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Offseason In Review: Atlanta Falcons

By Dallas Robinson | at August 14, 2017 9:29 pm

The Falcons suffered the most heartbreaking loss in Super Bowl history earlier this year, blowing a 28-3 lead to the Patriots after storming through the NFC bracket. Clearly, that defeat will stick with Atlanta and its fans for some time, but that shouldn’t take away from the excellent 2016 season the club posted. With most of a high-scoring offense (except for offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan) and a young, exciting defense returning, the Falcons’ offseason figured to be relatively quiet.

Notable signings:

Dontari Poe, DT: One year, $8MM. $7.5MM guaranteed.
Levine Toilolo, TE: Three years, $12MM. $4.5MM guaranteed.
Jack Crawford, DE: Three years, $9.9MM. $3MM guaranteed.
Matt Schaub, QB: Two years, $9MM. $2.5MM guaranteed.
Kemal Ishmael, S: One year, $2MM. $1MM guaranteed.
Andre Roberts, WR: One year, $1.8MM. $750K guaranteed. $500K available via incentives.
LaRoy Reynolds, LB: One year, $1.3MM. $250K guaranteed.
Courtney Upshaw, DL: One year, $1.15MM. $150K guaranteed. $200K available via incentives.
Taylor Gabriel, WR: One year, $2.746MM. Signed second-round RFA tender.
Derrick Coleman, FB: One year, $690K.
Blidi Wreh-Wilson, CB: One year, minimum salary benefit.

Boasting one of the more complete rosters in the NFL, the Falcons didn’t have many areas of weakness to be addressed during the free agent period. Ameliorating their run defense was one such focal point, however, as Atlanta ranked 28th in DVOA against the run. In a market where Calais Campbell and Brandon Williams received more than $20MM in full guarantees on multi-year contracts, the Falcons declined to overpay and landed Dontari Poe on a one-year, $8MM deal.

Poe certainly has his positive attributes: he’s young (26), durable (just two career missed games), athletic despite his 6’3″, 250-pound stature, and can rush the passer from the interior. But it’s unclear just how helpful Poe will be at stopping the run. Among 115 qualified interior defenders, Poe graded 87th in run defense, according to Pro Football Focus. The Chiefs, Poe’s former employer, ranked 30th in total adjusted line yards last season and dead last in yards middle of their defensive line. That’s not to place all the blame at Poe’s feet, but he played the most snaps of any Kansas City defensive lineman in 2016.

While the Poe signing was certainly defensible, Atlanta’s addition of former Cowboys defensive end Jack Crawford made little sense, at least at the required price. While he did an admirable job guiding Clarice Starling in her encounters with Hannibal Lecter, Crawford doesn’t provide much that the Falcons defensive line didn’t already have. He’s a remarkably similar player to incumbent options Adrian Clayborn and Courtney Upshaw, the latter of whom also re-signed with Atlanta this offseason. Crawford isn’t as talented as either of those players, however, and at a cost of $3.3MM annually, he’s earning a similar salary to that of Erik Walden, Connor Barwin, and Julius Peppers, all of whom I’d take over Crawford.

The Falcons didn’t need to add much to an offense that ranked first in DVOA last year, but they did bring back two key insurance pieces: quarterback Matt Schaub and tight end Levine Toilolo. Now in his second stint as a backup in Atlanta, Schaub attempted only three passes in relief of Matt Ryan. While he’s a capable reserve, there’s little question the Falcons’ season would go down in flames if Schaub is forced to step in for Ryan for any serious length of time. Toilolo, meanwhile, is the perfect No. 2 tight end, as he’s a willing blocker who also plays on special teams. In 2016, Toilolo played 55% of Atlanta’s offensive snaps while rookie Austin Hooper saw roughly 40% playtime. Expect those percentages to flip next season.

The only external additions made by the Falcons — wide receiver Andre Roberts and fullback Derrick Coleman — should slot in as replacements for two departed Atlanta free agents, Eric Weems and Patrick DiMarco. Roberts will likely become the primary return man for the Falcons in 2017, although his roster spot isn’t a given just yet, per Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com. Entering his eighth NFL campaign, Roberts handled 33 kickoffs and 20 punt returns for Detroit last season. Coleman, 26, was out of of the NFL in 2016 following an alleged hit-and-run, but he should see ample playing time next season, as DiMarco played the second-most offensive snaps of any fullback in the league a season ago.

Notable losses:

As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap explained in an excellent offseason study, the Falcons are returning the majority of the players who contributed to their Super Bowl run, as they finished 29th in the NFL in terms of percentage of snaps lost. Additionally, Atlanta finished dead last with only 3.8% quality snaps lost, which factors in the amount of departed players who went on to sign with other clubs. The entire piece is well-worth a full read, but the main takeaway is that the Falcons didn’t lose a ton from the corps that led them to an NFC Championship title.

Veteran guard Chris Chester was the only Falcons player on either side of the ball that played more than 50% of his unit’s snaps and won’t return in 2017. Chester actually never left the field when Atlanta had the ball, as he played all 1,039 offensive snaps for the Falcons last season. Although he ultimately decided to retire, Chester wasn’t in the Falcons’ 2017 plans, anyway, as the team had no interest in re-signing him. With rookie Sean Harlow still adjusting to life as a guard, Ben Garland and Wes Schweitzer are competing to take over for Chester on the right side.

The rest of the Falcons’ notable losses on the offensive side of the ball were essentially bit players, veterans who played a role but were never a focal point on Atlanta’s offensive game plan. Patrick DiMarco, was one of the league’s most-deployed fullbacks, but he still played on less than a third of the Falcons’ offensive snaps. He was replaced by Derrick Coleman for a fraction of the cost. Tight end Jacob Tamme was Atlanta’s second-leading receiver in 2015, but is still in the midst of a lengthy recovery period following shoulder surgery. And Aldrick Robinson was a serviceable deep ball threat (six catches of 20+ yards), but he’s approaching age-30 and plays the same role as Taylor Gabriel.

Along the defensive line, Atlanta bid one longtime Falcon adieu, but hasn’t made a decision on its other age-35+ defender. Defensive tackle Jonathan Babineaux had been the longest-tenured Falcon, as he’d spent the entirety of his 12-year NFL career in Atlanta, starting 133 games during that time. He’s expected to continue his career, but the Falcons made no attempt to re-sign him this spring. On the other hand, Atlanta hasn’t ruled out a reunion with defensive end Dwight Freeney, who only played on 27% of the Falcons’ defensive snaps but still finished with 18 quarterback hurries (39th in the NFL).

Atlanta’s decision to add several young linebackers over the past two seasons meant the club had no use for a trio of veteran ‘backers: Paul Worrilow, Philip Wheeler, and Sean Weatherspoon. Among that group, Wheeler played the most defensive snaps (339) while Worrilow chipped in the most on special teams (253 plays). With Deion Jones, De’Vondre Campbell, and Duke Riley now on board, the Falcons are going with youth at the second level of their defense.

Trades:

Acquired a 2017 first-round pick (No. 25; DE Takkarist McKinley) from the Seahawks in exchange for a 2017 first-round pick (No. 31), a 2017 third-round pick (No. 95; S Delano Hill), and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 249; RB Chris Carson).
Acquired a 2017 third-round pick (No. 75; LB Duke Riley), 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 149; CB Damontae Kazee), and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 156; RB Brian Hill) from the Bills in exchange for a 2017 second-round pick (No. 63; OL Dion Dawkins).

Draft picks:

1-25: Takkarist McKinley, DE (UCLA)
3-75: Duke Riley, LB (LSU)
4-136: Sean Harlow, OL (Oregon State)
5-149: Damontae Kazee, CB (San Diego State)
5-156: Brian Hill, RB (Wyoming)
5-174: Eric Saubert, TE (Drake)

The Falcons had one of the league’s smallest draft classes, as they were one of only six clubs with fewer than six choices — but they made the picks count, specifically targeting areas of need and focusing in on particular players. On Day 1, Atlanta traded up in to acquire UCLA’s Takkarist McKinley in an attempt to find another edge rusher to pair with Vic Beasley. While Beasley led the league with 15.5 sacks in 2016, he managed only 16 quarterback knockdowns, leading to a 96.9% sack-per-knockdown rate that ranks second-highest over the past five seasons, according to Bill Barnwell of ESPN.com.

With Beasley likely to regress to the mean, the Falcons need more help on the edge, especially given that they rarely blitz. Atlanta will have a new defensive coordinator in 2017, but last year it rushed only four defenders 74.7% of the time, third-most in the NFL, per the 2017 Football Outsiders Almanac. McKinley has a “relatively raw approach and skill set,” says Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, but also boasts an excellent motor. While McKinley’s measurables aren’t all that impressive — he wasn’t a 2017 Force Player and ranked just 30th in SPARQ score among edge rushing prospects — it wouldn’t be surprise if he’s able to rack up sacks during his rookie season as opposing offensive linemen focus on other Atlanta defenders.

Duke Riley is the second LSU linebacker to be drafted by the Falcons in as many years, but he (and his 4.58 speed) will likely spend 2017 on special teams. Atlanta only played three-linebacker packages 19% of the time last season, so unless Riley usurps De’Vondre Campbell to play alongside Deion Jones in base sets, he may not see the field much. Likewise, offensive lineman Sean Harlow hasn’t even been mentioned as a contender for the Falcons’ right guard job, while Damontae Kazee and Brian Hill are buried on the depth chart thanks to Atlanta’s depth at cornerback and running back, respectively.

Extensions and restructures:

Devonta Freeman, RB: Extended through 2022. Five years, $41.25MM. $17.3MM guaranteed.
Desmond Trufant, CB: Extended through 2022. Five years, $68.75MM. $20.776MM guaranteed.
Ryan Schraeder, T: Restructured contract. Created $4.8MM in cap space by converting 2017 $6MM roster bonus into signing bonus.

