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Offseason In Review: Cleveland Browns

September 5th, 2022 at 8:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The runaway headline kingpins of the 2022 offseason, the Browns will enter the season with a fully revamped quarterback room and a much higher profile. If everything goes according to plan, the first part of this equation would give Cleveland a franchise-caliber passer to fill a void that has existed for decades.

Of course, little has gone according to plan since the Browns traded for and extended Deshaun Watson. And the cost of that move rises exponentially after 2022. After one of the most controversial transactions in NFL history, this is the franchise’s identity. And it will take a bit before the on-field chapters of this much-discussed saga begin.

Trades:

Browns vilification should not come merely for acquiring Watson via trade. They joined three other teams — the Falcons, Panthers and Saints — in being prepared to pay the historic cost. Teams beyond the four finalists pursued Watson as well. If it had just been the trade the Browns made, the blowback probably does not reach the place it did. Cleveland’s 11th-hour contract proposal to outflank NFC South destinations Watson preferred, along with the comments from the key principals involved, led this process to a messy place.

Watson signed a $39MM-per-year deal with the Texans in August 2020. Although that contract seems like it was authorized a decade ago, its extension years were set to begin in 2022. Watson played one season on what was a top-five QB contract over its first two years. Amid the early parts of a scandal that saw criminal and civil cases come from more than two dozen women accusing Watson of sexual misconduct and/or sexual assault during massage therapy sessions, the Texans then made him a 17-game healthy scratch. Despite Watson’s turmoil, quarterbacks of this caliber squarely in their primes are almost never available. Teams acted accordingly, and the Browns one-upped the field.

It is unclear what the NFC South franchises were offering, money-wise, during the March sweepstakes. But the Browns’ decision to authorize the five-year, $230MM fully guaranteed deal to a player in Watson’s position has made Jimmy and Dee Haslam personas non grata among NFL ownership while producing endless criticism of the franchise. Four years remained on Watson’s Texans-constructed deal. His third NFL contract is the most player-friendly pact in league history. Even after Russell Wilson‘s $49MM-per-year Broncos deal came to pass, Watson’s deal still tops the league in fully guaranteed money by more than $100MM.

Cleveland will not have its starter available until Week 13. Watson’s suspension, after an NFL appeal and settlement with the NFLPA that avoided a court battle, was longer than the one the Browns envisioned upon acquiring him but not as lengthy as the league initially sought. This will leave a roster that has some strong position groups vulnerable during the Watson contract’s most conducive year to winning.

The league-minimum salary the Browns arranged — to the NFL and the other teams’ dismay, leading to the $5MM fine — to minimize Watson’s financial punishment created a $9.4MM 2022 cap number. Loading up a playoff-caliber roster around that, regardless of the rust the former first-round pick might show, made sense. But Watson’s first full season will come when his cap hit spikes to never-before-seen territory. Watson’s cap numbers from 2023-26: $54.99MM. The NFL has never seen even a $45MM cap hit. No Super Bowl champion has carried a quarterback cap figure north of $25MM. Building around Watson’s salaries will be a challenge for Browns GM Andrew Berry, whom Jimmy Haslam said concocted the idea for the fully guaranteed deal.

The ire coming at the Browns from most of the NFL universe aside, Watson is probably still a top-10 quarterback or close to it. His three full seasons produced 13th-, seventh- and 12th-place QBR rankings. The Browns, who passed on the Clemson star two regimes ago by trading out of the No. 12 slot to send him to Houston, will upgrade from Baker Mayfield. Watson, 27 next week, led the NFL in passing yards two years ago and lifted flawed Texans teams to back-to-back playoff brackets.

But the dual-threat talent will have missed 28 games since his last Texans appearance. And the vitriol directed at the quarterback and the team — largely for the lack of remorse Watson has shown, cresting with a defiant press conference that contradicted the language that appeared in his official post-settlement statement — may last a while. While two grand juries did not bring forth charges, NFL disciplinary officer Sue Robinson ruled Watson committed nonviolent sexual assault and engaged in predatory behavior. He settled suits with 23 women. The Browns are banking on the waves of negative PR eventually washing away. But Watson being rewarded with a lavish outlier contract and residing as the Browns’ new cornerstone player will likely tie this organization to the scandal for the foreseeable future.

The emergences of Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert and Wilson’s AFC arrival will also increase the degree of difficulty for the Watson-era Browns. Considering the extensions Wilson and Kyler Murray signed, it would shock if Burrow or Herbert landed fully guaranteed deals. That will make Bengals and Chargers’ paths to building contenders around those eventual extensions a bit easier. The Browns trading their 2023 and ’24 first-round picks creates more hurdles and continues an interesting pattern with Watson-led teams. The Texans were without first-rounders in 2018 (via the first Watson trade) and from 2020-21 (the Laremy Tunsil deal) during their star QB’s stay. As the Browns aim to construct a championship team around a record-setting QB contract, this will be one of the more interesting roster-building experiments in NFL history.

Mayfield’s on-field work in Cleveland produced wild inconsistency, leading to the franchise’s desperate play for Watson. The Browns’ radical trade/extension sequence ended Mayfield’s four-year Cleveland tenure, though the former playoff starter needed to wait almost three months for the cord cut. Panthers GM Scott Fitterer said his team’s Mayfield offer was better during the draft, but the Browns were not ready to pay as much of the quarterback’s contract as they ended up paying. Cleveland took on $10.5MM in dead money to collect a conditional 2024 Day 3 pick.

Mayfield’s highs did generate considerable optimism. His second-place Offensive Rookie of the Year finish delivered promise ahead of 2019, but that led to the decision to promote Freddie Kitchens, who oversaw the Heisman winner’s ensuing nosedive. Stefanski restored Mayfield, who thrived behind a top-tier offensive line and one of the 21st century’s best backfield duos. The Browns snapped an 18-year playoff drought and had the eventual AFC champion Chiefs on the ropes. But the perpetually clunky Mayfield-Odell Beckham Jr. fit led to a 2021 fissure. Mayfield playing through his shoulder injury ended up throwing him off the extension track and sealed his fate with the Browns.

Still, the juxtaposition of the “adult in the room” comment regarding Mayfield and the Watson acquisition displayed an alarming lack of self-awareness, and the Browns’ instability under the Haslams (six GMs, six full-time HCs since the owners’ 2012 arrival, 52-108-1 record) does not instill much confidence in their decision-making. Berry and Stefanski have thus far proven to be good hires. Berry not forcing the issue with a 2021 Mayfield extension proved to be the right call. Both will be thrust into a new spotlight, with Stefanski going from 2020 Coach of the Year to a leader that will be forced to keep answering Watson-related questions and make his offense work with Jacoby Brissett for 11 games.

The Browns did well to acquire Cooper for two Day 3 picks. Trading for Cooper just before the receiver dam broke, the timing here worked out nicely for the Browns. Cooper’s $20MM-per-year contract looks much friendlier than it did in early March. He is signed through 2024; the 2023 and ’24 salaries are nonguaranteed. The former top-five pick’s contract ranked as the receiver market’s third-richest at the time of the trade. It now sits in a tie for 12th.

Cooper’s deal will take the place of Beckham’s atop the Browns’ skill-position payroll. Although Cleveland’s OBJ swap bombed, the team will try again with a player carrying a longer sample size of production — albeit with a lower ceiling than Beckham brought in 2019. Cooper, 28, is a four-time Pro Bowler and one of the NFL’s best route runners. He turned around a fading 2018 Cowboys season, rebounding from the slump that plagued his final Raiders months. Not having Watson for much of this season does run the risk of wasting a prime Cooper year, with 2023 being Year 9 for the ex-Alabama star. But the Browns’ Brissett-run offense will depend on Cooper, with question marks at every other pass-catching spot.

Free agency additions:

This is oddly the most time Brissett has had to prepare for a QB1 season. The Colts acquired him from the Patriots in September 2017, as Andrew Luck‘s mysterious shoulder injury led to a full-season absence. Brissett started 15 games that year. In 2019, Brissett became the Colts’ belated answer after Luck’s shocking late-summer retirement. With the Browns knowing Watson would be suspended, Stefanski has had months to prepare his fill-in starter.

The Browns chose Brissett, 29, over their incumbent backup (Keenum) who had been with Stefanski for three seasons. They also passed on parting with a draft pick for Jimmy Garoppolo. Selecting this path probably deserved more attention, but the Watson drama understandably overshadowed the Brissett decision. If Trey Lance starts the season off well and Brissett does not, would the Browns circle back to Garoppolo before the Nov. 1 deadline?

Playing a careful style, Brissett fared better in 2019 than he did with a less talented Colts squad two years prior. He threw 18 touchdown passes and six interceptions during a 7-9 Indianapolis season. Last year, however, Brissett averaged an eye-opening 5.7 yards per attempt as the Dolphins’ offense — save for Jaylen Waddle, who still showed the dangers of PPR scoring during much of his time with Brissett — sputtered. That said, Pro Football Focus graded Miami’s O-line as the NFL’s worst last season. While a hole now exists at center, the Browns have one of the best. Their Nick Chubb–Kareem Hunt (feat. D’Ernest Johnson) ground game will also provide Brissett with far more help than Miami’s 30th-ranked rushing attack did last season.

