more similar to Flacco’s and who brings a great deal of experience to the table. Schaub struggled in the team’s offseason practices, but he should at least be able to steady the ship for a couple of weeks should Flacco suffer an injury that keeps him out of game action for the first time in his career.

The Ravens also retained Justin Forsett on a relatively team-friendly deal after the journeyman back finally got his big break in 2014, gaining 1,266 yards while maintaining an excellent 5.4 yards per carry average and serving as a capable blocker and receiver. He did seem to slow down in the latter stages of the season and will likely be spelled more frequently by second-year back Lorenzo Taliaferro and rookie Buck Allen, but his return assures the Ravens of at least one high-quality player in the backfield.

Notable losses:

Luckily for the Ravens, they did not lose any truly irreplaceable players via release or free agency (the one player who may qualify as irreplaceable was traded, as we will detail below). Owen Daniels filled in nicely as the starting tight end after Dennis Pitta was lost for the season after a Week 3 hip injury, but Daniels, who has struggled with injury himself, is past his prime and was likely overpaid by the Broncos, who gave the Wisconsin product a three-year, $12MM deal this offseason. The Ravens hope that Pitta will be able to fully recover from his second major hip surgery in two years, but even if that seems unlikely at this point, Baltimore has confidence in second-year tight end Crockett Gillmore, who has shown proficiency as a blocker and some talent as a receiver, and highly-touted rookie Maxx Williams.

It was something of a curious decision to release Jacoby Jones, as the move did not save the Ravens a great deal of cap space and will leave the team without one of the more dynamic kick returners in the league. Baltimore has several potential replacements in Jackson, Michael Campanaro, and undrafted free agent DeAndre Carter, but it will be difficult to replace Jones, who is a threat to score whenever he touches the ball.

Torrey Smith, of course, is the biggest name to depart in free agency. However, Smith never developed into the complete receiver that the Ravens had hoped for, and though he played a crucial role in the Ravens’ success during his career in Baltimore, it wouldn’t have made much sense for the team to match the five-year, $40MM pact Smith landed from the 49ers. That is especially true for a receiver who is a good deep threat and who has an underrated knack for drawing pass interference penalties, but who seemed to regress in 2014 and who still struggles with route running and making contested catches. The Ravens are confident in their unheralded collection of receivers behind Steve Smith Sr., a group that includes Kamar Aiken, Marlon Brown, Campanaro, and, most notably, Breshad Perriman, the team’s first-round pick in the 2015 draft who should at least be able to provide the deep threat that the Ravens lost with Torrey Smith’s departure.

On the opposite side of the ball, Pernell McPhee landed a five-year, $40MM contract from the Bears, which seems to be a steep price to pay for a player who has been used primarily as a situational pass rusher in his career. However, the Ravens will certainly miss McPhee’s Swiss Army knife ability to line up virtually anywhere along the front seven and get to the quarterback with such aplomb (despite his limited snap count, PFF graded McPhee as the second-best 3-4 OLB in the league, and his pass rush grade was lower than only two other players: All-Pros Justin Houston and Elvis Dumervil). Although Baltimore’s front seven, anchored by C.J. Mosley, Terrell Suggs, Dumervil, and Brandon Williams, should continue to be a strength, it will certainly need younger talents like Za’Darius Smith, Brent Urban, and Kapron Lewis-Moore to help fill the pass-rushing void.

Extensions and restructures:

As outlined above, Baltimore really had no other choice but to lock up Jimmy Smith with a long-term deal, despite the season-ending injury he suffered in Week 8. And, given the contracts handed out to top-flight corners like Patrick Peterson and Richard Sherman, and the lucrative deal that Byron Maxwell was able to pull down from Philadelphia, the extension for Smith looks eminently reasonable. He has demonstrated shutdown ability and is still in the prime of his career, so as long as he stays healthy, the contract may end up looking like a bargain.

Webb, meanwhile, is on the downside of his career, and he knew that if he did not take a pay cut, he would likely be released. He therefore agreed to rework his deal with the Ravens, which still allows him to earn more money than he would have received on the open market, but it also gives Baltimore a little financial flexibility. He and Smith will remain atop the Ravens’ cornerback depth chart this year, and the team did well to retain what should be a pretty strong starting tandem.

The Koch extension keeps one of the league’s more reliable punters under club control through 2020. Koch had been set to become a free agent after the 2015 season.

Trades:

  • Acquired a 2015 fourth-round pick and a 2015 fifth-round pic from the Lions in exchange for DT Haloti Ngata and a 2015 seventh-round pick.
  • Acquired a 2016 fourth-round pick from the Broncos in exchange for C Gino Gradkowski and a 2016 fifth-round pick.
  • Acquired a 2015 second-round pick (No. 55; TE Maxx Williams) from the Cardinals in exchange for a 2015 second-round pick (No. 58; DE/OLB Markus Golden) and a 2015 fifth-round pick (No. 158; DE Shaq Riddick).

Losing Ngata is the biggest blow the Ravens were dealt in the offseason. The five-time All-Pro has been a mainstay in the interior of Baltimore’s defensive line since 2006, and he has put together a career that will easily get him entrenched in the Ravens’ Ring of Honor and could arguably earn him a bust in the NFL Hall of Fame. Ngata managed to do the dirty work required of interior linemen—eat up blockers and double-teams to give the linebackers room to run—while also establishing himself as a dominant playmaker in his own right. Excellent against both the run and pass, Ngata’s fearsome presence will missed in Baltimore.

