The NFL's Top 10 Offensive Additions During 2016 Offseason

The prized acquisitions of the last few months of NFL offseason activity go on display Tuesday, June 7, as seven teams begin their mandatory three-day minicamps. The other 25 clubs will begin that process exactly one week later.

As we inch closer to the regular season, here is a look at the 10 offensive players who were the best offseason pickups for their franchises. There are more than a handful of honorable mentions as well.

The list focuses on players who not only fill major needs for each club but are perfectly suited to the offensive systems they have joined.

Be it via trade, free agency or April's draft, the performers selected will have the biggest impact on their new squads this upcoming season.

Honorable Mentions

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The following veterans and rookies (listed in alphabetical order) came up a bit short of the top 10, but all will make significant impacts with their new employers.

RG Alex Boone (Minnesota Vikings)

The defending NFC North champions fortified their offensive front with the addition of the former San Francisco 49ers blocker, as broken down by Ben Goessling of ESPN.com:

"

Fixing the offensive line was the Vikings' No. 1 offseason priority, and Boone is a hulking guard with a touch of nastiness who should help Matt Kalil on the left side of the line and allow Brandon Fusco to move back to the right side. The Vikings think a big part of fixing their offense hinges on better line play; Boone will be an important piece of the effort to give Teddy Bridgewater more protection and Adrian Peterson more running room.

"

TE Jared Cook (Green Bay Packers)

Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com reported that the Packers' new tight end recently underwent foot surgery. The team hopes to have the 29-year-old performer back in time for training camp.

"Jared is able to stretch the field a little bit with his little bit [of] extra speed," quarterback Aaron Rodgers said, per Demovsky. "I'm excited to get him up and going and get to these installs and see what he can do even more."

Tight end Richard Rodgers finished second on the team with 58 catches and tied for the club lead with eight touchdown receptions last season. But he averaged only 8.8 yards per grab, hence the addition of Cook.

LT Taylor Decker (Detroit Lions)

The Lions have had their issues at left tackle ever since Jeff Backus retired after the 2012 season. They may have found a keeper in Taylor Decker, April's first-round pick.

"He's working," head coach Jim Caldwell said, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "That's the thing. You know he's smart, you know he's athletic, he's working at it. And I think he's growing and developing"

Per Birkett, Decker has played left tackle throughout offseason activities. It's a good bet he will supplant Riley Reiff on the left side, forcing the 2012 first-round selection to move to right tackle.

RB Derrick Henry (Tennessee Titans)

The Titans have been forgettable in recent years, winning a total of five games the past two seasons. But for the second straight spring, the team added a Heisman Trophy winner. Henry and veteran DeMarco Murray (more on him later) give head coach Mike Mularkey the manpower needed to improve the NFL's 25th-ranked ground attack of a year ago.

RB Chris Ivory (Jacksonville Jaguars)

The 2015 AFC rushing leader with 1,070 yards should help a Jaguars running game that was 27th in the league this past season. Ivory will also prove to be a mentor to 22-year-old T.J. Yeldon, who led the Jaguars with 740 yards on the ground this past year.

RG Evan Mathis (Arizona Cardinals)

You can usually find the 34-year-old veteran at or near the top of the list in terms of efficiency at his position. Now the Super Bowl 50 champion goes from Denver to the desert. He'll team with Mike Iupati to give the Cards one of the best guard tandems in the league.

WR Rod Streater (Kansas City Chiefs)

Thanks to the addition of free agent Jeremy Maclin, the Chiefs wide receiving corps was a much more efficient group in 2015. Signing Streater away from the Oakland Raiders gives Kansas City quarterback Alex Smith a sizable target (6'2", 195 lbs) in the slot to team with Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce.

WR Mike Wallace (Baltimore Ravens)

A Pro Bowler with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2011, Wallace disappointed in stints with the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings. The 29-year-old speedster, one of the NFL's best deep threats during his days with Ben Roethlisberger, is tailor-made for the strong arm of Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

"This is going to be fun, man," Wallace said earlier this year, per Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com. "It's going to be a great opportunity to revive [myself] and get back to where I want to be at and the type of player I know I can be. I feel like I can maximize my potential here."