The Brissett-Dobbs depth chart could sink the Browns’ season, with the Watson ban forcing him to miss midseason tilts against the Chargers, Patriots, Bengals, Ravens, Dolphins, Bills and Buccaneers. Dobbs has attempted 17 passes in five seasons. But Brissett has 37 career starts, creating possibly a higher floor than what a downtrodden Mayfield offered in 2021.

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Offseason In Review: Detroit Lions

September 4th, 2022 at 10:30pm CST by Rory Parks

The Lions may not compete for a playoff spot in 2022, but they will hope to show signs of improvement in Year 2 of the Brad Holmes/Dan Campbell partnership. The club did not make a play for a franchise quarterback in a draft class widely considered weak at the position, instead opting to focus on other areas of need while giving 2021 trade acquisition Jared Goff another year under center.

However, Holmes did make one major draft-day splash, moving up 20 spots from No. 32 overall to No. 12 overall to nab Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams. While Williams, who tore his ACL in the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, is not expected to see game action until the middle of the season, Detroit clearly sees him as a foundational piece of its offense in the long term.

Aidan Hutchinson, meanwhile, will be asked to make an impact right away. The No. 2 overall pick from the University of Michigan, Hutchinson was a menace to collegiate offenses in 2021, racking up 14 sacks, 16.5 tackles for loss, and a pair of forced fumbles in his final year with the Wolverines. That performance made the Michigan native a Heisman Trophy candidate as well as a candidate to be the first player taken in this year’s draft. While he fell just short of both honors, he has been penciled into a starting DE job since Holmes turned in the card for him, and he should provide a jolt to a defense that posted the third-fewest sacks in the league in 2021.

As might be expected for a rebuilding outfit, the Lions did not make many notable free agent acquisitions. They will hope that their young talent proves itself to be the core of a future contender, a core than can be supplemented with more outside help — including, perhaps, a new quarterback — in 2023.

Trades:

  • Traded pick nos. 32, 34, and 66 to Vikings for pick nos. 12 and 46; selected Williams with no. 12 pick, selected DE Josh Paschal with No. 46 pick.

Just as they largely avoided making any major moves in free agency, the Lions did not pull the trigger on any notable trades other than the draft-day transaction that netted them the opportunity to draft Williams. The club’s 3-13-1 record in 2021 gave it the No. 2 overall selection, and it had acquired the No. 32 overall pick from the Super Bowl champion Rams as part of last year’s Matthew Stafford/Goff trade. Los Angeles’ championship victory stuck Detroit with the lowest possible first-round choice, and Holmes was not content to wait until the bottom of the round to land another possible difference-maker after picking Hutchinson.

Instead, he catapulted up the board to take Williams, whose ACL tear is obviously a concern but whose delayed start to the 2022 campaign was not a major deterrent for a team that does not have realistic postseason expectations this year. Williams had a breakout performance in 2021 after transferring from Ohio State to Alabama, finishing with 79 catches for 1,572 yards and 15 touchdowns, earning him a First Team All-American nod.

A strong route runner with good hands and dangerous speed, it is easy to see the appeal in Williams, who could perhaps add weight to his 179-lb frame but who has the size (6-2) and length to make the most of his tools. Though he will need to improve against press coverage and in making contested catches, Williams will pair with 2021 draftee Amon-Ra St. Brown to form an intriguing tandem at or near the top of Detroit’s future WR depth charts.

Because of his team’s defensive struggles in 2021 — the Lions surrendered 27.5 points per game last season, the second-worst mark in the NFL — it was not surprising to see Holmes continue to fortify that side of the ball even after the Hutchinson selection. Paschal, who was selected with the other pick acquired in the trade-up for Williams, may not provide a significant lift in the edge rush department, though he should always be stout against the run and can be effective as an interior rusher in sub-packages. In his final season at Kentucky, he produced five sacks and 15 tackles for loss, earning Second Team All-SEC acclaim for his efforts.

Like Williams, Paschal will need to wait a bit to make his professional debut. During spring workouts, Paschal aggravated a core injury that he initially sustained in college, and he was forced to undergo offseason surgery. He was recently placed on the reserve/PUP list, so he will miss at least the first four games of the regular season.

Notable free agency additions:

Chark’s contract was far and away the biggest commitment that the Lions made to an outside free agent this offseason, and his signing, combined with the Williams selection and the re-signing of fellow wideout Josh Reynolds, demonstrated a clear organizational desire to stockpile skill-position talent (at one point this offseason, the team was rumored to be interested in swinging a trade for 49ers star Deebo Samuel). With Chark, St. Brown, Reynolds, tight end T.J. Hockenson, and (eventually) Williams on the field — to say nothing of a quality offensive line and a competent 1-2 punch of D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams in the backfield — the offense should be well-positioned to improve on its poor yards-per-game (322.6) and points-per-game (19.1) numbers in 2022.

A fractured ankle limited Chark to just four games in 2021, his final season with the Jaguars, and he missed time in 2020 as well. In 2019, however, he earned a Pro Bowl nod after authoring a 73/1,008/8 line, and he still has youth on his side (he will turn 26 in September). A 6-4 receiver with legitimate big-play ability, a strong display in the Motor City could put Chark in line to take advantage of the exploding WR market next offseason, though much of his success will of course depend on the rapport he develops with Goff and whether he can shake the health issues that have hampered him over the past several years.

Holmes made a few modest FA signings to bolster his defense, though one of those (Davis) was recently cut and added to the taxi squad. Davis, whom the Lions selected in the first round of the 2017 draft, was a full-time starter over his first three years in the league before seeing his playing time cut dramatically in 2020, the fourth and final year of his rookie deal. He appeared in nine games (five starts) with another defensively-challenged club, the Jets, in 2021, and reunited with the Lions in March.

Given that Detroit’s LB corps is presently comprised of options that are generally underwhelming (Alex Anzalone) or unproven (2021 fourth-rounder Derrick Barnes and sixth-round rookie Malcolm Rodriguez), it would not be surprising to see Davis promoted to the active roster at some point. On the other hand, Davis has never really lived up to his first-round billing despite strong tackle numbers in the first several years of his career, and the fact that he could not crack a 53-man roster that is so light on linebacker talent is telling.

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Release Candidate: Jackson Carman

September 4th, 2022 at 6:34pm CST by Ely Allen

The Bengals fell just short of their first ever Super Bowl win this past year and many blamed the loss on a less than stellar offensive line. This issue is something that the Bengals have certainly been attempting to address in the last few drafts selecting four offensive linemen in the last two years and seven in the last four. One of those draft investments may be nearing the end of his opportunities, despite the fact that he is only headed into his second NFL season. 

In a recent roundtable discussion for The Athletic, Bengals writer Jay Morrison put forth the idea that Cincinnati may be losing patience with 2021 second-round pick Jackson Carman. The guard out of Clemson was brought in with the expectation that he would take over at right guard as a rookie. Carman was unable to unseat Quinton Spain and, perhaps even more concerning, was unable to provide an improvement anywhere on an offensive line that continued to struggle throughout the season.

The Bengals set out this offseason to nearly completely renovate their offensive line. The team brought in Ted Karras on a three-year, $18MM deal to start at center and signed guard Alex Cappa to a four-year, $40MM contract to start on the left side of the line. In a third big free agency signing, The Bengals were able to ink tackle La’el Collins to a three-year, $21MM deal to start opposite the only bright spot of the offensive line last year, blindside tackle Jonah Williams. Williams became an immediate starter for the Bengals after being selected 11th-overall in 2019 and, after missing six games due to injury as a rookie, Cincinnati was happy to see him start in every game but the season finale last year.

With four spots effectively manned for the 2022 season, that left only the right guard spot left to fill. Once again the door to a starting spot was left wide open for Carman. With a year of NFL conditioning under his belt, all the former second-round pick had to do was step in and not let the job slip through his fingers.

Yet, in the weeks leading up to the regular season, that seems to be exactly what we’re seeing, with reports that fourth-round rookie Cordell Volson seems to be pushing Carman out of the starting role. The lineman out of North Dakota State has experience playing both tackle and guard in college and turned heads early at camp. After impressing the coaching staff in practices and the team’s first preseason game, Volson was offered more of an opportunity to receive first-team reps. Carman certainly didn’t help his own case after testing positive for COVID-19 and granting more playing time for his competition.

The latest danger for Carman’s roster spot comes just after the 53-man roster cuts, when the Bengals made claims on three players, one of them being former second-round pick Max Scharping. Scharping has underwhelmed a bit, as well, in his young career, but has extensive experience over Carman after starting 33 games for the Texans.

Carman has lost two position battles in as many years despite the odds being stacked in his favor. His lack of ability to clinch either of those starting jobs could certainly have resulted in a loss of trust from his coaches. According to Morrison, if Scharping comes in and can quickly get up to speed with the offense, Cincinnati may have no need to retain Carman.

Offseason In Review: Buffalo Bills

September 3rd, 2022 at 10:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a 2020 campaign that saw them win 13 games before losing in the AFC Championship Game, the Bills were primed for a Super Bow run in 2021. Unfortunately, the team couldn’t match that success; after winning 11 games during the regular season and destroying the Patriots in the wild-card round, they fell to the Chiefs during the divisional round.

After falling short in two straight postseasons, the Bills are all-in, and that was clear from their moves this offseason. The team committed a lot of money and years to Von Miller, who provides both a pass-rushing prowess and a championship pedigree. Otherwise, the Bills were able to capitalize on their contender status and ink a number of starting-worthy players to reasonable contracts. Yes, the Bills did lose a number of contributors, but when the dust settled, GM Brandon Beane was able to fill most of those vacancies via free agent and the draft.