While the merits of signing running backs to long-term contracts can be debated, Devonta Freeman is exactly the type of back who deserves to be paid if a club decides its going to ink a runner for several seasons. Since becoming a full-time starter in 2015, Freeman leads NFL running backs in approximate value (Pro Football Reference’s catch-all metric), and has reached 1,500 total yards and 13 total touchdowns in both campaigns. He’s now the league’s highest-paid running back on a multi-year deal (trailing only the franchise-tagged Le’Veon Bell), and his extension almost assuredly means fellow back Tevin Coleman will leave Atlanta when his contract expires following the 2018 season.

Freeman wasn’t the only player the Falcons extended through 2022 this offseason, as the club also locked up cornerback Desmond Trufant, making the fifth-year defensive back the NFL’s fifth-highest paid corner on a multi-year pact. Trufant missed the final six games of the regular season plus Atlanta’s postseason run with a pectoral injury, but the Falcons clearly feel that he’ll rebound to full health. Pro Football Focus ranked Truant as the league’s No. 32 cornerback in 2016, the lowest mark of his career.

Atlanta has several more extension candidates on the horizon, including quarterback Matt Ryan and left tackle Jake Matthews, each of whom is signed through 2018. Franchise owner Arthur Blank has indicated a willingness to make Ryan the highest-paid player in the league, which means Ryan could be earning close to $30MM by the time talks wrap up. The Falcons are already tight on 2018 cap space, however, as their ~$9MM ranks sixth from the bottom.

Other:

Hired Steve Sarkisian as offensive coordinator to replace Kyle Shanahan.
Promoted Marquand Manuel to defensive coordinator to replace Richard Smith.
Exercised 2018 fifth-year option for T Jake Matthews ($12.496MM).
Learned CB Jalen Collins would be suspended 10 games (PEDs).
Signed 21 undrafted rookie free agents.

While continuity has defined the Falcons’ offseason from a personnel standpoint, Atlanta is replacing both of its coordinators in 2016. New DC Marquand Manuel was promoted from within, so the club’s defensive strategies may not change all that much, but new OC Steve Sarkisian was hired from the college ranks, as he’ll replace Kyle Shanahan after one season with Alabama. Atlanta has an extremely defined offensive scheme and notable tendencies, such as their repeated use of play-action (27% of offensive plays, first in the NFL). Sarkisian doesn’t need to alter the offense after the Falcons boasted the league’s best offense in 2016, but he’ll certainly add his own ingredients to the mix.

Top 10 cap charges for 2017:

Matt Ryan, QB: $23,750,000
Julio Jones, WR: $13,900,000
Robert Alford, CB: $9,600,000
Alex Mack, C: $9,050,000
Dontari Poe, DT: $8,000,000
Mohamed Sanu, WR: $7,400,000
Andy Levitre, G: $6,625,000
Adrian Clayborn, DE: $5,406,250
Jake Matthews, T: $5,227,568
Brooks Reed, DE: $5,040,000

The NFC South is possibly the NFL’s strongest division, as the Panthers, Saints, and Buccaneers all have legitimate postseason hopes in 2016. The Falcons are defending champions, however, and have as good a chance as any other club in the division to take the crown. While Atlanta’s offense could certainly regress towards the mean, the Falcons’ defense could take a step up under Dan Quinn & Co. Double-digit wins and a division title should be the immediate goal for Atlanta, with a Super Bowl appearance (and a win this time) ranking as the team’s ultimate aspiration.

Information from Over the Cap and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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PFR Originals: 8/6/17 – 8/13/17

By Dallas Robinson | at August 13, 2017 6:21 pm

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

With the 2017 regular season only several weeks away, PFR began its annual Offseason In Review series, assessing the major signings, departures, trades, and other notable events for each of the 32 NFL clubs. We covered two teams this week:
- Green Bay Packers
- Oakland Raiders
A recent report indicated the Bengals rejected a second-round pick for backup quarterback A.J. McCarron this offseason, so I attempted to figure out which clubs may have been involved in such talks with Cincinnati. I tossed out options such the Jets, Broncos, 49ers, and Browns, the latter of whom is the most likely contender for the mystery McCarron suitor, per a PFR reader poll at the end of the piece.

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Let’s Figure Out Who Offered A Second-Rounder For A.J. McCarron

By Dallas Robinson | at August 11, 2017 9:59 pm

An unidentified team reportedly offered the Bengals a second-round pick for backup quarterback A.J. McCarron this offseason, as Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com reported earlier this week. Cincinnati rejected the offer, as it apparently wants a first-rounder for McCarron, who will once again act as a reserve behind starter Andy Dalton in 2017.

McCarron, 26, doesn’t have much NFL experience, as he’s only made four total starts (all following a 2015 Dalton injury) during his three-year career. Although he posted a decent showing in those appearances, tossing seven touchdowns against two interceptions, the former fifth-round pick’s track record is admittedly limited. McCarron’s contract situation is also up in the air: while the Bengals reportedly believe he’ll be a restricted free agent in 2018 because he spent his rookie season on the non-football injury list, McCarron and his agent may have a different take. An arbitrator hearing and resolution likely won’t come until next season.

With those caveats in mind, let’s look at the possible candidates for who offered a second-round pick for McCarron:

Arizona Cardinals

Let’s start off this exercise with the one true wild card on this list, as the Cardinals already have their starting quarterback in another former Bengal, 37-year-old Carson Palmer. Given that Palmer hinted at retirement all offseason, it’s entirely feasible 2017 will be his final NFL season, and Arizona hasn’t established a plan for the future. Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert aren’t realistic options to take over under center if Palmer does hang up his cleats after the upcoming campaign, so it’s possible the Cardinals would have floated a Day 2 selection in order to land a long-term successor like McCarron. General manager Steve Keim hasn’t been afraid to trade draft picks in the past, although his other significant deal — sending a second-rounder to the Patriots for edge rusher Chandler Jones — was a win-now move. McCarron’s 2014 NFL.com draft profile noted his lack of a “big-time, vertical arm,” which would theoretically present a problem in a Bruce Arians offense.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills hemmed and hawed on whether to retain incumbent signal-caller Tyrod Taylor, and though it appeared as though he’d hit free agency, Taylor ultimately agreed to a short-term pact that will keep him Buffalo through the 2018 season. While McCarron would seemingly fit in new play-caller Rick Dennison‘s offense, the timeline of the Bills’ front office turnover makes it unlikely they were involved in McCarron trade discussions. Buffalo reached a new deal with Taylor just prior to the start of the 2017 league year in early March, and former general manager Doug Whaley was fired two months later. Targeting another quarterback just after working out a fresh pact with Taylor seems improbable, and Buffalo’s ownership wouldn’t have let a lame duck like Whaley make such a franchise-altering decision.

Chicago Bears

While the Bears were never linked to McCarron, they were interested in trading for another high-profile backup quarterback — the Patriots’ Jimmy Garoppolo. Rival clubs didn’t believe Chicago would be forced to part with its No. 3 overall pick in order to land Garoppolo, as a package of multiple second-round selections was thought to be enough to get a deal done. Clearly, that view was misguided in regards to Garoppolo’s availability, but the Bears were obviously willing to ship away draft choices in order to bring in a passer. Ultimately, Chicago not only signed free agent Mike Glennon, but sent a bevy of picks to the 49ers in order to move up one spot in the first round for UNC’s Mitch Trubisky. Sending a second-rounder to Cincinnati for McCarron, then, wouldn’t have been out of the question.

Cleveland Browns

The one club known to have held McCarron trade talks with the Bengals is the Browns, who were reportedly discussing McCarron as late as the first day of the draft in April. However, negotiations between Cincinnati and Cleveland apparently didn’t get very far, as the Bengals were had assigned a high price tag to its backup quarterback. Based on familiarity alone, the Browns were an excellent fit for McCarron, as Cleveland head coach Hue Jackson was the Bengals’ offensive coordinator when McCarron entered the league in 2014. The Bengals didn’t seem to have any qualms about dealing McCarron to a division rival, and Cleveland seems like an obvious contender for the mystery team that offered Cincinnati a second-round pick, especially given that it owned two of them heading into the draft.

Denver Broncos

An armchair psychologist might say general manager John Elway‘s insistence that the Broncos are not currently trying to trade for McCarron (“150% false) is a bit on the defensive side, but even if Denver isn’t looking into McCarron at the moment, that doesn’t mean the club wasn’t interested in him earlier this year. Yes, the Broncos used a first-round pick on Paxton Lynch just a year ago, but reports on him and fellow quarterback Trevor Siemian haven’t been positive. Plus, Denver was linked to at least one signal-caller upgrade — veteran Tony Romo — this offseason, meaning the Broncos were willing to put Lynch and Siemian on the bench if a better option was discovered.

Houston Texans

One of the three clubs on this list that ultimately traded up to select a quarterback in the first round of the draft, the Texans are now set for the future with Clemson’s Deshaun Watson under center. But would they have been willing to ship a relatively early pick to the Bengals for McCarron before acquiring Watson? Possibly, although the fact that McCarron would likely need to be extended relatively quickly may have presented a problem. The Texans are staring at long-term deals for wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, so cap space could quickly get tight. And after general manager Rick Smith whiffed on Brock Osweiler in 2016, Texans ownership may not have given approval for the front office to spend both draft pick capital and more cash on another unproven quarterback.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs actually selected another quarterback — Georgia’s Aaron Murray — one pick before McCarron came off the board to Cincinnati in the fifth round of the 2014 draft. But McCarron doesn’t look like a perfect fit for Kansas City, and like Houston, cap space problems would have likely come into play. The Chiefs are currently projected to be nearly $5MM over the cap in 2018, so extending or franchising McCarron would have possibly been untenable. As such, Kansas City needed the benefits of a rookie quarterback contract, and instead opted to trade up to acquire Patrick Mahomes out of Texas Tech.