10. RB Matt Forte, New York Jets

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The New York Jets finished 10th in the league this past season in rushing, averaging 116.8 yards per game. Chris Ivory led the attack, running for an AFC-high 1,070 yards, but he's now a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Enter 30-year-old Matt Forte, not welcomed back in the Windy City after totaling 12,718 yards from scrimmage and 64 touchdowns in eight seasons with the Chicago Bears. Those totals include 4,116 yards and 19 scores via 487 receptions. The two-time Pro Bowler remains one of the most versatile players in the league at his position.

While the team continues to sort out its quarterback situation, the Jets have added a proven commodity in the backfield that will offer whoever is throwing the football a valuable outlet. Given the club's question marks at tight end (Jace Amaro returns after missing all of 2015 with a shoulder injury), Forte's pass-catching skills may prove even more valuable than his prowess as a runner.

9. WR Will Fuller, Houston Texans

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This is not the first time you will see a member of the Houston Texans on this list.

In April, the franchise moved up one spot in the first round of the draft to select Notre Dame wide receiver Will Fuller with the 21st overall pick.

The defending AFC South champions were in need of another weapon to pair with Pro Bowler DeAndre Hopkins, who finished third in the NFL with 111 grabs—good for 1,521 yards and 11 scores—this past season. The team's second-leading pass-catcher was Nate Washington, who totaled just 47 receptions and is now a member of the New England Patriots.

Texans general manager Rick Smith said the team considered more than Fuller's talent when it came to drafting the former Golden Domer.

"He's hardworking and smart," Smith told John McClain of the Houston Chronicle in early May. "Obviously, there's the speed. Everybody talks about the explosiveness, but his character is one of the things that attracted us to him."

But it's indeed Fuller's speed that the Texans desperately needed to take the pressure off Hopkins as the go-to guy. The rest of the wide receivers on the team this past season combined for only nine touchdowns.

The Texans offense, ranked 19th in the league in yards per game in 2015, will have a lot of new looks this fall. From quarterback Brock Osweiler and running back Lamar Miller to the talented Fuller, they'll give opponents a lot more to think about this season.

8. G Kelechi Osemele, Oakland Raiders

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There were only seven players in the league this past season to rush for at least 1,000 yards. That included Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray, who finished sixth in the NFL with 1,066 yards on the ground.

Still, the Silver and Black's ground game did little to strike fear into opponents. As a team, the Raiders averaged 91.1 yards per game—the fifth-lowest total in the league. As a club, ball-carriers managed a disappointing 3.9 yards per carry.

General manager Reggie McKenzie opted to bolster his offensive line and signed versatile Kelechi Osemele to a five-year, $58.5 million deal in March, according to Spotrac. He will line up at guard, which was his primary position with the Baltimore Ravens for four years. He now teams with 33-year-old tackle Donald Penn to give the improving Raiders a solid tandem on the left side. It also means 24-year-old Gabe Jackson shifts over to right guard.

Per Pro Football Focus, Osemele earned a plus-13.9 grade for his play in 2015, which was the third time in four seasons you could find him on the positive side of those marks. That included his four-game starting stint at left tackle for the Ravens when Eugene Monroe went down.

The Raiders may not only have an upgrade at guard but an heir apparent for Penn.

7. TE Ladarius Green, Pittsburgh Steelers

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It seems like every 10 years or so, the Pittsburgh Steelers go out and get themselves a new tight end.

In 1995, the team used a first-round pick on Mark Bruener. Known more for his blocking than pass-catching, he was a solid player for the franchise for nine seasons.

In 2005, the Steelers used the 30th overall selection on Heath Miller. He rewarded the Black and Gold with 592 receptions (second-most in team history), 6,569 yards and 45 scores. Miller was a two-time Pro Bowler and a member of three Super Bowl teams.

This offseason, general manager Kevin Colbert went the free-agency route to snag talented tight end Ladarius Green from the San Diego Chargers. He played behind a good tight end in Antonio Gates but could never unseat the perennial Pro Bowler.

What makes him appealing to the Steelers is his ability to stretch the field. With Ben Roethlisberger at the controls and a slew of explosive wideouts led by Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh's downfield passing attack is scary—even minus suspended receiver Martavis Bryant for the 2016 season.