The Bills have loaded up and are ready to make a run to the Super Bowl. If they do make it, then the organization’s offseason maneuverings will have surely played a major role in that accomplishment:

Trades:

With Mitchell Trubisky off to Pittsburgh, the Bills needed a backup for Josh Allen. The team opted for Case Keenum, acquiring the veteran QB from the Browns for a seventh-round pick. The former starter served as a backup to Baker Mayfield over the past two seasons in Cleveland, with the Browns winning each of his two starts with the franchise. Keenum will slide in between Allen and Matt Barkley (who is currently stashed on the practice squad) on the depth chart.

Cody Ford was a second-round pick by the Bills in 2019. He started 15 of his 16 appearances as a rookie, but after being limited to only seven games in 2020, the lineman was in and out of the starting lineup in 2021. His inability to play offensive tackle ultimately cost him a spot on the Bills roster, but Buffalo was fortunate to receive a draft pick instead of outright cutting him.

Notable signings:

The Bills made one of the biggest free agent splashes of the offseason when they landed future Hall of Fame pass rusher Von Miller. Following a half-season stint with the Rams that saw him earn his second Super Bowl ring, Miller inked a $120MM deal to help guide the Bills to at least their first AFC Championship win since 1993. Miller, 33, missed the entire 2020 season and suffered a midseason injury to close out his Broncos tenure in 2021. However, following his midseason trade, he bolstered his value considerably with the Rams, recording nine sacks across the team’s final eight games, including two in Super Bowl LVI. His championship pedigree and pass-rushing ability should go a long way in Buffalo, and while the significant investment is certainly risky considering the edge rusher’s age and recent injury history, it’ll all be worth it if he leads the Bills to the promised land.

Other than their acquisition of Miller, the Bills stuck to one- or two-year deals for their other free agent acquisitions. DaQuan Jones is the best bet among those signings to see a significant role on defense. In seven seasons with the Titans, Jones started 93 of his 99 appearances, collecting 273 tackles and 10 sacks. He also saw time in four playoff games, collecting another nine tackles and 1.5 sacks. He joined the Panthers last offseason and started all 17 games for his new squad, ranking 34th among 108 qualifying interior defenders, per Pro Football Focus. Tim Settle will likely serve as one of the DT backups, with the former fifth-round pick compiling seven sacks during his four season with Washington.

Elsewhere on defense, the Bills welcomed back a pair of former defenders. Shaq Lawson was a first-round pick by the Bills back in 2016, racking up 16.5 sacks during his four years in Buffalo. He inked a three-year deal with the Dolphins in 2020, but he didn’t come close to matching his previous production and was shipped to Houston one year later. He didn’t even suit up for the Texans before he was shipped to the Jets, where he managed one sack before earning his walking papers. Jordan Phillips also left Buffalo in 2020 following a career year where he led the Bills with 9.5 sacks. That performance landed him a $30MM deal from Cardinals, but he only got into 18 games between two seasons with the organization before getting cut. The two veterans ultimately made the 53-man roster and will presumably provide some extra depth up front.

On offense, the team’s most notable changes came to their offensive line, with Rodger Saffold and David Quessenberry expected to slide into the starting lineup. Saffold has started 157 games during his 12-year career, and he earned his first career Pro Bowl nod in 2021 after starting 15 games for the Titans. PFF ended up ranking the veteran 31st among 82 qualifying offensive guards in 2022, and they gave him a particularly high grade on his run-blocking ability. Saffold ranked in or close to the top-10 in previous seasons, so it remains to be seen if the drop in 2021 was just an off year or an indication that age is catching up to him. Quessenberry also comes over from Tennessee following a 2021 campaign where he started a career-high 17 games. PFF was fond of his performance, ranking him 18th among 83 qualifying offensive tackles. Securing the duo on one-year pacts was a major win for the Bills. Greg Van Roten provides the team with some additional starting experience on the offensive line, with the veteran expected to serve as Buffalo’s swing guard.

Jamison Crowder had more than 50 catches in each of his three seasons with the Jets, and he was brought in to Buffalo to potentially fill the void left by Cole Beasley. That role ended up going to Isaiah McKenzie, leading some to wonder if Crowder’s roster spot could be in doubt. Instead, he’ll be sticking around to provide some veteran depth at the bottom of the depth chart. The same goes for Duke Johnson, although the veteran RB will have to wait for his turn while sitting on Buffalo’s practice squad.

Notable losses:

The Bills did an admirable job accounting for their major losses. Mario Addison had seven sacks for the Bills in 2021, but he played fewer than half the team’s defensive snaps while serving as a situational pass-rusher. Jerry Hughes got the majority of the starts on the edge, but he finished last year with only a pair of sacks. Von Miller obviously can’t replace two players, but his pass-rushing ability should more than make up for the departure of the two defensive ends. 2021 first-round pick Greg Rousseau will start opposite Miller, with former second-round picks Boogie Basham and A.J. Epenesa expected to slide into Addison’s situational role.

Levi Wallace can’t match his now-former teammate Tre’Davious White‘s impact on defense, but he still started each of his 45 games over the past three seasons. Former seventh-round pick Dane Jackson seems to be the best bet to temporarily replace Wallace in the starting lineup, but rookie first-round pick Kaiir Elam should eventually slide in opposite White. Free agent signing DaQuan Jones is expected to slide in at defensive tackle next to Ed Oliver, replacing Harrison Phillips and Star Lotulelei, who basically split that role in 2021. A.J. Klein saw a reduced role during his second season in Buffalo, and after starting only four games in 2021, he earned his walking papers.

Daryl Williams started every game for the Bills during his two seasons in Buffalo, but the team ended up saving some money after his play slipped. Jon Feliciano was also a consistent starter during his three seasons in Buffalo, but he was released following a 2021 campaign where he was limited to nine games (six starts). Rodger Saffold presents a potential upgrade to both of those departed players, although the team will have to rely on an inexperienced guard (like Ryan Bates) opposite the free agent acquisition. David Quessenberry doesn’t offer the same versatility of Williams, but the free agent addition is a capable starting tackle.

On offense, the team’s most notable departure was wideout Cole Beasley, who was released following three seasons in Buffalo. The veteran had 82 receptions in each of the past two seasons, but despite getting into 16 games in 2021 (the most during his Bills tenure), he had the fewest receiving yards (693) and touchdowns (one) during his Bills tenure. Emmanuel Sanders also produced for the Bills last season, hauling in 42 receptions for 626 yards and four touchdowns. The Bills are turning to internal options to replace the duo, with Gabriel Davis and Isaiah McKenzie expected to see larger roles in 2022.

Re-signed:

While the Bills had a long list of departed free agents, they did make sure to retain a handful of players. After inking a one-year deal to stick in Buffalo during the 2021 season, Isaiah McKenzie got a two-year pact this time around. The wideout hasn’t put up big numbers during his three-plus seasons in Buffalo, and his 2021 campaign was actually his worst in regards to counting stats (20 receptions, 178 receiving yards, one touchdown). However, the team clearly believes in his talent, and he’ll be counted on to contribute in 2022 following the departures of Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders.

Ike Boettger was also brought back after starting 17 games for the team over the past two seasons. The offensive lineman tore his Achilles in late December, and he naturally landed on injured reserve to being the campaign, knocking him out for at least the first four games of the season. However, when he comes back, he’ll provide the coaching staff with another experienced option on the offensive line.

Siran Neal has only missed one game for the Bills over the past four seasons, and he’s turned into one of the team’s most reliable special teams players. He’ll continue to see a secondary role on defense as a backup nickelback in 2022. Taiwan Jones has also mostly played special teams for the Bills over the past two seasons, garnering only five offensive snaps. Bobby Hart joined the Bills late during the 2021 campaign, his third stint with the organization. Despite re-signing with the organization, he may have a tough time sticking around for the entirety of the 2022 campaign.

Draft picks:

1-23:Kaiir Elam, CB (Florida)
2-63: James Cook, RB (Georgia)
3-89: Terrel Bernard, LB (Baylor)
5-148: Khalil Shakir, WR (Boise State)
6-180: Matt Araiza, P (San Diego State)
6-185: Christian Benford, CB (Villanova)
6-209: Luke Tenuta, OT (Virginia Tech)
7-231: Baylon Spector, LB (Clemson)

The Bills moved up two spots during the draft to select Florida cornerback Kaiir Elam, with GM Brandon Beane declaring the prospect as the last remaining player on their draft board with a first-round grade. It’s not hard to see why; Elam finished his Gators career with five interceptions, and he’s armed with a pro-ready frame (six-foot-two, 195 pounds). With Levi Wallace out of the picture, Elam could find himself playing a significant role sooner than later.

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Offseason In Review: Tennessee Titans

September 3rd, 2022 at 8:30am CST by Sam Robinson

After steering a shorthanded team to the AFC’s No. 1 seed, Mike Vrabel looks to face another difficult task in 2022. The roster the fifth-year Titans HC will carry into Week 1 looks worse than the one he took into the divisional round in January. The losses of young standouts A.J. Brown and Harold Landry will create an uphill battle for a team that has aging offensive centerpieces. In an AFC that looks deeper than it was in 2021, can Tennessee craft another unlikely charge to prime playoff real estate?