New York Jets

Writing in early March, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com suggested the Jets may have looked into a possible Sheldon Richardson-for-McCarron trade, noting his belief that Cincinnati would have had to insert a draft pick to get a deal done. I completely disagree on that last point, as a quarterback — even a reserve — has more value than a unproductive edge rusher/defensive tackle (plus, Richardson is scheduled to earn nearly $8MM more than McCarron in 2017), the idea of Gang Green trading for McCarron wasn’t completely out of the question. New York isn’t trying to win during the upcoming season, however, and will limp through the campaign with Josh McCown, Bryce Petty, and Christian Hackenberg before presumably finding a quarterback in next year’s draft.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers are one of the more interesting clubs on this list, as new head coach Kyle Shanahan should be allowed to essentially handpick his quarterback of the future at this point. San Francisco signed free agents Brian Hoyer and Matt Barkley, and drafted Iowa’s C.J. Beathard in the third round, but any talks regarding McCarron likely would have occurred before the 49ers made those moves. Still, the idea that San Francisco would have offered a second-round pick for McCarron seems unlikely for a few reasons. First, the Niners’ second-rounder was No. 34 overall, an extremely valuable draft choice, and second, San Francisco is probably holding off on adding a long-term quarterback until the 2018 free agent status of Kirk Cousins — Shanahan’s former pupil — is resolved.

What do you think? Did one of these clubs offer a second-round pick for McCarron? Or was it another unidentified team? Weigh in here:

Which team offered a second-round pick for A.J. McCarron?

Cleveland Browns 25.31% (750 votes)

New York Jets 17.85% (529 votes)

Denver Broncos 12.99% (385 votes)

San Francisco 49ers 12.42% (368 votes)

Arizona Cardinals 8.64% (256 votes)

Other 6.99% (207 votes)

Buffalo Bills 5.13% (152 votes)

Houston Texans 4.96% (147 votes)

Chicago Bears 4.45% (132 votes)

Kansas City Chiefs 1.25% (37 votes)

Total Votes: 2,963

13 comments Arizona Cardinals Buffalo Bills Chicago Bears Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Denver Broncos Houston Texans Kansas City Chiefs New York Jets PFR Originals PFR Polls San Francisco 49ers A.J. McCarron

Offseason In Review: Green Bay Packers

By Dallas Robinson | at August 10, 2017 6:23 pm

The Packers have earned postseason berths in eight consecutive seasons, but they haven’t made a Super Bowl appearance since the 2010 campaign. While most NFL clubs would be satisfied with that record of sustained success, anything less than a championship is a disappointment for a team that boasts one of the league’s two best quarterbacks. Green Bay is hardly ever active during the free agent period, but the club’s front office had work to do — especially on the defensive side of the ball — this offseason.

Notable signings:

Nick Perry, LB: Five years, $60MM. $18.5MM guaranteed.
Martellus Bennett, TE: Three years, $21MM. $6.3MM guaranteed.
Lance Kendricks, TE: Two years, $4MM. $1.2MM guaranteed. $1.2MM available via incentives.
Davon House, CB: One year, $2.8MM. $850K guaranteed.
Jayrone Elliott, LB: One year, $1.6MM. $350K guaranteed.
Ricky Jean-Francois, DL: One year, $2MM. $250K guaranteed.
Jahri Evans, G: One year, $2.25MM. $200K guaranteed.
Don Barclay, OL: One year, $1.025MM. $150K guaranteed.
Jordan Tripp, LB: One year, $690K.

The Packers made Nick Perry the 28th overall selection in the 2012 draft, but after he started only 16 total games through his first four seasons in Green Bay, it was fair to label the USC Trojan a bust. He hit the open market in 2016 at the age of 25 after the Packers declined his fifth-year option, but after generating little interest as a free agent, Perry re-signed with Green Bay for just $5MM on a one-year contract.

Things changed in 2016: as Perry explained to Robert Mays of the Ringer, he began “expanding his vision” and acting “more aggressive in his initial movements,” and the results were almost immediate. Perry reached a career-high with 14 starts and played on nearly 60% of the Packers’ defensive snaps. In that time, he registered 11 sacks, 47 quarterback pressures, and 37 defensive stops, with that final total being good for ninth among edge defenders, per Sam Monson of Pro Football Focus. For his efforts, Perry was rewarded with a pact which ranks 10th among pass rushers in annual value and 15th in full guarantees.

While Perry’s return should help the Packers maintain a pass rush that ranked eighth in adjusted sack rate last season, new addition Ricky Jean-Francois will assist in the run game, where Green Bay finished 14th in DVOA. Jean-Francois, 30, is a classic Packers signing: he’s a not-too-flashy veteran who’d been cut by his previous team (the Redskins), meaning his signing won’t affect the 2018 compensatory formula. With Letroy Guion now off the roster, and rookie defensive lineman Montravius Adams expected to miss time, Jean-Francois — whom Green Bay had reportedly been interested in for years — should see ample playing time.

Fixing the front seven wasn’t the main concern for the Packers this offseason, however, as the team’s secondary was its primary area of weakness in 2016. Green Bay ranked 23rd in pass defense DVOA, per Football Outsiders, and finished 26th, 26th, and 28th, against opposing No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 wide receivers. To address their defensive backfield, the Packers brought back a familiar face, signing Davon House — who spent 2011-14 in Green Bay — to a one-year deal. House lost his starting role with the Jaguars a season ago, but he’s now back with defensive coordinator Dom Capers, under whom House played well during his prior Packers stint. The early reviews on the 28-year-old have been positive, and it won’t be surprising if he’s a starting corner in Week 1.

On offense, Green Bay signed veteran right guard Jahri Evans, who will be entering his 12th NFL season. Now 33 years old, Evans has been extremely durable throughout his career, as he’s missed only seven total games. 2016 will mark his first campaign as a non-Saint, but Evans should immediately slide into the right guard vacancy created by T.J. Lang‘s free agent defection. While Evans isn’t the All Pro lineman he was in the latter portion of the 2000s, he’s still an above-average guard: last year, Evans graded as the league’s No. 33 guard among 75 qualifiers, according to Pro Football Focus.

The Packers double-dipped at tight end, agreeing to multi-year contracts with both Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks. While both are assured of roster spots, Bennett will undoubtedly play more snaps, as he’s arguably the best tight end Aaron Rodgers have ever played with. Catching passes from Tom Brady in 2016, Bennett managed 73 receptions for 701 yards and seven touchdowns while finishing fifth among NFL tight ends in yards per target. Bennett posted those totals while dealing a myriad of injuries, so if he’s able to stay healthy during the upcoming season, he could reach or surpass career-highs in several statistical categories.

Kendricks, meanwhile, will allow the Packers to run two-tight end sets, something they did on only 9% of plays a season ago, per the Football Outsiders Almanac. The 29-year-old Kendricks has reportedly ingratiated himself in Green Bay, as he’s already running ahead of fellow tight end Richard Rodgers in some offensive packages, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com writes. Despite playing on one of the league’s worst offense last season, Kendricks posted a career-high 50 receptions, but still earned atrocious blocking grades from PFF.

Notable losses:

Aside from Ty Montgomery, who shifted from wide receiver to running back midway through the 2016 season, every running back who attempted a carry for the Packers last season is now off the roster. James Starks, Christine Michael, and Don Jackson were all cut, while Eddie Lacy was allowed to leave as a free agent. Green Bay reportedly had some interest in retaining Lacy, as he indicated in February that general manager Ted Thompson & Co. had been “very vocal” about bringing Lacy back. However, subsequent reports said the Packers weren’t offering Lacy much money, and he eventually signed with Seattle for one year and $4.25MM. Lacy is only 26 years old, but he hadn’t been effective, healthy, or in shape for the past two seasons, so his loss won’t loom large in 2017.

The Packers probably won’t miss tight end Jared Cook, either, but that’s not because he wasn’t productive a season ago. Despite missing six games, Cook still posted 30 receptions for 377 yards and a score, and he seemed to come into his own near the end of the regular season and into the playoffs. Cook averaged 4 catches and 59 yards in Green Bay’s final three regular season contests, and then totaled 18 receptions, 229 yards, and two scores in the Packers’ three postseason games. It was a solid showing that made Cook the second-best tight end available on the free agent market — but Green Bay added the No. 1 free agent tight end in Martellus Bennett, rendering Cook superfluous.

Although the Packers have allowed starting offensive linemen to walk in consecutive free agent periods, it remains to be seen if that strategy will hurt the club up front. In 2016, Green Bay released All Pro guard Josh Sitton, but subsequently improved along the line, going from 25th to 19th in adjusted line yards and 23rd to 11th in adjusted sack rate. This year, the Packers lost both T.J. Lang and J.C. Tretter, and while Green Bay probably didn’t make much of an effort to retain Tretter given the presence of Corey Linsley at center, the club did attempt to bring back Lang, who narrowed his choices to Detroit, Seattle, and Green Bay before inking a three-year deal with the Lions. The Packers reportedly offered only $21.5MM over three years and $6.5MM guaranteed, while the Lions handed Lang $28.5MM and $19MM in guarantees over the same three-year term.

Green Bay didn’t appear to make a serious effort to re-sign defensive back Micah Hyde, either, and he went on to land a five-year, $30MM pact with the Bills. While Hyde wasn’t necessarily an exceptional player, he was a serviceable jack-of-all-trades who could function at either cornerback or safety. Last year, the 26-year-old Hyde appeared in all 16 games (11 starts) and played roughly 80% of the Packers’ defensive snaps. He also saw action on more than half the club’s special teams plays, so Hyde was a true four-down player. That’s a valuable skill-set, especially given Green Bay’s woes in the secondary, but the Packers didn’t seem interested in keeping Hyde, who graded as the league’s No. 55 corner, per PFF.