While Green only totaled 77 catches (seven touchdowns) in four seasons with the Bolts, he's averaged 14.1 yards per reception during his brief career. The 26-year-old target is an ideal addition for the league's third-ranked passing attack in 2015.

6. WR Travis Benjamin, San Diego Chargers

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It was one of the quieter moves made back in March.

The San Diego Chargers added defensive tackle Brandon Mebane, cornerback Casey Hayward and free safety Dwight Lowery to improve the league's 20th-ranked defense of a year ago.

Somewhat under the radar, wide receiver Travis Benjamin left the shores of Lake Erie for the climate of San Diego. The 26-year-old speedster ranked second on the Cleveland Browns this past season in catches (68), receiving yards (966) and touchdown receptions (five)—averaging 14.2 yards per grab. In his first three seasons, the 2012 fourth-round pick racked up only 41 catches for 717 yards and five scores.

Benjamin also gives the Chargers another option on special teams. He finished fourth in the league in punt return average (11.6) and scored one touchdown.

With big-play wideout Malcom Floyd retiring, Keenan Allen coming off an injury-shortened season and downfield tight end Ladarius Green leaving for Pittsburgh, quarterback Philip Rivers needed another weapon.

Benjamin will prove to be an ideal fit in Ken Whisenhunt's offense, especially when it comes to the play-action pass. Defenses that focus on running back Melvin Gordon will get caught peeking in the backfield as the speedy wideout goes deep.

5. RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

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So far, so good. But it's extremely early.

Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News had these recent observations regarding Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott: "He definitely looks the part. He looks good in individual drills. But there's really not much you can get from the team period until the pads come on."

All true. But here's what the Dallas Cowboys do know: Their defense isn't getting any better and had issues in 2015. Head coach Jason Garrett also knows a good ground attack can cure some of the ills on the other side of the football. The team rode that formula to an NFC East title in 2014 thanks to NFL Offensive Player of the Year DeMarco Murray.

The Cowboys hope to strike the same kind of gold with Elliott, who ran for 3,699 yards and 41 touchdowns in his final two seasons at Ohio State. But the number to focus on here is an average of more than 20 carries per game. Elliott's ability to be a workhorse is the main factor in keeping that suspect Dallas defense off the field.

The team used the fourth overall pick in April's draft on the 20-year-old talent, who will be supported by the likes of running backs Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris.

Now if only quarterback Tony Romo can stay healthy.

4. RB DeMarco Murray, Tennessee Titans

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In April's draft, the Tennessee Titans used a first-round pick on Michigan State tackle Jack Conklin and the third of three second-round selections on University of Alabama running back Derrick Henry. The latter was the 2015 Heisman Trophy winner.

But it was 28-year-old pro DeMarco Murray who Conklin sang the praises of in a recent conversation with Jason Wolf of the Tennessean:

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He's a really intense guy. You can really see why he did so well in Dallas. He runs hard. Watching him even, just with helmets on in OTAs, he's always, he's hard, and if you're not doing something right, he's going to get on you, and that's exactly what you need.

For a running back that's something that's a little new to me. He's really a vocal guy. And it's good. It really keeps everybody on their toes and everyone clicking because they know if they're not doing something right, DeMarco is going to get on you about it. It makes everyone want to be perfect, because, you know, if we give him some space he's going to do something special.

"

It wasn't long ago Murray was doing special things for the Dallas Cowboys. He led the league with 1,845 yards rushing in 2014 on 392 carries (13 touchdowns) and was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year. He spent last season with the Philadelphia Eagles and was part of a dysfunctional offense that saw him limited to 702 yards on the ground on just 193 attempts.

In March, the Titans acquired Murray and the Eagles' fourth-round pick for Tennessee's fourth-rounder. By all indications, it has the feel of a steal for new Titans general manager Jon Robinson.

Conklin now gives Tennessee three former first-round picks on the offensive line, joining left tackle Taylor Lewan and right guard Chance Warmack. If that sounds familiar, go back to 2014 and Murray's big year with the Cowboys. Dallas also featured an offensive line with a trio of first-round picks: left tackle Tyron Smith (2011), center Travis Frederick (2013) and rookie guard Zack Martin (2014).