Trades:

Ahead of Ryan Tannehill‘s age-34 season and with Derrick Henry turning 29 before this season’s conclusion, the Titans had Brown going into the final season of his rookie contract. They faced the same quandary the other teams that obtained No. 1-caliber wideout talent in a deep 2019 receiver draft did: pay the new going rate or sell high. While the Titans did collect quality assets for Brown, their move turned out to be a zag compared to how most of the teams in this position played their hand this offseason. Did Tennessee make the right call?

Vrabel and GM Jon Robinson each expressed a desire to have Brown in the fold long-term, and the parties began negotiations in late March. These talks started at a strange point on the receiver timeline, coming just as the Raiders and Dolphins changed the receiver market with $28MM-per-year and $30MM-AAV deals for Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill, respectively. Although each of those contracts feature final-year money that inflates the AAV, the receiver market was encountering turbulence. Just as Adams’ deal affected the Chiefs, the Titans soon saw those contracts impact their receiver situation.

As it turned out, the Titans and Brown were never especially close on terms, leading Tennessee to follow the lead of Green Bay and Kansas City. The difference here is the Titans bailed on a 25-year-old playmaker whose prime should be ahead. The Packers and Chiefs traded late-20-somethings whose best years have probably already occurred. Brown said he would not have wanted out had the Titans offered $22MM per year, but the former second-round pick said Tennessee was offering a deal with a base value in the range of $16MM per year. Conflicting reports emerged about where the Titans were willing to go, but it was clear they were not hitting the price point the Eagles did. In terms of fully guaranteed money, no one has. Brown’s four-year, $100MM Philly pact contains a receiver-high $56MM guaranteed at signing.

The Eagles effectively set the market for the 2019 receiver class (save for Diontae Johnson, who signed for a bit less to stay with the Steelers). The Commanders, Seahawks and 49ers each had wideouts (Terry McLaurin, D.K. Metcalf, Deebo Samuel) run the non-participation gamut Brown also threatened, with the NFC trio either skipping OTAs, no-showing for minicamp and/or turning to the newly popular hold-in tactic. But each team, with Brown’s Eagles deal as a starter kit, paid up. McLaurin, Metcalf and Samuel each inked a three-year extension worth between $23.3MM and $24MM per year. Despite finding Brown at No. 51 overall and seeing him pass Corey Davis as the team’s top target, the Titans decided the new market did not add up and started over with Treylon Burks.

With Burks submitting an uneven offseason, the Titans could be scrutinized for bailing on Brown three years in. The team had a rookie-contract salary and a 2023 franchise tag as leverage. Brown had dealt with injury issues that sidelined him for six games between 2020 and ’21 and prevented him practicing at points at a young age, so the Eagles acquisition is no sure thing. But Philadelphia now rosters one of the league’s most physically imposing receivers — a player whose quick ascent helped the Titans to the 2019 AFC title game — and Tennessee will count on a raw rookie and a veteran coming off a major injury.

The Rams worked with Woods to find a fit, and for a brief stretch, it looked like the veteran would replace Julio Jones as Brown’s top sidekick. The draft-night trade changed the equation, and a player coming off a November ACL tear moved into the Titans’ WR1 spot. Tennessee took on Woods’ full contract — a $16.25MM-per-year deal agreed to in September 2020 — after Allen Robinson replaced Woods in Los Angeles, where Odell Beckham Jr. remains (for months now) on the horizon.

Prior to his knee injury, Woods was the steadiest wideout the Rams deployed under Sean McVay. The ex-Bills draftee became a solid all-around player, topping out below the Pro Bowl tier but posting back-to-back 1,100-yard seasons with Jared Goff (2018-19) as Cooper Kupp and Brandin Cooks battled injuries. The Titans can get out of Woods’ contract easily, as no guarantees remain after 2022. But with Brown gone and Burks not certain to play a big role early, the Titans need the 10th-year vet to find his old form — one undoubtedly boosted by McVay’s play-calling — fast.

Both Amadi and Lonnie Johnson relocated twice this offseason, the former being traded by both the Seahawks and Eagles and the latter — a former Texans second-rounder — dealt to the Chiefs and later waived. Each is a Titans backup. A sixth-round Panthers pick chosen before Matt Rhule‘s arrival, Daley (21 career starts, including nine in 2021) has a bit more experience than expected left guard starter Aaron Brewer (a UDFA with six career starts). Though more than half of those starts have come at left tackle (another seven came at left guard), Daley could be a guard option at some point in his contract year. He otherwise represents decent swing depth.

Free agency additions:

Quiet in terms of outside additions, the Titans did add a formerly well-paid tight end. Hooper made waves in 2020, signing a four-year, $42MM deal that at the time made him the highest-paid tight end in NFL history. As strange as that sounds, Hooper was coming off a 787-yard Pro Bowl year with the Falcons. And the Browns had money to spend. Hooper, 27, did not fare as well in Cleveland (780 yards from 2020-21) and became a cap casualty after two seasons.

Considering the Titans’ wideout situation, Hooper should be a bigger part of Tennessee’s passing attack than he was in Cleveland. The Titans opted not to tag Jonnu Smith last year and did not have a tight end clear 300 receiving yards. They need Hooper, a former third-round pick, to rediscover his Falcons form.

Re-signings:

At the time of signing, it looked like Landry accepted a Titans-friendly deal. While not in the same class as the T.J. Watt–Joey Bosa–Myles Garrett trio whose $25MM-plus-AAV contracts may or may not have led to Aaron Donald‘s retirement threat, Landry still signed for $6MM less than Maxx Crosby ended up receiving three days later. The Titans’ edge anchor, who is coming off his first Pro Bowl year, is earning $20.25MM in his first season and does currently have a deal that ranks sixth among edges. But the second tier of this market, with cap growth restored, should be in for a spike soon. As that happens, having Landry tied to this deal should be valuable for Tennessee.

This week’s development — a Landry ACL tear sustained in practice — clouds both the optimism associated with this contract and could significantly impact Tennessee’s defensive capabilities. Robinson kept trying to address his OLB position opposite Landry, but his swings for Cameron Wake, Vic Beasley and Jadeveon Clowney each missed. Those failures led to Bud Dupree scoring a surprising (considering his November 2020 ACL tear) $16.5MM-per-year deal with $32.25MM fully guaranteed. Dupree totaled three sacks and eight QB hits last season, missing six games. Landry continued to provide cover, tallying a career-high 12 sacks and 22 QB knockdowns. Not having him this season will place a lot on Dupree’s shoulders and should force the Titans to make another move.

Beyond Jason Pierre-Paul (33) and Everson Griffen (34) and, to a lesser degree, Takkarist McKinley, who is coming off a December Achilles tear, the market — as should be expected in early September — is lean on edges. Will this be the Robert Quinn team? It now makes a lot of sense to discuss the out-of-place D-end with the rebuilding Bears. Even though the Pro Bowler (Bears-record 18.5 sacks in 2021) said he would not be thrilled with being traded a third time, the Titans are in a better position to contend compared to the Bears. Had Landry’s injury happened last week, now-Steeler Malik Reed was there for the taking from Denver.

If the Titans do not make a move now, they are a team to watch for an early-season addition. Their backups (2021 fourth-rounder Rashad Weaver, who played 12 defensive snaps as a rookie), ex-Steeler UDFA Ola Adeniyi (2.5 sacks as a 2021 Titans backup) and Friday waiver claim Derrek Tuszka — cut by the Steelers this week — obviously represent a steep drop-off.

This is Jones’ third Titans contract. Signed as a free agent from the Texans in 2016, Jones and Taylor Lewan have been the constants during Henry’s All-Pro surge. Jones has become one of Robinson’s top moves, arriving during the GM’s first offseason and missing only one game in six seasons. Pro Football Focus has rated Jones as a top-11 center in each of his past five seasons, coinciding with Henry’s success and Tannehill’s midcareer turnaround.

The Titans managing to re-sign Jones on $6.75MM-per-year and $7MM-AAV deals since 2019 has represented excellent value. This middle-class contract could help the team keep rising right guard Nate Davis off the 2023 market, though that will be costly.

Notable losses:

Saffold’s $12.8MM 2022 cap hit was an issue, and his release came two days after Landry’s extension. Were the Titans budgeting for a Brown extension at the time (March 10) as well? It is interesting Saffold became a cap casualty days before the Adams-Hill transactions changed the receiver market, thus leading Brown out of town.

The Titans do have other players (Davis, Jeffery Simmons, Amani Hooker) on the extension radar, so keeping a veteran guard going into his age-34 season might have been a luxury. But Saffold was there for both Henry rushing-title seasons and graded as a top-12 PFF guard during those slates. The Bills will see how much the 13th-year blocker has left. For 2022 alone, this could be a tough loss for the Titans, who are set to go with a former UDFA (Brewer) as Saffold’s successor.

Julio Jones will be in the Hall of Fame early in his eligibility period, but there will not be many Titans highlights — perhaps the sideline catch against the Bills — on his Canton reel. Although the move produced more (434 yards, one touchdown) than the Titans’ largely forgotten but statistically brutal Randy Moss period, that 2010 pickup only cost a waiver claim. Acquiring Jones cost a second-round pick. Jones’ hamstring trouble has become chronic, and his seven missed games helped turn the Titans into a skeleton skill crew for a stretch last season.