While Hyde saw his snap percentage increase in 2016, veteran edge rusher Julius Peppers had had his snap count reduced in each of the past three seasons. In his age-36 campaign, Peppers started 11 games but only played on 58% of the Packers’ defensive snaps (down from 66% in 2015 and 74% in 2015). While his sack total dipped to 7.5, Peppers still finished 29th among 3-4 outside linebackers in PFF’s pass rush productivity metric. Perhaps looking to get younger on the defensive side of the ball, Green Bay wasn’t interested in matching Carolina’s $3.5MM offer to Peppers.

Earlier today, the Packers made the decision to cut ties with defensive tackle Letroy Guion, who started 15 games for the club in 2016. Already set to serve a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s PED policy, Guion was arrested for DUI in June and may have had extra games tacked onto his ban. Despite his talent at stopping the run, Guion had run afoul of bylaws one too many times, and though Green Bay had looked past his transgressions in the past, the team had seen enough. Because the Packers had already restructured Guion’s contract by delaying his roster bonuses, the club is on the hook for fewer than $200K in dead money.

Trades:

Acquired a 2017 second-round pick (No. 33; CB Kevin King) and a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 108; LB Vince Biegel) from the Browns in exchange for a 2017 first-round pick (No. 29; TE David Njoku).
Acquired a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 175; WR DeAngelo Yancey) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 238; RB Devante Mays) from the Broncos in exchange for a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 172; WR Isaiah McKenzie).

Draft picks:

2-33: Kevin King, CB (Washington)
2-61: Josh Jones, S (North Carolina State)
3-93: Montravius Adams, DT (Auburn)
4-108: Vince Biegel, LB (Wisconsin)
4-134: Jamaal Williams, RB (BYU)
5-175: DeAngelo Yancey, WR (Purdue)
5-182: Aaron Jones, RB (UTEP)
6-212: Kofi Amichia, T (USF)
7-238: Devante Mays, RB (Utah State)
7-247: Malachi Dupre, WR (LSU)

While the Packers didn’t necessarily address all their weak areas during the free agent period, they did so in the draft, using half of their 10 selections on the secondary or the backfield. After trading out of the first round, Green Bay picked up Washington corner Kevin King with the first choice of Day 2, and he’s already impressed during camp and is expected to start during his rookie year. Exceptional against long balls, King didn’t give up a single touchdown on 36 deep passes (20+ air yards) over the past three seasons, per Pro Football Focus.

After losing a cavalcade of veteran backs this spring, Green Bay revamped its backfield by selecting thee runners on Days 2 and 3 of the draft: BYU’s Jamaal Williams, UTEP’s Aaron Jones, and Utah State’s Devante Mays. Although Jones is excellent in the passing game, Williams is already making a charge for the Packers’ starting running back job, as Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com recently wrote. Specifically, Williams has been working on blitz pickup, a skill which could allow him to play on passing downs.

Elsewhere, defensive tackle Montravius Adams could miss the start of the season after undergoing foot surgery, and his loss — combined with Letroy Guion‘s release– could force the Packers to lean on inexperienced players or scour the free agent market. Second-rounder Josh Jones will serve as Green Bay’s third safety (and potential future Morgan Burnett replacement), and both he and linebacker Vince Biegel will likely begin their respective careers on special teams duty. Receiver DeAngelo Yancey was considered an undrafted free agent but went in the fifth round, per Lance Zierlein of NFL.com, while fellow wideout Malachi Dupre offers an intriguing blend of size/speed (here’s his MockDraftable profile) and pedigree (he’s a former five-star recruit who ranked as the top wideout in the 2014 high school class).

Extensions and restructures:

Letroy Guion, DT: Restructured contract. Delayed 2017 roster bonuses from March and May to Weeks 9 and 15, respectively. Reduced roster bonuses from $400K each to $300K each. Was subsequently released.

Other:

Exercised fifth-year option for S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix ($5.597MM).
Placed P Jake Schum on injured reserve.
Learned WR Geronimo Allison was suspended one game (substance abuse).
Signed 15 undrafted rookie free agents.

Green Bay’s decision to pick up Ha Ha Clinton-Dix‘s fifth-year option was a complete no-brainer, as the fourth-year pro has quietly become one of the NFL’s most underrated defensive backs. He’s played more than 1,000 snaps in each of the past three campaigns, and last year graded as the league’s No. 22 safety per PFF while being named second-team All Pro. While he’s now under control through 2018, Clinton-Dix is a candidate for an extension in the near future, probably at an annual cost north of $10MM.

Top 10 cap charges for 2017:

Aaron Rodgers, QB: $20,300,000
Clay Matthews, LB: $15,075,000
Randall Cobb, WR: $12,656,250
Jordy Nelson, WR: $11,550,000
Mike Daniels, DL: $10,400,000
Bryan Bulaga, T: $7,850,000
Morgan Burnett, S: $6,981,250
David Bakhtiari, T: $6,171,000
Nick Perry, LB: $5,925,000
Martellus Bennett, TE: $3,850,000

Green Bay’s offseason was — by almost any measure — a success, as the club’s front office re-signed one of the team’s best defensive players, used its top draft pick to add to aid a poor pass defense, and added three young running backs to an RB corps lacking options. With Aaron Rodgers in tow, the NFC North is always an expected prize. A Super Bowl victory is the ultimate end game, and the Packers look to have as good a chance of taking the title belt as any team in the NFC.

Information from Over the Cap and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Offseason In Review: Oakland Raiders

By Sam Robinson | at August 7, 2017 4:32 pm

After more than a decade as a bottom-tier franchise, the Raiders broke out last season and are suddenly the favorites to win their first AFC West title in 15 years. The team added a few veterans that figure to help an already potent offense and, understandably, devoted its draft to defense.

The Raiders also took care of cornerstones from the much-praised 2014 draft via extensions. However, all of this optimism comes against what could be a strange backdrop — especially for a Super Bowl contender. The Raiders’ decision to move to Las Vegas, eventually, will make Oakland Coliseum games interesting this season.

While the Raiders have yet to prove they can win the big games necessary to contend with the Patriots, they may have as good of a chance as anyone to topple the defending champions based on their roster construction. And they should be poised to be a top-tier AFC contender for the foreseeable future.

Notable signings:

Jared Cook, TE: Two years, $10.6MM. $5MM guaranteed.
Cordarrelle Patterson, WR: Two years, $8.5MM. $5MM guaranteed. $2MM available via incentives.
Marshall Newhouse, T: Two years, $3.5MM. $500K guaranteed.
Jon Condo, LS: One year, minimum salary benefit. $300K guaranteed.
Jelani Jenkins, LB: One year, $1MM. $100K guaranteed.
EJ Manuel, QB: One year, minimum salary benefit.
IK Enemkpali, DE: One year, contract terms unknown.

Somewhat interestingly, Oakland chose to address its stronger unit in free agency while leaving its defense largely unchanged until the draft. Cook and Patterson could bring explosiveness the Raiders have not enjoyed at these positions in many years. While neither is a surefire bet for consistency, both figure to enhance the Raiders’ offensive capabilities.

The Raiders haven’t presented many imposing matchups from the tight end position in the modern era. Cook lost time to injury in 2016, but his late-season re-emergence coincided with some of the best play of Aaron Rodgers‘ career. Oakland acquiring Cook on a $5.3MM-per-year accord looks like a team-friendly deal.

The athletic tight end surpassed 600 yards in three seasons despite having suboptimal quarterbacks throwing to him. As the No. 3 option behind Amari Cooper and Michael Crabtree, the 30-year-old Cook will be in position to threaten defenses in a way Derek Carr‘s previous tight ends couldn’t. This acquisition will help compensate for the Raiders’ lack of a steady No. 3 wideout.

Oakland’s Patterson signing stands to benefit the offense more so from a field-position standpoint. A two-time All-Pro kick returner with the Vikings, Patterson did not become what Minnesota’s brass envisioned as a receiver. While a potentially dangerous gadget player — especially on an offense possessing the kind of weaponry Oakland’s does — Patterson is no lock to beat out incumbent Seth Roberts for the Raiders’ top slot job. Patterson’s prodigious return acumen will put the Raiders in better position to score, and like Cook, his skill set is one the team hasn’t enjoyed much lately.

Newhouse resides in a strong position to start. A Packers draft choice during Reggie McKenzie‘s Green Bay years, Newhouse has been given plenty of first-string chances — including 20 first-unit games with the Giants from 2015-16 — but has not distinguished himself much and figures to be the clear weak link on the Raiders’ starting line.

The Raiders did not attempt to upgrade much at backup quarterback, with Manuel having been one of the more disappointing first-round passers in years. Carr coming off a broken leg that torpedoed the Silver and Black’s season, the Raiders passing on more proven backups like Chase Daniel, Nick Foles or Ryan Fitzpatrick to sign Manuel for the league minimum is curious. Connor Cook continues to develop but wouldn’t be viewed as an above-average backup if he were to win the job, at least based on his emergency-circumstance work sample last season.

Jenkins would seemingly have the inside track to replace Malcolm Smith on the outside. He signed on a prove-it deal and given the Raiders’ lack of options opposite Bruce Irvin in their base sets, the former Dolphins starter should have a chance to showcase his abilities this season. But Jenkins has trended in the wrong direction since posting a 110-tackle 2014. Pro Football Focus tabbed him as one of the league’s worst linebackers last season. Also considering the Raiders’ gamble on unproven players in the middle, off-ball linebacker profiles as a risk since the team is without both of its nickel-package ‘backers from 2016.

Nate Allen, S
Daren Bates, LB
D.J. Hayden, CB
Andre Holmes, WR
Austin Howard, T: Released
Taiwan Jones, RB: Released
Stacy McGee, DL
Matt McGloin, QB
Latavius Murray, RB
Perry Riley, LB
Mychal Rivera, TE
Malcolm Smith, LB
Brynden Trawick, S
Menelik Watson, T
Dan Williams, DT: Released

Murray’s 12 rushing touchdowns represented the third-most by a Raiders back during a season in franchise history. The Raiders discussed a new deal with Murray, but judging by their refusal to match Murray’s Vikings-friendly agreement, felt like they could replicate the fifth-year player’s production elsewhere. Oakland returns its top four offensive linemen from 2016, and that quartet played a big role in the former sixth-round pick’s success.

