NFL Free-Agent Signings: Examining Effect of Biggest Deals Before Official Start

NFL teams came out of the offseason dead period with guns blazing Monday, agreeing to several trades and free-agent signings.

Of course, they can't make any of those transactions official until Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, but this offseason promises to be a busy one if early trends continue. The landscape of the league could look significantly different by the time training camps roll around this summer.

Let's look at the impact of three of the biggest transactions that teams have agreed to since Monday, particularly ones that involved player movement.

DeMarco Murray Traded to Tennessee Titans

The biggest news from Monday was an agreed-upon deal, which ESPN's Adam Schefter reported, that will send running back DeMarco Murray from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Tennessee Titans. After leading the NFL in rushing two seasons ago, Murray had a nightmarish 2015 season in Philly's backfield committee that disappointed his fantasy owners everywhere.

He should be a much better fit with Tennessee, which had Antonio Andrews lead the squad in rushing last season with just 520 yards on 3.6 yards per carry. In fact, it's been a couple of years since the Titans have even had one good yardage game by a bell-cow halfback, as ESPN Stats & Info noted.

With Marcus Mariota showing a bunch of promise as a rookie in 2015, he and Murray look like a nice duo to build around. The next step is improving the offensive line, which was a big problem in Tennessee's three-win campaign in 2015. With all the high picks they'll have in next month's draft, though, the Titans have a great opportunity to put some young, franchise building blocks in the trenches.

We can't fully evaluate this trade for the Eagles without knowing the return, but the fact that Philadelphia unloaded his huge contract with minimal consequences is a great start. CSNPhilly's Dave Zangaro reported the exact amount of the Eagles' cap hit.

The Eagles still have Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles in tow. The two of them combined to average 4.5 yards per carry last season—much better than Murray's 3.6 yards per rush. If Murray turns out decently in Tennessee, this could be a case where both teams benefit from the deal. 

Miami Dolphins Agree to Sign Mario Williams

For the second straight offseason, the Dolphins made a splashy signing on the defensive line. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Miami agreed to a two-year contract with former Buffalo Bills defensive end Mario Williams.

This comes a year after Miami brought in defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh from the Detroit Lions. Suh's individual production and impact for the team were good, but his leadership left something to be desired. Miami will undoubtedly be wanting more from him in 2016.

Williams, meanwhile, is similar in both ways—he's a heck of a talent who can also be a head case at times. His 2015 season was arguably the worst of his career, as the 31-year-old sacked the opposing quarterback just five times. If both he and Suh are giving maximum effort and cooperating with new defensive coordinator Vance Joseph's schemes, watch out.

Wilfredo Lee/Associated Press

The move also has ramifications for the rest of the position group. Defensive end Cameron Wake is a four-time Pro Bowler himself, but he and Williams both like rushing the passer from the left end position. However, Rapoport also reported that Miami wants to keep Wake in the fold, which would mean he or Williams would need to adjust to a completely new role. The large sum of money committed to Williams, Suh and Wake also means the Dolphins will need to cut ties with at least one of their other key linemen, such as the recently-transition-tagged Olivier Vernon.

The Dolphins defense floundered in 2015 despite its immense talent in the trenches, but it'll be harder to repeat its disappointing performance in 2016 with the added firepower.

Malik Jackson Set to Sign with Jacksonville Jaguars

It pays to be a key player on a No. 1-ranked, Super Bowl-winning defense.

Also according to Rapoport, the Jaguars are throwing beaucoup bucks at 26-year-old defensive end Malik Jackson, formerly of the Denver Broncos.

It's a lot of money to pay for a guy who's never made a Pro Bowl and who will need to adjust from playing in a 3-4 to a 4-3 defensive scheme. There's also the teammate factor—how well will he adjust to being one of the main focuses of the offense, rather than playing alongside Von Miller, DeMarcus Ware and Derek Wolfe?

The move reeks of desperation on Jacksonville's part. The team ranked 31st in points allowed in 2015, but investing that much money in Jackson, who's very good but hasn't reached the superstar level yet, seems a bit excessive. The price tag of $90 million is "one-man wrecking crew" money, and Jackson isn't that.

However, maybe the Jaguars will be able to add some cheap pieces to their defense in April's draft and the remainder of free agency that makes the long-term commitment to Jackson worth it. If the 26-year-old end has some decent talent around him and he finds a good fit in the 4-3, Jacksonville's defense could take a leap to respectability.