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Offseason In Review: Philadelphia Eagles

September 2nd, 2022 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Already making splash moves to bolster their team during the spring, the Eagles squeezed in some more during the late-summer trade window. With the Cowboys battling significant injury questions, an Eagles team that entered last season off the playoff radar has become a trendy pick to pack their home greens for a playoff game.

Considering where this franchise was coming out of the 2020 season, its current position is fascinating. One big trade moved the needle, but GM Howie Roseman — amid heavy staff turnover — led a reload effort that may have the Eagles poised to make another leap in 2022.

Trades:

The Packers’ Davante Adams trade became the biggest sliding-doors moment at the receiver position this offseason, as that deal impacted at least four teams due to Tyreek Hill‘s new contract demands following that swap. But what went down regarding the Eagles’ upgrade is not too far behind here.

After using first- or second-round picks on wideouts in three straight drafts, the Eagles returned to the veteran market to address a spot that remained a need area. The Eagles pursued Allen Robinson and Christian Kirk and were involved in the DeVante Parker trade talks. But the Rams and Cardinals, respectively, blew Robinson and Kirk away with their offers and left the Eagles still searching. Before those pursuits, Philly nearly finalized a deal for Calvin Ridley. The Falcons wideout’s gambling suspension may have changed the NFL offseason, as Brown is almost certainly not Pennsylvania-bound if that trade goes through. The Ridley near-miss occurred before Titans GM Jon Robinson and HC Mike Vrabel made statements indicating a high likelihood of Brown being a long-term Nashville resident.

When the Eagles came through with their blockbuster deal during the first round, it shook up both Philly’s receiver situation — as the franchise’s biggest receiver move since the 2004 Terrell Owens acquisition — and essentially set the market for several teams employing 2019 receiver draftees. In the months that followed, Terry McLaurin, D.K. Metcalf, Deebo Samuel and Diontae Johnson cashed in. But none topped where the Eagles went for their new weapon.

The Eagles’ $25MM-per-year extension came in well above where Brown said the Titans were willing to go — below $20MM AAV — for their top receiver, and the $56MM Philadelphia guaranteed Brown at signing topped Hill, Adams and every other receiver’s deal. The team swung and missed on Arcega-Whiteside and Reagor and decided to pay up to fix the problem. Brown and DeVonta Smith represent one of the NFL’s most intriguing receiver duos — one that will help Philly’s front office better gauge Jalen Hurts‘ trajectory.

Brown, 25, is coming off his worst season (869 receiving yards, five TDs, four games missed) but began his career with consecutive 1,000-yard slates. His run-after-catch skills — which became evident when the second-rounder produced an NFL-leading 8.8 YAC per reception in as a rookie, according to Next Gen Stats — played a major role in Ryan Tannehill‘s 2019 resurgence and helped the Titans to the AFC championship game. Brown has not approached that year’s 20.2 per-catch average, but the Eagles are banking on him anchoring their passing attack. They have not had a 1,000-yard wide receiver since Jeremy Maclin back in 2014. Brown, who goes 6-foot-1, 226 pounds, would seem to complement Smith well. How much of a difference will this make for Hurts?

It made a difference in how the Eagles handled Reagor. After trade buzz would not go away, Philly dealt its underwhelming first-round receiver to Minnesota this week. Despite carrying Reagor through to their 53-man roster, the Eagles bailed on the player they took one spot in front of Justin Jefferson two years ago. Roseman and Eagles coaches are believed to have won out over a scouting preference for Jefferson. However that process went down, Reagor did not come close to living up to his No. 21 draft slot.

Only $2MM in 2022 dead money came with the transaction, and the Eagles are better equipped to handle losing an auxiliary weapon this year. Reagor did not top 400 yards in either of his Eagles seasons, and while a reeling Carson Wentz and a run-oriented Hurts did not present great circumstances, Reagor showed nary a glimpse of the talent he displayed at TCU.

Roseman made two offseason trades with the Saints. The first of which befuddled most due to it involving only draft picks weeks ahead of the draft. The move stripped one of the Eagles’ three 2022 first-rounders away, aiding the Saints’ two-pronged receiver-acquisition effort (which turned into Chris Olave). The deal set up the Eagles for 2023, when they will enter a second straight draft with two first-rounders. That draft class is expected to house a much better quarterback crop compared to 2022’s heavily scrutinized contingent.

If Brown’s arrival cannot sufficiently elevate Hurts as a passer, the Eagles will have ammo. Of course, a few other teams with foggy long-term QB pictures — the Lions, Seahawks and Texans — will likely be linked to first-round passers as well. All three, per oddsmakers and the general consensus, are projected to finish with worse records than the Eagles in 2022. Still, this trade raises the stakes for Hurts’ third season.

Philly and New Orleans’ second trade filled what became a glaring need. After deeming Anthony Harris and Jaquiski Tartt unworthy of a starting job alongside the ascending Marcus Epps, the Eagles revisited the Saints pipeline. With the Saints and Gardner-Johnson roughly $4MM per year apart in extension talks, the Eagles not only traded for the contract-year defender but will change his job description. The multiyear New Orleans slot cornerback will be a safety in Philly.

Although this gives the Birds a well-rounded secondary, it will be interesting to see how Gardner-Johnson, 24, transitions. The Eagles’ bet paying off will lead to the elite agitator’s price rising, as safeties far out-earn slot corners. Eagles-Saints connections were present before this trade as well. The Birds had made a competitive offer for ex-CJGJ teammate Marcus Williams (who signed with the Ravens) and met with eventual New Orleans signee Tyrann Mathieu.

Instead, the Eagles now have two contract-year safeties. Roseman’s first cutdown-week trade working out would not leave many weaknesses in what is looking like one of the NFL’s best starting lineups. Free agency began the team’s run of 2022 upgrades.

Free agency additions:

Defensive line play was at the forefront of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LII victory. Its 2022 group may not have those capabilities, but for depth purposes, Philadelphia has assembled an intriguing arsenal up front. Reddick rounds out a cadre that still houses Super Bowl bastions Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox and Derek Barnett. Javon Hargrave, Jordan Davis and Josh Sweat flank the 2010s first-rounders. Making this a five-first-rounder D-line reminiscent of recent San Francisco and Washington fronts, Reddick rounds out what could be one of the NFL’s most imposing two-deeps at any position.

The Cardinals miscasting Reddick as an off-ball linebacker nearly threw the first-rounder’s career off course, but Reddick proved in 2020 his college edge-rushing chops were legit. Reddick’s Carolina showing (11 sacks, 33 pressures) revealed his late breakout was not a contract-year fluke, and Philly guaranteed the ex-Temple Owl two years. Reddick, 27, benefited from rushing opposite Brian Burns last season and should be aided by the Eagles’ depth this year. The sixth-year pro also figures to help out his new teammates.

More of a zone corner, Bradberry was perhaps the central piece in lifting Patrick Graham‘s first Giants defense to a wildly unexpected result (ninth in points allowed). The ex-Panther earned a Pro Bowl for his 2020 work, and although Bradberry’s yards per target and passer rating as the closest defender figures rose last season, the Eagles present a much better environment. Darius Slay will be the best cornerback Bradberry has played with, and the seventh-year vet cited Philly’s D-line when explaining why he committed. The Eagles were in on Stephon Gilmore, and the Texans were deep in talks with the Giants on a Bradberry trade. Instead, Bradberry (seven INTs since 2020) will be a No. 2 corner and attempt to secure one final payday — via Eagles extension or in free agency — ahead of his age-30 season in 2023.

White, who broke out during his Chargers contract year (144 tackles, two INTs, two forced fumbles), should be an upgrade on Alex Singleton and help what has been an Eagles weak spot. Pascal, who was with Sirianni for three seasons in Indianapolis, became an essential Colts target as the team dealt with T.Y. Hilton and Parris Campbell injuries. An Old Dominion-produced UDFA, Pascal has two 600-plus-yard seasons — one of which in a Jacoby Brissett-quarterbacked offense — on his resume. With Reagor out of the picture, Pascal should be the team’s top backup.

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Offseason In Review: Miami Dolphins

August 31st, 2022 at 10:10pm CST by Ben Levine

The post-Ryan Tannehill era in Miami has seen the Dolphins go 24-25 through three seasons. The organization is looking to take that one final step of their rebuild and return to the playoffs in 2022, and their offseason moves indicate that they’re serious about that goal. They have a new coach in Mike McDaniel leading the way, and they made a number of moves (including acquiring wideout Tyreek Hill and offensive tackle Terron Armstead) to put QB Tua Tagovailoa in a position to succeed (despite their continual flirtation with other quarterback options).

The Dolphins distracted a bit from their successful offseason following the fallout from the organization’s tampering investigation, leading to the suspension of owner Stephen Ross. With those distractions now behind them, the team can focus on the upcoming campaign, and the front office is clearing banking on their offseason moves guiding them back to the postseason:

Trades:

  • Acquired WR Tyreek Hill from Chiefs for 2022 first-round pick, 2022 second-round pick, 2022 fourth-round pick, 2023 fourth-round pick, and 2023 sixth-round pick
  • Traded WR DeVante Parker and 2022 fifth-round pick to Patriots for 2023 third-round pick

The Dolphins made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason, winning the Tyreek Hill sweepstakes. Miami had to pay up to acquire the Chiefs Pro Bowl receiver, both in draft capital and in literal dollars. The organization gave up basically a year’s worth of draft picks to acquire Hill, and they later signed him to a four-year, $120MM megadeal with $72.2MM guaranteed. Sure, there’s question marks surrounding Tua Tagovailoa‘s ability to guide a top-end offense, but the acquisition of Hill gives the QB one of the deepest WR corps in the NFL, with the 28-year-old wideout joining a depth chart that also features Jaylen Waddle and Cedrick Wilson. Considering that depth and the obvious downgrade from Patrick Mahomes, it’s tough to see Hill reaching the career-high 111 receptions or 159 targets he saw in Kansas City last year. Still, there’s no denying his talent, and Hill provides a huge upgrade to an offense that’s hoping to take a step forward in 2022.