The 27-year-old runner presented an interesting case for a re-up, especially at the $5MM-per-year rate (on a team-friendly setup) he agreed to in Minnesota, considering he has only been a starter for two years and has just 543 career carries. But the Raiders went in a different direction.

Neither Hayden nor Smith worked out to the Raiders’ liking. Hayden was one of McKenzie’s biggest missteps while running the Raiders, and Smith — despite being the central figure at non-rush linebacker for the Raiders over the past two seasons — did not impress. The 49ers gave Smith a big raise (five years, $26.5MM) with guarantees that tie him to the team for at least the next two seasons. Nevertheless, the Raiders paid Jenkins far less to replace Smith, who is now lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle.

T.J. Carrie picked up the slack at nickel after the ineffective and injury-prone Hayden went down midway through last season, and Oakland added 2017 sub-package pieces in the first two rounds of the draft. Oakland did let a promising defender leave without bringing in a replacement, though, when McGee left for Washington. Although McGee missed some time with injuries last season, the defensive tackle was productive. He started nine games after being a rotational presence in his three previous Bay Area seasons.

The Raiders did not address this position in free agency and cut Dan Williams, a quality run-stopper in 2015 but a player whom the team benched last season. Justin Ellis remains as a Williams replacement, but on passing downs, the Raiders could be light on interior pass-rushing ability.

Del Rio specifically addressed this facet of his defense after the season, one that ended with the Raiders ranking 32nd in sacks (25) despite employing defensive player of the year Khalil Mack. But the team lost two players and only used a third-round pick on a replacement. However, the Raiders selected Mario Edwards and Jihad Ward in the second round of the previous two drafts. Oakland is counting on each uncertain commodity in 2017.

Jack Del Rio said Newhouse had a leg up on Howard in the right tackle competition over the summer, and the Raiders subsequently released Howard. The Raiders’ right tackle the past two seasons, Howard was coming off shoulder surgery. He played well at right tackle in 2015, after a down ’14 at guard, but was slowed by injuries last season. The 30-year-old’s release saddles the Raiders with $1.5MM in 2017 dead money, although that’s the only dead-money figure on the Raiders’ ’17 payroll.

Trades:

Acquired RB Marshawn Lynch and a 2018 sixth-round pick from the Seahawks in exchange for a 2018 fifth-round pick.
Acquired a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 221; DB Shalom Luani) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 231; T Jylan Ware) from the Cardinals in exchange for a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 208; S Johnathan Ford).

After a lengthy process, the Raiders pulled the trigger on a trade for Lynch. They are not paying him what the Seahawks did. Lynch pocketed more than $12MM in 2015 as part of a Seahawks extension. His new contract is more in line with the veteran running back market: two years, $9MM, $2.35MM guaranteed. Nothing is guaranteed beyond this season. The Raiders could save $6MM in 2018 by cutting Lynch, who is almost certainly not going to be part of his hometown franchise’s move to Las Vegas.

The Raiders will upgrade in raw talent from Murray to Lynch, who stampeded to four straight Pro Bowls in Seattle. However, it’s uncertain what kind of form the 31-year-old bruiser will be in after a year off and more than 2 1/2 years removed from his most recent healthy season. Lynch missed nine games in 2015 and saw Thomas Rawls look far better than he did for the Hawks that season, with the cornerstone ball-carrier averaging just 3.8 yards per carry.

Oakland still has multipurpose-type backs in DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard — each of whom averaged more than five yards per handoff as rookies — so they could still form a committee around Lynch as they did with Murray. Lynch, though, brings the kind of short-yardage punch the younger backs don’t, and behind a stacked Raiders interior offensive line, the starter should be a potent weapon around the goal line.

Draft picks:

1-24: Gareon Conley, CB (Ohio State)
2-56: Obi Melifonwu, S (UConn)
3-88: Eddie Vanderdoes, DT (UCLA)
4-129: David Sharpe, OL (Florida)
5-168: Marquel Lee, LB (Wake Forest)
7-221: Shalom Luani, DB (Washington State)
7-231: Jylan Ware, T (Alabama State)
7-242: Elijah Hood, RB (North Carolina)
7-244: Treyvon Hester, DT (Toledo)

Expected to go in the top half of the first round prior to a sexual assault allegation that surfaced during draft month, Conley received a life raft from the Raiders. And after it was announced charges won’t come the cornerback’s way in connection with the aforementioned allegation at a Cleveland hotel, the Raiders figure to have the full services of a talent that otherwise would not have been available to them. Conley will provide the Raiders with vital depth and supply a young cornerback prospect to a team in need of them.

Conley could push Sean Smith and David Amerson for time at some point. Neither returning starter has any guaranteed money owed to them beyond 2017, and Smith is already oddly running with the second team in camp. So, this pick could put a cornerback contingent — one that helped permit an NFL-worst 61 completions of at least 20 yards last season — on notice.

Melifonwu also has veterans in front of him, with the Raiders having Reggie Nelson and Karl Joseph back, but the UConn product could be tabbed for starting duty as soon as next season. Nelson’s two-year contract expires after this his age-34 season. A Combine freak who worked out as a corner for some teams during the pre-draft process, Melifonwu is an old-school Raiders selection hearkening back to the Al Davis speed-obsessed era. The 6-4 talent could profile as a sub-package cog early; the Raiders did not have much safety depth coming into the draft and they are currently without Keith McGill due to a fractured foot.

Conley and Melifonwu inject some high-end athleticism and depth to a Raiders secondary that didn’t have many options for years.

The Raiders selected an interior defender on Day 2 of the draft for a third straight year. A UCLA talent, Vanderdoes did not boast impact stats during his four-year career (4.0 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss) but does have a 3-4 end body type (6-4, 305 pounds) for a team that hired John Pagano — the Chargers’ DC who utilized that front during his San Diego stay. Vanderdoes figures to add to a largely unproven rotation.

Lee has an opportunity for early playing time despite being selected on Day 3. The former Demon Deacons tackler is the latest of McKenzie’s Day 3 linebacker picks. The GM is emulating former boss Ted Thompson by not over-investing in non-rush linebackers. Plenty of late-round and UDFA players populate this position group. Lee’s already seeing first-team reps and could be the latest young talent installed there.

Extensions and restructures:

Derek Carr, QB: Extended through 2022. Five years, $125.05MM. $40MM guaranteed.
Gabe Jackson, G: Extended through 2022. Five years, $56MM. $26MM guaranteed (unknown if figure is full guarantee).
Marshawn Lynch, RB: Agreed to new contract following trade. Two years, $9MM. $2.35MM guaranteed. $5.9MM available via incentives.
Lee Smith, TE: Accepted pay cut. Created $750K in cap space by reducing 2017 base salary of $1MM to $1MM base salary and $1MM roster bonus.

The late-June week that brought extensions for Carr and Jackson represented a historic span for the Silver and Black, whose previous payroll became dominated by outside hires. The Raiders and these two cornerstones reaching extension agreements doubles as a pivotal point in the franchise’s timeline. Many years have passed since the team had young talents of this caliber willing to make commitments like this.

The first young, franchise-level quarterback that’s ended up signing a Raiders extension in decades, Carr admitted he left money on the table to help his teammates — mentioning Jackson, Mack and Amari Cooper, who becomes extension-eligible next year — remain with the franchise. Carr stands to bring in more money once the Raiders move to Las Vegas, since Nevada does not have a state income tax. But given the Raiders’ struggles at quarterback post-Rich Gannon, they were probably all too happy to pay the 26-year-old Pro Bowler. The highest of this deal’s cap figures comes at $25MM in 2018. The Raiders have been big on frontloading deals under McKenzie, and Carr’s did not deviate from the blueprint.

Although he was not one of the three Raiders offensive linemen selected for the most recent Pro Bowl, Jackson has continually impressed. He remained a stalwart interior blocker after moving from left to right guard last season. His extension locks in the Raiders’ formidable interior O-line core through 2019. Jackson’s extension elevates his 2017 cap number to $10.47MM, and following a $10.5MM figure next year, the frontloaded deal does not have an eight-figure cap number attached to it. All of the guaranteed money in Jackson’s accord comes in 2017 and ’18. Kelechi Osemele and Rodney Hudson‘s UFA contracts were structured the same way.

Other:

Learned NFL owners approved plan to relocated to Las Vegas.
Promoted Todd Downing to offensive coordinator to replace Bill Musgrave.
Hired former Chargers DC John Pagano as assistant head coach/defense.
Exercised 2018 fifth-year option for DE Khalil Mack ($13.846MM).
Signed 17 undrafted rookie free agents.
Donald Penn is holding out in hopes of a reworked contract

The elephant in the room could double as a dark cloud over an otherwise promising Raiders season. While the team thrived in 2016 as a Vegas prospect loomed, now that it’s official, the Oakland atmosphere could be strange. The Raiders have become the only NFL franchise that’s agreed to ditch its original market twice, and their lame-duck experiment has the league discussing alternative options if 2017 goes poorly. The Nevada venture marks a controversial move, ditching one of the league’s most identifiable local fanbases for an unknown market. But the record $750MM in public money secured made 31 owners view this opportunity as too good to bypass.

The Raiders will also become a rare contending team that’s agreed to leave its market, making for a fascinating backdrop in a season where the franchise figures to deploy a Super Bowl contender. No post-AFL-NFL merger departure agreement has occurred with a city’s team coming off a playoff berth until the Raiders’ decision. Additionally, the last time a team planned on staying in its previous city for multiple years while a stadium was being built elsewhere came when the Houston Oilers attempted to do so. They ended up leaving Houston for Tennessee after one season, an ugly 1996 campaign, and playing the following two slates in a college stadium while the current Titans venue was constructed.

For a team that subjected its local fanbase to more than a decade of futility only to field a contender Oakland at the 11th hour, it could bring some complications for said championship push.

