When the NFL’s new league year started a few weeks ago, every team had hopes of improving their roster. It’s not always easy in a competitive league.
Some teams were able to fill huge needs and do it without overspending. They can go into the draft looking for best players available instead of desperately trying to fill glaring holes. That makes for a successful offseason.
This list of the five smartest moves so far this offseason isn’t necessarily the best players to switch teams. The Atlanta Falcons swung big on Kirk Cousins. It cost them a lot of money. The Las Vegas Raiders got a good player in defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. And they paid full freight at $110 million. This top five is all about the shrewdest moves we’ve seen teams make this offseason:
It’s hard to imagine the Kansas City Chiefs won’t get a positive return on a one-year, $7 million deal for Brown, a former first-round pick and former 1,000-yard receiver with the Baltimore Ravens. Injuries depressed Brown’s value in free agency, but he has the talent to make a significant impact with the Chiefs if he stays healthy. And they will figure out ways to maximize his talent.
“I think Marquise gives you that speed element on the outside, or inside for that matter,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said, via CBS Sports. “He’s played all the different spots. I think he’s a smart kid.”
This is a smart move for Brown too. He can revive his career during his age-27 season and sign a bigger deal next offseason. He just needs to stay healthy to post a very productive season with Patrick Mahomes throwing him the ball. And depending what happens with the Rashee Rice situation, Brown could be an important acquisition.
Allen has 10,530 career receiving yards. The Bears’ all-time receiving leader, Johnny Morris, had 5,059 yards. The Bears don’t get retroactive credit for what Allen did with the Los Angeles Chargers, but a franchise that has had mind-blowing troubles figuring out the modern NFL passing game now has two top receivers for soon-to-be quarterback Caleb Williams.
It’s hard to find a good receiver. The market on that position has shifted, putting receivers alongside pass rushers and elite tackles as the most valuable non-quarterbacks in the game. In two straight offseasons, GM Ryan Poles has pulled off a smart trade for a receiver. D.J. Moore was last year’s prize, and this offseason Poles took advantage of the Chargers’ cap issues and sent a fourth-round pick for Allen, a receiver with six Pro Bowls. Allen will be 32 years old this season so he’s a short-term answer, but that’s OK. Look at how Bryce Young struggled with little talent around him on the Carolina Panthers last season. That shouldn’t be a problem for Williams, who will be the No. 1 overall pick of the NFL Draft later this month. The Bears have made moves to help Williams succeed quickly, which is worth a mid-round pick for a very good receiver.
There’s a risk involved with Huff. He came out of practically nowhere for a 10-sack season. Sacks can be fluky and one double-digit sack season doesn’t necessarily mean a player is elite.
Huff is an unusual case, however. He was undrafted out of Memphis, but blossomed his fourth season with the New York Jets. And it wasn’t just the 10 sacks. His pass rush productivity (PRP) grade from Pro Football Focus, a rate stat that includes hurries as well as sacks, was second in the NFL only to Micah Parsons. He wasn’t just finding sacks, he was a dominant pass rusher on a per-play basis. The Eagles paid $51.1 million over three years to find out if Huff is legit, but that’s a fine gamble for a player who hasn’t even turned 26 years old yet. It was a worthwhile risk.
Lions sign DT D.J. Reader
The Lions needed to improve their defense after barely missing out on a Super Bowl trip. The best move they had in that task was signing Reader, one of the best run-stopping defensive tackles in the NFL. Reader got a two-year, $22 million deal that has just $7.425 million guaranteed according to Spotrac. It’s a not a big investment as Reader nears his 30th birthday. Reader came at a value because of a torn tendon in his quadriceps, which is a severe injury. But Reader has offered an optimistic outlook on his recovery. If Reader returns early in the season and is back in his normal role of blowing up the opponent’s interior run game, that can be transformative for a Lions defense that needed an upgrade to take the next step.
The offseason wasn’t too kind to the Miami Dolphins. They had a lot of talent leave due to salary cap issues. But they did rally pretty well.
The best move the Dolphins had this offseason was landing Fuller, a versatile and productive cornerback. Fuller steps right into the lineup and makes sure teams can’t just avoid Jalen Ramsey on the other side all game. Fuller is 29 years old but there are no signs that he’s slowing down. Fuller signed for $15 million over two years, a surprising value at a important position. Miami is still chasing an AFC East title after just missing out on it last season, and while they did lose some key players, getting Fuller on a smart deal
Source Agencies