While Henry will get his chances, Murray will be the focal point of a Titans ground attack that ranked 26th and 25th in the NFL, respectively, the past two seasons. It adds up to great things for a team that hasn't been impressive the last few years.

3. TE Martellus Bennett, New England Patriots

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During New England Patriots OTAs late in May, Doug Kyed of NESN.com couldn't help but be impressed with tight end Martellus Bennett. The Patriots acquired the well-traveled performer via trade from the Chicago Bears this offseason.

In his three-year stint in the Windy City, the 29-year-old pro totaled 208 catches for 2,114 yards and 14 touchdowns and earned a Pro Bowl invitation in 2014. Foxborough will be the fourth stop in a career that has included stints with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants.

While Bennett did get the opportunity to play with prolific Jason Witten in Dallas, Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski is a different beast. With little argument, he's the premier player at his position in the league. And we are not far removed from the days when Gronk and Aaron Hernandez gave opponents fits in the two-tight end scheme.

Quarterback Tom Brady led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes in 2015. Fifteen of those scores went to tight ends Gronkowski (11) and Scott Chandler (four)—the latter released by the Pats this offseason. The team has also upgraded its wideout corps by signing Nate Washington and using a fourth-round pick on University of Georgia receiver Malcolm Mitchell.

But let's not bury the lede. The arrival of Bennett and his pairing with Gronkowski in multiple-tight end sets will confound opposing defenses this season.

2. RT Mitchell Schwartz, Kansas City Chiefs

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It's a pretty impressive list: Tyron Smith (Dallas Cowboys), Joe Thomas (Cleveland Browns), Terron Armstead (New Orleans Saints), Andrew Whitworth (Cincinnati Bengals) and Joe Staley (San Francisco 49ers).

Those were the only tackles who earned higher grades this past season from Pro Football Focus than Mitchell Schwartz.

Now consider that all five of those individuals line up on the left side, and you realize the former Cleveland Browns stalwart was the best right tackle in the league in 2015.

It's good news for the Kansas City Chiefs, who signed him to a five-year, $33 million deal in March. It's even better news for quarterback Alex Smith, who was sacked 45 times in 2015 when he wasn't busy running for 498 yards and two touchdowns on 84 attempts.

In an AFC West that features the likes of Denver's Von Miller, Oakland's Khalil Mack and San Diego's Melvin Ingram—all with double-digit sacks this past season—Schwartz was a much-needed addition to the team's offensive front.

1. RB Lamar Miller, Houston Texans

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Do the math.

In four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Lamar Miller totaled 638 carries in 61 games. Add in 117 receptions, and that's a total of 755 touches—a tad over 12 per contest. That's not a huge workload by any stretch of the imagination, although the talented running back was a lot busier in his final two seasons with the club.

Now the 25-year-old pro will be creating problems for Houston opponents. Texans head coach Bill O'Brien spoke glowingly about Miller not long after the Texans inked him to a four-year, $26 million contract March 9.

"Every coach I've spoken to that coached him—whether it was with the Miami Hurricanes or Dolphins—has spoken very highly of the guy," O'Brien said, per John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. "From a skill-set standpoint, all you've got to do is turn on the tape from our game against them."

That was in reference to last season's Week 7 tilt between the Texans and Dolphins in South Florida. In a 44-26 victory, Miller totaled 175 yards rushing and a score (from 85 yards) on 14 carries. He also made three catches for 61 yards and a touchdown—54 of those yards on the score.

That contest also saw then-Texans running back Arian Foster go down with a season-ending Achilles injury. Houston released its all-time leading rusher this offseason, making Miller an ironic heir apparent.

The Texans have put a lot into upgrading their offense this year, adding quarterback Brock Osweiler via free agency and wideouts Will Fuller and Braxton Miller in the draft. Lamar Miller will be a far busier player this fall than he was in his days with the Dolphins, and O'Brien and his team will reap the immediate benefits.

Unless otherwise noted, all player and team statistics come from Pro-Football-Reference.com and ESPN.com. All player ratings courtesy of Pro Football Focus. All 2016 free-agent and salary-cap information, contract terms and 2016 transactions courtesy of Spotrac.