The Raiders made a curious move in jettisoning the coordinator who oversaw a No. 6 ranking and retaining one who piloted a defense to a No. 26 finish for a second straight season. But other teams expressed interest in hiring Downing as OC, so the Raiders promoted the 37-year-old position coach. Musgrave caught on with the Broncos as QBs coach but once again spent two seasons as OC for a Del Rio-coached team. He was not retained after two Jaguars seasons during the 2000s. Pagano will add another key voice to a team that already has a defensive-minded head coach, although it might cut into Ken Norton Jr.‘s authority to some degree.

Mack was one of a few easy fifth-year decisions a front office had to make involving a 2014 draftee. While the reigning defensive player of the year having to wait behind Jackson for an extension makes for strange optics, other teams have not committed to their 2014 first-round picks yet either. Nevertheless, Mack is on one of the most franchise-friendly agreements in football. He stands to make $5.94MM this season and $13.84MM in 2018.

Jackson’s extension also left Penn as the fourth-highest-paid Raiders lineman despite having made the most Pro Bowls of anyone on the unit. Set to make $5.8MM in base salary this season, Penn wants top-10 left tackle money. The two-year, $14MM deal has him well off that pace — especially given how much certain teams committed to lesser tackles in free agency. The Raiders do not have a replacement close to Penn’s caliber, so this is an interesting tactic from the 11th-year blocker. McKenzie might not be keen on redoing a two-year contract, but the team’s status as a Super Bowl contender and the gulf between Penn and the rest of Oakland’s tackle contingent could make the GM pay up to satisfy his disgruntled employee.

Top 10 cap charges for 2017:

Derek Carr, QB: $15.731,691
Kelechi Osemele, G: $13,500,000
Gabe Jackson, G: $10,647,844
Sean Smith, CB: $9,500,000
David Amerson, CB: $8,500,000
Donald Penn, T: $7,150,000
Michael Crabtree, WR: $7,000,000
Bruce Irvin, LB: $7,000,000
Rodney Hudson, C: $6,950,000
Austin Howard, T: $6,400,000

Oakland has its best roster in place since its 2002 AFC championship campaign, but the team must navigate a tough AFC West and prove it can beat contenders. The Silver and Black went 2-5 against winning teams last season, although two of those losses came without Carr. But a Chiefs team in apparent transition and a Broncos outfit that may be constrained by a lower-level offense could set the Raiders up for a playoff home game.

While that would certainly stand to be awkward considering the Vegas decision, the Raiders have a chance at a special season. Their Super Bowl window appears to be opening.

Information from Over the Cap and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images and via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.

1 comment Las Vegas Raiders Offseason In Review PFR Originals

PFR Originals: 7/30/17 – 8/6/17

By Sam Robinson | at August 6, 2017 2:14 pm

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

The 2017 regular season is less than two months away. PFR has begun its annual Offseason In Review series, assessing the major signings, departures, trades, and other notable events for each of the 32 NFL clubs. We covered the Washington Redskins this week.
There have been some high-profile young quarterbacks on the UFA market for some time now, and PFR’s Zach Links asked readers which was going to sign first. Colin Kaepernick won a competitive race. However, Ryan Tannehill‘s sudden injury prompted the Dolphins to go with a wild-card entrant. Adam Gase lured Jay Cutler out of retirement.

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Offseason In Review: Washington Redskins

By Dallas Robinson | at August 1, 2017 8:10 pm

The Redskins narrowly missed earning a second consecutive postseason appearance in 2017, as a tie with the Bengals in London ended up costing Washington another playoff berth. That frustration seemed minor compared to the upheaval that began on the first day of free agency, when the Redskins fired general manager Scot McCloughan and began a summer-long saga of unfruitful negotiations with quarterback Kirk Cousins.

Notable signings:

Kirk Cousins, QB: One year, $23.944MM. Fully guaranteed. Signed franchise tag.
Vernon Davis, TE: Three years, $15MM. $7.5MM guaranteed.
Terrell McClain, DL: Four years, $21MM. $7.25MM guaranteed.
Stacy McGee, DL: Five years, $25MM. $6.25MM guaranteed.
D.J. Swearinger, S: Three years, $13.5MM. $6MM guaranteed.
Terrelle Pryor, WR: One year, $6MM. Fully guaranteed.
Zach Brown, LB: One year, $2.3MM. $700K guaranteed. $2.3MM available via incentives.
Ziggy Hood, DL: Two years, $2.7MM. $300K guaranteed.
Chris Carter, LB: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Brian Quick, WR: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Chris Thompson, RB: One year, $2.746MM. Signed second-round RFA tender.
Will Compton, LB: One year, $1.797MM. Signed original round RFA tender.

Kirk Cousins has played the free agent game perfectly: assigned the franchise tag for two consecutive seasons, Cousins has now raked in nearly $44MM from 2016-17, and will earn another ~$34.48MM if the Redskins use the franchise tender again in 2018. Exerting all his leverage, Cousins rejected an offer from Washington that the team claims included $53MM in full guarantees, noting that he wanted more time to evaluate an organization that has seen considerable turnover both on the field and in the front office.

While Cousins clearly isn’t the league’s best quarterback, he’s going to be paid like it next season, either through another franchise tag, an extension with the Redskins, or a free agent deal with another club. Over the past two seasons, Cousins has completed 68.3% of his passes while averaging more than 4,500 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. That level of production will earn a quarterback a massive contract on the open market — especially given that Cousins’ former offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan, is now the head coach of a quarterback-needy 49ers club — and Cousins will easily clear the $27MM per year mark if he reaches unfettered free agency.

Cousins will be throwing to a new group of wideouts that includes former Brown Terrelle Pryor, whom the Redskins landed on one of the best value free agent signings of 2017. Pryor is only 28 years old, and posted 77 receptions, 1,007 yards and four touchdowns in his first season as a wide receiver. Given that he was a quarterback until 2016, many clubs seemed reticent to invest in Pryor despite his excellent statistics, but Washington took the plunge. It’s a worthwhile risk, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Redskins attempt to extend Pryor in-season if he continues his run of receiving success.

While receiver Brian Quick may not even make Washington’s final roster, veteran tight end Vernon Davis could play a key role for the club after re-signing on a three-year pact. Starting tight end Jordan Reed has had difficulty staying healthy during his four-year career (four missed games last season), and has already been placed on active/PUP with a toe issue. Davis, who looked finished in Denver two years ago, put up 44 receptions for more than 500 yards in his first season as a Redskin. While he still can’t block (bottom-10 among tight ends in the run game, per Pro Football Focus), Davis is a serviceable starter if Reed is sidelined again.

On defense, the Redskins sought to beef up a defensive line that ranked just 27th against the run, according to Football Outsiders‘ adjusted line yards metric. While Stacy McGee and Terrell McClain should do just that along Washington’s front, both signed contracts that can be escaped relatively easily. McClain, notably, is two years older than McGee, but received a larger guarantee, a larger signing bonus, and a longer contract than the former Raider. While both interior defenders will see time up front on a rotational basis, both players could see their deals effectively turn into effective one-year pacts.

At the second level, Washington made an addition that rivals its signing of Pryor in terms of value, inking linebacker Zach Brown to a one-year deal. Finally utilizing the speed and athleticism that made him a second-round pick in 2012, Brown played 91.2% of Buffalo’s defensive snaps a year ago while posting 149 tackles, four sacks, and one interception. That performance earned Brown second-team All Pro honors, but his market never developed, as interest from the Raiders, Dolphins, Colts, and incumbent Bills never materialized into a deal. Landing a linebacker of Brown’s caliber for just $2.3MM is an absolute steal.

Like Brown, safety D.J. Swearinger is a former second-round draft choice who never put it all together until 2016, when he started 12 games for Arizona and graded as the NFL’s No. 9 safety, per PFF. Swearinger, who is already drawing praise for his work in Washington, is expected to line up next to Su’a Cravens (yet another ex-second-rounder) in the Redskins’ secondary. The Redskins ranked 25th in DVOA against tight ends last season, so the club is hoping Swearinger can help cover the middle of the field.

Chris Baker, DL
Pierre Garcon, WR
Terence Garvin, LB
Kedric Golston, DL
Duke Ihenacho, S
DeSean Jackson, WR
Ricky Jean-Francois, DL: Released
Cullen Jenkins, DL
John Sullivan, C
Greg Toler, CB
Donte Whitner, S

If Kirk Cousins struggles in 2017 and doesn’t land a gargantuan contract next spring, he may look back at the Redskins’ decision to let his top two receiving options — DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon — leave via free agency. That’s not to say either decision was incorrect, as both Jackson and Garcon are on the wrong side of 30 and received at least $17MM in full guarantees. But Washington is certainly taking a leap of faith by not re-signing Jackson or Garcon, who together accounted for roughly 35% of Cousins’ 2016 targets.

The loss of Jackson will likely hurt the Redskins’ offense more than Garcon, as Jackson’s deep speed — last season, he led the league in yards per reception for the third time in his career — allowed Cousins to work in the middle of the field with passes to tight end Jordan Reed and slot receiver Jamison Crowder. It’s an open question as to whether free agent addition Terrelle Pryor or 2016 first-round pick Josh Doctson (who essentially redshirted during his rookie campaign) can provide that sort of deep-ball threat.

The rest of Washington’s notable losses came on the defensive side of the ball, starting with three defections along the defensive interior. Chris Baker‘s absence will hurt the most, as the 29-year-old posted 10.5 sacks over the past two seasons and graded as the NFL’s No. 18 defensive tackle in 2016, per PFF. The Redskins anonymously questioned Baker’s worth ethic on the way out the door, but he was a productive player for Washington, especially against the run. Ricky Jean-Francois (released) and Cullen Jenkins (free agent) are also gone, but neither played more than 40% of the Redskins’ defensive snaps last season, and have been replaced by arguably better players.