The Hill trade ultimately cost one of the Dolphins’ longest-tenured players their job. DeVante Parker spent seven seasons in Miami, but the former first-round pick only had one standout season during his stint with the Dolphins (2019, when he finished with 72 receptions, 1,202 yards, and nine touchdowns). Of course, Parker’s lack of production was reflected in the team’s trade haul, as the Dolphins only managed to upgrade a 2022 fifth-round pick to a 2023 third-round pick. There’s a world where the team could have rostered all of Parker, Hill, and Waddle, but the offseason signing of Wilson would have downgraded Parker to a fourth WR at best. The Fins ultimately decided to hand that role to a younger player and acquire an asset for their former top wideout.

Notable signings:

The Dolphins made a big trade to add to their offense, but the team was also active adding receivers and running backs in free agency. Former Cowboys wideout Cedrick Wilson is the most notable of the bunch, especially after the 26-year-old set career-highs across the board in 2021 (45 receptions, 602 yards, six touchdowns). The Dolphins clearly believe he’ll be an important part of the offense, as the front office gave him close to $13MM in guaranteed money. The acquisition of Hill probably means Wilson will be on the second-tier of receiving options in Miami, but that’s probably an ideal role for him, anyway.

The Dolphins also completely revamped their RB depth chart. Chase Edmonds‘ combination of age and recent role probably makes him the favorite to see a consistent role out of the backfield. While James Conner led the Cardinals in carries last season, Edmonds still saw a career-high 116 rushes for 592 yards. Plus, Edmonds has already shown to be a high-end receiving back, having averaged 48 receptions over the past two seasons. Mostert could be Edmonds’ biggest threat to steal rushing work between the 20s, especially considering his experience in Mike McDaniel‘s system. Mostert was limited to only one game last season and eight games the season before, but if he’s able to stay healthy, he’ll undoubtedly have a role. The addition of Alec Ingold probably hints that Miami will run their RBs similarly to how McDaniel operated in San Fransisco; while the free agent acquisition didn’t threaten Kyle Juszczyk‘s place atop the fullback salary hierarchy, the Dolphins were still willing to commit a chunk of money to an often-overlooked position.

The Dolphins’ biggest free agent splash came on the offensive line, as the team committed a whopping $43MM to offensive tackle Terron Armstead. The Dolphins were in dire need of offensive line help; Pro Football Focus ranked the team’s offensive line 32nd in 2021. The three-time Pro Bowler will help in that regard after finishing as one of PFF’s top-10 tackles each season between 2018 and 2020 (including a first-place ranking in 2018). There are a handful of risks, of course. Armstead has missed a game in each of his nine NFL seasons, including nine games missed in 2021 thanks to elbow and knee issues. Still, whenever Armstead does take the field, he will help provide a consistent, veteran presence to an uncertain OL. Connor Williams is another notable add on the offensive line, as the former second-round pick started 51 games for the Cowboys over the past four years. The lineman ranked as PFF’s 10th-best offensive guard in 2021, although he drew 15 flags and found himself in and out of the lineup.

Teddy Bridgewater was brought in to help provide some continuity to the offense if Tua Tagovailoa is forced to miss any time. The eight-year veteran held off Drew Lock to be Denver’s starter last season and had the team at 7-6 before suffering his second concussion of the year. Entering his age-30 season, he’s an elite backup QB, and while the Dolphins have made it clear that they’re all-in on Tua, there’s a world where Teddy could crack the starting lineup if his teammate struggles.

Defensively, the Dolphins added some intriguing depth to their defensive line and secondary. Melvin Ingram was a pass-rushing monster during his time with the Chargers, and he was expected to play a similar role opposite T.J. Watt in Pittsburgh during the 2021 campaign. Things didn’t go according to plan, as Ingram saw a reduced role during his stint with the Steelers. He ended up starting only one of his 10 games, collecting only 10 tackles and one sack. He was traded to Kansas City late in the season and matched his Steelers numbers in only six games. He also started three playoff games for the Chiefs, collecting another two sacks. There’s probably a reason why the veteran saw a drastically reduced role in 2021, and the Dolphins will see if they can squeeze something out of him as a linebacker on defensive coordinator Josh Boyer‘s 3-4 defense.

Trey Flowers signed with the Dolphins earlier this week, returning to the AFC East after three years spent with the Lions. He was a full-time starter in Detroit, but injuries marred the final two years of his tenure there. He’ll provide the team with another rotational pass rusher, especially if he can rediscover the pass-rushing skills he showed during his stint with the Patriots.

Keion Crossen profiles as more of a special teams ace, although he did play a role on Houston’s secondary in 2020. Speaking of special teams, the Dolphins brought in veteran punter Thomas Morstead. The long-time Saints punter spent last season split between the Falcons and Jets, with his 47.2 yards per punt being his best mark since the 2016 season.

Notable losses:

The Dolphins mostly added to their squad this season, with the team’s most notable losses having already been replaced by clear upgrades. Offensively, offensive lineman Jesse Davis is the most notable of the bunch after having started 72 games for the Dolphins over the past five seasons. He was mostly made expendable following the signing of Terron Armstead, but Davis didn’t do himself any favors with his performance last season. He graded as one of PFF’s worst offensive tackles (79th among 83 qualifiers), and he surrendered eight sacks in 1,063 snaps. His release saved the Dolphins a chunk of money, and there was no coincidence that the move immediately followed the Tyreek Hill acquisition (and mega extension).

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Offseason In Review: Chicago Bears

August 29th, 2022 at 11:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ryan Pace‘s roster construction featured a championship-caliber defense for a stretch, but the since-fired general manager’s 2017 Mitchell Trubisky trade-up undercut the plan. The team’s 2021 descent led ownership to scrap the Pace-Matt Nagy era, and the team’s new Ryan-Matt partnership gutted the roster this offseason.

The Bears are now amid a full-scale rebuild. They are not alone, with a few other NFC teams trying this. But the first Ryan Poles–Matt Eberflus season will not likely involve playoff contention. It will still center around Pace and Nagy’s final big swing, however, with Justin Fields set to lead a new-look offense.

Trades:

Poles signaled a teardown was coming before the league year began, agreeing to trade the Bears’ All-Pro edge rusher to a team closer to a Super Bowl. This marked a somewhat sobering Chicago conclusion for Mack, who cost the Bears two first-round picks and change — and a defender-record contract — in 2018. Mack largely delivered on the team’s hopes he could be the missing piece, elevating Vic Fangio‘s defensive troops to No. 1 in 2018 DVOA and scoring defense. Chicago was still near that level post-Fangio in 2019, but the franchise’s Trubisky reality had set in by that point. The Mack-centered defensive nucleus was trapped, and no escape hatch emerged.

Mack, 31, still made the Pro Bowl in each of his three healthy Bears seasons, and although his 2019 and ’20 campaigns were not as dominant as 2018, the former Defensive Player of the Year still totaled eight forced fumbles, 17.5 sacks and a safety in 32 games from 2019-20. Mack helped a flawed Bears team make the 2020 playoffs (leading to Trubisky NVP ignominy, but still) and had seen his contract passed up by a few edge defenders.

The Chargers deal gave the Bears a nice asset — the No. 48 overall pick that became safety Jaquan Brisker — but it also saddled the team with $24MM in dead money. Chicago had restructured Mack’s deal in March 2019 and March 2021, pushing money into future years to lead to the bloated 2022 dead-cap hit. Mack, who is signed through 2024 as part of an extension that initially had him under Bears control for seven seasons, will be off Chicago’s books in 2023. The potential Hall of Famer will be looking to bounce back from a foot injury that cost him 10 2021 games; how Mack (76.5 career sacks) fares opposite Joey Bosa will likely determine if he has a Canton case.

While the other Bears trade amounts to a flier, it did bring a former first-round pick to town. A trade candidate for over a year in New England, Harry never caught on in the Patriots’ complex offense. The big-bodied pass catcher — the highest-drafted wideout in Bill Belichick‘s 23-year Patriots tenure — has just 57 receptions for 598 yards and four touchdowns. Harry is going into a contract year, one that will begin late because of his latest injury.

Maladies marred Harry’s Pats career as well, and the ankle surgery he underwent is expected to require a two-month recovery timetable. Harry’s rookie contract may end meekly, barring a late-season resurgence with his new team. The Bears did take several more swings at receiver before trading for Harry, however.

Free agency additions:

Not dissimilar from how Nick Caserio has gone about free agency to start his Texans GM run, Poles bought in bulk this offseason. The rookie Bears boss, however, did try to add a defensive line centerpiece. Larry Ogunjobi had agreed to a three-year, $40.5MM Bears pact that included $26.35MM guaranteed. The team failing the ex-Browns and Bengals D-tackle on his physical sidetracked Poles’ plan, and during the time gap between Ogunjobi’s (March 14) and the deal falling through (March 18), numerous free agents came off the board. The Bears settled into the talent pool’s shallow end in the days and weeks that followed.