However, he was suspended for the final four games of 2014 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and in those four games, the Ravens saw their two young linemen, Brandon Williams and Timmy Jernigan, effectively carry the load. With continued growth from those two players, along with expected contributions from solid if unspectacular mainstays like Chris Canty and DeAngelo Tyson—not to mention high-upside rookie Carl Davis—Baltimore can reasonably hope to minimize the impact of losing Ngata. Furthermore, the team created $8.5MM of cap room by dealing Ngata, and it used one of the draft picks obtained in the trade to land potential McPhee replacement Za’Darius Smith and the other as part of a package to land Williams, the consensus top tight end in the draft.

Draft picks:

  • 1-26: Breshad Perriman, WR (UCF): Signed
  • 2-55: Maxx Williams, TE (Minnesota): Signed
  • 3-90: Carl Davis, DT (Iowa): Signed
  • 4-122: Za’Darius Smith, DE/OLB (Kentucky): Signed
  • 4-125: Buck Allen, RB (USC): Signed
  • 4-136: Tray Walker, CB (Texas Southern): Signed
  • 5-171: Nick Boyle, TE (Delaware): Signed
  • 5-176: Robert Myers, G (Tennessee State): Signed
  • 6-204: Darren Waller, WR (Georgia Tech): Signed

We have already touched on most of these selections. Perriman will be expected to be an immediate contributor, and his speed, athleticism, and playmaking ability give him the potential to be an effective replacement for Torrey Smith. Perriman’s hands and his struggles with drops in his collegiate career have been justifiably criticized, but the Ravens have contended that those drops were due to more of a lack of concentration than a fundamental flaw in his ability. Even if Perriman does not become the top-flight wideout that has always eluded the Ravens, his physical gifts should at least help take the top off of opposing defenses and open underneath routes for Steve Smith Sr. and the team’s stable of tight ends.

Williams, meanwhile, has drawn favorable comparisons to former Raven Todd Heap, and his ability to stretch defenses and make catches up the seams should land him a fair amount of playing time in 2015, particularly if Pitta is unable to recover from his hip injury. Davis appears to be a steal at the No. 90 overall pick and should immediately become an effective part of the team’s defensive line rotation, and Za’Darius Smith—the less-heralded teammate of Pittsburgh first-round selection Bud Dupree—showed terrific edge-setting ability in college and has upside as a pass rusher.

Allen will likely be the team’s No. 3 running back to start the season, but his abilities as both a runner and receiver may allow him to overtake Taliaferro on the Ravens’ depth chart at some point in the 2015 campaign, and he certainly has the upside to be the eventual replacement for Forsett. Walker, as mentioned above, is raw and a developmental project, but Boyle and Waller are intriguing late round prospects who have the size to be effective redzone targets in their rookie seasons. Boyle also brings abilities as an inline blocker and could team with Gillmore and Williams to form a surprisingly effective tight end corps.

Other:

  • Hired Marc Trestman to replace Gary Kubiak as offensive coordinator.
  • Signed nine players to reserve/futures contracts.
  • Signed 15 undrafted rookie free agents following the draft.

Of these players, UDFA Carter probably has the best chance to make the club, thanks to his upside as a return man. Julian Wilson, the former Oklahoma cornerback who became one of the most sought-after UDFAs before agreeing to sign with Baltimore, suffered a broken leg during a spring practice and will miss the 2015 season. The Ravens often strike gold with undrafted free agents, and Wilson, largely because of his prototypical size and Baltimore’s need for secondary depth, was a good bet to make the club if he had stayed healthy. Former Prairie View A&M signal-caller Jerry Lovelocke has some promise, and the Ravens may stash him on the practice squad with the hopes of grooming him to take over the backup quarterback role in the near future. Former East Carolina wide receiver Cam Worthy has some upside but will find it difficult to crack a largely unproven but talented group of receivers.

The Ravens did see one major coaching change, as Gary Kubiak turned his success as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator into his second head coaching gig, taking over the top job with the Broncos. Marc Trestman, who flopped as the Bears’ head coach in the past two seasons, is still a well-respected offensive mind who generally adheres to the same West Coast principles and zone-blocking schemes as Kubiak. Flacco, who enjoyed a career year under Kubiak, should be pleased, and the Ravens offense as a whole should be able to maintain last year’s success.

Top 10 cap hits for 2015:

  1. Joe Flacco, QB: $14,550,000
  2. Ray Rice, RB: $9,500,000 (dead money)
  3. Lardarius Webb, CB: $9,250,000
  4. Marshal Yanda, G: $8,450,000
  5. Eugene Monroe, LT: $7,700,000
  6. Haloti Ngata, DT: $7,500,000 (dead money)
  7. Elvis Dumervil, OLB: $7,375,000
  8. Dennis Pitta, TE: $6,200,000
  9. Steve Smith Sr., WR: $4,166,666
  10. Terrell Suggs, OLB: $3,950,000

As this list indicates, the Ravens are absorbing a combined cap hit of $23.2MM for players who either will not suit up for them in 2015 (Rice, Ngata) or who may not suit up (Pitta). Considering those limitations, GM Ozzie Newsome has done a nice job of addressing the team’s biggest needs and putting together what looks to be a playoff roster. The AFC North, which sent three teams to the playoffs in 2014, will once again be a tightly-contested division, but Baltimore, which advanced further in the playoffs than rivals Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, looks like a better team on paper than it did when its season ended in Foxboro in January. As such, look for the Ravens to make some noise as they attempt to qualify for postseason play for the seventh time in eight years of the John Harbaugh/Flacco era.

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

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