Similarly, several members of Washington’s secondary have departed but been exchanged for more productive options. Safeties Duke Ihenacho and Donte Whitner both played on at least 40% of the club’s snaps in 2016, but neither was very effective. Ihenacho graded as a bottom-10 defensive back, per PFF, while Whitner has yet to find a new NFL home. With D.J. Swearinger now in tow, and Su’a Cravens expected to play a larger role, Ihenacho and Whitner won’t be missed.

Trades:

Acquired a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 199; C Chase Roullier) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 230; S Josh Harvey-Clemons) from the Vikings in exchange for a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 201; TE Bucky Hodges) and a 2017 seventh-round pick (No. 220; DE Ifeadi Odenigbo).

Draft picks:

1-17: Jonathan Allen, DL (Alabama)
2-49: Ryan Anderson, LB (Alabama)
3-81: Fabian Moreau, CB (UCLA)
4-114: Samaje Perine, RB (Oklahoma)
4-123: Montae Nicholson, S (Michigan State)
5-154: Jeremy Sprinkle, TE (Arkansas)
6-199: Chase Roullier, C (Wyoming)
6-209: Robert Davis, WR (Georgia State)
7-230: Josh Harvey-Clemons, S (Louisville)
7-235: Joshua Holsey, S (Auburn)

In the months leading up to the draft, Jonathan Allen was thought to be a surefire top-five selection, but a shoulder issue apparently worried some clubs. The Redskins weren’t scared off by the injury, as they considered trading up to acquire Allen on draft day. Instead, the Alabama product — who led all interior linemen with 67 pressures last season, according to Pro Football Focus — fell to pick No. 17, and Washington landed a player who could potentially start on its defensive line for the next decade.

The Redskins continued to add pieces to their defense on Day 2, including linebacker Ryan Anderson, who boasts a “disciplined, assignment-based approach” that will win over defensive coordinators, per Lance Zierlein on NFL.com, and cornerback Fabian Moreau, who posted the second-highest SPARQ score among draft-eligible corners. Like Allen, Moreau slid in the draft based on injury, as he underwent pectoral surgery in March. Neither Anderson nor Moreau figures to start immediately, but both could be high-impact players by their second or third season in the nation’s capital.

In the fourth round, Washington targeted the offensive side of the ball, picking up a bowling ball of a running back in Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine. At 5’10”, 233 pounds, Perine is a “thick, compact, bruising runner with good feet,” says Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, who also notes the heavy toll placed upon Perine’s legs at the collegiate level. Incumbent starter Rob Kelley shouldn’t be promised anything after averaging 4.2 yards per carry last year (and posting sub-par athletic testing numbers prior to the 2016 draft), and John Keim of ESPN.com has already projected Perine to receiver the lion’s share of the carries in 2017.

Extensions and restructures:

Morgan Moses, T: Extended through 2022. Five years, $38.25MM. $14.047MM guaranteed.
DeAngelo Hall, S: Accepted pay cut. Reduced 2017 base salary from $4.25MM to $2.3MM. $250K available via incentives.

Other:

Fired general manager Scot McCloughan.
Extended head coach Jay Gruden through 2020.
Promoted Matt Cavanaugh to offensive coordinator to replace Sean McVay.
Promoted Greg Manusky to defensive coordinator to replace Joe Barry.
Learned LB Trent Murphy would be suspended four games (PEDs).
Signed eight undrafted rookie free agents.

Following the firing of ex-general manager Scot McCloughan on the first day of the free agent period, Washington’s front office is in perhaps the most precarious position of any personnel team in the league. Several executives, including Doug Williams and Eric Schaffer, have been handed promotions, but team president Bruce Allen is essentially still running the show. Allen, who’s shown no ability to manage a front office in his past stops, essentially worked off McCloughan’s draft and free agent board during the spring, so the real test for the new staff will be the 2018 offseason, when McCloughan’s hints are no longer available.

The turmoil in the Redskins’ front office is in contrast to the surprising stability exhibited on the field, where the club extended head coach Jay Gruden and found internal replacements for both of its departed coordinators. If Gruden sticks it out through the end of his contract in 2020, he’ll be the longest tenured Washington coach since Joe Gibbs‘ first stint in DC. Promoting Greg Manusky to defensive coordinator was a curious choice, however, as he was part of the staff that led the Redskins to a 25th-place DVOA ranking.

Top 10 cap charges for 2017:

Kirk Cousins, QB: $23,943,600
Josh Norman, CB: $20,000,000
Trent Williams, T: $15,137,500
Ryan Kerrigan, LB: $11,700,000
Terrelle Pryor, WR: $6,000,000
Brandon Scherff, G: $5,786,083
Jordan Reed, TE: $5,737,500
Shawn Lauvao, G: $5,000,000
Terrell McClain, DL: $3,734,375
Morgan Moses, T: $3,621,394

The NFC East figures to be one of the more competitive divisions in the NFL next season, as Aaron Schatz of Football Outsiders indicates the NFC East is one of only two divisions where every club is projected to win at least seven games. Washington figures to be in the thick of things thanks to an excellent offense and an improving defense, but whether the Redskins can earn another playoff appearance in 2017 is anyone’s guess.

Information from Over the Cap and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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Poll: Which Free Agent QB Will Sign First?

By Zachary Links | at July 30, 2017 8:05 pm

Last week, a veteran quarterback came off the board, but it wasn’t one of the names that the football world has really been waiting on. Dan Orlovsky will now look to make the Rams’ final cut while more notable players continue to look for work.

Things continue to be eerily quiet for Colin Kaepernick, despite the fact that he is widely regarded as the best backup quarterback option available. The Ravens say that they have some degree of interest, but they’re also concerned about how adding him to the roster would be publicly perceived. A late May workout with the Seahawks did not result in a deal and, depending on who you ask, Seattle may have passed because of Kaepernick’s salary expectations. The Cowboys also found themselves in the market for a quarterback when Zac Dysert went down with injury, but they scooped up Luke McCown without calling Kaepernick. For what it’s worth, Chip Kelly says that Kaepernick’s political activism was not a distraction while they were together in San Francisco.

There was hope for Robert Griffin III to find a home after he had a successful audition with the Chargers earlier this month. Unfortunately for the former Redskins star, it seems that the Bolts used his quality tryout to leverage the Bills into a more favorable trade for Cardale Jones. The Bolts workout was Griffin’s first of the offseason and although the Ravens are thinking about bringing him in for a workout, it’s not clear if they’ll follow through. Griffin is eager to show teams that he can recapture some of the magic from his rookie season in 2012. But, after Griffin missed the bulk of 2016 with a shoulder injury and fell flat in his five starts, teams are not all that interested in seeing what he can do.

Kaepernick and Griffin are the most well-known QBs left on the market, but other notable names left include 37-year-old Shaun Hill, former first round pick Christian Ponder, and ex-Titans signal caller Zach Mettenberger. Of those five players – who do you think will be the next to sign? Click below to cast your vote and back up your choice in the comments.

Who Will Sign First?

Colin Kaepernick 26.32% (498 votes)

RG3 23.94% (453 votes)

Zach Mettenberger 19.40% (367 votes)

Shaun Hill 15.17% (287 votes)

Christian Ponder 15.17% (287 votes)

Total Votes: 1,892

PFR Originals: 7/23/17 – 7/30/17

By Dallas Robinson | at July 30, 2017 2:01 pm

The original content and analysis produced by the PFR staff during the past week:

With the 2017 regular season only two months away, PFR began its annual Offseason In Review series, assessing the major signings, departures, trades, and other notable events for each of the 32 NFL clubs. We covered two teams this week:
- Detroit Lions
- Indianapolis Colts

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Offseason In Review: Indianapolis Colts

By Dallas Robinson | at July 29, 2017 5:27 pm

The Colts limped to an 8-8 record for the consecutive year, as even an excellent campaign from quarterback Andrew Luck couldn’t overcome the club’s poor defense. With a new general manager installed in January, Indianapolis had several areas of focus to address during the offseason.

Notable signings:

Johnathan Hankins, DT: Three years, $27MM. $10MM guaranteed. $3MM available via escalators.
Jabaal Sheard, LB: Three years, $25.5MM. $9.5MM guaranteed.
Jack Doyle, TE: Three years, $18.9MM. $7.5MM guaranteed.
John Simon, LB: Three years, $14MM. $6MM guaranteed. $1.5MM available via incentives.
Darius Butler, CB: One year, $3MM. $2.5MM guaranteed.
Kamar Aiken, WR: One year, $2.6MM. $1.5MM guaranteed.
Jeff Locke, P: Two years, $3.45MM. $1.25MM guaranteed.
Barkevious Mingo, LB: One year, $2MM. $1MM guaranteed.
Sean Spence, LB: One year, $2.5MM. $750K guaranteed.
Margus Hunt, DL: Two years, $4.1MM. $500K guaranteed.
Robert Turbin, RB: Two years, $2.7MM. $500K guaranteed.
Brian Schwenke, OL: One year, $1.3MM. $300K guaranteed.
Al Woods, DT: Two years, $4MM. $250K guaranteed.
Brandon Williams, TE: One year, minimum salary benefit. $80K guaranteed.
Fahn Cooper, OL: Two years, $1.02MM.
Christine Michael, RB: One year, $775K.
Jon Bostic, LB: One year, $690K.
Troymaine Pope, RB: One year, $540K.

The Colts arguably had the worst defensive depth chart in the NFL heading into the 2017 offseason, meaning general manager Chris Ballard & Co. had quite a bit of work to do on that side of the ball. Indianapolis’ front office made several smart value signings, including that of former Giant Johnathan Hankins, who waited out the market with the hope of landing a hefty contract. Ultimately, the Colts landed Hankins for only $9MM annually, a salary which ranks just 21st among interior defensive linemen.