The day after Ogunjobi’s deal fell through, some of the money earmarked for the higher-touted inside pass rusher went to Jones, who turned a third-round draft arrival into a three-year run as a Chargers starter. The former Bradley Chubb and B.J. Hill college teammate, at NC State, will be expected to be a Bears starter. He and Ogunjobi’s skillsets differ; Ogunjobi has three seasons that top Jones’ 4.5 career sacks. Pro Football Focus graded Jones as a middle-of-the-road D-tackle in Los Angeles, though he did command the most money among the Bears’ 2022 UFAs.

Another player whose starter status will probably not be threatened by this week’s waiver claims is Muhammad, who comes over after being a Colt during each of Eberflus’ four years as their defensive coordinator. Part of the Saints’ famed 2017 draft class, Muhammad did not catch on with New Orleans but made an impact as a rotational player and then as a starter in Indianapolis. The ex-Miami Hurricane’s six sacks leading Colts defensive ends in 2021 was more a reflection on the team’s struggles at the position, but Muhammad represents a nice stopgap who could be part of Eberflus’ first two Bears D-lines.

While Chicago’s O-line has been in flux throughout the offseason, Patrick’s place as its center has been fairly consistent. Although the sixth-year veteran is not a lock to be ready by Week 1 because of a July thumb break, Patrick has long been expected to be Chicago’s pivot. The former UDFA was a primary Packers starter for the past two seasons, lining up as a first-string center or guard in 28 games in that span, and followed new Bears OC Luke Getsy south. Because of the uncertainty at the other non-Cody Whitehair positions, Patrick’s assimilation will be critical to helping the Bears protect Fields.

Although the Bears have Reiff stationed behind Larry Borom and rookie Braxton Jones at tackle, it would certainly seem they could use the 11th-year vet. Reiff, 33, has started 139 games and has played right tackle for multiple full seasons (2016, 2021). The Jets showed interest in Reiff as well. While the former first-round pick is out of place on this Bears squad, he could serve a purpose by offering veteran protection for Fields. If Reiff is not in the Bears’ starter equation, Fields protection — on the edge, at least — falls on two fifth-round picks.

The Bears’ non-Harry receiver fliers included ex-Getsy charge St. Brown, who looks set to be part of Chicago’s 53-man roster. St. Brown brings size, at 6-foot-5, but little in terms of production. He has caught 16 passes since his 21-reception rookie year (2018). Pringle will also be on the Bears’ final roster. Both players will transition from being tertiary targets in deep receiving crews — Pringle with the then-Tyreek Hill-fronted Chiefs attack — to having paths to starting gigs. Pringle, at least, established some momentum last season. Acquired during Poles’ year as the Chiefs’ college scouting director, Pringle caught 42 passes for 568 yards and five touchdowns in 2021.

Re-signings:

Notable losses:

This front office showed little desire to retain the previous regime’s talent, and no place felt that like Chicago’s defensive line and linebacking units. In addition to Mack, four other starters from 2018’s No. 1 defense — Hicks, Goldman, Nichols, Trevathan — were either released or not re-signed as UFAs. This foreshadowed both Robert Quinn trade rumors and an unexpected impasse with the last bastion of the ’18 troops — Roquan Smith. The Bears entered 2021 with five front-seven starters on mid- or high-level veteran contracts; they are down to one (Quinn) this year.

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Offseason In Review: Jacksonville Jaguars

August 26th, 2022 at 5:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Coming off one of the worst head-coaching tenures in NFL history, the Jaguars hired former Super Bowl winner Doug Pederson to be their third sideline leader in three years. This franchise has one winning season in the past 14 years, and the past two have represented the deepest valley during the near-10-year Shad Khan ownership era.

Moving on from Urban Meyer will help, but the Jaguars were 1-15 in 2020 as well. The roster has turned over significantly since then, and the Jags spent aggressively in March to upgrade their talent level. As Trevor Lawrence attempts to shake off a rough rookie year — one in which he certainly drew some bad cards to start his career — how much will the moves the Jags made in March and April elevate them from their miserable start to the 2020s?

Free agency additions:

Kirk’s contract did not take the wide receiver market to new heights, but it certainly catalyzed this offseason’s historic run of receiver raises. The No. 2 wideout behind Larry Fitzgerald and then DeAndre Hopkins, Kirk is coming off a career-high 982-yard season and has experience outside and in the slot. At 25, the former second-round pick is the kind of ascending player to target in free agency. That said, this was a big number that produced a substantial ripple effect.

At the time of signing, Kirk’s $18MM-per-year deal ranked seventh among receivers in AAV. That added to the deal’s shock value. But with so many receivers becoming $20MM-AAV players in the months that followed, Jacksonville’s oft-criticized receiver contract checks in at a more reasonable 18th entering the season.

Chark’s injury stripped Meyer’s team of its top target, and Marvin Jones is a lower-end WR2 at best at this point. The team has a rookie-quarterback contract, and its offseason reflected it. Kirk, 25, might not deliver on this pact, and he undoubtedly benefited because of the Jags’ situation. But this is essentially a two-year, $37MM deal that pairs well with Lawrence, who does not become extension-eligible until Kirk’s guarantees stop in 2024. The Jags pursued Amari Cooper in a trade. That would have been the safer bet, and it turned out to be a bargain for the Browns. But Kirk is three years younger, working in the Texas A&M product’s favor as his market rose to an unexpected place. The Eagles were indeed shocked at where Kirk’s market climbed.

Now, does the Jones contract — arguably free agency’s most bizarre accord — undercut potential optimism about the Jags’ receiver plan? Probably. But Kirk drew interest. And the Jags’ circumstances necessitate overpays. A few more of those transpired.

One of the oldest first-time free agents in modern NFL history, Scherff nevertheless maximized his value via the Kirk Cousins path. Following in the footsteps of Washington’s former quarterback, the team’s top guard was twice franchise-tagged and committed to Jacksonville on a guard-record contract. Quenton Nelson will surpass it soon, but for now, Scherff’s $16.5MM AAV leads the way. The Jags are taking risks on the age (30) and injury fronts here; Scherff has missed 22 games over the past five seasons. But talents like this are rarely available in their primes. The Jags did well to capitalize on the unique circumstances that led Scherff — the first franchise-tagged guard since Logan Mankins in 2011 — to free agency. It made sense for the Jaguars to go big for O-line talent. Pro Football Focus rated their line — one largely unchanged from the 1-15 2020 showing — 24th last season.

The former top-five pick is a five-time Pro Bowler and is riding a three-year streak of such honors. Like Kirk’s deal, the guarantees align with a low-cost QB contract. An argument could be made the Jags did not devote enough resources to address their front this offseason, but Scherff — whom various NFL personnel (via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler) rated as the league’s third-best interior O-lineman this offseason — is a nice building block.

Oluokun’s $15MM AAV still ranks fourth at his position — a spot in which teams are stingier in doling out payments, as the Roquan Smith saga shows. PFF did not view Oluokun’s two starter seasons particularly well, but the former fifth-rounder’s market showed teams were higher on him. Oluokun’s 192 tackles were the most by an NFLer in a season this century. He added two sacks, six passes defensed and three interceptions — including one to seal a late-season win over the Lions. This is probably an overpayment, considering the names that accompany Oluokun atop the off-ball linebacker market, but the talent-starved Jags could afford it — especially after Myles Jack‘s contract came off the books.

Jacksonville’s defense outpaced its offense last season, but the team still ranked 23rd against the run. Enter Fatukasi, who excelled in this area as a Jet. Fatukasi’s deal represents a major profile rise for a former sixth-round pick, but the 27-year-old defensive tackle rated as a top-15 PFF interior D-lineman in 2019 and ’20. While the advanced metrics site was less bullish on his work as a full-time starter last season, the UConn alum still stands to upgrade the Jags’ run defense.

After signing Williams ($10MM per year) and Shaquill Griffin ($13.3MM AAV) in consecutive offseasons, the Jaguars field a sneakily expensive cornerback contingent. Only the Dolphins (Xavien Howard, Byron Jones), Ravens (Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters) and Commanders (William Jackson, Kendall Fuller) have two eight-figure-per-year corners. That will be a less notable distinction as the cap growth continues, but the former Jalen Ramsey sidekick will need to step up on his own.

Williams, 29, zoomed onto the radar with a four-INT 2020, when PFF rated him as a top-five corner. Some of Williams’ metrics worsened in 2021, when he allowed four TD strikes, but his yards-per-target figure dropped to 6.6. The Jags will be expected to deploy the Jacksonville native as a nickel alongside Griffin and Tyson Campbell.

Although it was surprising the Jags did not further augment their pass-catching corps in the draft, taking a flier on Engram makes sense. The former Pro Bowler has shown talent in spurts, but injuries and inconsistency doomed his Giants run. Playing with Lawrence in a Pederson-run offense is a better situation than what Engram was dealing with in New York, however.

The athletic receiving tight end who delivered one of the most productive rookie-year tight end seasons in recent NFL annals (722 yards, six TDs) also has shaken the injury bug, missing only three games since 2020. The former first-round pick turns 29 in September; he is running out of time to secure a nice free agency payday. If Engram stays healthy, this could be a nice value signing. The Jags have not generated much from the tight end position since Marcedes Lewis‘ prime, missing on Julius Thomas and Josh Oliver. Engram contributions would be a bonus through that lens.