Hankins posted the worst season of his career in 2017, grading as the league’s No. 59 interior defender, according to Pro Football Focus, which handed Hankins extremely poor marks as a pass-rusher. But there are reasons to be optimistic about Hankins in Indy, and chief among them is his age. Despite having already played four NFL seasons, Hankins is only entering his age-25 campaign, so improvement isn’t out of the question. Additionally, Hankins will move to nose tackle with the Colts after playing three-technique in New York thanks to the presence of Damon Harrison. Shifting to a nose shade should aid Hankins’ play, as he’s always been more productive when playing over a center.

Indianapolis didn’t stop after adding Hankins, as the club inked two pass-rushers in the form of John Simon and Jabaal Sheard. Neither player is a superstar, but both are competent outside linebackers with experience in 3-4 schemes. Simon and Sheard are both solid against the run, as well, and should help improve a Colts run defense that ranked dead last in DVOA a year ago. Given that both Simon and Sheard are now transitioning from part-time roles to full-time jobs, it wouldn’t be a surprise if at least one of them reaches a double-digit sack total in 2017.

While most of the Colts’ defensive signings came along the front seven (which, despite the additions, PFF still ranks as the the No. 31 front in the NFL), the team did re-sign one of its own in the secondary, coming to terms with defensive back Darius Butler on a one-year pact. Butler, 31, put up arguably the best campaign of his eight-year career in 2016, and entered the free agent market with the intent of shifting from cornerback to safety. While it’s unclear exactly what role he’ll play for the Colts, Butler looks poised to fill a jack-of-all-trades position, roving between slot corner and safety, especially while Clayton Geathers is on reserve/PUP.

Hankins, Simon, Sheard, and Butler represented the most high-profile Colts signings/re-signings on defense, but Indianapolis also threw a limited amount of guarantees against the wall to bring in a number of defensive players. Sean Spence will likely start at inside linebacker, but Barkevious Mingo, Jon Bostic, Margus Hunt, and Al Woods were all brought in to add depth and perhaps play special teams. The total amount of guaranteed money spent on those players is $2.5MM, so it’s a small investment in order to ensure the club won’t be completely bereft of help if and when injuries strike. After years of fielding a top-heavy roster, the Colts are finally prioritizing depth throughout the squad.

On offense, Indianapolis’ primary move was re-signing Jack Doyle, who is now the club’s unquestioned No. 1 tight end following the trade of Dwayne Allen to the Patriots. Doyle, a former undrafted free agent, had never topped 22 targets prior to the 2016 season, but broke out during his fourth NFL campaign, managing 59 receptions for 75 targets for 584 yards and five touchdowns. With Allen out of the picture, it’s conceivable that Doyle — who ranked ninth in DYAR and 10th in DVOA, both courtesy of Football Outsiders — could play an even larger role in the season to come. Doyle isn’t a superb blocker (23rd in the run game, per PFF), meaning free agent signee Brandon Williams could see playing time as an in-line tight end.

Former Raven Kamar Aiken could possibly serve as the Colts’ No. 2 wide receiver or fall as far as fourth on the depth chart, and training camp/the preseason will likely determine where exactly Aiken fits. Donte Moncrief, Indy’s presumptive second wideout, hasn’t been able to stay healthy, while 2015 first-round pick Phillip Dorsett has averaged just 26 receptions per season during his first two years in the league. Aiken plays special teams and received $2.5MM in guarantees, so he’ll make the roster, and he was reportedly told the Colts would stage an “open competition” at receiver this offseason.

Notable losses:

The majority of the Colts’ 2017 losses were failed free agent signings orchestrated by the Ryan Grigson regime, but that label doesn’t apply to safety Mike Adams, who signed with the Panthers following a three-year run in Indianapolis. Although he’d been something of a journeyman prior to 2014, Adams was an above-average starter for the Colts, earning two Pro Bowl nods during his time with the club. Despite his track record, Indy didn’t make an attempt to re-sign Adams, as the team indicated it wanted to get younger on the defensive side of the ball. Adams, entering his age-36 campaign, didn’t fit in with that paradigm.

While Adams has found a new NFL home, Trent Cole, D’Qwell Jackson, and Arthur Jones haven’t, and it’s not out of the question that none of that trifecta won’t play in the league again. Cole, for his part, has indicated he’d like to continue his career, but the veteran LB/DE was limited to seven games in 2016 due to injury and will turn 35 years old in October. Jones isn’t quite as old (31), but he hasn’t been effective since 2013 and recently underwent sports hernia surgery. Jackson, meanwhile, graded as a bottom-10 linebacker last season per PFF, and hasn’t drawn a lick of interest on the open market.

Erik Walden offered the best pass-rushing season of his career in 2016, at least from a counting stats perspective, as the 31-year-old produced 11 sacks, increasing his career total by more than a third in one year. Sack totals can be fickle and random, however, and PFF indicated Walden was one of the six worst edge defenders in the league last season. Perhaps using the “get younger” explanation they used on Adams, the Colts didn’t pursue Walden as a free agent, but he signed with the division-rival Titans earlier this week after also generating interest from the Jets.

While letting the players listed above leave Indy made a good deal of sense, it’s fair to argue the Colts should have made an attempt to retain cornerback Patrick Robinson. The former first-round pick was admittedly a disappointment during his lone season in Indianapolis, as injuries limited him to seven highly ineffective contests. But Robinson is only 29 and has experienced success relatively recently, and the Colts likely could have asked him to accept a pay cut. Philadelphia ultimately signed Robinson to a one-year, minimum salary deal with no guaranteed money, so his market was clearly lacking, meaning Indy should have been able to decrease his 2017 salary.

Trades:

Acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 137) from the Patriots in exchange for TE Dwayne Allen and a 2017 sixth-round pick (No. 200).
Acquired a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 143; RB Marlon Mack) and a 2017 fifth-round pick (No. 161; LB Anthony Walker) from the 49ers in exchange for a 2017 fourth-round pick (No. 121; RB Joe Williams).

Draft picks:

1-15: Malik Hooker, S (Ohio State)
2-46: Quincy Wilson, CB (Florida)
3-80: Tarell Basham, DE (Ohio)
4-137: Zach Banner, OL (USC)
4-143: Marlon Mack, RB (USF)
4-144: Grover Stewart, DL (Albany State)
5-158: Nate Hairston, CB (Temple)
5-161: Anthony Walker, LB (Northwestern)

The Colts used their first three draft picks to address their porous defense, and the first two selections went to the defensive backfield. Personally, Ohio State safety Malik Hooker was one of my favorite players in the draft, and I would’ve been comfortable choosing him within the top-five. One AFC personnel director told Lance Zierlein of NFL.com that he expects Hooker to become an All-Pro by his third NFL season, and Zierlein himself lauded Hooker’s “outstanding instincts.” Hooker’s flaws include a lack of experience (just one collegiate campaign as a full-time starter) and injuries, but his upside is Earl Thomas.

Indianapolis scored another draft-day value in cornerback Quincy Wilson, who was projected to be selected on Day 1 but ultimately fell to the 46th overall pick. Wilson will be inserted into the starting lineup immediately, as the Colts’ other options to play opposite Vontae Davis are Rashaan Melvin, Darryl Morris, and fellow rookie Nate Hairston. In Wilson’s pre-draft profile, Chris Burke of Sports Illustrated noted the Florida product’s lack of speed (4.54 40-yard dash), but lauded his ability to play in a press-man scheme, which the Colts run.

In the third, round, Indianapolis selected Tarell Basham, who figures to play outside linebacker behind John Simon and Jabaal Sheard. Given that he’s making the transition from small-school Ohio to the NFL, Basham will likely need a year or two of seasoning before he’s prepared for a larger role. Marlon Mack, however, could see ample playing time during his rookie campaign, as his only competition for carries behind starter Frank Gore is Robert Turbin. The Colts’ coaching staff has been talking Tubin up this offseason, but he owns career yards per carry average of 3.9, including 3.5 a season ago.

Other:

Hired Chris Ballard as general manager to replace Ryan Grigson.
Placed RB Christine Michael on injured reserve.
Will place S Clayton Geathers on reserve/PUP.
Claimed S Tyvis Powell off waivers from the Browns.
Signed 18 undrafted rookie free agents.

Had things gone a bit differently this offseason, Chris Ballard might be the Chiefs general manager right now. Kansas City fired its GM John Dorsey last month, and had Ballard still been in-house, it’s likely he would have been promoted to lead the club’s personnel office. Instead, he’s leading the Colts, and it’s difficult to argue with the moves he’s made thus far. Ballard looked for value signings in free agency, favoring depth over former GM Ryan Grigson‘s star-driven approach, and –for the most part — targeted free agents with youth on their side.

Indy’s draft earned strong reviews — an “A-” from Chad Reuter of NFL.com, a “B” from Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com — and although it was likely Grigson’s scouting staff offering the most input on this year’s picks, Ballard should still be praised for managing the draft just four months into his tenure. Additionally, Ballard has built an experienced front office, adding personnel men such as Ed Dodds, Rex Hogan, and Morocco Brown since January.

Top 10 cap charges for 2017:

Andrew Luck, QB: $19,400,000
Anthony Castonzo, T: $12,800,000
Johnathan Hankins, DT: $10,500,000
Vontae Davis, CB: $10,250,000
T.Y. Hilton, WR: $10,000,000
Jabaal Sheard, LB: $9,968,750
Jack Doyle, TE: $8,000,000
John Simon, LB: $6,343,750
Kendall Langford, DL: $4,250,000
Frank Gore, RB: $3,500,000

It’s not often that a club with a star quarterback like Andrew Luck has to go through a rebuilding phase, but that’s essentially what the Colts are doing, at least on a small scale. Former general manager Ryan Grigson‘s failed attempts to correct Indianapolis’ offensive line and defense contributed to the club missing the postseason in each of the past two seasons, and although new GM Chris Ballard now has the franchise on the right track, 2017 may not be kind to the Colts. Still, in a relatively weak division like the AFC South, the playoffs are always within reach.

Information from Over the Cap and Roster Resource was used in the creation of this post. Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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