Re-signings:

Notable losses:

Nearly half of Jacksonville’s lineup will consist of new starters, and while new regimes often overhaul the roster, Pederson taking a job for a team that has gone 4-29 since 2020 almost mandated it. The Jags’ Week 1 interior O-line from last season is gone, as is their longest-tenured defender.

Seeing Jack reward Pittsburgh’s two-year, $16MM deal would not surprise. The former second-round pick was part of a Jags defensive core that had a moment in the late 2010s, leading the NFL in DVOA in 2017. Jack would have been a first-round pick if he entered the draft healthy, but the UCLA product rewarded the Jags by shaking off his knee injury to begin a starter run as a rookie. Jack played a major part in the Jags’ 2017 ascent, and had officials not incorrectly whistled him down after his second-half fumble recovery in the AFC championship game, the NFL might have had one of its all-time unlikely Super Bowl entrants.

PFF rated Jack as one of the NFL’s worst linebackers last season, however, and the Jags bailing on his four-year, $57MM extension in March saved them $8MM. However, Jack was asked to keep switching positions in recent years and the seventh-year vet is only going into his age-27 season. The Jags clearly had big plans at linebacker this year, as their 2022 investments show.

Linder and Cann had been starters for eight and seven seasons, respectively, arriving in the 2014 and ’15 third rounds. These two combined for zero Pro Bowls but each gave the franchise long stretches of starter work after signing extensions. Injuries kept Linder off the field too often, but he was one of the NFL’s better centers when available. PFF graded the ex-Miami Hurricane as a top-five center each year from 2016-20, though he did miss 19 games in that span. Cann’s 94 Jaguars starts are the fourth-most by an O-lineman in Jaguars history — behind only Brad Meester, Vince Manuwai and Maurice Williams. Cann, 30, did not play fewer than 15 games in a season from 2016-20, but a knee injury limited him to four in his Jags finale. The Jags will see him soon, as he signed with the Texans.

Pederson expressed interest in re-signing Chark, despite the broken ankle that ended his 2021 season early. Re-signing Chark would seemingly have been a better decision than guaranteeing Zay Jones $14MM, but by the time Chark agreed to his one-year, $10MM Lions deal, the Jags had already added Kirk and Jones. Chark is responsible for the only Jags 1,000-yard season since 2015 — his 1,008-yard year with Gardner Minshew in 2019. That provides a rather sobering glimpse at this team’s receiver situation since Allen Robinson‘s ACL tear and also may help explain the Kirk payment.

Draft:

After Kayvon Thibodeaux saw his stock dinged during the pre-draft runup, Aidan Hutchinson had moved into pole position to be the Jaguars’ top pick. Not until late March did the prospect of the team going with Walker surface. As the size-speed freak gained steam into April, a report days before the draft indicated Baalke and Khan disagreed on how to proceed. The owner was believed to want the safer pick in Hutchinson, while Baalke was behind Walker’s toolbox. Khan has held roster control at points in the past, so deferring to his football ops department is probably for the best here. But Walker (ESPN.com’s No. 8-ranked prospect) does come with more risk than Hutchinson, whom the Lions chose quickly while on the clock.

Although Walker went No. 1, some of his Georgia teammates who went in Round 1 bring higher floors. The Bulldog defense’s five-first-rounder haul did not lead off with a statistical monster, as Walker’s college stats do not compare to some recent drafts’ first defenders selected. Hutchinson’s numbers, as a senior at least, were more in line with Chase Young — with each being second-place Heisman finishers, though Hutchinson was not an open-and-shut lock like Young entering his draft — and the Bosa brothers than Walker’s, but the Jags will bet on the latter’s athletic ceiling. At 272 pounds, Walker blazed to a 4.51-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. Walker was also a five-star recruit coming out of high school in Georgia.

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Offseason In Review: Houston Texans

August 23rd, 2022 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Deshaun Watson drama enveloped the Texans’ 2021 offseason, and the team’s new regime did not have attractive draft picks at its disposal. This year brought changes on both fronts, allowing Houston’s Nick Caserio-overseen rebuild to begin in earnest.

Houston took some off-field hits from the Watson saga, remaining connected to the quarterback even after trading him. And Caserio’s 2022 signings resembled the quantity-over-quality approach from last year. But the Texans armed themselves with a historic trade haul — providing them with the draft capital necessary to finally start over. The acquisitions from this offseason will go a long way toward determining how Caserio will fare as GM.

Trades:

Setting aside the controversy surrounding the quarterback for a minute, the Texans deftly cut the cord here and obtained full value for a Pro Bowler that both wanted out and has not played since the 2020 season. As many as 10 teams inquired about Watson. By limiting possible trades to teams willing to meet the Texans’ asking price — three first-rounders and change — Caserio played this process well after holding off on a trade throughout the foggier 2021 offseason.

It will still take time for this organization to move past the Watson damage. The Texans’ alleged role in aiding their former franchise quarterback’s behavior will continue to come up, especially with Watson’s Browns debut set for December 4 in Houston, but judging this deal by assets acquired leads to a historic win for the AFC South franchise.

A few Hall of Fame passers were traded in their 20s. Fran Tarkenton (1967), Steve Young (1987) and Brett Favre (1992) changed teams early in their careers, though only Tarkenton was an established starter at the time of his trade. Tarkenton fetched two first-rounders and change; Favre was swapped for one first. It took only second- and fourth-rounders for the 49ers to pry Young away from the Buccaneers. The Watson deal marks just the second time a quarterback fetched three first-round picks. The Patriots trading former No. 1 overall pick Jim Plunkett to the 49ers in April 1976 represents the other instance of this happening.

Cleveland gave up more than San Francisco did in its ill-fated trade, which included three firsts, a 1977 second and one player (backup QB Tom Owen). Houston’s haul is more impressive considering Watson’s 11-game suspension will mean Cleveland acquired a player whose career is amid a near-two-season pause. Should Watson be cleared for the Dec. 4 Houston return, he will have missed 28 games. That extended hiatus may have affected Watson’s market, were the 11-game ban known beforehand. But given the interest that developed, perhaps not.

The Browns are taking a massive risk not only by trading for Watson but authorizing their whopping $230MM fully guaranteed extension — less than 18 months after Watson signed a $39MM-per-year deal with the Texans. But the Falcons, Panthers and Saints were ready to meet the Texans’ asking price as well. Caserio standing pat at the 2021 deadline, when the Dolphins (and to a lesser degree, the Panthers) represented the market, proved the right call considering the sweepstakes that emerged. This awkward trade derby illustrates the value of a franchise-caliber quarterback in the modern game.

The Texans ended up only getting three full seasons out of Watson, whom the Rick Smith regime traded up for (with the Browns) in 2017. Each of those full seasons ended with Pro Bowl nods. Despite playoff berths in 2018 and ’19, this will not be a fondly remembered period for the franchise. More women sued Watson after the Texans traded him, and civil depositions accused franchise staffers in aiding Watson as he reportedly saw at least 66 massage therapists over an 18-month period. The Texans being connected to arranging a hotel and nondisclosure agreements for Watson has stained the franchise, to a degree, though the Browns — thanks to the stunning contract decision — are understandably taking most of the heat. Still, the Texans settling with 30 massage therapists was one of the most memorable parts of this turbulent Watson offseason.

Houston has pivoted to a far less acclaimed quarterback prospect. Davis Mills‘ improvement did coincide with late-season Texans growth, and the team looks set to give the 2021 third-rounder a legitimate opportunity. Mills’ QBR figure (35.5) ranked 26th last season, but it bettered three of the four other rookies who were regular starters. The Stanford product’s stretch-run progression also came with one of the NFL’s worst offensive lines and skill-position situations.

This year’s Houston offense should not be confused with having upper-tier personnel, but Mills will have a chance to deter the organization from using a 2023 first-round pick on a quarterback. In the event Mills does not sufficiently impress, the Texans should be well-positioned in 2023 or ’24 to make a post-Watson QB investment.

Free agency additions:

Resembling an auction fantasy drafter who missed the first hour of the draft, Caserio went back to a similar contract well this year. The longtime Patriots exec has built perhaps the NFL’s oddest payroll, doing even more to corner the market on middling to slightly below-average veterans than he did in 2021. The Texans will welcome many experienced starters, however. They used free agency to augment a defense that ranked 23rd in DVOA, though surveying the unit’s progress will hinge more on the Texans’ draft choices than their signings.

The Texans had a trade in place to acquire James Bradberry from the Giants, and although New York agreed to pay part of the veteran starter’s $13.4MM salary, Houston wanted to extend him as part of the deal. Bradberry and the Texans were roughly $5MM in AAV apart, so a team with a clear price point — as evidenced by its offseason deals — moved to lower-cost corners. The Eagles ended up signing Bradberry to a one-year, $7.25MM deal. Nelson is on his third team in three years but has been a starter for the past several seasons.

Nelson, 29, is on his fourth team overall, having played out his rookie Chiefs contract before playing with both Pennsylvania teams in the 2020s. Pro-Football-Reference tagged Nelson as giving up five touchdowns and posting his worst metrics in passer rating and completion percentages allowed as the closest defender, but Pro Football Focus placed him as a league-average corner in 2021. Nelson played better in his two Steelers seasons and has experience outside and in the slot, though his slot experience came several years ago in Kansas City.

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